This is simply OVERWHELMING! What a great job, Clint. I've only watched it twice so far -- expect I'll see it dozens more times.
Just a few first impressions: Imagine the kitchen which held a whole gamut of post-war talent! From Bowles, Hockey, & Glass to Kerouac, Basquiat, & Patti Smith! I think the only one who could come close to that sort of range through mid-century America is Borroughs himself - though Borroughs tended to focus on a fairly small circle of friends for long periods of time.
Ginsburg acted as a generational "bridge" for a part of the intelligentia the older "wild ones" (particularly Bowles) to the modern explorers of music, art, & literature (Dylan, Haring, Baraka). He was proof the 50s were NOT, as so many believe, a cultural wasteland.
I have so much more to process about those around him -- & particularly how the constant homoeroticism had an impact to all their works, but I wanted to let you know how wonderful this piece is & how much I appreciate it.
I met Allan only once, about which more in a moment. I saw him perform several times. He was an astonishingly magnetic performer, able to hold an audience (and me) with the barest of things, like when he played a harmonium and chanted (in all sorts of rhythms) the word "generosity" over and over again for maybe 3/4 of an hour.
He came back from something with my grad school roommate, with whom I imagine he might have had a wee fling. The minute he saw me he lit into me, railing against something or other that he perceived. Somehow, I didn't take it personally or develop a dislike for him in turn, though it didn't enhance my view of the man himself. I was just sitting there, on the floor, studying when they came in. Soon after, they both left.
Now that I think about it, his aversion to me reminds me of the instant aversion some of my customer service customers took to me, while others asked for me specifically. Can't explain chemistry. He lived large, appeared to have enough extraversion for thousands, his friends were loyal throughout his and their lives (so he must have been loyal), and he was faithful to the Tibetan Buddhist practice he adopted mid-life. Much to admire.
Wow...what an interesting story. I wonder if he might have seen you as "competition" for your roommate's affection or attention. He strikes me as needing to be the center of the storm. A bit of a Pied Piper. He seemed to have a few truly complex relationships, mostly because so many saw him as the "leader" of the Beats. From my brief reading a few, including Kerouac, distanced themselves from the label because of it. That said, public people are still people...and personality chemistry is a mystery I'll never understand. I've been on both sides of that interaction. Sometimes at the same time! lol Cuz gay men...we can be bitchy af to each other. :-p
I spent part of a year working for Carol Berge, credibly also part of the Beats, and she had a deep hatred of...lots of things. Lovey-dovey she was not. But Ginsberg was her particular bete noir. And one of my teachers in grad school was also part of the beat movement but favorable to Allan. So in a way I've been surrounded by the beats. I think perhaps they helped open things up for the rest of us for a decade or two. But I'm not confident there won't be a serious "Victorian Age" movement in the near future...
Wasn't familiar with Ms. Berge, but even a quick scan of her Wikipedia leads me to believe she was...something else. I'm sure Ginsberg shared a similar opinion of her. As for the possibility of a "Victorian Age," I think we're already seeing some signs of it. The pendulum of time...is slow but steady. For every action, there's usually an equal and opposite reaction. Progress is hard. Cuz...zucking human nature. :-p
This is simply OVERWHELMING! What a great job, Clint. I've only watched it twice so far -- expect I'll see it dozens more times.
Just a few first impressions: Imagine the kitchen which held a whole gamut of post-war talent! From Bowles, Hockey, & Glass to Kerouac, Basquiat, & Patti Smith! I think the only one who could come close to that sort of range through mid-century America is Borroughs himself - though Borroughs tended to focus on a fairly small circle of friends for long periods of time.
Ginsburg acted as a generational "bridge" for a part of the intelligentia the older "wild ones" (particularly Bowles) to the modern explorers of music, art, & literature (Dylan, Haring, Baraka). He was proof the 50s were NOT, as so many believe, a cultural wasteland.
I have so much more to process about those around him -- & particularly how the constant homoeroticism had an impact to all their works, but I wanted to let you know how wonderful this piece is & how much I appreciate it.
Clint, I would love to see your video compilation, but when I press the start button, I get the “next video” and it’s usually a political thing within
Trump or H. Clinton. Is there a setting I need to correct?
Appreciated the cheat sheet. Of course I knew the name, but knew little else about him. Thanks Clint.
I met Allan only once, about which more in a moment. I saw him perform several times. He was an astonishingly magnetic performer, able to hold an audience (and me) with the barest of things, like when he played a harmonium and chanted (in all sorts of rhythms) the word "generosity" over and over again for maybe 3/4 of an hour.
He came back from something with my grad school roommate, with whom I imagine he might have had a wee fling. The minute he saw me he lit into me, railing against something or other that he perceived. Somehow, I didn't take it personally or develop a dislike for him in turn, though it didn't enhance my view of the man himself. I was just sitting there, on the floor, studying when they came in. Soon after, they both left.
Now that I think about it, his aversion to me reminds me of the instant aversion some of my customer service customers took to me, while others asked for me specifically. Can't explain chemistry. He lived large, appeared to have enough extraversion for thousands, his friends were loyal throughout his and their lives (so he must have been loyal), and he was faithful to the Tibetan Buddhist practice he adopted mid-life. Much to admire.
Wow...what an interesting story. I wonder if he might have seen you as "competition" for your roommate's affection or attention. He strikes me as needing to be the center of the storm. A bit of a Pied Piper. He seemed to have a few truly complex relationships, mostly because so many saw him as the "leader" of the Beats. From my brief reading a few, including Kerouac, distanced themselves from the label because of it. That said, public people are still people...and personality chemistry is a mystery I'll never understand. I've been on both sides of that interaction. Sometimes at the same time! lol Cuz gay men...we can be bitchy af to each other. :-p
I spent part of a year working for Carol Berge, credibly also part of the Beats, and she had a deep hatred of...lots of things. Lovey-dovey she was not. But Ginsberg was her particular bete noir. And one of my teachers in grad school was also part of the beat movement but favorable to Allan. So in a way I've been surrounded by the beats. I think perhaps they helped open things up for the rest of us for a decade or two. But I'm not confident there won't be a serious "Victorian Age" movement in the near future...
Wasn't familiar with Ms. Berge, but even a quick scan of her Wikipedia leads me to believe she was...something else. I'm sure Ginsberg shared a similar opinion of her. As for the possibility of a "Victorian Age," I think we're already seeing some signs of it. The pendulum of time...is slow but steady. For every action, there's usually an equal and opposite reaction. Progress is hard. Cuz...zucking human nature. :-p
"Something else." That's all one can say without being unkind, I think. Nicely put.
Hahaha. I was raised in the South, so being "nice" comes with a side of biscuits and gravy. And a double-helping of "Bless Her Heart." :-)
Thank you for all of your researched notes on everybody in the photos.
You got it, Ray. I didn't know most of them, so figured others might appreciate a little cheat sheet for context. :-)