Recent posts: A quick round-up #2
Rock and the Beat Generation has enjoyed a busy autumn. A brief reminder of articles you might have missed – or perhaps wish to return to…
MORE THAN half a year on from its launch, Rock and the Beat Generation continues to be the unique newsletter where Beat and music, literature and rock, poetry and folk, novels and jazz, get together to jam and disseminate a range of stories and verses, songs and spoken word, critiques and conversation, that celebrate the process of artistic cross-fertilisation.
The last couple of months have been a tale of doubles, as linked features and articles, interviews and reviews, have produced some original content with connected themes.
Two daughters of important Beat associates had been the subject of newsletter pieces and interviews – both Samara Kupferberg, whose father Tuli was political poet and roistering member of the Fugs, and Chelsea Keenan, whose dad was Larry and a leading West Coast photographer, have been in conversation with us.
Guitarist Steven Taylor, 20 years a musical foil to Allen Ginsberg and also one of the most articulate commentators on Beat, has graced us with a pair of contributions: a brilliant ‘Beat Soundtrack’, in which he muses on the fascinating tangle of jazz and literature mid-century, and a further reflection on the way Ginsberg, Philip Glass and Paul McCartney connected as poet, art composer and songwriter.
We celebrated David Amram’s 91st birthday not too long ago and the magnificent producer of a vast body of work – jazz symphonies, orchestral concertos, theatre scores, film soundtracks – was kind enough to get in touch to not only say thank you but also share his reserves of insight and wisdom as he continues into his 10th decade as performer and composer.
There have also been pieces on Frank Zappa – a Prague adventure that echoed Ginsberg’s – Larry Beckett – a lyricist whose enduring ballad ‘Song to the Siren’ is the subject of a BBC radio documentary – and, in recent days, poet Rod McKuen, whose highly-informed biographer Barry Alfonso has helped to make fresh sense of the song ‘The Beat Generation’ – kitsch or classic, jibe or gem? Do check out our chat and the other entries in this ongoing digital digest.