LATimes
The new Hunter S. Thompson CD set
How did Hunter S. Thompson capture the manic, drug-fueled energy of his reportorial pursuits? He was a mad genius, but he had help: He carried a tape recorder. Shout Factory has just released "The Gonzo Tapes: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson," a five-CD set that begins with his Hells Angels work in 1965 and ends in Saigon in 1975.
Music is a constant presence: The Carpenters are on the radio in the background in Vegas, the Hells Angels listen to Joan Baez. The tapes themselves have only mediocre sound quality -- some people are too far from the mike, the sound of traffic intrudes, parts are muffled, and sometimes the recording stops mid-sentence. Then again, listening to these CDs is like sitting in a room with Thompson, with the soundtrack of popular music and the motion and the chaos. You can even hear the ice in his glass. They provide a ringside seat to witness the glory -- and the destruction -- of the great gonzo writer.
I just know you'll go read what's in between those two quotes without any prompting from moi.
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