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In Heaven Everything Is Fine: The Unsolved Life of Peter Ivers and the Lost History of New Wave Theatre
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Saturday Night Live and National Lampoon were leading a comedy renaissance, while punk and new wave turned the music world on its head. At the nexus was the underground, cable-access show New Wave Theatre , hosted by the visionary Peter Ivers. Pre-MTV, the show forged a groundbreaking union between comedy and punk, placing comedians like John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Harold Ramis onstage with Black Flag, the Dead Kennedys, and Fear. On the cusp of mainstream recognition, New Wave Theatre came to a sudden end on March 3, 1983 when Ivers was found beaten to death in his downtown Los Angeles loft. The show was forgotten, but Ivers’s influence on pop culture has lasted. A magnetic creative force, his circle included Doug Kenney, Jello Biafra, David Lynch, Ramis, and Belushi. He was also a fascinating in addition to composing the centerpiece song on the soundtrack of Lynch’s cult classic film Eraserhead , Ivers recorded seven albums. Josh Frank’s research inspired renewed interest in Ivers, and the abandoned murder investigation was reopened. Through his narration and interviews with the LAPD and those close to Ivers, Frank brings this underappreciated and compelling creative figure to life.
368 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2008
13 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Josh Frank
8 books44 followersJosh Frank is a writer, producer, director and composer. He has penned numerous plays, including an authorized adaptation of Werner Hergoz’s Stroszek, screenplays, including an adaptation of Mark Vonnegut's The Eden Express, and musicals, including The Jonathan Richman Musical. He is the author of Fool The World, the Oral History of the Band Called Pixies (St. Martins Press USA/Virgin Books U.K.) and In Heaven Everything Is Fine - - The Unsolved Life of Peter Ivers (Simon and Schuster/Free Press.)
Over the last decade, Frank has worked with some of the most interesting and innovative musicians, filmmakers, producers and artists in the industry, including Black Francis of the Pixies, David Lynch and Harold Ramis. He has interviewed over 400 of America’s most notable names in entertainment for his books and screenplays.
His Latest Book an Illustrated Novel based on a song cycle by influential band Pixes, is a collaboration with it’s lead singer Black Francis. It will be released in the U.S. by Harper Collins and in the U.K. by SelfmadeHero in 2014. In his spare time, he created and runs a Mini-Urban Drive-In Movie Theatre in Austin, Tx.
Over the last decade, Frank has worked with some of the most interesting and innovative musicians, filmmakers, producers and artists in the industry, including Black Francis of the Pixies, David Lynch and Harold Ramis. He has interviewed over 400 of America’s most notable names in entertainment for his books and screenplays.
His Latest Book an Illustrated Novel based on a song cycle by influential band Pixes, is a collaboration with it’s lead singer Black Francis. It will be released in the U.S. by Harper Collins and in the U.K. by SelfmadeHero in 2014. In his spare time, he created and runs a Mini-Urban Drive-In Movie Theatre in Austin, Tx.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 25, 2015
I had never heard of Peter Ivers before this book, which means I also had not heard of New Wave Theatre. He was a man who needed a book to help people like me know who he was and why he was so important and influential, even though his name is not remembered to the degree that his influence should dictate. The book as a whole is a look at how the Ivy League drama departments and National Lampoon magazine spawned Saturday Night Live, a whole bunch of hilarious 70s films like Caddyshack, and how Peter Ivers was a member of all those specific tribes as well as being a pioneer who introduced punk and new wave music to America on an early cable station.
Peter Ivers was one of those people who was perpetually ahead of the curve, able to know instinctively what was going to be the next big thing. Educated at Harvard, Ivers was primarily a musician and a song writer but his influence spilled over into much of the entertainment industry. Yet despite having his finger on many pulses, he never really achieved the level of fame his talent and perspicacity deserved. Worse, he was murdered right when it looked like he was about to become as famous as the people in his circles, like Harold Ramis, John Belushi, and Chevy Chase. His is a very sad story in so many ways, but at the same time the overwhelming sadness wasn’t apparent to me until I began to write this discussion because this book really is such an engaging, rollicking read that the sheer entertainment value of the book blunted the injustice of Ivers’ murder. That’s not a flaw, either, because eventually the reality of the waste of life hits you, but it’s also a testament to the interesting nature of Ivers’ life and the interesting nature of those around him that this is not a wholly sad book.
