Finished Tu 7/31/18
This is a trade paperback that I got from the library. I heard Marc Maron mention this book during one of his interviews. He claimed (possibly as a joke) that the book was marginally about music, but overwhelmingly about heroin. It really isn't.
It's really a very detailed account of his life, and due to his third wife, Laurie. She met Art when he was involved with Synanon during the late 70's where they were both trying to kick their addictions.
She said that when she met him she was fascinated by his stories about his life. She insisted that he begin compiling them and she began taping and transcribing the material. She also wanted to turn these transcripts into a movie, and she did make a YouTube video. Here's the link-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIEIDgZ4VFA
From the book's page at Amazon Books-
"Art Pepper (1925–1982) was called the greatest alto saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker generation. But his autobiography, Straight Life, is much more than a jazz book—it is one of the most explosive, yet one of the most lyrical, of all autobiographies."
Notes:
Joined the army near the end of WWII.
First big band was with Stan Kenton.
Married early and had a child with Patti; (daughter) Patricia. He became estranged from them for most of his life.
Diane, Christine, Laurie were the main women in his life.
In the fifties he got hooked on heroin. This was a man that spent most of his life in jail for drug offenses. He always maintained that the reason he spent so much time behind bars was that he never snitched.
He was also an alcoholic, or he would do anything to get high. He used methadone in conjunction with numerous other drugs including alcohol.
He had many tattoos.
Drugs didn't destroy this man's life, it was America's War On Drugs that ruined him. Addictions are not 'crimes', but they are clearly health and psychological problems that are NEVER helped by fines or prison.
He was actively involved in the beginning of Synanon.
wikipedia link to the organization-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synanon
He seemed to be very attracted to the concept of group truth-telling sessions that came to be known as the "Synanon Game."
Synanon evolved into 'The Church of Synanon', most likely for tax reasons, and eventually demanded a life-long commitment. Members would agree to live their entire lives within the program. This is where Art Pepper drew the line.
Charles Dederich is credited with the phrase, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life".
He was in poor health for most of his life, and also, a bit of a hypochondriac.
He wanted to die while high. He snorted cocaine as he entered the hospital for the last time.
Died of a cerebral hemorrhage. He seemed to know that he was about to die.
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