Spy Rock Memories – Larry Livermore

Don Giovanni Records, P.O. Box 628, Kingston, NJ 08528, Usa, www.dongiovannirecords.com

I think it helps if you know who the autor was: he is a ex-greaser, post-hippie who played in the Lookouts, did Lookout magazine and co-founded Lookout Records. Apart from that he moved in the Emerald Triangle in the north of California in 1982 only to go back and forth between the urban life (in San Francisco/Berkeley) and the mountain wilderness. Back then, the area there was famous for pot growing (an probably still is, but now legally for medical use….). Larry jumps right in the reality of mountain life, with blizzards, draughts, floods, fires, bears.. you name it.

The house he got was pretty much off the grid. Livermore tells all these great storys and it is kinda „funny“ (of course it is not, there is some near death experience cases) to see this „disillusioned by the Bay Area punk scene“ urban guy struggling with the wild. And he struggels alot, but of course also learns quick. Be there when he starts publishing his newspaper and upsets alot of his neighbours. Witness the birth of his band the Lookouts (and its death). Learn how the label was founded and why. And how it all ended. The house on Iron Peek is sold, band, label and paper are no more and Larry lives now in Brooklyn.

If you search for alot of „dirt“ from his label years, you will not find that, also, he does not name very many names. Which is no problem, since it is his story. It is a great memoir by a interesting cool guy. I remember in 1988 we did plan to go up in the mountains in order to try out the best natural drugs available, unfortunally for reasons I have forgotten, it never happend. After reading this great book I wish only more it had happend, then I had a picture in my head to accompany the reading. But the book works also without. Inspiring and fun. 240 pages, paperback. 12,99 US$ (dolf)

Isbn 978-0-9891963-0-7

[Trust # 163 December 2013]