Shoot me darling, shoot me in the head and go.

[reddragdiva]

I think what I like about William S. Burroughs is that he's so clearly utterly, utterly batshit insane, but is so eloquent about it. You can hear his voice speaking every word.

He's the perfect slacker role model: didn't write his great work until he was forty-five, lived off his parents until he was fifty and still changed the face of Western culture. You should do so well.

The best biography (of anyone) I've ever read is Literary Outlaw by Ted Morgan (whose own life looks at a glance like prime bio material). A real page-turner. The film of Naked Lunch is more or less the writing of the book.

Further for your local interest: Burroughs on Scientology.

Comments

[hirez.livejournal.com]

... And his work with Bill Laswell (who's no end of a fellow too) is fine stuff: 'Seven souls' - not even slightly g*th.

[reddragdiva]

But very post-hardcore/pre-grunge subculture. Sooo Re/Search-y.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

True that.

I watched the documentary about the NME on Monday night. Fine stuff - Nick Kent is a disturbing advert for the preservative powers of a well-maintained heroin habit, and I (from the outside at least) recall the 'hip-hop wars' tolerably well. I suspect that the Rockists were right, in that ignoring Husker Du in favour of Kid Creole and the Coconuts (for example) was a daft idea. However, without that wildly lurching musical agenda, I would have ended up with a narrow minded and poorly specified record collection. Praise 'Bob' that I didn't read Sounds...

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

Thanks for those.

Also appear to have ended up with an IQ test somehow.

[ex-unagothae16.livejournal.com]

I *heart* you.

You made me smile.

[reddragdiva]

If you find yourself in Bumblefuq again, get a goddamn typewriter. Not a computer, a typewriter. Acoustic.

[ex-unagothae16.livejournal.com]

Heaven forbid, but IF, then I will get one first day back. I've already got two cases of excellent paper.

I want a typewriter now, dammit.

[reddragdiva]

I wrote a long answer to you I'm now turning into a new post. Well done ;-*

[ex-unagothae16.livejournal.com]

*swoon* I love being a muse sometimes :)

[fluffymormegil.livejournal.com]

Dammit. So do I, now.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

If you want something, go to the shop and buy it. Then you'll have one.

[amon-zero.livejournal.com]

I loved Literary Outlaw, have been meaning to buy a copy of my own for years. Without thinking about such things too closely, Burroughs easily ranks in my top 5 all-time personal heroes.

(p.s. sorry to clutter yr journal with re-posts, just didn't mean to post anonymously.. LJ changed the format while I was on holiday!)

But They Were Fifty Years Ago....

[mouseworks.livejournal.com]

It's sinister, I tell you, that we haven't gone Further lately. Or maybe so many people are going Further that it's no longer shocking.

Nobody like them (Kerouac, Ginsber, Burroughs) since them.

[loosechanj.livejournal.com]

You should do so well.

I'm workin' on it. Makin' damn good lack of progress too.

Quoting

[magman.livejournal.com]

"...utterly batshit insane, but is so eloquent about it." is probably the best quote I've read in a long time.

Anybody ever try building a Gyson dream machine? I never got around to it and then, suddenly, turntables ran away from me.