BackTalk
The Official Journal Of The Reverse Speech Education And Research Institute (USA) Revcom – The Society For Reversed Communication Research (Australia)
“Backtalk” is an international journal that reports exclusively on the ongoing research into Reverse Speech. It is produced with the joint effort of Reverse Speech researchers in both Australia and the United States Of America. Publisher: David J. Oates
FROM THE DESK OF THE EDITOR
Late, late, late again. No matter how hard I try, Backtalk always seems to come out late. There’s just so much to do and so little time to do it all in. The journal is meant to be bi-monthly. I think I achieved that goal in 1988/89 but went downhill from there. For those readers who have paid yearly subscriptions, don’t worry. If you don’t get your six issues in a year, you won’t get your next invoice until you have received six issues.
Well, it has been an exciting and action packed few months in the world of Reverse Speech, but there is some sad news to report.
One of the original founders and pioneers of Reverse Speech has passed away. It is with deep regret that I report the death of Mr. Peter Thomas after a bout of bowel cancer. Peter was involved at the very beginning of research with Greg Albrecht and myself. He supplied Greg and me with technical back-up and taped recordings from his vast collection of radio broadcasts collected over 40 years. He also made valuable inputs to the initial theoretical development of Reverse Speech. I can remember many occasions when I had electrical problems with research equipment and jumped in the car, tearing over to Peter’s home for help. He will be sadly missed and remembered always with fond memories. Peter has been awarded posthumously with a Developer Certificate for his initial contributions to Reverse Speech. Thanks, Peter, for everything. Your pioneering spirit and vision is such that makes history and new breakthroughs in the development of humanity.
Also awarded a Developer certificate is Paul Von Stroheim. Paul was the past President of the Australian NLP Society and has contributed many valuable ideas for the use of Reverse Speech in NLP and Ericksonian hypnosis. He has been, and still is, a valuable support and personal mentor for me. Some of Paul’s ideas with Reverse Speech are featured in this issue.
The month of August, 1990 saw backward messages being fought in the legal system for the first time with an historic case. The case centered around the heavy metal rock group, Judas Priest, and their album “Stained Class”. A lawsuit lodged in Reno, Nevada, in 1986 was seeking unspecified damages against CBS records and Judas Priest, claiming that two youths, James Vance and Ray Belknap, were driven to shoot themselves in a suicide pact after repeated listening to tbis album while smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. Belknap died, and Vance severely disfigured himself in the attempt and died three years later. Lawyers for Vance and Belknap’s relatives told Nevada Judge, Jerry Whitehead, that the band’s music had a “hypnotic” quality and its records contained subliminal messages. They particularly focused on the words “Do it” which they claimed was subliminally inserted in the song “Better By You, Better By Me”, and also the phrase “Fuck The Lord“, which they claimed promoted anti-Christian mentality.
The court hearing took one month and on August 24, 1990, Judge Jerry Wbitehead handed down his verdict. He concluded that the backward phrases did exist but no evidence had been put forward to suggest that they were caused by anything other than coincidence of sound, and that no convincing evidence was put forward to indicate that they could be subliminally suggestive. The 6.2 million dollar law suit was rejected, but Judge Whitehead wrote that after hearing all the evidence he believed “that the position taken by the plaintiffs in this action was an arguable one.”
I originally contacted the Judge as the trial commenced and he referred me to the respective attorneys. After deliberations, both attorneys decided not to use Reverse Speech as they believed it to be of no benefit to either side. The plaintiff claimed that Judas Priest had intentionally placed them on the album whereas the defense claimed they did not exist. Reverse Speech states, of course, that the backward messages were the result of naturally occurring speech reversals. Personally, I was amazed that the plaintiff decided not to use Reverse Speech as we have quite clear evidence that speech reversals can be decoded by the mind. Plus, some of the reversals found by Reverse Speech Analyst, Becky Thompson, could have been quite damaging: God is evil / Give us the truth / You silly fuck / I took my life / Take me out / We died for glory / We died sad.
Nevertheless, Reverse Speech has become a little more known to the American public as a result of the case. I traveled to Washington D.C. and appeared on CNN’s “The Larry King Show” as an independent expert. The decision is to beappealed. Therefore, the legal debate concerning hidden messages is far from over. Similar cases are currently pending, including one in Georgia against the rock singer, Ozzy Ozborne.
Well, that’s about all from the Editor’s desk. ‘Til next issue,
SHALOM
DAVID OATES
“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
Soren Kierkergaard
“Why is it, that everything on this Earth we do not understand, we are pushed onto our knees to worship or to damn? Those are the rules of Religion. Those are the laws of the land. That’s how the forces of darkness have suppressed the spirit of man.”
