Sunday May 24th – Bob Dylan’s Birthday

May 24, 2015admin

 

Emperor (Allen Ginsberg): I’ve heard through the grapevine that you have certain powers Alchemist (Bob Dylan): Oh no, that’s not me but I know who you mean  Emperor (Allen Ginsberg): You’re not the alchemist? Alchemist (Bob Dylan): No, but I’ve seen him come through here, carrying his bags full of bottles. We talk now and then. Emperor (Allen Ginsberg): What’s he tell you? Alchemist (Bob Dylan): Nothing special. I’ve seen him perform certain mysterious gestures though. I never say nothing’ about it. I just watch. Emperor (Allen Ginsberg):  What does he do? Alchemist (Bob Dylan): Sometimes very … Read More

Joni Mitchell

September 20, 2014admin

[Joni Mitchell and Allen Ginsberg on Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour, 1975 (from Sam Shepherd’s Rolling Thunder Logbook (1977)]

It was Allen, of course, who introduced Joni Mitchell to his “friend of spirit”, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. 

She came late to the rolling cavalcade

but stayed to the end.

As she candidly confesses (in Readers Digest of all places!):

[Chogyam Trungpa – painted by Joni Mitchell]

“… I went on Rolling Thunder and they asked me how I wanted to be paid, and I ran away to join the circus: Clowns used to get paid in wine — pay me … Read More

Happy Birthday Bob Dylan

May 24, 2014admin

Main Photograph

[Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg, Edson Cemetery,  Lowell, Massachusetts, 1975, at the site of Jack Kerouac‘s grave – Photograph by Ken Regan]

 
 
January 27 1978
 
Dear Bob

Saw your movie [Renaldo and Clara] twice at (the) Waverly Theatre (New York City)…and you have no idea how breathlessly great your movie is, nor have you had a rare glimpse of how the packed theater was bursting with applause from their hands and mouths … Read More

Allen Ginsberg & Bob Dylan at the Grave of Jack Kerouac

December 23, 2013admin

This little excerpt, this classic excerpt, from Bob Dylan’s lost epic, “Renaldo and Clara” (courtesy of the essential “The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg“, Jerry Aronson‘s deluxe two-disc DVD set).  Bob and Allen, in 1975, in Lowell cemetery (Edson cemetery), on the occasion of a stop-over on the legendary Rolling Thunder tour, famously standing together, beside Jack Kerouac’s grave, musing, (Allen’s certainly taking the lead), in memento mori.  Allen (gesticulating towards the grave):”So that’s what’s gonna happen to you?”  Dylan: “No, I want to be in an unmarked grave.” The clip begins with … Read More

Allen Ginsberg, Anne Waldman, Chogyam Trungpa & William Burroughs Reading, Boulder, 1976

April 20, 2013admin

Last weekend’s 1976 Ginsberg-McClure reading was warmly received. Here’s another one, again recorded at Naropa in 1976, (a couple of months later), and featuring, in addition to Allen, Anne Waldman, Chogyam Trungpa (English translations read by David Rome) and – William S Burroughs! Philip Whalen provides the spare but informative introductions. The tape begins with him introducing Allen (some amusement from the audience – it’s early days -when he announces Allen’s been singing)

PW: Mr Allen Ginsberg’s latest book is called First Blues, a lot of which is in the process right now of being recorded with … Read More