"The Nova Convention" LPs (1979)

 

New York City: Giorno Poetry Systems (double LP), 1979.
12.25" x 12.25" x 0.25", gatefold double LP, 16 tracks, "GPS 014-015".

The Nova Convention, a double LP set of recordings from the event, as released by Giorno Poetry Systems (New York City) in 1979. Album photographs by James Hamilton [and possibly Marcia Resnick]. Designed by George Delmerico. Engineered by Bobby Bielecki at ZBS Media. This was also released on double cassette.

This includes audio from the three-day event between 30 November and 2 December, 1978 held at multiple venues, including:

• 30 November 1978:
• A Reception at La Maison Français, New York University)
• A signing at Books & Co. for The Third Mind by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin, including an opening of an exhibition of collaborative works
• A film showing ("Cinevirus") at Schimmel Auditorium, Tisch Hall, New York University, of work by Anthony Balch, Michael Oblowitz, Bruce Conners, Eric Mitchell, Kathryn Bigelow, Seth Tillett, Tina Lhotski, Michael McClard, Amos Poe, Marc Olmsted, Steven Lowe, and Kathy Acker [reading from Blood & Guts in High School]
• A performance opening for Le Plan K: The Penny Arcade Peep Show, at Westbeth Theater Center
• 1 December 1978:
• A panel discussion at Schimmel Auditorium, Tisch Hall, New York University between Maurice Girodias, John Calder, Richard Seaver, Serge Grunberg, Jürgen Ploog, and Gerard-Georges Lemaire 
• Performances at Entermedia Theater
• A "No Wave Rock Concert" at Irving Plaza, including Suicide and The Stimulators
• A party at The Mudd Club
• 2 December 1978:
• Conversations at Entermedia Theater, with William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Timothy Leary, Les Levine, and Robert Anton Wilson
• A film showing of Towers Open Fire and The Cut-Ups by Antony Balch at Entermedia Theater
• Performances at Entermedia Theater, including Terry Southern, Philip Glass, Brion Gysin, Jhn Giorno, Frank Zappa, William S. Burroughs, and Patti Smith
• A party at Kipling's Last Resort
• A "No Wave Rock Concert" at Irving Plaza, including the B-52s, Suicide, Walter Stedding, Robert Fripp, Chris Stein, and Debbie Harry

These LPs contain audio mostly from the performances and Entermedia conversations, including audio from Laurie Anderson, John Cage, Allen Ginsberg, John Giorno, Philip Glass, Brion Gysin, Julia Heyward, Timothy Leary, Les Levine, Peter Orlovsky, Ed Sanders, Patti Smith, Terry Southern, Anne Waldman, Robert Anton Wilson, Frank Zappa, and, of course, William S. Burroughs.

Burroughs' contributions here include:

• Keynote commentary

• “Roosevelt After Inauguration”

• “Benway”

• “This is Kim Carson”

• “Just Like the Collapse of Any Currency”

• “The Whole Tamale”

• “What The Nova Convention Is About”

• Group conversation

This copy was acquired as "new/old stock" directly from Giorno Poetry Systems (New York City).

I additionally have a rather well-abused listening copy in the archive.

Side 1 Tracks:

1. Terry Southern: "Vignette of Idealistic Life in South Texas" (1'25")
2. William S. Burroughs: "Keynote Commentary & Roosevelt After Inauguration" (5'52")
3. John Giorno: "Eating the Sky" (13'30")
4. Patti Smith: "Poem for Jim Morrison & Bumblebee" (11'45")

Side 2 Tracks:

1. William S. Burroughs: "Benway" (3'40")
2. Philip Glass: "Building" (3'04") [excerpt from Einstein on the Beach by Robert Wilson and Philip Glass]
3. Brion Gysin: "Kick That Habit", "Junk Is No Good Baby", "Somebody Special", and "Blue Baboon" (7'06")
4. Frank Zappa: "The Talking Asshole" (5'25")
5. William S. Burroughs: "This Is Kim Carson", "Just Like the Collapse of Any Currency", and "The Whole Tamale" (13'27") [noted as from The Gay Gun, a working title for The Place of Dead Roads]

Side 3 Tracks:

1. William S. Burroughs: "What The Nova Convention Is About" (2'35")
2. Ed Sanders: "Hymn to Aphrodite from Sappho" (8'50")
3. John Cage: "Writing for the Second Time through Finnegan's Wake" (14'15")
4. Anne Waldman: "Plutonium Ode" and "Skin Meat Bones" (6'35")

Side 4 Tracks:

1. Laurie Anderson: "Song from America on the Move" with Julia Heyward (12'50")
2. Allen Ginsberg: "Punk Rock, Old Pond" with Peter Orlovsky: "Feeding Them Raspberries to Grow" and "Nurses Song" (13'00")
3. William S. Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Timothy Leary, Les Levine, and Robert Anton Wilson: "Conversations" (7'10")