Robert Johnson Crossroads Legend

Music and Mysticism with Matthew Ingram (4K Reboot)

New Thinking AllowedAug 18, 2026

Psychologist Jeffrey Mishlove talks with music historian Matthew Ingram, author of 'Retreat: How the Counterculture Invented Wellness,' about how Eastern mysticism and altered states shaped popular music from the blues through punk. They trace links from Robert Johnson's crossroads legend and Nada yoga to John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme,' gurus of the 1960s rock scene, and musicians who felt they were receiving music from beyond themselves. The conversation also covers the darker side of the counterculture, including Altamont, Charles Manson, and the violent teaching methods of Zen.