Eden Ahbez, Jack Parsons, and other LA kooks...

Got some of their music a couple years ago: pretty cool, so hopefully the soundtrack will get its own release.

will see!!

another relevant film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5CpWvk0WtI

A radical hybrid of spy, sci-fi, Western, and even horror genres, Craig Baldwin’s Mock Up On Mu cobbles together a feature-length “collage-narrative” based on (mostly) true stories of California’s post-War sub-cultures of rocket pioneers, alternative religions, and Beat lifestyles. Pulp-serial snippets, industrial-film imagery, and B- (and Z-) fiction clips are intercut with newly shot live-action material, powering a playful, allegorical trajectory through the now-mythic occult matrix of Jack Parsons (Crowleyite founder of the Jet Propulsion Lab), L.Ron Hubbard (sci-fi author turned cult-leader), and Marjorie Cameron (bohemian artist and “mother of the New Age movement”). Their intertwined tales spin out into a speculative farce on the militarization of space, and the corporate take-over of spiritual fulfillment and leisure-time.

Hadn't heard of that, thanks! Also, something I used to hear about in the 70s: brain breathing--not the yoga kind, this is vaya con trepanation. Think Wm. Burroughs mentioned meeting a couple of euphoric brain breathers, though whether they were experiencing increased oxygenation or a touch of lobotomy, I dunno:
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Trepanation

The Source tour dates.

http://boingboing.net/2013/03/07/movie-poster-for-the-new-the.html

Yes Lord that poster!
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001h_yvoje1DNM5Pg421LA_7Bo2vY-CaIdmJK-Li2QQKKOhwoibShEcD36NvCcnO-W0P4tbq-nWYpqR12x75Qi5oTc-tKc6NTYP_KDAdzJZTqqUXwX0FloC8O_T9lwP78eHXev8EIPlI6OBpUTEABtX8HRpcza4NxG-GpzmwxlszJs=

And the most extensive listings so far
Los Angeles, CA (April 5, 2013) - Drag City Film Distribution expands the theatrical run of THE SOURCE FAMILY (previously titled The Source), the feature length documentary directed by Maria Demopoulos and Jodi Wille about Father Yod and The Source Family's radical experiment in '70s utopian living, and announces special premiere events happening in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and beyond. Directors Jodi Wille and Maria Demopoulous have organized a series of special events in various cities: bands will form to play original Source Family music, renowned chefs will prepare and serve original Source recipes, original Source Family members will lead workshops teaching rituals and meditations, and various Source Family members will be present for Q&As following screenings. A detailed list of all of these events is below, along with a list of all of the cities where THE SOURCE FAMILY will be playing throughout May and June. More cities are being added.

The Source Family's outlandish lifestyle, popular celebrity hangout restaurant, rock band, and beautiful women made them the darlings of Hollywood's Sunset Strip; but their outsider ideals and controversial spiritual leader, Father Yod, instigated local authorities. Yod was a visionary health food restaurateur, war hero, and judo champion who had thirteen wives and fronted the now legendary psych band Ya Ho Wa 13. The family fled to Hawaii, leading to their dramatic demise. Years later, family members surface and the rock band reforms, revealing how the experience shaped their lives in the most unexpected ways. These personal accounts, along with interviews with outsiders, make up the experiences told in THE SOURCE FAMILY. However, the story is largely cinematic, expressed through the use of the group's extensive film and audio archive maintained by Isis Aquarian, one of Father's wives and a central character in the documentary (as well as being associate producer). The film's soundtrack is composed entirely of original Source Family music produced from 1971-1975. This treasure trove of interviews and never-before-seen home movies, photographs, and original music provides an unparalleled insider's view into the cult/commune phenomenon and wildly outside-the-box social experimentation of the early '70s-as well as a being a wholly unique California story.

THE SOURCE FAMILY trailer - http://vimeo.com/58953915

THE SOURCE FAMILY official poster - http://bit.ly/10a2Wwr

THE SOURCE FAMILY will premiere in theaters in 25+ cities beginning May 1st.

