The thing nobody gets right about the satanic panic is that there were two phases. First wave

dirt bags, 1978 to 1985, they were victims of the panic. Never actually messed with the occult.

Black Sabbath records, role-playing games, cutting gym class.

It didn't make you a wizard.

Second wave dirtbags, 1985 to 1992, however, we were created by the panic.

We heard that heavy metal and D&D led to black magic. And, well, we couldn't wait to sign up.

Of course we got into Satanism.

You know, for like a week.

Then we found a copy of the Megas at Walden's books in the mall,

followed by someone's older brother telling us why Jimmy Page bought Bowlskin House. Suddenly kids who couldn't pass freshman English, they were trying to decipher Alistair Crowley.

Magics and oral tradition.

Heard about Robert Anton Wilson from the weirdos at the record shop.

Austin Olsman Spare from the hippies who sold crystals in the flea market.

We were in our senior year

when we heard about the chattering storm.

Now by then, my core crew was Inga, Diz,

Richard, and me.

Inga got hired at the hippie shop,

and we would hang out there and visit her.

That was how we heard about the storm.

From creepy Craig, one of the regulars.

Craig was maybe 30.

...