As an actor who has graced the screen in both film and television, Richard Ryan has worked tirelessly to perfect his craft. By the age of 23 his interest in various areas of film had led him to form the production company Ox Films. His latest project, the action suspense thriller Art of Deception, slated for release summer 2018, features Jackie Nova and Amsterdam actor Leon van Waas, and of course Richard Ryan as the male lead playing Joseph Markham.
What was it like to attend a high school that was art driven? Do you think today’s schools should place more emphasis on the arts?
I found it very fun and cool going to Sacramento Waldorf for two years while in high school, a school focused primarily on the arts. I really appreciate the influence it had on my life. The curriculum included dance, choir, theater, gardening, and many other options for arts. The school’s campus was like an oasis for artistic exploration and discovery. I took my first theater class, focused on William Shakespeare, while attending Sacramento Waldorf. I loved it! I performed a duo in front of the school, and one of my teachers came up to me and said, “This is what you need to do!” I continued with acting through high school and college, then I moved to Los Angeles to pursue it professionally.
I absolutely believe that there should be a strong focus on arts in every school from K–12. There should be at least one mandatory art class and exercise class every day. As primal beings, we are made to create and be active. We all need to learn a healthy way to express ourselves through art and movement that will be good for our mind, body and soul. We need to be teaching children that art is a spectacular and beautiful thing, and it should never be discouraged, which happens a lot. In my opinion a lot of people turn to illegal and legal drugs, alcohol and violence because they don’t know how to express themselves properly or comfortably. If you are hyper or angry or whatever emotion you are feeling, create and/or move your body! We all have emotions and we all want to express ourselves. If the fundamentals of art and movement are taught and experienced more at a young age, there would be even more advancement and far less violence!
What was it about the art of acting that drew you to it most?
I feel like being able to express myself as different characters and tapping into different parts of my mind and living out my imagination, emotions and experiences, and having it captured on camera or in front of an audience is wonderful. Being a part of the process with other passionate and professional artists and being able to learn from them is exhilarating.
Who were some of your influences?
My family has always been a great influence on me. Some influences from the film industry have been Quentin Tarantino, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, Sean Penn and my acting teacher and coach, Aaron Speiser.
What led you to form Ox Films?
I made my first three short films and realized that perhaps I should start a company since I really enjoyed the process, and I felt like it was something I wanted to continue to do. I felt like creating a brand or a name, and marketing all of my works through that entity was a smart decision, so I just went with it.
What is the most challenging thing you face in running your own production company?
I started something with high hopes, big talk and big moves, and people are very aware of them, so the challenge is to back it up. I feel like I have to learn everything and all things fall on my shoulders. My motivation and my family, friends and everyone who has ever been involved and wants to see me deliver are strong motivations for me. It’s a nice challenge.
What advice would you offer others wishing to do the same?
My advice is to educate yourself about the film making process and the film industry and learn as much as you can from others, from literally all the departments and all aspects of the process. Write and be a great writer. Just get out there and make a movie even if it’s zero budget and learn and grow a team. Do not overlook any aspect, and you need to be in charge of the workflow and have final say. Be smart about who you choose to work with, always have a good attitude, and be humble and respectful. Never think you are bigger than the process because you aren’t, and if you think you are, then your results will suffer, progress will be stunted and bad things will happen. Leave your ego at home, but be confident in the decisions you make, trust your instinct and vision. Be strategic and smart, lay out a solid plan, then execute the plan. As your education, knowledge of the film making process and industry grow, your movies will get bigger and better. Then the creativity and motivation to get your projects seen will grow, increasing your potential to make money. One more thing: when it comes to making a movie, do not rush any step of the process, for will be costly. Let it flow in a nice steady, thoughtful and efficient pace and make smart, planned out decisions.
How does it feel to have the freedom to bring your own creative visions to life on film?
It feels incredible, and it feels amazing that other experts are involved in helping me to see my vision come to life. Finding others who are passionate about that and putting all of their experience and energies into making my vision come to life is ridiculously amazing. Introducing my vision to others, and them making it their vision, and being on the same page with this incredible creative chemistry feels like flying. I don’t for one second take it for granted and am highly appreciative of it, and I am forever humbled. Having it flow leaves me with butterflies and a rush when it happens. The process of collaboration such as this is borderline magical to me and even seems like an out-of-body experience at times.
What was it like to have produced and directed sixteen films by the age of 27?
It feels like a nice accomplishment with a lot of work and effort being put into making these movies. However, the work and effort needs to pay off in the way I intend it, which is for my movies to be seen world-wide.
How do you think your experience in those areas has most helped you hone your skills as an actor?
I feel like the path of going behind the scenes, making movies gives me great life experience and life skills that I can translate to as an actor. As an actor I understand the perspective on the process from all of the other departments, so while acting, I can help achieve the best result for the movie. As an actor, I have my job and bring my creative aspect to the medium, but it’s important to know how and why to do different things. A casting director has a perspective and certain reasoning for what he or she asks for, as well as the director, the sound department, the cinematographer, hair and make up department, the lighting crew, production management dealing with time, budgets and finances, transportation department, etc. The theory and understanding of why and how things are done and respecting the decisions will achieve growth in your craft as an actor and longevity in your career. Being mindful, respectful and aware of the process is imperative to being a great actor. Production management wants an actor to be on time and be prepared so it won’t cost the company extra money. The director wants you to follow his or her direction and the script and live in the moment and create believable behavior. The cinematographer wants the actor to live within a specific space. Working in each department has taught me the psychology and theory behind certain aspects and to be mindful of the whole process. I bring that knowledge to the table as an actor. It really helps.
Do you enjoy one more than the other or do you love all aspects of creating film equally?
I enjoy acting the most, then directing and producing.
Can you tell us a little more about Art of Deception? What can we expect from this one? Where can our readers go to find out more about the project?
Art of Deception is an action suspense thriller that involves a fight for world dominance and a fight for love. The CIA creates a nano chip and a virus to obtain complete mind control over the human population. Scientist Joseph Markham overhears the evil plans, which prompts him to make a move and fights for his life as many CIA agents come after him. Joseph Markham has to think quick and is ultimately left with the decision to save the life of his wife or the lives of billions.
We expect Art of Deception to be in select theaters starting in June 2018 then after that be available for purchase in other various platforms worldwide. To get more information, go to www.oxfilms.us.
What do you enjoy most about creating action films?
Whatever the genre is I very much enjoy it. However, action sequences bring a great deal of energy and a rush of a feeling, which is exuberant. Action sequences are challenging and fun and seeing the scenes come together is very rewarding. There is a beautiful aspect of strength, power, emotion, movement, and physicality, which can be put to great use during these types of scenes.
What is it like to work alongside your partner Jackie Nova? Do you find it helps to have someone to share your artistic vision with?
Being able to work with my sweet heart Jackie Nova is very cool. She offers a lot of great ideas and fresh perspectives on things, and she has a strong work ethic. I like to get her opinion a lot on certain aspects of the process, so I don’t just see it my way. Her perspective is very accessible for me, and I value that a lot. I am able to trust her perspective, and that she has good intentions behind her input, which is nice. It’s very important to have a smart team around you, for it will only make the result even better.
You also brought Amsterdam actor Leon van Waas on board for this project. What was it about his abilities as an actor that first sparked your interest?
I met Leon through Facebook about a year before we shot Art of Deception. He reached out to me and asked if I wanted to be in his movie. Then I asked him a few weeks later to be in my movie, which turned out to be Art of Deception. At the time when I asked him to be a part of my next movie I had no idea what that movie would be; however, I knew he had to be a part of it. When I looked at Leon’s Youtube videos and pictures on Facebook, he appeared to be a true artist who was very passionate about acting, music and art in general. I thought he had a very classic Hollywood type of look, and his abilities as an actor were great! He looked like he could tap very deeply into his emotions and passion just like me, and it seemed like it would be a good showdown between us, playing opposite each other on screen. So we made it happen. Finding people who are passionate about the craft is important because they will go the extra mile and do what it takes to get the job done and achieve the best results.
Do you have an interesting story from the set that you’d care to share?
There are actually two stories that I would like to talk about. I will try to be as brief as possible. We shot the dream sequence in the snow and on the lake, both locations being in South Lake Tahoe. I had previously envisioned that scene a couple of years previously with the exact locations and musical score in mind. I saw the meadow full of fresh powder snow, bright blue skies, sun shining, and warm weather. When we traveled to Tahoe to shoot that’s exactly what we got after a two week storm. We got all the shots after hiking and shooting in the snow all of the first day. The very next day we shot the end of the first sequence with a storm picking up, and another storm warning coming in. That worked perfectly for the scene. Jackie and the crew and I then took a thirty minute ride on the very narrow road around the lake as the storm grew ever more fierce by the second. All we heard on the radio was a storm warning. The only thing on my mind was to get the shots and what perfect weather it was for this portion of the scene just as I imagined. Our three cars finally parked at the location, and we had no time to spare as the skies were getting greyer and the mist was getting heavier, turning into rain. The camera operator and I got out there on the dock and had a blast! I had my shot list in my pocket which consisted of twenty shots, and we just raced through each one very quickly, trying to finish ahead of the change in the weather and got them all in about an hour and a half. Mission accomplished! Our footage worked great when we later edited the two dream sequences.
Here’s the second story. It was summertime with a 7:00 am call time as our crew slept on location at the scene where we shot my brother’s house. We wrapped up there by 1:00 pm then drove an hour and a half to Lake Tahoe and rented a boat and shot in the boat from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. We then packed and drove back down the hill in an hour and a half, all ate barbeque that my dad made at his house. The whole crew then drove to where we shot the boxing scene with Jackie and I, in my home town of El Dorado Hills and were there from 8:00 to about 11:30 pm. After the scene we packed all of the equipment into our Budget rental truck, then Jackie and I and the rest of the crew drove back down to Los Angeles and made it there by 8:00 am. The crew went their separate ways as Jackie and I dropped off the camera equipment to our vendors, drove to another place to drop off lighting equipment, then returned our Budget truck and got home at 11:00 am. That was one of our classic 28 hour days. We had been shooting for four straight days and got all of our shots. We shot about eight days in my home town, and it was amazing shooting there. It was wonderful being able to see family and friends while shooting. We shut down the town center while we were doing our motorcycle scene and everyone was watching. It was very intense and super fun.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
If you have a vision and a desire to achieve a goal, go after it with full force and let no one and nothing stop you. Be honest with yourself and others in your pursuit so you can get the best results. Never get discouraged, nor listen to others discouraging words, but only let their opinions and thoughts make you a better person and gain clarity on your goals and vision. Work well with others and respect other people’s perspectives, being successful is a team sport. Everyone is one decision away from being a millionaire or going to zero, so be smart and make wise decisions.
I feel like Art of Deception is more than a good story on screen. Jackie Nova and I put it all on the line to make our movie a success. We showcase a strong, powerful and talented female with Dominican descent as the female star and producer of Art of Deception, Jackie Nova. I am very proud about that. We also have an international multi cultural cast and crew. Our lead bad guy, Leon Van Waas, lives in Amsterdam, our composer lives in Italy, and we have several Visual Effects Artists who live in India, Egypt and Persia. Art of Deception is a story-driven action suspense thriller that involves a fight for love and world dominance that has a subject of government conspiracy, which a lot of people are fascinated with. Jackie Nova and I, along with the rest of the Art of Deception team hope that you join us to continue our journey together. Thank you to my family and friends for all the help and support, and those who ever believed in me and stayed in my corner. I am truly blessed to have an incredible and smart family that values and believes in what I do, who inspires me, and is always there for support and encouragement. I am also blessed to have inspirational and true friends that show support and encouragement. Thank you for reading.
