vilified by conservatives and banned by the U.S. government

Run time: 00:29 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MoEC6AP3WQ   Posted on YouTube: February 15, 2011 By YouTube Member: PBS Views on YouTube: 48   Posted on DU: February 22, 2011 By DU Member: Charleston Chew Views on DU: 431

 
Tonight on Independent Lens: William S. Burroughs: A Man Within

An iconoclast who himself became an icon, William Burroughs explored the outer boundaries of culture and identity in the 1950s. His work was vilified by conservatives and banned by the U.S. government, but emerged to influence artists for generations to come. Burroughs's friends and colleagues remember the public persona and the private man.

Featuring never-before-seen archival footage of Burroughs, as well as exclusive interviews with colleagues and confidants including John Waters, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Gus Van Sant, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Sonic Youth, Laurie Anderson, Amiri Baraka, Jello Biafra, and David Cronenberg, William S. Burroughs: A Man Within is a probing, yet loving look at the man whose works at once savaged conservative ideals, spawned countercultural movements, and reconfigured 20th century culture. The film is narrated by Peter Weller, with a soundtrack by Patti Smith and Sonic Youth.

William S. Burroughs: A Man Within airs tonight, February 22 at 10 PM (check local listings).

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/william-s-burroughs/
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He was a regular customer at the Dillon's on Massachusetts Street. My wife worked there from 1976 to 1985 with a couple years off to teach.

She said Burroughs was always polite and articulate. He wrote checks but my wife can't remember if she asked for I.D. But she remembered his name from the check.

I was in a Daytona book store named Mandala. Casually looking through some books, one of the employees handed me a Burroughs book.

It was so out of the nowhere.

Music video by William S. Burroughs performing A Thanksgiving Prayer.
(C) 1990 The Island Def Jam Music Group

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