Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex[a] is a Japanese animetelevision series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's mangaGhost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno. The first season aired from October 2002 to October 2003 and was positively received by critics. A second season, titled Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG,[b] aired from January 2004 to January 2005. A new anime installment titled Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 was formally announced in December 2018 and will release on Netflix in 2020.[6]
The series centers on the members of an elite law enforcement unit known as Public Security Section 9 as they investigate cybercrime and terrorism cases; the cases in the first season often are connected to their pursuit of an elite 'Super Class A' hacker and corporate terrorist known only as 'The Laughing Man', whose actions end up creating the series' titular 'Stand Alone Complex'. A series of associated short comic animations, titled Tachikomatic Days, aired after each episode. These shorts star the Tachikoma 'think-tanks' from the main series, and they typically relate directly to the story of the preceding Stand Alone Complex episode.
The first season was adapted into a feature-length OVA titled The Laughing Man, which was released in 2005. The series had also received video game spin-offs for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and mobile phones. 2nd GIG was also later adapted into a feature-length OVA entitled Individual Eleven, which was released in 2006.[7]Solid State Society, a TV-film sequel to the Stand Alone Complex series, was also released in that year.[8]
Plot[edit]Premise[edit]
The members of Section 9. From bottom left to top right: Paz, Borma, Saito, Batou, Motoko, Togusa, Aramaki, and Ishikawa
The series takes place in the year 2030, where many people have become cyborgs with prosthetic bodies. Primarily set in the fictional Japanese city of Niihama, Niihama Prefecture (æ°æµçæ°æµå¸Niihama-ken Niihama-shi), the series follows the members of Public Security Section 9, a special-operations task-force made up of former military officers and police detectives. While the group investigates various crimes, both seasons feature ongoing investigations into two incidents that embroil the group in corruption within other branches of the Japanese government.
Season 1[edit]
The first season of Stand Alone Complex focuses on the Laughing Man incident, wherein a hacktivist ultimately reveals to the Major that he had discovered that several micromachine manufacturing corporations, in association with the Japanese government, suppressed information on an inexpensive cure to a debilitating cyberization disease in order to profit from the more expensive micromachine treatment. Following this, he abducted one of the owners of the company and attempted to force him to reveal the truth on live television, resulting in the hacker live-hacking everyone's vision and cameras at the event to cover his face with the stylized laughing face logo that became synonymous with his image. His popularity spawned several genuine imitators, resulting in the series' titular Stand Alone Complex. After an investigation by the authorities causes him to resurface in the present, Section 9 discovers these companies and several Japanese politicians later used the Laughing Man's image to garner public support and profit, and they begin a campaign, spearheaded by Togusa and the Major, to disseminate the truth. This ultimately leads to the Cabinet labeling them as domestic terrorists and forcibly disbanding them, resulting in the capture of several members and the apparent death of Motoko Kusanagi. However, it is all a ruse to deceive the government, and the very alive and well members of Section 9 regroup to bring the micromachine corporations and corrupt politicians to justice, resulting in the dissolution of the current Japanese government.[7]
Season 2[edit]
The second season, 2nd GIG, set two years after the events of the first season, explores the political and social ramifications of the two world wars that took place prior to the events of the series.[9] At the time of the Third and the Fourth World Wars, about three million Asians became refugees and were invited into Japan as a source of cheap labor. These 'invited refugees', based on the reclaimed island of Dejima, soon became unemployed in the post-war period, and their social unrest borders on outright war.[10] Section 9's involvement in the refugee issue begins after they successfully stop a hostage crisis caused by a domestic terrorist group known as the Individual Eleven, after which newly elected Prime Minister Yoko Kayabuki officially reinstates the organization. The group seems to be modeling themselves after the May 15 Incident, where a group of naval officers assassinated the Prime Minister and then gained the support of the public, and hope to stir up the refugees' spirits by fighting for them against the Japanese government. The group also comes into contact with Kazundo Goda, head of the Cabinet Intelligence Service, who gets assistance from the group in defusing several instances between the refugees as well as assisting him in transporting plutonium through Dejima, result in several failures and refugee deaths, further straining relations. Section 9 ultimately discovers that Goda has been manipulating both events behind the scenes, leaking the social virus that creates the Individual Eleven ideology and creating a new Stand Alone Complex, as well as the intentional failures with the refugees. However, he cannot account for the charismatic Hideo Kuze who genuinely believes in the best for the refugees and helps rally for their independence from Japan. Throughout the investigation, Kusanagi discovers she may know Kuze from her childhood. Ultimately, Goda is found guilty of his part in the refugee incidents and killed before he can defect to the American Empire, but not before his ministrations also result in the death of Kuze.
Film[edit]
In the film Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society, taking place two years following the resolution of the Individual Eleven incident, the Major has left Section 9, and Togusa is now field commander, leading an investigation into several deaths of refugees from the Siak Republic, which results in the discovery of a government computer system coordinating the kidnappings of 20 thousand abused children who have had their cyberbrains replaced and placing them under the care of several senior citizens made comatose by another government program that takes care of all of their bodily needs. Their investigation, which brings the Major out of hiding, reveals an entity known as the Puppeteer behind the kidnappings, but the Puppeteer is a rhizome formed by the collective will of the senior citizens, and it was only the Siak Republic's intent to use the kidnapped children in their plans that led to their downfall. However, the investigation further reveals that a member of the House of Representatives is also using the children for his nationalistic purposes, and Section 9 with the Major infiltrates a welfare center where the MP brainwashes the children, resulting in the Puppeteer revealing his own identity that the senior citizens wished to give the children free will in their future, with the politician interfering in that new plan.
Production[edit]
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was animated by Production I.G, and produced by Bandai Visual, Bandai Entertainment, Dentsu, Nippon Television Network, Tokuma Shoten, Victor Entertainment, Anchor Bay Entertainment, and Manga Entertainment.[11] The series was directed and written by Kenji Kamiyama, with additional screenwriters including Junichi Fujisaku, Yoshiki Sakurai, ShÅtarÅ Suga, Dai SatÅ, Nobutoshi Terado, Yutaka Åmatsu, and YÅ«ichirÅ Matsuka. Masamune Shirow, author of the original Ghost in the Shell manga, provided plot for several episodes, sketches of characters and mechanical designs (including the Tachikoma), and gave his approval to the scripts before production.[12] The series was produced with an 800 million yen investment. Kenji Kamiyama decided to make the anime television series as a 'relative' to the manga and film, serving as a separate parallel world from both.[7]
For the second season, Mamoru Oshii had contributed with his ideas to the concept of the entire series and initial planning stages.[13]Shuko Murase stated that they were initially going to concentrate on how Japan was going to participate in war after 9/11 as intended to portray a fictional future. But by the time they were working on the episodes, the Iraq War had already started and Japan's Self-Defense Force was sent to Iraq. During this time Japan also had an election. Murase continued to state that he created the 'Individual Eleven' episodes to express irresponsibility of the Japanese people when they voted for the politicians that planned to send Japanese troops to Iraq and Afghanistan.[14]
Music[edit]
Yoko Kanno, composer of the music for the Stand Alone Complex series
The soundtrack for the series was composed by Yoko Kanno and produced by Victor Entertainment. The first season's opening theme is 'Inner Universe' performed by Origa (written by Origa and Shanti Snyder). The lyrics are in Russian, English, and Latin. The first season's ending theme is 'Lithium Flower' performed by Scott Matthew (written by Tim Jensen). When the series was later re-broadcast on terrestrial television in Japan, 'Inner Universe' was replaced with 'GET9', performed by jillmax (written by Tim Jensen), while 'Lithium Flower' was replaced with 'I Do', written and performed by Ilaria Graziano.[citation needed]
The opening theme for S.A.C. 2nd GIG is 'Rise' performed by Origa (written by Tim Jensen), while the ending theme is 'Living Inside the Shell' performed by Steve Conte (written by Shanti Snyder). 2nd GIG also used alternate opening and closing themes when it was re-broadcast on terrestrial television, with 'Rise' was replaced by 'CHRisTmas in the SiLenT ForeSt' performed by Ilaria Graziano (written by Shanti Snyder), and 'Living Inside the Shell' was replaced by 'Snyper', performed by Ilaria Graziano (written by Tim Jensen).[Note 1]
Broadcast[edit]
The anime television network Animax first licensed and broadcast the series in 2002 across most of Asia, as well as in Latin America.[15] It was subsequently licensed by both Anchor Bay Entertainment and Manga Entertainment in North America,[16][17] and Madman Entertainment in Australia.[18] It was broadcast in the United States on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block,[19] in Canada by YTV[20] and in the United Kingdom by AnimeCentral.[21] A series of associated short comic animations, titled Tachikomatic Days (ã¿ãã³ããªæ¥ã
Tachikoma na Hibi), aired immediately after each episode of the series. These shorts star the Tachikoma 'think-tanks' from the main series, and typically relate directly to the story of the preceding Stand Alone Complex episode.
The second season of Stand Alone Complex, titled Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG, aired on Animax from 1 January 2004 to 8 January 2005. The production of a second season was immediately decided after the first season's TV airing.[7] The second season was initially hinted when Bandai has extended the episode list to 52 episodes at Otakon of 2003.[22] On Halloween of 2003, Production I.G officially announced a second season for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.[23]
It premiered on 1 January 2004 in Japan on SKY PerfecTV!'s Perfect Choice (Animax), on a pay-per-view basis.[7] The series was later aired on the terrestrialNippon TV from 6 April 2005. Animax also later aired the series across its other networks worldwide, including its English language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia, as well as its other networks in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Latin America, and several other regions. 2nd GIG was also later aired in the United States on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. Bandai Visual owns the DVD distribution rights in Japan, while Anchor Bay Entertainment and Manga Entertainment owns the distribution rights in North America and Europe. The show began airing daily on AnimeCentral beginning 4 November 2007 in both English (two nightly screenings) and original Japanese (one late-night screening).
