Interview with Robert Trammel conducted by Gerald Burns with Joe Camrey at Dallas Institute of Humanities & Culture on October 20, 1982 #613

CLASSIFICATION

Swallow ID:
5885
Partner Institution:
Simon Fraser University
Source Collection Label:
Reading in BC Collection
Sub Series:
Reading in BC Collection

ITEM DESCRIPTION

Title:
Interview with Robert Trammel conducted by Gerald Burns with Joe Camrey at Dallas Institute of Humanities & Culture on October 20, 1982 #613
Title Source:
cassette and j-card
Language:
English
Production Context:
Documentary recording
Genre:
Interview
Identifiers:
[]

Rights

Rights:
Copyright Not Evaluated (CNE)

CREATORS

Name:
Burns, Gerald
Dates:
1940-1997
Role:
"Interviewer"

Name:
Camrey, Joe
Role:
"Interviewer"

Name:
Trammell, Robert
Dates:
1939-
Role:
"Speaker", "Reader"

CONTRIBUTORS

MATERIAL DESCRIPTION

Image:
Image
Recording Type:
Analogue
AV Type:
Audio
Material Designation:
Cassette
Physical Composition:
Magnetic Tape
Extent:
1/8 inch
Track Configuration:
2 track
Playback Mode:
Stereo
Sound Quality:
Good
Physical Condition:
Excellent
Other Physical Description:
Black and white clear jewel case with J-card

DIGITAL FILE DESCRIPTION

Channel Field:
Stereo
Sample Rate:
44.1 kHz
Duration:
T00:46:47
Size:
59.7 MB
Bitrate:
32 bit
Encoding:
WAV for master files and .MP3 for online files

Channel Field:
Stereo
Sample Rate:
44.1 kHz
Duration:
T00:46:47
Size:
59.8 MB
Bitrate:
32 bit
Encoding:
WAV for master files and .MP3 for online files

Dates

Date:
1982-10-20
Type:
Performance Date
Source:
J-card

LOCATION

Address:
2719 Routh St. Dallas, Texas 75201
Venue:
Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture
Latitude:
32.79741
Longitude:
-96.8035

CONTENT

Contents:
Side Track No. Comments One 000 006 Voice over introducing interview 008 Unknown voice reading what appears to be verse 010 Voice over introducing interview for the third time 011 Brief background on Robert Trammel 014 Robert Trammel corrects the interviewer on the background information 016 Interview begins centering on Trammel’s bias, in particular myth & life in East Texas 036 Emphasis on Trammel’s use of oral Texas myth tradition 064 Trammel’s New York experiences 092 Discussion on O’Hara, Creeley, Olson, Pound, etc. that is broken off prematurely 110 The motivational forces behind the new book 140 Besides birds, Burns notes, there are few animals mentioned. He asks why. A digression by Trammel on the stupidity of turkeys 165 Burns asks Trammel to read a few poems 167 Trammel consents but continues on a digression on the lack of available culture when he was growing up in East Texas 179 “The day begins in the back hall…” 193 Camrey mentions motifs in the previous poem 197 Trammel responds 212 “The Long Hall That Splits the House” 223 Burns comments on the poem 227 Trammel talks about writing poems concerning “Houses” 237 “The Living Room” poem 259 Burns tries a weak joke “What do you use for your work, sex or drugs?” 261 Trammel responds, making a much better joke or rather a display of wit 275 Discussion on violence and its involvement with love 309 Burns asks two disjointed questions: One concerning sport poems & one on his high school & college experiences 320 Trammel responds, discusses the Dallas Cowboy’s stadium as a temple 358 Trammel talks about non intentional art being real Art, he then reads from an article discussion Native Indian artistic tradition 381 Burns asks a long winded question concerning a poet living his poetry. Trammel responds in kind 427 Trammel vs. the standard academic poets. He wonders what is a “standard academic poet”? He goes on to a pseudo-philosophical monologue on the state on modern poetry. And solutions to the problems 496 Burns, semi-defensively talks about his own poetics 509 “Can other poets learn from you?” 512 Trammel responds discussing what he assumes is his audience, or rather is not his audience 552 Burns: “Do you think it is good to have audience you do not choose?” 556 Discussion to change rooms and turn the tape over 615 Side one ends Two 000 011 Interview continues 012 Trammel reads some of his more recent work 015 “No one knew who live in hotels…” 027 Burns asks an irrelevant question concerning the previous poem 028 Trammel responds 029 Discussion over what Trammel should read next 032 “Red and short…” 043 Trammel introduces the next poem 045 “This would fall fail first around the nail” 053 Trammel wonders if the poems work separately or in a group “referring back to themselves” 055 Burns talks about the mood Trammel creates [Burns can’t help but refer to his own work] Trammel mentions the difficulty he has with having “persons” in his works, Olson & Pound are cited as examples 080 “The Jacksonville Poems” are brought up as well as the lack of interesting people & situations 113 Camrey brings up the element of disillusionment he senses in the poem, Burns argues with him. Trammel sides with Camrey & goes on to seemingly inadvertently proving Camrey’s point 158 Burns brings up the mood of the room they are in. Trammel says he would rather write a poem about it, then talk about it 171 Burns asks about past works specifically ones concerning “car wrecks”. Trammel responds, seeing it as the Trickster element in Artists 184 Trammel, Burns says, “has kept his adolescence”. Trammel sees his work not as nostalgia but as an attempt to get away from nostalgia 191 Burns brings up the religious background Trammel has 213 “Are you more sensitive to being duped or deceived?” Trammel responds 219 A discussion develops over Trammel’s tendency to lie; Trammel says he doesn’t lie, he “Bullshits”, a myth-building trait. People in New York, Trammel says, are very easy to bullshit 251 “Do you think you would have been that different if you hadn’t grown up in Texas?” 255 Trammel wonders when you start to become aware of where you grew up 258 A discussion on poets only becoming recognized when their talents begin to decrease. Trammel puts it down to “expensive drugs” & offers acute insight. The history of American poets going bad 295 The freedom of being an obscure poet in America. Allen Ginsberg is mention. Trammel sees him as destroyed by celebrity, Burns says “…he handles it beautifully” 314 Salt Lake Press & its publisher Joe Hanney is brough up & its effect upon Burns & Trammel 352 Camrey asks a question concerning why a place so rich in artistic tradition as Texas has little time for poets. Trammel responds, noting that songwriting has almost filled the poetry void. A discussion ensues; citing culture is viewed in Texas as a feminine thing & the pseudo-french bent of Texas culture. Dallas as a cultural centre 489 Endowment of poets & arts; the pitfalls 510 Dallas culture & the poet in culture 590 Burns tries to paint Trammel as a bit of a cultural snob in comparison to himself. Trammel responds 615 Side two ends
Notes:
SFU BC Readings formatting

NOTES


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