It’s actually maddening to realize what an interesting person Ivers was and know that he slipped under my radar for all these years, and the reason he was not even a blip on the mainstream radar is because he was indeed so far ahead of the curve that the public didn’t appreciate his efforts until the moment was gone. Muddy Waters once said that Ivers, who never missed a chance to jump up on stage and jam with blues men of great renown, was the best blues harmonica player alive, but Ivers’ band’s new wave album was released and received with little fanfare. However, David Lynch heard Ivers’ album and decided that Ivers’ sound was just what he needed for his bizarre film school effort, Eraserhead.
You can read my entire discussion on Odd Things Considered.
Peter Ivers was one of those people who was perpetually ahead of the curve, able to know instinctively what was going to be the next big thing. Educated at Harvard, Ivers was primarily a musician and a song writer but his influence spilled over into much of the entertainment industry. Yet despite having his finger on many pulses, he never really achieved the level of fame his talent and perspicacity deserved. Worse, he was murdered right when it looked like he was about to become as famous as the people in his circles, like Harold Ramis, John Belushi, and Chevy Chase. His is a very sad story in so many ways, but at the same time the overwhelming sadness wasn’t apparent to me until I began to write this discussion because this book really is such an engaging, rollicking read that the sheer entertainment value of the book blunted the injustice of Ivers’ murder. That’s not a flaw, either, because eventually the reality of the waste of life hits you, but it’s also a testament to the interesting nature of Ivers’ life and the interesting nature of those around him that this is not a wholly sad book.
It’s actually maddening to realize what an interesting person Ivers was and know that he slipped under my radar for all these years, and the reason he was not even a blip on the mainstream radar is because he was indeed so far ahead of the curve that the public didn’t appreciate his efforts until the moment was gone. Muddy Waters once said that Ivers, who never missed a chance to jump up on stage and jam with blues men of great renown, was the best blues harmonica player alive, but Ivers’ band’s new wave album was released and received with little fanfare. However, David Lynch heard Ivers’ album and decided that Ivers’ sound was just what he needed for his bizarre film school effort, Eraserhead.
You can read my entire discussion on Odd Things Considered.
September 10, 2008
A super interesting biography on the life and death of New Wave Theatre host, Peter Ivers. I remember watching NWT as a teen (it was on late weekend nights on the USA network) and being inspired and sometimes repelled by the bands I saw on the show. And I always loved Peter's weird monologues and kooky interviews with the bands. In some ways, I could count him as one of my early inspirations.
August 1, 2015
Peter Ivers initially made his mark in the early Seventies as yet another one of Warner Brothers' seemingly endless line of pop mavericks who made brilliant music but couldn't sell records. Along the way he befriended what was to become the National Lampoon circle of comedy geniuses and always made out as the bridesmaid and never the bride. By the time the punk era rolled around he attained national popularity as the host of TV show New Wave Theater.
Josh Frank executed an excellent job of trying to harness down Ivers' indefatigable energy over the course of several decades. The documentation is thorough to say the least with the specter of his murder hanging over every page. This bio is as Hollywood Babylon as it gets.
Josh Frank executed an excellent job of trying to harness down Ivers' indefatigable energy over the course of several decades. The documentation is thorough to say the least with the specter of his murder hanging over every page. This bio is as Hollywood Babylon as it gets.
March 31, 2021
Fascinating recounting of the life and unsolved murder of a super talented man who though was unknown to most, was beloved by John Belushi, Harold Ramis, DEVO, Muddy Waters, and tons of other important figures in various arts/entertainment fields in the 70’s.
April 21, 2010
If you were a fan of the USA Network's "Night Flight" and their original show, "New Wave Theater" in the 80's, READ THIS BOOK NOW.
This is the story of the life and mysterious death of "New Wave Theater's" host, Peter Ivers. It's written in true non-fiction form, while also including mini-chapters that are divided into oral histories and police reports from the time.