On 18 March 2015 it was announced that Stand Alone Complex would receive a full weekly rebroadcasting in Japan on BS11, starting on 1 April 2015 onward.[24] On April 25, 2017, Starz announced that they would be offering episodes of the series for their Video on Demand service starting May 1, 2017.[25]
Related media[edit]OVA[edit]
A feature-length OVA titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man was released in Japan on 23 September 2005, and in North America on 2 October 2007. The OVA retells the first season of the anime television series with minor alterations to the storyline to accommodate an abbreviated take on the Laughing Man affair. Some additional animation and voice work was also added. Although the Japanese-language version retained the voice cast from the anime series, the English version has a new cast of voice actors. The dialogue recording for the English version was produced by Ocean Productions.[7] A Blu-ray version was released on 22 December 2010.[26]
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG â Individual Eleven is a feature-length OVA which retells the events of S.A.C. 2nd GIG, altered to focus on both the Individual Eleven investigation and the relationship between Hideo Kuze and Motoko Kusanagi. Newly animated scenes and a remixed soundtrack are also included.[27]
A TV-film sequel titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society was released in 2006.[28]
Video games[edit]
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex has received three video game spin offs. The first video game is Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for the PlayStation 2 and was developed by Cavia. It was released on 4 March 2004 in Japan and 8 November 2004 in North America.[29] The second video game is for the PSP, was developed by G-Artist, and is also titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.[Note 2] It was released in Japan on 15 September 2005 and in North America on 25 October 2005.[30] The third is an online first person shooter for the PC, titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - First Assault Online. Although it is still in beta at the time of this writing it is an open beta and it already has many players.
Several mobile phone games have been released exclusively to Japan. The first is titled Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Cyber Mission (æ»æ®»æ©åé S.A.C. ãµã¤ãã¼ããã·ã§ã³KÅkakukidÅtai SAC SaibÄ Misshon) and was developed by GREE and released on 14 February 2011.[31] The second shares the name of the anime and PlayStation 2 video game, was developed by Mobage and released on 16 November 2011. The game focuses on an unnamed new detective who works for Section 9.[32] The third is a social game also developed by Mobage, titled Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. Tachikoma Wars! (æ»æ®»æ©åé S.A.C. ã¿ãã³ãã¦ã©ã¼ãº!KÅkaku KidÅtai S.A.C. Tachikoma WÅzu!), and released on 29 March 2012.[33]
On 13 December 2012, Nexon stated it had obtained the rights of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for the purpose of the creation of a massively multiplayer online game.[34] On 12 February 2013, the first details were released through Online Gamer Japan. The game was formally announced on 17 September 2015, under the title of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - First Assault Online.[35][36] The game is a first-person shooter with a heavy basis on hacking and customization of the player's cyberized body.[37]First Assault Online entered early access on Steam on 14 December 2015,[38] and has mostly positive reviews from users.[39]
Novels[edit]
A three-volume novel series based on the anime television series and collecting self-contained stories was written by staff writer Junichi Fujisaku and illustrated by Kazuto Nakazawa. The novels were published by Tokuma Shoten and distributed by Dark Horse Comics in the United States. The first volume, titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Lost Memory,[Note 3] was released on 21 January 2004 in Japan and on 24 May 2006 in the US.[40][41] The second volume, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Revenge of the Cold Machines,[Note 4] was released on 8 July 2004 in Japan and on 26 September 2006 in the US.[42][43] The third volume, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - White Maze[Note 5] was released on 4 February 2005 in Japan and on 2 January 2007 in the US.[44][45]
Short Stories[edit]
Two short prose stories were released in the Ghost in the Shell: Five New Short Stories prose anthology released in 2017. The first was called Shadow.Net written by Toh Enjoe which references the Puppeteer's actions from the Solid State Society film but could also conceivably be referring to the events in the manga. The second story(which appears as the third story in the collection) was called Soft and White by Kafka Asagiri which revolves around the Laughing Man's actions in the time period between Standalone Complex and 2nd GIG.
Manga[edit]
Two manga series based on Stand Alone Complex have been published by Kodansha. The first series, Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. - Tachikomatic Days (æ»æ®»æ©åéS.A.C. ã¿ãã³ããªããKÅkaku KidÅtai S.A.C. Tachikoma na Hibi), is based on the associated Tachikomatic Days shorts. The manga was drawn by Mayasuki Yamamoto and was launched on 9 December 2009 in Monthly Young Magazine.[46] Three tankÅbon volumes were released on 5 November 2010, 4 March 2011 and 5 August 2011 respectively.[47]
The second manga series, sharing its name with the television series, was drawn by Yu Kinutani and launched on 14 December 2009 in Weekly Young Magazine.[46] The manga is an adaptation of the first season of the anime series. Three tankÅbon volumes were released. The first volume subtitled 'Episode 1: Section9' was released on 6 April 2010 in Japan and on 24 May 2011 in North America.[48][49] The second volume subtitiled 'Episode 2: Testation' was released on 5 November 2010 in Japan and on 29 November 2011 in North America.[48][50] The third volume subtitled 'Episode 3: Idolater' was released on 5 August 2011 in Japan.[48] The fourth volume subtitled 'Episode 4: Â¥â¬$' was released on 6 March 2012 in Japan.[48]
Other[edit]
An official guidebook/DVD to the first 19 episodes of the TV series titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Official Log 1 was released by Bandai and Manga Entertainment on 25 October 2005. The guidebook and DVD contains several interviews from several staff members, reports on several animation techniques and other reports on several concepts of the series. A second guidebook/DVD titled Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Official Log 2 was released on 24 January 2006 featuring background, commentary and examination of the remaining 7 episodes.[51] Another guidebook titled Ghost in the Shell: SAC - Ultimate Archive (æ»æ®»æ©åéSACã¢ã«ãã£ã¡ããã¢ã¼ã«ã¤ãKÅkaku KidÅtai SAC Arutimetto Äkaibu) was published by Tokuma Shoten and released on 31 March 2007.[52] Another guidebook titled Tachikoma's All Memory.[53]
Numerous figurines have been released for Stand Alone Complex versions of the characters with Motoko and Tachikoma being a central focus. Various figures have been produced from CM Corporation,[54] and Kaitendo.[55] Tachikoma figures have been produced by various companies, including one by the Good Smile Company in cooperation with Nendoron.[56] A 1/24th scale plastic model kit of the Tachikoma was produced by Wave in December 2005.[57] Other merchandise includes clothing, key chains, notebooks, patches, bags, posters and body pillows.[58]
Reception[edit]
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the series' high quality of animation and the musical score by Yoko Kanno.[59][60][61][62] In particular, reviewers reacted positively to the world of high-technology that Stand Alone Complex presents,[60][61][63] described as 'believably futuristic'.[60] Lawrence Person from Locus Online wrote that 'the world of [Stand Alone Complex] is recognizably our own, or rather, one recognizably extrapolated from modern Japan. While parts of the technology seem unlikely in the time-frame allotted, none seems impossible.'[63] In addition, several reviews mentioned what they perceived to be overarching themes explored in the series as a result of the setting; specifically, the meaning of humanity in a world where the lines between man and machine were becoming increasingly blurred,[61][63] as well as various societal issues that might emerge as a result of advances in technology.[59][63]
Reviewers agreed that the main 'Laughing Man' storyline was satisfying, characterizing it variously as 'interesting',[63] 'complex',[64] and 'engaging'.[60] Reaction to the series' 'Stand Alone' episodes, however, was mixed: some reviewers considered these episodes to be boring and, in some cases, the worst episodes of the series,[60][63] while others contended that they allowed further development of the characters and the futuristic setting.[59][64]
Certain commentators specifically focused on the series' success or failure in achieving the high standards set by the critically acclaimed 1995 film Ghost in the Shell. Opinion in this regard was divided: although these reviewers took an overall favorable view,[59][60][62] some reviews criticized the quality of animation,[60] while others felt that the series' story lacked the depth of the original film.[62] This 'lack of depth', however, was attributed to the fact that Stand Alone Complex is an action-oriented series with a limited episode length in which to explore deeper themes.[62]
Bolstering the generally positive reviews of the series, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex won an Excellence Prize (Animation Division) at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival,[65] a Notable Entry Award at the 2003 Tokyo International Anime Fair,[66] and was featured in June 2004 by Newtype USA, with a 'double scoop' cover story.[67] The Japan Media Arts Festival provided a brief summary of Stand Alone Complex, calling it a 'completely original television series..entertaining and easy to understand'.[65]
Chris Beveridge of Mania gave 2nd GIG an overall score of A praising its coloring stating, 'Colors are gorgeous and solid, especially all the various areas of large soft colors that look to be amazingly solid and with no visible break-up even during pausing.'[68] Mark Thomas of Mania also gave it an overall score of A, stating: 'It has plenty of good action and thought provoking plot points.'[69] Andy Patricio of IGN rated the first DVD volume 9/10 praised the animation, stating: 'Artwork is richer; this is easily the best-looking anime Production I.G. has ever produced. CG is richer and more widely-used. Animation is more complex and fluid, although it's still a little jerky, which is common in TV shows.'[70] Joe Luscik of Animefringe ranked the series 4.5 out of 5 praising the animation stating it 'is just awesome'.[71] Adam Arseneau of DVD Verdict praised the direction of the 2nd season compared to the first stating, 'The tongue-in-cheek humor that made the show clever and endearing is still present, but the atmosphere feels more violent, more urban and dystopic, as if no longer afraid to address the social problems of the future.'[72]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ghost_in_the_Shell:_Stand_Alone_Complex&oldid=905015942'
Ghost is a Swedish rock band that was formed in Linköping, Sweden in 2006.[1][2] In 2010, they released a 3-track demo followed by a 7' vinyl titled 'Elizabeth', and later their debut full-length album Opus Eponymous. The Grammis-nominated album was widely praised and significantly increased their popularity. Their second album and major label debut Infestissumam was released in 2013, debuted at number one in Sweden, and won the Grammis Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Album. The band released their third studio album, Meliora, in 2015, to much critical acclaim and high record sales, reaching number one in their home country of Sweden, and number eight in the United States. Its lead single, 'Cirice', earned them the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. The band released their fourth studio album, Prequelle, in 2018.
