Obituary #8: James Grauerholz
'To him I owed my career'
James Grauerholz, the overseer of the William Burroughs estate, is dead. Oliver Harris, one of the leading scholars of the novelist's world, pays tribute to the man and his achievement for Rock and the Beat Generationโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/obituary-8...
02.01.2026 18:36 โ ๐ 14 ๐ 8 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Film review #5: Outrider
Waldman at core of cinematic doc
Poet Anne Waldman continues to be powerful force on multiple fronts: published writer, on-stage performer and central focus of recent biodoc Outrider. Jonah Raskin saw theย Alystyreย Julian movie at a screening in SF for Rock & the Beat Generationโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/film-revie...
30.12.2025 16:15 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Book review #60: Bread of Angels
New Patti recollections rich source
Steven Taylor, Fugs guitarist & 20 years an accompanist to Allen Ginsberg, takes on the new Patti Smith memoir Bread of Angels for Rock & the Beat Generation. Taylor finds much to enjoy in this backtrack to the very early days of the would-be poet rocker
simonwarner.substack.com/p/book-revie...
27.12.2025 21:10 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Winter Sky w/ Car, December, Yorkshire
17.12.2025 08:34 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
We interview Ron Rosenbaum about his recent Bob Dylan biography Things Have Changed. Rosenbaum has some critical words regarding Dylan's relationship with Allen Ginsberg. Rock and the Beat Generation was keen to find out more.
simonwarner.substack.com/p/interview-49โฆ
13.12.2025 15:45 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
60 years today a classic SF photoshoot saw Beat poet Allen Ginsberg & Bob Dylan snapped in Jack Kerouac Alley. Poets & critics, historians & rock writers, explain the reasons for this transgenerational summit. Rock & the Beat Generation reportsโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/last-gatheriโฆ
05.12.2025 16:01 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Ron Rosenbaum's bold & provocative Things Have Changed brings numerous fresh angles to Dylanโs oft-reported story. The writer has a very negative take on Allen Ginsberg's influence. Rock & the Beat Generation Editor Simon Warner weighs up the evidenceโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/book-review-โฆ
23.11.2025 12:50 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
At last, a store for the tramp about townโฆ
14.11.2025 11:27 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Burroughs scholar Oliver Harris reviews The Bunker Diaries, Stewart Meyerโs account of life in WSBโs legendary Manhattan headquarters for Rock & the Beat Generation. The dealer & would-be writer offers intimate insights into that underground enclaveโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/book-review-โฆ
02.11.2025 14:59 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Soul searching: In the week that the English monarchy broke its 500-year-old golden rule โ donโt go praying with no popes โ a packed congregation filled Halifax Minster to worship at the feet of a Luther Vandross impersonator to absorb a little gospel truth. Postmodernity indeed.
24.10.2025 12:00 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Interview #45: David S. Wills
New 'Howl' history further unpacked
70 yrs ago today Ginsberg's 'Howl' was given its premiere at the 6 Gallery in SF. David S. Willsโ book about the event is Remarkable Collection of Angels. He talks to Rock & the Beat Generation about the challenges of writing the titleโฆย
simonwarner.substack.com/p/interview-...
07.10.2025 12:31 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Book review #55: A Remarkable Collection of Angels
Legend reprised, myths busted in 'Howl' history
As the 70th anniv of โHowlโโs premiere nears, David S. Willsโ investigation into the landmark 6 Gallery reading, A Remarkable Collection of Angels, is scrutinised for Rock & the Beat Generation by our Chief Book Reviewer & Ginsberg expert Jonah Raskinโฆ
open.substack.com/pub/simonwar...?
01.10.2025 15:56 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Interview #44: Joyce Johnson
Beat legend turns 90, talks music
Joyce Johnson, Kerouacโs girlfriend as he made his breakthrough with On the Road, turns 90 today. The woman, who would go on to become a successful writer herself, talks jazz & folk to Rock & the Beat Generationโs Simon Warner in an exclusive interviewโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/interview-...
27.09.2025 06:46 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Megafungi: Paperback book just a marker but four huge mushrooms on our lawn. What are they, I wonder?
23.09.2025 14:09 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Melody Maker, 1968โฆ
28.08.2025 14:44 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Why doesnโt Trump concentrate on exerting maximum sanctions on ๏ฟผPutinโs evil empire rather than fighting the Fed and taking on its only black woman governor? Crush Russiaโs economy not your own, you megalomaniac fool.
28.08.2025 14:41 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
@ginsbergpoem.bsky.social
20.08.2025 15:09 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Guardian headline: โRussia says it must be part of international talks on Ukraineโs securityโ
Yeah, like arsonists should be part of wildfire management plansโฆ
20.08.2025 15:08 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Book review #53: The Nonconformists
Beats, jazz and rock in a Cold climate
Allen Ginsberg's 1965 Prague adventure is a key episode in Brian K. Goodman's recent title The Nonconformists. Jonah Raskin, Rock and the Beat Generation's Chief Book Reviewer, finds much to fascinate in the churning waters of the Cold War conversation...
simonwarner.substack.com/p/book-revie...
20.08.2025 11:09 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
Kesey party...but why no Dylan?
When Beat stars joined Pranksters' NY bash
Might Dylan have attended the famed Kesey/Kerouac Prankster bash in NYC in summer 1964? In this speculative account, Rock & the Beat Generationโs Simon Warner engages the collective minds of Beat experts to consider the evidenceโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/kesey-part...
13.08.2025 14:51 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Best (real) band name for a while:
Near Jazz Experience
13.08.2025 14:48 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Couldnโt Putin be legitimately arrested for his war crimes when he enters the United States on Friday. There is certainly a legal bounty on his head.
10.08.2025 17:50 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Stewart Lee, stand-up comic, presents a new Radio 4 series What Happened to Counter-Culture? Heading this queue of disruptives are the Beats with Ginsberg christening this very production. Simon Warner reviews the show at Rock & the Beat Generation
simonwarner.substack.com/p/radio-reviewโฆ
07.08.2025 21:32 โ ๐ 5 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Of interest? A snapshot of our current home page at Rock and the Beat Generationโฆ
23.07.2025 12:04 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Interview #38: Miles
Albert Hall extravaganza turns 60
Legendary Beat historian Miles is the subject of the latest interview at Rock & the Beat Generation, as the famedย Albert Hall reading, the International Poetry Incarnation, commemorates its 60th anniv on this very day. Leon Horton asks the questionsโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/interview-...
11.06.2025 15:34 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Terri Thal #3: Folkies and the Beatles
When British Invasion met Greenwich Village
Terri Thal, Dylan's first manager, contributes a third article to Rock and the Beat Generation, this time focusing on the effect the Beatles' emergence in the US had on the Greenwich Village folk sceneโฆ
simonwarner.substack.com/p/terri-thal...
23.05.2025 13:18 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Even VAR canโt save Lineker
19.05.2025 11:08 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0