Studs Terkel interviews Allen Ginsberg, 1976 – part two

May 14, 2017Simon Pettet

Allen Ginsberg and Studs Terkel continuing from here

[At approximately half-way through their conversation, approximately thirty-two minutes in, Allen sings “Gospel Noble Truths” (“Born in this world, you’ve got to suffer..”) making several improvised additions –  (“no permanent soul!”,  “the dharma chakra”,  “Look what you’ve done – 1968” – “Let go, Studs!”)

AG: You looked like you didn’t want to “let go” of  “earth heaven and hell” there!.

ST: And as Ned Kelly, the bandit, said, before they hanged him, and they sprang the trap –  “That’s life! “. You said,  “Die when you die”. I was about to … Read More

Studs Terkel Interviews Allen Ginsberg, 1976 – part one

May 13, 2017Simon Pettet

[Studs Terkel (1912-2008)]

We’ve already featured the classic 1959 Studs Terkel  WFMT radio interview with Allen Ginsberg, Peter Orlovsky and Gregory Corso in seven sections – here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

We also featured Allen and Philip Glass on Studs Terkel’s show in 1990 – here and here

We’ll be featuring, in the coming weeks, a third, a 1975 session with Allen and William Burroughs

but, first, this weekend, this, (courtesy George Drury and the remarkable trove which is the Studs Terkel Radio Archive) – Allen Ginsberg’s interview … Read More

1990 – Matters of General Importance

September 26, 2016admin

 

Edvard Munch – The Scream  (1893)- National Gallery, Oslo, Norway

Allen and Philip Glass‘s 1990 interview with Studs Terkel (see here and here) concludes with Terkel offering Allen an open platform to “go off” on “anything of his choice”. Allen takes full advantage, listing the dangerous turn to censorship and repression in contemporary America circa 1990 (his “cautionary footnote”, as Terkel describes it, is a snapshot of a moment, but still reads chillingly, and regrettably, continuingly, pertinent in the light of present times.)   

ST: Al, I thought we’d go off open-endedly, as they used to say in the … Read More

Studs Terkel Interviews Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass on WFMT, Chicago 1990 – part 2

September 25, 2016admin
 
Philip Glass – Photograph by Allen Ginsberg – Kiev Restaurant, NYC, 1993 – Photo  c. Allen Ginsberg Estate

continuing from yesterday

ST: Resuming with Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass, poet (and) composer working together. We heard just a piece of the very haunting “Satyagraha – the Evening Song“, earlier, that opened the Lyric Opera season. It was a pip of an opening. Critics and audience both (raved). That was three years ago… Liquid Days?  (Songs from) Liquid Days) is what?

PG: Well, it’s a collection of songs I did. In a way, it’s kind of … Read More

Studs Terkel Interviews Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass on WFMT, Chicago, 1990 – part 1

September 24, 2016admin

[Studs Terkel, 1912-2008

Jewel Heart Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Philip Glass, Gelek Rinpoche & Allen Ginsberg, November 17, 1989]

[Philip Glass]

[Allen Ginsberg]

Studs Terkel Interviews Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass, 1990

We featured, a week or so back, Studs Terkel’s hilarious 1959 radio interview with Allen, Gregory Corso, and a mostly-silent Peter Orlovsky. Here’s another Terkel interview with Allen (alongside composer-collaborator, Philip Glass), this one recorded over three decades later. Ginsberg and Glass are in town (Chicago) for a benefit performance for Gelek Rinpoche‘s Jewel Heart organization (as Terkel periodically reminds his listeners), an event … Read More

Studs Terkel Radio Interview – Part 7 (Conclusion)

September 15, 2016admin

                                                                [Studs Terkel (1912-2008)]

The Studs Terkel Ginsberg-Corso-Orlovsky interview (courtesy PennSound), that we’ve been serializing this week, concludes here
ST: Let’s get back to the comments you made. Is there any.. can we pin it down?.. people do communicate , you know..
AG: Yes, but I would say “No ideas but in things” , which is what (William Carlos) Williams also says. In other words, No..
… Read More

Studs Terkel Radio Interview – Part 6

September 15, 2016admin

[Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in Water Moon Form (Shuiyue Guanyin) Liao Dynasty (907-1125), 11th Century  (willow with traces of pigment,  woodblock construction), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

Studs Terkel’s 1959 interview with Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and a taciturn Peter Orlovsky (courtesy PennSound) continues
ST: So in other words you believe in compassion ? (or) you’re afraid of that word too?
GC: Compassion is a beautiful word.
AG: I’m in favor of compassion in other people.
GC: That’s compassion for Gregory.
ST: But you feel you are not..  Now are you putting.. Is this a façade?
AG: I … Read More

Studs Terkel 1959 Radio Interview – Part 5

September 14, 2016admin
Studs Terkel‘s 1959 radio interview transcript (courtesy PennSound)  continues. See previous transcripts here, here, here and here ST:  While the discussion goes on in the background. I was trying to whisper to the audience that I think there’s a seriousness and semi-seriousness, but we’ll see if you can sort of discern the chaff from the wheat.
AG:  No, I’ll talk over him (Gregory Corso)., I’ll talk over him. Now, the end of the poem [“Howl”] – which is where – “I’m with you in Rockland”, (which is a bug-house). I’m saying, … Read More

Studs Terkel 1959 Radio Interview – Part 5

September 14, 2016admin
Studs Terkel‘s 1959 radio interview transcript (courtesy PennSound)  continues. See previous transcripts here, here, here and here

ST:  While the discussion goes on in the background. I was trying to whisper to the audience that I think there’s a seriousness and semi-seriousness, but we’ll see if you can sort of discern the chaff from the wheat.

AG:  No, I’ll talk over him (Gregory Corso)., I’ll talk over him. Now, the end of the poem [“Howl”] – which is where – “I’m with you in Rockland”, (which is a bug-house). I’m saying, “I sympathize, I … Read More

Studs Terkel 1959 Radio Interview – Part 4

September 13, 2016admin
 [Peter Orlovsky – Photograph by Allen Ginsberg]
courtesy the ever-extraordinary PennSound Studs Terkel interview continues .
For earlier segments see here, here and here 
ST: Peter Orlovsky, what were you about to say?
Peter Orlovsky: The Howard Johnson’s..when we were going along the highway, we stopped at the Howard Johnson’s. And they had (have) these little cards, you know – What’s your waitresses number? Did you like the way she served you? What did she serve you? Was it enough? Was it too small? Was it too large? Do you have any comments about Howard Johnson’s? (the inside … Read More