So Peter would have been sixty-three goddamned years old today. And it still makes me disgusted and angry that that time has been stolen from him. What would he have done, what would he have created?
Anyway, here are a couple of cool things - a wonderful remembrance by Michael Gentile: Remembering an Artist's Wild Life
with a photo by Cindy Heidel:
Look what I found! The video Peter directed for "Wild Thing," X's one and only heavy metal song (produced by the guy who did the Scorpions, I think). He guest stars - see big feet, paint-flinging, and setting things on fire.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Tidalholme
My brother Mark took this photo of Peter and their dad Roger, at Tidalholm, the former Haskell family house in Beaufort, SC, in Spring 1979.
Photo: Ann Haskell, about 1976. Photo courtesy the estate of Ann Haskell.
Here's the obit for our mother; her husband, Dick, included the photo, which I had forgotten about.
Ann S. Haskell, 81, died peacefully in her sleep at home on 10/22/10. Survived by her husband, Richard Koepsell, her mother, Elizabeth Sullivan, and her three siblings, Paul (Blake) Sullivan (Fredericksburg, VA), Margaretta Smith (Ashburn, VA), and Glen Sullivan (Fredericksburg, VA). She is also survived by three of her four children: Constantine (Dean) Rasmussen (Ipswich, MA), Mark Haskell (Washington, DC) and Gretl Rasmussen (Brooklyn, NY), by two loving daughters-in-law, and by six grandchildren.
Ann was born in Washington, DC, in 1929 and grew up in Arlington, VA. While raising three children on her own, she was among the first women to graduate from Clemson University and was awarded a Woodrow Wilson Graduate Fellowship. She received her Doctorate with honors from the University of Pennsylvania in 1964. She went on to teach at the English Department of the State University of New York at Buffalo, specializing in Chaucer and Medieval Life and Literature and in Children's Literature, for thirty-seven years. She was a mentor and advisor to hundreds of students whose lives and careers she enriched with her generosity and scholarship. Her many academic publications include the books, "Essays on Chaucer's Saints" and "A Middle English Anthology," which has been in print since 1969.
Ann wrote Op-Ed columns, personal essays, and articles on food and numerous other subjects for publications such as the Smithsonian, the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun and New York Times. She maintained a home in Provence in Southern France for forty years and she and her husband taught a program abroad on the Culture of Provence. Ann leaves friends in Western New York, Charlottesville, VA, and Provence, France. She thanks the Gynecological Cancer staff at the University of Virginia.
Brett sent a photo of this quiet, peaceful painting he did (well, that's how I think it looks). I really like it. He says: "Hello Gretl, I was looking around on Peter's blog today, thinking about him. I did this painting recently and wanted to contribute it as a little memorial. This is a shotglass Pete gave to me when I lived in L.A. We did a lot of drinking together so I filled it up and did a painting of it last September. Anyway, use it how you like. I still think about your brother. Take care, Brett" "Shot 9," painting By Brett Waller
Cindy Heidel sent the following: "this is a pic of Peter in my childhood bedroom...1976 (my first year of college) I was living at my parents [in Baltimore] and for some reason he threw rocks at the upstairs bedroom window to get my attention! I moved out shortly thereafter! maybe he knew my dad was a cop and at that point I had not been behaving and so maybe Peter was afraid to knock!" Photo Courtesy of Cindy Heidel
Peter and Gina Lamb, Oakland, 1978 Photo Courtesy of Cindy Heidel
"Mark Homes, Heather Haley, Cindy Heidel, Peter Haskell at Perry's and Cin's party in Silverlake, Los Angeles 1983? may Mark and Peter rest in peace :(" Photo Courtesy of Cindy Heidel
Rosetta and Josh have been friends of Peter's for a long time. They live on a cool farm full of animals. Last September, Josh did this amazing, expressive portrait: Painting by Joshua Mason
"When I went to Paris in August, I made a pilgrimage to the Picasso Museum. I've recently watched several documentaries about Picasso's life and have become more interested in his art. I watched one such documentary a couple days ago. That night, I had a dream in which I was visiting Picasso's studio.
"In the dream, Picasso was in his 90s, but absolutely electric with creativity. At one point, he fashioned a gay carnival sculpture and dressed it in in long, flowing purple robes. When he had finished it, he handed it to me. The wooden sculpture seemed vibrant with joy. 'It's for Peter," Picasso told me. "He's an artist. He will understand what it means.'
"When I awoke from that dream, I really felt Peter to be alive."
There are a number of good Peter stories: "the time Peter tried to make elderberry wine and it blew up and tie-dyed everything," "time he fell asleep under a sun lamp," "time he couldn't figure out how to turn the lights & sirens on the police car off again," "time he & Mark tried to start the pot plantation in the third-floor bathroom."
An excellent new (to me) Peter anecdote from my mom: 'the time Peter told me, in the middle of a commercial air flight, "Mom, there's an emergency: I've lost my snake!"'