**** new additions

New York, NY - opens Wed. 5/1 @ IFC Center - http://www.ifccenter.com/
San Francisco, CA - opens Thu. 5/2 @ Roxie Cinema - http://www.roxie.com/
Seattle, WA - opens Fri. 5/3 @ SIFF Cinema Uptown - http://www.siff.net/cinema/index.aspx
Los Angeles, CA - opens Thu. 5/9@ West Hollywood Standard Hotel, Fri. May 10 @ Cinefamily - http://www.cinefamily.org/
Boston, MA -opens Fri. 5/10 @ Coolidge Corner - http://coolidge.org ****
Dallas, TX - runs Fri. 5/10-Sun. 5/12 @ Texas Theatre - http://thetexastheatre.com/
Philadelphia, PA - plays Sat. 5/11 @ International House Philadelphia - http://ihousephilly.org/film/
Ft. Collins, CO - runs Wed. 5/15 & Thu. 5/16 @ Lyric Cinema Café - http://lyriccinemacafe.com/
Columbia, MO - runs Wed. 5/15 & Thu. 5/16 @ Ragtag Cinema - http://www.ragtagfilm.com/
Houston, TX - opens Fri. 5/17@ Sundance Cinemas - http://bit.ly/14JIfJ2 ****
Portland, OR - opens Fri. 5/17 @ Hollywood Theatre - http://hollywoodtheatre.org/
San Jose, CA - opens Fri. 5/17 @ Camera 3 Downtown - http://bit.ly/c7Udoq
Salt Lake City, UT - opens Fri. 5/17@ Tower Theatre - http://www.saltlakefilmsociety.org ****
Santa Fe, NM - opens Fri. 5/17 @ Center for Contemporary Arts - http://www.ccasantafe.org
Tulsa, OK - opens Fri. 5/17 @ Circle Cinema - http://www.circlecinema.com/
Miami, FL - opens Fri. 5/17 @ O Cinema - http://www.o-cinema.org/
Bellingham, WA - opens Fri. 5/17@ Pickford Film Center - http://pickfordcinema.org/
Nashville, TN - opens Fri. 5/17 @ Belcourt Theatre - http://www.belcourt.org
Nevada City, CA - runs Fri. 5/17-Sun. 5/19 @ Nevada Theater - http://bit.ly/WY1pns
Phoenix, AZ - runs Fri. 5/17-Sun. 5/19 @ Film Bar - http://www.thefilmbarphx.com/
Austin, TX - runs Sun. 5/19-Mon. 5/20@ Alamo Drafthouse - Ritz - http://bit.ly/kwhUzr
Jacksonville, FL - plays Mon. 5/20 @ Sun-Ray Cinema - http://www.sunraycinema.com ****
Portland, ME - plays Fri. 5/24 @ SPACE Gallery - http://www.space538.org ****
Denver, CO - opens Fri. 5/31 @ SIE FilmCenter -http://www.denverfilm.org/filmcenter/ ****
Cleveland OH - plays Wed. 6/5 @ Cleveland Museum of Art - www.ClevelandArt.org/Film
Omaha, NE - opens Fri. 6/7 @ Film Streams - http://www.filmstreams.org/ ****
Chicago, IL - opens Fri. 6/14 @ Music Box - http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/ ****
Hartford, CT - opens Fri. 6/21@ Reel Art Ways - http://www.realartways.org/ ****

THE SOURCE FAMILY PREMIERE EVENTS:
NEW YORK

Sun. 4/28 - Source Family Immersion: Dinner with The Source Family @ Temple M, Harlem, 7pm

(private residence, tickets will be sold through brown paper tickets and address sent to participants only, link to come soon)

Dinner party with original Source restaurant recipes in a converted church by chef Anne Apparu and Dave Nuss
Special guests Isis Aquarian (family archivist, one of Father Yod's wives and associate producer of the film) and Electricity Aquarian, who will lead a meditation ritual exercise
Original Source Family music performed by Dave Nuss (No Neck Blues Band, Sabbath Assembly), Matt Sweeney, Sophia Knapp, Spencer Yeh, Rachel Mason, Damon McMahon and Amen Dunes, Gordon Roecker, and the improv group Georgia.