Ghost is easily recognizable owing greatly to its eccentric on-stage presence. Seven of the group's eight members, its 'Nameless Ghouls',[3] wear virtually identical, face-concealing costumes. Prior to a 2017 lawsuit filed by former members of the band, lead singer Tobias Forge obscured his identity behind the character 'Papa Emeritus'. The character, which consists of Forge in a prosthetic mask and makeup can be best described as a 'demonic anti-pope'.[3] The Papa Emeritus Character has gone through four incarnations - I, II, III, and Nihil. As of the 2018 album Prequelle and subsequent world tour, Forge portrays a character known as 'Cardinal Copia', who is described as being unrelated to any of the Papa Emeritus characters and whose costume consists of either Cardinal vestments or a black or white tuxedo alongside a prosthetic mask with black eye makeup and the multi-colored eyes which had been present in each Papa character.
HistoryFormation and Opus Eponymous
Ghost was formed in 2006, when future band leader Tobias Forge wrote the song 'Stand By Him'.[4] He said, 'I said that this is probably the most heavy metal riff that has ever existed .. When the chorus came to me, it haunted my dreams. Every time I picked up the guitar, I ended up playing that progression, and when I fit the words in, it seemed to cry out for a Satanically-oriented lyric.'[5] Forge then contacted his former Repugnant bandmate Gustaf Lindström to record the song.[4] In early 2008, the two entered the studio to record three songs: 'Stand by Him,' 'Prime Mover' and 'Death Knell'.[4] Afterwards Forge remarked to Lindström: 'This definitely does not sound like two dudes that look like you and I'.[4] Thus Forge decided that they should be an anonymous 'theater band', and use their love of horror films and 'the traditions of Scandinavian metal' in the band's imagery.[4][5] While other members of the band would wear black hooded robes and be called 'Nameless Ghouls', Forge would go by 'Papa Emeritus', dressed in Papal regalia and his face painted to resemble a skull.[6] Forge then chose the name Ghost for the group.[4] Initially Forge had no aspirations on becoming the band's vocalist, instead wanting to play guitar.[4] He offered the position of lead vocalist to Messiah Marcolin, Mats Levén, Christer Göransson and JB Christoffersson, all of whom passed.[4] As a result, Forge became the band's lead singer by default.[4] On 12 March 2010, Forge posted the first three Ghost songs on MySpace and within two days was contacted by records labels and managers wanting to work with the group.[4]
Ghost spent a few weeks in a basement studio in the band's hometown of Linköping recording their debut album.[6] In June 2010, the band released their first single 'Elizabeth'.[6] Ghost released their first studio album, Opus Eponymous, on 18 October 2010, on the independent record label Rise Above Records. The album reached number 50 on the Sverigetopplistan and was well-received by critics, being nominated for the 2011 Grammis Award for 'Best Hard Rock' album.[7][8][9] Ghost played their first concert on 23 October 2010 at the Hammer of Doom festival in Würzburg, Germany.[10]
Ghost live at Roskilde Festival 2011
Ghost supported gothic metal band Paradise Lost on their 'Draconian Times MMXI' tour in April 2011.[11] On 29 May, Ghost made their United States debut at the Maryland Deathfest.[12] The band played at the annual Download Festival in the United Kingdom on 11 June. Following their performance, Phil Anselmo, lead singer of the band Down, performed wearing a Ghost T-shirt and invited three members of the band to join him on the main stage, where they performed Down's 'Bury Me In Smoke' together.[13] In December 2011, Ghost took part in the 'Defenders of the Faith III' tour with Trivium, In Flames, Rise to Remain and Insense.[14] The band then embarked on their first United States tour, '13 Dates of Doom,' beginning in New York on 18 January 2012, and ending on 2 February in Los Angeles.[15] Afterwards Ghost joined Mastodon and Opeth as the opening act on the Heritage Hunter Tour throughout North America during April and May 2012.[16][17][18][19] In June, Ghost received the award for 'Breakthrough Band' at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.[20]Rab gedung paud 1 lantai.
Infestissumam
In February 2012, a Nameless Ghoul revealed that the band had completed writing their second album.[21] Ghost entered the studio in October to record their second album in Nashville, Tennessee, with producer Nick Raskulinecz.[22] The band had planned to record the album at the turn of 2012, but after starting their US tour in January, they were offered another tour immediately after.[22] At the same time the band, their management and Rise Above Records all agreed that the group's next album should be released on a different label.[22] Thus Ghost signed with Loma Vista Recordings in partnership with Republic Recordsâa division of Universal Music Group.[23]
On 15 December 2012, Ghost played a show in Linköping, where they debuted a new song titled 'Secular Haze', which was released online earlier that day, as well as their cover of ABBA's 'I'm a Marionette'.[8] During the same show, the band introduced Papa Emeritus II as the successor to the first Papa Emeritus.[24] On 20 December, the band announced that their second album, Infestissumam, would be released in early 2013.[1] On 5 February 2013, the band announced a name change to 'Ghost B.C.' in the United States for legal reasons.[25] A Nameless Ghoul said: 'B.C. is obviously a pun on âBefore Christâ, but it's just an amendment. In our world, we're just gonna be called Ghost .. The B.C. is silent, and as soon as we can, it's gonna be taken away forever.'[26] They officially dropped the amendment from their name in 2015.[27] From 23 February to 4 March 2013, Ghost toured Australia as a part of the Soundwave Festival.[28]
Ghost performing in Utrecht in 2013
Infestissumam was originally scheduled to be released on 9 April 2013, in the US, but the band could not find a US company that would manufacture the CD.[29] Four US CD manufacturers rejected the job because the artwork for the deluxe edition of the album was described as 'basically a 16th century illustration of an orgy.' [29] Rather than delay the album further, the band decided to use the artwork from the regular edition for the US pressings of the deluxe edition and announced the new release date of 16 April.[29] All European copies and the US vinyl versions include the controversial artwork.[29]Infestissumam charted in seven countries, including at number one in Sweden, eventually going gold. The album was also well received by critics, winning the Grammis Award and the P3 Guld Award for 'Best Hard Rock/Metal Album' of 2013.[30]
Ghost began their 'Haze Over North America' tour on 14 April 2013, at the Coachella Festival, which continued until 18 May.[31] On 27 July, Ghost began the 'Still Hazing over North America Tour', which ended in Chicago at the Lollapalooza festival.[32] Immediately after, Ghost toured South America supporting Iron Maiden and Slayer, which included a performance at Rock in Rio.[33] In October 2013, Ghost opened for Avenged Sevenfold and Deftones on their US tour.[34] In November, the band toured the UK with Alice in Chains, before a tour of Europe.[35][36] On 20 November 2013, Ghost released the EP If You Have Ghost, consisting almost entirely of cover songs. It was produced by Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame.[37]
In January 2014, Ghost received six nominations at the Loudwire Music Awards.[38] From 17 January to 2 February 2014, the band toured Australia as a part of the Big Day Out festival.[39][40] They then embarked on the 'Tour Year Zero', which lasted from 17 April until 17 May 2014, in North America.[41] In July, the band performed at the European Sonisphere Festival.[42]
Meliora
Ghost's third studio album, the follow up to Infestissumam, Meliora was released on 21 August 2015. In an advertisement for the album that aired 28 May on VH1 Classic, it was announced that Papa Emeritus II was 'fired' and that his successor Papa Emeritus III is his younger brother by a full three months.[43] The song 'Cirice' was released as a free download from the band's official site on 31 May, and won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.[44] Papa Emeritus III was officially unveiled with a debut performance in Linköping on 3 June 2015, where the band also performed new songs from the upcoming album.[45]
The album was first promoted in August by a five date acoustic tour named 'Unholy/Unplugged' of record shops in the US. Here Papa Emeritus III sported slicked-back jet black hair without his trademark mitre, and performed alongside the two guitarist Nameless Ghouls; accompanying them on the kazoo.[46] A tour of the US titled 'Black To The Future' began on 22 September and ran until 1 November.[47] This was quickly followed by a European tour of the same name that ran until 21 December, including a full UK tour and two other tours in North America that took place in the spring and mid-summer of 2016.
