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William Burroughs, John Giorno

A d'Arc Press Selection (2LP)

Label: Giorno Poetry Systems

Format: 2LP

Genre: Sound Art

Out of stock

** Original copies of this rarity. Factory sealed. Few copies available ** As collectable a Burroughs artefact as it is a Giorno one. On the first LP, William Burroughs reads satisfyingly lengthy extracts from The Wild Boys, Junkie, Naked Lunch and an early draft of Cities of the Red Night, which was not published until 1981. On the second LP, John Giorno reads three signature poems: ‘Suicide Sutra,’ ‘Eating Human Meat’ and ‘Subduing Demons in America.’ The material featured regularly in the performances Giorno and Burroughs gave in rock venues in the early 1970s. The cover was designed by Les Levine – the conceptual artist. "The only Americans that ever came near to matching Dr. Feelgood for sartorial elegance had to be John Giorno and William Burroughs. A fine example of their peerless fashion sense is proudly displayed on this great cover shot on their shared double album on Giorno Poetry Systems. They look like a couple of characters who might have known Frank Booth from Lynch's 'Blue Velvet'. "So Fucking Suave",says Frank as he checks out Giorno's inelegant taste by-pass apparel.
As for Burroughs, I reckon he came out of the womb looking like an old bloke.....he'd be known as 'the Old Man' in a David Lynch movie, sitting stoically at the head of a table drooling and barking unintelligible orders while eating a cut of fly-infested unidentified meat, that suggests human flesh. Giorno contributes his usual, confusing rants, with the same words echoing from each side of the stereo spectrum. One of the tracks is 30 minutes long, which would even test the patience of Buddah....and certainly empty most any pub or party,and isn't recommended for depression councilling.
Bill gives us yet another chance to hear his greatest hits, Ah Pook ,Green Nuns, and the classic 'let's get us some civvies' monologue from Exterminator....after all, "What the bloody fucking hell are civilians for?".....by the audience noise on the live parts, It's to sit in reverence to listen and laugh at readings they've heard hundreds of times before.
Happy Valentine's Day?" Die or D.I.Y.

 Side One
A1 - John Giorno: Suicide Sutra (ZBS Media, Fort Edward, New York, 1975)
A2 - John Giorno: Eating Human Meat (ZBS Media, Fort Edward, New York, 1975)
 
Side Two 
B1 - John Giorno: Subduing Demons in America (ZBS Media, Fort Edward, New York, January 1975)
Side Three 
C1 - William S. Burroughs: From "The Wild Boys," The Chief Smiles (KPFA, Berkeley Barb Reading, Pauley Ballroom, University of California, November 7, 1974)
C2 - William S. Burroughs: From "The Wild Boys," The Green Nun (St. Mark’s Church, New York, April 24, 1974)
C3 - William S. Burroughs: From "Ah Pook Is Here" (Columbia University, New York, April 17, 1975)
C4 - William S. Burroughs: From "Cities Of The Red Night" (Columbia University, New York, April 17, 1975)

Side Four
D1 - William S. Burroughs: From "Junkie," 103rd Street Boys (WBAI, New York, March 5, 1975)
D2 - William S. Burroughs: From "Naked Lunch" (WBAI, New York, March 5, 1975)
D3 - William S. Burroughs: From "Exterminator," From Here To Eternity (KPFA, Berkeley Barb Reading, Pauley Ballroom, University of California, November 7, 1974

 

ide Four
D1 - Brion Gysin: I Am That I Am (BBC, London, 1958)
D2 - John Sinclair: The Destruction Of America (Berkeley Poetry Conference, California, July 19, 1965)
D3 - Anne Waldman: How the Sestina (Yawn) Works (GPS, New York, June 9, 1972)
D4 - Heathcote Williams: I Will Not Pay Taxes Until (GPS, New York, March, 1969)
D5 - David Henderson: The Louisiana Weekly No. 1 Ruckus Poem Part 1 (GPS, New York, December, 1968)
D6 - Bobby Seale: Excerpt from Fillmore East Speech (New York, May 20, 1968)
D7 - Kathleen Cleaver: Excerpt from Fillmore East Speech (New York, May 20, 1968)
D8 - Allen Ginsberg: Blake Song: Merrily We Welcome In The Year (Corning Community College, New York, November, 1971) 

Details
Cat. number: GPS 006-007
Year: 1975
Notes:
"A D'Arc Press Selection" William S. Burroughs: From "The Wild Boys", The Chief Smiles, recorded by KPFA, Berkley Barb Reading, Pauley Ballroom, University of California, November 7, 1974. From "The Wild Boys", The Green Nun, recorded at St. Mark's Church, New York, April 24, 1974. From "Ah Pook Is Here", recorded at Columbia University, New York, April 17, 1975. From "Cities Of The Red Night" (an unpublished novel [at the time of the release of this recording]), recorded at Columbia University, New York, April 17, 1975. From "Junkie", 103rd Street Boys, recorded at WBAI, New York, March 5, 1975. From "Naked Lunch", recorded at WBAI, New York, March 5, 1975. From "Exterminator", From Here To Eternity, recorded by KPFA, Berkley Barb Reading, Pauley Ballroom, University of California, November 7, 1974. John Giorno: All tracks recorded at ZBS Media, Fort Edwards, New York, with support from The New York State Council On The Arts, January and April 1975. Engineering by ZBS Media, Fort Edwards, New York. Copyright © ℗ 1975 Giorno Poetry Systems Institute, Inc. Gatefold sleeve

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