Jackie Nova is best known for her appearance on the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris and the upcoming action suspense thriller Art of Deception(Ox Films).
What was it that first sparked your interest in the world of entertainment and acting?
I am an American Dominican Latina born in NYC, raised in NJ. I’ve been a part of Performing School of Arts since I was in grade school, and I have always been a part of dance, theatre and music. Since I was a little girl I always knew that acting, dancing & singing was my destiny. What surely sparked my interest was this aha moment when my parents took me to see my aunt “Belkis Concepción- Las Chicas del Can” perform with her band and she pulled me up on stage to perform with them, from that moment. that spark, I knew I was an entertainer. Everyone was going wild over how I sang and danced- the feeling was exhilarating which is how I feel whenever I’m on set as an actress- when I perform on stage singing and dancing. While I was attending high school, I was also in Performing School of Arts during the afternoon hours where professors there pushed me to work hard and taught me that quitting is not an option. I have played the roles of Mimi as an understudy for the Broadway musical Rent. The first producer I ever auditioned for was Mr. Bill Cosby, and I was a kid, and he was nice to me. He picked me and another girl from our Performing School of Arts. Cosby said, “She’s got it.”
I was excited to have co starred on Everybody Hates Chris opposite Terry Crews and also co starred on the show Insecure. I’m also a comedian and I’ve done stand-up comedy at the Haha Café, Comedy store, Improve with Groundlings and LA Connections. I’ve worked with Dane Cook, Jamie Foxx and Andrew Dice Clay. I’ve done lots of national commercial spots in Spanish and a few in English. For the past four years, Richard Ryan and I have heavily focused on finishing our movie Art of Deception, which has put a stop on any other projects. My passion is in film, preferably where you can travel all over to shoot with incredible actors/filmmakers. I love the art of acting and becoming different characters on television and commercials as well. I’m big on athletics and I excel in gymnastics, baseball, flag football, Ice skating and rollerblading. I’m all about my family and they are number one for me. My profession and my passion is being an actor/dancer/singer in movies and television.
What do you find most challenging about working in front of the camera? Do you ever feel self conscious?
I never found anything to be challenging and I never felt self- conscious in front of the camera. Perhaps when the director calls action, I’m so deep into my character and I never notice any cameras. That’s how deep and lost into the scene I am.
What advice would you offer other females of all ages in regards to self image?
My advice about self-image is to love yourself just the way you are. I say this in all sincerity. Be you because you’re unique and special, no matter what age or size or color or shape. Let’s just say you aren’t happy with your body, well then work out hard and put the work in. Do not take the route of plastic surgery. Love who you see in the mirror and tell yourself, “I am beautiful, and thank you for making me so extraordinary”. Just love YOU! Go to a spa and get pampered if you’re feeling blue and work out because that takes away any icky feelings.
Who do you consider to be some of the most talented actresses past and present? Why?
Who inspires me as an actress are actors who move me such as:
Lucille Ball my mentor icon comedian
Katherine Hepburn, who is an icon, and I feel that I’m feisty with conviction much like her.
Frances McDormand is powerful and I admire her qualities.
Jodie Foster is admirable and I love her qualities as well.
Hillary Swank is intense and I enjoy her performances.
Reese Witherspoon is well rounded and playful, which I love.
Rita Moreno (West Side Story) musical queen and I love her.
Natalie Wood (West Side Story) also a musical queen whom I love.
All of these women I’ve mentioned have had an impact on me. I admire all of them as artists, and I strive as an artist to enlighten others just as these women have enlightened others.
What are your thoughts on the current state of the film industry? Do you think the recent events and controversies will lead to an overall more positive working environment for actors and actress of the future?
My thoughts on the current state of the film industry is that the decision makers are not as opened minded as they used to be in the past, which has made it harder for us as actors and filmmakers to break through. I do understand that for these studios, it’s all about the status quo and making the most money possible. But let’s not forget how important it is to let the artists shine and allow for new opportunities to break through. Seeing new talent on screen is very cool and audiences enjoy that. It would be nice to allow more fresh faces on the scene and to allow even more opportunities. However, it’s unfortunate that most studio heads want name actors, and even the film festivals are starting to follow the same path, not all but unfortunately, most are. Studio heads and film festivals used to want to give newcomers a shot and help artists out, but that has changed. Richard and I want to make a difference once we make names for ourselves and our movie reaches the masses, we want to help other unknown artists make their dreams come true.
I do think that with the recent outbreak of “Enough is Enough” and “Stand Up” and “Stand Together” and “No More Silence,” changes will happen, especially for us women. We hopefully won’t have to continue to endure the lack of opportunities and mayhem. I have my own stories about this and this this subject, and this is why I know most women have kept silent, as women are scared of jeopardizing their careers, but with this idea of “no more silence” we can grow stronger and less of this disgusting behavior will occur.
What would you say is the most important thing to learn in your line of work?
The most important thing to learn in my line of work as an actor is to be an impeccable listener, love to read and be open-minded.
A lot of your roles stem from your work at Ox Films. What is it like to work there?
I love working with my soul mate Richard Ryan, who is the founder of Ox Films, which is why we will always work together on more projects to come. We also will be working on other projects as well which is fundamental to our future as artists. Working with Ox Films is fun, invigorating, there is lots of talent, and plenty of knowledge to gain on a daily basis. Always new adventures pop up.
Do you have a dream role you’d most like to bring into existence?
Richard made my dream role come true because he definitely allowed me to shine as a powerful, strong and action-packed leading lady for Art of Deception. For future projects this is the track I’d like to stay on as leading lady, the powerful, ninja, action hero and bad ass roles, take charge type of character, which is a lot like who I am.
What did you enjoy most about working on that particular film?
What I enjoyed the most about working on our movie Art of Deception was the production phase, shooting on set, especially while doing my scenes because transforming into my character gives me pleasure and brings me joy. I love the gift of giving the audience an experience while they watch our movie, but also being in charge as a producer and behind the scenes is fulfilling and exciting!
What was it like to work alongside the rest of the cast?
It was amazing, effortless, always a learning experience, and it was a transcending experience working alongside our incredibly talented cast and seasoned professional crew.
What do you enjoy most about having the chance to work in action film?
My favorite genres are action, comedy, and thriller, so working on our action suspense thriller, Art of Deceptionwas a treat and a delight every step of the way, no matter what challenges arose.
Is there anything you’d like to say in closing?
“Never give up and follow your dreams” is what I was taught my whole life, without this you will always wonder.
Leon van Waas discovered a love of reading at an early age which led him ultimately to become an actor. He has worked alongside Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, and Paul Anderson on the film Brimstone, which smashed all records last September 2017, at the Netherlands Film Festival by winning 6 Golden Calf Awards,(the Dutch version of the Oscars) an occurrence which had never happened before. He has also played the role of a Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (DD/CIA) in the feature film Art of Deception. Leon is also an avid James Dean enthusiast. For more information on his various works see: LeonVanWaas.com
What was it like growing up in a small town in the North of Holland? What did it feel like to discover the worlds held in books? Aside from your love of reading what are some of your most fond memories of your early days?
My most fond memories besides reading, are playing outside in the meadows and cornfields. To go fishing and climb in the trees, to listen to the beautiful silence of my village, especially in the summer and to be in my own world. To discover new places beyond my comfort zone while growing up and to enjoy and to love the animals and nature. Also I remember that when I read books, or watched movies, sometimes I cried because it felt and seemed so real, as if I were into these worlds myself…
What led you to try your hand at working as an actor?
When I walked by this tarot card magician around 2000, named Duco Hünd in The Hague, he foresaw that I could become an actor and that I needed to take acting lessons, which I did after having serious doubts for a long time. I was not that sure of becoming an actor because I hadn’t the slightest clue how to become one.
I understand you are also a James Dean enthusiast? How did you first discover him?
In the early days, I had a poster of James Dean in my bedroom, it was an advertisement from a jeans brand and it was only later, when I watched his outstanding work, that I reflected myself as a same kinda authentic rebel, doing my own thing and going my own way.
Did seeing his work on screen and television influence you to take your craft more seriously? Why do you think his work in the field is so timeless?
Yes, his work influenced me very much and he was one of the great inspirators that took me seriously into the world of acting, to grow and to learn from my mistakes and insecurities. I think his work is just brilliant and his personality is timeless, because it is about the youth against the established order and that is going on for such a long time now, I think it’s a universal thing. Also his tragic death, with only 3 films, makes him a Legend.
What was it like to work on the film Brimstone, what did you learn from that experience?
It was a dream come true! Actually, I did know the director Martin Koolhoven just then and when I coincidentally crossed his path in 2012, we talked about film and later on when I read the news in the media about Brimstone, I contacted him again with the question if I could do an audition. So I did and I got the role. I was invited to stay for a couple of days, twice, in between the shooting in a great Berlin hotel and everything was like a trip, to work on this professional set, to discover my character and to explore my international way of working with Martin, Dakota, Guy and Paul and party together, it was super Awesome!
How does the industry in the Netherlands differ most from the movie industry here in the States?
I think in Holland, I will never be acknowledged in my craft as an actor, that’s why I believe more in International possibilities
In your recent Los Angeles red carpet screening, in Art of Deception, you got to play a Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (DD/CIA) what was that like?
It was like another dream came true, because I always wanted to play a real American character in a real action thriller, Hollywood feature film. Oh and Richard Ryan, the filmmaker, told the audience, at the Q&A right after the red carpet screening at Sony Pictures Studios, that when he first watched my videos back in 2011, that I reminded him of James Dean, now, that’s the biggest compliment! Therefore my long time motto is: Dream Reality.
Can you tell us a little more about that project?
Yeah sure, I invited the filmmaker, Richard Ryan in 2011 on Facebook and chatted a couple of times about film making and then later on, he asked me to come on over for 3 months in California to play this spectacular part in his film project, so I took a deep dive into the uncertainty and packed my bags to go overseas, destination unknown, for the first time in my life.
What are you hoping to work on next?
I just hope to work on other challenges, to play parts that are hidden within my soul and not yet discovered, to perform better and better, each and every time, to become the character, like a chameleon.
As an actor how do you personally deal with rejection and self doubt? Do you think those are things everyone in the industry must learn to cope with?
I think that is a very important aspect involved with the process of acting. If you can’t cope with rejection, or if you are reaching the end of your breath too fast, I think it will be a short way to run… you gotta have faith in yourself and in your skills. The ultimate instrument is our body and our brain and I think you have to make a 10,000 Miles journey, to master the craft properly.
What is the most challenging thing you face in your line of work?
The most challenging thing I face in my line of my work is to find work I can express myself at the very best I can, it’s not that I got offered a lot of work, you know. So I have to search for auditions and create a way to show my work around.
What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Never give up, don’t be afraid, act in a stage play, or make your own film. Invest!
Do you have a dream role or project you’d most like to bring into being?
Yes, that will be my own written autobiographical novel, ultimately my own written script and feature film, directed by myself!
Is there anything you’d like to say in closing?
First of all, thank you so much for your time! I hope that you enjoyed this interview as much as I did, and let’s take care of each other more and not forget about the fauna and flora (the Animal Kingdom and the vegetation) because it’s incredible scary to see how we treat each other, the animals and our Mother Nature. We are part of nature and I think everything and everyone is connected and there is only one Planet Earth: our only Home.
except that it flicks like a kid’s homemade cartoon:
clouds faster than jet trails strobe the light.
The trees are thrashing – poplars in whiplash,
pines writhing and resisting,
only the oaks too heavy to react.
Across the fields,
beyond the dark chateau,
an eighty-five-foot fir snaps halfway down,
its top blown away before I can watch it go,
the wounded trunk still forced to bow and jig.
Picturesque, from my safe window –
pale clouds whirling past a full moon,
trees dancing.
