Jeff Tamarkin reviews the Craft Recordings Howl box-set for Relix – here (For his review of The Complete Songs of Innocence and Experience – see here)
Eddie Woods, Amsterdam legend, remembers Allen in an extended interview on Dutch television (Kieurnet Television) – vid from back in 1997 – (nice to hear shout-outs to Simon Vinkenoog, Ira Cohen – and Benn Posset!)
This coming Sunday (July 8) in Los Angeles at Beyond Baroque – “Kerouac on Record”, “part conversation, part reading, part happening”, in celebration of Simon Warner’s recent book, probing the connection between Kerouac and music. Music producer, contributor, and critic, Pat Thomas will be the host. Beat scholars/rock scholars/poetry scholars, Larry Beckett Jonah Raskin Michael Goldberg and Marc Zegans will be the guests. Beyond Baroque is this year celebrating its 50th Anniversary.
Speaking of Kerouac, check out Audrey Lent’s piece in the current Beatdom – “After Me The Deluge – Considering Kerouac’s Final Statement ”
Zach Robbins founder of Beardoholic (sic) is, among other things, a big Allen Ginsberg fan. An unusual perspective. Find his informed assesment of Allen’s signature beard style(s) – here
This coming Sunday (July 8th) will be the anniversary of the birth of Peter Orlovsky (Allen’s long-time partner). He would have been 85. Thinking of you, Peter.
speaking of music, Allen Ginsberg on Blues composition:
https://dusttodigital.bandcamp.com/track/on-blues-composition
“One especially wonderful memory was my visit with James “Son Ford” Thomas on December 27, 1980, in Dallas, Texas at the Modern Language Society’s annual meeting, where I spoke about the blues and Mr. Thomas performed. During the program I noticed a face in the front row that I thought I recognized but could not identify. The person was clearly enjoying the program. When it ended, he introduced himself as Allen Ginsberg and asked if he might visit with Mr. Thomas in his room at the hotel. We went to Ginsberg’s room where for several hours he and Thomas sang blues together and discussed the meaning of the blues. At the end of our visit, Ginsberg turned to me and said, “He is your guru, isn’t he?” I answered, “Yes, he is.” I published that conversation and photographs of our visit in an article “Trading Verses James “Son Ford” Thomas and Allen Ginsberg” that appeared in Southern Cultures (Spring, 2013), pp. 53-60.”
from: http://blues.gr/profiles/blogs/interview-with-dr-william-r-ferris-one-of-the-foremost-american