The Story of Twin Temple: A Band Kicked Off a Tour for Spooky Art (Explained Simply)

What Happened Recently?

Before last week, most people had never heard of a band called Twin Temple. They are a small (maybe literally a "cult" meaning a group with unusual beliefs) band from Los Angeles. They make old-style music (like rock and doo-wop — that’s happy, vocal-harmony music from the 1950s) with song names like "Lucifer, My Love" and "Satan’s a Woman." Lucifer and Satan are names for a bad guy in some religious stories.

A singer named Charley Crockett decided to remove Twin Temple from his tour (a series of concerts) because he didn’t like their "satanic imagery" (that means pictures or ideas about Satan used in their show). This caused a big argument online!

Here’s what happened step by step:

1. Twin Temple announced they were removed from the shows.
2. Charley Crockett said he was right to do it.
3. Another famous musician, Jack White, stepped in and offered Twin Temple a chance to open (play first) at one of his concerts.

Important: Even though there was drama, Twin Temple says they are not fighting with Charley Crockett.

Meet Twin Temple and Their New Music

Twin Temple is made up of vocalist Alexandra James (also called AJ) and guitarist Zachary James (ZJ). They are a married couple.

They just announced a new album (a collection of songs) called Doomed Lovers. This album makes them sound like old country music — think less like rebel cowboy songs and more like Patsy Cline (a famous gentle country singer). The album comes out on October 9.

A music maker named Shooter Jennings produced (helped record) this album. Fun fact: he also produced Charley Crockett’s recent albums!

They will also go on tour with a musician named Danzig (Glenn Danzig) later this summer.

Why Were They Removed? (Talking With the Band)

We (the writers) had a video chat (Zoom) with Twin Temple to ask them questions.

How did they find out they were off the tour?

• Their old agent (a person who finds them work) got a call from Charley’s agent.
• The call said: "Charley decided to remove you because of satanic imagery."
• They asked their new agent to double-check, and it was true.

Did someone complain?

• They only know it was because of the spooky Satan pictures.
• A venue promoter (person who runs the concert place) said sorry and that it didn’t come from them.
• Their agent said the order came from Charley himself.

What about artistic freedom?
Artistic freedom means being free to make any art you want.

• ZJ said: It’s Charley’s show, so his choice is also artistic freedom.
• AJ said: They don’t take freedom for granted. They thought it would be cool if Charley showed music brings different people together. They love similar old music (like Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Burrito Brothers, blues). They feel sad it makes a divide between artists.

Callout: Music is a beautiful way to bring people together, but sometimes grown-ups disagree about what’s okay to show.

Do They Really Worship Satan? (Explained Simply)

Satanic imagery has been used by many musicians before: Black Sabbath, Mötley Crüe, Misfits, Glenn Danzig, even Sammy Davis Jr. (who joined a Satan church). So we asked: are AJ and ZJ really Satanists?

• AJ said: "Hell yeah!" But to them, Satan is a metaphor (a symbol) for exploring art. He represents being an outsider.
  • AJ is a mixed-race woman (Korean and British) and felt like she didn’t fit in growing up. She reads gothic stories like Frankenstein (about a monster). She got a death threat at age six. She felt like the "monster" or "outlaw" who questions rules.
• ZJ said: "America is kind of satanic at its core" (meaning it’s about freedom to rebel).

What kind of Satanists are they?

• They follow the "left-hand path" (a fancy term for non-mainstream, non-rule-following belief).
• AJ: It’s not dogmatic (no strict rules), no "right way" to practice.
• ZJ: It’s about exploring weird ideas, breaking norms, and being yourself.
• AJ also practices witchcraft (magic like spells), ZJ does ceremonial magic (fancy rituals). They study the occult (secret knowledge). That’s why they made Twin Temple — it’s fun to shop for a human skull decoration and old Ronettes records (a girl group) on the same day!

Important: They say freedom to explore what inspires you is what their country’s rules protect.

What About Jack White’s Offer?

Jack White (from the band White Stripes) offered Twin Temple an opening slot at his Los Angeles show in September.

But there’s a problem:

• They already promised to tour with Danzig.
• They have a show in Anaheim, California on Sept 26 with a radius clause (a rule that says they can’t play too close to that date in the same area).
• So they need permission from Danzig’s team and promoters to also do Jack White’s show.
• AJ is a huge White Stripes fan (learned guitar on their song "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"), so they really want to make it work.

They are not fighting with Charley; they still like his music. They only spoke up to tell fans they were off the tour.

Summary

Let’s recap simply:

• Twin Temple is a married duo making old-style music with spooky Satan themes as art.
• Charley Crockett removed them from his tour; Jack White offered them a spot.
• They have a new album Doomed Lovers produced by Shooter Jennings (who also works with Charley) out Oct 9.
• They will tour with Danzig; may try to also play with Jack White if rules allow.
• They see Satan as a symbol for being different, not as a real evil being to worship in a scary way.
• They believe in artistic freedom and are not mad at Charley.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What is Twin Temple’s music like?
They make throwback rock and doo-wop (old 50s style) and now country-like music similar to Patsy Cline. Their songs have fun spooky names.

2. Why did Charley Crockett remove them from his tour?
Because he didn’t like their use of satanic imagery (pictures or ideas about Satan) in their art.

3. Are they actually Satan worshippers?
They say they are Satanists but explain Satan is a metaphor for being an outsider and exploring art freely. They also practice witchcraft and magic as part of their beliefs.

4. Will they play with Jack White?
They want to, but they have a prior commitment with Danzig and a radius clause. They are trying to work it out.

5. What is a radius clause?
It’s a rule in a concert contract that stops a band from playing too close (in distance or time) to another show they already promised to do.