Starting tomorrow and continuing through the weekend
The EBSN in conjunction with The Horse Hospital present London Interzone – Burroughs and Beats Rewired, “a three-day convergence of radical theory and sound, recognising the ongoing impact of the works of US writer William S. Burroughs and the Beat Generation, with London as a primary historical and contemporary nexus point for the American avant-garde. The event connects Burroughs’ experimental vision with London’s underground culture – transgressing scholarship, art, and performance in an atmosphere of collaboration and interdisciplinarity that explores the history of 1960s multi- and countercultural London, while giving a platform for the continuing dissemination of the works of Burroughs and the Beats into the present.”
The daytime lineup includes:
Iain Sinclair, Barry Miles and Oliver Harris in conversation – ” Acclaimed writer and psychogeographer Sinclair, legendary cultural historian Miles and renowned Burroughs scholar Harris discuss Burroughs’ relationship with London.”
Keynote Speakers for the festival are:
Oliver Harris (Friday) and, (Saturday) Thomas Antonic and poet and scholar Allen Fisher
Roundtables:
Roundtable 1 (Friday) “Electronic Re-evolution”:
Rob Jones (on Burroughs somatic philosophy), Edward Robinson (on Burroughs tape experiments), James Riley, (“Silver Smoke of Dreams”), Florian Zappe (Burroughs in Ploog‘s tape experiments)
Roundtable 2 (Saturday) “No Coincidences”
Claire Cassady (“Junkie as Mythic Deviant”), Oliver Ray (“The Archive As Masterwork”), Ian MacFadyen (“The Ghost Society – Cohen, Gysin, Burroughs, MacLise“)
Panels:
Panel 1 (Friday) “Burroughs Art Sound”
Scanner (Robin Rimbaud), Adi Newton, Jill Westwood Graham Duff
Panel 2 (Saturday) “Burroughs and The Magical Universe”
Matthew Levi Steven, Phil Baker, Joseph Darlington and Jack Sargeant
also two evening performances – Friday, Aaron Brookner presents clips from his documentary, Nova’78 and discusses the film with Jack Sergeant, Scanner (Robin Rimbaud) manipulates rare and unreleased Burroughs recordings and musician Oliver Ray performs along with poet-filmmaker-performer No Land
and Saturday – Graham Duff performs readings from Burroughs, and performances by John Gosling, Isabel de Jour and Jill Westwood (“Nova Ghost Commission”) and Ad Newton and Stephen Mallinder (The Anti-Group”)
Symantha Jones on Saturday presents a workshop on the Cut-Up
and Sunday – an additional bonus – Jim Pennington leads a walking tour of Burroughs London haunts.