ROX-TV presents a new book review series featuring “Counter Culture Classics”

Welcome to “Counter Culture Classics”, a brand new book review series that brings back some of the things that went before, for a second look. As a kid, I always leaned into things that might not have been “mainstream”. The reasons for this vary and are far reaching in my case. I guess curiosity about different perspectives in life always intrigued me and as I dabbled with more and more colorful ideas, the further I pulled away from a “top forty” kind of life. Books are amazing tools, but just like music, can be hard to get into, if a person has trouble getting turned onto the right ones.

The books I plan to highlight in the series are by no means the “answer to life’s great mysteries” or anything like that. They are just from different perspectives than one might not be exposed to organically. In some cases, I find that people might not even be aware they existed, especially the newer generations. I feel that it is important to be inclusive and show the new school a little bit about what came before. If we don’t know where we collectively come from, I’m afraid that it can be rather easy for the people in charge to dominate the narrative of where we are going (or being led).

In my life, books and music helped shape who I turned out to be. We can never lose the love for these two art forms because they are so valuable in maintaining a healthy existence. I believe in both mediums whole heartedly and they’ve intersected at interesting times in my life.

As a young person coming up I was strictly a rap head for the most part and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It was the sounds I was digging on as young person. I’m from the nineties and the rap music coming out between the years 1989 and 1996, were in my opinion some of the greatest songs ever crafted for the genre. To say I was spoiled with good music is an understatement of the highest order. I had it good and I think I can safely say, the general consensus on the 90’s music scene is that it was bad ass.

Beyond the luck of growing up in the nineties and being exposed to NWA, The Geto Boys, The Digital Underground, The Wu-Tang Clan, Deathrow Records as a whole, Tupac (who once rolled with the Digital Underground), Dr. Dre’s solo magic with The Chronic, Snoop Dog, Cypress Hill, Outcast, West Side Connection, Ice Cube as a solo artist, ICE T, and Funkmaster Flex, I was also from Michigan. (roll on sentence from holy hell)

That meant that I caught the birth of ACID RAP by the Godfather of it all, ESHAM. Just catching him on his musical rise to the grand supreme ruler of the Detroit Underground was a special coincidence. The music that ESHAM produced help shape everything that would come up behind him in Detroit and that was huge. His influences and vision created a space for others to follow and be inspired by. I was able to witness the birth of the Juggalo Universe, from my home in Genesee County 810. Listening to Inner City Posse and then being inspired by the Dark Carnival to move onto The Insane Clown Posse evolution is almost hard to describe in words. Dope is a good start.

I watched Kid Rock come along and make two amazing albums “The Polyfuze Method” in 1993 and “The Early Morning Stoned Pimp” in 1996.(Grit Sandwiches for Breakfast was ok, Devil Without A Cause was good, but a departure from the middle years) Before he was the successful crossover into the country music/pop rock world, this guy was a stoned cold record scratching and rhyme dropping pimp. (Ironically Detroit music for some reason or another has had long bouts of in-fighting. I suppose because the scene had so much talent bursting and limited coverage from the national press/mainstream music world just made it more stressful for these heroes of Michigan Rap. Battling over limited audiences and resources, the competition was fierce. It sometimes became difficult as a fan to support all of them, when they had periodic beefs with each other, but I did anyways).

I’m sure by now, some of you are scratching your heads at home. “This was a book review article? But please have patience. I find that everything in life is somehow connected and music/books are no different. So as a strong supporter of the Michigan Underground and Rap music on both Coasts, I consumed it until I almost died from over exposure. From about 1991 until 1998, I did not fuck with anything else. Some people find what they like and go crazy with it. I understand that, I’ve been doing it all my life. But it is important to know that other mediums exist and can offer additional enjoyment as well.

The big mind altering event occurred on a regular Friday Night from my life. The year was 1998, I had just finished up high school and was busy drinking my ass off and enjoying that last part of my childhood before the adult world came calling for their due. I had been a rap head for many years and felt rather comfortable in my bubble. (Again, to be a rap head or any type of thing you want is ok, and if you never desire anything else, more power to you). I had been unhappy with the national rap scene from about 1996 and just continuing on from there. The new form of “brag rap” had popped up, where guys rapped about three Rolex’s and driving Bentley’s and all that shit (Puffy and Mase types of shit would be an example). I couldn’t relate to that type of thing. I didn’t have one Rolex, not to mention three. I had never drank anything other than Mickey’s Malt Liquor, Old English 800, and a host of other questionable beers that were cheap or in-expensive. What did I care about drinking the “bubbly” or the “Crystal” or whatever it was? I was a broke ass dude, driving a miniature golf cart disguised as a Geo Prizm, and puffing on Newport Kings.

