Beats In Kansas: The Beat Generation in the Heartland

Writer Charley Plymell
Cherry Valley, New York, 2010

Photograph by Gerard Malanga

Writer and outlaw poet Charley Plymell -- native Kansan -- Cherry Valley, NY, 2010. Charley Plymell born in Holcomb, KS; Wichita, KS - *Wichita Vortex*; and Lawrence, KS. His roots include being 1960s roommate with Beat Generation icon Neal Cassady and Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in San Francisco; major artistic activities with Robert Ronnie Branaman, Roxie Powell, Glenn Todd, David Haselwood, Michael McClure (all Kansans) & William Burroughs; and with artists A.D. Winans, Rod McKuen, Laki Vazakas, Grant Hart, Mike Watt, Thurston Moore and Byron Coley. Charley printed the first *Zap* Comix; printed and was an editor of *Grist* magazine; and was S. Clay Wilson's first printer and producer.

© 2010, Gerard Malanga. Used with permission. Charles Plymell's recent poetry collection, *Eat Not Thy Mind* is available from Ecstatic Yod; Mike Watt, introduction; Thurston Moore and Byron Coley, editors.

Gerard Malanga, archives malanga; Gerard's artistic background includes film work with Andy Warhol at the Factory, and iconic rock and Beat Generation photography -- William Burroughs, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Jim Carroll, Frank Zappa, Mick Jagger, and Robert Mapplethorpe -- to many to name. He also performed with the Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, and Nico.

Charles Plymell, from Kansa, Land of the Wind People, autobiographical sketch, 12/2002

Return to the Beats In Kansas or to Kansas Heritage Group. Relate site: WWW-VL: History: United States History.

Photograph © 2010, Gerard Malanga; page © 2010 George Laughead, maintainer, Beat Literature, ODP. Page posted: 05 August 2010. Hosted at WWW Virtual Library @ www.vlib.us.