Blank Generation

“Most of the time we are only a little alive, like a book in an obscure language. But because of those who can read us, who understand us and what we are signifying, we are brought to life, and we love them for realizing us.” -Richard Hell
I’ve been a fan of Richard Hell’s for a long time. His music has aged very well and I still listen to it often. Most of the original NY punks feel kind of vapid next to his lyrical content, as well as having died off as well due to drug overdose and whatnot… so I had more or less assumed he was long gone too. But the other week he was in town giving a reading for his new book at Powells, so I went. He looked pretty good. He was very witty and charming and around really rad. I picked up his new novel because of this line that he read above. I finished the book last night and the narrative is rough but has some real moments of clarity-these little things that you understand but never quite articulated. That’s an amazing thing sometimes.