Thursday, April 10, 2008

Jagger Never Feels Shame



My mom sublet a British couple's house in south London while she is over there studying micro-finance. The couple are both film studies professors and were off in California teaching at some university for a semester. Stephen and Ann Barber are their names. Stephen especially has busted out some books; check out his amazon site. He's written books with subjects ranging from Hijikata, Vienna Action films, and Jean Genet. Ann has also written a book on Chris Marker of La Jetee fame.

In accordance with the credo that is attributed hip young film studies professors, they have a kick-ass film, book, and music collection. Mom doesn't like going through people's things where as I don't necessarily see perusing their media collection as "going through their things". I pulled down Marianne Faithful's autobiography and took it to Portugal to read. It was great! I going through a 1960's pop music phase and her book is really illuminating about the behind-scenes and the social dynamics between Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Anita Pallenberg, and crew. I keep referencing it in conversation even 2 weeks after reading it.

I kept a torn sheet of paper as a bookmark and also to write down names of people I should check out. This is the first name off the list: Richard Hamilton

Mick Jagger, Robert Fraser, Keith Richards, and various other friends (including Marianne and Micheal Cooper) were arrested in 1967 on drug charges--this is also where the urban legend of Mick eating a Mars Bar out of Marianne's vagina came from...and oh yeah, it's totally not true unlike the Clinton/Lewinsky debacle. Artist Richard Hamilton based a small series of paintings on photographs taken at the trial. The painting below, Swinging London, was based on a photo of Mick Jagger handcuffed to Robert Fraser, an art dealer. It's now in the Tate collection.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you think Ann Barber would be interested in contributing a guest essay to chrismarker.org? She could go to the about page and email from there, if so. Would be great. Have you read the book Robert Greenfield, Exile on Main St.: A Season in Hell with the Rolling Stones? I haven't yet, but have looked through it a bit. Some intriguing bits along the lines of your post.

Rachel said...

I don't know Ann at all, my mom does though. I could try to contact her and see. Have you tried emailing her? She teaches through some college in London and you could try to find her contact info there. I have heard of that book before but you have my interest. I'll definitely check it out.

@llull said...

Cool, thanks. Oh, and this book is also worthwhile (mostly about 1969 tour): The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones by Stanley Booth. Just in case you're not sick of the Stones yet... :>

Rachel said...

That rocks! No, bring on the books, I love it.