Gnaoua, Issue 1 [and only], Spring 1964

Burroughs contributes “Pry Yourself Loose and Listen”, “Notes on Page One”, “Ancient Face Gone Out”, “Just So Long and Long Enough”, pp. 7-16.

Published in Tangier, Morocco by Ira Cohen in Spring of 1964.

These four Burroughs contributions were also released as a separate chapbook [by the same publisher] entitled Pry Yourself Loose and Listen.

There is a brief mention of Naked Lunch in J. Sheeper's [pen-name for Irving Rosenthal, editor of Big Table] "Style": "The connections in Naked Lunch are internal, forced by the voltage. You don't see the connection, you don't see the connection, is that a brown spot in the middle of the sentence – turning black? Do I see smoke? – the crackle of paper – a dazzling blue-white bar."

"Ancient Face Gone Out" was later included in the book White Subway.

This periodical is known also from its presence on the cover of Bob Dylan's Bringing It all Back Home, where it shows up on the fireplace mantel.

This copy includes a signed letter from author George Andrews (The Book of Grass: An Anthology on Indian Hemp) discussing Gnaoua and Jilala by Cohen. George Andrews was also the translator of some of the works in this issue,

This copy was formerly in the collection of Darin Scope, and hints at once being translator/author George Andrews' copy, given the presence of the letter in its covers.

External Links:

• From a Secret Location: Gnaoua
• RealityStudio: Pry Yourself Loose and Listen

Bibliographic Information:

• M&M C68, C69, C70, C71
• Shoaf III.51
• Schottlaender v4.C78
• Raven 19640400GNAO.0.1

Contents:

• Rosalind Schwartz: beetle illustrations, cover design
• William S. Burroughs:
• "Pry Yourself Loose and Listen" (prose)
• "Notes on Page One" (prose)
• "Ancient Face Gone Out" (prose)
• "Just So Long and Long Enough" (prose)
• Ian Sommerville: "Mr & Mrs D." (collage)
• Brion Gysin: "The Pipes of Pan" (essay)
• Harold Norse: "Sniffing Keyholes" (prose)
• Allen Ginsberg:
• "A Dream" (prose)
• "A Writing (May 1963)" (poetry)
• Michael McClure: "The Beast Sound: Nine Poems":
• "39" (poetry)
• "44" poetry)
• "49" (poetry)
• "50" (poetry)
• "51" (poetry)
• "54" (poetry)
• "58" (poetry)
• "69" (poetry)
• "89" (poetry)
• J. Sheeper [Irving Rosenthal]: 
• "Style" (prose/essay)
• "Drugs" (prose/essay)
• "Skin" (prose/essay)
• "Rubies and Diamonds" (prose/essay)
• "An Army of Fat Black Doctors" (prose/essay)
• Jack Smith: "Superstars of Cinemaroc" (photos)
• Marc Schleifer [later: Professor S. Abdallah Schleifer]: "Good-by, I love you, the movie print has captured all (for O. A.)" (poetry)
• Mohammed ben Abdullah Yussufi [translated by Irving Rosenthal]:
• "The Three Alis" (prose)
• "The First Turban" (prose)
• "The First Mirror" (prose)
• J. Weir: "Poem" (poetry)
• Stuart Gordon: "Crab Hermits Develop Language; Shall It Freely Be?" (prose)
• Tatiana: "A Rock of Ectoplasm from Thunder Island" (prose)
• Alfred Jarry: "The Other Alcestis" (prose, translated by George Andrews)
• Jabouna Min Soudan: "Gnaoua Song" (poetry, translated by Christopher Wanklyn)

Publishing Information: 

• Editor and Publisher: Ira Cohen
• Printed in Belgium