Rob Brezsny

Infobox Writer

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imagesize = 200px
name = Rob Brezsny
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occupation = Astrologer Author Poet Musician
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website = http://www.freewillastrology.com
nationality = American

Rob Brezsny (a.k.a. Ray Foreplay, a.k.a. Pope Artaud) is an American astrologer, writer, poet, and musician. Currently his weekly horoscope column "Free Will Astrology", published for more than 28 years and runs in 120 periodicals. [cite web |url=http://www.disinfo.com/archive/pages/dossier/id1264/pg1/ |title=rob brezsny: divine fool for the modern age |date=2003-07-06 |accessdate=2008-06-27 |format= |work=The Disinformation Company, Ltd. ] [cite web |url=http://www.gtweekly.com/good-times/covers/sign-language |author=Damon Orion |title=Sign Language |date=2008-01-31 |accessdate=2008-07-25 |format= |work= ]

Astrologer

Brezsny has been one of the most influential astrology writers in some generations. His horoscopes broke the mold on the dry predictions of most writers, bringing a literate quality to the work, engaging readers in narrative, and taking a more creative approach to astrology writing than nearly anyone before him. He is the first well-known horoscope writer to enter the column in the first person, giving personal impressions of both astrology and life, telling stories and quoting many other writers. He encourages reader participation and has fierce loyalty of both his readers and the editors who publish him. This combination of factors has made him an enduring institution among horoscope writers.

The leading British horoscope writer Jonathan Cainer credited Brezsny with being the exclusive inspiration for his beginning his own column in the mid 1980s, saying in a recent interview with Eric Francis that Brezsny was the first person who showed him that a horoscope could be done intelligently. [cite web |url=http://www.cainer.com/ericfrancis/mar3.html |title=LA Has a Lot to Answer For |accessdate=2008-06-26 |format= |work= ]

Writer and Poet

Brezsny is author of the books Images Are Dangerous, The Televisionary Oracle, and Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. [ [http://books.google.com/books?client=firefox&ct=result&q=Rob+Brezsny&btnG=Search+Books Google Book Search] ] His most recent work explores the concept of pronoia, a term John Perry Barlow defined as " the suspicion the Universe is a conspiracy on your behalf." [cite web |url=http://pronoia.net/def.html |title=Pronoia |accessdate=2008-06-11 |format= |work= ]

Singer and Songwriter

Brezsny was also the primary singer/songwriter for the early 1990's band World Entertainment War [cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/World-Entertainment-War/artist/B000APN5J8 |title="Give Too Much" on Amazon |accessdate=2008-06-27 |format= |work= ] and the late 70's / early 80's bands [http://scum.wikia.com/wiki/Tao_Chemical Tao Chemical,] Mystery Spot, and Youth In Asia. [cite web |url=http://scum.wikia.com/wiki/Tao_Chemical |title=Santa Cruz Underground Music Wiki |accessdate=2008-06-27 |format= |work= ] World Entertainment War was nominated for a Bammie in 1991 and the Brezsny penned song "Dark Ages" appears on Deep Space / Virgin Sky by Jefferson Starship. [cite web |url=http://www.dreambeach.net/pipa_daniel.htm |title=dreambeach |accessdate=2008-06-27 |format= |work= ]

Awards and Reviews

Utne Reader named Brezsny a "Culture Hero" observing "With a blend of spontaneous poetry, feisty politics, and fanciful put-on, Brezsny breathes new life into the tabloid mummy of zodiac advice columns". [ cite journal
last =
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title = Subversive Stargazer Rob Brezsny
journal = Utne Reader
volume =
issue = September/October 1997
pages =
publisher = Ogden Publications, Inc.
location =
date = 1997-08-01
url =
doi =
id =
accessdate = ] Robert Anton Wilson described Brezsny's book "The Televisionary Oracle" as "A book so weird it just might drive you stark raving sane." [cite web
last =
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title = Televisionary Oracle (Paperback)
work = http://www.amazon.com
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.amazon.com/Televisionary-Oracle-Rob-Brezsny/dp/1583940006
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doi =
accessdate = 2008-05-23] Tom Robbins stated "I've seen the future of American literature, and its name is Rob Brezsny." [cite web
last =
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title = Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings (Paperback)
work = http://www.amazon.com
publisher =
date =
url = http://www.amazon.com/Pronoia-Antidote-Paranoia-Conspiring-Blessings/dp/1583941231
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-06-10]