On 12 September 2016, the band released a new track on a radio show titled 'Square Hammer' and a new EP, Popestar, was released on 16 September, the same day the Popestar Tour began. Following the conclusion of the North American tour that concluded on 12 November, was the European tour of the same name which started in late March and finished in late April 2017.[48] They were the opening act for Iron Maiden on their 2017 North America tour from June to July 2017.[49] A Nameless Ghoul stated that after the tour was over, they would be writing and recording the new album which they stated would be much darker than Meliora, with Tobias confirming in a recent interview that the fourth album would be released in 2018.[50]
In early 2017, Tobias Forge was sued by former Ghost members Simon Söderberg, Mauro Rubino, Martin Hjertstedt, and Henrik Palm as part of a royalties dispute. The four, who left Ghost in 2016, filed the suit in the district court of Linköping, Sweden and accused Forge, who was in charge of the band's business affairs, of withholding financial information and payments to the other members.[51][52] The former members also claimed that 'Our vocalist and former friend is now attempting to, in an underhanded and shameless way, transform Ghost from a band into a solo project with hired musicians.'[53] Forge claimed that 'no legal partnership' ever existed between the other members and himself; they were paid a fixed salary to perform and execute the band's image as he instructed as 'musicians for hire.'[54] He also stated that he refers to Ghost as a solo project, 'Even though I've never wanted it that way, but at the end of the day, that is what it is. I mean, I started it in 2006, and no one that was ever in the band in 2016 was even on the first record. Call it solo, if you want to, but I call it a project.'[2]
On 24 August 2017, the band released their final music video from Meliora for their song 'He Is'. It premiered at Saint Vitus Bar in New York City the day before.[55] The band released their first live album titled Ceremony and Devotion digitally on 8 December 2017, with a physical release following on 19 January 2018.[56]
Prequelle
Ghost performing at Wacken Open Air 2018
On 13 April 2018, Ghost released a new single, titled 'Rats', along with an accompanying music video.[57] This marked the first release from the band, with their 'new' frontman Cardinal Copia.[57] Additionally, the band welcomed a new character, saxophonist Papa Nihil, extending Ghost into a septet.[58] The album was titled Prequelle, and it was released on 1 June 2018.[57] A second song, âDance Macabreâ was released ahead of the album on 17 May, and was later released as the albumâs second single.[59]
To promote the album, Ghost began the Rats! on the Road tour in the United States which ran from 5 May until 1 June.[60] The band was an opening act for Guns N' Roses in Oslo, Norway on 19 July 2018.[61]
Ghost began A Pale Tour Named Death in London, England at Royal Albert Hall on 9 September 2018. A North American tour of the same name began later in the fall that year featuring two headlining arena shows in Los Angeles and New York City.[62][63] An early 2019 European tour of the same name was announced on 10 September 2018.[64] In March 2019, the band performed in Australia and Japan as part of Download Festival.[65] Ghost was later announced as the opening act for Metallica's WorldWired Tour from May to August 2019.[66] A second North American tour was announced on 1 April 2019, with Nothing More as support.[67]
The band released their second music video for the song 'Dance Macabre' on 17 October 2018.[68] A third music video, 'Faith' was released on December 20, 2018 following the band's North American leg of their tour.[69]
Members
The members of Ghost mimic the Roman Catholic Church, but have reversed the image to worship Satan instead of the Holy Trinity.[70] From 2010 to 2017, the band's instrumentalists, referred to as the 'Nameless Ghouls', each represented one of the five elements; fire, water, wind, earth, and ether,[71] and wore their respective alchemical symbol on their instruments. With Meliora each Nameless Ghoul had all five elemental symbols embroidered on the right breast of their costumes, with the elemental symbol representing the individual Ghoul being highlighted to show the identity of the wearer. In 2018, the band's line-up was expanded to include a third guitarist, two female keyboardists referred to as the 'Ghoulettes', and Papa Nihil on saxophone.[72]
Papa Emeritus
The original Papa Emeritus (left) in 2012, Papa Emeritus II (middle) in 2013, and Papa Emeritus III (right) in 2016
The group's vocalist usually portrays the band's mascot character, a Satanic priest known as Papa Emeritus.[3] There have been four different characters taking the name Papa Emeritus. They first welcomed the second Papa Emeritus on 12 December 2012, in Linköping. On 3 June 2015, the second Papa Emeritus welcomed his younger brother as the new Papa Emeritus in Linköping after being 'fired' due to not performing his duty in overthrowing governments and churches. Papa Emeritus II and Papa Emeritus III were stated to only have a 3-month difference in age. On 30 September 2017 during a show in Gothenburg, Papa Emeritus III was dragged off stage by two men, who then escorted a new character, Papa Emeritus 0, to the stage to introduce the band's next chapter. Papa Emeritus 0 is portrayed as being significantly older than the previous Papas, making use of a walker and oxygen tank whilst walking on stage. On 19 January 2018, the band shared a video that features a character, implied to be Papa Emeritus IV, listening to Ceremony and Devotion on 8-track tape while critiquing Papa Emeritus III's vocal abilities. The character's face is hidden offscreen, but he is shown to wear red vestments similar to a cardinal priest.[43][73] All versions of Papa Emeritus are actually the same vocalist.[74][75]
Peter Hällje, a former bandmate of former Ghost member Martin Persner, claimed he designed the Papa Emeritus character in 2005, prior to the formation of Ghost. Hällje never performed as Papa Emeritus and agreed with Persner to let him use the character for his then-new band.[76] His claim was later confirmed by Forge.[77]
Cardinal Copia
Cardinal Copia performing in 2018
In April 2018, it was revealed that the 'new leader' of Ghost would be Cardinal Copia, who made his live debut with the group at a private acoustic show on 6 April; he is not a part of the Papa Emeritus lineage.[57] Instead, Forge described the situation as being like Star Wars; there is always two, master and apprentice.. And if he does his job well then he may earn his face paint.
In promotion for their 2018 US tour a video showed that Papa Emeritus one through three had been killed and their bodies embalmed.[78] In an interview the following month, Forge stated that unlike Ghost's previous frontmen, Cardinal Copia is planned to be around for about five years.[79] The band also welcomed Papa Nihil, the first band member besides Forge to receive a character name. Originally introduced as Papa Emeritus Zero, Nihil is the ancestor of all previous Papa Emeritus characters, and after the 'deaths' of his descendants, the only survivor of the Papa Emeritus lineage that we know of.[58]
Identities
The Nameless Ghouls performing in Austin, Texas, 2016
Anonymity is a major characteristic of Ghost; the members have not publicly revealed their names, and the group's five instrumentalists are only referred to as 'Nameless Ghouls'. During signings, the Nameless Ghouls sign the merchandise by stamping their individual alchemical symbol, while Papa Emeritus signs with his stage name or the letters 'P.E.'[71] One Ghoul said the idea that the band's members remain anonymous to gain attention is a misconception, and that the idea was to remove their personalities to allow their audiences to focus upon the artwork itself. He also said, 'Had not the music been rocking, I donât think that people would have gone gaga just about our looks'.[80] In 2011, a Nameless Ghoul said, 'We're often mistaken for roadies, which is helpful. We've almost been thrown out of venues we've played. Forgetting our backstage pass is a big problem.'[81] In early 2012, a member of the band said he enjoyed being an individual and that he could easily 'step outside the bubble' when he wanted to.[21] In May 2013, a Ghoul disclosed that they had started to reveal their membership in the group to their local friends and family 'for house peace.'[82]
In an August 2013 interview with Jack Osbourne for Fuse News, a member of the band said that Dave Grohl has dressed up as a Nameless Ghoul and secretly performed with Ghost.[83] In April 2014, a Nameless Ghoul revealed that the group has had several member changes through the years.[84]
The Swedish Performing Rights Society was rumored to have Tobias Forge, vocalist of Swedish bands Subvision and Repugnant and former guitarist for Crashdïet (using the alias Mary Goore in the latter two), credited with songs as 'A Ghoul Writer'.[85] All of the band's songs are credited to 'A Ghoul Writer', causing people to suspect that Forge was Papa Emeritus. The online database for US-based performance rights society ASCAP, when having the name Tobias Forge entered into its search box, revealed all of Ghost's original songs (even though many of the tracks use the pseudonym 'A Ghoul Writer' in the database itself)[86] At the time, Ghost stated they would not comment on any rumors of their identities.[21] Following a lawsuit in 2017, Forge's identity as Papa Emeritus was revealed.[51]
In March 2017, Swedish musician Martin Persner of the band Magna Carta Cartel claimed in a short video clip that he was the rhythm guitarist, also known as Omega, from 2009 to July 2016. This marked the first time that someone has publicly identified themselves as a member of Ghost.[87] A few months before Persner's announcement, the band recruited a new bass player who was suspected to be Lez Zeppelin bassist Megan Thomas, later confirmed by Forge.[77][88] A lawsuit against Forge in April 2017 on behalf of four past members revealed their names, as well as the names of several more past members.[53] When asked about the complete lineup change at the end of 2016, Forge stated that Ghost 'was always sort of.. I guess a Bathory sort of band, where there was people playing live, and the people playing live [were] not necessarily the same that played on the records.'[89] The lawsuit was dismissed by the court on 17 October 2018.
Musical style and influences
Ghost's music has been categorized in many genres, critics have classified them as hard rock,[90][91][92][93][94][95]heavy metal,[90][91][96][97]doom metal,[90][92][98][99]pop rock,[100][101]progressive rock,[102]psychedelic rock,[103]occult rock,[104] and arena rock.[100] Adrien Begrand of PopMatters stated that Ghost recalls 'the early sounds of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and Judas Priest, as well as the progressive and psychedelic rock of the late '60s.'[105] Speaking to Noisey.com, a Nameless Ghoul described Ghost as a black metal band in the traditional sense, but said that they probably do not fit into the norms of the current black metal scene. This Nameless Ghoul described Ghost's music as a mix between pop music and death metal.[106]
In an interview, a Nameless Ghoul said they are influenced by 'everything ranging from classic rock to the extreme underground metal bands of the â80s to film scores to the grandeur of emotional harmonic music.'[5] A member of the band said the Swedish and Scandinavian black metal movement of the early '90s plays a major role in their act,[98] and said that each member has come from a metal background.[81] However, the band has stated several times that they do not aim to be a metal band.[81][21] For their second album, Ghost chose a more diverse songwriting style; a member said, 'we tried to deliberately have every song have its own signature.'[107] Only a few members actually write songs.[108] The writers compose an acoustic outline of songs before other instrumentation is added so it sounds like a group, rather than being dominated by guitar.[108] In 2017, Forge claimed that he was the main author of every song except 'Year Zero' and 'Zenith', which were Persner's ideas.[54] Asked how he keeps Ghost's sound intact despite large lineup changes, Forge said he has to teach them to play like he does; explaining that while he is a good guitar player, he is only an 'okay' drummer, bassist and keyboardist. So it is a matter of getting them to 'underperform [laughs] together.'[89]
Their lyrics are often Satanic in nature[citation needed]; one Ghoul said, 'the first album is about the forthcoming arrival of the Devil, spoken very much in biblical terms, much like the church will say that doomsday is near. [Infestissumam] is about the presence of the Devil and the presence of the Antichrist.'[80] However, the band has said several times their image is all tongue-in-cheek, citing that 'We have no militant agenda. We are an entertainment group.'[3]Infestissumam also deals with 'how people relate to a deity or God, themes like submission and superstition, the horrors of being religious.'[81] Additionally, a Nameless Ghoul said the second album is about 'how mankindâpredominantly menâwhat they have deemed to be the presence of the Devil, throughout history and even nowadays. And thatâs why the record is so fueled with sexual themes and females .. the Inquisition was basically men accusing women of being the Devil just because they had a hard-on for them.'[70] The group's theatrics are influenced by Kiss, David Bowie and Alice Cooper, but a member said they are more influenced by Pink Floyd.[81] A Ghoul later cited Death SS as an influence on their 'gimmick' but not their music.[109]
Controversy
Ghost performing at the Getaway Rock Festival 2011 in Sweden
Ghost's Satanic theme has proven problematic for the group, especially in the United States. While recording Infestissumam in Nashville, Tennessee, they were unable to find choral singers who would sing their lyrics, forcing them to record the parts in Hollywood.[110] The group was unable to find a record manufacturer in the US to press the album because it featured artwork showing nudity, which resulted in a delay to the album's release.[29] When one interviewer suggested that the band's music had become more 'radio-friendly' and that they were being accepted into the US mainstream, a Nameless Ghoul replied that in the US their music was banned from major chain stores, most late-night television shows, and most commercial radio stations. He said, 'So, yes, mainstream America is absolutely welcoming us with open legs.'[111] During an interview with Loudwire in October 2015, a band member stated that as of 2015, the US had become more accepting of their music and imagery, further evidenced by their appearance as the main musical guests on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on 30 October 2015, during a Halloween-themed episode. This was Ghost's first live television appearance in the United States.
