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The Carmichael-Moenkhaus…
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Rebel Without a Cough; S…
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Bloomington - Indianapol…
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Poetry is for assholes, a journal of the arts
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Jon Nelson's Page
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Picky picky me. I'm sure that Gizmos song was recorded when they were still in Bloomington. I know they did it when I first saw them in Detroit, circa 1978/79 and it was frequently included in their sets when they were in Bloomington.
This is howeve…
I was doing a little reading on so called tri racial isolate groups in my state of birth, New Jersey. I came across this book:
http://books.google.com/books?id=8OwBd_8TY-UC&lpg=PP13&dq=the%20ramapough%20mountain%20people%20pineys&pg=PA111#v=onepage…
I figure punk rock died about the time Ivy League college boys learned how to play Robert Johnson songs, or maybe it died when Ed Sullivan only showed Elvis Presley from the waist up. Nah, it died when I decided I was done with it. Yeah, that's it.…
Profile Information
- What Instrument(s) Do You Play
- Other
- About Me
- I saw the Dale Lawrence Gizmos in Detroit in 1979. I had just quit my job as a weldor and thought I'd go to college. Moved to Bloomington a couple of weeks later. College lasted three semesters. I was too busy going to shows, drinking and working for campus bus. Finally left Bloomington, summer of '84. The scene was huge fun from '79 to '81, but collapsed horribly in '82. The Gizmos left town and the economy collapsed. Half the people I knew seemed to be homeless. Things were starting to pick up by '84, but I had met a girl from San Fran who was willing to import a heterosexual from Indiana. I've lived in Northern Cal ever since.
- What bands are you or have you been in?
- Do these count? Scarcity (one show) and I was almost in The Retarded Gods. I was invited to the one and only rehearsal, but couldn't make it. Missed their only show too.
- What city are you from?
- Santa Rosa
- Original Hometown
- Food Town, New Jersey
- Website:
- http://poetryassholes.blogspot.com/
Ukuleles are my life
Comment Wall (29 comments)
- At 9:27pm on October 22, 2009,
BURD said…
- At 11:00pm on November 19, 2008,
Eloid said… - hi John how u been? I'm in Hollywood, love the weather lots of smoke lately.
- At 2:13pm on July 14, 2008,
Rev.Seth Maxwell Malice said… - "Do you mind if I vomit in your toilet?" ha ha ha! My question to Burroughs would of been, "anything left in that syringe?" or "Where the hell do you get heroin in this town?" maybe later it would of been, "Do you want to go to Bruces?", just to hear him reply "who's Bruce? Some local drug peddling faggot??!?"
Wherein, I would have answered "yes" or "uuullllllpppp!" depending if there was something left in that syringe.
- At 2:07pm on July 14, 2008,
Rev.Seth Maxwell Malice said…
- Jon, quick! look over your shoulder! It's my socks!
ok, can I have your hard-back edition of Ubik now? Is that a fair trade? And speaking of Fair Trade...
- At 7:47pm on July 6, 2008,
Rev.Seth Maxwell Malice said…
- Look, Jon, I am a Cheese Danish. Not a Donny Osmond. Ask John Terril about the cross, the double-cross, and more, maaaaaan! And that would be Lee Harvey Osmond's socks...not mine.
- At 9:56pm on July 2, 2008,
Charles Silver said…
- Hah ! Quite a story, Jon ! Good to meet you here, too. Thanks !
- At 3:43pm on July 2, 2008,
Jon Nelson said…
- I'm sure we met but it was a long time ago. I can't remember the publication that I interviewed Burroughs for, although it was definitely when he was in town in 1981. I stayed awake most of the night before, drinking and doing speed. The interview was early and I was in that hell state where you are experiencing all of the misery of a brutal hangover, plus you have not quite sobered up. I'd imagine I looked horrible. I was with a guy named Sven Serrano, who was the actual interviewer, although he had never read any of Burrough's work. I was supposed to be the one familiar with him and I was supposed to ask the knowledgeable questions. In fact, the best question I might have come up with was, "Do you mind if I vomit in your toilet?" Fortunately, I had vomited on the way there.
The interview was a mess. We talked about guns for around half an hour. I was very keen on the subject of guns at the time. Someone else ended up using Sven's notes and the article did not include any mention of either of us. Given the quality of the notes, it was not surprising that the article did not make much sense.
I think the interview you are referring to was done by Shadow, the drummer for the Gizmos. That was a terrific piece and made me feel much worse about my interview.
I've been clean and sober since 1992. I had a lot of terrific opportunities come my way while I was in Bloomington. Unfortunately, I was usually too drunk or too loaded on something to take advantage of them. Still, I have fond memories of Bloomington and my friends there. One of the things I've enjoyed about Musical Family Tree has been comparing notes concerning my memories. It is good to have the facts established, because, as I say I was drunk most of the time.
I have an old friend who led a much more glamorous life than me. She also abused herself even worse than I did. She knew Iggy Pop in Ann Arbor, was friends with Debby Harry and the Ramones before they were famous, hung out at CBGB's in 1976/77 and married a painter who was an up and comer in the SOHO arts scene. I've told her many times that she should write her autobiography, but she always says that she remembers that she went to certain shows and events, but all she really remembers was shooting up in her apartment before she left for the show. It seemed like fun at the time.
Good to meet you again.
- At 12:31pm on July 2, 2008,
- I'm surprised we never met. It was from WSB's 1981 visit when he and John Giorno performed at the Bluebird and the Dancing Cigarettes opened for them. I helped with interviews of both of them for the lit mag The Artful Dodge which Daniel Bourne is still publishing out of Wooster, Ohio where he teaches. Did you do the interview where he is on his way out of town and says "sinsemilla, sinsemilla ... " and that he planned to make Ginsberg go skydiving when he got to Boulder ?
"Jon Nelson said…
Charles, I can't say that I remember you from Bloomington, which is surprising because we certainly seem to know a lot of the same people. I have a question. That picture of William Burroughs(at your website); was that when he came to Bloomington circa 1983 or so? I interviewed him then. It was one of the great disasters of American letters. I winced when I saw the picture."
- At 11:36am on July 1, 2008,
Juliana Kate Greenfield said… - Thank you so much for thinking of me and sending the links. I look very forward to checking out the article and images. I just find these photos/women so alluring!
Hope you are well.
My best,
Juliana
p.s. we should be friends on here. I believe we missed each other in B-ton. I arrived in the late summer of 1985. I will send you a friend's request, ok?
- At 1:06am on July 1, 2008,
Billy Foster said… - Remember you? Every time I look at my sex pistols 7"s Oh wait I don't have those records any more. Of course I remember you.
What's up in wine country?
Billy
Here doggy!
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This is Mars Needs Women's, first band name. We got our flyers torn down Kirkwood by some Jaycee guy I remember, wearing his little red vest.
hahahaha Calvert. that's hilarious
I'm all for MFT and the artists both making some money whether it's NP or not. I'm glad there is another way of getting us out there.
If I would have sold an album in the 80s, I remember most little labels and artists would be happy to sell their t…
PJ- I thought of that too! I could use a new Ping hat.
We aren't too far down the road of the NP thing to turn back. But John is right, if we can find a way to funnel money to artists then I'm all about having MFT make some of that transaction. It…
I tried to watch 100 Ways but I could feel my life force draining. Haven't the Japanese made some horror films about this video?
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