Ian Read (musician)

Ian Read is an English neofolk & traditional folk musician.

History

At the age of 16, Read became an adherent of Germanic neopaganism and began studying Germanic paganism. He was particularly interested in galdor or "magical metrical poetry" and the runes. Read learned to speak and read Old Norse and Old English in addition to German to further his studies in Northern European history and folklore. These interests later heavily influenced his musical pursuits.

Music

Read began his musical career with Current 93 and contributed vocals to the tracks, "Benediction" and "Malediction" on the 1987 album, "Swastikas for Noddy" as well as "Loony Runes", recorded in 1990. He aided Douglas P. on the Death In June album, Brown Book and appeared on "Crooked Crosses for the Nodding God", a reworking of "Swastikas for Noddy", with new tracks and arrangements.

In 1987 Read joined Tony Wakeford's Sol Invictus along with Karl Blake. Read recorded three albums and an EP with Sol Invictus before leaving to form the band Fire + Ice in 1991.

Most recently, he has been involved in musical projects with the bands "While Angels Watch", "Darkwood", Forseti and Sonne Hagal, the latter two projects in which he sang vocals in German.

Other pursuits

In 1996 Read was named as a Rune-Master within the Rune-Gild. His Master Work was the Fire + Ice album "Rûna" that included a self-written and sung galdor (or galdr) of the Rune poem. Read presently holds the position of Drighten in the Rune Gild and currently co-publishes the periodical "Rûna".

Read became the leader of the English branch of the Illuminates of Thanateros (IOT), in the early 1990s after founder Peter Carroll stepped down as leading Magus. Read is currently the editor of the IOT's "Chaos International (magazine)".

Discography of Ian Read

See also:
Fire + Ice

Year	Title	Under the name
1987	"Swastikas For Noddy"	Current 93
1987	"Brown Book "	Death In June
1988	"Looney Runes"	Current 93
1988	"Against the Modern World "	Sol Invictus
1988	"In The Jaws Of The Serpent"	Sol Invictus
1989	"Crooked Crosses For The Nodding God "	Current 93
1990	"Lex Talionis"	Sol Invictus
1990	"Sol Veritas Lux"	Sol Invictus
1990	"Trees In Winter"	Sol Invictus
1990	"Sacred War"	Compilation
1990	"Abattoirs Of Love" 7"	Sol Invictus
1991	"The Cathedral Of Tears "	Death In June

References

* [http://edred.net/fireandice/ Ian's Fire + Ice website]
* [http://www.neo-form.de/artikel/artikel.php?id=292 An interview with Ian Read] from Neo-Form Magazine
* [http://www.heimdallr.ch/Interviews/2001/fire.html An interview with Ian Read] by Miguel Do Vale
* [http://www.fluxeuropa.com/fire_and_ice-interview.htm Interview with Ian Read] by Gary Parsons on June 2, 1997 - appeared in Flux Europa