Bockris - Beat Punks

Beat Punks

New Yorks Underground Culture from the Beat Generation to the Punk Explosion

Victor Bockris

About the Author

Born in England in 1949, Victor Bockris has spent most of his working life in the United States. He has written biographies of artists, writers, and musicians, including Warhol: The Biography, With William Burroughs: A Report from the Bunker, Uptight: The Velvet Underground Story, Transformer: The Complete Lou Reed Story, and Keith Richards: The Biography. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971, Bockris cofounded Telegraph Books, an independent publisher of emerging writers, with poets Aram Saroyan and Andrew Wylie. Bockris moved to New York City in 1973, where he went on to work with many icons of the citys art and literary community during the Beat Punk period of 19771983. Dubbed the poet laureate of the New York Underground, Bockris continues to publish books around the world. He is currently writing Scars: My Life in the New York Underground.

Image Gallery

Andy Warhol at Muhammad Alis training camp in Deerlake, Pa., Fighters Heaven, August 1977. Warhol was there to take polaroids from which he would make six commissioned paintings of The Camp. (Victor Bockris)

Ginsberg, Giorno, Burroughs look at first edition of With William Burroughs in Italian (VB)

Burroughs reads at Mudd Club. Orlovsky and Ginsberg listen intently. NYC, 1979. (Marcia Resnick)

Jean Michel Basquiat and Debbie Harry yuk it up, Christmas 1986. (VB)

William Burroughs, Laurie Anderson, and John Giorno at a Giorno album cover session, 1978. (Marcia Resnick)

Terry Southern admires Debbie Harry. NYC, 1978. (Marcia Resnick)

The Punks and the Godfather. Victor Bockris, Chris Stein, William Burroughs and Debbie Harry. (Bobby Grossman)

Dylan teaches Allen a few chords before they go to play over Kerouacs grave in the movie Renaldo and Clara. Lowell, Mass., 1975 (Elsa Dorfman)

Lou Reed smirks as he makes Burroughs sign his last copy of a rare hardback copy of The Last Words of Dutch Schultz. He had forced Bill to give him the book. Burroughs soon-to-be biographer, Ted Morrigan, sits to Burroughs left. He looks so uptight throughout the visit that Lou put him away with an exclamation of Ted! when he heard his name, making it sound like the most ridiculous name in the world. Morgan was so enraged by the visit that he was forever after claimed Burroughs thought Reed was a horses ass. In fact, William thought that Lou was sharp and funny. They were two hispers from the same carny world, a world Morgan could not find if you gave him a map. (VB)

Peter Orlovsky, Allens companion for four decades, cops some zzzzs during a Ginsberg-Burroughs political discussion at The Bunker. (VB)

Warhol on phone at The Bunker trying to find something to do after lagger walked out on us. NYC, 1980. (VB)

Chris Stein, Debbie Harry, Andy Warhol, and Jed Johnson, July 4, 1980 dinner in Harlem. (VB)

Victor Bockris and Patti Smith. NYC, 1971

The immortal William Burroughs limbering up on a massive medieval sword from the weapons collection of Chris Stein, chez Blondie, 1981. (VB)

James Grauerholz, Burroughs amanuensis, late seventies NYC. (Marcia Resnick)

Victor Bockris collapses during writing with Legs McNeil laughing hysterically, NYC 1979. (Jeff Goldberg)

Johnny Ramone and Phil Spector, LA recording session, 1978.

Liz Derringer, back of Warhols wig. Jerry Hall watch Mick clowning during the disastrous Captains Cocktail Party. NYC, 1980. (Marcia Resnick)

William Burroughs demonstrating how to draw and fire a handgun: three stills from Howard Brookners documentary, Burroughs. (VB) (top)

William Burroughs demonstrating how to draw and fire a handgun: three stills from Howard Brookners documentary, Burroughs. (VB) (bottom)

Victor Bockris and William Burroughs two days into the Nova Convention. Bockris shows strain. (Marcia Resnick)