Seth Morgan, "Homeboy", and death

[Duckfeet]

For some reason, whenever we get to talking much about Burroughs, this guy always comes to mind: he was like, *my* generation, and was engaged to the singer Janis Joplin, and was kind of a San Francisco presence, back when that city was rocking the country...

And he came from wealthy family, had trust fund, all that, and was by most accounts handsome, and had it all, etc...but dope and being a total fuck-up put him in same prison system I was in, tho I never bumped into him, but he obviously had "been there..."

And he writes this *book* "Homeboy," about the seamy side of SF's strip clubs and junkies and shit, and it gets published, and everybody thinks he is, like, the next William Burroughs, etc., and somewhere in this time he gets on t.v., and I don't remember anything he said, except for "For me, to drink is to die!" and it sounded like one of the corny sayings I was hearing in those days, since I was sort of dragging myself to AA meetings...and I figured he must've picked up the lingo in some meeting or another...

Anyway, a few months later, he got drunk, and like he predicted, died, killing his girl in the process, and so, like Burroughs he managed to spread a little of his deathwish around, and in the end, I guess, both will be judged by what they wrote, unlike people like me, who judged them by what they were, and in those days, the more self-destructive and murderous a writer, the more I liked them...now? Fuck, who knows...

Anyway, particularly if you like San Francisco, strip clubs, and--to me--writers in the vein of Nelson Algren, who would shove poetic devices into his prose....here's the Wiki addy, if you want to read about his short and furious run...the esquire article, at the bottom of this one, is probably even better, tho both are a good read for people like us, who like "crash and burn" poets...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Morgan

[runormal]

I don't think I have heard of him until now but San Francisco being my neck of the woods it looks like something cool and interesting to check out. I am surprised I hadn't heard of him before. SF has some interesting history with its strip clubs - the Mitchell brothers come to mind for starters.

[fassbinder]

I'm not familiar with this guy either, but I plan to be. Thanks DF for the repot. We need more posts about junky authors.

[Duckfeet]

Yep: I remember reading the book about them...and it was a fascinating book about the whole strip club thing, porno movie thing they were running, and Hunter Thompson was hanging out, and I'd forgotten that one...and I agree: SF is a fascinating city, history, everything...and probably, all things being considered, the most beautiful large city in the United States...and the most tolerant, and probably--if it ever happens--will be first place to try heroin-maintenance...


I don't think I have heard of him until now but San Francisco being my neck of the woods it looks like something cool and interesting to check out. I am surprised I hadn't heard of him before. SF has some interesting history with its strip clubs - the Mitchell brothers come to mind for starters.

[Opiyum]

For some reason, whenever we get to talking much about Burroughs, this guy always comes to mind: he was like, *my* generation, and was engaged to the singer Janis Joplin, and was kind of a San Francisco presence, back when that city was rocking the country...

And he came from wealthy family, had trust fund, all that, and was by most accounts handsome, and had it all, etc...but dope and being a total fuck-up put him in same prison system I was in, tho I never bumped into him, but he obviously had "been there..."

And he writes this *book* "Homeboy," about the seamy side of SF's strip clubs and junkies and shit, and it gets published, and everybody thinks he is, like, the next William Burroughs, etc., and somewhere in this time he gets on t.v., and I don't remember anything he said, except for "For me, to drink is to die!" and it sounded like one of the corny sayings I was hearing in those days, since I was sort of dragging myself to AA meetings...and I figured he must've picked up the lingo in some meeting or another...

Anyway, a few months later, he got drunk, and like he predicted, died, killing his girl in the process, and so, like Burroughs he managed to spread a little of his deathwish around, and in the end, I guess, both will be judged by what they wrote, unlike people like me, who judged them by what they were, and in those days, the more self-destructive and murderous a writer, the more I liked them...now? Fuck, who knows...

