"A Season In Hell" Feature Lostinpoetics.com

A Season in Hell/The Drunken Boat

By Arthur Rimbaud, Louise Varèse

Although he stopped writing at the age of 19, Arthur Rimbaud (1854-91) possessed the most revolutionary talent of the century. His poetry & prose have increasingly influenced major writers. To his masterpiece A Season in Hell is here added Rimbaud's longest & possibly greatest single poem The Drunken Boat, with the original French en face Illuminations, Rimbaud's major works are available as bilingual New Directions Paperbooks. The reputation of A Season in Hell, which is a poetic record of a man's examination of his own depths, has steadily increased over the years. Upon the 1st publication of Varese's translation by New Directions, the Saturday Review wrote: "One may at last suggest that the translation of A Season in Hell has reached a conclusive point..." Concerning the 25-stanza The Drunken Boat, Dr Enid Starkie of Oxford University has written: "(It's) an anthology of separate lines of astonishing evocative magic which linger in the mind like isolated jewels." Rimbaud's life was so extraordinary that it has taken on the quality of a myth. A biographical chronology is included.  This book is so amazing considering the fact that Arthur Rimbaud stopped writing at 19.  The age that most of us are just beginning the journey of finding ourselves, he already knew who he was and had completed his life's work.

Tracii Guns Interview for lostinpoetics.com

Tracii Guns has been a pioneer and a fixture in rock music and the Sunset Strip scene since the early 1980's, and he hasn't slowed down since.   He has played with rock royalty from L.A to Vegas and all over the world.  A man famous for being a founding father of the great merger that became "Guns n Roses", then founded his own band "L.A Guns", and has been an all-star for hire over the last several years.   At this point in his career he has mostly hung up the "L.A. Guns" moniker, enabling him to work on scoring movies and spending time with his family.  These days he is looking good, feeling good and hard at work on a new project.  Tracii is, and always will be a rock guitar legend, and one of the most mesmerizing onstage performers period. Every time he picks up a guitar a spotlight seems to find him.  He is still writing, recording, and now with a Rock n Roll residency in Vegas called, "Raiding the Rock Vault", at the Las Vegas Hotel,  Tracii Guns is taking the city of sin by storm.  The show is a talent packed and is gearing up for a yearlong stint at the world famous LVH Hotel if it sounds familiar it's because that's where Elvis had his famous residency in Vegas.  The shows kicked off March 9th, so if you’re going to Las Vegas be sure and drop in to check it out.  We had Tracii in for a sit down he talked Sunset Strip, the "Guns" saga, and what's going on now and what's to come.

JF::  Everyone has heard the "Guns n Roses", “LA Guns” legend.  You guys were just getting ready to explode on the "Strip" scene in the 1980's. I know you were all friends and had played together in one form or another by then, but did you have any idea of what you helped create at that time with the creation of both LA Guns and Guns n Roses?



TG::  Well, I certainly knew that we weren't trying to fit into what was trendy at the time. We just wanted to be heavy and bluesy and dirty all at the same time, actually we just wanted to be ourselves and that’s what we were. Writing music that came from our souls!



JF:: You really rose to stardom in the 1980's playing with "L.A Guns". Those days are behind you now but whenever you take the stage it can't be long before someone is yelling out for, "Sex Action" or "The Ballad of Jayne"?



 TG:: That’s true



 JF:: "Jayne" was a huge mainstream crossover for you guys did it ever become a hindrance to you as a musician? What I mean by that is, it was a great song but did you have that feeling as a band that we're more than this one song.



 TG:: I love the song and I really wish someone else had recorded it. It was so out of character for the band at that time.



JF:: Did you guys just accept what it was and try to use its success as a platform to start introducing newer material to fans?



TG::  I was the only one that vetoed it I got out voted, we went from having a fan base that knew every song and in 1 years time people were coming to hear that 1 song and I always felt like they were tolerating the other stuff that was actually LA GUNS real honest dirty rock.



JF::  You have played with a who's who of Rock Gods over the years.  From Nikki Sixx to Michael Schenker, to Axl, who have you played with that still blows your mind today, and gives you that whole, "I can't believe that just happened" feeling?



 TG::  Jerry Only and Lemmy





JF:: "The Brides of Destruction" album I thought was really well put together, had great songs, and was like an all-star band.  Was its short tenure just a casualty of its lineup being too much of a good thing or was it just a case of wrong time, wrong place?



TG::  That was my favorite experience! Period!



JF::  What's going on with your current band, "Tracii Guns League of Gentlemen"?



TG:: The album comes out June 18. It’s another departure musically from what my casual fan expects. It’s my most musically honest, " What I Love To Listen To Music" album.



 JF::  "The League" is a great band, but very different from what some fans may expect.  I love the fact when I saw you guys,  it was such a loose vibe at the show.  People who grew up in the L.A scene may not believe that you're producing music that has that great English feel of the late 1960's and 70's.  How did you come up that idea?



TG::   It’s the style of music that is a constant in my musical development since I was a very young child. Texture, Dynamics, Mystery. It was never an idea per se but, a natural occurrence without deadlines or commercial goals. I just wanted to write, record and engineer music that I can listen to and be proud of. Using much older methods of recording, and using older equipment so it doesn't sound like everything else that’s out there today. Writing and listening to metal in 2013 reminds me of Taco Bell, Always tastes good but, it’s all the same ingredients now in a different shape tortilla.



