William Breeze
Encyclopedia
William Breeze was born in Paris
, France
on 12 August 1955 and is an American
musician and occult
ist, best known as a member of Coil
and as the current international leader of Ordo Templi Orientis
. Under the name Hymenaeus Beta he is a leading editor of the occult works of English author Aleister Crowley
, the founder of the philosophy and religion of Thelema
.
. Footage of Breeze performing alongside Maclise was shown at the exhibition DREAMWEAPON The Art and Life of Angus MacLise (1938 – 1979) from May 10 - May 29, 2011 curated by Johan Kugelberg and Will Swofford Cameron.
Breeze was a member of Coil
from 1997 through 2004, playing electric viola, and is currently a member of the band Current 93
(a number and reference important in Thelema).
Breeze has also played with Psychic TV
and appears on the recordings Thee Fractured Garden (1995), Cold Blue Torch
(1995), Trip Reset (1996) and Spatial Memory
(1996) and is mostly credited as playing viola and viola synthesizer.
since the 1970s. He was involved in the publishing of Aleister Crowley
's Magical and Philosophical Commentaries on The Book of the Law
(edited by John Symonds
and Kenneth Grant
; 93 Publishing, 1974) and was a student of Marcelo Ramos Motta
, who described him as "an ex-Probationer who failed to keep his Oath and perform his Task and was cut contact with as a result." In 1978, Breeze was initiated into the Minerval degree of Ordo Templi Orientis
. During the next few years, he advanced through the Man of Earth degrees of O.T.O., taking his IV° & P.I. at Tahuti Lodge in New York City
in January 1985.
Following the death of Caliph Hymenaeus Alpha (Grady McMurtry
), Breeze was elected as Frater Superior of Ordo Templi Orientis
in a special election by all the active IX° members of O.T.O. He assumed the name Hymenaeus Beta.
.
Some of the works he has edited include:
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on 12 August 1955 and is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician and occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
ist, best known as a member of Coil
Coil (band)
Coil were an English cross-genre, experimental music group formed in 1982 by John Balance—later credited as "Jhonn Balance"—and his partner Peter Christopherson, aka "Sleazy". The duo worked together on a series of releases before Balance chose the name Coil, which he claimed to be...
and as the current international leader of Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis is an international fraternal and religious organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century...
. Under the name Hymenaeus Beta he is a leading editor of the occult works of English author Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
, the founder of the philosophy and religion of Thelema
Thelema
Thelema is a religious philosophy that was established, defined and developed by the early 20th century British writer and ceremonial magician, Aleister Crowley. He believed himself to be the prophet of a new age, the Æon of Horus, based upon a religious experience that he had in Egypt in 1904...
.
Musical activity
Breeze is a musician who plays electric viola, mandolin, guitar, bass and electronics. In the early years of his career he worked with poet-percussionist and Velvet Underground cofounder Angus MacliseAngus MacLise
Angus MacLise was an American percussionist, composer, poet, occultist and calligrapher probably best known as the first drummer for the Velvet Underground.-Biography:...
. Footage of Breeze performing alongside Maclise was shown at the exhibition DREAMWEAPON The Art and Life of Angus MacLise (1938 – 1979) from May 10 - May 29, 2011 curated by Johan Kugelberg and Will Swofford Cameron.
Breeze was a member of Coil
Coil (band)
Coil were an English cross-genre, experimental music group formed in 1982 by John Balance—later credited as "Jhonn Balance"—and his partner Peter Christopherson, aka "Sleazy". The duo worked together on a series of releases before Balance chose the name Coil, which he claimed to be...
from 1997 through 2004, playing electric viola, and is currently a member of the band Current 93
Current 93
Current 93 is an eclectic British experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet .-Background:Tibet has been the only constant in the group, though Steven Stapleton has appeared on...
(a number and reference important in Thelema).
Breeze has also played with Psychic TV
Psychic TV
Psychic TV or PTV, is a video art and music group that primarily performs psychedelic, punk, electronic and experimental music...
and appears on the recordings Thee Fractured Garden (1995), Cold Blue Torch
Cold Blue Torch
Cold Blue Torch is an album by Psychic TV. It is the remix album of some songs from the album Trip Reset.-Notes:*Artwork By [Original Cover Collage] - Genesis P-Orridge*Mastered By - Judson Leach*Mastered at J-Lab-Track listing:...
