Customer Reviews

The Historic 1962 Concert When Lenny Was Busted

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are just getting into Lenny Bruce, this is not the album to start with. Get the Fantasy "Lenny Bruce Originals" first, then come around to this one.

What we have here is a complete show at the Gate of Horn. Lenny does his whole routine, which by this point focuses less on humor routines and more on riffing about religion and politics.

Some parts of this will make you fall down laughing, and others are rather dated.

The sound quality is pretty poor, but could be worse. Lenny Bruce was a terrible person to try to record, he didn't use a microphone in a recording-friendly way, always wandering off and making side comments. It's not an easy listen.

At the end of the show, he's arrested. It's rather anti-climactic, as he just kind of wanders off, and then we hear a bit of jazz music.

What's hard to believe is that he is arrested for the show he just did! There are recordings that are FAR more offensive and repulsive out there, and with far less socially-redeeming features. Absolutely amazing.

Enjoy!

I agree with the other reviewers, who state that this recording is not for the uninitiated Lenny listener, as it is a very uneven performance, and many of his references (for those under 45) may mystify some folks. But it is a vital historical document, concerning humor and censorship. At the time it was recorded (1964), Lenny's stage act had no peer within nightclub comedy, and few realized the groundbreaking nature of what he was doing and saying on stage. Lenny's satire was an in-your-face barrage of outrageous ideas and images (his King Kong "bit", hilarious when one gets past the sexual imagery, is available on no other released recording, to my knowledge) and he attacked religion and politics in a fashion almost guaranteed to result in career suicide. Yet, 40 years later, he is revered as a saint of free speech, an articulate commentator on his times who made it possible for later (and much less hip/funny) comedians who have only a small percentage of his intellegence and wit. The best reason to buy this disc is that it contains some material that is available nowhere else (yet) and that is quite funny. He also gets into an insult contest with an inebriated female audience member, that while brief, is a riot. This is an essential item for any serious Lenny Bruce collector.

I'm pretty sure this tape came about because the cops used it as evidence in the trial after arresting him - this is straight out of the evidence locker and onto LP/CD I believe. Yes, the last thing on here is the cops arresting him.

Lenny appears to be completely stoned during the first portion of this performance, but does liven up subsequently. It's not his most coherent performance but there are funny sections and funny ad-libs not heard in other performances.

A good CD with some great sections (and some not to great sections). The most interesting thing about the CD is listening to the cops arresting Lenny on stage (which they did many times over the course of his career!).

Not for the uninitiated, but a good CD for those who appreciate Lenny.