As you get through this book, you'll find amazingly cool degrees of separation between Ivers and such pop culture figures as DEVO, David Lynch, Harold Ramis, John Belushi and Little Walter. There's a great scene where the members of DEVO meet David Lynch to ask if they can sing the song The Lady In the Radiator sings in "Eraserhead." Why was Peter Ivers at the Bob's Big Boy with these two luminaries? Peter Ivers WROTE that song, which is where this book got its title. More trivia: Peter Ivers also wrote the song that the woman sings in "Airplane" while she keeps popping out the little girl's I.V. with the acoustic guitar.
A prolific harmonica player, a glowing spirit and an amazing person, Peter Ivers left us too soon. After years of struggling (which included opening for Fleetwood Mac getting dropped by a major record label), his life was creative life was starting to pay off. Which makes his inevitable end all the more tragic.
This is the story of the life and mysterious death of "New Wave Theater's" host, Peter Ivers. It's written in true non-fiction form, while also including mini-chapters that are divided into oral histories and police reports from the time.
As you get through this book, you'll find amazingly cool degrees of separation between Ivers and such pop culture figures as DEVO, David Lynch, Harold Ramis, John Belushi and Little Walter. There's a great scene where the members of DEVO meet David Lynch to ask if they can sing the song The Lady In the Radiator sings in "Eraserhead." Why was Peter Ivers at the Bob's Big Boy with these two luminaries? Peter Ivers WROTE that song, which is where this book got its title. More trivia: Peter Ivers also wrote the song that the woman sings in "Airplane" while she keeps popping out the little girl's I.V. with the acoustic guitar.
A prolific harmonica player, a glowing spirit and an amazing person, Peter Ivers left us too soon. After years of struggling (which included opening for Fleetwood Mac getting dropped by a major record label), his life was creative life was starting to pay off. Which makes his inevitable end all the more tragic.
February 12, 2019
This book is too long! It includes a complete biography of Doug Kenney, a Blues Brothers behind the scenes, a lengthy explanation of who DEVO is and what they're about, ditto punk rock, an anecdote about Fear on SNL that I've heard from every boyfriend I ever had already, and a lot of repeat mentions of Peter Ivers leprechaun-like charm and imp-like ability to bewilder, etc. No one who doesn't like Peter Ivers would read this. We all know he was a very talented kook!! Does this bear repetition in a biography, not really! My advice to an editor would be to cut this book in half. The third part about New Wave Theater was the most interesting. At one point "Doug" was printed as "Dough" and I'll tell you what I nearly quit reading.
April 29, 2024
I first heard about the story and book on a podcast and that was very informal. Titled Peter and the acid king. I would definitely suggest it before after reading this book as additional information.
This book fills in the story a bit more and strangely makes it feel more personal maybe as the book came out first . The podcast feels more like an after word.
The book focuses a bit more on his friendships all around, but especially Doug Kenny and John Belushi. We also learn more about his ambitions and personal coda. As well as detailed information on his albums and projects.
What is the most thrilling part of the book is learning how the seemingly obscure guy was connected to not only an error but people and projects that are now considered classics. It’s like finding a long lost artifact and learning all about it and its history only human.
Not to mention the ending that stays unsolved and seems like it always will. So there are no concrete answers, but plenty of theories and hypothesis.
As the tale goes on just when someone seems like they will finally find a success. They have saw that life has cut short.
Other than the true crime aspects, I would suggest reading this for Peter Ivers career highlights, and behind-the-scenes on his projects and others that he had worked on.
He seems like a guy you would want to know and have in your life, especially as highly as most people speak of him . as he cared about others above himself believed in the powers of collaboration, and who had discipline, even as he seemed more open and hippieish. He would never cheapen his work into fads or where the tide was turning.
Definitely fascinating. Read that chooses to tell the story and life of the man more as a celebration that ends in tragedy, but even in death, he has made his mark.
This book fills in the story a bit more and strangely makes it feel more personal maybe as the book came out first . The podcast feels more like an after word.
The book focuses a bit more on his friendships all around, but especially Doug Kenny and John Belushi. We also learn more about his ambitions and personal coda. As well as detailed information on his albums and projects.
What is the most thrilling part of the book is learning how the seemingly obscure guy was connected to not only an error but people and projects that are now considered classics. It’s like finding a long lost artifact and learning all about it and its history only human.