JF:: Now you have taken a residency gig  as of March at the Las Vegas Hotel performing in, "Raiding the Rock Vault".  How is that, having a regular gig for a guy who has toured non-stop since like 1983?



TG:: It is very satisfying and has taught me discipline in learning other people’s music. It’s nice taking a break from touring and that is for sure!



JF:: What is in your rig these days now that you are playing so many styles of music in your shows?  Is it different from project to project, or do you kind of go with the date you brought to the dance?



TG::  I use 2 Marshall 50watt plexi reissues and a podhd 500 floor model for my effects. Its bullet proof!



JF:: So Tracii Guns (Rock Star) is a total family guy now.  What's it like at this point in your life and career to have a little one running around?



TG:: I only get to see him three days a week now when I have my days off I go home and hang out with him. He is the love of my life.



JF:: Is this new residency project perfect for your young family dynamic?



TG:: It has actually made me home less often than I would like to be, but it’s fine. I like that I have devices where I can video chat with my son everyday, it makes everything work very well.



JF::  So what's up next for Tracii Guns?  You have “Raiding the Rock Vault”, now are there any plans for a national tour and bring this to the masses?



TG::  I don't have even one date scheduled as far as touring and I am not really looking to do that unless I could hook up on someone else's large tour that makes sense.



JF::  I always like to end the interview and ask, what is your guilty pleasure in music?  What really makes you smile when you're listening to it and nobody is around?



TG::  Enya and Elton John……. I like having my heart ripped out of my chest by those two voices, unbelievable talents

Tracii Guns is a true pioneer of the Sunset Strip movement in L.A of the 1980's.  He isn't a casualty or a forgotten flame that burnt to bright.  He's an extremely talented musician and if you seem him play live a total ROCKSTAR.  His influence and body of work is what others dream about on their way to L.A.  He has embraced his legacy, embarked on fatherhood and keeps music alive.  Whether it's his creations or celebrating what brought him to music he isn't slowing down.  If you haven't taken the time before to enjoy and listen to his creations you have been missing out.  Don't miss out on anymore.  The Tracii Guns League of Gentlemen album "The First Record" on Shrapnel Records out June 18th is a great rock album with heavy guitars and amazing harmonies don't miss it.  The video for the first single, The Sound is below check it out along with a Tracii Guns blast from the past.

Find Tracii Guns online below

http://www.raidingtherockvault.com/

https://twitter.com/traciiguns

 

 

 

 




 The interview with Tracii Guns provided by Jon Faia.  Lead writer for LOSTINPOETICS.COM. 



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Fullerton Public Library panel and book signing

The Fullerton Public Library event on May 19, 2013 was a great success.  For the most part it was a great exchange of ideas.  Met some great fans at the book signing portion and hopefully found some new ones.  Wylde Serenity is my first book and I hope to have the opportunity to do more.  I hope that at the panel discussion my love for books, and writing came across as genuine and real unlike some of the other authors who answered questions as if the were coached by a PR rep.  The Fullerton Public Library in Southern California provides a great service to the community even in this budget slashing world.  With the advances in technology so fast and furious (pardon the movie pun) I only hope that the libraries won't be a casualty of political mishandling of funds.  The library played an important part in my youth, and the idea of borrowing a book that may have been used to influence thousands of other borrowers is an amazing idea.  The feeling of reading or owning an actual physical book is an empowering thing as opposed to reading something off of a phone or tablet screen (to me at least).  I just don't want the modern youth to miss the chance to share ideas with the world rather than have the great literary moments in life relegated to a screen. So revisit your public library get a library card and find that feeling or sharing ideas.  Don't isolate your thoughts to a screen share them with others.  Thanks again to the Fullerton Public Library and if you have the chance introduce your children to your library and let them share in the knowledge of books.

Book Review of "Infinite Disposable", by Sara Habein photos by Tyson Habein

This latest book review is of, "Infinite Disposable" by Sara Habein with photos by Tyson Habein. 
This is a great combination of flash fiction and black and white photography. The passages written are smart and creative and the pictures are wonderful and really tell a story.  This would make a great coffee table book if it was expanded with more passages and blown up.  I love the fact that each cover is individually designed and hand painted.  This is a really great, quick read that has a great do-it yourself feel.  I totally recommend it and the fact that it is a limited run you should get yours today. http://nouveaunostalgia.wordpress.com/

To purchase Infinite Disposable click on the link

Local Author Day at the Fullerton Public Library 5/19/13

The Fullerton Public Library has asked me to participate in an event honoring local authors.   It's truly an honor being recognized by my hometown I love so much.  It takes place at the library in it's community room May 19, 2013.  Parking is free as is admission.  There will be an opportunity to sign books as well as purchase the paperbacks on site after the discussion ...Please come down and support the Fullerton Public Library ..  BELOW IS THE LINK FOR THE EVENT

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwG9yNC0yuB6alZKcmk5a0I0X2M/edit?usp=sharing

353 W. Commonwealth Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92832

Phone: (714) 738-6334
Fax: (714) 447-3280
Mon-Thur 10:00 – 9:00
Friday & Saturday 10:00 – 5:00
Sunday 1:00 – 5:00