Beyond this sheltered home a continent of forests
shatters and falls, littering the world.
(This poem appears in Susan’s most recent book, Border House.)
Susan Fox’s poems have appeared in dozens of literary and popular journals, from Poetry and The Paris Review and Chelsea to The New York Times. She was born in Ohio and has lived in New York, Rome, and Paris. Joel Mandelbaum’s opera to her original libretto on a hidden child in World War II premiered semi-professionally in New York, and she has also collaborated on several projects with painter Richard Ryan. Fox lives in a village in Normandy called Secret Source.
The world was so, so different then in the early 80s. It was still a big adventure for anyone to travel to some remote, odd places and lap up all the feelings at that particular time and place. It’s been over 30 years since that time. And it’s a strange, blurry, even surreal thing — with pictures coming into my head and other things flashing by like, you say, the smell of something, etc. But it really is the mystery of it all that still means the most. I went there, I stayed there, and I’m still here. Memories come back again, be it they are very shadowy … a bit film noir, in fact …
Winslow farm from rear taxi window
‘Oily’ is how I sign my cheques and everybody calls me ‘Oily.’ It came from my messing with Triumph motorbikes as a kid, so it was ‘Royly Oily’ and it stuck. In fact, I was born Roy Terence Phillips in Isleworth, London on the 14th of October 1957. I grew up in a very musical environment. My dad was a professional drummer, my mum a singer, and music was everywhere — in all shapes and forms and sounds around the house, all the time. From Elvis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard … then, of course, into The Beatles, Dylan, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin … then into the whole punk thing of The Clash, Elvis Costello and so on … and so on and on … mostly ‘rebel’ music.
I knew I was a musician from a very early age. Drumming at 5, guitar at 8 and having absorbed thousands of records into my early teens, I had enough ammunition firing from everywhere to create my own music and, indeed, bring ideas very quickly to artists or bands I played with and still do, in fact. I have recorded and played / written music all my life and toured with many great artists — The Clash, especially. My old friend Joe Strummer was a big Dean fan, too.
All the time this was going down, there were also films — which meant just as much to me. I loved Robert Mitchum, Bogart, Robert Ryan, Cagney, etc. But this one chap stood out a million miles away from anyone else I’d ever seen on a screen. I knew instantly, as a very young kid, I wanted to be HIM — James Dean. The images and characters he created are the truest mark of an incredible actor.
James Dean seemed to me to be like a rock musician. Then I found out he was dead and gone before rock music was truly born. It all then started making sense that this guy was the spark of a revolution in all the arts — bringing about a totally new wave of young creativeness not seen before or since.
I knew in my soul that one day I would go visit some strange, far-off place he was from — although, at the time, America might have well been on Mars. Where I grew up, the street you lived on was the world.
I had an uncle who moved to Canada many years ago — to Toronto, in fact, and I planned a trip to visit him and his family in the summer of 1983 — on my own, which I did. After getting there and settling into my month’s break, it suddenly hit me: ‘Ahhhh, Jimmy Dean comes from a state which I could maybe get to from here.’ So I told my aunt and uncle the whole story about my love for this man’s films and they, of course, knew straight away what had to be done. Mind you, I had my red sport’s jacket, Levi 501s and hair brushed back like Dean’s. So it wasn’t really a guess who I wanted to go visit.
I came back one afternoon, from being out with my two cousins in Toronto, to find my aunt had arranged everything — all the relevant bus routes and connections and had even found out the number and rang the Winslow’s farm to find the exact location.
I went on my journey dressed as though I was a stand in from Rebel — not really thinking that much about what, why or where I was headed. We stopped at places with names I’d only heard in songs over three-thousand miles away — like Bowling Green or Napoleon — then suddenly the guy driving the Greyhound bus says, ‘Marion, Indiana’ and I go, ‘Oh my, my. This is very powerful.’ And something in my soul stirred.
I booked into a motel and told the desk clerk I wanted to go see Jimmy Dean’s grave. The clerk kindly got me a taxi service and away I went …
The guy driving was a great fella. I’d basically told him my whole story by the time we pulled up right next to the grave. He said, ‘Do you want me to come get you?’ and I replied, ‘Yes, please. In about five-hours time.’ I got out. He went. Then I noticed there was no headstone.
I’d seen that stone many times in my many books about Jimmy and there I was ready with my camera and there was nothing but the base. I sat there for what seemed an eternity — probably three hours — when I noticed a car coming in the distance, which finally pulled up behind me. It was a police car and this fella gets out — Deputy Sheriff Ferguson, who slowly walks up to the grave with me sitting there and his first words were — and I’ll never forget it — ‘Damn near thought I’d seen a ghost.’
I am not a religious man, nor do I necessarily believe in any other force surrounding us, but there definitely was and still is a spirit of James Dean in me or my soul or whatever we wish to call it. I do believe a soul of a person can enter someone else — be it for a second or a million years.
Well, Deputy Sheriff Ferguson and I got to talking about Dean. The sheriff was investigating the missing stone — which had been stolen a day or two before I got to Fairmount. For a very brief moment I thought, ‘Shit, maybe this guy thinks I took it.’ You know how it goes with the police around you. But it seems quite funny now to even have such thoughts. Apparently, the stone was stolen weeks before but found hanging in a tree or some such, according to the sheriff, then returned before it was just stolen again. He was a great fella, though, and took some photos of me, and I of him, at Dean’s grave without the stone.
Roy Phillips @ James Dean’s grave (August 1983)
Just about this time, another car pulls up and an elderly couple get out — Wilbur and Joan Hoskins from Fairmount — who were coming to see the grave with its missing stone, which was actually in the local papers that very day. They owned the Hoskins shoe shop in Fairmount and spoke to me for about an hour about how they were friends with Jimmy’s parents and, in fact, babysat Jimmy on a few occasions. It’s a while ago now and I can’t remember the wheres or whys of their looking over Jimmy as a babe, but they were there and they said it and that’s that. I got a feeling of real warmth from these people and a great sense of love and caring for not only the boy Dean but for his family as a whole unit. I would love to know if any of Wilbur and Joan’s family is still around in Fairmount?
Wilbur and Joan Hoskins
Deputy Sheriff Ferguson and Wilbur Hoskins
It was, in fact, Wilbur who just casually said, ‘Have you been to the house yet?’ I replied, ‘No.’ I didn’t even know it was that close by, to be honest, and was just going with whatever would deem to happen. I must admit it was a sort of dream like experience, in a way, as I didn’t really go to find out anything or to meet anyone — let alone talk to anyone who knew the family or Dean himself. It was just a calling of a personal nature.
So next thing I know I am at the driveway to the house I’d seen so many times in books with JD and his flat cap on in winter time or pushing Marcus around in a makeshift cart. We walk up to the house and a guy opens the front door. I didn’t know who he was. So he speaks with Wilbur and Joan in their Hoosier way and then, just in conversation, they tell me this is Marcus Winslow. Then they introduce me as a guy travelling like a billion miles to see Jim’s grave. Wilbur said, ‘We damn near thought we’d seen a ghost at the cemetery.’ With that Marcus looked me up and down and quietly and slowly said, ‘You’d best come in, then.’
I was totally taken over, when I entered, by a sense of me not being me but some stranger who was maybe popping home for a coffee and a sandwich. I know it sounds strange, but that’s how it felt. And I know Marcus felt totally at ease, too. I did have quite a lot of Jimmy’s characteristics — even to the point of walking slightly pigeon-toed! I never would compare myself to him, and no one can, but he affected me in a big way as a kid. And people through my teens and twenties would mention him whenever I was about. So that’s where it all sprang from really.
I think I straightaway showed Marcus my JD tattoo. It simply says JAMES DEAN at the top, with a rebel flag and Rebel Without a Cause underneath. Then I told him my story. We just chatted about Dean as though it was something totally normal like we all chat with our friends and families about things like what we have done or plans of what we’d like to do.
I can remember drinking lots of coffee with Marcus. It sticks in my mind as we only really rarely had coffee at home in England — always an instant brand and certainly not made in a big glass jug, as Marcus made it. This coffee was a vanilla flavour and I was hooked on it.
The kitchen looked very 50s / 60s — with those sliding cupboards in obscured glass where you put your finger in the hole-cup and slide. Some had just regular opening doors, too. The smell of the house was a kind of an oldie-worldly smell in as much as a sort of woody odour — not quite musty, but a hint of that if you get me. It was quite a hot time of year and it’s a different heat to England’s — as our summers can be very intense heat, whereas this felt quite open and fresh — although still very warm, but not sweaty.
Marcus was a very kind man and spoke quite slowly and very kind of monotone. I don’t mean boring, but it was sort of one level of tone apart from when I started going on about my music and the impact of JD upon my musicality. His words were quite few and far between, to be honest. It was more a connection on his part, I think, that someone had come to stop by who felt very familiar to him. I was around the same age then as JD when he died, so it was a real connection. But my story, as opposed to the film world, was the music world.
Marcus smiled a lot and, although he was very young when Dean passed away, he has quite a concrete picture of his personality. In fact, I could feel the love and, indeed, presence of Jimmy most of the time through being with Marcus. We spoke about what-ifs. The films Jimmy could have done interested both of us. Obviously, using classic films we now all love, I often imagined him in a Travis Bickle type role from Taxi Driver say. Marcus spoke about Jimmy’s love for animals and wildlife in general, which is always a good sign. I asked about the winters, especially during the 40s and 50s, in Fairmount. Marcus said they were pretty harsh and bleak. I said I thought they were more so in my country then, but it brings out a real closeness to family – even more so in Fairmount, because they were and still are quite remote and rural there.
I remember sitting in the living room on a very comfortable, single high-backed armchair. I think there is a photo I’ve seen of JD sitting in that chair, maybe with a cat?
Before I knew it, it was dark outside and I got to stay at the farmhouse with Marcus — who I just simply remember as a down-to-earth man, very much in keeping with what a lot of the world sees as an American farm person. And I’m sure Jimmy, himself, was this. It’s the image we all love and that’s at the heart of his greatness. Not only did I get to sleep in that house but in Jimmy’s room.
I guess it’s simply because I knew things about that place — having read many things about Dean as a youngster, plus about Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Paul Newman and many other great actors who all used to visit JD’s grave, for many years, on his birthday or death day. It was a very easygoing thing, like it was meant to be, at that exact time and place for me.
Another thought I did have at that time in the house was that maybe the headstone had disappeared because he has returned. You know how the mind can run riot. I imagined I was James Dean, come home to stay a little while, then go quietly back in time, once again. It all was beautiful, like time-lapse photography.
The Winslows’ house (Jimmy’s open window at top, far left)
The stairs, if I remember correctly, had a carpet that ran up the middle of them — with borders of brass on each side, holding the carpet down. There were a few creaks. The house was like on typical rural farms in most countries, built of 90% wood. And the wood breathes and moans quite a lot. I slept in a single bed. I’m not sure if Jimmy would have slept in it. I didn’t even think to ask. But I obviously lay there thinking, ‘Jeez, to think James Dean lived in this house …’ and sort of getting overwhelmed with the whole thing. But, at the same time, just being me imagining I was him — a kind of ‘I’m playing James Dean but I am James Dean — the James Dean that girls at bus stops in England would call James Dean.’ This is all probably sounding a bit bloody odd but — hey, it’s what I felt at that time.
Jimmy’s bedroom (or box room as we Brits would call it) was at what I’d call the side of the house, which in fact is the front door side or porch area — because it sort of faced sideways, to the main road, so you could see just farmland and the road heading back to town from his bedroom window. The gramophone player I saw in his bedroom, where I slept for just that one night, is in a photo with him that, when I see it, takes me back through years and years until it’s like I’m back there. I’ve seen many pics of Jim playing his records and bongos in the room. Anyways, there was his old gramophone — a rather large piece of furniture, really, much like the 40s / 50s grams that we all had in the 50s, even 60s — with a cabinet at the bottom and a few 78s. The speeds on the player were 78, 33, 16 and 45 — 16 is interesting, because it’s a speed for mainly spoken word. So he must have listened to maybe poetry or plays, which were put onto Bakelite 78 discs.
