Phil Legard

Phil Legard is an author, scholar and musician, exploring the presence of esoteric and occult thought in the domains of creativity, culture and politics. His works on magic include ‘Wise Hermes, Black Venus’ (Mandragora, Scarlet Imprint), The Mirror of Elicona (Hadean Press), ‘The Magic of Tuba Veneris’ (Libellus Veneri Nigro Sacer, Trident Books), and ‘The Cunning-Folk’s Chrismon?’ (Enquiring Eye, Museum of Witchcraft and Magic). An Excellent Booke of the Arte of Magicke, co-authored with Al Cummins, will be his first book-length publication.

Phil’s current musical project, Hawthonn, with Layla Legard, released the acclaimed Red Goddess (of this men shall know nothing) in 2018 on Ba Da Bing Records. Hawthonn has thus far explored themes such as edgeland herbalism, oneiric eroticism, and menstrual mysteries (in the tradition of Penelope Shuttle and Peter Redgrove). Hawthonn is also pursuing a critical re-evaluation of the assumptions underlying Western esotericism and paganism, and presented work on this topic in the lecture on ‘Critical Magick’ at Strange Attractor’s Towards a Progressive Magick event, co-presented with Dr Amy Hale.

As an academic, Phil is currently a senior lecturer with the Leeds School of Art, based at Leeds Beckett University. He teaches music production and technology at undergraduate and masters level, and is currently engaged in PhD research on the role of ‘occulture’ in 21st century underground music. He has presented work at conferences including The Alchemical Landscape (Cambridge University), Listen to the Voice of Fire (Bangor University), Uncanny Landscapes (Royal Holloway) and Exploring the Extraordinary.