Not to mention the ending that stays unsolved and seems like it always will. So there are no concrete answers, but plenty of theories and hypothesis.
As the tale goes on just when someone seems like they will finally find a success. They have saw that life has cut short.
Other than the true crime aspects, I would suggest reading this for Peter Ivers career highlights, and behind-the-scenes on his projects and others that he had worked on.
He seems like a guy you would want to know and have in your life, especially as highly as most people speak of him . as he cared about others above himself believed in the powers of collaboration, and who had discipline, even as he seemed more open and hippieish. He would never cheapen his work into fads or where the tide was turning.
Definitely fascinating. Read that chooses to tell the story and life of the man more as a celebration that ends in tragedy, but even in death, he has made his mark.
June 6, 2020
The kind of book where you forgive its (many) flaws because it's so fantastic overall. A true-crime book meets a well-researched bio about an influential outsider artist. It was fascinating to learn about the Harvard/Cambridge, MA art scene in the late 60's and its particular flavor of self-regard. I loved reading about the fertile insanity of the LA punk scene of the early 80's. I appreciated that this book pointed the shadow of an index finger at the person the author clearly suspected to have committed the murder (not a spoiler) without ever actually spelling it out. Terrific book! Even though I don't really like the Pixies, I would/will gladly read the author's earlier book about them.
January 12, 2024
It was heartbreaking to read the section on Mr. Ivers and Miss Fisher's breakup...I was a big fan of "New Wave Theater" on USA's "Night Flight" series...I thought Mr. Ivers was a kook, but he was so much more and so loved and so missed, if this biography is accurate... I agree with the authors that Mr. Ivers would've been a pioneer in some social media arena....it's frustrating to read that the circumstances surrounding his death are still unsolved to this day...see you on the other side Mr. Ivers....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2022
Peter Ivers' story and life are fascinating. I'm a big fan of the New Wave Theater shows but had no idea how deeply connected to so much he was. A tragic story but the book focuses on his life's work.
One random thing I kept wondering about :
He was always taking his clothes off in public but constantly slept fully clothed.
One random thing I kept wondering about :
He was always taking his clothes off in public but constantly slept fully clothed.
July 8, 2011
This is a fairly good bio. It spends a lot of time on Ivers' life before New Wave Theatre and then very little time on the cast, crew, creative process, business side and reception of New Wave Theatre. This becomes more understandable when the reader learns that Ivers was mainly the mouthpiece for the show rather than writing, directing, booking, or shooting it.
It's difficult to explain what an important force Night Flight and New Wave Theatre were for people coming of age (late teens) when they were on the air. Prior to those shows, my primary cultural input came from a public high school that taught only the most basic, mainstream info about math, science, and lit to bored teens who were only interested in pot and each others' bodies. Our town also had a small library with a few scratchy classical and pop records. And antennas brought in three network stations with the Love Boat and Six Million Dollar man, and one UHF station whose most cutting edge program was The Electric Company.
So when cable finally reached us in 1980 and Night Flight took off a year later, it was like one of those A bomb blasts they kept showing on New Wave Theatre, with all these strangely dressed radioactive creatures stumbling out of the set. I remember seeing political and artistic ferment for the first time on that show. I ride my motorcycle home after finishing up the late shift at the pizza place where I worked, and at midnight, two, three in the morning Night Flight was still going. I'd sit there3 stinking of pizza and beer and ammonia and watch the most amazing stuff: the Doors playing living in London, Einsturzende Naubauten, footage of riots and the '68 convention, European films, lectures by writers like Aldous Huxley, psychedelic explorers, old blues men, the Residents, and New Wave Theatre would usually close the show with punk bands (Fear!), new wave bands, rockabilly bands (The Blasters!), avant garde videography (quick cuts, found footage, color and saturation manipulation)(up to that point I had thought video cameras were for shooting awkward family gatherings; after NWT, I turned the camera back at the monitor and starting altering the signal to make strange animations), performance art, art noise, and comedy bits and sketches that were as important and subversive as the music. And there was Peter at the beginning and the end, putting it all into a political and cultural context. It was great to be there when all this broke. I may have missed the 60s but I didn't miss punk.(less)
It's difficult to explain what an important force Night Flight and New Wave Theatre were for people coming of age (late teens) when they were on the air. Prior to those shows, my primary cultural input came from a public high school that taught only the most basic, mainstream info about math, science, and lit to bored teens who were only interested in pot and each others' bodies. Our town also had a small library with a few scratchy classical and pop records. And antennas brought in three network stations with the Love Boat and Six Million Dollar man, and one UHF station whose most cutting edge program was The Electric Company.
