I lifted this from facebook, if Ive done something wrong FBL - please remove it if Ive offended anyone. I just felt this was interesting and important to the Blue Cheer story.... B
Alan” Gut “ Terk—
?-Thursday January !8 Th. 23018
Gut as he was nicknamed in the Hells Angels
has passed away, January 19 Th. 2018 in Reno Nevada. Gut was a larger than life public phenomena and deservedly so. In the thinking of Buddhism a Bodhisattva is anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated Bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish and a compassionate mind to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. I believe the above is a very close description of the spiritual level that Gut Obtained. He was as close to a Western living saint as anyone I have ever met.
As a member of the Hells Angels Motercycle Club from the late 50s until about 1965 Gut was at the forefront of steering the Angels away from a dangerously destructive mind set. He left the Angels behind for awhile and became good Friends with Ken Kesey and became a member of “The Merry Pranksters “ who were advocates of Ken Kesey and without a doubt were responsible for the lifestyle that was to become the counterculture movement of the Sixties. Early on in the Ken Kesey Saga Gut was hanging out in La Honda, California with the rest of them and was essentially the house Artist later on to design the posters and graduation certificate for Kesey’s now famous Acid Test Graduations. These events were the start of a cultural revolution that is still resounding around the universe today.
Seminal in establishing Gut as a modern day “Folk Hero “ was his mention in Jack Kerouac’s Book , “On The Road” a now famous and almost bible of the younger generation and the older Hippy’s like me . Gut also has mention in Tom Wolf’s “Electric Kool-aid Acid Test where he is described sitting and designing the poster for the above Acid Test Graduations as well as the diploma given upon completion of that cosmic expanding experience . Further , in Hunter S. Thompson’s , Hells Angels:A Strange and Terrible Saga Gut is mentioned as a pivotal influence in bringing the Hells Angels out of the evil destructive reputation they held and into the Light of the newly forming more peaceful Hippy movement.
This is where I met Gut in 1965 , I was a founding member of the San Francisco Band , Blue Cheer , named at the same time by Gut and Stanley Owsley who’s credits are infamous. Gut at there time was Owner of a Head Shop on 24 Th. Street in San Francisco named , JOYNT Ventures.
Downstairs at that location was a clean basement where Gut allowed us to practice . It was apparent to me at the time that Gut was someone very special and would spout to us his philosophy of the NOW experience and various other insights as to how to live ones life for the betterment of us all. At one Practice session Gut introduced us all to Ken Kesey and Neil Cassidy who were my heros at the time so naturally I was awe struck as they danced and swirled around for about an hour listening to the early Blue Cheer practice their music . I was the drummer early on.
Gut , as a founding member of the San Francisco Progressive scene in 1965 and before knew Bill Graham of the Mime Troupe and later founder of there now worldwide famous Fillmore Auditorium. He also knew Chet Helms who started The Family Dog and the Avalon Ballroom. Because of that and his connections to the highest level of the San Francisco Music Scene as well as his taking on Blue Cheer as our surrogate father figure and mentor we asked him to help us with management which he accepted and stayed with us until 1968 when our popularity started to wane . Gut never the less stuck by us and was largely responsible for our success with the hit song Summertime Blues. Along with John Van Hamersveld , Gut Designed our first album cover which was award winning . The album, Vincebus Eruptum Gut went on to design and actualize many well know posters of the era as well as several more album covers.
Following along with other successful artists of the time Gut moved to Mill Valley California and married his most beautiful and magical wife , Nancy Winarick. Together they had a daughter, Aura. Gut worshiped Aura and still does i am sure flying out there somewhere in the universe.
At a certain point basically after the Altamont incident which was a disaster in all ways it was apparent the best and good parts of the San Francisco Scene were over. Very sad as the core fell apart . Now that is not to say that many of the good parts remain and are still resounding through space. Gut helped to form the good parts without a map but rather just by living who he was and being honest unto himself .
About 25 years ago now Gut had had enough with a now crumbling culture that was depressing to him no end . He felt it necessary to isolate himself and remove his being from the negative influences around him . As it was he was tired of dancing with the Devil so to speak. He became a care taker of a ranch near Reno, Nevada and stayed there until his death. While there as his wife Nancy told me he continued to have an eye for the ladies and that never left him. Also while there he rebuilt a Ford Mustang which is one of the most beautiful restoration jobs I have ever seen.
Many people will say that Gut is now in a better place. I do not agree . We need more people like Gut to spread his type of genius and compassion among us here and right now .
My good friend and genius musician, George Mickalski said upon hearing of Guts Passing -“THIS IS A HUGE LOSS”
WRITTEN BY,
Eric Albronda
