Manson on the Web
It will come as no surprise to most readers that the Manson Family has a huge presence on the Internet. In my years of work on the Family I came to appreciate deeply the denizens of the net who donated so much of their energy to constructing sites open to all comers—no paywalls! Most of the sites listed here have, in addition to posted documents, photographs, videos, and so on, very robust communities of commenters. Reading comments on these sites offers some very good hints as to how Manson and the Family continue to live in contemporary culture. Without the generosity of these webmasters it would take unlimited time for travel and deep pockets for eBay to get at some of the most important Manson research materials. Here are some of the most important sites.
www.murdersofaugust69.freeforums.net
A turn-of-the-century style discussion board with a very robust collection of documents, photographs, and trial records, as well as a particularly lively commenting community.
www.lsb3.com
This “Tate-LaBianca Homicide Research Blog” has an impressive trove of research materials.
www.cielodrive.com
This is probably the best of the Manson omnibus sites. In addition to major portions of trial (and Grand Jury) testimony, cielodrive.com is notable for being the most professionally laid-out and most easily navigable online Manson collection.
www.mansonblog.com
The blog is not particularly easy to navigate but it is another example of a site that will offer up many riches to the patient surfer.
www.law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/ftrials2printable.htm was created by Professor Douglas Linder and others at University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School. With a good overview of the trial and samples of some of the most important testimony—not to mention records of parole hearings—this is absolutely indispensable.
www.trussel.com/f_mel.htm
This is a Lyman Family site, which has plenty of Manson-related material as well. Constructed and maintained by Steve Trussel, this is a truly unmatched archive.
www.truthontatelabianca.com
For many years this was a crucial omnibus site and I still have reams of notes taken from materials found there. But this is the Internet, folks, and the site disappeared.
Personal Communication
This book is not organized around interviews but I have been very fortunate to have the research enriched by in-person, telephone, and email conversations with a range of people with interests in the case—from direct participants in this historical moment, to artists inspired by the events in and around the Family, to other scholars working in the area. With gratitude, I list the people whose insight I have benefited from:
Gregg Jakobson
Bobby Beausoleil
Phil Proctor
Candace Falk
Lewis Parker
JR Robinson
David Felton
Karlene Faith
Lonnie Martin
Erik Forrest Jackson
On Quoting Songs
Permission to quote popular songs is prohibitively expensive—that is when the owners of the copyright are actually willing to allow it: Neil Young was a surprise “no”! The good news is the lyrics to all the songs I mention are widely available online; just remember to trust your ears before you trust the crowd-sourced transcriptions.
Acknowledgments
Part of the burden of this book has been to demonstrate why and how the Manson Family have come to be such a pervasive presence in our culture. The ubiquity of the Family in fact and fiction meant that I had literally dozens of comrades along the way. I have been honored by all of the people who have shared their personal encounters with Manson, who have helped me make my way over and through Mansonland, and who have shared leads, links, and lore. Especially important to my research and writing process has been the generosity of those who, in one way or another, have been actors in, and creators of, the cultural dramas I explore here. In this light I offer my deep gratitude to Gregg Jakobson, Bobby Beausoleil, David Felton, Karlene Faith, Phil Proctor, Candace Falk, Lewis Parker, Erik Forrest Jackson, Lonnie Martin, and JR Robinson. The process of getting the book from manuscript to print has been shockingly free of drama and actually pleasant! For this I want to thank my wise agent, Don Fehr, and the wonderful work done by all the folks I have worked with at Arcade/Skyhorse—most notably the sharp and committed editors Lilly Golden and Maxim Brown.
Charles Manson’s Creepy Crawl is also built on the foundation of the remarkably supportive American Studies department at University of Massachusetts, Boston. My department chairs, Lynnell Thomas and Aaron Lecklider, have helped make it possible for me to balance teaching responsibilities and research. Shauna Manning, the department administrator, has been a crucial part of all of my work at UMB. My undergraduate and graduate students make me feel hopeful and inspired just about every day. I also feel grateful to find myself working a part of a robust public sector union. I am grateful to have received financial support from the University in the form of a Joseph P. Healey Grant and a College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Fund award. I appreciate the support I have received from key staff in the Dean’s office, especially Kim Ho, Eddie Sze, and Lauren Brackett.
