This week, we present a conversation with writer, rock & roller, and esoteric scholar Gary Lachman, author of a new memoir, Touched By the Presence: From Blondie’s Bowery and Rock and Roll to Magic and the Occult.

In it, Lachman charts his journey from a young New Jersey misfit immersed in comic books and paperback fiction to his days playing bass in Blondie as the band rose to stardom from the New York City punk underground. Blondie would go on to have a top-ten hit with his composition, “(I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear” penned about telepathic communication Lachman experienced with this then girlfriend, the film actress and rock writer Lisa Jane Persky. 

From there, the book details his days with Iggy Pop, fronting his own band, The Know, and eventually, his immersion in consciousness studies and the occult, which has informed the dozens of books he’s written since, including The Return of Holy Russia, Maurice Nicoll: Forgotten Teacher of The Fourth Way, Dark Star Rising, and Beyond the Robot: The Life and Work of Colin Wilson, written about his mentor and primary esoteric inspiration. 

Touched by the Presence is available now from Inner Traditions, and it was a treat to join Lachman to talk about the consciousness altering power of comic books, his time with Blondie and Iggy, and glean a little of his humor-filled and lowkey wisdom.

Transmissions is created in partnership with the Talkhouse Podcast Network. We’re brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aquarium Drunkard⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an independent music media crew headed by Justin Gage. Over at Aquarium Drunkard, you’ll gain access to 20 years of music writing, playlist, essays, mixtapes, radio special, podcasts, videos and more.