Burroughs & Friends: Lost Interviews

“Burroughs & Friends” features previously unpublished interviews with William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, John Giorno, Diane di Prima and Gerald V. Casale.

Table of contents: 

1. Introduction by V. Vale
2. William S. Burroughs: “Make America Great Again!”
3. William S. Burroughs: The Final Interview
4. Diane di Prima: The Healing Machine
5. Gerald V. Casale: “Too Many People!”
6. Brion Gysin: The Disaster Tapes
7. John Giorno: Doing the Third Mind

248 pages.

In two previously unpublished interviews, William S. Burroughs discusses…

Eating the giant centipede
Why everyone’s memories are declining
What prevented him from becoming a spy
His reading habits and some book recommendations

Diane di Prima talks about Burroughs’s magical conjurations at Naropa University.

Gerald V. Casale (of DEVO!) recounts his conversation with Burroughs, and his dark vision of the future of the planet.

In a long, scandalous interview, Brion Gysin begins by talking about how a dog led him to the beautiful Ussat-les-Bains in the Pyrenees. He then gossips about the Surrealists, and never quite tells the story of how he almost found the Holy Grail.

To close the book, poet John Giorno shares his memories of Burroughs and Gysin as they worked together on The Third Mind, as well as Gysin’s then-recent death.

Reviews:

“What a treat! “Lost” William S. Burroughs interviews by V. Vale, mastermind of the essential counter-cultural series Re/Search. Two “new” Burroughs interviews, plus interviews with Burroughs associates Diane Di Prima, Gerald Casale (of Devo) Brion Gysin and John Giorno. Rounded out by some cool unpublished photos and the great design/layout we expect from Re/Search. Not quite as earth-shattering at the original Re/Search 4/5 (but then again, what could be?), but still essential for any Burroughs (and/or Gysin) fan.”

“VALE delivers again. A great read! Want to hear WS Burroughs talk about guns, cats, HP Lovecraft, Doc Savage, giant centipedes, time and language? Get this book. RE/search pubs constantly puts out books to expand and challenge your mind. VALE has the insight because he was THERE. He knew Burroughs, Gysin, Giorno and the rest. You will find something you never knew and insight on every page. Well worth your time to expand your mind. Buy all the RE/search books you can find.”

“Burroughs and Friends by V. Vale is spellbinding read. Interested in four of the most significant “influencers” of the 20th century? Here are V Vale’s first hand conversations with Burroughs, Gysin, di Palma and Casale. This is a spellbinding read.”

“Great collection of interviews. I am an avid Burroughs reader and was very pleased with this book. It’s a great read full of nice bits from Burroughs as well as great stuff from Gysin and Giorno.”

“Another important W.S. Burroughs contribution from RE/Search. A wonderful publisher.”

“V. Vale does it again! Wonderful, insightful conversation, essential for both William S. Burroughs followers & (RE)SEARCH collectors.”

“Excellent book – highly appropriate – especially in our current political, etc. climate.”

“A great collection of interviews from some legendary people. RE/Search still knows how to PUBLISH!!!”

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Vale’s interview with W. S. Burroughs. The questions posed about ‘The Place Of Dead Roads’ elicited some extraordinary replies from Mr. Burroughs. I appreciate all the work that has gone into the retrieval and publication of this Five-Star-Material. I’ve been immersed in study of the W. S. Burroughs material and not had time to fully read the other interviews, but I’ll get around to those.” —Gary Lee-Nova

“Vale is a very good interviewer: Vale’s interviews are relaxed, conversational and free ranging yet stay on-point and are never boring. He has that rare ability to put the interviewee at ease and Vale himself is sharp, well-read, and aware enough to keep with his subjects. And what subjects! William Burroughs has a firm, unique and thought-out point of view that is well worth reading. You probably won’t agree with everything William Burroughs says but you’ll certainly think about it. And it will change your world perception just a little bit for the better.”

“A keeper — I especially took note of Burroughs’ mentions of his appreciation of H.P. Lovecraft, and Frank Belknap Long. All the interviews collected here have some intriguing stuff — another memorable element is Brion Gysin’s anecdotes about various surrealists (and others).”

“Absolutely fantastic collection of interviews by the inimitable RE/Search. Few grasp William Burroughs as a human being the way V Vale and RE/Search do — this wonderful little book features two interviews with Burroughs (including the last one V Vale ever conducted with the man, in 1997). Also includes fascinating chats with Diane di Prima, Brion Gysin, and John Giorno. Absolutely worth every penny!”