Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Billy Miller

Archivist, collector, researcher, curator, and distributor of forgotten fringe musics -- via the New York Times. An amazing life, one that reflects my interest in preserving and making available work, and lives, that would otherwise be lost. He and his wife Miriam Linna (she used to be in The Cramps!) specialized in rock, rockabilly, and blues, making inroads on the idea that all the significant music has been made on America's coasts. It turns out I have been a long-time fan of of both his Norton Records label and his Kicks book imprint (I have his edition of Sun Ra's poems on my desk right now). Just goes to show you that sometimes obsessive love and championing of the obscure pays off.