Final Academy Performances (1983)
By William S. Burroughs
"In 1983 William S. Burroughs participated in a tour of Britain called "The Final Academy" which showcased Burrough's work and performances by artists influenced by this iconoclastic writer and artist. On October 4, 1983 the show came to Manchester at the Hacienda club, famous for the Factory record label. A special edit of Burrough's film Ghosts at No. 9 by Genesis P.Orridge, and the Gysin/Burroughs/Balch film Towers Open Fire were aired. John Giorno also performed. And then Burroughs himself performed readings from his written work, including "The Place of Dead Roads." Originally released on Factory as a two VHS box set, this long unavailable set has been restored, making an excellent addition to any Burroughs collection, or a great introduction to the uninitiated." "William Burroughs’ reading in the city of Manchester took place on the 4th of October, 1982, at Factory Records’ Haçienda club, as part of the Manchester “edition” of The Final Academy, a Burroughs-themed art event put together by Psychic TV (Genesis P Orridge & Peter Christopherson) and others. The Final Academy Documents is the shoddily-produced DVD made from the low-grade video recordings that captured the even…
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