Prolific author S Rob has written and published more than 600 books about the occult. He is a world authority on magick and the paranormal. Here he shares his interests in the world of culture
Who is your favourite author and why?
Dianne Bondy because I use her book “Yoga for Everyone” a lot. It’s a great book with alternative forms for every position should you find one difficult. The only thing is that I don’t do the headstands because I was told by my yoga instructor that doing that is dangerous if you are alone. I often do one of her sequences in the morning.
What would be your three Desert Island Discs?
Any Ray Charles record, my brother’s music – (www.waynerobson.com), he has been played on various radio stations but also because on a desert island I would miss him. Finally, Bird Lands by Weather Report. My choices are influenced from when I played keyboards because that influences you to listen to music more with wider tastes. I never seem to play much now and as a synthesizer is a band instrument it gets difficult over the years to take part because of my writing workload.
Who is your favourite film star and why?
Sylvester Stallone simply because he became famous from a film that he wrote – Rocky. He also has an impressive record as a screen writer and director and owns a production company.
What are your top three films?
Big Trouble in Little China sees the main character Jack Burton helping to get a friend’s girlfriend back from a rich occultist. Ghostbusters is a fun movie with the main characters setting up a ghostbusting business and ending up saving the world. Hellraiser 3 sees a mentally disabled child opening a doorway to Hell.
Which poem left a lasting impression on you?
It was one from school about WW2 and it had the line “and nobody was left for me”. It was about a person who did not speak up when the Nazis came for others and so when the Nazis went for them there was no one to save them. Life is like that, people keep their heads down until it affects them, when it is too late. Very appropriate now.
What box sets have you enjoyed?
Harry Potter – I don’t see Harry Potter as magick at all because its so different. I view occultism in films like other people do and not as real magick at all: although I believe that real magick exists. My books go into this in more detail. I’m also a big Dr Who fan too.
Who is your favourite artist or performer?
Chris Walden who is also known as Saul Ravencraft. We did a podcast and web series together. He is a person that transitioned from magician in the Paul Daniels sense to a performance artist. We have never met but I have seen his work through the show we did called The World Magick Movement.
What is your favourite venue?
I very much prefer to be online. Which musical instrument do you particularly enjoy? Keyboards.
From the world of Arts and Culture who would be your ideal dinner party guests?
Saul Ravencraft, The Rolling Stones, Banksy, and Tony Doc Shiels. Tony is one of the creators of bizarre magic or bizarrism. It’s an art form that is still quite new (forming in the 1970’s) Some of the workers of bizarre magick have used my books for inspiration making me indirectly a part of this art.