I thank David Shafer, of California State, Long Beach, for his enthusiastic support and careful reading of the manuscript, as well as Brett Mizelle, a colleague of David’s, for inviting me to talk about the work in progress to an energetic audience at CSULB. The manuscript also benefited greatly from a close reading by scholar David Schmid, who offered his incredible analytic acumen and amazing attention to detail just because I wrote him an email and asked him to. Old friends Gary Wilder, Audrey Vernick, Scott Fabozzi, Dan Itzkovitz, and Susannah Ringel have offered the kinds of support that matter most. I am glad to have this chance to thank some newer friends as well, especially a group I have come to know first through a shared interest in popular music and mostly as incredibly smart virtual presences. I want to take this moment to remember the wise and warm Ali Belz, no longer with us. Sincere thanks are also due to Vincent Maganzini, Tom Johnston, and Larry Blum, all of whom shared information, insights, and enthusiasm. Jim Smethurst’s political and scholarly engagements have long been a model for me. I have also drawn energy from the support of my mother Iris Swimmer and stepfather Len Swimmer, and my siblings Melnick (Dan, Dave, and Debby) and Rubin (Larry and Lucy). To my academic role model, dear colleague, and friend, Judy Smith, I owe a debt of gratitude for her close reading, incisive comments, and high standards. Above all, I have drawn as much as I can from the example Judy provides as a brilliant scholar and as the most ethically evolved person I have ever known.
Which brings me to my Cambridge/Somerville family. None of the rest of this matters much without these four people: Cindy Weisbart, Jessie Rubin, Jacob Rubin, and Rachel Rubin. There has been no greater honor or reward in my life than sharing a home with Jessie and Jake as they grew into the kind and brilliant adults they are today. They both know how insanely much I love them and how much I have drawn from their camaraderie and their critical intelligence. I thank Jessie Rubin especially for sharing her musical expertise to help me parse some intractable texts, and to Jacob Rubin for his deep knowledge and skills in teaching me to understand visual texts of all kinds. (And for saying to me: “It’s time to stop researching and start writing. Otherwise you just have a very strange hobby.”) Cindy is the teacher I aim to be and if my reach exceeds my grasp I’m still so lucky to have her establishing the goals; she is the kind of friend you read about in books. Rachel Rubin has been my partner at home and in all sorts of work for a blessedly long time and continues to set the bar for the kind of engaged scholarship I value most. Grateful beyond words for this family, I will end by noting that I am not a religious person but I am a superstitious person so I will just say: kinehora.
Index
Abbott, Jack Henry 202, 309
Adams, Rachel 128-129, 133, 140, 150
Adler, Lou 113, 128, 168
Aftermath (album) 276
Agnew, Spiro 219, 344
Akrobatik 265
Albert, Stew 40, 217
Alex in Wonderland 232, 331
Altamont concert 102, 104, 148, 208. See also Rolling Stones
Altobelli, Rudi 153, 154
“Ambulance Blues” (song) 336, 337
American Horror Story 266
Ambrosino, Lillian 59
American Girls 84, 86-88
Anderton, Piers 190, 208
Anger, Kenneth xxiv, 104, 263, 278
Anson, Robert Sam 60
Antonioni, Michelangelo 35, 355
Aoxomoxoa 338
Aquarius (TV series) vii, 232, 271-276
“Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” (song) 164-165
“Arkansas” (song) 268