Mon. 4/29 - An Evening of Source Family Film Rarities @ Spectacle Theatre, Brooklyn

Rare films and public access clips from Source Family archives with Isis Aquarian (family documentarian, one of Father's 13 wives, associate producer), Electricity Aquarian, and directors Maria Demopoulos and Jodi Wille

Tue. 4/30 - Source Family Immersion @ Body Actualized Center, Brooklyn

5 pm: "Playshop" with Electricity Aquarian teaching the basic white magic rituals and "keys" from the Source Family.
7 pm: Source Family pop-up restaurant by chef Anne Apparu ($12)
Soundtrack listening party as dinner is served
9 pm: Special live Source Family-inspired musical performance with surprise guests

Wed. 5/1 - THE SOURCE FAMILY National Theatrical Premiere @ IFC Center, West Village

Q&A with directors Maria Demopoulos, Jodi Wille and Isis Aquarian and Electricity Aquarian
Original recipe Source Family cheesecake by chef Anne Apparu served in concessions.

SAN FRANCISCO

Wed. 5/2 - THE SOURCE FAMILY Premiere (Food/Show/Party) @ The Roxie (produced by The Roxie, Bold Italic, and Folk Yeah)

Q&A with Maria Demopoulos, Jodi Wille, Isis Aquarian, and Galaxy Aquarian
Post-screening Source food served by Bold Italic and musical performance by Source Family tribute band at The Chapel including musicians: Michael Beach, Adam Camilleri and Peter Warden (all of Electric Jellyfish), Noel von Harmonson (Comets on Fire/Sic Alps), Andy Carlton (Carlton Melton), and Utrillo Kushner (Comets on Fire/Colossal Yes)

Thurs. 5/3 THE SOURCE FAMILY screening and special Rarities after-film screening @ The Roxie

Post-screening special presentation of ultra-rare home movies and public access clips from Source Family archives with Isis Aquarian, Electricity Aquarian, and Maria Demopoulos and Jodi Wille

SEATTLE

Thu. 5/3 - THE SOURCE FAMILY Premiere @ SIFF Uptown Theatre

Post-screening Q&A with original Source Family members Makushla (Father Yod's "Mother Angel), Omne Aquarian (Family astrologer, family photographer), Rain Aquarian (Thoughtful Israel) and One Aquarian (Won Israel)

LOS ANGELES

Thu. 5/9 - THE SOURCE FAMILY Premiere @ Standard Hotel, West Hollywood (produced by Cinefamily/Cinespia)

350-seat premiere on the pool deck of the Standard Hotel, across the street from the original Source restaurant
Group white magic ritual with Source Family members and fans in the parking lot before the event
Special menu of original Source Family recipes offered by The Standard Hotel
About 40 original Source Family members will be in attendance
Post-screening Q&A with Maria Demopoulos, Jodi Wille and Isis Aquarian
After party features original Source Family music performed by Guy Blakeslee (Entrance Band) and featuring Will Scott (Wolfmother), Mira Bolette (White Magic), plus a special performance by Ann Magnuson

Fri. 5/10 - Thu. 5/16 - THE SOURCE FAMILY One-Week Run @ Cinefamily

Special appearances and Q&As throughout the week by Isis Aquarian, Maria Demopoulos, Jodi Wille, and Source Family members
Pop-up restaurant at the Cinefamily featuring original Source restaurant recipes prepared by chef Anne Apparu
5/10 is "Family Night" - Source Family members to attend and connect with the public
Ritual and meditation workshops led by Source Family members during the week
Local filmmakers' shorts and music videos will be presented prior to the film on several nights

DALLAS

Fri. 5/10 - THE SOURCE FAMILY Premiere @ Texas Theater

Post-screening Q&A with original Source Family members Joshua, Summer and Wave Aquarian