After that first night, I stayed in Marion for a few days and in those three short days I’d sit at Dean’s grave, alone — feeling even closer to him in spirit, since I’d met his cousin, slept in Jimmy’s old bedroom in the house I’d only ever seen pictures of, and looked around the barns where Jimmy kept his motorcycles. And I met some great folks and it all will be in my heart always …
Even now it seems a bit like a dream sequence, but it’s all inside me — forever. What was happening at the time was just part of my life. There was no deep mystery or meaning. It was just a trip to say hello to Jimmy Dean. It was as though I was supposed to be there at that time and I was. It’s as simple as that. It’s a situation, a very simple one in its reality. A young man from London, England — who loves films and music — gets James Dean in his soul at a very early age, goes to visit the place JD was from and ends up meeting members of his family, close friends and, on top of all that, the police are looking that very day for his stolen headstone.
Volume one of Van Gogh’s Ear primarily focuses on poetry characterized by experimentation with form, a revitalized interest in the lyric, and journeys into daring realms of imagination. Among the book’s many highlights you’ll find Joyce Carol Oates’s intense prose poem of sex and murder “Erotic Fantasy in Fast Forward”; Victor Bockris’s haunting, prophetic poem “New York City Footsteps”-written just five days before 9/11; Susan Howe’s “The Chair”, which achieves a rare synthesis of linguistic rigor and humor; “Labor: A company job”, the last poem John Wieners ever wrote-includedis a letter by him (in his writing)about the poem; plus Rod Smith’s “Junkspace Canto”, a canto as tremblingly accurateas the jab of a needle, with perceptions wound into a jagged sweet music like a gypsy violin.
Contributors: Shane Allison, Beth Anderson, Bruce Andrews, Mary Angeline, Antler, Louis Armand, Ian Ayres, Amiri Baraka, Margo Berdeshevsky, Bill Berkson, Anselm Berrigan, Edmund Berrigan, Ted Berrigan, Victor Bockris, Mary Burger, David Caddy, Tom Clark, Andrei Codrescu, Ira Cohen, Robert Creeley, Quentin Crisp, Dave Cunliffe, Albert Flynn DeSilver, Diane di Prima, Edward Dorn, Jennifer Dunbar Dorn, Buck Downs, Kari Edwards, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Ethan Gilsdorf, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Glück, Marilyn Hacker, Linda Healey,Lynne Hjelmgaard, Anselm Hollo, Amy Holman,Paul Hoover, Susan Howe, Christopher Ide, Lisa Jarnot, David Lehman, Lyn Lifshin, Brendan Lorber, Bill Luoma, Gerard Malanga, Michael McClure, Wendy Mulford, Eileen Myles, Hoa Nguyen, Michelle Noteboom, Alice Notley, Joyce Carol Oates, Frank O’Hara, Douglas Oliver, Peter Orlovsky, Ron Padgett, Molly Peacock, Sarah Petlin, Simon Pettet, Bob Rosenthal, Jerome Rothenberg, Leslie Scalapino, Sozan Schellin, Andrew Schelling, Susan M. Schultz, Leonard Schwartz, Charley Shively, Eleni Sikelianos, Iain Sinclair, Dale Smith, Rod Smith, Edwin Torres, John Updike, Jean Valentine, Roberta Vellvé, Anne Waldman, Phillip Ward, Chocolate Waters, Philip Whalen, John Wieners
Volume two of Van Gogh’s Ear, with its cover painting by Vincent van Gogh, offers a knock-out array of fresh, exciting poems—Beat, Slam, Nuyorican, Experimental, you name it-by such daring poets as Peter Orlovsky, Gayle Danley-Dooley, Pedro Pietri, and the list goes on. The result is a dynamic volume chock-full of the verve and artistry of a new millennium of poetry. You’ll experience Bob Perelman’s “Writing Time With Quotes“, showing he can keep more themes and images active simultaneously in a reader’s imagination than almost any other poet alive; Paul Auster’s “Notes From a Composition Book”, a poem that challenges our concepts of what is real and what is word; Dennis Cooper’s chilling “A Symphony of Confusion for the People I Killed” and “The Theorist has No Samba!” by Edwin Torres, selected from this volume for inclusion in Best American Poetry 2004.
Contributors:
Sam Abrams, Dannie Abse, Guillaume IX d’Acquitaine, Louis Armand, John Ashbery, Paul Auster, Ian Ayres, Charles Baudelaire, Bill Berkson, Charles Bernstein, Anselm Berrigan, Robin Blaser, Lee Ann Brown, Dennis Cooper, David Cope, Quentin Crisp, Gayle Danley-Dooley, Michael Dennison, Albert Flynn DeSilver, Jennifer K. Dick, Linh Dinh, Gordon Downie, Kari Edwards, Mark Ewert, Ruth Fainlight, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Susan Fox, Allen Ginsberg, Sara Goodman, Thich Nhat Hanh, Alamgir Hashmi, Linda Healey, Lyn Hejinian, Amy Hollowell, Amy Holman, Bob Holman, D. J. Huppatz, Michael Huxley, Fred Johnston, Nikki d. Katherine, Eliot Katz, John Kinsella, Lisa Lubasch, Gerard Malanga, Robert Marx, Pansy Maurer-Alvarez, Michael McClure, Tracey McTague, Sylvia Miles, Drew Milne, Marilyn Monroe,Eileen Myles, Alice Notley, Joyce Carol Oates, Ulick O’Connor, Joe Okonkwo, Peter Orlovsky, Jena Osman, Bob Perelman, Felice Picano, Pedro Pietri, Diane di Prima, Tom Raworth, Bob Rosenthal, Michael Rothenberg, Sapphire, Sozan Schellin, Leonard Schwartz, Sudeep Sen, Ron Silliman, W. D. Snodgrass, Gary Snyder, Onna Solomon, Sparrow, William Strangmeyer, Todd Swift,Eileen Tabios, Judith Taylor, Thomas R. Thorpe, Nicole Tomlinson, Edwin Torres, John Updike, Phillip Ward, Philip Whalen, George Whitman, Zhang Er
Volume three of Van Gogh’s Ear is a groundbreaking collection of poems from five continents celebrating the erotic spirit in all of its forms. From the passion of sexual desire to the intense longing for spiritual union, this extraordinary bon voyage turns each page of Van Gogh’s Ear 3 into an exciting discovery. Among the many memorable works included are “And Have You Been Forgotten“, a far-reaching poem by one of the most challenging and engaging radical female poets at work today, Alice Notley; “Holy Drag“, by John Rechy, dares peek into the sacristy during changing time for a high Mass presided over by the Cardinal in Rome; Carolyn Cassady’s controversial letter on poetry; “If This is Love” and “Hako” are imaginative, piercing poems by Yoko Ono that appear with two of her intimate Franklin Summer drawings. Other impressive drawings, one by Allen Ginsberg, are also included in this landmark anthology.
Contributors:
Dannie Abse, David Amram, Bruce Andrews, Antler, Louis Armand, Rae Armantrout, Ian Ayres, Amiri Baraka, Elizabeth Bartlett, Dawn-Michelle Baude, Barbara Beck, Bruce Benderson, Eric Bentley, Margo Berd,Jim Carrol, Carolyn Cassady, Emily Claman, Lynette Cloutier, Susan Cody, Holly Crawford, Quentin Crisp, Michel Delville, Linh Dinh, Kari Edwards, James A. Emanuel, Betsy Fagin, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Marilyn Yvonne Ford, Susan Fox, John Gilmore, Allen Ginsberg, Stephen Gray, Barbara Guest, Sandra Guy, Keith Haring, Herbert Huncke, Michael Huxley, Guy Kettelhack, Thomas Kinsella, James Kirkup, Le Comte de Lautréamont, Denise Levertov, Lyn Lifshin, Brendan Lorber, Raymond Luczak, Norman Mailer, Susan Maurer, Tana McCarthy, Janet McDonald, Sharon Mesmer, Sylvia Miles, Yaroslav SlavaMogutin, Marilyn Monroe, Thom Nickels, Alice Notley, Joyce Carol Oates, Ulick OConnor, Edgar Oliver, Yoko Ono, Sarah Petlin, Felice Picano, Jeff Poniewaz, Diane di Prima, John Rechy, Bob Rosenthal, Michael Rothenberg, Sapphire, Lawrence Schimel, Moe Seager, Chris Stroffolino, Eileen Tabios, Thomas R. Thorpe, John Updike, Roberta Vellvé, Anne Waldman, Phillip Ward, Karen Weiser, Evan Calder Williams, A. D. Winans,Florencio Yllana,Fay Zwicky
Volume four of Van Gogh’s Ear: Best World Poetry and Prose is now to be experienced! A powerful poem for peace by one of the great voices of contemporary literature, Maya Angelou, seizes the soul; Margaret Atwood’s insightful, often amusing essay on poetics inspires; Beat legend Carolyn Cassady’s intriguing new prose piece explores the energies that create and sustain all life; a high-speed letter from Beat icon Neal Cassady sweeps one away with his thoughts on Intellect and the arts; acclaimed renaissance man Leonard Cohen’s poem excites both the imagination and emotions; James Dean’s hardhitting poem gives a brutal glimpse into the acidic mixture of love and hate the legendary actor had for his father (a scan of Dean’s actual poem appears with photos from a private collection); John Gilmore’s snuff poem for Elizabeth Short “The Kiss of the Black Dahlia” churns the blood; Norman Mailer’s tasty “If Poetry Is The Food” will not only have you salivating for more, but on an inward journey beyond flesh and bone; Bangladesh poet Taslima Nasrin, who had to flee her country following death threats by Islamic fanatics, contributed a poem which reveals much through the rape of two young sisters who are ordered by a judge to be whipped in public for speaking out against the man who raped them; Yoko Ono’s piercing “Maybe I Was Too Young” and lovely “A Rose is A Rose is A Rose” appear with one of her intimate Franklin Summer drawings; Sue Russell shatters the Hollywood portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the movie Monster with her probing essay. There’s also Sonia Sanchez’s startling poem about a mother torn between love for her 7-year-old daughter and addiction to crack; Irish poet Eabhan Ní Shuileabháin’s intense journey into the minds of the main people involved in executing a criminal at the time of execution; and even more powerful work by Tony Curtis, Joyce Carol Oates, C. K. Williams, Diane di Prima, John Updike, Daisy Zamora, Michael Rothenberg, Joanne Kyger, Tess Gallagher, Richard Kostelanetz, Marc Smith, Alice Notley, J. T. LeRoy, Aram Saroyan, Billy Collins, in total 91 great talents. After reading this landmark anthology, you’ll feel as if you’d lived intensely in the skins of many different people in different parts of the world. Highly recommended as a rich resource for teachers and a library basic.