The The. “Mind Bomb” (1989 CBS Records)
RESEARCH INFORMATION
There is only a small research section this issue. Most of the work over the last few months has been in public relations rather than research; but there are, as always, some interesting pieces of information.
OTHER LANGUAGES UPDATE
Reverse Speech developer, Paul Von Stroheim, comments on the section in last issue’s Research Information regarding reversals in other languages. He reports that he has found many German phrases on tapes exclusively spoken in English AND spoken by people who do not know German. This is an observation that other researchers have also noted. In previous letters, Paul has even proposed the hypothesis that with the process of Oral Tradition transpiring, one might even find other languages in Reverse Speech, all the way back to Sanskrit. Any takers on researching this hypothesis?
LOCATING REVERSALS: UPDATE
Paul also reports on experimentation with different methods of listening for reversals. He has found that by using stereo headphones and only listening with the left ear he is having slightly better results than with listening with both ears. Paul has likewise noted that people listening for reversals will tend to set themselves up (bodily) in such a way as to present a dominant ear to the loudspeakers. He points out that if we use our usual way of listening, we will hear the usual things. With Reverse Speech, we need to listen for the unusual and Paul may develop a new technology of listening!!
REVERSAL FREQUENCY
Many years back, when research into Reverse Speech first cornmenced, reversals were noted about once every 2 to 3 rninutes of normal conversation. As time went on and listening skills improved, this observation has gradually increased to about one reversal every 15 seconds of conversation. This has remained fairly constant over the last year.
Another alteration needs to be made with regards to reversal occurrence in media interactions. It has been stated that reversal occurrence in this medium has been about one reversal every 2 to 3 minutes. Now it appears to be about once every 30 to 45 seconds. This is, of course, due to improved listening and reversal detection skills. Who knows? Maybe they’re occurring all the time, everywhere, and we just have not learned to recognize them yet. Time and experience will tell.
“Whoever looks into the mirror of the water will see first of all his own face. Whoever goes to himself risks a confrontation with himself. The mirror does not flatter; it faithfully shows whatever looks into it; namely the face we never show to the world because we cover it with the persona, the mask of the actor. But the mirror lies behind the mask and shows the true face. This confrontation is the first test of courage on the inner way, a test sufficient to frighten off most people. ”
Carl Jung – “The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious”
REVERSE SPEECH AND DISEASE
I was recently approached by the parents of a fourteen-year-old teenager desperate to do something about their child. For the previous six weeks, he had been experiencing intense chest pains, so severe, in fact, that at times he could barely walk. The teenager had become extremely despondent and, at times, suicidal. Heart troubles were suspected, yet despite extensive medical tests, no cause for the pains could be located. At the time he saw me, the latest theory was that he may have a cyst on his kidney.
At the time, I was somewhat perplexed concerning the help I could offer. I dealt with the mind, not the body. However, the parents were hoping that some psychological reason may be causing these pains and that Reverse Speech may help uncover this. The teenager seemed normal for his age, yet was somewhat withdrawn. I decided to conduct the session in my normal manner, focusing on the times that the pains first occurred and his general life circumstances. Printed below are selected portions of that session conducted.
The transcript is written exactly as it was found on the original tape recording. All reversals are quoted EXACTLY as they appeared during the interview. All reversed dialogue is found in bold print. Some reversals may be spasmodic in context. In these cases, I’ve separated them in the text with a slash mark (/). The forward dialogue that is responsible for the reversals is indicated by backets [ ].
David: “Tell me initially about what your reaction is to the cyst on the kidney. How, [how do, do you feel about]?” REVERSAL I will look in there. (First Level, Internal Dialogue.)
Youth: “I guess confused. Not knowing what to think. It’s kinda scary and kinda neat having something [wrong with you] and stuff like that.” REVERSAL It hurts me. (First Level, Expansive.)
David: “When did you first start noticing all these pains and stuff?”
Youth: “It was the [the second] of April.” REVERSAL Like acid. (Second Level, Internal Dialogue.)
David (following long discussion about family relationships): “How do you feel about your half-brother?”
Youth: “Well, he lives with his mum and dad, and I kinda wish I could [live with my mum and my dad] at the same time.” REVERSAL Mess with Dad and my Mum. (Second Level, Internal Dialogue.)
David (asking about his feelings of wanting to be with both of his natural parents at the same time.) “So, is this feeling getting better or worse as you’re getting older?”
Youth: “[Ah, er, worse.” REVERSAL Show me love. (First Level, External Dialogue.)
David: “And what, er, is there a tension inside in it?”
Youth: “[Well, in a way], yeah.” REVERSAL Hell. Want a home. (Second Level, Expansive.)
David: “Do you look forward to the visits with your real father?”
Youth: “[A whole lot].” REVERSAL A war. (Third Level, expansive.)
