Allen Ginsberg in London 1965

October 15, 2016admin

 

“Allen Ginsberg Reading At Better Books”, LP cover, 1965 – Illustration by Alan Aldridge

A rare and important Allen Ginsberg reading in London – his famous reading in the basement of Miles’  Better Books bookshop – in the Spring of 1965

“Recorded on a Ferrograph (reel-to-reel tape-recorder) by Ian Sommerville”

“The reading originated after Ed Sanders provided Ginsberg with Miles’ name as manager of Better Books, a connection he followed up on his arrival in London from Prague in May 1965. The impromptu reading, though unannounced, was packed (the audience included Donovan, (who provided the pre-reading entertainment) … Read More

Expansive Poetics – 65 (1965 London Albert Hall Poetry Incarnation)

June 12, 2014admin

[Ernst Jandl (and Michael Horovitz) at the International Poetry Incarnation at The Royal Albert Hall in London, 1965]

AG: There’s a film actually… Student (CC): Wholly Communion. Yeah, I’ve seen it. It’s around town AG: In fact, we might try and get (it).. because the (Ernst) Jandl is on it, the Jandl (collaborative) piece is on it. Nineteen sixty-five.. Student (CC): It is.. AG: … (a) poetry reading in (London’s) Albert Hall. Then… Student (CC):  Wholly Communion  – W-H-O-L-L-Y Communion Student:  (There’s another one) AG: Pardon me? Student: They had another one, “Poets Against the Bomb”,  at the

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Expansive Poetics- 64 (Sound Poetry – Kurt Schwitters, Ernst Jandl)

June 11, 2014admin

[Kurt Schwitters – from the Elterwater (English) “Merz Barn”] (1947-1948 (uncompleted)]  

AG: So this [Allen is referring to the Marinetti-Schwitters impromptu readings – see here] is  (19)32, and it’s already a highly-developed art form – the sound poem.  (Kurt) Schwitters, I would say, is the very best, and actually, there are recordings of Schwitters and his son reading his great poem, the Ursonata – Ur-language, primeval language, ultimate language, earliest language – “Ursonata” – which is a long piece – a good hour, hour-and-a-half – and it’s a huge verbal musical construction, maybe one of the … Read More