Chicago heavy metal-themed restaurant Kuma's Corner added a hamburger called 'The Ghost' to its menu in tribute to Ghost. Its recipe includes goat shoulder, red wine reduction, and a communion wafer. A local Catholic food blogger acknowledged that while the unconsecrated wafer is not the Eucharist, it's still symbolic, and that 'it is a mockery of something that is holy'. The restaurant's owner acknowledged the controversy and stated they respected religion while refusing to remove the burger, citing the First Amendment. To demonstrate his respect for opposing views, he also donated $1,500 to Catholic Charities of the Chicago Archdiocese.[112][113]
Awards and nominations
P3 Guld Awards
Notable toursDiscography
References
External links
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ghost_(Swedish_band)&oldid=904436958'
Ghost is a Swedish rock band that was formed in Linköping, Sweden in 2006.[1][2] In 2010, they released a 3-track demo followed by a 7' vinyl titled 'Elizabeth', and later their debut full-length album Opus Eponymous. The Grammis-nominated album was widely praised and significantly increased their popularity. Their second album and major label debut Infestissumam was released in 2013, debuted at number one in Sweden, and won the Grammis Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Album. The band released their third studio album, Meliora, in 2015, to much critical acclaim and high record sales, reaching number one in their home country of Sweden, and number eight in the United States. Its lead single, 'Cirice', earned them the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. The band released their fourth studio album, Prequelle, in 2018.
Ghost is easily recognizable owing greatly to its eccentric on-stage presence. Seven of the group's eight members, its 'Nameless Ghouls',[3] wear virtually identical, face-concealing costumes. Prior to a 2017 lawsuit filed by former members of the band, lead singer Tobias Forge obscured his identity behind the character 'Papa Emeritus'. The character, which consists of Forge in a prosthetic mask and makeup can be best described as a 'demonic anti-pope'.[3] The Papa Emeritus Character has gone through four incarnations - I, II, III, and Nihil. As of the 2018 album Prequelle and subsequent world tour, Forge portrays a character known as 'Cardinal Copia', who is described as being unrelated to any of the Papa Emeritus characters and whose costume consists of either Cardinal vestments or a black or white tuxedo alongside a prosthetic mask with black eye makeup and the multi-colored eyes which had been present in each Papa character.
HistoryFormation and Opus Eponymous
Ghost was formed in 2006, when future band leader Tobias Forge wrote the song 'Stand By Him'.[4] He said, 'I said that this is probably the most heavy metal riff that has ever existed .. When the chorus came to me, it haunted my dreams. Every time I picked up the guitar, I ended up playing that progression, and when I fit the words in, it seemed to cry out for a Satanically-oriented lyric.'[5] Forge then contacted his former Repugnant bandmate Gustaf Lindström to record the song.[4] In early 2008, the two entered the studio to record three songs: 'Stand by Him,' 'Prime Mover' and 'Death Knell'.[4] Afterwards Forge remarked to Lindström: 'This definitely does not sound like two dudes that look like you and I'.[4] Thus Forge decided that they should be an anonymous 'theater band', and use their love of horror films and 'the traditions of Scandinavian metal' in the band's imagery.[4][5] While other members of the band would wear black hooded robes and be called 'Nameless Ghouls', Forge would go by 'Papa Emeritus', dressed in Papal regalia and his face painted to resemble a skull.[6] Forge then chose the name Ghost for the group.[4] Initially Forge had no aspirations on becoming the band's vocalist, instead wanting to play guitar.[4] He offered the position of lead vocalist to Messiah Marcolin, Mats Levén, Christer Göransson and JB Christoffersson, all of whom passed.[4] As a result, Forge became the band's lead singer by default.[4] On 12 March 2010, Forge posted the first three Ghost songs on MySpace and within two days was contacted by records labels and managers wanting to work with the group.[4]
Battle Against A True Hero Remix
Ghost spent a few weeks in a basement studio in the band's hometown of Linköping recording their debut album.[6] In June 2010, the band released their first single 'Elizabeth'.[6] Ghost released their first studio album, Opus Eponymous, on 18 October 2010, on the independent record label Rise Above Records. The album reached number 50 on the Sverigetopplistan and was well-received by critics, being nominated for the 2011 Grammis Award for 'Best Hard Rock' album.[7][8][9] Ghost played their first concert on 23 October 2010 at the Hammer of Doom festival in Würzburg, Germany.[10]
Ghost live at Roskilde Festival 2011
Ghost supported gothic metal band Paradise Lost on their 'Draconian Times MMXI' tour in April 2011.[11] On 29 May, Ghost made their United States debut at the Maryland Deathfest.[12] The band played at the annual Download Festival in the United Kingdom on 11 June. Following their performance, Phil Anselmo, lead singer of the band Down, performed wearing a Ghost T-shirt and invited three members of the band to join him on the main stage, where they performed Down's 'Bury Me In Smoke' together.[13] In December 2011, Ghost took part in the 'Defenders of the Faith III' tour with Trivium, In Flames, Rise to Remain and Insense.[14] The band then embarked on their first United States tour, '13 Dates of Doom,' beginning in New York on 18 January 2012, and ending on 2 February in Los Angeles.[15] Afterwards Ghost joined Mastodon and Opeth as the opening act on the Heritage Hunter Tour throughout North America during April and May 2012.[16][17][18][19] In June, Ghost received the award for 'Breakthrough Band' at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.[20]
Infestissumam
In February 2012, a Nameless Ghoul revealed that the band had completed writing their second album.[21] Ghost entered the studio in October to record their second album in Nashville, Tennessee, with producer Nick Raskulinecz.[22] The band had planned to record the album at the turn of 2012, but after starting their US tour in January, they were offered another tour immediately after.[22] At the same time the band, their management and Rise Above Records all agreed that the group's next album should be released on a different label.[22] Thus Ghost signed with Loma Vista Recordings in partnership with Republic Recordsâa division of Universal Music Group.[23]
On 15 December 2012, Ghost played a show in Linköping, where they debuted a new song titled 'Secular Haze', which was released online earlier that day, as well as their cover of ABBA's 'I'm a Marionette'.[8] During the same show, the band introduced Papa Emeritus II as the successor to the first Papa Emeritus.[24] On 20 December, the band announced that their second album, Infestissumam, would be released in early 2013.[1] On 5 February 2013, the band announced a name change to 'Ghost B.C.' in the United States for legal reasons.[25] A Nameless Ghoul said: 'B.C. is obviously a pun on âBefore Christâ, but it's just an amendment. In our world, we're just gonna be called Ghost .. The B.C. is silent, and as soon as we can, it's gonna be taken away forever.'[26] They officially dropped the amendment from their name in 2015.[27] From 23 February to 4 March 2013, Ghost toured Australia as a part of the Soundwave Festival.[28]
Ghost performing in Utrecht in 2013
Infestissumam was originally scheduled to be released on 9 April 2013, in the US, but the band could not find a US company that would manufacture the CD.[29] Four US CD manufacturers rejected the job because the artwork for the deluxe edition of the album was described as 'basically a 16th century illustration of an orgy.' [29] Rather than delay the album further, the band decided to use the artwork from the regular edition for the US pressings of the deluxe edition and announced the new release date of 16 April.[29] All European copies and the US vinyl versions include the controversial artwork.[29]Infestissumam charted in seven countries, including at number one in Sweden, eventually going gold. The album was also well received by critics, winning the Grammis Award and the P3 Guld Award for 'Best Hard Rock/Metal Album' of 2013.[30]
Ghost began their 'Haze Over North America' tour on 14 April 2013, at the Coachella Festival, which continued until 18 May.[31] On 27 July, Ghost began the 'Still Hazing over North America Tour', which ended in Chicago at the Lollapalooza festival.[32] Immediately after, Ghost toured South America supporting Iron Maiden and Slayer, which included a performance at Rock in Rio.[33] In October 2013, Ghost opened for Avenged Sevenfold and Deftones on their US tour.[34] In November, the band toured the UK with Alice in Chains, before a tour of Europe.[35][36] On 20 November 2013, Ghost released the EP If You Have Ghost, consisting almost entirely of cover songs. It was produced by Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame.[37]
In January 2014, Ghost received six nominations at the Loudwire Music Awards.[38] From 17 January to 2 February 2014, the band toured Australia as a part of the Big Day Out festival.[39][40] They then embarked on the 'Tour Year Zero', which lasted from 17 April until 17 May 2014, in North America.[41] In July, the band performed at the European Sonisphere Festival.[42]
Meliora
Ghost's third studio album, the follow up to Infestissumam, Meliora was released on 21 August 2015. In an advertisement for the album that aired 28 May on VH1 Classic, it was announced that Papa Emeritus II was 'fired' and that his successor Papa Emeritus III is his younger brother by a full three months.[43] The song 'Cirice' was released as a free download from the band's official site on 31 May, and won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.[44] Papa Emeritus III was officially unveiled with a debut performance in Linköping on 3 June 2015, where the band also performed new songs from the upcoming album.[45]
The album was first promoted in August by a five date acoustic tour named 'Unholy/Unplugged' of record shops in the US. Here Papa Emeritus III sported slicked-back jet black hair without his trademark mitre, and performed alongside the two guitarist Nameless Ghouls; accompanying them on the kazoo.[46] A tour of the US titled 'Black To The Future' began on 22 September and ran until 1 November.[47] This was quickly followed by a European tour of the same name that ran until 21 December, including a full UK tour and two other tours in North America that took place in the spring and mid-summer of 2016.