Contributors:
Maya Angelou, Shamsul Arefin, Colin Askey, Margaret Atwood, Michelle Auerbach, Elizabeth Ayres, Ian Ayres, Joe Bacal, Amanda Bay, Itzhak Ben-Arieh, David Bergman, Bill Berkson, J. J. Blickstein, Pat Brien, Mary Burger, Carolyn Cassady, Neal Cassady, Andrei Codrescu, Leonard Cohen, Billy Collins, Caitlin Condell, Holly Crawford, Victor Hernández Cruz, Dave Cunliffe, Tony Curtis, Jen Dalton, Andrew Darlington, James Dean, Albert Flynn DeSilver, Peter James Drew, Jordan Essoe, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Marilyn Yvonne Ford, Gloria Frym, Tess Gallagher, Marcene Gandolfo, John Gilmore, John Giorno, David Helwig, Jill Hill, Marie Houzelle, Scott Hutchison, Michael Huxley, Brendan Kennelly, Galway Kinnell, Richard Kostelanetz, Richard Krech, Joanne Kyger, J. T. LeRoy, Lyn Lifshin, Mark Lipman, Ken Mackenzie, Jayanta Mahapatra, Norman Mailer, Randall Mann, Sylvia Miles, Laure Millet, Taslima Nasreen, Thom Nickels, Alice Notley, Joyce Carol Oates, Tommy Frank OConnor, Nessa OMahony, Yoko Ono, Lisa Pasold, Barbara Philipp, Kristin Prevallet, Diane di Prima, Terry Rentzepis, Bob Rosenthal, Barney Rosset, Michael Rothenberg, Carol Rumens, Sue Russell, Sonia Sanchez, Aram Saroyan, Larry Sawyer, Eabhan Ní Shuileabháin, Donny Smith, Marc Smith, Carolyn Stoloff, Nelson Sullivan, Mark Terrill, John Updike, Gerard Van der Leun, François Villon, Lina ramona Vitkauskas, Phillip Ward, Karen Weiser, C. K. Williams, Daisy Zamora, Harriet Zinnes
VAN GOGH’S EAR: THE CELEBRITY EDITION (Volume Five)
ISBN-10:2914853076
ISBN-13:978-2914853071
“Congratulations on one wild issue!” — Billy Collins
Van Gogh’s Ear: The Celebrity Edition, which is volume 5, celebrates art, poetry, and the ultimate sex goddess of the 20th century, Marilyn Monroe. There’s a one-act play by Joyce Carol Oates that brings to life Marilyn’s posing for the nude calendar shot, new insights from Marilyn biographer Sarah Churchwell, plus never-before-revealed Marilyn memories by her personal masseur, Ralph Roberts, friend John Gilmore, and others who actually knew her. More exciting highlights are memoirs by movie stars and celebrities such as Tony Curtis, Mamie Van Doren, Sylvia Miles, and Xaviera Hollander. Not to mention the many renowned poets, novelists, cultural icons and political activists also included in this truly international collection with contributors from Australia, India, Dubai, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Canada, the USA, Ireland, England, France, Holland, Germany, Finland, Serbia, etc. Volume 5 of Van Gogh’s Ear addresses taboo, politics and the human condition from every walk of life. Plus there’s a compelling letter from Patricia Nell Warren, author of best-selling novel The Front Runner , in which she warns about the negation of free speech and the rise of fascism in the USA. And a scan of a recent prison letter from Charles Manson, in which he expresses concern about what’s happening to the planet, tells of how he’s treated in prison, as well as how he feels about his fame and the exploitation of him in the music scene. Volume 5 is an odyssey through cultural landscapes, revealing more about our times than any internet news-source or guru ever has. Exhibiting paintings that honor the life and times of Marilyn Monroe by such artists as Demetrie Kabbaz, Werner Horvath, and Tony Curtis, this collection is a must for Marilyn fans everywhere. Due to nudes, however, along with explicit works by the world’s most daring writers, i.e., the Marquis de Sade, a “Parental Advisory” warning appears on the cover.
Featured Contributors:
Franklin Abbott, Shane Allison, Antler, Jorge Artajo, Ian Ayres, Joe Bacal, Dawn-Michelle Baude, Barbara Beck, Guy R. Beining, Kimberly Biggers, Gojko Bozovic, J. R. Brady, Rolf Dieter Brinkman, Pam Brown, Michael Brownstein, Peter Cherney, Sarah Churchwell, Billy Collins, Dennis Cooper, Barbara Costa, Holly Crawford, Quentin Crisp, Tony Curtis, William Curtis, Jen Dalton, Albert Flynn DeSilver, DML, Eduard Escoffet, Landis Everson, Marcus Ewert, Marilyn Yvonne Ford, Serge Gainsbourg, Maureen Gallagher, Johnny Gevalia, John Gilmore, John Giorno, Daphne Gottlieb, Stephen Gray, J. Kenneth Grider, Andreas Gripp, Jane Hathaway, Michael Hathaway, Trebor Healey, Thomas M. Herndon, Lynette S’phiwe Hlongwane, Xaviera Hollander, Paul Hoover, Werner Horvath, Justice Howard, Gary Indiana, Fred Johnston, Demetrie Kabbaz , Kit Kennedy, Romella D’Ore Kitchens, John Kliphan, Aki Lehtinen, Linda Lerner, J. T. LeRoy, Lyn Lifshin, Jason Lynn, Jayanta Mahapatra, Norman Mailer, Charles Manson, Lori A. May, Ben Mazer, Gabrielle McIntire, Sharon Mesmer, Robin Metz, Sylvia Miles, Peter Minter, Pete Mullineaux, Eileen Myles, Thom Nickels, Joyce Carol Oates, Ulick O’Connor, Molly Peacock, Daniel Pendergrass, Robert Peters, Felice Picano, Jane Piirto, Jennifer Pinard, Wayne Ray, Dee Rimbaud, Ralph Roberts, Bob Rosenthal, Lauren Russell, Albert Russo, Marquis de Sade, Aram Saroyan, Richard Siken, Mark Terrill, Paul Trachtenberg, John Updike, Mamie Van Doren, Phillip Ward, Patricia Nell Warren, Lewis Warsh, Regina Weinreich, Janean Williams, A. D. Winans, Saint James Harris Wood, Jeffrey Cyphers Wright, Gerald Zipper
From the earliest records in the Western tradition of poetry, throughout the classical period and during the Middle Ages, spanning the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and beyond, romantic love has been the obsessive object of poetic attentions. However, modern and postmodern poets tend to avoid writing about love, focusing instead on political, social and theoretical terrains.
When Dawn-Michelle Baude took on the job of guest-editing the sixth edition of the internationally acclaimed poetry anthology Van Gogh’s Ear, she deliberately chose love as her theme in order to challenge this modern poetic system in which the vocabularies for alienation and violence have outstripped those of attachment and affection.
More than seventy cutting edge poets from around the globe have answered Dawn-Michelle Baude’s call for poems about love. Van Goghs Ear 6: The Love Edition takes the throbbing pulse of love now, in 2009, in countries around the world. Sexual, romantic, altruistic, fetishistic, Platonic, political, happenstance and all the rest – the poems and prose in this edition are vital, and, in abrupt contrast to the foundational irony of postmodernism, even sincere. The writers engagement with the topics ranges from the subtle to the overt, the off-hand to the engaged, just like in life.
Contributors:
Etel Adnan, Greg Bachar, Aaron Belz, Guy Bennett, Pierre Bismuth, Jean-Luc Blanc, Charles Borkhuis , Kate Braverman, Lee Ann Brown, Robert Chrysler, Julia Connor, Andrei Codrescu, Joel Craig, Carl Miller Daniels, Jean Day, Patrick Dillon, Trisha Donnelly , Yan Duyvendak, Amanda Earl, Daniela Elza, Mia Enell, Michael Farrell, Alex L. Ferguson, Bonny Finberg, Kathleen Fraser, Gloria Frym, Vidya Gastaldon, Robert Glûck, Susy Gómez, E. Tracy Grinnell, Fabrice Gygi, Brenda Hillman, Anselm Hollo, Alexander Jorgensen, Ken Kagami, Aryan Kaganof, Amin Khan, Artus de Lavilléon, Joseph Lease, Shannon Lucy, Bernhard Martin, Clay McCann, Rob McLennan, David Meltzer, Michelle Miller, Laura Moriarty, Mryzk & Moriceau, Jennifer Moxley, Laura Mullen, Mel Nichols, Michelle Noteboom, Amy O’Neil, Ethan Paquin, Simon Pettet, Raymond Pettibon, Kristin Prevallet, Stephen Ratcliffe, Tom Raworth, Sarah Riggs, Didier Rittener, Eléna Rivera, Elizabeth Robinson, Steve Rodefer, Anna-Laure Sacriste, Hiroe Saeki, Leonard Schwartz, Alain Séchas, Jim Shaw, Rod Smith, Laura Solomon, Cole Swenson, Mark Tardi, John Tranter, Serdar Turkeli, Pierre Vadi, Jean-Luc Verna, Rosmarie Waldrop, Andrew Zawacki
VAN GOGH’S EAR: THE SUPERNATURAL EDITION (Volume Seven)
ISBN: 978-2-914853-118
The seventh and final edition of the Van Gogh’s Ear anthology, “The Supernatural Edition,” focuses on works featuring the weird, wonderful, imaginary, and thoroughly supernatural. Full of stories, poems, artwork, and various creative essays, the culmination of the Van Gogh’s Ear anthology is anything but a smooth, predictable ride; rather, the range of styles and themes sweeps the reader away, promising an unforgettable experience. The ‘supernatural’ theme appears both overtly and subtly, in spirituality and imagination, in experiences both real and ethereal. Edited by Felice Picano, this volume features works by an international contingent of authors, including Jorge Artajo, Camille Feinberg, Fern C.Z. Carr, Samuel Ace, Saint James Harris Wood, Edmund White, Imani Tolliver, McArthur Gunther, Steven Reigns, Reginald T. Jackson, and Jayanta Mahapatra. Particular treats include a social commentary by Plutarch, a short story by Turkish writer Serdar Türkeli, and a nonfiction piece about riding on Juan Peron’s coffin by travel journalist Michael Luongo.
Featured Contributors:
Franklin Abbott , Samuel Ace , Dominic Ambrose , Apollonious of Rhodes , Rob Arnold , Ian Ayres , Margo Berdechevsky, Perry Brass, Jason Cant, Fern G.Z.Carr, M. Christian, Robert Cole, David Gerrold, Corey Green, Richard Halperin, Trebor Healey, Walter Hollander, Andrew Holleran, Reginald T. Jackson, Daniel M. Jaffe, Michael Luongo, Jayanta Mahapatra, Jeff Mann, Austin McCarron, Gunther McArthur, Carlos T. Mock, Felice Picano, Jerry Pyle, Plutarch, Steven Reigns, Charles Silverstein, Matthew Silverstein, D.N. Simmers, T.M. Spirit, Imani Tolliver, Paul Trachtenberg, Serdar Turkeli, Edmund White, Terry Wolverton, Saint James Harris Wood…
We are dedicated to bringing you the best and most creative minds the world has to offer spanning all genres. Please note that all prose, poetry and works of art submitted to The Original Van Gogh’s Ear Anthology site must come with permission for possible future publication. If you are interested in contributing your works or have any further questions please email Tina Ayres at TinaFayeAyres@gmail.com. Thank you!
Van Gogh’s Ear inspired by Allen Ginsberg
“The idea for starting an international anthology of prose, poetry and art from people of all walks of life, everywhere in the world, began with Allen Ginsberg. He said creativity is a great way to bring people together. We discussed giving a chance to never-before-known talents by publishing them alongside the famous. He said everyone’s a genius. It’s just a matter of how one’s genius is expressed. Since Allen was the inspiration for the anthology series, it seemed only right to read through all of the contents of Allen Ginsberg’s Collected Poems 1947-1980 for a title. When my eyes landed on his poem ‘Death to Van Gogh’s Ear,’ I immediately knew. The poem begins: ‘Poet is Priest / Money has reckoned the soul of America.’ Those first two lines pretty much sum up what the poem is about. And it was written in Paris, December 1957. I knew then that Van Gogh’s Ear would be the anthology’s title.”
~ Ian Ayres, creator of the original
Van Gogh’s Ear Anthology Series
Ian Ayres & Allen Ginsberg in Paris, March 1996. Photo by Eric Ellena.
