Yeah, heard about this last night. Really sad. Quite a few friends of mine knew him well.
Farren was a great example - possibly the greatest example - of a 60s radical that didn't bland out with age. He never wallowed in nostalgia for the 60s, yet counter-culture values continued to inform everything he did long after the counter-culture itself ceased to exist in any meaningful way. And he died with his boots on.
He also wrote this for the NME during the long, hot summer of 1976. It was inflammatory stuff at the time, and it's clear now (well, it was clear pretty soon afterwards too, to be fair) that he spotted what was coming down the pike a lot sooner than just about anyone else - certainly anyone on my side of the Atlantic.
He also wrote this for the NME during the long, hot summer of 1976.
Just read through that. Good read, particularly enjoyed this line
Currently about the only figure who seems to have the least interest in the social progress of rock and roll is the skinny, crypto Ubermensch figure of David Bowie.
An obit from his former NME/underground press brother-in-arms Charlie Murray.
Only weeks away from what would have been his 70th birthday, he died a true performer's death: on the stage of a crowded club on a Saturday night with applause still ringing in his ears. I almost went to that show. I'm glad I didn't, and was spared seeing a friend for more than forty years die before my eyes.
Powerful.
Beyond his music Farren was a very good and prolific writer of both fiction and non-fiction. This is a miserable loss.
Jean-ClaudeBanDamned
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Yeah, heard about this last night. Really sad. Quite a few friends of mine knew him well.
Farren was a great example - possibly the greatest example - of a 60s radical that didn't bland out with age. He never wallowed in nostalgia for the 60s, yet counter-culture values continued to inform everything he did long after the counter-culture itself ceased to exist in any meaningful way. And he died with his boots on.
He also wrote this for the NME during the long, hot summer of 1976. It was inflammatory stuff at the time, and it's clear now (well, it was clear pretty soon afterwards too, to be fair) that he spotted what was coming down the pike a lot sooner than just about anyone else - certainly anyone on my side of the Atlantic.
RIP.
Just read through that. Good read, particularly enjoyed this line
RIP.
I did a tribute yesterday on the radio yesterday..so hard to believe that "Ptoof!" is '67...dude was ahead if his time for sure.
R.I.P.
Powerful.
Beyond his music Farren was a very good and prolific writer of both fiction and non-fiction. This is a miserable loss.