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Arabic Music and Burroughs's The Ticket That Exploded

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Abstract

In his article “Arabic Music and Burroughs’s The Ticket That Exploded” David M. Holzer discusses Arabic music in Tangier and the music of the Master Musicians of Joujouka, a remote village in the foothills of the Ahl Srif mountain range in Northern Morocco. They influenced both the writing of William Burroughs and his multi-media experiments and Holzer analyzes what Arabic music and specifically that of Joujouka meant to Burroughs with particular reference to his 1962 The Ticket That Exploded. Drawing on The Ticket, Burroughs’s letters, critical studies, and biographical material demonstrates that his understanding of what the music was and did was fundamental to his creative mission.

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Holzer is a freelance writer His areas of interest include the influence of Morocco and Arabic culture on William Burroughs, trance and healing in Moroccan music and culture, and music and sound and performance in relation to the Beat aesthetic. For his work link to <http
  • Author 's Profile
Author's Profile: David M. Holzer is a freelance writer. His areas of interest include the influence of Morocco and Arabic culture on William Burroughs, trance and healing in Moroccan music and culture, and music and sound and performance in relation to the Beat aesthetic. For his work link to <http://www.davidholzer.com>.
The Yage Letters Redux
  • Oliver Harris
Harris, Oliver. "Introduction." The Yage Letters Redux. 1963. Ed. Oliver Harris. San Francisco: City Lights, 2006. Harrop, Jo. The Yagé Aesthetic of William Burroughs: The Publication and Development of his Work, 1953-1965. PhD Diss. London: Queen Mary U of London, 2010.