VAN GOGH’S EAR: VOLUME 8(Submission Guidelines)
Founded by Ian Ayres, Van Gogh’s Ear: Best World Poetry, Prose & Art is an annual anthology series devoted to publishing powerful works by major voices and innovative new talents from around the globe. The goal of Van Gogh’s Ear is to make each volume a real eye-opener that stirs people’s emotions and ignites their imaginations. Experimental work is warmly embraced. Taboos extremely encouraged. The more daring, the better. “INTENSITY” is the key. Without affiliation with specific movements or schools of poetry/prose/art, we seek only to publish the best work being created. We’re open to all styles. We never limit anyone in any way whatsoever. We believe that by limiting others, we’d be limiting ourselves. Therefore, we equally embrace work that shows mastery of versification alongside wild work inspired by Rimbaud’s “derangement of all the senses.” We not only encourage the exploration of every possible approach to poetry, creative writing and all forms of art (tattoos, graffiti, videos, etc), but going beyond anything yet imagined. And we are very open to poets, writers and artists of all kinds who haven’t been published before. Being published isn’t as important as the work itself. Submissions should be accompanied by permission to publish the work(s) in Van Gogh’s Ear, a brief bio of up to 120 words, and a photo would be cool. Submit up to 6 poems or 2 prose pieces or several works of art at a time. Poem length shouldn’t be more than 165 lines and prose length no more than 1,500 words. Previously published work is okay if awesome. Same for simultaneous submissions. All selections will immediately appear on The Original Van Gogh’s Ear Anthology site. Actual publication is planned for Autumn, 2013. A friendly cover note of introduction is always appreciated. Please send submissions or any questions to Tina Ayres at TinaFayeAyres@gmail.com
THANKS FOR KEEPING THE ORIGINAL VAN GOGH’S EAR ALIVE!
Ian Ayres at the grave of Vincent Van Gogh
MARILYN MONROE TO SALISBURY?
By MARK WINEKA
Salisbury Post
Posted: Saturday, Dec. 01, 2012
SALISBURY, N.C. Even 50 years after her death, the interest in Marilyn Monroe remains insatiable. For serious authors, filmmakers and fans, the obsession with the Hollywood icon inevitably leads them to Salisbury, a place she never visited yet knew everything about. Credit the late Ralph Roberts for that. For the last three-plus years of Monroe’s life, Salisbury native Roberts served as her personal masseur and, probably, closest friend.
By most accounts, Roberts was the last person Monroe tried to contact the night she died of a drug overdose in Los Angeles.
Only two weeks ago, documentary filmmakers from Paris were here, interviewing Ralph Roberts’ nephew, Hap, who saw his uncle almost every day for the last three years of his life in Salisbury.
French Connection Films also spoke to Chris “Steve” Jacobs, the man Hap Roberts has made archivist for his uncle’s papers and all things Marilyn.
Together, Roberts and Jacobs have developed a Ralph Roberts website. They keep a Greensboro attorney on call, just to make sure nothing false is attributed to Ralph Roberts.
Working from Hap Roberts’ company, Statewide Title, they store anything connected to Marilyn Monroe in lock boxes off site.
Long after Monroe had died and mainly as a way to correct and set straight things written about her, Ralph Roberts started several versions of a memoir, which he titled “Mimosa.”
“There’s constant interest in that manuscript,” Jacobs says.
Hap Roberts and Jacobs hope to publish the memoir some day, though putting the Marilyn years in chronological order and dealing with Ralph’s writing style have been difficult.
“He never took advantage of his relationship with Marilyn Monroe in any shape or form,” Hap Roberts says of his uncle. “We don’t want to profit from it, either. We just want to do what Ralph would want done.”
Hap Roberts’ life keeps bumping into his Uncle Ralph and Marilyn Monroe.
He’s not complaining. He loved and adored his uncle, and through him appreciated the actress.
In recent years, Roberts and Jacobs assisted University of Southern California professor and author Lois Banner on her recently released book, “Marilyn: The Passion and the Paradox.”
Banner’s index lists Ralph Roberts on 19 different pages, and the book devotes considerable space to his brother-sister relationship with Monroe.
Bill O’Reilly’s best-selling book, “Killing Kennedy,” mentions Roberts on a single page. It’s one of the more famous Roberts-related stories because it essentially confirms the affair Monroe had with President John F. Kennedy.
O’Reilly probably gets it wrong, however. He writes that when Kennedy, staying in Palm Springs with Monroe, complains of chronic back pain, Monroe calls Roberts and puts him on the telephone with the president. The passage says Roberts offered a quick diagnosis and hung up after a few minutes.
But while he was alive, Roberts told the Post at least twice – in 1985 and 1993 – that Marilyn called him that night after the president had asked her how she pulled off her signature walk.
Monroe knew it was a variation on an exercise using a muscle that connects the thighbone to the hipbone through the spine. But when Kennedy asked her the name of the muscle, she couldn’t remember.
So Monroe called Roberts, put Kennedy on the telephone, and Roberts told the president it was the psoas muscle. And that was pretty much their conversation.
Paris filmmakers Ian Ayres and Eric Ellena are still in the United States interviewing people for their documentary, “Marilyn: Birth of an Icon.”
They describe it as a movie “about a sensitive, caring person trapped in the role of the world’s greatest sex symbol.” Their treatment of the subject, Hap Roberts says, is something of which his Uncle Ralph would have approved.
Forever cognizant of his uncle’s wishes to protect the Monroe he knew, Hap Roberts says he has only granted two interviews about Ralph Roberts since his death in 1999. One was for Banner; the other, for Ayres and Ellena.
Ian Ayres & Hap Roberts (photo by Annette Roberts)
When they were in Salisbury, the men filmed Hap and his wife, Annette, walking in City Memorial Park toward Ralph’s grave. They also interviewed Hap for an hour at his home and Jacobs for a considerable time back at the Statewide Title office.
They took pictures of several of the Marilyn artifacts Ralph had kept after the actress’ death Aug. 5, 1962. Ralph was among only a small group of people, including former Monroe husband Joe DiMaggio, who attended Monroe’s funeral.
Hap Roberts still has his uncle’s program from the memorial service.
“I grew up reading every book about her,” Ayres said in an email to Hap Roberts. “Now I find myself in the position of making the documentary I’d always hoped someone would.
“And your uncle Ralph meant so much to Marilyn. I know she’d be pleased.”
This year, Hap Roberts was invited to attend Marilyn Remembered’s Aug. 5 memorial on the 50th anniversary of her death. Marilyn Remembered is a fan club of sorts established in Los Angeles in 1982.
More than 400 people from all parts of the world attended the memorial service, according to Greg Schreiner, president of the group.
Hap Roberts wrote some words of tribute for his uncle which were read at the Monroe memorial, but he did not attend.
The photographs that exist of Ralph Roberts with Marilyn Monroe inevitably show him standing behind her, giving a neck massage.
Descriptions always mention how tall and handsome he was. Hap Roberts says his uncle was about 6-2.
Authors also describe a man who was a good listener – a Southern gentleman who was tight-lipped and trusted by the famous people he massaged, especially Monroe.
“She was very comfortable with Ralph,” Annette Roberts says.
Hap Roberts adds that his uncle purposely kept in the background, not wanting to be considered part of Monroe’s entourage.gg
Ralph Roberts’ acting career should not be overlooked, nor his military record.
He graduated with honors from Salisbury’s Boyden High School and Catawba College. He was attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when he volunteered for the Army before Pearl Harbor and World War II.
After Officers Candidate School, he rose to the rank of major and served as Gen. Joseph Stilwell’s assistant in the China-Burma Theater. During the war, he also was one of the first liaison officers from the Pentagon to the White House. In that position, he met President Franklin D. Roosevelt twice.
When Roberts was called back to active duty during the Korean War, he held the reserve rank of lieutenant colonel.
His military obligations behind him, Roberts headed for New York to follow up a love for acting he developed in college and community theater productions in Salisbury.
Through much of his life, he seemed consistently drawn to famous or soon-to-be-famous people. Roberts attended the method acting school of Lee Strasberg with fellow students such as James Dean, Shelley Winters and Marlon Brando.
In 1954, he appeared on the cover of Time magazine behind actress Julie Harris, who was starring in the play, “The Executioner.” Roberts was the executioner.
Roberts actually met Marilyn Monroe for the first time at Strasberg’s New York apartment in 1955. He wrote in his memoir that she was “one of the most radiantly beautiful creatures” he had ever seen.
“And when I say ‘creature,’ that was it,” Roberts wrote. “An animal. The blue-whiteness one sees sometimes in the stars of a desert night. White-blond hair, clear-white complexion framing violet-blue eyes.”
Roberts had parts in long-run Broadway productions such as “Witness for the Prosecution,” “The Lark” and “The Groom Wore Spurs.”
His first movie was Stanley Kubrick’s “Killer’s Kiss.”
To supplement his acting income, Roberts trained at the Swedish Massage Institute in New York, and he quickly became known among Broadway actors, film and television stars as the man who could help them relax before or in between performances.
The clients he would have over three decades, mostly in New York, sound like a Who’s Who in acting. He massaged, for example, Lauren Bacall, Richard Burton, Natalie Wood, Judy Holliday, Imogene Coca, Milton Berle, Red Buttons and Ellen Burstyn.
And, of course, Marilyn Monroe.
Roberts became Monroe’s official masseur in 1959, and for long periods, during her various marriages and romantic entanglements, would give her massages daily.
Roberts and Monroe forged a bond. She called him “Rafe,” the British pronunciation for his name.
They connected on the Willa Cather books they read, their spirituality and, believe it or not, Salisbury.
As Roberts massaged her at night, he spoke to her about his hometown and all of its places and people – down to men such as Irvin Oestreicher and Julian Robertson Sr. to the roasted peanuts at the Lash store and the winged statue on West Innes Street.
Together, Roberts and Monroe ran errands, ate meals together, attended parties and took plane trips across the country between New York and California.
Roberts was with Monroe the night she practiced singing “Happy Birthday,” the version she would famously croon to Kennedy.
They watched the 1960 Democratic National Convention together when Kennedy won the nomination. They were on the set together every day of “The Misfits,” Clark Gable’s last movie.
In addition to massaging Monroe between scenes and being her chauffeur, Roberts played the part of an ambulance driver in “The Misfits.”
When he was 9, Hap Roberts says, he wrote his uncle in the spring of 1960 after hearing Ralph had the part in “The Misfits.” Hap asked whether Ralph could have Monroe autograph a picture to him and also one to his 9-year-old girlfriend, Kay Snider.
A month later, the pictures came in the mail. His said simply, “To Hap, Marilyn Monroe,” but she had signed the cover of a Life magazine with her and actor Ives Montand.
“I still have it,” Hap Roberts says.
As his nephew recalls, Ralph Roberts drove one of the first Corvettes – a black beauty with red interior. Monroe enjoyed riding with him.
Hap remembers that his grandfather had one of the first televisions in Salisbury, “and we would all gather around and watch Ralph in early Kinescope productions,” he said.
His uncle had an apartment in Greenwich Village. Roberts says one night Ralph and another aspiring actor, James Dean, returned to that apartment to listen to records.
When Ralph was acting in plays in New York, Hap and his mother would visit at times.
“I met Imogene Coca in her east-side apartment, Judy Holliday and Dean Martin back stage and years later with my wife, Lee Strasberg and Al Pacino at Lee’s apartment in the Dakota, a year before (John) Lennon was killed.”
Hap Roberts even received some hand-me-down clothes, such as sportcoats, from Ralph Roberts’ clients.
“I grew into Milton Berle’s stuff when I was 18,” he says.
