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Gang of Souls

The Beat Generation began in the 1950 s. Jack Kerouac coined the name which means either beatific or ÒI m beat. I ve had it. I m exhausted. Those who shared this Beat sensibility were exhausted with the status quo of middle-class America. Their response was to seek alternatives by exploring other cultures, religions, and philosophies. They experimented with hallucinogens as a means of gaining new experiences. Beat writers brought these forms and experiences to their works with a frankness and an honesty not seen before in the language. The influence of the first generation of Beats has grown continually, evolving and giving rise to successive generations. The tape is made up of interviews and readings with William S. Burroughs, Jim Carroll, Gregory Corson, Diane di Prima, Marianne Faithfull, Allen Ginsberg, John Giorno, Richard Hell, Lydia Lunch, Henry Rollins, Ed Sanders, and Anne Waldman.