richard hell - pioneer or silly old fool

incredible, thanks so much xp

Hell's notes for the 2017 reissue spelled out the narrative behind the lyrics to The Plan, which I'd never really cottoned on to before, and which is boundary-pushing to a degree that is, for me, a colossal turn-off.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/how-richard-hell-found-his-vocation?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Interesting interview about his whole life, Tom Verlaine, visual art, poetry (new book of his coming ),

from New Yorker

New York was in such bad shape that it was a Wild West frontier town, and lawless, and no one was supervising anybody, but at the same time there was an endless fund of jobs and cheap apartments, and it still had all the cultural things—great movies, bookstores, bars, music. But the ironic thing is, in a way, that situation of New York as the Wild West in the seventies and early eighties is libertarianism, where it’s every man for himself. You look at John Lydon and he’s a Trumpist, so in a way being nostalgic for that is wishing for the strong to survive.

Now, after a long hiatus, he is publishing a book of new poetry, “What Just Happened,” written during the lockdown months of the covid-19 pandemic, with original images by Wool. (A reading and signing event pegged to the book’s release will take place on July 6th at White Columns gallery, in Manhattan.

Does the article address how he has supported himself for decades? I've honestly always wondered.

Not really. Mentions his books and his living situation. Hell has written two novels (1996’s “Go Now” and 2005’s “Godlike”), and an autobiography (2013’s “I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp”). He also published a collection of his early journals (1990’s “Artifact”), an anthology of critical essays (2015’s “Massive Pissed Love”), a compendium of early poetry, short essays, and drawings (2003’s “Hot and Cold”), and a collaboration with the painter Christopher Wool, a friend of Hell’s (2008’s “Psychopts”).

Hell, who is now seventy-three, still lives in the same East Village walkup tenement he has been occupying since 1974, with his girlfriend, the novelist Katherine Faw.

he owns his apartment, for one thing -- he made a wise choice to buy it when it was cheap. also he sold his archives to NYU for a nice chunk of change.

How these fringe acts earn a living fascinates me.

Indeed.

Katherine Faw's homepage does not sport your typcal author's photo.

Believe we had the exact same discussion when his old bibliophile running buddy passed away recently.
(xp)

Yeah, but Verlaine and Television toured, if only occasionally. A string of festival dates alone was probably enough to keep Verlaine comfortable. But Hell, even the payout from selling his archives or whatever was reportedly $50,000. That's not going to last long, even if you own your own place. And I can't imagine he made more than that from his books, and likely a lot less, unless he's huge in France or something.

Rich wife?

I looked, and that doesn't seem to be the case either! At least as far as CVs go.

How these fringe acts earn a living fascinates me.

― the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, June 9, 2023 6:54 PM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

place and time play a big part here.

Yeah, I was gonna say. I'm more fascinated by how current fringe acts earn a living

Think hell had his editing gigs to eke by with maybe but who knows. But yeah, nowadays…

He used to have a movie review column for a few years. I think he’s able to make some money by writing regularly but it’s probably a different gig each time. (It’s possible he’s gotten work as an editor too.)

Inherited money? Spouses?

inherited money generally probably more of a factor than people assume, then and now. no idea about richard hell's case tho.

fwiw, when I googled him to get the wiki I saw the "estimated net worth" deal Google puts in the info box on the right, and it said $500,000. No idea where they come up with that, of course. I thought I had remembered him doing film music but no sign of that in the wiki.

chinese rocks is on a million compilations and probably some soundtracks.

I don't believe Verlaine or Hell's background was anything more than middle class

That’s was my impression as well. They went to that private school but I don’t think it was particularly fancy.

Quick someone do a detective podcast series investigating how Hell can afford his bills.

(Sorry that sounds so snarky. It’s a funny line of inquiry is all, & I imagined someone getting really into the question.

Growing up in NJ, when I finally met other Richard Hell / Television fans they told me he worked at Guitar Bar in Hoboken, lol. I'm not sure that is/was actually true.

I think Bowie covering "Kingdom Come" helped out Verlaine a LOT.

