Farren was on his way out in ’71 when I met him at I.T. (International Times) with his asthma attacks, cigs, weed, booze, che-mical ingestion, dodgy diet, and all.
Amazing that he lived so long.
He and I covered Bowie at Radio City Music Hall and the first Patti Smith group at the Whiskey on the strip (for New Musical Express).
And in London dropped Orange Blossom Specials, with Lemmy, Hawkwind and the Pink Fairies. Worked at N.Y. Rocker (the monthly) with Bangs, Salewicz, Corbjin and myself.
As one of the King Street Nine we were busted in Covent Garden for bad behavior with market porters and attended many hippy festivals with the U.K. Hells Angels and the Powis Square Bunch.
Mickey gave me my first UK photo assignment, introduced me to Stanley Kubrick, loved Katey and let me crash at his gaff off Portobello Road.
Mick Farren was a British Treasure.