Brand New Beat

Since my last post, my book about Rolling Stone magazine appeared. It's called Brand New Beat: The Wild Rise of Rolling Stone Magazine. I've done many bookstore events, radio programs, and podcasts. I've also attended the first Santa Barbara Literary Festival with Charles Perry and Abe Peck, given a talk at Oregon State University in Bend, and am scheduled to appear soon at the Counterculture Museum (with Pat Thomas) and at Litquake with Ben Fong-Torres and Marianne Partridge. I also attended GonzoFest in New York. Most of the panels were in the Bowery. What a blast. My panel mates included Michael Kramer, Jesse Jarnow, Timothy Denevi, David Streitfeld, Kurt Hemmer, Ron Whitehead, David Wills, and Brian Hassett. I also gabbed with Hilary Hinckle, Judy Clancy, Margaret Farrell, Sadie (Steadman) Williams, and Christopher Tidmore. Finally met Juan Thompson and his son Will. In short, I geeked out for four days. Many thanks to Kent Fielding and the whole team for putting it together, to Ron Whitehead for his leadership, to Peter Hale for recommending the venue, and to the late Curtis Robinson for his spirit and legacy.>

Theodore Roszak and the Perils of Technocracy

Michael Kramer and I wrote an article for The Nation. It's about Theodore Roszak, the social critic and peace activist who, in a series of articles for The Nation, named the counterculture as well as its chief adversary, the technocracy. Although he was very alert to the link between the counterculture and cyberculture, he saw through the techno-utopianism that has gripped Silicon Valley ever since the 1970s. Big Tech's dark turn, especially its support for Trump, wouldn't have surprised him.

Hunter Thompson and Haight-Ashbury on French TV

I was asked to say a few words about Hunter Thompson and Haight-Ashbury for a French television program called "Invitation au Voyage." Many thanks to Romain Thomassin and his crew for making "La San Francisco d'Hunter Thompson," which is playing on ARTE TV. I've only seen a few clips, which my brother-in-law sent along from Paris, but I gather Romain will screen it at GonzoFest in New Orleans next year.

Lowell Bergman on Electronic Communication and the First Amendment

The OLLI program at UC Berkeley asked me to chat with Lowell Bergman about his latest topic, "The First Amendment Is NOT a Suicide Pact." I've been a big fan of Lowell's work for Frontline for many years. Fanatical readers of this blog may recall that Al Pacino played him in The Insider (1999), which received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Here's the YouTube link for the talk.

Essay on Bob Weir in "Hidden Voices"

I was asked to contribute to "Hidden Voices: Americans with Disabilities in United States History," which was published by the NYC Department of Education this week. It's a resource for K-12 teachers and students in the city's public schools. I focused on Bob Weir, who has spoken about his undiagnosed dyslexia and how it affected his schooling and work over the years. It was an honor to be asked, and I hope the volume will be widely used.

Yet another great class in Berkeley, this time with David Weir. We focused on the Patty Hearst story he wrote with Howard Kohn for Rolling Stone in 1975. That was a blockbuster, but we also learned about Sundance magazine, Salon, the Center for Investigative Reporting, and David's life and times. So glad that worked out. Greil Marcus will visit next week, our final meeting. Pretty cool that these legends live in the area and are willing to share their rich experiences with us. Thanks to the OLLI program at UC Berkeley for making it happen.

Course on Rolling Stone Magazine at UC Berkeley

I'm teaching a course on Rolling Stone magazine at UC Berkeley's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. So far, so good. I've invited three guests: Ben Fong-Torres, David Weir, and Greil Marcus. Ben's visit last week was a big success.

Review of New Ralph Gleason Bio

I was delighted to review Don Armstrong's new Ralph Gleason bio for Alta. Along with other elders like Bill Graham and Tom Donahue, Gleason lifted the profile of the Bay Area rock scene, but he also covered jazz and other popular forms for many years with great sympathy and insight. Along the way, he cofounded the Monterey Jazz Festival as well as Rolling Stone magazine. Thank you for this labor of love, Don Armstrong.

New Books Network Podcast About "Savage Journey"

I chatted with U.S. historian Steven Hausmann about Hunter S. Thompson and Savage Journey. I thought the podcast came out quite well.

Kevin Starr at the Commonwealth Club

I contributed to Redemptive Dreams, a volume about California historian Kevin Starr. It was edited by Jason Sexton and published by Routledge. My piece focused on Kevin's columns in the San Francisco Examiner before he became California's preeminent historian. Jason also asked me to participate in a panel discussion, hosted by the Commonwealth Club, about Kevin and his work. Happily, the Commonwealth Club recorded the discussion.

GonzoFest 2023

Delighted to participate in the tenth and final (?) GonzoFest. Seen here with Timothy Denevi, William McKeen, Margaret Ann Harrell, John Brick, and Ron Whitehead at the High Horse Bar in Louisville. The beautifully restored Vincent motorcycle allowed for a quick exit. I also met Judy Clancy, Matt Hahn, Leland Locke, and Tara Locke; reconnected with Grant Goodwine; and appeared on the "Hunter Gatherers" podcast with Curtis Robinson & Christopher Tidmore. Thank you Ron Whitehead and crew for lashing this whole thing together. Photo by Beth Tudor.

