Tupelo: The World's Forgotten Boy

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Summary: The Truth about TUPELO
Review: So Captain Tupelo and The Famous monsters have finally been "discovered." Sure it's twenty some years after the fact but hey, isnt that the way it works with all great artists? Posthumous recognition is the standard M.O. And maybe DeGennaro really does have some new information about what is surely one of the more bizarre and mysterious sagas to originate in the primordial stew that was the New York punk scene of the late 70s. He obviously did his research AND must have developed some connections if he actually got his hands on a recording of the Monsters "Apostasy Sessions". After listening to the CD included with the book I have to say it sounds like the real deal, who would have thought it would ever surface? But then, in an environment built on a foundation of shock value who would have thought it possible that the most shocking, surprising tale of all would only now be told? Those who know the Famous Monsters from brief descriptions about the early days of CBGBs or the NY punk scene in general might have doubts that the good Captain Tupelo and the 11:00 oclock man are even still alive, much less waging a guerilla, vigilante war (there is a rumour that Degennaro had access to some homeland security docs that never got publicized, but that is just a rumour) in the name of the oppressed underclass of Greenwich Village. But those of us who saw them in the day, who were witnesses to what they had offer a world that wanted to ignore everything the Monsters were shoving in our faces, well, we know that this story isn't shocking at all, it's what we would expect of "Captain Tupelo".

In any event, fact or fiction, this book is very entertaining. Phil Elliott has done a great job capturing the personality of the characters and imagining what they'd look like in this day and age (or maybe he really DOES know what they look like now) and his renditions of environments from NYC to fantasy land are absolutely beautiful. Matt Degennaro's writing has a revolutionary flavor that I find irresistable AND inspiring in this age of media manipulation. Kill Your Television! Read Tupelo!

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Summary: Tupelo's Dirty Little Secret
Review: TUPELO the graphic novel IS PURE FICTION. If you are in search of the true story of Tupelo and The Famous Monsters don't look here. Don't get me wrong, Matt DeGennaro and Phil Elliott have produced a very "imaginative" take on the latter day adventures of two of rock and roll's lesser known rebels, but this is not in my opinion an accurate or complete reflection of the real Tupelo story. The fact is that "Underground Punk Rock Legend" Captain Tupelo was not even really a punk rocker at all! At least not by his own free will. What am I implying by that? Coercion? Mind control? There's not enough solid evidence to make concrete accusations but more than a few friends and acquaintences of the band have questioned the influence the 11:00 O'Clock Man seemed to exert over Tupelo from the beginning. I for one find it strange that a flower child folkie like Tupelo would so quickly throw in his lot with an angry, dark group like the Monsters. The whole thing is like "Captain Sensible" emerging from "The Damned" only in reverse in this case, with The Famous Monsters absorbing and assimilating Tupelo. In my opinion Captain Tupelo had as much or more in common with Jerry "Captain Trips" Garcia than Johnny Rotten, he sounded more like Syd Barret than Syd Vicious, and his personal story more resembles that of Skip Spence than any of the Ramones. I wouldn't be the first to suggest that the 11:00 O'Clock Man saw Tupelo more as a weapon in his own little ongoing war against society in general than as a bandmate, a talented composer, or even just a friend. Some argue that they have never seen a pair as close as those two. I would argue that an assassin loves his gun above all else.

The bottom line- As fiction goes "Tupelo: The World's Forgotten Boy" is an extremely enjoyable read, but it's elevation of the 11:00 O'Clock Man to hero status, and what some (including myself) would argue is a glorification of his use of violence to further his agenda troubles an old hippy like myself who remembers where Captain Tupelo really came from, and what happened to Johnny Fatus. If Tupelo IS still alive and living in New York someone should find him and interview him WITHOUT the 11:00 O'Clock Man there. Then we might find out a thing or two. Til then, keep on keepin on, through NON-VIOLENCE.