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76.
Original handbill designed by Wes Wilson announcing Allen Ginsberg reading with Sopwith Camel in concert at the Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, July 17 (1966).
Printed in purple on white paper stock. 21.5x14cm.
Years later, Sopwith Camel’s drummer, Norman Mayell, recalled that “Allen Ginsberg came over to the Sopwith Camel house to practice ringing his bell, chanting and reading his poetry, while the Camel played whatever came into their heads… Later that night, we repeated what we rehearsed, as far as we know”.
The band’s founder and vocalist, Peter Kraemer, remembers that “One night we frightened Allen Ginsberg there… He'd dropped by to see about us backing up his reading at the Fillmore and was sitting on the rough wood floor with his little Indian harmonium when Norman and I came through the door. We had taken some particularly great LSD about an hour before and I was ringing like a bell, had my arms out in front of me like Frankenstein’s monster and was shooting rays out of my fingertips and muttering ‘life force, life force’. Allen looked up very timidly and decided that perhaps he’d better back himself up at the Fillmore. But ever after that when I would run into him on the street he was very friendly.”
The evening was emceed by Garry Goodrow of The Committee improv group and also featured the SF Mime Troupe.
Near Fine.