Theodore Roszak Archive at Stanford University

I had a blast at the opening of Theodore Roszak's archive at Stanford University. Kathryn Roszak helped us understand her father and his achievement. Betty Roszak was there, so we also had a chance to honor her and her work. Archivist Ben Stone, who put the whole thing together, displayed a cool sampling of Roszak's output and personal papers. J. Christian Greer brought students from his class, "Holy Hipsters: Spiritual Rebellion and Hip Consumerism in Postwar America." And we had a tasty dinner afterward where I met some of Kathryn's friends, two of whom were John Perry Barlow's friends and business partners. More days like this, please.

Review of Dave Zirin's "Behind the Shield"

Fanatical readers of this blog know I have a high regard for Dave Zirin and his work. Important stuff, if you ask me.

I reviewed his recent documentary film for ScheerPost. It's called Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL.

As I note in the review, Dave has been writing about the NFL for two decades, but this film is something of a culmination. Highly recommended.

Ill Literacy Podcast

This podcast might have set an endurance record for gabbing about Hunter Thompson.

Sonny Barger Dies at 83

Sonny Barger and Hunter Thompson parted on bad terms, but their relatively short time together benefited both men. Barger might think otherwise, but his death at age 83 wouldn't have generated national headlines if it weren't for Thompson's 1967 bestselling book about the Hell's Angels.

Newsweek Podcast with Jack Sonni

Had a nice chat about Hunter Thompson with Jack Sonni on his Newsweek podcast. I always relish the chance to go deeper with an aficionado. Jack is certainly one of those, but he's probably even more famous for his guitar work with Dire Straits.

CBS News with Nicole Killion

CBS News streamed my brief chat with Nicole Killion about Hunter Thompson. I had COVID and was a little spaced out, but I wanted to focus on Thompson's literary formation, not on his myth or persona. The Gonzo formula was a winner, but these days I'm more drawn to the struggling writer than to the swaggering party animal.

Bay Area Book Festival with Sam Quinones

The Bay Area Book Festival took place last weekend in Berkeley. It was the festival's first face-to-face event in three years. I assembled and moderated many panels in the early years, and I think I'm officially still on the program committee, so this event has always meant a lot to me.

This year I was on the talent side of the equation. I chatted about Hunter Thompson with Sam Quinones, author of Dreamland and The Least of Us. Dreamland, which I reviewed for The National Memo, won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2015. It's an incredible tour de force on an urgent topic--the opioid crisis. I've known Sam for years, but I'm also a huge admirer, so I was delighted he could appear with me.

Our conversation was wide-ranging, but this was the first time I've discussed Thompson with someone like Sam, who has been documenting the ravages of drug abuse. As he pointed out, Thompson's drug use seemed funny in the 1970s, but there's nothing remotely amusing about what's happening on the streets now.

Washington Post Magazine Story

Jason Vest looked me up for a piece he wrote for The Washington Post Magazine. It appeared online a few days ago but is scheduled for Sunday's newspaper. It focuses on Hunter Thompson's campaign reporting in 1972, which is a remarkable chapter in his life. It's the 50th anniversary of that campaign, which always helps with this kind of story.

Jason also found Timothy Crouse, Thompson's Rolling Stone colleague on the campaign trail and author of The Boys on the Bus. Crouse has been out of journalism for some time, but that book holds up remarkably well. I felt I was in good company there.

Jason and I had a lot of fun swapping insights, so I was especially pleased that his story went over well. Many old colleagues saw it and contacted him, and CBS Morning News quickly reached out to UC Press about an author interview. We'll see what happens there.

As it turns out, NBC/Peacock also will interview me next week for a series on the Zodiac killer. Evidently, the production company heard my dulcet tones on the Monster podcast a while back. This interview will take place in Vallejo, where some of the murders occurred.

C-SPAN Airs My Chat with David Talbot

Not sure how I missed this program, or that I was properly lit. (Take that as you will.) But I was delighted to appear on C-SPAN's "Book TV" with David Talbot and Peter Maravelis. Thanks to City Lights for hosting this event way back in January. In fact, this was the book's official launch.

Let's take these things one at a time.

First, what an honor to appear on C-SPAN. I think someone there might be a Thompson fan because the station also featured Timothy Denevi and Juan Thompson in recent years.

Second, what a privilege to appear with David Talbot. He wrote (among other things) the bestselling Season of the Witch about San Francisco in the 1970s and 1980s. He also crossed paths with Thompson at the San Francisco Examiner. As this program shows, he's a Thompson aficionado and a skilled interviewer. I can vouch that he's also an all-around good guy, and I'm so glad he has returned to form.

Third, how cool that City Lights was the host. Over and above my affection for that San Francisco shrine, there's the magnetic attraction that drew Thompson to San Francisco in the first place. You can't understand that attraction without City Lights and its history.