In those Marilyn years, Hap says, Ralph Roberts would travel home to Salisbury with numerous small checks from the actress he had yet to cash. Once Hap’s father, Harold, asked his brother to have Monroe make out one of the checks to him.
The next trip home, Ralph Presented Harold with a $100 check made out to him from Monroe. Harold Roberts carried it around in his wallet for a year, showing everybody. Then one day he cashed it in.
Hap Roberts couldn’t believe it.
“He said, ‘Hell, it was $100.’ ”
Hap Roberts cherishes the last years of his uncle’s life after he left New York and lived on Parkview Circle close to Hap’s office. They would meet every afternoon around 4 p.m., and Ralph would look after Hap’s dogs on the weekends.
Every Sunday evening was “Martini Time.”
Ralph Roberts would appear at Hap’s house at 5 p.m., bringing the Sunday New York Times with him, so Annette and Hap could read it later.
Ralph Roberts had a art deco martini set Monroe had given him, and once he brought it out for their Sunday ritual.
Hap and Annette, who also became close to Ralph, knew not to probe him for his memories of Monroe.
When he did talk about their relationship, they tried not to interrupt, savoring every detail and recognizing how much he loved and respected Monroe.
Ralph Roberts felt great remorse that he wasn’t home the night of Monroe’s death to answer her call. He lived close to the actress and could have been to her house quickly.
“I do think he probably carried that to his grave,” Hap Roberts says.
Something else Monroe had given Ralph was a box full of the chandelier crystals she had collected. Monroe thought the crystals had healing properties.
Ralph Roberts would sometimes hand out the crystals as gifts to friends.
Hap Roberts tells a funny story, too, of another Monroe gift to his uncle. After Ralph’s death, Hap was gathering his uncle’s clothing together for a donation to Goodwill.
He noticed a woman’s Burberry trench coat in the closet, but he figured it was a friend’s coat, left at Ralph’s house in the past. He placed it with the other things for Goodwill.
“About a month later, I found a list of Marilyn Monroe items,” Roberts says. “Sure enough, on the list was ‘Burberry trench coat.’
“Well, Marilyn’s coat is now protecting some unsuspecting lady in Salisbury from inclement weather.”
When Ralph Roberts died April 30, 1999, at his home, he was 82. Hap Roberts said he sat alone in his uncle’s house and cried until he couldn’t cry any longer.
Roberts noticed the stacks of memoir papers spread out everywhere in the living room. In the den, he also saw the open Willa Cather book that his uncle had been reading.
Up to the end, Ralph Roberts was chasing his friend, Marilyn Monroe.
Volume one of Van Gogh’s Ear primarily focuses on poetry characterized by experimentation with form, a revitalized interest in the lyric, and journeys into daring realms of imagination. Among the book’s many highlights you’ll find Joyce Carol Oates’s intense prose poem of sex and murder “Erotic Fantasy in Fast Forward”; Victor Bockris’s haunting, prophetic poem “New York City Footsteps”-written just five days before 9/11; Susan Howe’s “The Chair”, which achieves a rare synthesis of linguistic rigor and humor; “Labor: A company job”, the last poem John Wieners ever wrote-includedis a letter by him (in his writing)about the poem; plus Rod Smith’s “Junkspace Canto”, a canto as tremblingly accurateas the jab of a needle, with perceptions wound into a jagged sweet music like a gypsy violin.
Contributors: Shane Allison, Beth Anderson, Bruce Andrews, Mary Angeline, Antler, Louis Armand, Ian Ayres, Amiri Baraka, Margo Berdeshevsky, Bill Berkson, Anselm Berrigan, Edmund Berrigan, Ted Berrigan, Victor Bockris, Mary Burger, David Caddy, Tom Clark, Andrei Codrescu, Ira Cohen, Robert Creeley, Quentin Crisp, Dave Cunliffe, Albert Flynn DeSilver, Diane di Prima, Edward Dorn, Jennifer Dunbar Dorn, Buck Downs, Kari Edwards, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Ethan Gilsdorf, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Glück, Marilyn Hacker, Linda Healey, Lynne Hjelmgaard, Anselm Hollo, Amy Holman, Paul Hoover, Susan Howe, Christopher Ide, Lisa Jarnot, David Lehman, Lyn Lifshin, Brendan Lorber, Bill Luoma, Gerard Malanga, Michael McClure, Wendy Mulford, Eileen Myles, Hoa Nguyen, Michelle Noteboom, Alice Notley, Joyce Carol Oates, Frank O’Hara, Douglas Oliver, Peter Orlovsky, Ron Padgett, Molly Peacock, Sarah Petlin, Simon Pettet, Bob Rosenthal, Jerome Rothenberg, Leslie Scalapino, Sozan Schellin, Andrew Schelling, Susan M. Schultz, Leonard Schwartz, Charley Shively, Eleni Sikelianos, Iain Sinclair, Dale Smith, Rod Smith, Edwin Torres, John Updike, Jean Valentine, Roberta Vellvé, Anne Waldman, Phillip Ward, Chocolate Waters, Philip Whalen, John Wieners…
Volume two of Van Gogh’s Ear, with its cover painting by Vincent van Gogh, offers a knock-out array of fresh, exciting poems—Beat, Slam, Nuyorican, Experimental, you name it-by such daring poets as Peter Orlovsky, Gayle Danley-Dooley, Pedro Pietri, and the list goes on. The result is a dynamic volume chock-full of the verve and artistry of a new millennium of poetry. You’ll experience Bob Perelman’s “Writing Time With Quotes“, showing he can keep more themes and images active simultaneously in a reader’s imagination than almost any other poet alive; Paul Auster’s “Notes From a Composition Book”, a poem that challenges our concepts of what is real and what is word; Dennis Cooper’s chilling “A Symphony of Confusion for the People I Killed” and “The Theorist has No Samba!”by Edwin Torres, selected from this volume for inclusion in Best American Poetry 2004.
Contributors:
Sam Abrams, Dannie Abse, Guillaume IX d’Acquitaine, Louis Armand, John Ashbery, Paul Auster, Ian Ayres, Charles Baudelaire, Bill Berkson, Charles Bernstein, Anselm Berrigan, Robin Blaser, Lee Ann Brown, Dennis Cooper, David Cope, Quentin Crisp, Gayle Danley-Dooley, Michael Dennison, Albert Flynn DeSilver, Jennifer K. Dick, Linh Dinh, Gordon Downie, Kari Edwards, Mark Ewert, Ruth Fainlight, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Susan Fox, Allen Ginsberg, Sara Goodman, Thich Nhat Hanh, Alamgir Hashmi, Linda Healey, Lyn Hejinian, Amy Hollowell, Amy Holman, Bob Holman, D. J. Huppatz, Michael Huxley, Fred Johnston, Nikki d. Katherine, Eliot Katz, John Kinsella, Lisa Lubasch, Gerard Malanga, Robert Marx, Pansy Maurer-Alvarez, Michael McClure, Tracey McTague, Sylvia Miles, Drew Milne, Marilyn Monroe, Eileen Myles, Alice Notley, Joyce Carol Oates, Ulick O’Connor, Joe Okonkwo, Peter Orlovsky, Jena Osman, Bob Perelman, Felice Picano, Pedro Pietri, Diane di Prima, Tom Raworth, Bob Rosenthal, Michael Rothenberg, Sapphire, Sozan Schellin, Leonard Schwartz, Sudeep Sen, Ron Silliman, W. D. Snodgrass, Gary Snyder, Onna Solomon, Sparrow, William Strangmeyer, Todd Swift, Eileen Tabios, Judith Taylor, Thomas R. Thorpe, Nicole Tomlinson, Edwin Torres, John Updike, Phillip Ward, Philip Whalen, George Whitman, Zhang Er…
Volume three of Van Gogh’s Ear is a groundbreaking collection of poems from five continents celebrating the erotic spirit in all of its forms. From the passion of sexual desire to the intense longing for spiritual union, this extraordinary bon voyage turns each page ofVan Gogh’s Ear 3 into an exciting discovery. Among the many memorable works included are “And Have You Been Forgotten“, a far-reaching poem by one of the most challenging and engaging radical female poets at work today, Alice Notley; “Holy Drag“, by John Rechy, dares peek into the sacristy during changing time for a high Mass presided over by the Cardinal in Rome; Carolyn Cassady’s controversial letter on poetry; ”If This is Love” and “Hako” are imaginative, piercing poems by Yoko Ono that appear with two of her intimate Franklin Summer drawings. Other impressive drawings, one by Allen Ginsberg, are also included in this landmark anthology.
Contributors:
Dannie Abse, David Amram, Bruce Andrews, Antler, Louis Armand, Rae Armantrout, Ian Ayres, Amiri Baraka, Elizabeth Bartlett, Dawn-Michelle Baude, Barbara Beck, Bruce Benderson, Eric Bentley, Margo Berd, Jim Carrol, Carolyn Cassady, Emily Claman, Lynette Cloutier, Susan Cody, Holly Crawford, Quentin Crisp, Michel Delville, Linh Dinh, Kari Edwards, James A. Emanuel, Betsy Fagin, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Marilyn Yvonne Ford, Susan Fox, John Gilmore, Allen Ginsberg, Stephen Gray, Barbara Guest, Sandra Guy, Keith Haring, Herbert Huncke, Michael Huxley, Guy Kettelhack, Thomas Kinsella, James Kirkup, Le Comte de Lautréamont, Denise Levertov, Lyn Lifshin, Brendan Lorber, Raymond Luczak, Norman Mailer, Susan Maurer, Tana McCarthy, Janet McDonald, Sharon Mesmer, Sylvia Miles, Yaroslav Slava Mogutin, Marilyn Monroe, Thom Nickels, Alice Notley, Joyce Carol Oates, Ulick OConnor, Edgar Oliver, Yoko Ono, Sarah Petlin, Felice Picano, Jeff Poniewaz, Diane di Prima, John Rechy, Bob Rosenthal, Michael Rothenberg, Sapphire, Lawrence Schimel, Moe Seager, Chris Stroffolino, Eileen Tabios, Thomas R. Thorpe, John Updike, Roberta Vellvé, Anne Waldman, Phillip Ward, Karen Weiser, Evan Calder Williams, A. D. Winans, Florencio Yllana, Fay Zwicky…
Volume four of Van Gogh’s Ear: Best World Poetry and Prose is now to be experienced! A powerful poem for peace by one of the great voices of contemporary literature, Maya Angelou, seizes the soul; Margaret Atwood’s insightful, often amusing essay on poetics inspires; Beat legend Carolyn Cassady’s intriguing new prose piece explores the energies that create and sustain all life; a high-speed letter from Beat icon Neal Cassady sweeps one away with his thoughts on Intellect and the arts; acclaimed renaissance man Leonard Cohen’s poem excites both the imagination and emotions; James Dean’s hardhitting poem gives a brutal glimpse into the acidic mixture of love and hate the legendary actor had for his father (a scan of Dean’s actual poem appears with photos from a private collection); John Gilmore’s snuff poem for Elizabeth Short“The Kiss of the Black Dahlia” churns the blood; Norman Mailer’s tasty “If Poetry Is The Food” will not only have you salivating for more, but on an inward journey beyond flesh and bone; Bangladesh poet Taslima Nasrin, who had to flee her country following death threats by Islamic fanatics, contributed a poem which reveals much through the rape of two young sisters who are ordered by a judge to be whipped in public for speaking out against the man who raped them; Yoko Ono’s piercing “Maybe I Was Too Young” and lovely “A Rose is A Rose is A Rose” appear with one of her intimate Franklin Summer drawings; Sue Russell shatters the Hollywood portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the movie Monster with her probing essay. There’s also Sonia Sanchez’s startling poem about a mother torn between love for her 7-year-old daughter and addiction to crack; Irish poet Eabhan Ní Shuileabháin’s intense journey into the minds of the main people involved in executing a criminal at the time of execution; and even more powerful work by Tony Curtis, Joyce Carol Oates, C. K. Williams, Diane di Prima, John Updike, Daisy Zamora, Michael Rothenberg, Joanne Kyger, Tess Gallagher, Richard Kostelanetz, Marc Smith, Alice Notley, J. T. LeRoy, Aram Saroyan, Billy Collins, in total 91 great talents. After reading this landmark anthology, you’ll feel as if you’d lived intensely in the skins of many different people in different parts of the world. Highly recommended as a rich resource for teachers and a library basic.