The details from The Momzo:
Dearest Gretl, It was your first plane ride--you were four months old [1967]--and everyone was behaving nicely during the flight from WNY back to Swarthmore, where we would live once more. Than came the urgent, whispered (thank heavens!) message. He wanted the attendant to help and I wanted her to live in absolute ignorance! I'm pleased to report that he found the snake and it exited the plane with us, stowed safely out of sight in Peter's pocket. Love, Mom
Friday is the first anniversary of Peter's death, and I've spent a lot of time thinking about what I learned from him, which I know he'd think was important too. He'd probably say he taught me about good music, which he did; Liza recently told me that Peter took "a kind of big brother pride in the fact that he turned you on to David Bowie" - and X, and the Blasters, and on and on. But actually the most important thing he taught me about, accidentally maybe, was women. When I was a kid I knew that it was crucially important for a woman to be "pretty," and was very concerned about how I'd ever end up attaining that state myself. Now I realize it was always a losing battle for me, as pretty is about smallness, fragility, quietness, and blending in - all fine qualities for lace doilies and baby bunnies, but not so good for adults. My brother didn't hang out with women like that, and because of him, while I was still a teenager I met or saw performances by Exene, Lydia, Heather and Pat Oleszko - who were, to a woman, loud, weird, abrasive, fascinating, kind, and feared no one. They were completely mind-altering, especially in the bland hell that was Buffalo in the Reagan 80s. I remember being 17 and hearing Lydia, then all of 25 herself, remark that if a man tried to rape her she'd just laugh in his face. Had I been more self-aware at the time, I would have proposed to her on the spot. They were - and are - so powerful. But they also tended to be amazingly nice to me, maybe just because I was Peter's little sister, but I hoped that they also saw that I was a little bit like them. So thank you, Peter: I am loud, often irritating, and somewhat strange, and extremely proud of it. I love you. Gretl
Pat Oleszko, Roamin' Holiday: A View from A Broad (www.patoleszko.com)
I am the savage, I suppose. For I cannot get past the deed, the passionate, brilliant man we were deprived of.
It's what? The something or other stage, I'm told, but there is something about vengeance that seems, well, not just right but vital, needed, essential even.
The world has far too few Peter Haskells; far too many of his dubious killer.
And we have the touted "Justice System" that parses fleas on elephants to find the outcome sought.
With Mom, early 80s, in Buffalo; photo by Heather Haley.
From Chris Coon, via Heather: "Chris used to go to art school/Cal Arts with Peter. He's a drummer from the Bay area who played in SF punk bands Impatient Youth and the Woundz. Small world and funny that we met here on this island a coon's age after we both played in the punk rock scene. "...He says on the left of Peter is Paul Casteel, singer of the band Touch Me Hooker. Right of Pete is filmmaker Joshua Heller and next to Josh is Jay Lehman, record executive and musician. The guy in the left foreground he didn't identify. Circa 1978 at his parents' house in Vallejo, Ca."
Peter carried a camera around most of the time, and he had a ton of pictures on his computer from this particular couple of weeks in South Carolina. There are a lot of creature and ruined house photos. I get the feeling he was kind of trying to actually describe the character of the place, but that's totally just a guess. (I did my best to make them post-able size and more or less consistent; sorry they're kind of technically untidy.)
One Year Memorial Weekend of Septemter 26-27th, 2009, Los Angeles Location and details to be determined. Please let me know if you might be interested in attending. Thanks, Gretl (gretlr hotmail com) Satan Scouts (album cover art) photo by John Eder, design by Peter Haskell
Heidi writes: "Peter and I were very close in Los Angeles for many years. I stayed with him a lot when he had his apartment in Echo Park, and in the garage in West Hollywood, underneath the apartment of the crazy monkey trainer. I lost touch with him years ago, when one day, I went to his West Hollywood place, and found he had moved. I could not get a forwarding address or telephone number from anyone."
For Peter Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Everybody wants to talk to the dead The unfinished business The words unsaid
I would give anything to tell you now The way I feel, But yet, somehow
It is too late Now that you're gone Yet somehow, my life must go on
If you could hear me, I would say I'M SORRY that I went AWAY And disappeared without a trace As i have done, place after place
As I will do, time after time For I am deaf, dumb, mute And blind.
Carole was my mom's very first student, in 1963, so she's known our family since then. My mom, Ann, sent this along; she especially likes it since Peter was born on the Equinox and because she celebrates the Solstice.
In Lambent Light Carole Knuth, Winter Solstice 2008 —forAnn
In lambent light he comes, Filling the oracle chamber of Your heart with his presence. Child of your body, child of your soul: Now the rockbed of your memory.
Across the veils between the worlds, Thinned now at solstice time, Your son calls Namaste to you, Blessing your life-affirming journey Begun amid the great festivals of light.
When the winds of change Blow hard upon your sojourn, Follow the dark path To find the stars that shine within. There let your soul loudly sing, The vibration of that soaring sound Calling from the realm of spirit The energy of your filial comforter.