Again, he does get published regularly, and his music has also been reissued every now and then - the Spurts compilation, the Destiny Street remake, then later the deluxe edition with the remix, the anniversary edition of Blank Generation, having his stuff licensed for various compilations by Rhino or Numero Group, etc.

(Also, they're apparently reissuing Blank Generation on CD this month - it's basically updating the old CD so that it 1) uses the 40th anniversary mastering from 2017 and 2) makes everything correspond to the original LP, which means using the original artwork and the original LP version of "Down at the Rock & Roll Club.")

In terms of published writings, here's a sample:

Across the Years Hell selected poems 1970-1991
(Amsterdam: Soyo Publishers, 1991)

ARTIFACT notebooks 1974-1980 (includes contributions from Hell)
(NY and Madras: Hanuman, 1992)

THE VOIDOID 1973 novelina
(Hove, U.K.: Codex, reprinted in 1996)

Go Now novel by Hell
(New York: Scribner, 1996)

WEATHER series of twelve poems
(New York: CUZ Editions, 1998)

WANNA GO OUT? by Theresa Stern poems of Theresa Stern
by R. Hell & T. Verlaine
(Perpignan: Éditions Anna Polèrica, reprinted in 1999)

Hot and Cold "essays poems lyrics notebooks pictures fiction" by Hell
(New York: powerHouse, 2001)

Rabbit Duck 13 collaborative poems by Richard Hell and David Shapiro
(Milwaukee: REPAIR, 2005)

Art show catalogue essay "Sadness Notes" by Hell
(Normal: University Galleries, 2005)

Godlike novel by Hell
(New York: Little House on the Bowery [imprint of Akashic], 2005)

The Toilet Paper Columns 14 newsmonthly columns
(New York: CUZ Editions, 2007)

Psychopts artist's book collaboration with Christopher Wool
(New York: JMc & GHB Editions, 2008)

Disgusting drawings and writings by Hell, with unique endpapers by Josh Smith
(New York: 38th Street Publishers, 2010)

And there are many more magazine articles/essays, book introductions, comic books, etc. In short, he's a working writer, and I'm sure he gets paid well given his well-earned reputation.

It’s a funny line of inquiry is all

I don't think it is. While there are more artists than ever writing songs about wealth inequality, it seems that actual inquiring about the ways in which mid-level or low-tier artists are able to own vintage modular gear and spend weeks recording in fancy studios remains taboo. I just assume the answer is always generational wealth, because how could it be anything else?

(Sorry that sounds so snarky. It’s a funny line of inquiry is all, & I imagined someone getting really into the question.

― The land of dreams and endless remorse (hardcore dilettante),

I didn't take your point as snark, but I still don't get why asking how an artist lives day to day is strange.

Slightly different point, but what I always think about bands and artists that are full time bands and artists is what do they do all day?

Cocklodging is often the answer, can't speak for R. Hell in that regard mind

xpost

xp songwriting is work that takes time and effort! So is demoing, rehearsing, and recording music.

Cocklodging is often the answer, can't speak for R. Hell in that regard mind

Slightly different point, but what I always think about bands and artists that are full time bands and artists is what do they do all day?

― Renaissance of the Celtic Trumpet (Tom D.)

Bake brownies, read Elizabeth Bowen.

the little reading i've done by his girlfriend, all linked from her site, indicates her family is dirt poor.

_(Sorry that sounds so snarky. It’s a funny line of inquiry is all, & I imagined someone getting really into the question.

― The land of dreams and endless remorse (hardcore dilettante), _

I didn't take your point as snark, but I still don't get why asking how an artist lives day to day is strange.

Cocklodging is often the answer, can't speak for R. Hell in that regard mind

xpost

― I question your commitment to the revolution (Matt #2), Saturday, June 10, 2023 8:31 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

upthread someone said he bought his apartment years ago when it was still cheap

i think i was wrong about that; thought i'd read it somewhere. here he says it is rent-stabilized.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323936404578581993025822864

this has most of the content of the wsj article without the firewall:

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet-books/2013/07/at-home-with-richard-hell-

here's an article by his downstairs neighbor:

https://bedfordandbowery.com/2013/07/looks-like-its-time-to-give-up-allen-ginsbergs-old-apartment/

hmm that poetry foundation link only works if you cut and paste it into a browser.