PORTLAND

Fri. 5/17 - THE SOURCE FAMILY Premiere @ Hollywood Theater

Post-screening Q&A with original Source Family members Aquarius Aquarian and Cosmos Aquarian (now known as Dr. Mark)

PHOENIX

Fri. 5/17 - THE SOURCE FAMILY Premiere @ The Film Bar

Post-screening Q&A with original Source Family members Ahom (Father Yod's first wife and family musician)

THE SOURCE FAMILY is inspired by the cult-classic book The Source: The Story of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13 and The Source Family written by Isis Aquarian and Electricity Aquarian and edited by Jodi Wille (Process Media, 2007). It received extensive praise in outlets including The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Times, PAPER, NPR, and LA Weekly.

THE SOURCE FAMILY, then titled The Source, was selected to world-premiere as one of eight documentary feature films in competition at SXSW 2012 and has played numerous festivals since, including sold-out screenings at SXSW, Silverdocs, Hot Docs Doc Soup, San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Seattle Film Festival. Other festivals and special screenings include the True/False Boon Dawdle and Burning Man.

For more information, visit:

http://www.thesourcedoc.com/

http://www.facebook.com/thesourcedoc

https://twitter.com/sourcefamilydoc

http://www.pitchperfectpr.com/a_source.html

on the calendar!

oh I wannna see thsi

something tells me im not gonna be hooked-up enough to make that nyc premiere screening...

update from Drag City: soundtrack's streaming pre-release (May 21)

http://www.dragcity.com/system/stories/primary_images/731/large.jpg?1368824046
In case you don't know the underground legend already or haven't seen the film yet - for the last couple decades, the cult around The Source Family cult has enjoyed the music of Ya Ho Wa 13, whose nine albums with Father were a major part of their story. Recorded during an eleven-month span during 1973 and '74, these albums continue to fascinate listeners to this day. The Original Soundtrack album pulls plums and cherries from these freakish fruit trees of The Source Family, whose album releases from the 1970s are an indication of how weird the world can be even when it isn't trying.

Some of the most awesome jams from their privately-pressed classics are represented here, along with a brace of previously unreleased song chosen to include the widest variety of Source Family members, revealing the talents of many not previously showcased. Their music ranges from soulful to spiritual to shamanistic, with Father fronting the band on journeys through inner and outer psychosis and bliss - and for the next li'l bit, you can stream the whole thing, here!http://boingboing.net/2013/05/15/free-stream-the-source-family.html

14 tracks in 38 minutes and change, half or 'em excerpts, but brilliantly chosen. A standard of thoughtful, passionate versatility and precision that might've earned daily bread in the L.A. music biz, brought on home to Father Yod--although his own voice is phonogenic enough to get work in Babylon, if he wanted it. Streaming 'til the CD release on May 21, I think--but worth checking later, if you don't have time before that--here's a more direct link
https://soundcloud.com/drag-city/sets/the-source-family-soundtrack

THIS THREAD

Saw Source Family yesterday. It was pretty good, the music was mostly great, did not expect live birth scene but hey why not. Overall, worthwhile for Isis's rather amazing amount of footage and the story, which I didn't know a whole lot about aside from that the Source Family existed.

When the "underground-to-mainstream" co-option train goes non-linear, look out! From Vogue Magazine: Dress the Part: Get The Source Family's 70s Boho-Cult Chic Look

that's insane

The Creation of Beachwood Canyon's Theosophist "Dreamland"
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2014/05/the_creation_of_beachwood_canyons_theosophist_dreamland_1.php

Oh yeah, Andy Samberg and Joanna Newsome bought it:
Moorcrest was built for the utopian Krotona Colony in Beachwood Canyon and was designed by Marie Russak Hotchener, a rare-for-the-time female architect who designed several buildings for the Theosophist community; Moorcrest is considered one of her most famous and out-there pieces.They just do not build 'em like this anymore.
Links to other coverage of high level koo-koo arkitexture on this same page:
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2014/07/41_photos_inside_andy_samberg_and_joanna_newsoms_mindblowing_moorcrest_estate.php

goddamn

so jeal
can't stop thinking about what it must be like to wake up there every day

right? like after a year you'd still be hi-fiving each other 'WE TOTALLY LIVE HERE NOW'

