Berkeley

Back from Berkeley. Reading went well. Read a section from Gentleman Reptile. Didn’t want to read the same thing at any of the readings. Felt sort of dishonest, too studied, to read the same thing more than once. I wanted to experiment how different things went over. Did I mention that the Cloverfield Press copy is fucking beautiful? It’s a nice looking book.

Met some very nice people in Berkeley but I wasn’t so taken with the town. Never been before. I was picturing something a lot more urban and unique. What I saw was American Apparel shops and Starbucks-like coffee places. I am sure the place has changed a lot in the last 5-10 years. I was looking to be assaulted by hippies and it just didn’t happen.

Back when I was listening to punk rock and worshipping at the altar of Maximum Rock n Roll in high school, I read about Gilman St. in Berkeley where Green Day (before they were famous!), Jawbreaker, Samiam, the Offspring (before they were famous!), and other bands played. Didn’t see it when I was there. It had to be so different 20 years ago, more punk rock and all. For some reason I wasn’t picturing Berkeley as a college town. I was picturing it as a place where there happened to also be a college. But it’s very much a college town, i.e. not exactly like life.

Why am I ragging on Berkeley? Why not. I am back now for good, the whirlwind book tour is over. Time to be very serious about finding work, or I might cry.

Update: Justus Ballard, Cloverfield cohort, wrote about the tour as well.