On 12 September 2016, the band released a new track on a radio show titled 'Square Hammer' and a new EP, Popestar, was released on 16 September, the same day the Popestar Tour began. Following the conclusion of the North American tour that concluded on 12 November, was the European tour of the same name which started in late March and finished in late April 2017.[48] They were the opening act for Iron Maiden on their 2017 North America tour from June to July 2017.[49] A Nameless Ghoul stated that after the tour was over, they would be writing and recording the new album which they stated would be much darker than Meliora, with Tobias confirming in a recent interview that the fourth album would be released in 2018.[50]
In early 2017, Tobias Forge was sued by former Ghost members Simon Söderberg, Mauro Rubino, Martin Hjertstedt, and Henrik Palm as part of a royalties dispute. The four, who left Ghost in 2016, filed the suit in the district court of Linköping, Sweden and accused Forge, who was in charge of the band's business affairs, of withholding financial information and payments to the other members.[51][52] The former members also claimed that 'Our vocalist and former friend is now attempting to, in an underhanded and shameless way, transform Ghost from a band into a solo project with hired musicians.'[53] Forge claimed that 'no legal partnership' ever existed between the other members and himself; they were paid a fixed salary to perform and execute the band's image as he instructed as 'musicians for hire.'[54] He also stated that he refers to Ghost as a solo project, 'Even though I've never wanted it that way, but at the end of the day, that is what it is. I mean, I started it in 2006, and no one that was ever in the band in 2016 was even on the first record. Call it solo, if you want to, but I call it a project.'[2]
On 24 August 2017, the band released their final music video from Meliora for their song 'He Is'. It premiered at Saint Vitus Bar in New York City the day before.[55] The band released their first live album titled Ceremony and Devotion digitally on 8 December 2017, with a physical release following on 19 January 2018.[56]
Prequelle
Ghost performing at Wacken Open Air 2018
On 13 April 2018, Ghost released a new single, titled 'Rats', along with an accompanying music video.[57] This marked the first release from the band, with their 'new' frontman Cardinal Copia.[57] Additionally, the band welcomed a new character, saxophonist Papa Nihil, extending Ghost into a septet.[58] The album was titled Prequelle, and it was released on 1 June 2018.[57] A second song, âDance Macabreâ was released ahead of the album on 17 May, and was later released as the albumâs second single.[59]
To promote the album, Ghost began the Rats! on the Road tour in the United States which ran from 5 May until 1 June.[60] The band was an opening act for Guns N' Roses in Oslo, Norway on 19 July 2018.[61]
Ghost began A Pale Tour Named Death in London, England at Royal Albert Hall on 9 September 2018. A North American tour of the same name began later in the fall that year featuring two headlining arena shows in Los Angeles and New York City.[62][63] An early 2019 European tour of the same name was announced on 10 September 2018.[64] In March 2019, the band performed in Australia and Japan as part of Download Festival.[65] Ghost was later announced as the opening act for Metallica's WorldWired Tour from May to August 2019.[66] A second North American tour was announced on 1 April 2019, with Nothing More as support.[67]
The band released their second music video for the song 'Dance Macabre' on 17 October 2018.[68] A third music video, 'Faith' was released on December 20, 2018 following the band's North American leg of their tour.[69]
Members
The members of Ghost mimic the Roman Catholic Church, but have reversed the image to worship Satan instead of the Holy Trinity.[70] From 2010 to 2017, the band's instrumentalists, referred to as the 'Nameless Ghouls', each represented one of the five elements; fire, water, wind, earth, and ether,[71] and wore their respective alchemical symbol on their instruments. With Meliora each Nameless Ghoul had all five elemental symbols embroidered on the right breast of their costumes, with the elemental symbol representing the individual Ghoul being highlighted to show the identity of the wearer. In 2018, the band's line-up was expanded to include a third guitarist, two female keyboardists referred to as the 'Ghoulettes', and Papa Nihil on saxophone.[72]
Papa Emeritus
The original Papa Emeritus (left) in 2012, Papa Emeritus II (middle) in 2013, and Papa Emeritus III (right) in 2016
The group's vocalist usually portrays the band's mascot character, a Satanic priest known as Papa Emeritus.[3] There have been four different characters taking the name Papa Emeritus. They first welcomed the second Papa Emeritus on 12 December 2012, in Linköping. On 3 June 2015, the second Papa Emeritus welcomed his younger brother as the new Papa Emeritus in Linköping after being 'fired' due to not performing his duty in overthrowing governments and churches. Papa Emeritus II and Papa Emeritus III were stated to only have a 3-month difference in age. On 30 September 2017 during a show in Gothenburg, Papa Emeritus III was dragged off stage by two men, who then escorted a new character, Papa Emeritus 0, to the stage to introduce the band's next chapter. Papa Emeritus 0 is portrayed as being significantly older than the previous Papas, making use of a walker and oxygen tank whilst walking on stage. On 19 January 2018, the band shared a video that features a character, implied to be Papa Emeritus IV, listening to Ceremony and Devotion on 8-track tape while critiquing Papa Emeritus III's vocal abilities. The character's face is hidden offscreen, but he is shown to wear red vestments similar to a cardinal priest.[43][73] All versions of Papa Emeritus are actually the same vocalist.[74][75]
Peter Hällje, a former bandmate of former Ghost member Martin Persner, claimed he designed the Papa Emeritus character in 2005, prior to the formation of Ghost. Hällje never performed as Papa Emeritus and agreed with Persner to let him use the character for his then-new band.[76] His claim was later confirmed by Forge.[77]
Cardinal Copia
Cardinal Copia performing in 2018
In April 2018, it was revealed that the 'new leader' of Ghost would be Cardinal Copia, who made his live debut with the group at a private acoustic show on 6 April; he is not a part of the Papa Emeritus lineage.[57] Instead, Forge described the situation as being like Star Wars; there is always two, master and apprentice.. And if he does his job well then he may earn his face paint.
In promotion for their 2018 US tour a video showed that Papa Emeritus one through three had been killed and their bodies embalmed.[78] In an interview the following month, Forge stated that unlike Ghost's previous frontmen, Cardinal Copia is planned to be around for about five years.[79] The band also welcomed Papa Nihil, the first band member besides Forge to receive a character name. Originally introduced as Papa Emeritus Zero, Nihil is the ancestor of all previous Papa Emeritus characters, and after the 'deaths' of his descendants, the only survivor of the Papa Emeritus lineage that we know of.[58]
Identities
The Nameless Ghouls performing in Austin, Texas, 2016
Anonymity is a major characteristic of Ghost; the members have not publicly revealed their names, and the group's five instrumentalists are only referred to as 'Nameless Ghouls'. During signings, the Nameless Ghouls sign the merchandise by stamping their individual alchemical symbol, while Papa Emeritus signs with his stage name or the letters 'P.E.'[71] One Ghoul said the idea that the band's members remain anonymous to gain attention is a misconception, and that the idea was to remove their personalities to allow their audiences to focus upon the artwork itself. He also said, 'Had not the music been rocking, I donât think that people would have gone gaga just about our looks'.[80] In 2011, a Nameless Ghoul said, 'We're often mistaken for roadies, which is helpful. We've almost been thrown out of venues we've played. Forgetting our backstage pass is a big problem.'[81] In early 2012, a member of the band said he enjoyed being an individual and that he could easily 'step outside the bubble' when he wanted to.[21] In May 2013, a Ghoul disclosed that they had started to reveal their membership in the group to their local friends and family 'for house peace.'[82]
In an August 2013 interview with Jack Osbourne for Fuse News, a member of the band said that Dave Grohl has dressed up as a Nameless Ghoul and secretly performed with Ghost.[83] In April 2014, a Nameless Ghoul revealed that the group has had several member changes through the years.[84]
The Swedish Performing Rights Society was rumored to have Tobias Forge, vocalist of Swedish bands Subvision and Repugnant and former guitarist for Crashdïet (using the alias Mary Goore in the latter two), credited with songs as 'A Ghoul Writer'.[85] All of the band's songs are credited to 'A Ghoul Writer', causing people to suspect that Forge was Papa Emeritus. The online database for US-based performance rights society ASCAP, when having the name Tobias Forge entered into its search box, revealed all of Ghost's original songs (even though many of the tracks use the pseudonym 'A Ghoul Writer' in the database itself)[86] At the time, Ghost stated they would not comment on any rumors of their identities.[21] Following a lawsuit in 2017, Forge's identity as Papa Emeritus was revealed.[51]
In March 2017, Swedish musician Martin Persner of the band Magna Carta Cartel claimed in a short video clip that he was the rhythm guitarist, also known as Omega, from 2009 to July 2016. This marked the first time that someone has publicly identified themselves as a member of Ghost.[87] A few months before Persner's announcement, the band recruited a new bass player who was suspected to be Lez Zeppelin bassist Megan Thomas, later confirmed by Forge.[77][88] A lawsuit against Forge in April 2017 on behalf of four past members revealed their names, as well as the names of several more past members.[53] When asked about the complete lineup change at the end of 2016, Forge stated that Ghost 'was always sort of.. I guess a Bathory sort of band, where there was people playing live, and the people playing live [were] not necessarily the same that played on the records.'[89] The lawsuit was dismissed by the court on 17 October 2018.
