LUNAR BEAR ENSEMBLE

At the intersection of the 1980s Hippie-Punk Wars was the role of the — how to put it? — raconteur backed by improvisation, which was how Patti Smith bridged poets and punks in the early 1970s. Of course, Smith wasn't called a punk, as the term wasn't coined as such (yet); and calling what she did "hippie bullshit" was unkind, also inaccurate. Smith's readings, when backed by Lenny Kaye and Richard Sohl, expanded on the beatnik coffee shop recitation. Ten years later, poetry-with- (or without-) backing-music flourished in New Brunswick, aided by the presence of NB poet-in-residence Elliot Katz; and by David Roskos' Big Hammer magazine and his sponsored poetry readings at the Court Tavern and elsewhere. The scene had its hippies, but punks had their heroes in old William Burroughs, new Henry Rollins (whose spoken word Big Ugly Mouth was recorded at the Court), and others. And for indie credibility, Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo moved things forward with the words-plus-mayhem that was EVOL's "In The Kingdom 19". Around this time John "Lunar" Richey was doing readings in New Brunswick, eventually joining forces with percussionist Richard "Bear" Graham. Lunar Bear Ensemble's line-up varied over the years, but in 1988 included guitarist Doug "Sluggo" Vizthum (Pleased Youth, Bad Karma), Eddie Freeze (Crossfilre Choir), Tom DiEllo (Monster Magnet), and Martin Atkins, who featured two LBE tracks on his What You Can't See Won't Hurt You compilation. LBE's sound evolved as well (the band would record with producer and jazz musician Robert Musso), but for the 80s, they were brute force for the shouted word.

This flyer was for Atkins' record release party of What You Can't See Won't Hurt You.

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