There’s a couple of things I covered in Tuesday’s column that were vague and thought I pass the information on after doing some more “research.”
First of all, the bookstore was City Lights on Vermont in Los Feliz. Great bookstore — very tiny — but an ecclectic selection of interesting titles. I’ve seen several interesting authors stop by to do readings and signings. It reminds me of the old Vroman’s.
As for the magazines, the graffiti mag was titled UP. I just looked at it again and after reading the article with the LA graffiti photos, I realized the photos were all shot in the 1970s by a guy named Gribble (not Dale Gribble from King of the Hill).
Several of the photos are posted on Flikr here. There’s also an interview with Gribble on Handselect.
I read your comments on tagging as “urban art” with agreement, but also some amusement.
Several to many months ago, the Star News had a front page story defending grafitti as art and as a natural impulse animals (that part I agree with) have for making territory.
Instead, it is a clear example of chie en lit.
This is one time I favor Islamic law, in which removal of offending hands would do much to bring a halt to the defacement.
I apologize for not being able to remember the time period in which the Star News article appeared, but perhaps the paper has a good index. The LA Times also published similar articles, apologias for wall scrawl, back in the 1970s.