Thus may you find deep joy Each time you know anew The one who comes to you In lambent light.
Liza reminded me about this LA Times article about the artist Ed Colver, and the accompanying slideshow of his collage/house, with music by Peter and Thomas and photography by Genaro Molina (as Liza also remarks, you can also see the mannequin legs with the red high heels that are in a previous post). LA Times audio slideshow, "Beautiful Junque": http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-ca-0817-colver-fl,0,2046638.flash and the related article, "Edward Colver's art remains punk," August 17, 2008: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-colver17-2008aug17,0,7015938.story Art by Edward Colver; photo (from the LA Times) by Genaro Molina.
This is the music video Beth and Peter were working on when he was killed; she wasn't able to use any of what they had shot originally, as it didn't match the new stuff, but still went with their original plans. I'm really glad she finished it. Their mutual friend Mark worked on it too. Beth Thompson & The Shway, "Painful Cyst":
From the Facebook.com album "Life in LA's post-punk trenches" by Heather Haley, with Heather's comments. (The full album is here, although you may not be able to access it if you're not a facebook member: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26312&id=527457037&ref=mf.)
"Some Paul Greenstein project/concept. Peter in the middle, forget the guy's name to the right of him but he was a Brit/expat. Please identify." Photo copyright Frank Gargani. (NB: I'm pretty sure I saw these guys playing on the N Train this morning. - GR)
"L to R: Peter Haskell, Paul Greenstein, and the previously mentioned Brit/expat. What was his name? I remember he went to truck driving school and drove a big rig across the U.S., just because he wanted to. :-o " Photo copyright Frank Gargani.
From Zuade: "a portrait I took of Peter in front of our place in Los Feliz" (Photo by Zuade Kaufman)
When Mark and I went to LA in January to clean out Peter's storage space, we had no idea what to expect in there. It was way the hell out in some college-y looking CA town, and we went in a three-car caravan with Beth, Zuade and Paris. I should have taken a picture of the contents, which roughly broke down to food (dorm fridge, mixer, blender), decrepit furniture bits, clothes (Peter's old leather coat fit Paris perfectly and became his), lots of fishing gear, some music equipment, and several large bags of tools - serious tools that you could build a house with. Of course there were tapes and DVDs and CDs. There were books of every description from library sales and used book stores that he picked up like a magpie. There were tons of rolls of heavy tape. And there were pieces of art-to-be: sparkly, glittery, shiny, and patterned; fabric, paper, lights, paints, and colored glue; all of which for us was just pretty trash. Mark said that Peter would have been furious that we were fucking with his stuff that way. It was awful.
From Heather: Hey Gretl, just found this, thought you might get a kick out of these dolls Peter made long ago, for our first issue of Rattler though we didn't use them. He made a mask of Medusa for the cover instead, can't remember why. (Art by Peter Haskell) He sculpted them all by hand out of papier mache, then hand painted them. We had a lot of fun finding the props and stuff. I helped sew some of the clothes, which reminded me of making stuff for my Barbies-but they are purely Peter's creations. As you can see, there is a tourist couple in the front, then left to right, a "gay cruiser," as he put it, a cholo, a bag lady and a new waver.
Photo courtesy of Heather Haley From Heather: "...this was taken at the Cathay De Grande by Gary Leonard (I think) on the occasion of our Rattler Magazine benefit which included Dave Alvin, John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Carlos Guitarlos, De De Detroit, Phast Phreddie, Ivan Roth, Victor Noel, Tequila Mockingbird, Doug Knott and Michael Mollet on the bill. The bands that played were Greg Burk's Dred Scott, Seditionaries, Minutemen, Off, and Malocchio (Jhim Pattison and Byron Baker's neo-surrealist band of madmen)."
More: Poster for "Bad Day," a film by Modi Frank and Exene Cervenka featuring Peter Haskell; courtesy of Heather Haley:
Zero One Club poster by Peter Haskell; courtesy of Heather Haley:
Zero One Club poster by Peter Haskell; courtesy of Heather Haley:
Peter Haskell died in Los Angeles on September 11, 2008, at age 51. He was a filmmaker, artist, writer and musician,
and is survived by his son Paris, his mother Ann, his siblings Constantine (Dean), Mark and Gretl, and by many steadfast friends and creative co-conspirators.
Please contribute your art, photos, or reminiscences about Peter by emailing me at gretlr hotmail com.
Copyrights are owned by the individuals listed. Uncredited materials on this blog are owned by me. If you want to reproduce something or see a mistake or omission, please contact me at the email listed above.
Main image: Peter and Bella, photo by Eliza Walsh.
Further details about Peter's death can be found in Paul Cullum's LA Weekly article of July 7, 2009: http://www.laweekly.com/2009-07-09/news/beautiful-loser-tortured-killer
Unless otherwise noted, all contents copyright 2008-2011 G. Rasmussen
Photo courtesy of Heather Haley
