Gonzo Journalism

The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved…Album!

/ Rory / 7 Comments

Hey folks,

Just received a heads up on this very exciting project. Many thanks to Rupe for spotting this and getting in touch!

So why I am so excited? How does a spoken word album of The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved, starring Tim Robbins as Hunter S. Thompson and Ralph Steadman as … well, Ralph Steadman, sound to your Gonzo ears? Believe it or not the project is almost finished and should be coming to light by either the end of the year or early 2010 on Paris Records. Michael Minzer, founder of Paris Records, recently discussed the project with the Evergreenreview, and by the sounds of it we are in for a real treat.

According to Minzer, Robbins’ take on Hunter is the best he has ever heard. He is also thinking of releasing the record on vinyl only, at least for its initial release. Whatever form the release does take it will include previously unpublished photos taken by Steadman at the Derby in 1970!

I want this now!

Check out the entire interview with Michael Minzer here, you have to scroll down half way to read about the project and see a photo of Ralph and Tim recording their parts.

Ron

From Owl Farm to The Chateau Marmont

/ Rory / 3 Comments

Just a quick update because I am blind as a bat here at the moment. Anita has a lengthy update over at OwlFarmBlog which I am sure you will all find very interesting. It is good to hear that The Red Shark is still prowling the twisted roads of Woody Creek.

Also Wayne Ewing recalls the time he spent with Hunter & Benicio Del Toro at the Chateau Marmont over at his new vlog. Sounds like an interesting trip, I’m sure the staff there will never forget Mr. Green.

Ok for now and slowly on the mend,

Ron Mexico

A law unto himself: Robert Chalmers meets Aspen’s gonzo lawman Bob Braudis

/ Rory / 1 Comment

Hey everybody, check out this great interview with Sheriff Bob Braudis.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/a-law-unto-himself-robert-chalmers-meets-aspens-gonzo-lawman-bob-braudis-1785253.html

Sorry for the short post, my eye is still giving me trouble. I have been told that I require a cornea transplant. I don’t want to strain my eye so I will be keeping computer work to a minimum. I will still post updates of course, but they will be brief until I have the operation.

Take it easy,

Ron

Wayne Ewing weighs in on life with Hunter

/ Rory / 3 Comments

Hey folks,

First off thanks for the all the good will directed my way regarding this damned eye of mine. It is on the mend slowly but surely. Secondly I just received a very interesting email from Wayne Ewing regarding a new section on his website, here are the details:

“I will be writing weekly stories about life with Hunter and the making of the films along with exclusive clips from the archives. Not unlike my old Sundays with Hunter, when for years I helped him write columns for the San Francisco Examiner and ESPN.com, except a bit less frustrating for me.

But I still miss him like many of you, especially since I’m editing a scene right now I shot with him writing one of his last columns in 2004. There are three new pieces up already one about taking Hunter to DC for George McGovern’s birthday, another about the original “Breakfast with Hunter” project and also the real story of what happened that fateful day when Hunter shot Deborah.”

Check out the stories and video clips at http://hunterthompsonfilms.com/vodcast/

I had a good look through the stuf earlier and I know you will like it! If you haven’t already seen Wayne’s documentaries about Hunter make sure to check them out, they are brilliant!

Cheers,

Ron

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Withnail and I – Cake and Fine Wine!

/ Rory / 4 Comments

For those of you unfamiliar with Bruce Robinson (shame on you) and wondering how on earth he ended up directing The Rum Diary then these three clips should ease your fears. Withnail and I is a masterpiece and if you haven’t seen it then DO SO NOW!!!

Gonzo Writing Contest

/ Rory / 4 Comments

Anita just posted an interesting update over at owlfarmblog. Here is what caught my eye:

            

“You may have heard that the Gonzo Foundation will be indeed holding a writing contest starting in the Fall, which will end with the winner’s writing published in the Magazine, and a book Contract with People’s Press.”

 

Ok sounds cool, but can someone fill me in a little more here??????

Cheers,

Ron

 

 

Hell’s Angels NOT heading for theatrical release! (UPDATED!)

/ Rory / 2 Comments

 

Ready, set, go…ah well not exactly. Just to clarify some incorrect reports that are circulating the web, Hell’s Angels by Hunter S. Thompson is NOT currently being adapted for the big screen by Tony Scott and Stephan Gaghan. They are in fact working on a project about Sonny Barger based on his autobiography called Hell’s Angel. Apparently earlier reports on various websites confused the two books and thought that it was Hunter’s book that they were working from. Sorry but that is not the case, which is a pity as it deserves the big screen treatment.

I knew it sounded too good to be true. In my opinion they went with the wrong book.

Ron Mexico

UPDATE: It appears that there is more to this than meets the eye, reports now indicate that the movie might draw from Hunter’s book after all. Head on over to HSTbooks for more info.

Preview: Ancient Gonzo Wisdom: Interviews with Hunter S. Thompson

/ Rory / 5 Comments
Ancient Gonzo Wisdom

Ancient Gonzo Wisdom

Here is some nice reading material for the Gonzo Tribe this summer – Ancient Gonzo Wisdom: Interviews with Hunter S. Thompson – due to hit the shelves on July 6th. Anita Thompson has spent quite a while now gathering together this volume of interviews and first indications are that the wait has been worth it. Kicking things off is an introduction by none other than Christopher Hitchens and I have to say I am intrigued as to what he has to say regarding the Good Doctor and all things Gonzo. A quick scan of the table of contents offers up some nice surprises – not only are the interviews from print sources but there are also transcribed interviews from various radio and T.V. outlets to boot! This is a really nice touch as many of these interviews are long since forgotten and impossible to find (believe me I have tried!) It also sets this volume apart from the other collection of interviews by Kevin Simonson and Beef Torrey. Yes there are some interviews common to both collections but by and large the material in this book is to be found nowhere else (except maybe for one or two in our interview section here at Totally Gonzo – shhh tell nobody)

Ok so here is a list of some of the interviews that I have yet to find anywhere else:

ABC News – February 20, 1967

Sunday (CBC) – 1967

WBZ 1030AM (Boston) – August 8, 1972

Loose Licks (Australia) – Spring 1976

90 Minutes Live (CBC) – April 12, 1977

Commonwealth Times (Richmond, Virginia) – November 28, 1978

Washington Journalism Review – Nov/Dec 1979

This is just a small sample of what is on offer in this collection which covers Hunter’s  entire career right up until 2005. It even includes a transcript of his hilarious Conan O’Brien interview. Looking forward to picking this up now, it will keep me busy until The Mutineer comes out in October. Yes…you read that correctly… 🙂

 

Ok gotta run, next post coming sooner than you think (I promise)

 

Ron Mexico

PS: I have been glued to the protests in Iran lately, it is interesting to see young Iranian students clad in Calvin Klein asking Barack Obama and America to help them in the name of Democracy. That must sicken the clowns over at Fox News who would have you believe that all Iranians are Anti-American Evil-Doers.  As Hunter once said – “There is some shit we won’t eat!” – and that spans fear mongering morons in the media to vote rigging swine in Iran.