ENCORE PRESENTATION: THE COCKETTES w/ David Weissman
Summary
Filmmaker David Weiseman discusses his documentary *The Cockettes*, tracing the group’s origins in San Francisco’s 1960s counterculture and their chaotic New York debut. He reflects on growing up in 1960s Los Angeles, where exposure to blues, folk, and psychedelic music shaped his artistic sensibilities. The conversation explores the distinct cultural differences between the idealistic, communal ethos of San Francisco and the more career-driven New York scene. Weiseman also details the collaborative, anarchic nature of the Cockettes and their influence on later movements like the Angels of …
Topics discussed
Announcing the 'Revolutions Per Movie' live tour dates
Introduction of guest David Wiseman
Growing up in 1960s Los Angeles and early influences
Discovering folk and blues music in LA venues
Exposure to counterculture through older siblings
The impact of record stores and album art
Moving to San Francisco and the gay counterculture
Life in communes and the 'ATD' welfare system
Fashion, thrift shopping, and communal aesthetics
Origins of the Cockettes and Hibiscus
Researching archives and the Cockette scrapbook
Differences between SF and NY performance cultures
Cockette show titles and Sylvester's influence
Contrasting East and West Coast LSD scenes
John Waters, Divine, and the Cockettes connection
Interviewing subjects and building trust
The Angels of Light and their theatrical style
Angels of Light: Art, drugs, and daily life
Transition to punk aesthetics and Sylvester recordings
The disastrous New York opening and aftermath
Making the documentary and the group's decline
Final thoughts and rating the film
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