Various (Williamson, Kevin (Editor); Algren, Nelson; Brautigan, Richard; Bukowski, Charles; Burroughs, William S.; Fante, John; Gifford, Barry; Smith, Patti; Trocchi, Alexander; Welsh, Irvine et al.)

Sampled: Writing from the Edge

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK: Rebel Inc., 1998. First Edition. Softcover. “Ally Masters was having a dream also. He was coming home with Denny McEwan and Bri Garratt through the city centre. Sole Fusion had been a good one but the fanny werenae biting and, if the truth be told, the E’s were a bit smacky. He was feeling them. Everything seemed to be slowing down. Then, through a burred haze Ally felt himself walk towards this strange light. It was more than an inappropriate appreciation of a distant streetlamp brought on by the pills. This was an amorphous mass of protoplasm and he was heading through it, it seemed to be forming a structure around him. He sensed that others were walking alongside him but he couldnt turn his head. He tried to shout to Denny and Bri but nothing came out. Then, in a strange instant he found himself fully awake in what seemed like an immense white amphitheater. — Is this the fuckin whitey tae end aw whitey’s or what? Ally asked, looking at Bri and Denny. His friends’ eyes had shrank to pinpricks. He felt a strong ammonia-like sting in his nostrils….”--Irving Welsh, “Children of Albion Rovers,” pg. 109. Rebel Inc. is a Scots counter-culture publishing company and literary journal, founded by Kevin Williamson (b. 1961) in 1992 with the slogan of "Fuck the Mainstream!". Duncan Mclean, Gordon Legge, Barry Graham and Sandie Craigie were involved in setting it up.For a time Craigie was its co-editor.It attempted to tap into “the darker undercurrent of Scottish society in the post-Thatcher era”. Rebel Inc Magazine ran to five issues between 1992 and 1994, publishing new work by writers such as Irvine Welsh (b. 1958), Alan Warner (b. 1964), Laura Hird (b. 1966), Toni Davidson and John King (b. 1960) before any of them had books in print. Issue 4 featured an infamous 'Ecstasy Interview' - an unedited conversation between Kevin Williamson and Irvine Welsh whilst both editor and writer were under the influence of the psychoactive drug, MDMA. In his blog of February 2008, Kevin Williamson wrote "I pulled a stunt on Radio Scotland which satisfied the Malcolm McLaren criteria of "establishing the name", as related to one of the finest exploitation movies of all time: The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle." In 1996, following the success of Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh, Rebel Inc. was incorporated into the Canongate Books stable of independent publishers. A steady stream of releases then ensued, with out-of-print editions by the likes of Alexander Trocchi (1925-1984) and Sadegh Hedayat (1903-1951), who themselves are considered influential by many contemporary dark Scottish authors such as Welsh and Alan Warner. It brought on a new generation of foreign writers such as Henry Baum, Joel Rose and Ray Loriga, who shared its outlook. The Rebel Inc. imprint ended as a result of disagreement between Williamson and Canongate over the creative and commercial direction of the imprint, which led to Williamson's resignation and departure from the company in January 2001. The imprint's abrupt end, Canongate would later claim this was due to financial restructuring. Many of Rebel Inc.'s titles and author's were subsequently transferred into the main Canongate itinerary. In 2012, Williamson announced plans to revive Rebel Inc. on its 20th anniversary. Offered today is one of Rebel Inc.’s titles, 1998’s Sampled: Writing From the Edge. This anthology of short fiction, interviews and reviews features: excerpts from Adam, and Helen and Desire by Alexander Trocchi; an interview with William S. Burroughs (1914-1997) & an excerpt from Patti Smith’s (b. 1946) “Sort of a Blessed Crime” from A Life in Pieces: Reflections on Alexander Trocchi both pieces on Alex Trocchi; an excerpt from The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat; an excerpt from Sombrero Fallout by the legendary Richard Brautigan (1935-1984); an excerpt from “The Rosewell Incident” by Irvine Welsh in Children of Albion Rovers; Charles Bukowski’s introduction to John Fante’s (1909-1983) Ask the Dust; and an excerpt from Ask the Dust by Fante. An incredibly rare and wonderful anthology! Stylishly Signed in thin blue ink at title page by former owner. Softcover. Presumed first & only printing though not explicated at copyright page. Book in relatively very fine condition with minor wear to fine edges, moderate smudging/scratching to front and back covers, and moderate discoloration to interior and exterior due to age-toning. Fine-Very Fine. [Item #8948]

Price: $30.00