As seen on Tumblr

http://37.media.tumblr.com/67d38d646a8970f7024f113107085a3f/tumblr_n97v4sSlpY1tbxt1go1_500.jpg

(though the Oahspe cult is associated more with New Mexico than Joshua Tree)

Marjorie Cameron visual art show coming to LA MOCA at PDC.

http://dangerousminds.net/comments/cameron_songs_for_the_witch_woman

Wow, that's great, thanks nickn! Speaking xpost of vision quests not Cali-exclusive (though certainly inclusive), behold the Van Dykes (incl. "the lesbian Joseph Smiths), in the Wild Wild West:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/03/02/lesbian-nation

While the paywall is down, that is ("Get it, whiiille you cann")

just came to post about the MOCA show! so awesome!

Huffpo, but it has lots of reproductions of her art.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/marjorie-cameron-moca_n_5656561.html

From Drag City newsletter:

http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20141003/96/10/ad/98/67e1dbfb3186acbc7cc919ea_476x271.jpg

RETURNING TO THE FIRST COMING OF THE SOURCE FAMILY
With the story of The Source Family out there, both as the subject of an acclaimed book and documentary film (as well as an ongoing series of rare, never-before-released recordings), it’s time to turn the light back on the records that made this whole thing a story in the first place. In the 1990s, it was a revelation to discover that there was a series of records made by a hippie cult led by a big Santa Claus-looking guy named Father Yod. More so that these records weren’t predictable light-rock recitals about Jesus — far from it! Instead, they were darkly psychedelic, stream-of-consciousness jams, with Father and the members of his band (usually The Spirit of ’76 or YaHoWa13) transforming divine coils of enlightenment rock over and over. The records were amazing home-recorded documents, adorned with hand-drawn phrases, logos and grainy color shots of what appeared to be truly magical everyday cult life with Father.
Now we return to the beginning, for the second coming of Kohoutek. It was the first spontaneous recording they actually pressed up and came out in 1973, the year of the comet Kohoutek, whose immanent arrival spawned a new round of cosmic consciousness in the media and with people all over the planet. It was more than a comet; its radiance was enormous, coming from ancient times to be experienced again by the enlightened people of the day. The Source Family were alive with expectation about the return of this long-haired messenger, and Father devoted considerable time chanting and eventually changing in his identity to Yahowa while meditating on the comet - the event provided an infusion of energy. The two sides of Kohoutek are a special jam that passes through tranquility to exultation, a tapping of the passing flame in the skies and a greeting from Father to the messenger and bearer of such awesome gifts. Very pure.
By contrast, Savage Sons of Ya Ho Wa is a record that Father doesn’t appear on. Well, he doesn’t play on the record, but look on the cover — Yahowa is still in the driver’s seat. Musically, YaHoWa13 go it on their own, with Octavius, Sunflower, Djinn, and Rhythm collaborating with Electron, who supplies powerful lead vocals. What’s here is a collection of heavy rock songs that will echo in your consciousness, like the opening track, “Edge of a Dream,” and the refrain “I want to see/What’s going on.” The guttural nature of Electron’s vocal sound may recall the name of Beefheart to some; Electron occupies the same unconsciousness, free in the communal slipstream, with less blues and more country gospel in his soul.
Neither album has been available on vinyl for decades, but by YaHoWa, it's our mission to bring these emanations of original, pure Source Family spiritual visions from the mid-1970s to you, November 18th - prepare for their re-arrival on this earth!

