Program for Roger Holden's "Rub Out the Word" Video Premiere (1988)

Lawrence, Kansas, US: Roger Holden and Student Union Activities, University of Kansas (program), 1988.
8.5" x 5.5", single photocopied sheet, folded once.

A program for the premiere of Rub Out the Word, a music video by Roger Holden and a tribute to William S. Burroughs. This video includes audio from William S. Burroughs. The premiere occurred in 1988, although no precise date is specifically noted on this program.

Works by artists such as S. Clay Wilson, Roger Simomura, and Susan Ashline appear in the video.

I asked Roger about the context around the making of this video, and he responded:

"Here is the story of how it came to be. I designed the digital technology that was used by PBS's Reading Rainbow to film their feature books for the first five seasons, 1983-87. I knew James G. [Grauerholz] since 1973. In 1986, James formally introduced me to William, and we eventually became friends. In 1988, I was starting my own animation studio called Magic Visions, and I wanted to make a demo reel for it. The idea then came to me to make the demo sort of in the style of an RR feature book using the recorded words of WSB, as a Lawrence community tribute to him. James allowed me to do this through a license agreement with WSB Communications. The video became a community project with many local artists (including Sue Ashline), residents, and Lawrence comrades participating. S.Clay Wilson contributed a painting of the Checkered Demon riding an aerial nuke. Unfortunately, that beginning sequence of the video was cut short by USA Network's Night Flight broadcast editing. Roger Shimomura was professor of painting at KU at the time and, of course, a world-class artist. I was thrilled that he participated."

This copy of the program was acquired from Jim McCrary, poet, Burroughs' office manager, and friend of Burroughs. 

Video Credits from the Program: 

• Producer: Roger Holden
• Associate Producer: Andy Wadsworth
• Screenplay: Mimi Thebo, Andy Wadsworth, Roger Holden
• Editor: Tim DePaepe
• Assistant Editor: Joe Robinson
• Live Action:
• Director of Live Action: Mark Syverson
• Director of Live Action Photography: Tim DePaepe
• Cinematography: Tim DePaepe, David Coyle
• Prop Supervisor and Designer: Mary Nailen
• Makeup: Timothy Rebman
• Lighting Director: Jose Colomer
• Assistant Director: Timothy Rebman
• Live Action Production Coordinator: Dean Syverson
• Production Assistants: Steve Roberts, Chris Budig
• Camera Assistants: Joe Robinson, Ben Riggin
• Music:
• Composer and Engineer: Richard Schneider
• Performed by: Schloss Tegal
• Guest Guitarist: Roger Holden
• Film Sync Sound Engineer: Dave Lutz
• Animation:
• Director of Animation: Roger Holden
• Motion Control and Computer Graphics: Roger Holden
• Clay Animation: Ben Riggin
• Graphic Layout and Preparation Assistant: Jeff Williams
• Art: S. Clay Wilson, Susan Ashline, Doug Bennett, Roger Shimomura, Mary Nailen, Marty Olson, Patrick Lafferty, Ben Riggin, Tracey Riggin
• Still Photography: Richard Gwin, Jeff Johnston, Andy Wadsworth
• Faculty Advisor: Dr. Charles Berg

External Links: 

• YouTube: "1988 William S. Burroughs rub out the word"