Hunter S Thompson | Artist

Hunter Stockton Thompson born 1937 in Louisville, Kentucky, was an American journalist and author, and the founder of the gonzo journalism movement. He first rose to prominence with the publication of "Hell's Angels" (1967), after spending a year living and riding with the motorcycle gang in order to write a first-hand account of the lives and experiences of its members. In 1970 he wrote an unconventional magazine feature titled "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved" which raised his profile and established his counterculture credibility, setting him on a path to establishing his own sub-genre of New Journalism which he called "Gonzo," where the writer becomes a central figure and even a participant in the events of the narrative. Thompson remains best known for "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1971), concerning the failure of the 1960s counterculture movement. The book was serialized in Rolling Stone magazine and adapted to film twice: loosely in "Where the Buffalo Roam" (1980) starring Bill Murray as Thompson, and again in 1998 by director Terry Gilliam in a film starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro. Thompson was also the subject of the "Doonesbury" cartoon character Duke, illustrated by Garry Trudeau. Thompson committed suicide at the age of 67, following health problems. In accordance with his wishes, his ashes were fired out of a cannon in a ceremony funded by his friend Johnny Depp and attended by friends including then-Senator John Kerry and Jack Nicholson. This writer saw Thompson in 1976 at the University of NSW as part of a lecture tour where he engaged in vigorous debate with a group of angry feminists but was eventually heckled off the stage.

Artist Website: thegonzofoundation.org

Featured Albums: Hunter S Thompson