GUNDELLA - THE HOUR OF THE WITCH

"YES, I AM A WITCH!"  These are the first words spoken on this early 70's record by Gundella aka The Green Witch otherwise known as Marion Kuclo:  a schoolteacher from the Detroit area who is descended from a long line of green witches dating back to 15th century Scotland.  Modern Harmonic has made this ultra-rare regional LP available to everyone with a new pressing in recent years (on cd or else on beautiful green vinyl).  THE HOUR OF THE WITCH is one of those albums which were particularly popular during the occult revival of the late 60's-early 70's which offers a brief history/explanation of witchcraft (Vincent Price's WITCHCRAFT & MAGIC comes to mind) and provides a kind of do-it-yourself guide to casting your own spells (i.e. Louise Huebner's similar album).  However, where Huebner upped the spooky drama with her whispery hoarse voice, Gundella sounds like what she was:  a Great Lakes region elementary school teacher with an accent that sounds like she's more likely to bring you hot dish than a potion.  

However, that was Gundella's aim; to show that magick practitioners don't have any extra power that we ordinary people don't also possess and which could be cultivated with training in accessing the universal source.  The term "magic" just refers to things which we can't yet explain.  A wonderful explanation by Gundella (which shows what a good teacher she must have been) refers to the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale in which doors opened by themselves, a room lit up as if containing 1000 candles and voices came out of the air.  Then it was magic.  Now it can be experienced in a modern supermarket with automatic doors, fluorescent lights and a PA system.  Such a simple yet elegant explanation.

Of course, for Halloween listening, the record does include thunder and spooky organ music by her son James.  The beautiful new vinyl pressing also includes a gatefold cover filled with extensive liner notes by Gundella's daughter Madilynne.  Gundella (in the video footage I've seen of her as well as on this record) seems like such a sweet person and it's understandable how she seems to have been embraced by her local community to the point where she made public appearances and had her own advice column in the local newspaper.  Year 'round.  Not just as a Halloween fluff piece.  I wonder if our uptight society today would be as accommodating. 

Sadly, Gundella died in 1993.  The new vinyl pressing also includes a booklet featuring some of her "Witch Watch" newspaper columns as well.  Listening to THE HOUR OF THE WITCH feels just like a 40 minute visit with your neighbourhood witch around her kitchen table as she serves tea and cakes. 

For Halloween, among the ghost stories and horror movies, is also a Wiccan holiday called Samhain, lest we forget.  And it's always nice to give our modern day witches equal time!