So when cable finally reached us in 1980 and Night Flight took off a year later, it was like one of those A bomb blasts they kept showing on New Wave Theatre, with all these strangely dressed radioactive creatures stumbling out of the set. I remember seeing political and artistic ferment for the first time on that show. I ride my motorcycle home after finishing up the late shift at the pizza place where I worked, and at midnight, two, three in the morning Night Flight was still going. I'd sit there3 stinking of pizza and beer and ammonia and watch the most amazing stuff: the Doors playing living in London, Einsturzende Naubauten, footage of riots and the '68 convention, European films, lectures by writers like Aldous Huxley, psychedelic explorers, old blues men, the Residents, and New Wave Theatre would usually close the show with punk bands (Fear!), new wave bands, rockabilly bands (The Blasters!), avant garde videography (quick cuts, found footage, color and saturation manipulation)(up to that point I had thought video cameras were for shooting awkward family gatherings; after NWT, I turned the camera back at the monitor and starting altering the signal to make strange animations), performance art, art noise, and comedy bits and sketches that were as important and subversive as the music. And there was Peter at the beginning and the end, putting it all into a political and cultural context. It was great to be there when all this broke. I may have missed the 60s but I didn't miss punk.(less)
December 26, 2013
I gotta say...this was a frustrating book to read. Interesting story, pretty well-told. But first of all, there were irksome technical glitches with the Kindle Edition. In the "cast of characters" section, for example, the names were printed as if the left-hand side of the pages were cut off for some reason. Then, as I finished the book, there was a whole list of photo credits, but NO PHOTOS! WTF? Books like this are always better if you can see the photos of the people you're reading about. Finally, the author refers you to a website for "book-extras", i.e. songs, reviews, etc. But when I found the website, most of the songs would not play! WTF?
Needless to say, the book would have been better w/o those distractions. I was never a Peter Ivers fan (didn't really know who he was) but he led an undoubtedly interesting life. I was fascinated, for instance, to learn that he was the writer/performer of the signature song in the movie "Eraserhead." I'm reminded of a line in Bladerunner where Tyrell (the brilliant genetic designer) tells Roy Batty (one of his creations), "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy." Ivers seemed to burn-out before his time -- just as his career seemed to be taking off. A complaint, though. I was attracted to this book partly b/c of the "who done it" aspect of Ivers' murder. But the author seems to give short shrift to this part of Ivers' story. Did I miss something? I'm not even really sure of the cause of death...? And the author seemed to talk a lot about the missing wallet, but that was never connected-up to any other part of the mystery.
Altogether, this book left me with an unsatisfied feeling.
Needless to say, the book would have been better w/o those distractions. I was never a Peter Ivers fan (didn't really know who he was) but he led an undoubtedly interesting life. I was fascinated, for instance, to learn that he was the writer/performer of the signature song in the movie "Eraserhead." I'm reminded of a line in Bladerunner where Tyrell (the brilliant genetic designer) tells Roy Batty (one of his creations), "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy." Ivers seemed to burn-out before his time -- just as his career seemed to be taking off. A complaint, though. I was attracted to this book partly b/c of the "who done it" aspect of Ivers' murder. But the author seems to give short shrift to this part of Ivers' story. Did I miss something? I'm not even really sure of the cause of death...? And the author seemed to talk a lot about the missing wallet, but that was never connected-up to any other part of the mystery.
Altogether, this book left me with an unsatisfied feeling.
December 3, 2008
Peter Ivers was the guy who wrote the song sun by the Girl in the Radiator in Eraserhead; the song was later covered by the Pixies (which is how author Josh Frank, who also did a Pixies book got involved in this project.)
He also hosted a TV show called New Wave Theatre which was originally on cable access in Los Angeles and eventually was shown as part of Night Flight on the USA Network.
