Allen Ginsberg lives

My work has yet, alas, to make it to the New York Times. But I’m glad to report one of my songs is currently mentioned in a New York Times blog, “Paper Cuts: A Blog About Books.” That’s a start. I got an e-mail yesterday from a writer named Bill Peschel who has a new book out with a title nearly worth the price of admission: “Writers Gone Wild: The Feuds, Frolics, and Follies of Literature’s Great Adventurers, Drunkards, Lovers, Iconoclasts, and Misanthropes.” In an e-mail, Peschel explained that he compiled a suggested mix tape to go along with the book, and a web search turned up my song, “I Never Slept With Allen Ginsberg,” from the “Saint Stephen’s Dream” CD I did some years back with Bob Webb (under the band name “garagecow ensemble).

“With the book being a collection of stories about the highs and lows in the lives of writers,” says Peschel, “it seemed appropriate to suggest a mix CD of songs inspired by writers. Here’s the roster I came up with.”

1. “Edgar Allan Poe” / Lou Reed

2. “Raymond Chandler Said” / Michael Anderson

3. “I Never Slept With Allen Ginsberg” / Garagecow Ensemble

4. “John Allyn Smith Sails” / Okkervil River

5. “Mercy Street” / Peter Gabriel

6. “Sylvia Plath” / Ryan Adams

7. “Bukowski” / Modest Mouse

8. “Lorca’s Novena” / The Pogues

9. “Hemingway’s Whiskey” / Kenny Chesney

10. “The Cult of Ray” / Frank Black

11. “Hey Jack Kerouac” / 10,000 Manaics

12. “I Got Laid on James Joyce’s Grave” / Black 47

I was, of course, delighted to be invited to such a fine party, as well as being introduced to one of the finest song titles ever: “I Got Laid on James Joyce’s Grave.” Now, that’s pop music. P.S. – The Times blog misspells Ginsberg’s name in my song title. Welcome to 21st century online editing.