Artifact! Notebooks from Hell 1974-1980: Notebooks from Hell, 1974-80

by Richard Hell

"To me this little book is a work of fiction, or a movie prop for maybe a Stroheim set - some obsessively realistic director - or an archeological artifact." - Richard Hell, NYC, Mar 1990

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

250 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1990

About the author

Born in 1949, Richard Meyers was shipped off to a private school for troublesome kids in Delaware, which is where he met Tom (Verlaine) Miller. Together they ran away, trying to hitchhike to Florida, but only made it as far as Alabama before being picked up by the authorities. Meyers persuaded his mother to allow him to go to New York, where he worked in a secondhand bookshop (the Strand; later he was employed at Cinemabilia along with Patti Smith) and tried to become a writer.
He arrived in the Big Apple at the tail end of the hippie scene. He took acid (and later heroin), but sought to develop a different sensibility in the manner of what he later referred to as 'twisted French aestheticism', i.e. more Arthur Rimbaud than Rolling Stones. He printed a poetry magazine (Genesis: Grasp) and when Miller dropped out of college and joined him in New York, they developed a joint alter ego whom they named Teresa Stern. Under this name they published a book of poems entitled Wanna Go Out?. This slim volume went almost unnoticed. It was at this point that Meyers and Miller decided to form a band. They changed their names to Hell and Verlaine, and called the band The Neon Boys.
During this hiatus, Hell wrote The Voidoid (1973), a rambling confessional. He wrote it in a 16 dollar-a-week room, fuelled by cheap wine and cough syrup that contained codeine. He then played in various successful bands: Television, Richard Hell and The Voidoids.
Hell recently returned to fiction with his 1996 novel Go Now.

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Hell is pure charm. A journal he kept during the height of the 'punk' years. Hell is one of those talents that can't do no wrong. I greatly admire his novels, and 'Blank Generation' of course is a classic. In fact this man is totally classical from toe to head.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted my favorite parts here. I love this book. I really want my own copy to carry around forever but it's like $50-150 or something.
Richard Hell ♥ ♥ ♥

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard Hell was a NYC rock bard in early Television, Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers and finally the Voidoids. He has worked sporadically in music since the Seventies, focusing on publishing, movies, art and family.

He now is making a comeback to music (Dim Stars, spoken-word albums) and has a new novel, 'Go Now', as well as this gem.

'Artifact' is a collection of snippets from a notebook he kept from 1974 to 1980 (said book being given him by Patti Smith) and some articles. As such, it is a bit scattershot and some of it too personal to get inside of as a reader, but the best is thoughtful and witty. Observations such as "I'm so proud to be the one chosen to confirm your mistrust of human nature" (p. 19) are too funny and true not to be on a T-shirt. In short, an interesting insight into another's mind.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book by Richard Hell is an intriguing little diary of the early punk scene in New York City that is more genuine than any retrospective interview you might read from the scenesters. Since it was written in the moment it has this funny innocence about it. Hell obsesses over how he only has three or four expressions he can make onstage and worries over his special cool kid walk like any insecure teenage wannabe might. It's really amusing and almost charming to read this kind of vulnerability from one of the original, disaffected New York hipster kids.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok. Just got this via snail mail. It is a tiny book made to fit in someone's shirt pocket. Sort of classic for writers/readers and poets to fit their books in thier pockets. Anyway, just started on the first couple of pages. Just looked through the pics and saw a pic of J. Thunders on a fire escape with R. Hell in back. Great photo. Viva Johnny! I do like Johnny's later stuff when he was with the oddballs...he was very talented.....hmmmm what could have been..... Gonna read this on the train to D.C. supposing my son will let me...!!!!

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty cool collection of essays. Much easier to get through when you realize that he was high most of the time while writing it. Still, plenty of solid observations and a fascinating peek at the art/punk/drug culture of the late 70s.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my real personal favorites. I carried this around in my pocket for an entire year, reading from it daily. Pretty much just Dick Hell's journals during the onset of NYC punk.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

think you are a real punk? Well your not if you don't have this book, and I do. Sucker.