He produced several out-there albums which were released on major labels but which were not commercially successful. Jello Biafra is a fan, though.
And Peter Ivers was mysteriously murdered in 1983.
The book is composed of part oral history (Ivers knew everyone from Harold Ramis to Van Dyke Parks to John Belushi and went to Harvard with Animal House/Caddyshack writer Doug Kenney), part narrative, and part investigative notes.
Due to these disparate parts, it is a little choppy, and not entirely chronological. Ivers' life was complex and he did a wide variety of creative activities, from being a virtuoso harmonica player who apprenticed with Muddy Waters to interviewing hostile punk bands on a pioneering music video show.
While you get a sense of Ivers as intriguing, charismatic, and ingenious, because of the style of the book, the tone ends up being cold and a bit unemotional, though the dark details of his demise land like a blow to the gut.
Ivers is a subject begging for film treatment, whether in documentary or dramatic form.
He also hosted a TV show called New Wave Theatre which was originally on cable access in Los Angeles and eventually was shown as part of Night Flight on the USA Network.
He produced several out-there albums which were released on major labels but which were not commercially successful. Jello Biafra is a fan, though.
And Peter Ivers was mysteriously murdered in 1983.
The book is composed of part oral history (Ivers knew everyone from Harold Ramis to Van Dyke Parks to John Belushi and went to Harvard with Animal House/Caddyshack writer Doug Kenney), part narrative, and part investigative notes.
Due to these disparate parts, it is a little choppy, and not entirely chronological. Ivers' life was complex and he did a wide variety of creative activities, from being a virtuoso harmonica player who apprenticed with Muddy Waters to interviewing hostile punk bands on a pioneering music video show.
While you get a sense of Ivers as intriguing, charismatic, and ingenious, because of the style of the book, the tone ends up being cold and a bit unemotional, though the dark details of his demise land like a blow to the gut.
Ivers is a subject begging for film treatment, whether in documentary or dramatic form.
November 9, 2013
35 pages in, and I can't wait to finish this book. Very well written, engaging. I really admire this author's ability to paint a picture via the written word.
Years ago, when cable was new (and my family was poor, we had only 3 channels on TV), I had a friend who was fortunate enough to have the USA channel. One night I stumbled across "New Wave Theater" and made sure we stayed friends, if for nothing else, so that I had access to this show. At this time, there was no Betamax, no VHS, no Tivo, etc. Wanted to watch a show? You had to be in front of the TV when it aired. That was it, one chance, done.
The Masque? Black Flag? Fear? 45 Grave? Who WERE these bands? How could I, some kid in Kansas City, Missouri, get out to LA and be a part of this experience? Sure, I was only in the 8th grade, but with only a few years left, I was sure I could arrive and be part of something amazing after high school, when I would be free.
Years later, like the author found, the mystery got deeper. Peter had a black belt? Harvard educated? Songwriter? Much more than someone who reminded us to "Slap the Ginkels"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwfj2I...
Cheers to not forgetting Peter Ivers!
Years ago, when cable was new (and my family was poor, we had only 3 channels on TV), I had a friend who was fortunate enough to have the USA channel. One night I stumbled across "New Wave Theater" and made sure we stayed friends, if for nothing else, so that I had access to this show. At this time, there was no Betamax, no VHS, no Tivo, etc. Wanted to watch a show? You had to be in front of the TV when it aired. That was it, one chance, done.
The Masque? Black Flag? Fear? 45 Grave? Who WERE these bands? How could I, some kid in Kansas City, Missouri, get out to LA and be a part of this experience? Sure, I was only in the 8th grade, but with only a few years left, I was sure I could arrive and be part of something amazing after high school, when I would be free.
Years later, like the author found, the mystery got deeper. Peter had a black belt? Harvard educated? Songwriter? Much more than someone who reminded us to "Slap the Ginkels"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwfj2I...
Cheers to not forgetting Peter Ivers!
March 14, 2015
"In Heaven Everything Is Fine" is the true story of Peter Ivers, the talented and unconventional host of Night Flight's "New Wave Theater" and his unsolved murder.