So as the messaging changed, I slowly began to drift. The Michigan Underground scene was still alive and well, so I still had my comforts. I never would abandoned Michigan Underground rap like I did with the national scene, that could never happen, but I was hungry “for more”. Whatever the hell that was….I wasn’t sure, but the stage was set for a little mind and scene expansion.

The night that changed everything, at least for that season of my life is still perfectly encased in a wonderful memory, towards the back of my mind. It was on that very night as I sat puffing away on a Newport and tipping my green bottle of Mickey’s I was exposed to “The Velvet Underground” which was headed up by the king of New York (my opinion) Lou Reed. I had never heard anything like it before and it immediately blew my fucking mind. The song playing was “Heroin” and if you don’t know it, all I can say is that you should just go listen to it. I will never be able to capture all that song can do in words, it just has to be experienced.

The song quickly became an obsession and within days I had tracked down a copy of The Velvet Underground’s first album: The Velvet Underground and Nico. It was released in 1967 by Verve Records and was the helped into existence by the world famous artist Andy Warhol. Andy created a space in the world where this type of thing could even be allowed to happen, so hats off to him, wherever his exploding plastic inevitable heart is at the moment.

The discovery of this strange form of music, quickly led me to the devour the new material and then follow the things that influenced them into being. For example, someone in Alaska starts digging on the Insane Clown Posse, and through a little determination and leg work, eventually gets turned onto ESHAM, following that influence trail. It was like that. I soon learned that the musical world of Lou Reed and The Velvets, also had been influenced by various artists, poets, lifestyles, and the like.

This was in the context of how I became aware of William Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, The Beat Generation, and many more. William Burroughs, the first book of the day, was a name that I kept coming across in my musical and book travels. The guy, who I would describe as a legendary figure within the world of literature, narcotic inspired content, and an icon in sexual taboo was un-afraid to push society to their absolute limits with his vivid words.

BOOK #1

Junky by William Burroughs (also went by Junk and Junkie, and alias William Lee in some editions)

Junkie (Junky, Junk) was published in 1953 by Ace Books under the pseudonym William Lee and truly was a ground breaking book. It chronicles the life of a heroin addict and a drug dealer, in a time in America where the very subject was literally taboo. William Burroughs was encouraged to write the piece at the insistence of Allen Ginsberg who is a poetic legend in his own right, and will have to be explained on another day.

I remember getting this book and being rather intrigued by the subject matter. I wasn’t sure if I would like reading about life in the 1950’s. Like somehow it might be like watching a black and white movie on Turner Classic Movies or something , but I remember having some apprehensions at first. As I’ve gotten older, I actually don’t mind the old movies, they kind of grow on you. As I started the book, that initial skepticism quickly faded as I drifted along with William Lee. Following from a distance as he slowly morphs into a full time heroin junkie. I was intrigued and couldn’t stop reading the book, until it was finished. I remember when I was done, I re-read it again (always a sign that whatever your messing with is good).

I guess there is something to be said about being the “first” at anything. This type of designation usually ensures that the item will live on for a very long time, hopefully forever (in a perfect world). With the present state of drugs in America, its almost crazy to think about a time where someone risked basically everything if they had addiction trouble. The types of tactics and methods used to deal with substance abusers was really awful, much like other societal issues of the time. The story, at times can be amusing, sad, and witty. At other times, the book makes me feel so lonely, that I get the chills.

If anyone is curious to see a glimpse of what life was like in the 1940’s and 1950’s in the United States, as a drug addict, then I say look no further. I believe that once you get keyed into the genius mind of “Old Bull Lee”, you will want to learn more. And that is the name of the game. Mind expansion. A well travelled mind is hard to trap and box in, and as humans, we should collectively try to learn as much as we can.

This helps combat the systems of control. I know that’s a lot of funky talk, but it is what it is. Go find this book today and read it. If your feeling bold, pick up a copy of “The Velvet Underground and Nico” as well. They go together like weed and rolling papers, something I know a little bit about. At this point, availability is probably unlimited. Read, grow, and get stoned.