References

External links

* [http://www.freewillastrology.com/ Free Will Astrology Homepage]
* [http://scum.wikia.com/wiki/Rob_Brezsny Rob Brezsny] on Santa Cruz Underground Music Wiki

Articles

* [http://www.disinfo.com/archive/pages/dossier/id1264/pg1/ rob brezsny: divine fool for the modern age]
* [http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/08.22.96/breszny-9634.html Man For All Reasons]
* [http://www.planetwaves.net/brez.html Giggling Galaxies]
* [http://www.powells.com/essays/brezsny.html The Literary Equivalent of a Sex-Change] essay by Rob Brezsny
*cite web
last = Templeton
first = David
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Mining an Oracle
work =
publisher = http://www.metronews.com/ Metro Publishing, Inc.
date = 2000-04-26
url = http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/04.26.00/robbrezsny-0017.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Phelan
first = Sarah
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Grave Encounter
work =
publisher = http://www.metronews.com/ Metro Publishing, Inc.
date = 2005-08-24
url = http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/08.24.05/brezsny-0534.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Schabe
first = Patrick
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Review of "The Televisionary Oracle" and World Entertainment War's "Give Too Much"
work = http://www.popmatters.com
publisher = PopMatters Media, Inc.
date =
url = http://www.popmatters.com/books/reviews/t/televisionary-oracle.shtml
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Constantine
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Rob Brezsny - Modern Wizard
work = http://www.dailymantra.com
publisher = Daily Mantra
date = 2006-07-15
url = http://www.dailymantra.com/2006/07/rob_brezsny_modern_wizard_1.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Alice
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Televisionary Oracle, by Rob Brezsny
work =
publisher = http://www.pscelebrities.com/whitelightblacklight/ White Light Black Light
date = 2008-04-23
url = http://www.pscelebrities.com/whitelightblacklight/2008/04/televisionary-oracle-by-rob-brezsny-i.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Brezsny
first = Rob
title = Astrology's mad bomber
work = http://www.salon.com/
publisher = Salon Media Group, Inc.
date =
url = http://dir.salon.com/story/people/feature/2000/08/02/rbastrology/
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Brezsny
first = Rob
title = Pronoiacs of the world unite!
work = http://www.salon.com/
publisher = Salon Media Group, Inc.
date =
url = http://dir.salon.com/story/people/brez/2000/08/16/pron/
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Brezsny
first = Rob
title = Ransom note
work = http://www.salon.com/
publisher = Salon Media Group, Inc.
date =
url = http://dir.salon.com/story/people/brez/2000/08/23/womb/
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Brezsny
first = Rob
title = Dear Goddess, You sly universal virus
work = http://www.salon.com/
publisher = Salon Media Group, Inc.
date =
url = http://dir.salon.com/story/people/brez/2000/09/20/goddess/
accessdate = 2008-05-23
*cite web
last = Brezsny
first = Rob
title = Campaigning for Fool Czar
work = http://www.salon.com/
publisher = Salon Media Group, Inc.
date =
url = http://dir.salon.com/story/people/brez/2000/09/06/fool/
accessdate = 2008-05-23

Books by Rob Brezsny

*cite book
last = Brezsny
first = Rob
year = 1983
title = Images Are Dangerous
publisher = Jazz Press
isbn = 0-937310-22-0
url = http://www.amazon.com/dp/0937310220
*cite book
last = Brezsny
first = Rob
year = 2000
title = Televisionary Oracle
publisher = Frog, Ltd.
isbn = 1-58394-000-6
url = http://www.amazon.com/dp/1583940006
*cite book
last = Brezsny
first = Rob
year = 2005
title = Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings
publisher = Frog, Ltd. and Televisionary Publishing
isbn = 1-58394-123-1
url = http://www.amazon.com/dp/1583941231

Persondata
NAME = Brezsny, Rob
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = American astrologer, poet, writer, and musician
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