Peter Ivers is a person who history has forgotten, but who played a key role in linking new wave/punk music to anarchy-based comedy such as National Lampoon and Saturday Night Live. Ivers was close personal friends with Doug Kenney, John Belushi, David Lynch, Harold Ramis,Michael O'Donaghue, and countless LA punk bands.
He was a pioneer, linking the worlds of alternative music and comedy, creating some of the first MTV-like programming BEFORE there was MTV. He wrote the "lady in the radiator song" in Eraserhead.
Yet as much as I knew and have read about Doug Kenney, The National Lampoon, John Belushi and SNL, and David Lynch, I was unfamiliar with Peter Ivers.
This book changed that.
A terrific read.
Peter Ivers is a person who history has forgotten, but who played a key role in linking new wave/punk music to anarchy-based comedy such as National Lampoon and Saturday Night Live. Ivers was close personal friends with Doug Kenney, John Belushi, David Lynch, Harold Ramis,Michael O'Donaghue, and countless LA punk bands.
He was a pioneer, linking the worlds of alternative music and comedy, creating some of the first MTV-like programming BEFORE there was MTV. He wrote the "lady in the radiator song" in Eraserhead.
Yet as much as I knew and have read about Doug Kenney, The National Lampoon, John Belushi and SNL, and David Lynch, I was unfamiliar with Peter Ivers.
This book changed that.
A terrific read.
January 21, 2013
This came recommended on the strengths of Peter Ivers' underrated musical career and his work on 'New Wave Theatre'. The style of the book -- in which the police records alternate with Ivers' biography -- distanced me from the narrative a bit. Additionally, Frank assumes readers know about the fates of some of Ivers' associates. (The chapter on Doug Kenney's demise sent me to Wikipedia to make sense of what he'd written.) Frank's portrait of Peter Ivers is indelible and his creativity and his status as a late bloomer makes his death that much more tragic. Fans of the LA punk scene would be wise to give this a read.
September 16, 2008
This is a truly fascinating story unveiled in a unique, stylized manner that keeps the reader engaged as you become more and more attached to the main character asking yourself "Who was this guy and why didn't I know anything about him??"
Thus author Josh Frank effectively guides the reader along the same path he took when writing the novel giving the reader the satisfaction of unearthing all these wonderful stories that paint an objective yet lovingly rendered portrait of Peter Ivers - the pop culture icon you never heard about...
Thus author Josh Frank effectively guides the reader along the same path he took when writing the novel giving the reader the satisfaction of unearthing all these wonderful stories that paint an objective yet lovingly rendered portrait of Peter Ivers - the pop culture icon you never heard about...
January 31, 2016
Really?! REALLY Goodreads? are you actually deleting my reviews? Wow. I might have to leave you altogether if that's what's happening. I said a bunch of stuff about this freaking book-- and I don't see it anywhere here. same goes for some other reviews. I'm this close to leaving your little community, if you are actually censoring my commentary, Goodreads.
May 28, 2013
I enjoyed the subject - what a fascinating person Peter Ivers was! - however the way it was written left something to be desired. It jumped back and forth, between his life and post-death investigation, and this format just didn't do it for me.
June 18, 2012
A fascinating story about an underrated artist. I found the construction of the narrative disorienting and distracting, jumping as it did from longer anecdotes to oral biography snippets to police reports, but I'm glad I took the time to learn more about Peter Ivers' unique and all-too-short life.
March 23, 2013
A good biography of an influential artist who should be more widely known. Section headings like "Cambridge Blues Club, 1968, 1:00 AM" were very irritating. If you don't know the date, I don't believe you when you say you know the time.
November 17, 2014
The information was interesting and I'm glad I read it, but the book is structured horribly and a lot of things just get repeated a lot to make up for the fact that there's not really enough here for an entire book, would have made more sense edited down to a long article.
Currently reading
June 10, 2015Mid-way through this book right now and have to say PETER IVERS is hands down one of the most interesting human beings I have ever read about. Worth reading for the first 20 pages alone describing what the punks did to CHEVY CHASE. Too funny! The guy took off in his Porsche so bad! lol
November 17, 2008
This tale of Peter Ivers, a fascinating and talented man, is told in disjointed fragments and interviews and lacks important details.
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