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F. A. Nettelbeck

F. A. Nettelbeck (born 1950, Chicago) is an American poet. Although a long marginalized 'Meat' poet and contemporary of such poets as Charles Bukowski, Douglas Blazek, and Lyn Lifshin, et al, he has also worked outside literary establishments for many years and created a unique, yet distinctly American poetry that partakes of several avant-garde traditions. In the early 1970's he began work on a long poem that was to become an underground classic when it was published in 1979: Bug Death. Bug Death was created using cut-up and collage texts combined with original writing and represents a major advance in literary technique and thinking, advancing upon the innovations promoted by Brion Gysin and William Burroughs of a previous generation. The book was carefully written, edited, crafted, and designed over several years, in a multi-layered process involving much more than the usual processes of literary creation. It is a unique and stunningly effective combination of poetry, visual art, and documentation that has no real parallel. Nettelbeck's book has had a far-reaching influence on his contemporaries and on younger poets, not only because of its technical innovations, but because of the authentic and deeply-felt lyricism that pervades its pages. His ground breaking literary magazine, This Is Important (1980-1997), published such writers as William S. Burroughs, Wanda Coleman, John M. Bennett, Jack Micheline, Allen Ginsberg, Robin Holcomb, Charles Bernstein, John Giorno, etc., etc., and has now reached legendary status. Meant to be printed in large numbers and distributed free, copies of This Is Important made their way all over the world and were eagerly collected and read by thousands of people. His other publication of note was one of the last great Small press mimeo magazines: Throb (1971), publishing Al Masarik, Susan Fromberg Schaeffer, Gerald Locklin, Joel Deutsch, and the now famous, 'Charles Bukowski answers 10 easy questions'. Nettelbeck's other volumes are works of a poet who is continually evolving and pushing forward the boundaries of what is possible in poetry. His work, publications, and papers are collected in the Ohio State University Avant Writing Collection and the Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry. His autobiography is published in Contemporary Authors, Volume 184 (Gale Research). He lives in southern Oregon's Sprague River Valley.

Bibliography

• The Quick & The Dead (Freark Brownelbeck Press 1970)
• No Place Fast (Rough Life Press 1976)
• Destroy All Monsters (Konglomerati 1976) (ISBN 0-916906-26-4)
• Curios (Quark Press 1976)
• Spectator (Drivel Press 1977)
• The Used Future (Alley Island Press 1978)
• Bug Death (Alcatraz Editions 1979)
• Bar Napkin Poems (Clown War 1982)
• Large Talk (road/house 1983)
• Americruiser (Illuminati 1983) (ISBN 0-89897-101-1)
• The Kiss Off (Inkblot 1984)
• Hands On A Mirror (Inkblot 1987) (ISBN 0-934301-09-3)
• Albert Ayler Disappeared (Inkblot 1989) (ISBN 0-934301-29-8)
• Ecosystems Collapsing (Inkblot 1992) (ISBN 0-934301-33-X)
• Everything Written Exists (Lucky Boy Publications 2004)
• Lap Gun Cut (with John M. Bennett) (Luna Bisonte Prods 2006) (ISBN 1892280507)
• Don't Say A Word (Blue Press 2008)

Quotes

"Nettelbeck's world (and his picture may be chillingly accurate) is pierced with holes through which we are continually in danger of dropping, or being sucked." -Robert Peters

See also

• List of concrete and visual poets
• List of poets from the United States

References

• Bug Death: Punk Epic by Kate Braverman, Bachy 17 (A Journal of the Arts in Los Angeles), Papa Bach Editions, 1980 ISSN 0-091-1488
• F. A. Nettelbeck: Emergence Of An Important Poetic Force an essay by Wanda Coleman, Bachy 17 (A Journal of the Arts in Los Angeles), Papa Bach Editions, 1980 ISSN 0-091-1488
• F. A. Nettelbeck's Bug Death by Paul Mann, Atticus Review 4, Atticus Press, 1983
• The Year's Best In Poetry by Tom Clark, San Francisco Chronicle, Book Review Section, December 2, 1984
• Fetal Films: Two Books by F. A. Nettelbeck by Loris Essary, Menu, The Lunchroom Press, 1985 ISBN 0-938136-06-2
• Of Politics: This Is Important edited by F. A. Nettelbeck by Jay Dougherty, Small Press Review, Dustbooks, September 1988 ISSN 0037-7228
• The Micropress: An Underground Economy Of Poetry by Joel Lewis, Poets & Writers Magazine, Poets & Writers, Inc., January/February 1992 ISSN 0891-6136
• F. A. Nettelbeck: Neglected Poems by Gustave Morin, Scan, Common Ground Editions, 1999
• Starving Poet Hungers For New Forms Of Poetry by Lee Juillerat, Herald and News, Klamath Falls, Oregon, December 12, 2000
• Charles Bukowski: Sunlight Here I Am - Interviews and Encounters, 1963-1993 edited by David Stephen Calonne, Sun Dog Press, 2003 ISBN 0-941543-37-4

External links

• F. A. Nettelbeck Website
• This Is Important (ZineWiki entry)
• F. A. Nettelbeck's Blog
• F. A. Nettelbeck OSU Guide and Inventory