Atkins, Edward 3, 4
Atkins, Susan 3, 7, 8, 11-12, 19, 24, 31, 39, 61, 78, 80, 81, 82-82, 91, 98, 103, 116, 118, 139, 152, 177, 185, 191-192, 208, 209, 249, 317; psychological interpretation of murder committed by 13. See also Glutz, Sadie Mae
Avila, Eric 274, 275
Bailey, Ella Jo 117
Baker, James Edward 33-34. See also Father Yod, Source Family
“Ballad of a Thin Man” (song) 129
Ballad of Easy Rider (song and record) 109, 159, 329
Banksy 264-265
Barker Ranch 49, 202, 351, 353, 354, 355
Barry, Robert 316, 318, 319, 320
Bayh, Birch (senator) 60
the Beach Boys xxi, xxiii, 21, 105, 107, 108, 116, 117, 119, 120, 128, 138, 140, 142, 153, 154, 155, 160, 163-164, 172, 229, 230, 304, 305, 306, 307, 336, 340, 344. See also Wilson, Brian and Dennis
the Beatles xix, 30, 63, 66, 100, 107, 177, 178, 186, 190, 196, 229, 252, 283, 299, 318, 320; impact of “Blackbird” 252; impact of “Eleanor Rigby” 179; impact of “Helter Skelter” 7, 177, 178, 252, 271; impact of “Piggies” 252; impact of “Revolution 9” 178
Beatty, Warren 343-345, 383
Beausoleil, Bobby xii, xix-xx, xxiv, xxix, 8, 10-11, 18-19, 21, 53, 85, 104, 106, 116-117, 135, 158, 165, 187, 188, 190, 213, 216, 217, 239, 241-242, 243, 263, 304, 325-326, 327, 359n19, 375n5; Orkustra band of 116
The Beautiful People: Pacesetters of the New Morality 102, 199, 200
Bebber, Jim Van 323
Becker, Howard 248
Bell, Madison Smartt 84, 281, 287-288
“Belly of the Beast” (song) 202
Benton, Jessie 35, 37, 38
Benton, Thomas Hart 35, 37
Bergen, Candice xxiv, 20, 124, 167
Bergen, Edgar xxv, 124, 167
Bernstein, Michael André 147, 178
Berry, Chuck 339
“Beware” (song) 267, 323
Bishop, George 193-195, 196, 238, 249
Biskind, Peter 106, 114, 145, 148, 159, 343
Black, Frank 306
Black Flag 307, 308, 309-310
Black Panther movement 8, 188, 189-190, 232, 244, 273, 274, 276
Blair, Linda 24, 62, 305
Blood on the Wall 267
“Bluebirds Over the Mountain” (song) 120
Blum, Jeffrey D. 41
Bono 177, 271
Borowitz, Andy vii-vii
Bowie, David 255
Boyle, Peter 61, 72, 74
Brian Jonestown Massacre 268
Brom, David 311-316, 319, 321. See also Negativland and Helter Stupid
Bromell, Nicholas 178
Brook, Vincent 342
Brother Records 119, 120
Browne, Jackson 114, 330
Bruce and Terry 96
Brunner, Mary 8, 11, 223, 283
Brussell, Mae 90, 146, 188-189
Brynner, Yul 104, 292
Buffalo Springfield xxix, 110, 125, 156, 212
Bugliosi, Vincent ix, x, xi, xii, xix, xxiii, xxiv, xxv, xxviii, xxix-xxx, 10, 30, 31, 45, 76, 78, 83, 86, 97, 99, 103, 119, 121, 152-153, 155-156, 159, 161, 173, 185, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 200, 202-203, 205, 220, 221, 222, 223, 226, 233, 234-242, 243-257, 263, 278, 288, 293, 298, 299, 301, 302, 310, 326, 361n34; attacks on counterculture 188, 278; controlling of Manson image 303; creation of Manson as celebrity 180; and Helter Skelter theory 7-9, 177-190, 226, 231, 233, 235, 236, 251, 256, 316, 319, 320, 321, 322, 353; manipulating focus of trial 229, 231, 238; personal life 237
Burden, Gary 338
Burns, Marilyn 24
the Byrds xxiii, 69, 108-109, 118, 122, 127, 142, 156, 212, 280, 304, 329, 330
Calhoun, Ada 56, 57
“California” (song) 150
California Girl 285
California Scheming 281
Calley, William 216-220
Capote, Truman xxiv, 10, 44, 240, 243, 325-326
Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band 132, 135, 209
Captain Fuck 127, 128, 134, 137
Carlin, Gerald 98, 271, 307
Carlson, Virginia 80, 81
Carroll, Jim 265. See also Jim Carroll Band
Carter, Bunchy 189, 232, 274
Carter, David Ray 297, 299
“Cease to Exist” (song) 21, 120, 154, 268, 305, 306, 347. See also “Never Learn Not to Love”
