The Subliminal Report

by Angus MacLise

4to. Pamphlet, stitch bound. First edition. Cover from a photograph by Ira Cohen. Includes two pages each with a photograph by Ira Cohen printed in silver ink on white paper. Limited to 500 numbered copies. Published as Starstreams Poetry Series No. 4.

4 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Angus William MacLise (March 14, 1938 – June 21, 1979) was an American artist, percussionist, composer, poet, occultist and calligrapher, member La Monte Young's Theatre of Eternal Music group, best known as the first drummer for the Velvet Underground who abruptly quit due to disagreements with the band playing their first paid show suggesting the group were selling out (he was replaced by Maureen Tucker, resulting in the classic lineup of the band).

MacLise played bongos and hand drums during 1965 with the first incarnation of the Velvet Underground and he was also capable of playing tabla, cimbalom and tambourine. Although the band regularly extemporised soundtracks to underground films during this era, MacLise never officially recorded with them, and is often considered something of a shadowy, legendary figure in their history. Cale describes MacLise as "living on the Angus calendar", showing up to gigs hours or even days after the band had finished. When the band start gain recognition Lou Reed prohibited MacLise from rejoining the band full-time due to his erratic behavior.

MacLise moved to Berkeley, California, and married Hetty McGee in a wedding ceremony at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, presided over by renowned LSD guru Timothy Leary, and they had a son Ossian Kennard MacLise, who was recognized by Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the 16th Karmapa, as a reincarnation of a Tibetan saint, or tulku, and at age four became a Buddhist monk. The MacLises travelled to Canada, France, Greece and India, before finally settling in Nepal.

A student of Aleister Crowley (he was working on a script for a film version of Crowley's Diary of a Drug Fiend before he died), he began to blend Tibetan mysticism with his music to create sound through various drone techniques. He founded the Dead Language Press with Piero Heliczer, publishing works by influential writers, including early work by the Beat poet Gregory Corso.

A heavy drug user who was never particularly mindful of his physical health, MacLise died of hypoglycemia and pulmonary tuberculosis in Kathmandu on June 21, 1979, aged 41. The cause of death has also been attributed to malnutrition. He was cremated to the traditions of Tibetan Buddhists in a funeral pyre.