BOOK #2

“Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs” by Hunter S. Thompson

1967 was a good year for music and it was also when this book was published by Hunter. I would assume that HST needs no introduction, but for those that are getting turned onto a new thing, the man was pretty amazing and worth looking into. Most people will know his work “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” widely popularized by Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro in the 1998 movie of the same name. I am a serious HST fan and enjoy everything the man stood for and the books he created.

The Hell’s Angels book is a pretty basic concept. He decides to start running with the Motorcycle Gang, which at the time was a subject of great curiosity by the “straight world” of America. At a time when the United States was fairly unaccepting of “alternative lifestyles”, the outlaw biker world was getting serious attention.

Hunter starts running with the club and captures life on the inside of the biker culture that few could understand back then. Today Outlaw Bikers are pretty much established, but this book takes readers back to when the legends and breathtaking moments were first coming into their own. America was responding to them and Hunter simply hung around and got it down on paper for all time. This is a book worthy of any decent book collection, even if your not really a motorcycle person. The Hell’s Angels make for an amazing read. Don’t be afraid to check this one out. It is a short read and can be knocked out in the same amount of time someone wastes watching a run of the mill series on Netflix.

Book #3

“Lexicon Devil: The fast times and short life of Darby Crash and the Germs” by Brendan Mullen with Don Bolles and Adam Parfrey. 2002.

Quote from the back cover:

“Forget about London and New York and fashion and politics. The Germs wrote and played the best punk rock songs of all time”

Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Quotes from opening page:

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, its the way you carry it”

Lena Horne

“Only that which can destroy itself is truly alive”

C.G. Jung, Psychology and Alchemy

This book is amazing. Ok, now that I said that, let me give you a brief breakdown of the amazing work published by Feral House, the epic counter culture book power house founded by the late Adam Parfrey (RIP). This was one of my original sources for off the wall, forbidden topics, that the local book stores didn’t have enough balls to peddle in. Feral House published Anton LaVey and that alone was reason for me to start messing with them.

Darby was a pretty interesting guy, who co-founded The Germs with childhood friend Pat Smear. The book follows Darby through his fast and troubled short life. Full of contradictions, substance abuse, strange ideas, and Bowie love, Darby was a lot of things all rolled up into one. Born Jan Paul Beahm on September 26th, 1958 in Los Angeles, Darby wanted to form a band in the spirit of Iggy Pop and The Stooges and The Runaways. Depending on who you talk to to, apparently the only one that could really play was Pat Smear. The two eventually put an ad in the local paper looking for “two untalented girls who couldn’t play their instruments”. A bassist named Terri Ryan (Lorna Doom) and a drummer named Belinda Carlisle (Dottie Danger) answered the call.

Although Dottie never actually played a show with the group due to illness, she would find her fame and glory with the Go-Go’s. Dottie was replaced by Becky Barton (Donna Rhia) who played several gigs with the group and recorded with the Germs on their debut single, 1977’s Forming. The Germs eventually learned how to play their instruments and the music improved. Sadly, the drugs and alcohol would greatly affect Darby’s life, and ultimately end it.

The Germs were known for pretty wild gigs, which often gave way to violence and a little bit of that sweet sweet Chaos. The group had trouble getting bookings because of this and often had to land shows with alias names. By mid 1980, the band had fallen apart. Darby took off to Britain and fell into a bizarre Adam Ant fascination. Upon returning back to America, Darby formed the Darby Crash Band, but it was to be short lived. On December 3rd, 1980 Darby played one last gig. He had told anyone that would listen that he was going to make enough money to overdose with and die. On December 7th, 1980 Darby died from an intentional overdose of heroin, while staying at a house in Hollywood California.

Most people didn’t have time to notice though because John Lennon would be killed by Mark David Chapman in New York City one day after Darby’s death. This book was unlike almost anything that I had read before because it literally is based on Darby, through other’s experiences and that is all. Literally, the book is made up of quotes from the people that knew Crash in his fast life. I can’t really think of a better way to tell a story, than to have the people that were there, do so in their own words, no matter how unflattering it maybe. I value history and I prefer to hear things exactly “the way they went down”, why else would anyone do it any other way?

 

That wraps up the Counter Culture Classics for today. Please keep coming back for more coverage in the coming weeks and months. All we aim to do is introduce readers to books and ideas, they might not know about. Mostly we are just here to have fun and talk about books I dig. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Signing Off,

 

Mike Shepard

ROX-TV Head Writer

shepard2909@hotmail.com

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