David (questioning troubles Youth was receiving at school): “Like what? Picking, [fighting, teasing]?” REVERSAL Diseased love. (Second Level, Expansive.)
Youth: “[Yeah. All of it].” REVERSAL Feel a war. (Third Level, Internal Dialogue.)
David: “Now what? [You first noticed the pain] when you were swinging a stick around. Any sign of it beforehand?” REVERSAL I’m surfing over it. (Second Level, Internal Dialogue.)
Youth: “Let’s see. [It had always] been there when I ran real hard,but [that Sunday night I’d taken] a hard run.” REVERSALS I wanted it / I will get that hurt/ I need this bad. (Second Level, Internal Dialogue.)
Youth: “I didn’t know if it was something to be really scared about [or just blow it off].” REVERSAL My father would. (First Level, Internal Dialogue.)
David: “What have they done to you?”
Youth: “[Well, they’ve done an Electrocardiogram], [a CAT-scan], a bone scan.” REVERSAL We love worse telling/ They love real war / They expect it. (Third Level, Expansive.)
Youth: (after asking him to picture colors that described his feelings and then being questioned about his choices): “[I think that one was the first one] that popped into my mind.” REVERSAL Will suffer, so I give up. (Third Level, Expansive.)
David: “Talk to me in general. Tell me what you like to do.”
Youth: “I like to play some board games. [I like to play Nintendo].” REVERSAL I miss Nanny. (First Level, Expansive.)
David: “Have you talked to him (the natural father) much about what’s been going on with you?”
Youth: “Well, I’ve called my grandmother, but [I haven’t got ahold of him yet.]” They made the war and I never have. (Third level expansive.)
David: “Does your Dad want to see you?”
Youth: “Mmmmmm.”
David: “So, what’s the problem?”
Youth: “[What do you mean?]” REVERSAL Me evil. (Second Level, Expansive. Note how the reversal answers my previous question.)
David: “How come you don’t see him more often?”
Youth: “[Well, ‘cause,] the main reason is he lives in Brisbane. [I live in Sydney.]” REVERSAL Suck Mum. (Second Level, Internal Dialogue.)
David: “Do you get resentful that he doesn’t drive up and see you more often?”
Youth: “No. ‘Cause I know it would be a whole [lot just to come all the way] from there to here. REVERSALS Feel I want it. That cyst. (Third Level, Expansive.)
David: (discussing areas where possible improvements could be made) Would you like to change schools? Would that solve part of the problem?”
Youth: “If [nobody knew me at all]. I could start off with a whole new beginning.” REVERSALS Father. He ruined me. (First Level, Comparative.)
David: “Why do you think the pain’s there?”
Youth: “[I can’t think] of any, [I don’t know why.] REVERSALS Evil get the helm./ Where’s the cyst? (Second Level, Expansive and Strategic.)
David: (at the end of long session of visualization exercises) “Close your eyes and [in your head, merge the two colors] together. [The black and the] light blue.” REVERSALS Assault this scum in there. / I will help, look. (First Level, External Communicative Dialogue, Command.)
The reversals indicated that the boy had low self-esteem and an intense desire to be helped. The youth felt immense pain, emotional and physical. He resented the fact that he couldn’t live with both his biological parents and he acted out his resentment in the family setting (Mess with Dad and Mum.) He desperately wanted love and a feeling of belonging (Show me love. Want a home.) This conflict created a metaphoric war inside him and produced his unconscious pain physically (I wanted it. I will get that hurt. I need this bad.) This was the only way he could get the attention he needed. (They love real war. They expect it.) His internal war had become tangible.
I concluded that the reversal, cyst, had become a personal metaphor for the physical manifestation of the internal conflict. Armed with this hypothesis, I called a family meeting that included the youth, the mother and the step-father.
The youth relished the transcript. All the reversals described exactly what he’d been feeling, in particular the unsatisfactory relationship with his natural father. The reversal, I miss Nanny, was intensely significant to him, because he used to go to his grandmother’s, whom he called “Nanny,” to play Nintendo. Only a month before our session, his mother, thinking that he’d been spending too much time at his grandmother’s house, had limited his visits. The complementarity was astounding. “I like to play Nintendo.” I miss Nanny.
Results Achieved
The discussion achieved many positive results. First, it was the first time the youth had ever been able to talk about his feelings and it was a great relief for him. Second, his parents allowed him to go to his Nanny’s house more often again. Third, his parents resolved to make a serious effort to help him re-establish contact with his biological father.
Within two days of discussing this session, the youth’s chest pains completely disappeared and haven’t returned. The doctors did confirm a cyst on his kidney. It was very small and couldn’t have caused all the pain he’d been experiencing. The pain was a physical manifestation of a larger, emotional problem. When that problem was handled, the pain disappeared.
The Differing Reactions To Reverse Speech
