Barry Miles
Barry Miles (or "Miles", born 1943, Cirencester, England) is a British author, luminary of the 1960s underground and businessman. In the 1960s, he was co-owner of the Indica Gallery and helped start the International Times.
Life and work
In the 1960s, Miles worked at Better Books, which was managed by Tony Godwin. Godwin was friends with Lawrence Ferlinghetti with whom he would exchange Penguin books for City Lights publications. In 1965 Allen Ginsberg gave a reading at Better Books which led to the International Poetry Incarnation, a seminal event that was co-organised by Miles. Following the International Poetry Incarnation, Miles established the Indica Gallery and Bookshop, allowing him to meet many of the stars of the Swinging London social scene.[1] Miles brought Paul McCartney into contact with people who wanted to start the International Times, which McCartney helped to fund.[2] Miles would later become de facto manager of the Apple's short-lived Zapple Records label, and wrote McCartney's official biography, Many Years from Now (1998).
In 1965, he lived at 15 Hanson Street, London, where Miles and his wife introduced McCartney to hash brownies by using a recipe for hash fudge which they had found in The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook.[3]
With John Hopkins, Miles organized The 14 Hour Technicolor Dream, a concert on 29 April 1967 Alexandra Palace to raise funds for the International Times. It was a multi-artist event, featuring poets, artists and musicians. Pink Floyd headlined the event; other artists included: Yoko Ono and John Lennon, Arthur Brown, jazz-rock group Soft Machine, Tomorrow and The Pretty Things.
Miles' book Hippie is a reminiscence of the Hippie sub-culture of the sixties and early seventies with interviews, quotes, and images. He co-wrote I Want to Take You Higher (documenting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum exhibit by the same name) with Charles Perry and James Henke.
Miles has criticized musicians who speak out in support of libertarian and or pro-capitalist attitudes[citation needed]. Artists he has clashed with include left-wing classical liberals such as Neil Peart of the Canadian band Rush. An article about Rush written by Miles in the 4 March 1978 edition of the UK's New Musical Express contained vehement attacks.[4] Miles' book about Frank Zappa also sharply criticized Zappa's Laissez-faire liberal views toward business and labor unions[citation needed]. The views of such musicians contrast sharply with Miles' socialist and collectivist outlook[citation needed].
Miles has written biographies of McCartney, Lennon, William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Charles Bukowski and Ginsberg, in addition to books on The Beatles, Pink Floyd and The Clash.[5][6] as well as a general history of London's counter-culture since 1945. London's Calling[7].
He is occasionally inaccurately credited as "Miles Mabbett", due to his co-authoring a book with Andy Mabbett, often listed as "by Miles and Andy Mabbett".
Notes and references
- ^ Thomson, L: London Calling: A Countercultural History of London Since 1945, By Barry Miles The Independent Friday 12th March 2010
- ^ Miles, p. 232
- ^ Miles, p233
- ^ "Is everybody feelin' ALRIGHT? (Geddit...?)". New Musical Express, March 4, 1978
- ^ Amazon Review of Many Years from Now Amazon.com, 4 November 2005. Retrieved on 14 September 2007
- ^ Miles, Barry (1981). The Clash. London; New York: Omnibus Press. OCLC 7676911.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ London Calling: A Countercultural History of London Since 1945, By Barry Miles
Bibliography
- Miles, Barry (1980). Pink Floyd. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780825639487.
- Miles, Barry (1982). The Rolling Stones: An Illustrated Discography. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780860017622.
- Miles, Barry (1984). David Bowie Black Book. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780860018087.
- Miles, Barry (1984). The Police: a visual documentary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780860018018.
- Miles, Barry (1989). Ginsberg: A Biography. Viking. ISBN 9780670826834.
- Miles, Barry (1993). William Burroughs: El Hombre Invisible : A Portrait. Hyperion. ISBN 9781562828486.
- Miles, and Mabbett, Andy. (1994.). Pink Floyd : the visual documentary'. ISBN 0-7119-4109-2.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: year (link) - Miles, Barry (1994). William S. Burroughs. Head Farm - Edition Kelln. ISBN 9783933444110.
- Miles, Barry (1997). Many Years From Now. Vintage-Random House. ISBN 0-7493-8658-4.
- Miles, Barry (1998). The Beatles: A diary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0711963153.
- Miles, Barry (1998). The Beatles: A Diary : An Intimate Day by Day History. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711963153.
- Miles, Barry (2001). Jack Kerouac: King of the Beats : A Portrait. Grove Press.
- Miles, Barry (2001). The Beat Hotel: Ginsberg, Burroughs, and Corso in Paris, 1958-1963. Grove Press. ISBN 9780802138170.
- Miles, Barry (2003). In the Sixties. Pimlico. ISBN 9780712689984.
- Miles, Barry (2004). Hippie. Cassell. ISBN 1-84403-269-8.
- Miles, Barry (2005). Zappa: A Biography. Grove Press. ISBN 9780802142153.
- Miles, Barry (2005). Charles Bukowski. Virgin. ISBN 9781852272715.
- Miles, Barry (2005). The Beat Collection. Virgin. ISBN 9781852272647.
- Miles, Barry (2008). Peace: 50 Years of Protest, 1958-2008. Anova Books. ISBN 9781843404576.
- Miles, Barry (2009). The British Invasion: The Music, the Times, the Era. Sterling. ISBN 9781402769764.
- Miles, Barry (2010). London Calling: A Countercultural History of London Since 1945. Atlantic Books. ISBN 9781843546139.
