Killer Tunes: The Music of Murderers, Cult Leaders and Suicide Advocates

Killer Tunes: The Music of Murderers, Cult Leaders and Suicide Advocates

By Walter Beck

There are some types of music routinely associated with criminality, it’s not uncommon for artists of certain genres to have a criminal record and you may even find a criminal record from musicians you never would have guessed (Merle Haggard, attempted robbery, served time in San Quentin). But what about artists who are more known for their bloody activities than for their music?

Varg Vikernes, Murder, served 15 years in a Norwegian prison.

Most Americans probably don’t know who he is, unless you’re a serious black metal fan, but over in Europe, this man is one of the most notorious killers in popular culture. He was sent to prison on a 21 year sentence for the murder of fellow musician Euronymous and was suspected in a series of church arsons.

Varg had already established himself as a musician in the metal underground with his solo black metal project Burzum. But his sensational trial and conviction kept him in the spotlight and he recorded two albums in prison, Dauði Baldrs and Hliðskjálf. These were ambient, minimalist records as compared to his raw black metal work. Varg was released in 2009 and has since resumed making music as Burzum.

Charles Manson, Murder/Conspiracy, incarcerated since 1969, currently in Corcoran State Prison

Charlie is America’s boogeyman, a deranged cult leader who convinced a horde of young people to commit a bloody massacre. Various theories have arisen as to why Manson directed the murders, some say it had to do with a bizarre race-war fantasy of Manson’s known as “Helter Skelter” and some say it was Charlie’s revenge for being rejected by the music industry.

Manson was an aspiring folk musician who had recorded several demo sessions in 1967 and did one full studio session. He was going nowhere in the music business. Since his incarceration he has been a prolific musician with 19 full-length albums and four 7” singles to his name. Most of these were recorded in prison with his latest album Trees being released in November 2011.

Due to his infamy and continuing bizarre behavior, it is unlikely that Manson will ever be released from prison.

Jack Kevorkian, Second-Degree Murder, released in 2007, dead

Kevorkian, known popularly as “Dr. Death”, was a physician known for his advocacy of the right-to-die, demonstrating his suicide machines for a National audience. Many Americans agreed with Kevorkian’s views and his imprisonment for second-degree murder in 1999 was regarded as unjust.

What most people don’t know is that Kevorkian was also a jazz musician and in 1997, at the height of his notoriety released an album of acid jazz known as A Very Still Life in a limited pressing of 5000. The album received good reviews in many underground jazz circles.

Kevorkian died in 2011.

So here’s the question, what do we do with these artists and their records? Do we ignore them for their infamy and say they’re the product of a depraved mind, not even worthy of a glance? Is the blood of innocent victims on our hands if we listen to these albums?

Here’s my opinion, listen to the music objectively and judge it as art, I have recordings by all of these artists and yes, they were twisted in the eyes of many, but they also have talent as musicians. If you’re worried about “supporting” killers, than don’t pay for the records, download them. The artist won’t get a dime of your money and you may be able to listen to them more objectively.