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something levs crushing. Orson Welles,
Anthony Perkins make an unlikely
father- son duo, except they’re both BOOKS
psychotic. Hie best thing about Chabrol
—
is that he ’ s the only French filmmaker
who makes deliberately inconsequential BURTON ' S BOOK OF THE BLUES
(and therefore fun) movies. (Unless you Burton Wilson
count Truffaut, who doesn t know it.) Privately published Austin, Texas 1972
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Hie fact that almost all of Chabrol s
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movies are also brilliant has nothing to Burton s Book of the Bind is 66
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do with it. I.e Boucher looked great on photographs taken by Burton Wilson
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42nd St. So will this. DM. during the years 1966 72. The action
occurs mostly in Austin, a town of
FLASHES about a quarter million souls, distinctive
because it is the capital of Texas as well
as the location of the main branch of
the slate university.
Time passed along quietly enough in
Austin for years. The college built a
reputation as a “party school with a
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nationally ranked football team and up
to 35,000 students, all of whom looked
alike. As 1966 dawned, however, there
appeared more and more longhaired
freaks of uncertain sexual derivation Tracey NeUon
and braless women of more precise
classification. Austin s thousands of asked Kns Kiistofferson to record
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Blacula, already a smash hit, is just the retired state officials, merchants, lobby - - Threadgill, and Km has produced a disc
ists, politicians and university function
first black version of suspense-horror
movies AIP is producing. Sammy Davis. aries weren t ready. And the freaks gave soon to be on the racks. It's a good
thing Threadgill wasn’t holding his
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Jr. may do Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and the alumni fits when they came back to breath, waiting to be discovered: he s
producer Jack Naar is talking to check on the old Alma Mater. been a fixture about Austin for over 20
Muhammad All s lawyers about a The following year found a cartel of years. In fact, his combination gas
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remake of a horror classic starring the freaks opening the city's first rock station, tavern and store north of town
Muslim mauler - it s possible, if there is parlor the Vulcan Gas Company. The was the site where the rednecks and
,
no sex in the picture. AlP s 100th hippies had no heart at all; the structure “heads first came together.
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was in the heart of downtown. Concerts
The book progresses chronologically:
movie. Blackenstein, will be released at
Christmas. soon began, featuring local bands like from Jams to Leo Kottke, the Flying
the Thirteenth Floor Elevator, Shiva ' s Burnto Brothers. Taj Mahal and Earl
Porno Deep Throat might not be Headband and the Conqueroo, along Scruggs. Along the way you ll also
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making money because of seizures and with national artists also proficient in encounter Jimmy Reed, the Fugs, Fats
freebies but the crowds are big. 5% of rock and roll. Better, the promoters Domino, Mother Earth, Johnny Winter,
the audience is made up of off- duty often presented split programs, with the Doug Kershaw, Jerry Jeff Walker, Boa
cops, judges iand. in New York, UN rockers sharing the stage with their Scaggs, the New Riders and ZZ Top. Plus
officials. They flash their credentials or musical fathers - the bluesmen. Mince lesser-known but important local groups
passes and they re in free. The National Lipscomb, Muddy Waters, Sleepy John like the Conqueroo, whose guitarist,
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Catholic Office gave it a C (Condemned ) Estes, Big Joe Williams, Robert Shaw, Charlie Prichard, now toils for Cat
rating, saying: “First hardcore porno Otis Spann, Lightning Hopkins, Freddie Mother. (Charlie, incidentally, is the
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feature to receive a sophisticated King, Big Mama Thornton, James model for LT ex Gilbert Shelton s Fat
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national promotional campaign.. Cotton and others were presented to an Freddy, of Furry Freak Bros , fame.)
reaching respectable urban and sub - audience which had never wavered Longtime Austinite Powell St. John has
urban theatres. Beware, it is not about (before) in believing tliat the Stones performed with Mother Earth and the
cough remedies ’’ began the beat. Angel band as well as writing songs for
Burton Wilson was there to docu - both those groups and Janis and the
Reefer Madness has struck NYC ' s ment most of the high spots. The black Thirteenth Floor Elevator.
Blceker St. Theatre and is spreading to and white pictures he took are A more recent arrival. Krackerjack, is
193 college affiliates of Video Tape straightforward, available light snaps, also featured. Though the name may be
Network. The 1936 documentary about mostly free from gimmickery. Wilson unfamiliar, this band (since mutated in
the evils of marijuana is being handled apparently feels technique should be Rattlesnake) featured Tommy Shannon
by R.K.S. Films. It may be in your secondary to subject matter. He limits and John Turner, Johnny Winter ' s
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town soon. Watch for it. himself to one double exposure, a flashy first- time-around sidemen, along with
negative image of Steve Miller and a John Staehele, who was soon to advance
British censors won ’ t pass Bhndman high contrast job of Jams Jopl in (who to Spirit when the original configuration
unless five cuts involving Ringo Starr are attended the university briefly ). of that group split.
made. The cuts would virtually elimin- Jams picture is back to back with One of the currently hot local
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ate Ringo from the movie. Ringo one of Kenneth Threadgill, a jovial. ensembles, Greezy Wheels, brings every -
commented “ I d like my mother to lusty, rotund, silver-haired gent who thing up to date. Greezy Wheels feature
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have seen it. " sings Jimmy Rodgers songs like a country rock , high lighted by their
reincarnation. The story goes that Jams fiddle- player. Mary, whose prowess
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