(1995), Trip Reset (1996) and Spatial Memory
Spatial memory
In cognitive psychology and neuroscience, spatial memory is the part of memory responsible for recording information about one's environment and its spatial orientation. For example, a person's spatial memory is required in order to navigate around a familiar city, just as a rat's spatial memory is...
(1996) and is mostly credited as playing viola and viola synthesizer.
Occult activities
Breeze has been involved in the occultOccult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
since the 1970s. He was involved in the publishing of Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
's Magical and Philosophical Commentaries on The Book of the Law
The Book of the Law
Liber AL vel Legis is the central sacred text of Thelema, written by Aleister Crowley in Cairo, Egypt in the year 1904. Its full title is Liber AL vel Legis, sub figura CCXX, as delivered by XCIII=418 to DCLXVI, and it is commonly referred to as The Book of the Law.Liber AL vel Legis contains three...
(edited by John Symonds
John Symonds
John Symonds was an English novelist, biographer, playwright and writer of children's books.- Early Life :...
and Kenneth Grant
Kenneth Grant
Kenneth Grant was a British occultist, novelist, and poet, who with his partner, the artist Steffi Grant, headed the magical order previously known as the Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis but which is now referred to as the Typhonian Order.-Occult background:Grant's occult experiences began in 1939...
; 93 Publishing, 1974) and was a student of Marcelo Ramos Motta
Marcelo Ramos Motta
Marcelo Ramos Motta was a Thelemic writer from Brazil, and member of A∴A∴.Early life=Motta was born at the city of Rio de Janeiro . Very little is known about his childhood, only that he was born into a family with Swiss-German ancestry and received a very strict education, amplified by his...
, who described him as "an ex-Probationer who failed to keep his Oath and perform his Task and was cut contact with as a result." In 1978, Breeze was initiated into the Minerval degree of Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis is an international fraternal and religious organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century...
. During the next few years, he advanced through the Man of Earth degrees of O.T.O., taking his IV° & P.I. at Tahuti Lodge in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in January 1985.
Following the death of Caliph Hymenaeus Alpha (Grady McMurtry
Grady McMurtry
Grady Louis McMurtry was a student of author and occultist Aleister Crowley and an adherent of Thelema. He is best known for reviving the fraternal organization, Ordo Templi Orientis, which he headed from 1971 until his death in 1985.-Early life and career:He lived in various parts of Oklahoma and...
), Breeze was elected as Frater Superior of Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis is an international fraternal and religious organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century...
in a special election by all the active IX° members of O.T.O. He assumed the name Hymenaeus Beta.
Editorial work
Breeze is known in the occult community (under his pseudonym Hymenaeus Beta) as the editor of several of the works of Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
.
Some of the works he has edited include:
- The Equinox, Volume III, Number 10, Weiser Books.
- The Equinox of the GodsThe Equinox of the Gods (Crowley)The Equinox of the Gods is a book first published in 1936 detailing the events and circumstances leading up to Aleister Crowley's transcription of The Book of the Law, the central text of Thelema....
, New Falcon Publications. - The Heart of the Master & Other Papers, Thelema Media.
- The Law is for AllThe Law is for AllThe Law is for All is a collection of Aleister Crowley's commentary on The Book of the Law, the central sacred text of Thelema. It was edited to be a primer of sorts into Crowley's general interpretations about the sometimes opaque text of Liber Legis...
, Thelema Media. - Magick: Liber ABA: Book 4Magick (Book 4)Magick, Liber ABA, Book 4 is widely considered to be the magnum opus of 20th century occultist Aleister Crowley, the founder of Thelema...
. Weiser Books. - The General Principles of AstrologyThe General Principles of AstrologyThe General Principles of Astrology is a reconstruction of an original draft fragment in typescript by Aleister Crowley for Evangeline Adams written between 1915-1916...
. Weiser Books. ISBN 0-87728-908-5 - Diary of a Drug FiendDiary of a Drug FiendDiary of a Drug Fiend, published in 1922, was occult writer and mystic Aleister Crowley's first published novel, and is also reportedly the earliest known reference to the Abbey of Thelema in Sicily.-Plot introduction:...
. Red Wheel/Weiser. - Freedom is a Two-Edged Sword, co-edited with Marjorie CameronMarjorie CameronMarjorie Cameron Parsons Kimmel was an artist, occultist, actress, and wife of rocket pioneer and occultist Jack Parsons. Cameron played a major role in the 1946 Babalon Working ritual.-Biography:...
, authored by Jack Parsons, 1989, New Falcon Publications