Celebrate 50th anniversary of Allen Ginsberg trial :: Music News :: Articles

In an era before Britney Spears, things – and indeed, great things – were labeled “obscene.” Fifty years ago, the pre-Britney era started to come to a close. On October 3, 1957, a court found that Allen Ginsberg’s legendary poem “Howl” was not obscene because it had “redeeming social importance.” And though we may ask ourselves whether it wouldn’t be a great time to reconsider whether “redeeming social importance” actually applies to Ms. Spears’ antics, now is the time to celebrate Ginsberg’s legacy.

San Francisco-based Fantasy Records, now part of Concord Music Group, offers two ways to pay tribute to “Howl” and the man who created it. First, there is Howl and Other Poems, which features a recording of Ginsberg himself reading his great work. The other Fantasy release is even grander: a four-disc set called Howls, Raps & Roars: Recordings From the San Francisco Poetry Renaissance. The box set features “Howl” alongside performances from some other major figures from the Beat era, including Lenny Bruce and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Now is the time to listen to some of the best minds of a generation.

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