The Mountain Astrologer ~The Music Issue Review

UPDATE: Tem Tarriktar, the creator of the Mountain Astrologer, died a few days ago. I began reading this iconic magazine around 1990 , 3 years after its inception in 1987. This time frame coincided with my first Saturn Return when I became acquainted with a community of local astrologers.

TMA, which I would call ” The Astrology Bible” has become such  an important part of my life for an entire Saturn cycle. While I did not know Tem personally, we did correspond a few years back when I heard about the need for reviews of the Music Issue. I responded to a Facebook invitation for bloggers to get the word out. I found him to be warm, kind, and engaging.

Many of my friends and astro-heroes write for TMA and I wondered if one day I may join them. Several years ago I was so excited to see a coworker’s chart featured in a regular feature where a few experts took a shot at a person’s questions about love, career, etc. I knew the chart well since I had given this coworker a reading when I supervised her while we worked at the City together. None of these connections would have been possible without Tem’s vision.

I am re-posting my original review of TMA’s Music Issue for your enjoyment and as a tribute to Tem. My astro community has taken some hits recently with the losses of a few beloved astrologers. However, we will continue to prosper and grow from the knowledge and dedication of those luminaires that paved the way for us so brilliantly.

Thanks to you and Godspeed Tem! ❤

 

 I am such a huge fan of The Mountain Astrologer and have kept most of my old issues for later reference. No one does what they do and I cannot imagine practicing or studying astrology today without this amazing resource. Many of you know how much joy music brings to my life. I have often used song to illustrate my moods and current planetary weather. This Special Music Issue of TMA takes two of my passions, music and astrology, and bring them together with skill and soul.

I am happy to share my impressions here and hope you will buy this issue and/or become a subscriber to TMA.

TMA Music Issue Review ~

The Mountain Astrologer Strikes the Right Note

This issue is truly remarkable and will be a keepsake in your astrological library. Guest Editor Frank Clifford did a fantastic job assembling such a comprehensive line up of material. There really is something for every music lover. The material is so diverse in terms of musical genres, the artists themselves, and individual writing styles. From Eartha Kitt to Miley Cyrus and everyone in between, this special edition has got you covered.

For those who are not familiar with The Mountain Astrologer ( TMA), this bimonthly publication offers feature articles for every level of expertise, a dedicated student section, book reviews, software reviews, forecasts and hilarious astro comics. The music issue contains both thematic articles and musician – centered pieces on Marilyn Manson, Captain Beefheart, and Phil Spector. The crowning jewel of the collection is Frank Clifford’s Astro-Chronology of Pop Music 1956- 2011. This 2 page centerfold is a love letter to the astrology and music lover; documenting the song of each year, critical dates in music history, significant planetary conjunctions, and more.

Let’s now take a look at some of the featured articles. Neil Spencer’s piece on The Astrology of Pop is a fascinating ride that takes the reader through the major planetary influences of popular music. He demonstrates how each Jupiter- Uranus cycle influences the pulse of pop culture and how the music produced reflects the language of that particular point in time. He references Richard Tarnas and I especially like this quote :

A tendency in culture for events and figures that played roles in Jupiter-Uranus alignments to possess a mythologized, legendary aura … evoked to the point where they became iconic.

Think of luminaries such as Charlie Parker, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Jimi Hendrix ( riding the wave of both the Jupiter Uranus and Uranus Pluto conjunctions) and one cannot the deny the symmetry between the movements of the cosmic heavy- hitters and musical genius.

Kelly Surtees does a stellar job analyzing the effects of transits to the artist’s natal aspects with their signature songs in The Singer and the Song. Stevie Wonder’s Superstition, for example, is examined here with regards to Uranus transiting his natal Ascendant, Neptune, and the Moon (instrumentation) and Neptune transiting his natal Jupiter (lyrics). This article does an outstanding job highlighting how an era shapes the musician’s persona, which in turn produces iconic hits that leave an indelible mark on the musical landscape.

Another gem is The Moon, the Musician, and the Listening Public by Lynn Bell. Bell takes a look at the impact of highly sensitive and enigmatic Moon in Pisces artists such as Frank Sinatra, Joni Mitchell, and Michael Jackson on the public. Then the Moon Pluto crowd ~ Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus, is explored though the lens of power upon the individual singer and collective. Music is such an intimate, emotional experience and the allure of the Moon, Neptune( Pisces), and Pluto is undeniably powerful in the charts of these performers.

In addition to all the excellent material already mentioned, two other articles are mandatory reading. Within seconds of thumbing through the issue, the words Are You Psychic ? catch my eye. “Why, of course” I say to myself as I take a closer look. It turns out to be a fascinating piece on outer planets and metaphysical abilities by Donna Cunningham. In Are You Psychic? The Outer Planets and Paranormal Abilities, Cunningham, a TMA regular contributor and WordPress blogger at Sky Writer, does a wonderful job pinpointing which astrological signatures frequently show up in mediums, psychics, and healers. She uses Sylvia Browne’s chart to illustrate how the collective energies of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto can manifest in various paranormal gifts. Anyone fascinated with the spiritual realms will come back to this article time and time again. I know that this will be a treasured resource for many years to come.

I also enjoyed Sandra Leigh Serio’s take on pre natal eclipses. In The Pre Natal Eclipse in Your Natal Chart, she explains how to find your pre-eclipse point and its association with past lives and soul groups Then she uses the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie synastry to illustrate how it manifests. I became so engaged with the information that I quickly looked up my own pre-natal eclipse point and compared it with those of my inner circle. I highly recommend that you check this out if you want to investigate how reincarnation can impact your current relationships for better or worse.

If you have not read TMA before, you have so much to look forward to, and might I add, plenty of catching up to do! The Music Issue is a great place to start, chock full of original, in-depth research and invaluable musical memorabilia. This once in a lifetime compilation is available in both print and digital formats.

 

The Mountain Astrologer ~ ordering info :

Print subscriptions (includes free digital access): www.mountainastrologer.com/order.html

Digital-only subs: www.mountainastrologer.com/members/welcome

email : subs@mountainastrologer.com