William Breeze

William Breeze is an American musician and occultist, best known as a member of Coil and as the current international leader of Ordo Templi Orientis under the name Hymenaeus Beta, under which name he is an editor of the occult works of Aleister Crowley.

Breeze was born in Paris, France on 12 August 1955. As part of his musical training he is believed to have studied one term at Harvard University in the 1970s. He is a musician who plays electric viola, mandolin, guitar, bass and electronics.

Musical activity

Breeze was a member of Coil from 1997 through 2004, playing electric viola. Breeze is currently a member of the band Current 93.

Breeze has also played with Psychic TV and appears on "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.

Occult activities

Breeze has been involved in the occult 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." [cite book | last = Motta | first = Marcelo | title = The Equinox, vol. V no. 4 | publisher = Thelema Publishing Co. | location = Nashville | date = 1981 ] In 1978, Breeze was initiated into the Minerval degree of the 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 of 1985.

Following the death of "Caliph" Hymenaeus Alpha (Grady McMurtry), Breeze was elected as the new "Caliph" of the Ordo Templi Orientis in a special election by all the active IX° members of O.T.O. [Koenig, Peter. " [http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/minutes/trans.htm Minutes of the Special Ninth Degree Caliphate Election] ", [http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/ The Ordo Templi Orientis Phenomenon] . Retrieved May 25, 2005.] He assumed the name "Hymenaeus Beta". His role as official OHO has yet to be granted to him, as the necessary requirements for such recognition have not yet been met. As such, according to critics David Bersson and T. Allen Greenfield, he should be described as "acting" OHO of Ordo Templi Orientis. [Greenfield, T. Allen (2006). " [http://www.mindspring.com/~hellfire/bishop/statement.htm A Statement Regarding the Ordo Templi Orientis] "]

Editorial work

Breeze is well-known in the occult community (under his pseudonym "Hymenaeus Beta") as the editor of several of the works of Aleister Crowley.

The works he has edited include:
*"The Equinox, Volume III, Number 10", Weiser Books.
*"The Equinox of the Gods", New Falcon Publications.
*"The Heart of the Master & Other Papers", Thelema Media.
*"The Law is for All", Thelema Media.
*"Magick: Liber ABA: Book 4". Weiser Books.
*"The General Principles of Astrology". Weiser Books. ISBN 0-87728-908-5
*"Diary of a Drug Fiend". Red Wheel/Weiser.

Notes

References

*Koenig, Peter. " [http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/minutes/minutes.htm All we want is a 'Caliph'] ", [http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/ The Ordo Templi Orientis Phenomenon] . Retrieved May 25, 2005.

Further reading

* Cornelius, J. Edward. [http://user.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/rf/rf7.htm An Open Epistle on the Expulsion of Frater Achad Osher 583]

External links

*AMG name|id=n0rvadsky8wj
*AMG name|id=iw3zefukogf8|name=Bill Breeze
*discogs artist|artist=William+Breeze
* [http://www.brainwashed.com/coil/news/news1997.html Coil News 1997]
* [http://www.brainwashed.com/coil/news/ Coil News 1998-2004]
* [http://www.brainwashed.com/coil/info/bill.html Photo of Breeze (right)]

Persondata
NAME=Breeze, William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Beta, Hymenaeus (pseudonym)
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Musician; Caliph of Ordo Templi Orientis
DATE OF BIRTH=12 August 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH=Paris, France
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=