Live performance art painting by Michael Bowen accompanied by Svante
Henryson on Cello. All of these photos from the evening of June 16 in
Stockholm Sweden. All photos copyright R.W. Bruch.
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Interview with Pete Douglas (Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society) Sept. 15, 1979
Untaped.
Description of Michael McCracken: 5’10” tall.
Coming to Half Moon Bay in the 1950s was like going down to Big Sur.
Bob “the woodcutter” dragging wood along Mirada Rd. Had a long Eucalyptus limb Douglas wanted to use for a flag pole. Douglas found an old red curtain and ran it up. Busybody’s saw it and called American Legion–old Charlie Jacobs next door, member of American Legion, walked out and checked out the flag. Couldn’t find any Russian symbols on it, so decided it was ok.
Lots of police harassment at Ebb Tide Cafe. Two cops (one short, one tall, a Mutt & Jeff) one named Deputy Blood busted in one evening in the little beach house. They told Douglas he was serving after hours. Douglas replied that he had no license–that this was his private home.
He told them he was a probation officer which blew their minds. They started to look for drugs and the band strikes up the theme song from the tv show “Dragnet.”
Blue sheet showed the cops investigated a beatnik place (Ebb Tide Cafe) without narcotics but homosexuals were there (one a beautician) . Douglas spoke with Don Hillbush (head man at Hillcrest) who revealed that Pete Douglas was under surveillance. Don asked Pete what was going on in his private life. Douglas spoke with a higher up, asking him to tell Hillbush to stop the harassment.
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Former Princetonians (Princeton-of-the-Sea alumni) remember an unusual fellow named Patrick Cassidy, an artist, a kind of “out there” guy. That would be the late 1950s, early 1960s. He traded art for things he needed, and, his part of the deal this may have included quirky designs (harking back to maritime mythology) drawn or painted on the “helmets” worn by ab divers. You know, really cool stuff.
Below, Patrick Cassidy, photo courtesy Michael Bowen
hi june here is the kitchen shack at point 16, the man is a sculptor who is still around and did ab diving. he was the one who first found the ab factory. his name is patrick cassidy and i heard he is living on the north coast in a place called moon valley. michael.
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September 2, 2007
Michael received a Certificate of Honor from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom honoring his major role in the “Summer of Love” and “Human Be-In” in 1967.
The certificate reads: “Whereas, on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco I am prooud to recognize and honor Michae Bowen for his involvement with Summer of Love and work as a promoter for the Human Be-In in 1967. Summer of Love represents a movement of individualism and environmental renaissance, which brought upon a new sense of activism and appreciation for the performance arts in a new social experience. Your charitable efforts and spirit are appreciated by all San Franciscans. Congratulations and best of luck in all of your future endeavors! Gavin Newsom Mayor.”
Cool.
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