Twin Temple are a Los Angeles duo who write and record Sixties-sounding doo-wop/rock songs with titles like “Lucifer, My Love,” “Let’s Have a Satanic Orgy,” and “I Am a Witch.” They embrace an aesthetic of pentagrams and upside-down crosses, and apparently, it was all just too much for the country singer Charley Crockett.
According to an Instagram post, Twin Temple say they were axed from opening a string of shows for Crockett this month due to their “Satanic imagery.”
“Today we were informed that Charley Crockett has decided to remove Twin Temple from his upcoming shows next week due to our Satanic imagery,” they wrote on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, that means we will not be able to perform for you next week as planned. We are really disappointed as we were looking forward to getting back out and seeing you, and also what it means as far as bringing different types of people and music lovers together.”
The husband-and-wife duo of singer Alexandra James and guitarist Zachary James added that they were “grateful for your support, not only of Twin Temple, but more importantly of artistic freedom.” They signed off with, “Hail Satan!”
“I thought they were like Black Sabbath, but they ain’t. Not today, Satan,” Crockett told Rolling Stone in a statement via his rep. A rep for Twin Temple did not immediately return a request for comment.
How exactly Twin Temple and Crockett got linked up in the first place is unclear. Both artists do, however, have a fan in Shooter Jennings. The Grammy-winning producer oversaw Crockett’s recent albums, including the just reissued Clovis, and has championed Twin Temple.
In perhaps a more fitting pairing, Twin Temple will open Danzig’s September tour, including shows in the very Satan-friendly states of Texas and Tennessee.