Musical style and influences
Ghost's music has been categorized in many genres, critics have classified them as hard rock,[90][91][92][93][94][95]heavy metal,[90][91][96][97]doom metal,[90][92][98][99]pop rock,[100][101]progressive rock,[102]psychedelic rock,[103]occult rock,[104] and arena rock.[100] Adrien Begrand of PopMatters stated that Ghost recalls 'the early sounds of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and Judas Priest, as well as the progressive and psychedelic rock of the late '60s.'[105] Speaking to Noisey.com, a Nameless Ghoul described Ghost as a black metal band in the traditional sense, but said that they probably do not fit into the norms of the current black metal scene. This Nameless Ghoul described Ghost's music as a mix between pop music and death metal.[106]
In an interview, a Nameless Ghoul said they are influenced by 'everything ranging from classic rock to the extreme underground metal bands of the â80s to film scores to the grandeur of emotional harmonic music.'[5] A member of the band said the Swedish and Scandinavian black metal movement of the early '90s plays a major role in their act,[98] and said that each member has come from a metal background.[81] However, the band has stated several times that they do not aim to be a metal band.[81][21] For their second album, Ghost chose a more diverse songwriting style; a member said, 'we tried to deliberately have every song have its own signature.'[107] Only a few members actually write songs.[108] The writers compose an acoustic outline of songs before other instrumentation is added so it sounds like a group, rather than being dominated by guitar.[108] In 2017, Forge claimed that he was the main author of every song except 'Year Zero' and 'Zenith', which were Persner's ideas.[54] Asked how he keeps Ghost's sound intact despite large lineup changes, Forge said he has to teach them to play like he does; explaining that while he is a good guitar player, he is only an 'okay' drummer, bassist and keyboardist. So it is a matter of getting them to 'underperform [laughs] together.'[89]
Their lyrics are often Satanic in nature[citation needed]; one Ghoul said, 'the first album is about the forthcoming arrival of the Devil, spoken very much in biblical terms, much like the church will say that doomsday is near. [Infestissumam] is about the presence of the Devil and the presence of the Antichrist.'[80] However, the band has said several times their image is all tongue-in-cheek, citing that 'We have no militant agenda. We are an entertainment group.'[3]Infestissumam also deals with 'how people relate to a deity or God, themes like submission and superstition, the horrors of being religious.'[81] Additionally, a Nameless Ghoul said the second album is about 'how mankindâpredominantly menâwhat they have deemed to be the presence of the Devil, throughout history and even nowadays. And thatâs why the record is so fueled with sexual themes and females .. the Inquisition was basically men accusing women of being the Devil just because they had a hard-on for them.'[70] The group's theatrics are influenced by Kiss, David Bowie and Alice Cooper, but a member said they are more influenced by Pink Floyd.[81] A Ghoul later cited Death SS as an influence on their 'gimmick' but not their music.[109]
Controversy
Ghost performing at the Getaway Rock Festival 2011 in Sweden
Ghost's Satanic theme has proven problematic for the group, especially in the United States. While recording Infestissumam in Nashville, Tennessee, they were unable to find choral singers who would sing their lyrics, forcing them to record the parts in Hollywood.[110] The group was unable to find a record manufacturer in the US to press the album because it featured artwork showing nudity, which resulted in a delay to the album's release.[29] When one interviewer suggested that the band's music had become more 'radio-friendly' and that they were being accepted into the US mainstream, a Nameless Ghoul replied that in the US their music was banned from major chain stores, most late-night television shows, and most commercial radio stations. He said, 'So, yes, mainstream America is absolutely welcoming us with open legs.'[111] During an interview with Loudwire in October 2015, a band member stated that as of 2015, the US had become more accepting of their music and imagery, further evidenced by their appearance as the main musical guests on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on 30 October 2015, during a Halloween-themed episode. This was Ghost's first live television appearance in the United States.
Chicago heavy metal-themed restaurant Kuma's Corner added a hamburger called 'The Ghost' to its menu in tribute to Ghost. Its recipe includes goat shoulder, red wine reduction, and a communion wafer. A local Catholic food blogger acknowledged that while the unconsecrated wafer is not the Eucharist, it's still symbolic, and that 'it is a mockery of something that is holy'. The restaurant's owner acknowledged the controversy and stated they respected religion while refusing to remove the burger, citing the First Amendment. To demonstrate his respect for opposing views, he also donated $1,500 to Catholic Charities of the Chicago Archdiocese.[112][113]
Awards and nominations
P3 Guld Awards
Notable toursDiscography
References
External links
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ghost_(Swedish_band)&oldid=904436958'
A depiction of John Dee (1527â1608) and Edward Kelley evoking.
A White Lady is a type of female ghost, dressed in all white reportedly seen in rural areas and associated with some local legend of tragedy. While White Lady legends are found in many countries around the world, they are most prominent in parts of the United States, Ireland and Great Britain. Common to many of these legends is the theme of loss of a daughter or husband and a sense of purity before death (as opposed to the Lady in Red ghost).
Global versions[edit]
In popular medievallegend, a White Lady is fabled to appear by day as well as by night in a house in which a family member is soon to die. According to The Nuttall Encyclopædia, these spirits were regarded as the ghosts of deceased ancestresses.
Brazil[edit]
Called Dama Branca or Mulher de Branco in Portuguese, the Brazilian Lady in White is said to be the ghost of a young woman who died of childbirth or violent causes. According to legend, she appears as a pale woman in a long white dress or a sleeping gown, and although usually speechless, will occasionally recount her misfortunes. The origins of the myth are not clear, LuÃs da Câmara Cascudo's Dicionário do Folclore Brasileiro (Brazilian Folklore Dictionary) proposes that the ghost is related to the violent deaths of young white women who were murdered by their fathers or husbands in an 'honor' killing. The most frequent reasons for these honor killings were adultery (actual or suspected), denial of sex, or abuse. Monteiro Lobato in his book Urupês describes a young woman starved to death by her husband because he suspected she was in love with a black slave and only gave her the stewed meat of his corpse for food.[1]
Canada[edit]
A popular legend claims that the surroundings of the Montmorency Falls, near Quebec City are haunted by a white lady. It is said to be the spirit of a young Canadienne woman whose soon-to-be husband was killed while fighting against the British in the battle of Beauport. The young couple allegedly used to meet near the top of the falls and, accordingly, the grieving woman is said to have chosen the site to end her life by throwing herself in the raging waters while wearing the wedding dress that she had recently ordered to be made. A smaller waterfall in the vicinity now bears the name Chute de la Dame Blanche(White Lady Waterfall) in reference to this legend.[2]
Czech Republic[edit]
The best-known White Lady of the Czech Republic is the ghost of Perchta of Rožmberk at Rožmberk Castle. Perchta of Rožmberk (c. 1429â1476) was a daughter of an important Czech nobleman, OldÅich II of Rožmberk. She married another nobleman, Jan of LichtenÅ¡tejn (John of Liechtenstein) in 1449. The marriage was quite unhappy. One of the reasons might have been the fact that Perchta's father had been reluctant to pay the agreed dowry. Legend has it that as her husband was dying, he asked for her forgiveness for his treatment of her. Perchta refused, and her husband cursed her. This is why she haunts his holdings, which include Äeský Krumlov Castle, where she has been seen most often. During her married life, Perchta wrote many letters to her father and brothers with colourful descriptions of her unhappy family life. Some 32 of these letters had been handed down.[3][4]
Estonia[edit]
The most famous white lady of Estonia resides in Haapsalu castle. She is said to be the woman who a canon fell in love with. She hid in the castle as a choir boy, and remained a secret for a long time. But when the Bishop of Ãsel-Wiek visited Haapsalu she was discovered, and immured in the wall of the chapel for her crime. To this day she is said to look out of the Baptistery's window and grieve for her beloved man. She can be seen on clear August full-moon nights.[5]
Germany[edit]
A White Lady was first reported to be seen in the Berliner Schloss in 1625 and sightings were reported up until 1790.[6][7][8][9][10] This castle is the residence of the kings of Prussia, so the Lady has been linked to several historical figures:
There is a legend of a White Lady who was a prince's wife in the town of Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Westphalia. The prince was away, fighting in the Thirty Years' War, and his wife took a wandering minstrel as a lover. The prince returned unexpectedly, caught the two lovers, and drowned the minstrel in the moat. He then took his wife and encased her behind a wall in his manor with some food and water, so that she wouldn't cheat on him again as he returned to the fighting. The prince died in battle, the food and water ran out, and his wife died. Her spirit now haunts the manor. When the manor was renovated, the new owner had his builders tear down the wall behind which she was immured. The next day, the worker who tore down the wall was working on the roof of the manor when he fell, broke his back, and died. The manor is called Haus Aussel.
Malta[edit]
The White Lady is the name of a female ghost that lives in Verdala Palace in the small forest of Buskett, Rabat, Malta.
Legend has it that many years ago, a woman was to be married to a man she did not love. Her father told her that she must always do as her fiancé said since he was soon to be her husband. On the day of her wedding, she committed suicide by jumping off a balcony. This is why she is to this day known as the White Lady, because she was wearing her wedding gown on the day of her death. It is said that she haunts the Verdala Palace and many people who attend the August moon ball confirm that she does indeed appear in the palace.
