Moondog was a fave of my parents when they lived in NYC back in the early '51 up on 6th Avenue.  He used to play his homemade  instrument in a doorway near where they worked.  Once when they grabbed dinner in that neighborhood he came into the restaurant and was fed.  They even have him performing on a record, a single cut on a (Folkways?) collection called "NY19" (for the old postal code for a neighborhood).  There was mention of his passing away on NPR a few years ago and mention of a new album/tape/CD of his about five years ago, I think.

I'm told Moondog had a shack in the woods down south of Ithaca about 15 miles on Route 96B (maybe around Willseyville) and would come up from the city from time to time until some kids trashed it.  A friend of my folks' was on the bus to or from Binghamton one day when Moondog came out of a field and the bus driver stopped to pick him up, Viking helmet, cape, and all.

For some reason I thought he moved out around the "Yea God" community (speaking of homesteading) in West Danby area (about ten miles southwest of Ithaca which is, of course, aka The Little Apple, Heaven On Earth, The Other Center Of The Universe, etc.)?  I think there was mention of Moondog earlier on BP (by CP or JC?).

Some benefactor from Skandanavia (or Holland?) got him a gig with an orchestra late in his life.  I guess that's what resulted in the most recent recording.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 11:16 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Homesteading


If there is a museum;do not forget Adam Purple ( amazing hanging gardens and
vegie plots on Lower east side  Riverton st. ?? )
evicted about 87-88 wore tye dye and made compost from horse apples in
central park...when I and others testified in his behalf at the eviction hearing
Adam shot himself in the foot  when he stood up and blistered the judge in a
long harangue about Ufos and walk ins .....
Another favorite from another time (60's) was Moon Dog a blind Moses bearded
poet who always wore a Viking hat ; I heard he homesteaded in central park and
even cut a record of his poems sometime around 65; he disappeared with the
invasion of the Hippies. Py

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