Anyway, particularly if you like San Francisco, strip clubs, and--to me--writers in the vein of Nelson Algren, who would shove poetic devices into his prose....here's the Wiki addy, if you want to read about his short and furious run...the esquire article, at the bottom of this one, is probably even better, tho both are a good read for people like us, who like "crash and burn" poets...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Morgan

I somewhat enjoyed burrroughs "junky" but other than I think his writing is shit and though I never knew the man personally from my end he has always sounded just like this morgan fella. Came from money. Traveled the world on their dime. Did exotic drugs. Got strung out. Wrote about it and lived off his earnings. I don't see anything special about any of that.
This is all very prejudice of me of course and for all I know he was a great guy but I just don't care for the legendary label people apply to his life. It's all BS. Had his books had more of an impact on me I guess I wouldn't be saying any of this though.

[nick]

Seth reminds me of Gram Parsons,not uncle Bill.The only person that reminds me of uncle Bill is John Dee.

[mrnatural]

[QUOTE=nick;382207]Seth reminds me of Gram Parsons


Yeah,GP-great vision and dreams but it was all too much. I guess trust kids have their own burden to bear, though that's just a guess. Another Georgia boy taken out too soon.

[Raz]

i Fink i read dis one.....If dis guy winds up in da infirminary coz of a "fecal boulder" tearing his ass up and eventually dies in a motorcycle crash, den i read it.....

[Duckfeet]

^^^I don't know, Raz: the book itself was fiction, u know, just some convoluted tale about strip bars and strippers and drugs and as much craziness as he could shove in there....I think it ends w/him back in prison staring at some other old convicts dick, who just happens to be his father, blah blah blah....but after book sold and the *author* got a little fame, he quit drugs and shit, and moved to New Orleans, and then started doing drugs and drinking, and killed himself and his girlfriend in motorcycle wreck: he was actually pretty much an asshole, and would never have gotten published except he was like "connected" through very wealthy family who had publishing house themselves...

I just kind of envied him, I guess, getting all that glory, beautiful girls, lotsa money, and everybody telling him how wonderful he is all his life, and then boom boom crash crash, and it's over...

[mrnatural]

I just kind of envied him, I guess, getting all that glory, beautiful girls, lotsa money, and everybody telling him how wonderful he is all his life, and then boom boom crash crash, and it's over...

Sorry man, and don't mean to hijack, but reminds me of another homeboy, Duane Allman and the sliding cycle, with that good H and C from the Domino boys in Fla. Cept for the lifelong accolades, the other attributes seem to fit. But he was a nice guy from the first days I met him, a year before the first AB disc. He really was thankful for someone digging his music. Least he left his girl at the house. RIP

[nick]

^^^I don't know, Raz: the book itself was fiction, u know, just some convoluted tale about strip bars and strippers and drugs and as much craziness as he could shove in there....I think it ends w/him back in prison staring at some other old convicts dick, who just happens to be his father, blah blah blah....but after book sold and the *author* got a little fame, he quit drugs and shit, and moved to New Orleans, and then started doing drugs and drinking, and killed himself and his girlfriend in motorcycle wreck: he was actually pretty much an asshole, and would never have gotten published except he was like "connected" through very wealthy family who had publishing house themselves...

I just kind of envied him, I guess, getting all that glory, beautiful girls, lotsa money, and everybody telling him how wonderful he is all his life, and then boom boom crash crash, and it's over...

Hell,I don't envy Morgan at all.He died young in a totally pointless accident.He's one of those guys that make you think "Jesus,what a waste."

[Duckfeet]

Yep: you're right: the last of the true: old time southern rock and roll slide guitar hero...dead too early...


Sorry man, and don't mean to hijack, but reminds me of another homeboy, Duane Allman and the sliding cycle, with that good H and C from the Domino boys in Fla. Cept for the lifelong accolades, the other attributes seem to fit. But he was a nice guy from the first days I met him, a year before the first AB disc. He really was thankful for someone digging his music. Least he left his girl at the house. RIP