“Charlie” (song) 305
Charlie! (play) 269-270
“Charlie Manson’s Home on the Range” (article) 43, 199, 200
Charlie’s Angels (TV series) 269
Charles Manson: A Portrait in Terror 38
“Charlie Freak” (song) 170-171
“Charlie’s Girls” (story) 89
Cherkis, Jason 50, 51
Chic 171, 172
Chicano movement 273, 275
Chinatown 263, 341, 342-343, 344
“Christianity Is Stupid” (song) 311, 313, 319
Choate, Raymond 28-29
Christgau, Robert 150, 225, 226, 227
Churchwell, Sarah xiii
Cierley, Randy (Sterling) 148
the Clash 302
Cline, Emma vii, xxii, 84, 86, 89, 90
Cline, John 297-298
Clouds (album) 150
Cohen, Jerry 191, 192
Cohen, Leonard 264, 265
Cole, Jerry 121
Columbine massacre 320
The Color of Night (book) 287-288
Columbia Records 97, 115
Columbo: The Helter Skelter Murders 285
Commune (theater project) 147, 219-220
communes 4, 41-42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 53, 75, 205; and transients 49. the Farm 46-47; Fort Hill commune 35-36, 38, 45, 46, 166; High Ridge Farm 42; Hog Farm 20, 42, 126; Sheep Ridge Ranch 55. See also Spahn Ranch
Coppola, Francis Ford 26, 250
Corll, Dean 57-58, 60
counterculture: backlash 274; and capitalism 115
Court and Spark 332-333
Coyote, Peter 52-53
Crary, Jonathan xxi-xxii, 47
Craven, Wes 24, 265, 297
“Creepy Crawl” (song) 268
Creepy Crawlers (toy) xviii
Crosby, Bing 95, 96
Crosby, David 114, 133, 212, 335-336
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young 150, 212, 354
Crow, Thomas 307-308
Crowe, Bernard (Lotsapoppa) 244, 375n5
Crowley, Aleister 326, 327
Cull, Nick 25
Dallmeyer, Andrew 218
Dalton, David 3, 171, 191, 203, 225, 229-230, 272
Davis, Bruce 8, 237
Davis, Ivor 42, 78, 102, 103, 196, 197, 198-199, 200, 201, 202, 204
Davis, Mike (author) 111, 342, 343
Day, Doris xxiii, xxiv, xxv, 95, 96, 99, 108, 116, 123, 124, 156, 167, 169, 172, 190, 329, 330-331
The Dead Circus (novel) 288-291, 293
Deasy, Mike 121, 156, 157, 158, 164, 165, 328, 346
Death Grips 265, 267, 323
“Death Valley ‘69” (song/video) 317-318
Death Wish (1974) 23, 24, 286
Deaver, Jeffrey 285
DeCarlo, Danny 246, 248
Déjà Vu (album) 150, 354
Del Rey, Lana 265, 267, 3
30
Denning, Michael x, 325
“Desperados Under the Eaves” (song) 334
the Dickies 317
Didion, Joan xiii, xv, xix, xxiv, 44, 95, 100, 101, 107, 146, 166, 194, 222, 254, 265, 273, 344
the Diggers 52-53, 54, 85, 116
Dionysus in 69 (performance) 147, 287
Ditch Trilogy. See On the Beach, Time Fades Away, and Tonight’s the Night
“Do the Creepy Crawl” (song) 323
Dog Soldiers 263
Doherty, Dennis 145
Dohrn, Bernadette 205
the Doors 19, 280, 349
Dorn, Ed 226
Doyle, Billy 104
Dr. Dre 323
Dukowski, Chuck 310
Dylan, Bob 106, 122, 129, 130, 331, 332
the Eagles 334, 354, 357n8
East Village Other 149, 217
Easy Rider 38, 65, 105, 109, 110, 111-112, 133, 148, 173, 355
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock ‘n’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood 106
Ebert, Roger 305, 341
Elliot, Cass 144. See also Mama Cass
“Elvis is Everywhere” (song) 264
Eminem 265, 323
Emmonds, Buddy 169
Erie, Steven 342
Esquire magazine 43, 158, 199
An Evening with Wild Man Fischer 126
The Exorcist 24-25, 305
Eyes Wide Open 280-282
Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers 133
Fairfield, Richard 55
Faith, Karlene 76, 81, 82, 194, 247
Faithfull, Marianne 105
families: changing perceptions of 5, 15, 16-18, 21; cultural responses to countercultural impact 23; impact of political and social movements on 13-14, 21, 32; parental consent during 1960s 126. See also White House Conference on Children and Youth