The Third Mind

Liner Notes

“The Third Mind is an incisive and engaging exploration of McClure and Manzarek’s collaboration… in which we can both enjoy them in performance and get to know how they feel about their collaboration. There are plenty of insights from other Beat-era figures, including the late Allan Ginsberg, who sees their working together a “ripening of good karma”. Diana di Prima, quoting William Burroughs, remarks that a good collaboration results in a ‘third mind’. Lawrence Ferlinghetti descries McClure’s poetry as ‘a beautiful cry of the beast,’ and McClure’s souring poems celebrate the human spirit and express a fervent concern for the preservation of the environment. Of his wildly varied accompaniment, Manzarek combines ‘a little collision” – ie: occasional counterpoint – with ‘making love to the words.’ The Third Mind has lots of energy and style, and it is an altogether stimulating work.” – Kevin Thomas, LA Times.

“Poetry is a muscular principle and it comes from the body; it is the voice’s athletic action on the page and in the world.” – Michael McClure

“Music is the purest art form. It deals only with vibrations, existing only for the moment that it’s played. And then it’s gone.” – Ray Manzarek

Narrated by Peter Coyote. Featuring Ray Manzarek & Michael McClure. With Allen Ginsberg, Jim Carroll, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Diana di Prima, Ed Sanders, Ann Waldman, David Amram, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and rare footage of Jim Morrison reading poetry.

Track Listing