Contributors:
Maya Angelou, Shamsul Arefin, Colin Askey, Margaret Atwood, Michelle Auerbach, Elizabeth Ayres, Ian Ayres, Joe Bacal, Amanda Bay, Itzhak Ben-Arieh, David Bergman, Bill Berkson, J. J. Blickstein, Pat Brien, Mary Burger, Carolyn Cassady, Neal Cassady, Andrei Codrescu, Leonard Cohen, Billy Collins, Caitlin Condell, Holly Crawford, Victor Hernández Cruz, Dave Cunliffe, Tony Curtis, Jen Dalton, Andrew Darlington, James Dean, Albert Flynn DeSilver, Peter James Drew, Jordan Essoe, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Marilyn Yvonne Ford, Gloria Frym, Tess Gallagher, Marcene Gandolfo, John Gilmore, John Giorno, David Helwig, Jill Hill, Marie Houzelle, Scott Hutchison, Michael Huxley, Brendan Kennelly, Galway Kinnell, Richard Kostelanetz, Richard Krech, Joanne Kyger, J. T. LeRoy, Lyn Lifshin, Mark Lipman, Ken Mackenzie, Jayanta Mahapatra, Norman Mailer, Randall Mann, Sylvia Miles, Laure Millet, Taslima Nasreen, Thom Nickels, Alice Notley, Joyce Carol Oates, Tommy Frank OConnor, Nessa OMahony, Yoko Ono, Lisa Pasold, Barbara Philipp, Kristin Prevallet, Diane di Prima, Terry Rentzepis, Bob Rosenthal, Barney Rosset, Michael Rothenberg, Carol Rumens, Sue Russell, Sonia Sanchez, Aram Saroyan, Larry Sawyer, Eabhan Ní Shuileabháin, Donny Smith, Marc Smith, Carolyn Stoloff, Nelson Sullivan, Mark Terrill, John Updike, Gerard Van der Leun, François Villon, Lina ramona Vitkauskas, Phillip Ward, Karen Weiser, C. K. Williams, Daisy Zamora, Harriet Zinnes…
VAN GOGH’S EAR: THE CELEBRITY EDITION (Volume Five)
ISBN-10:2914853076
ISBN-13:978-2914853071
“Congratulations on one wild issue!” — Billy Collins
Van Gogh’s Ear: The Celebrity Edition, which is volume 5, celebrates art, poetry, and the ultimate sex goddess of the 20th century, Marilyn Monroe. There’s a one-act play by Joyce Carol Oates that brings to life Marilyn’s posing for the nude calendar shot, new insights from Marilyn biographer Sarah Churchwell, plus never-before-revealed Marilyn memories by her personal masseur, Ralph Roberts, friend John Gilmore, and others who actually knew her. More exciting highlights are memoirs by movie stars and celebrities such as Tony Curtis, Mamie Van Doren, Sylvia Miles, and Xaviera Hollander. Not to mention the many renowned poets, novelists, cultural icons and political activists also included in this truly international collection with contributors from Australia, India, Dubai, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Canada, the USA, Ireland, England, France, Holland, Germany, Finland, Serbia, etc. Volume 5 of Van Gogh’s Ear addresses taboo, politics and the human condition from every walk of life. Plus there’s a compelling letter from Patricia Nell Warren, author of best-selling novel The Front Runner, in which she warns about the negation of free speech and the rise of fascism in the USA. And a scan of a recent prison letter from Charles Manson, in which he expresses concern about what’s happening to the planet, tells of how he’s treated in prison, as well as how he feels about his fame and the exploitation of him in the music scene. Volume 5 is an odyssey through cultural landscapes, revealing more about our times than any internet news-source or guru ever has. Exhibiting paintings that honor the life and times of Marilyn Monroe by such artists as Demetrie Kabbaz, Werner Horvath, and Tony Curtis, this collection is a must for Marilyn fans everywhere. Due to nudes, however, along with explicit works by the world’s most daring writers, i.e., the Marquis de Sade, a “Parental Advisory” warning appears on the cover.
Featured Contributors:
Franklin Abbott, Shane Allison, Antler, Jorge Artajo, Ian Ayres, Joe Bacal, Dawn-Michelle Baude, Barbara Beck, Guy R. Beining, Kimberly Biggers, Gojko Bozovic, J. R. Brady, Rolf Dieter Brinkman, Pam Brown, Michael Brownstein, Peter Cherney, Sarah Churchwell, Billy Collins, Dennis Cooper, Barbara Costa, Holly Crawford, Quentin Crisp, Tony Curtis, William Curtis, Jen Dalton, Albert Flynn DeSilver, DML, Eduard Escoffet, Landis Everson, Marcus Ewert, Marilyn Yvonne Ford, Serge Gainsbourg, Maureen Gallagher, Johnny Gevalia, John Gilmore, John Giorno, Daphne Gottlieb, Stephen Gray, J. Kenneth Grider, Andreas Gripp, Jane Hathaway, Michael Hathaway, Trebor Healey, Thomas M. Herndon, Lynette S’phiwe Hlongwane, Xaviera Hollander, Paul Hoover, Werner Horvath, Justice Howard, Gary Indiana, Fred Johnston, Demetrie Kabbaz, Kit Kennedy, Romella D’Ore Kitchens, John Kliphan, Aki Lehtinen, Linda Lerner, J. T. LeRoy, Lyn Lifshin, Jason Lynn, Jayanta Mahapatra, Norman Mailer, Charles Manson, Lori A. May, Ben Mazer, Gabrielle McIntire, Sharon Mesmer, Robin Metz, Sylvia Miles, Peter Minter, Pete Mullineaux, Eileen Myles, Thom Nickels, Joyce Carol Oates, Ulick O’Connor, Molly Peacock, Daniel Pendergrass, Robert Peters, Felice Picano, Jane Piirto, Jennifer Pinard, Wayne Ray, Dee Rimbaud, Ralph Roberts, Bob Rosenthal, Lauren Russell, Albert Russo, Marquis de Sade, Aram Saroyan, Richard Siken, Mark Terrill, Paul Trachtenberg, John Updike, Mamie Van Doren, Phillip Ward, Patricia Nell Warren, Lewis Warsh, Regina Weinreich, Janean Williams, A. D. Winans, Saint James Harris Wood, Jeffrey Cyphers Wright, Gerald Zipper…
From the earliest records in the Western tradition of poetry, throughout the classical period and during the Middle Ages, spanning the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and beyond, romantic love has been the obsessive object of poetic attentions. However, modern and postmodern poets tend to avoid writing about love, focusing instead on political, social and theoretical terrains.
When Dawn-Michelle Baude took on the job of guest-editing the sixth edition of the internationally acclaimed poetry anthology Van Gogh’s Ear, she deliberately chose love as her theme in order to challenge this modern poetic system in which the vocabularies for alienation and violence have outstripped those of attachment and affection.
More than seventy cutting edge poets from around the globe have answered Dawn-Michelle Baude’s call for poems about love. Van Goghs Ear 6: The Love Edition takes the throbbing pulse of love now, in 2009, in countries around the world. Sexual, romantic, altruistic, fetishistic, Platonic, political, happenstance and all the rest – the poems and prose in this edition are vital, and, in abrupt contrast to the foundational irony of postmodernism, even sincere. The writers engagement with the topics ranges from the subtle to the overt, the off-hand to the engaged, just like in life.
Contributors:
Etel Adnan, Greg Bachar, Aaron Belz, Guy Bennett, Pierre Bismuth, Jean-Luc Blanc, Charles Borkhuis, Kate Braverman, Lee Ann Brown, Robert Chrysler, Julia Connor, Andrei Codrescu, Joel Craig, Carl Miller Daniels, Jean Day, Patrick Dillon, Trisha Donnelly, Yan Duyvendak, Amanda Earl, Daniela Elza, Mia Enell, Michael Farrell, Alex L. Ferguson, Bonny Finberg, Kathleen Fraser, Gloria Frym, Vidya Gastaldon, Robert Glûck, Susy Gómez, E. Tracy Grinnell, Fabrice Gygi, Brenda Hillman, Anselm Hollo, Alexander Jorgensen, Ken Kagami, Aryan Kaganof, Amin Khan, Artus de Lavilléon, Joseph Lease, Shannon Lucy, Bernhard Martin, Clay McCann, Rob McLennan, David Meltzer, Michelle Miller, Laura Moriarty, Mryzk & Moriceau, Jennifer Moxley, Laura Mullen, Mel Nichols, Michelle Noteboom, Amy O’Neil, Ethan Paquin, Simon Pettet, Raymond Pettibon, Kristin Prevallet, Stephen Ratcliffe, Tom Raworth, Sarah Riggs, Didier Rittener, Eléna Rivera, Elizabeth Robinson, Steve Rodefer, Anna-Laure Sacriste, Hiroe Saeki, Leonard Schwartz, Alain Séchas, Jim Shaw, Rod Smith, Laura Solomon, Cole Swenson, Mark Tardi, John Tranter, Serdar Turkeli, Pierre Vadi, Jean-Luc Verna, Rosmarie Waldrop, Andrew Zawacki…
VAN GOGH’S EAR: THE SUPERNATURAL EDITION (Volume Seven)
ISBN: 978-2-914853-118
The seventh and final edition of the Van Gogh’s Ear anthology, “The Supernatural Edition,” focuses on works featuring the weird, wonderful, imaginary, and thoroughly supernatural. Full of stories, poems, artwork, and various creative essays, the culmination of the Van Gogh’s Ear anthology is anything but a smooth, predictable ride; rather, the range of styles and themes sweeps the reader away, promising an unforgettable experience. The ‘supernatural’ theme appears both overtly and subtly, in spirituality and imagination, in experiences both real and ethereal. Edited by Felice Picano, this volume features works by an international contingent of authors, including Jorge Artajo, Camille Feinberg, Fern C.Z. Carr, Samuel Ace, Saint James Harris Wood, Edmund White, Imani Tolliver, McArthur Gunther, Steven Reigns, Reginald T. Jackson, and Jayanta Mahapatra. Particular treats include a social commentary by Plutarch, a short story by Turkish writer Serdar Türkeli, and a nonfiction piece about riding on Juan Peron’s coffin by travel journalist Michael Luongo.
Featured Contributors:
Franklin Abbott, Samuel Ace, Dominic Ambrose, Apollonious of Rhodes, Rob Arnold, Ian Ayres, Margo Berdechevsky, Perry Brass, Jason Cant, Fern G.Z.Carr, M. Christian, Robert Cole, David Gerrold, Corey Green, Richard Halperin, Trebor Healey, Walter Hollander, Andrew Holleran, Reginald T. Jackson, Daniel M. Jaffe, Michael Luongo, Jayanta Mahapatra, Jeff Mann, Austin McCarron, Gunther McArthur, Carlos T. Mock, Felice Picano, Jerry Pyle, Plutarch, Steven Reigns, Charles Silverstein, Matthew Silverstein, D.N. Simmers, T.M. Spirit, Imani Tolliver, Paul Trachtenberg, Serdar Turkeli, Edmund White, Terry Wolverton, Saint James Harris Wood…
TheOriginalVanGoghsEarAnthology 