It's nine years today since Hunter S.Thompson died. Here he is with his electric typewriters, 1976-96:
1976
1990
1992
1996
Thompson died, aged 67, at Owl Farm in Woody Creek,
Colorado, at 5.42pm on February 20, 2005, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound
to the head. The
police report said that in Thompson's typewriter was "a piece of paper
carrying the date 'Feb 22 '05' and the single word 'counselor'."
What Doug Brinkley
describes as a suicide note written by Thompson to his wife was later published
by Rolling Stone. Titled "Football Season Is
Over", it read: "No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More
Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring.
I am always bitchy. No Fun — for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your
(old) age. Relax — This won't hurt."
On August 20, in a
private ceremony, Thompson's ashes were fired from a cannon. This was
accompanied by red, white, blue and green fireworks - all to the tune of Norman
Greenbaum's Spirit in the Sky and Bob Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man.
8 comments:
That's quite a potent suicide note. And I really like the way he utilised his kitchen!
Somewhere - perhaps you posted it - is a great photo of Thompson out in the snow blazing away with some monster pistol at a Selectric.
You mean this one, Tony?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/Liz-ONBC/HUNTER%20MEMORIAL/HST-shootingthetypewriter2.jpg~original
His place looks quite a bit like my radio room, garage, and closet!
Poignant note.
Seems like a cowardly way to opt out of old age to me.
What's his second typewriter? A Wheelwriter?
Tony, I tossed up using that pic again, but decided against it. I can send you the image if you like.
Richard, I wondered about that, too, but thought it could be a Brother?
Well, I'm a rookie here on this site.....checking in from North of the Border in Eastern Ontario....and an HST devotee.....and thus wont to be blind as to his faults. And being a good little Canadian (today), I apologize if I offend anyone here with my comments.
So,Richard P, allow me to STRONGLY disagree.....I think it was a VERY BRAVE way to go out, ESPECIALLY considering his outlook on life.
(Now PLEASE Richard, I just HAVE to use this next line because HE demands it of me, and you have left yourself WIDE open).
"Richard, I'd like to see you try it.......see.....WHO is the coward now"
And PLEASE, I know ALL the counter-arguments....it's not what I'm here for.
I'm here to say, cut him a bit of slack. I daresay that he accomplished a 100 times what all of us put together will do.....or the MILLIONS (yes, MILLIONS) that he influenced/effected/affected in his life.....and WILL continue to influence in the future.
He EARNED the right to do WHATEVER he wanted to do with the time he had left.
(Once again, I know ALL the arguments....the YesButters...."yes, but he DIDN'T earn the right to devastate his wife....his kids....yadafreakinyada"
We're talking about Hunter S. Thompson here....yes, he didn't always think straight.....he OFTEN broke the rules.....and logic was OFTEN a stranger in his life.
Thank whatever deity you believe in that it was thus.
Well, I'm a rookie here on this site.....checking in from North of the Border in Eastern Ontario....and an HST devotee.....and thus wont to be blind as to his faults. And being a good little Canadian (today), I apologize if I offend anyone here with my comments.
So,Richard P, allow me to STRONGLY disagree.....I think it was a VERY BRAVE way to go out, ESPECIALLY considering his outlook on life.
(Now PLEASE Richard, I just HAVE to use this next line because HE demands it of me, and you have left yourself WIDE open).
"Richard, I'd like to see you try it.......see.....WHO is the coward now"
And PLEASE, I know ALL the counter-arguments....it's not what I'm here for.
I'm here to say, cut him a bit of slack. I daresay that he accomplished a 100 times what all of us put together will do.....or the MILLIONS (yes, MILLIONS) that he influenced/effected/affected in his life.....and WILL continue to influence in the future.
He EARNED the right to do WHATEVER he wanted to do with the time he had left.
(Once again, I know ALL the arguments....the YesButters...."yes, but he DIDN'T earn the right to devastate his wife....his kids....yadafreakinyada"
We're talking about Hunter S. Thompson here....yes, he didn't always think straight.....he OFTEN broke the rules.....and logic was OFTEN a stranger in his life.
Thank whatever deity you believe in that it was thus.
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