William Burroughs and Jimmy Page hanging out, circa 1975. Photo by Charles Gatewood
Burroughs 23 is a powerful photographic record of writer, artist and cultural iconclast William Burroughs, taken in the early seventies. It’s a limited edition book by famous sixties paparazzo, Charles Gatewood: 23 editions at $3,000 – $5,000 each. I’ve found a link to the whole book online, and it’s really a wonderful thing. Highlights – which really only people like me could possibly enjoy – include:
- Burroughs testing early bio-feedback devices: L Ron Hubbard’s E-Meter, and Ian Summerville’s Dream Machine
- Burroughs hanging out with Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page (photo above, via Russ Kick)
- Burroughs in a London cafe with cut-up pioneer Brion Gysin (and a 60′s Sikh dude worthy of our Turbanology exhibition)
Burrough’s attitude to life and literature changed my life both early and forever, when I found a copy of ‘Naked Lunch’ in my Dad’s ‘quarantined’ bookshelf and became a pre-teen existentialist.
