There’s no question that Allen Ginsberg is one of the greatest poets to ever write, and that fact is not unrecognized by multi-instrumentalist/producer Kramer, who is a legend in his own right with a lengthy roster of recorded works, touring credits with bands such as The Fugs and Butthole Surfers), and collaborations with the likes of Daniel Johnston and Galaxie 500 among others.
Kramer’s most recent work aims to shed light on master wordsmiths such as Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, Terry Southern, Sam Lipsyte, and many more, as it takes some of their most iconic pieces and sets them to music. The full-length LP of words and music — Words & Music, Book One — is out tomorrow via Shimmy-Disc/Joyful Noise Recordings, and today, PopWrapped are delighted to premiere its focus track, “At Apollinaire’s Grave” featuring the words of Allen Ginsberg sound-tracked with a soft, orchestral, and slightly eerie instrumental composed by Kramer.
Asked about the track and his relationship with Ginsberg, Kramer says: “’At Apollinaire’s Grave’ has always been one of my favorite poems by Allen Ginsberg. I’d seen/heard him read it at St Marks Church more than once in the 1980’s, including one time in particular, when Gregory Corso was heckling him from the crowd, but I had never heard this Library of Congress recording of him reading it until Michael Minzer sent it to me.When Allen and I were working together at Noise New York in 1987 on a song called ‘Dear M,’ I had told him that I’d wanted to compose music for his ode to Apollinaire, but we’d just never got around to it, as our respective schedules just never coincided.”
He goes on to add: “He was the hardest working poet on earth, always accessible to any young writer or poet, looking for guidance. And now he is gone. But his words will never die, and the gentle thunder of his voice rings eternal. Few poets wielded the kind of power Allen possessed. He was Zeus tossing words of lightning down from Olympus, like so many raindrops. I was lucky enough to have been caught up in a few of those storms, at least for a little while. This piece from my Words & Music, Book One LP has been in-the-making for almost 40 years. I hope it speaks to you, just as Allen always spoke to me…with Love.”
Check out the video for “At Apollinaire’s Grave” above and for more information on Kramer, give his page a like on Facebook.