Eden Ahbez only wrote the lyrics for Nature Boy. The tune's an old Yiddish folksong

Do we have an authoritative source on this? Wiki sez not THAT old:

Yiddish theatre composer Herman Yablokoff claimed in his biography... that the melody to "Nature Boy" was plagiarized from his song "Shvayg mayn harts" ("Hush My Heart"), which he wrote for his play Papirosn (1935). When met with a lawsuit in 1951 for the plagiarization, ahbez first proclaimed his innocence, and telephoned Yablokoff to explain that "had heard the melody as if angels were singing it... in the California mountains. He offered me $10,000 to withdraw the suit. I said that the money was not important, but I wanted him to admit that the song was geganvet [stolen]; and if he heard angels, they must have bought a copy of my song." Eventually ahbez's lawyers offered to have an out-of-court settlement, offering $25,000 ($227,147 in 2014 dollars) to Yablokoff, which he accepted.

In your research did you learn what film the song originally appeared in or did you already know?

i don't think it was written FOR The Boy with Green Hair...

(never seen the film)

8 Notorious Los Angeles Cult Locations: Then and Now - http://la.curbed.com/archives/2014/10/8_notorious_los_angeles_cult_locations_then_and_now_1.php

More LA cult stuff from curbed. They also had a Jack Parsons article, but it doesn't cover any new ground.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2014/10/ask_the_experts_why_does_los_angeles_attract_so_many_cults.php#more

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/12/07/1958_1115_krishna_venta.jpg

Krishna Venta. After moving Venta started the WKFL (Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith and Love) cult in the 1940s out in Box Canyon on the Ventura/LA County border. WKFL was a relatively public cult and helped out folks after earthquakes, floods, even a plane crash. Cult members simply had to follow the 10 Commandments and Venta's teachings of “Love one. Love ye on another. Love all. Serve ye one another.” Venta eventually extended his "love all" teachings to other member's wives and in 1958 two jealous ex-members set off a bomb killing Venta and nine others.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/files/1958_1211_cover.jpg

Selected links:
http://framework.latimes.com/2011/01/28/krishna-venta-killed-bombing/#/6
http://mkv-archives.blogspot.com/
http://krishnaventa.blogspot.com

The fuck

http://boingboing.net/2014/10/28/ridley-scott-to-produce-minise.html

I mean GREAT but of all things.

http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20141031/2b/62/0f/fb/34fceb6ccb57f003ba09242f_602x400.jpg

http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20141031/ac/35/fd/8c/3ceecc10ceeff9e98819db2f_602x400.jpg

... Pressed on vinyl for the first time since the time of these advertisements, Kohoutek and Savage Sons of Yahowa represent two sides of the Source Family sound - one, Father jamming with The Spirit of '76 (later, Yahowa13) in a deep, extended musical meditation; and two, the younger boys on their own, playing without Yahowa and yet with his spirit inside them as they lay down a series of short rock songs with Electron fronting them and doing the singing...These essential pieces of Source lore - sold in The Source restaurant back in the day - will now be available in deluxe editions, with all original inserts
xpost Drag City releases 11-18. Mentioned again because whatever else they did, they could play (restaurant wasn't bad either, I'm told).

If you've read this far then you should go directly to the Califia's Children blog
http://califias.blogspot.com/

It's written by the same author who wrote Mysterious California years ago

wow great find

Is that Erik Davis?

ooh this looks great, thx elvis

You guys should see my friend Laura's movie:
http://www.laurakraning.com/devilsgate.html

oooh cool

Is that Erik Davis?

Mike Marinacci. Mysterious California came out in 1988 long before all the Weird State books. Still kept my copy.

Long podcast interview with him here:
http://radiomisterioso.com/2015/02/24/mike-marinacci-crazy-california-cults/

i have been reading this blog literally ALL day

so into it!!

Good interview with Michelle Goldberg, author of The Goddess Pose, new bio of Indira Devi, a stateless Russian ex-prisoner of the Cheka who became a pioneering Hollywood yogi, also w feminist elements in her holistic approach: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/06/01/411202468/those-yoga-poses-may-not-be-ancient-after-all-and-maybe-thats-ok (followed by discussion of recent Goldberg article about being "a proud non-breeder who changed my mind," but mostly about Indira Devi)

After "The Lottery" was published, Shirley Jackson got a letter. "It came, naturally enough, from Los Angeles:"
http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/on-fans-and-fan-mail