AA Archives: Beat Poetry ‘happening’, AA Library 1965
Late last summer, the AA Archives were lucky enough to acquire a vinyl LP recording documenting a legendary event within AA history – a poetry happening held in the AA Library on 15th July, 1965.
Remarkably enough, the event featured the leading figures of the Beat generation, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gregory Corso and Andrei Voznesensky, fresh from their infamous ‘International Poetry Incarnation’ at the Royal Albert Hall 4 days earlier – an event often celebrated as hailing the birth of the London underground scene, where the Beat generation first met the UK hippy movement…
Whilst the ‘International Poetry Incarnation’ is acknowledged as a landmark event, not everyone was impressed with the quality of the performances. Ginsberg was deeply disgusted and considered it as having included “…too many goofs who didn’t trust their own poetry, too many superficial bards who read tinkle jazzy beatnick style poems, too many men of letters who read weak pompous or silly poems written in archaic meters, written years ago.” On top of this, Andre Voznesensky had been silenced, prevented from speaking by his minder who warned him that if he did he would never be permitted to leave Russia again…
The AA event was rather different. Much smaller in scale, in the intimate setting of the AA Library, “it was everything that the Albert Hall wasn’t: terrific, accessible poetry read by four world class poets to an enormously appreciative audience.” From the LP recording, it is clear that the participants were all relaxed and at ease, delivering powerful, confident performances. Ginsberg reciting three works, including his ‘Big Beat’, whilst Ferlinghetti, Corso and Voznesensky performed two poems apiece:
Little is known regarding the arrangements for the event, although AA student, Jasper Vaughan is thought to have been a key contact and organiser. The LP recording was made by John (Hoppy) Hopkins and Barry Miles, two of the main organisers of the International Poetry Incarnation, who formed the label ‘Love Books’, in order to publish the recording. They subsequently went on to publish a series of important underground titles, including the rather wonderful ‘The Global moon edition Long Hair Times North Atlantic Turn-On’.
Any further information on the event would be very gratefully received…