According to another Maltese legend, the White Lady of Mdina was killed by her lover after she was forced to marry another man. Many have claimed to see this spirit, always after eight o'clock in the evening. She usually appears to children under eight years old, heart-broken teenage boys, and elderly men. While she tells the children goodnight and bids them to return home, she advises the teenagers to 'find another' or to join her and become a part of her 'shadow' (her ghostly followers). She also attempts to lure elderly men into her 'shadow'.[14]
Netherlands[edit]
Vrouwen in wit (plural of vrouw in wit), or 'witte wieven' as these women are called in local dialects, are mythical creatures of Lower Saxon origin and so most known in the eastern and northern parts of the Netherlands. Sometimes referred to as witte joffers ('white maidens'), they can have both a benevolent as well as a malevolent nature. Often related with witches and/or ghosts, they show many similarities with the banshee, the fairy, and the elf. Understood as malevolent beings, they abduct or switch newborns, abduct women, and punish people who have treated them badly. As benevolent beings, they may aid in childbirth or offer good advice. Indeed, though the adjective wit means 'white', it may originally refer to the Germanic word wid, related to English 'wit' and 'wise', and so may be better understood as 'wise women', as they are known in Germany,[15] where they are connected to the Völva.
They are believed to dwell in tumuli, the Hunebedden and on the moors.[16][17] Wisps of mist and fog banks are sometimes called witte wieven.
The Schinveldse Bossen forest is also home to another White Lady story. Archival evidence suggests that the forest was once home to a castle farm that was built in 1396. In the 17th century (estimated 1667),[18] this site was burned down killing the daughter of Lord Lambert Reynart.[19] This historical event has spawned a few variations on a White Lady ghost story based around the death of the woman who burned with the castle farm. The most common versions of the tale involve the woman having two fighting lovers or of the site being burned on her wedding day by a jealous nobleman.[20] However, all versions claim that she now wanders the forest as a ghost in a long white dress, some saying she only appears at midnight, and others saying she only appears on nights of the full moon.[21] The site of the former castle farm is referred to as Lammendam after the ghost who supposedly haunts the area. The term is a Dutch adaptation of the French 'La Madame Blanche'.[19] It is now protected as a cultural historical site.[22]
In popular culture, Dutch singer Joep Rademakers mentions this ghost in his song: 't Sjilves Paradies'.[19] Dutch symphonic black metal band Carach Angren also has a full concept album dedicated to this version of The White Lady.
![]() Philippines[edit]
White Ladies, indigenously known as kaperosa, are popular ghost story topics in the Philippines. White Ladies are often used to convey horror and mystery to young children for storytelling. Sightings of White Ladies are common around the country. The most prominent one is the White Lady of Balete Drive in Quezon City. It is said that it is the ghost of a long-haired woman in a white dress who, according to legend, died in a car accident while driving along Balete Drive. Most stories about her were told by taxi drivers doing the graveyard shift, such as the one where a taxi crosses Balete Drive and a very beautiful woman is asking for a ride. The cabbie then looks behind and sees the woman's face was full of blood and bruises, causing him to abandon his taxi in terror.
In other instances, it is said that when solitary people drive on that street in the early morning, they briefly see the face of a white-clad woman in the rear-view mirror before she quickly disappears. Some accidents on this road are blamed on apparitions of the White Lady.
Many sources have said this legend was actually manufactured by a reporter in the 1950s, and also a possible combination of multiple stories from the area.[23]
Hungary[edit]
In Hungarian mythology, a white lady was the ghost of a girl or young woman that died violently, usually young women who committed suicide, were murdered or died while imprisoned. The ghost is usually bound to a specific location and is often identified as a specific person (i.e. Elizabeth Báthory[24]).
Thailand[edit]
In Thailand, there is a story of teenagers going into a deserted house in Thawi Watthana, suburban Bangkok to look for ghosts and afterwards died from accidents. In each case, witnesses claim to have seen the presence of a mysterious long hair woman in a white dress. A medium claimed that this was a vengeful spirit named 'Dao' or 'Deuan'.[25]
United Kingdom[edit]
Several tales out of the U.K. also suggest that the White Lady may be a victim of murder or suicide who died before she could tell anyone the location of some hidden treasure. Around 1800, the castle of Blenkinsopp in Northumberland was occupied by a family. One night the parents woke to their boy screaming 'The White Lady!' By the time they arrived at his bedside, she had vanished, but the boy reported that the lady had been angry and tried to take him away after he refused to accompany her to a box of gold buried in the vaults below. She could not rest while it was there. The same events took place the following three nights. When the child began sleeping with his parents, the White Lady no longer disturbed him, but he never again traveled through the castle alone for fear of her. A second instance of treasure being involved exists in Welsh tradition. Near Bridgend, Glamorgan in Wales, 'Dynes Mewn Gwyn', or the lady in white, appeared to guard a treasure located in the tower of Ogmore Castle. When a man had the courage to approach her, she rewarded him with half the treasure. In his greed, he took it all, but the White Lady retaliated, her fingers turning into claws. The man later wasted away and died.[26]
The White Lady (also known as the 'Running Lady') of Beeford, East Yorkshire resides on the 'Beeford Straight', a stretch of road between Beeford and Brandesburton. Motorists have reported her apparition running across the Beeford Straight toward the junction of North Frodingham. Anecdotal tales also report a motorcyclist picking up a female hitchhiker on the same stretch of road. A few miles later the motorcyclist, upon turning around, noticed the passenger had vanished. In one instance, a car crashed into a tree killing 6 people. It is rumored to be the white lady's curse.[27]
In another story a White Lady is seen retracing her steps as she was said to have jumped off the Portchester Castle while trying to retrieve her fallen child. Her spirit is said to haunt the castle to this day.[28]
United States[edit]
A White Lady who could also be called a woman in white who is said to haunt Durand-Eastman Park in Rochester, New York. Also known as the Lady in the Lake, the 19th-century White Lady wanders the park area, obsessively looking for the body of her daughter, who was slain by a boyfriend or group of hoodlums, depending on the story you hear. Legend has it that the human White Lady either killed herself in grief, or died alone and heartbroken.[29]
'The Lady in White' or the 'White Lady of Avenel', is the most commonly reported apparition at Avenel (Bedford, Virginia). The apparition is thought to be Mary Frances 'Fran' Burwell, of the Burwell family of Virginia. 'The legend has it that she stayed on the front porch waiting for her husband to come home from the Civil War, but he never did.' says Adam Stupin, founder of SouthWest Virginia Ghost Hunters.[30]
'The Ghostly Sphinx of Metedeconk' by Stephen Crane recounts the tale of a White Lady whose lover was drowned in 1815.[31]
Union Cemetery at early night
Union Cemetery in Easton, Connecticut has reported sightings of a white lady since the late 1940s, said to haunt the nearby Stepney Cemetery in Monroe, Connecticut.[32][33][34]
Tolamato Cemetery in St. Augustine, Florida, has been home to stories of a haunting by a 'lady in white' since the 19th century. Legend states that the ghost is the spirit of a young woman who died suddenly on her way to be married, and who was buried in her wedding dress.[citation needed]
In Mukilteo, Washington, there have been many alleged reports of a Lady In White vanishing hitchhiker just off of Clearview Drive in the forest or on the road near the treeline.[citation needed]
The sightings of Resurrection Mary in Chicago, Illinois are also of both the White Lady and vanishing hitchhiker type legends.
In Madisonville, Louisiana there is a legend about a woman called 'The Silk Lady'. Her ghost is said to haunt Palmetto Flats by Highway 22. The story goes that back in the mid-1800s there was a woman who was riding back from town after seeing her lover off. She was riding down an old logging trail when a snake spooked her horse. She fell, hit her head, and died as a result of the injury. Several people have reported her as a woman dressed in a wispy, silky dress and that her feet don't touch the ground. When she sees someone she is said to cackle like a banshee.[citation needed]
In Altoona, Pennsylvania she is known as the White Lady of Whopsy. Her ghost is said to haunt Wopsononock Mountain and Buckhorn Mountain in the western part of Altoona. It's said that she and her husband had an ill-fated crash over what's known as Devil's Elbow as you head into the city itself where both of them tumbled over the side of the mountain. According to legend, she is seen looking for her husband on foggy nights, has been picked up as a hitch hiker, and her reflection is not seen in the mirror but she always disappears around Devil's Elbow.[35]
In Yermo, California at the Calico Ghost Town, author Lorin Morgan-Richards is said to have seen the ghost of a White Lady up close while it roamed the outskirts of town and he wrote about it in detail in his book Welsh in the Old West.[36][37][38][39]
In Fremont, California there are White Lady (called the White Witch) ghost sightings in Niles Canyon. A woman named Lowerey was one of the first people in the area killed in an automobile accident. People claim to have seen her in a cemetery in the area with strange lights and local legend says you can see her walking the ridge between the Niles Hollywood-style sign and the canyon.[40]
In Hattiesburg, Mississippi a Woman in White is connected with the history of Burnt Bridge Road. In the 1970s a woman was killed in a car accident while crossing a wooden bridge over a small gully. The resulting fire destroyed the bridge, which was later rebuilt in concrete, and gave the road its new name. The charred and decaying remains of the original bridge can still be seen near the new bridge.[citation needed]
In Dallas, Texas at White Rock Lake Park it is reported that ghost of a twenty-year-old looking girl, known as 'The Lady of White Rock Lake' described as wearing a water soaked 1930s evening dress, who usually appears at night along the roadside of East Lawther Drive. Witnesses claim the phantom asks to be taken to her home on Gaston Avenue in Dallas before disappearing in the car during the ride leaving behind a waterlogged car seat. Legend claims the woman to be a drowning victim from a boating accident in the 1930s. Reports of the ghostly encounters were published in Dallas-area newspapers in the 1960s.[41][42][43]
In popular culture[edit]
See also[edit]References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_Lady_(ghost)&oldid=904624243'
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