It’s linkage week here at First Draft. Yesterday, I posted an album cover by a band whose name was taken from a novel by William S. Burroughs, The Soft Machine. Today, we have three-count ’em three-pulpilicous covers of Burroughs books concluding with The Soft Machine.
Junkie was published under a rather dull pseudonym, William Lee. It was an extremely daring book for 1953. Its publication was not a howling success despite Allen Ginsberg’s role in publishing and publicizing the book.
Naked Lunch was published in 1959. It was Burroughs’ breakthrough book. The beats were bopping by that time. Naked Lunch famously inspired the name of one of my favorite bands, Steely Dan. It was the name of a dildo.
The Soft Machine was published in 1961 and has a classier cover than his earlier books.
It’s time to jump into my soft machine and eat junkie food for my naked lunch. I should apologize for that groaner but when did I ever issue a pun-pology?
Not long ago my thirteen year old grand-daughter was all excited to play for me this “beat” song she’d fallen in love with… Simon and Garfurfunkle’s The Boxer.
Beat is one of those things where if you don’t know what it is you’re not gonna’ know what’s being talked about. We hippy dippy types get way more attention than we deserve(d). I have no idea how she connected the two (I don’t) but immediately introduced her Emmy Lou Harris’ rendition, and an unplugged John Kay Monster.