I've mentioned on ILX previously that I worked for Razor & Tie from 93-95 and worked with Msieu Myers on the reissue of Destiny Street, which was licensed from Marty thau… it was marty's to license, lock stock & barrel, but there were some issues that needed Hell's consent…he HATED marty, Marty hated him, but both were of one mind about a number of issues, albeit grudgingly…

I mentioned before that the first time I met him for a formal meeting (I had seen him on the street scores of times prior), he wanted to put this hentai he had made with some artist into the reissue, and I had to say, "uh I don't think we're gonna go for that"(I spose he could have made a case as to what this creation had to do with the context of this record, made in 1982, but he did no such thing) "but we'd really like for you to write some notes for each song." He did so, and was unfailingly cooperative and gracious throughout production. Super super nice guy!

One day, he came to the office for a courtesy meeting with the owners of R&T, who barely had any idea who he was (big springsteen guys, y'see): it was July, probly in the 90s, and he was wearing the kind of t shirt you would get a surf shop, board shorts and a par of chucks… he was not dressed like that for the previous meeting, and for that matter neither you nor I can EVER imagine Tom V or Bob Q EVER consenting to wear anything of the sort. He was very proud of this Mustang he owned, showed me and one of the owners a picture of it, and said "yeah, I drove this across the country when I was dope sick and needed to kick, and that did the trick…" the owner was discomfited, as I don't think he had much experience with the dope demimonde.

I visited his apartment once, to drop off something he needed to sign…by 12th st between 1st ave and Ave A standards, it was (or is) pretty big, he had two floors…this is the same building in which Allen ginsberg's apt was… and before and after my dealings with him (he never recognized me again and I didn't feel like bothering him as such), every single solitary time out of the 20-30 times I saw him on the street, he was with an incredibly hot woman, each fitting the type to which Ms Faw belongs, never the same person but all many decades his junior… for, despite his status as the ne plus ultra of EV hipsters, with an unimpeachable rep, never sold out etc etc, he was extremely well preserved.

Yea, I remembered some of this from the last time you posted it. Glad I didn’t imagine it.

here's part of a granta interview with Ms. Faw from 2014, presumably before she met RH?

What else has influenced your work besides other writers?

I went to film school before I went to writing school. Nikki’s Kool-Aid hair is a nod to Christiane F., this German movie from the eighties about a teenage junkie prostitute in the Bahnhof Zoo train station. Young God is from a Swans song. I remember first hearing this Lou Reed song in high school, ‘Some Kinda Love’, the part about putting Vaseline on your lover’s shoulder, and just being blown away by what was possible in a pop song. I started making my own T-shirts. Like a little boys’ Fruit of the Loom with the sleeves cut off, written all over in black Sharpie. One of them was just the lyrics to Richard Hell’s daughter-fucking song, ‘The Plan’. I was really into the whole seventies New York punk scene. It’s basically why I came to New York, which is nothing like that at all now.

TV: Well, yeah.

(Looks up and down W12th Street, bends over, hides copy of Theresa Stern poems in hard-to-find position on book cart)

Richard Hell has a speaking agency and the gigs those places book can actually come with real money, certainly better than chapbook money.

https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/booking-request/Richard-Hell/434268

rent stabilization is often as good as buying a place. I know a family with a soho loft on broome street where the elevator opens up into their living room, they pay 700 dollars a month.

Right. And feel like even if he has his own place he may be partaking of the spirit if not the letter of the practice Matt #2 mentioned.

MAY 2023: EXCLUSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT--There will be a reading/book launch by Richard in early July... Hell will be joined by Emily Simon for readings from their new Winter Editions titles at White Columns gallery in New York's Meatpacking District (right by the Whitney Museum) on Thursday, July 6. The books will be available for sale and the authors will sign them for those who so wish. The doors open at 6:30 PM and the reading starts at 7:00. It's free.

an enterprising new yorker can just go and ask him.