There goes Ezy
Ezy Rider
Ridin’ down the highway of desire
They say the free wind
Takes him higher
Tryin’ to find his heaven above
But he’s dyin’ to be loved
– Jimi Hendrix
Ezy Ryders, by Cate Dingley, The Artist Edition (2022)
Photographer Cate Dingley gained the trust of New York City’s Black biker scene, and over a 5-year period took portraits, interviewed riders, and documented their activities. Working with publisher The Artist Edition, Dingley’s beautifully presented book mixes her photos with the words of ten members of various motorcycle clubs (MCs), men and women, scattered among the five boroughs of the City. As a testament of this rarely documented scene, Ezy Ryders moves towards filling a gap in the literature of American motorcycling, and the narrative of American motorcycle culture, by acknowledging the existence of Black riders, their MCs and some of their motorcycling history. Ezy Ryders is an apt title, as Jimi Hendrix’ 1969 psycho-funk anthem ‘Ezy Rider’ was an alternative take on the film Easy Rider’s themes of freedom, chasing dreams, and self-delusion, with an undertone of death (Hendrix’s ‘If 6 was 9’ is on the film’s soundtrack). Similarly, Ezy Ryders presents another side of the motorcycle club (MC) phenomenon: the rarely documented Black MC scene. Of the 75 books in The Vintagent Library featuring chopper, 1%er, and motorcycle clubs (MCs), only one features a Black MC: Tobie Gene Livingstons’ Soul on Bikes (2003), his autobiography as President of the East Bay Dragons MC. There’s also Eliot Gold’s 2015 photobook on the Chosen Few MC, The Chosen Few: A 40-Year Look at an Outlaw Motorcycle Club – but that club was mixed-race.The history of Black MCs is poorly documented and recorded, and Ezy Ryders leans heavily on reminiscences of the late Austin Johnson for context. Johnson, nicknamed ‘Brown Sugar’, shared his 60-year history as a Black biker in NYC, his founding of the South Side Shifters MC in the 1970s, his encounters with other Black MCs (including the first female members, in the Cobras MC) and the 1960s appearance – and 1970s disappearance – of Black chopper riders in chopper magazines. While Dingley’s interviews of all the riders are fascinating (and at at times harrowing, as with Priest’s tale of betrayal), it’s Austin Johnson who gives the book its roots. Johnson’s is a story worth repeating: he contributed significantly to my book The Chopper: the Real Story (2014), and is featured in the film Sugar and Spade (2017), about his 50-year friendship with ‘Spade’ George Bennett.Ezy Ryders deserves a place beside Danny Lyons’ The Bikeriders, the original photobook documenting MCs (the Chicago Outlaws in Lyons’ case), not least because it is formatted similarly, with statements by its subjects providing a verbal ‘snapshot’ of their lives and relationship with motorcycles. Their life stories are as obscure to mainstream audiences today as Lyons’ White underclass bikers were in 1968, although the image of the White outlaw biker had been exploited to the point of cliché for 15 years already, after The Wild One (1953). Cate Dingley’s photographs are compelling, intimate, and full of compassion. And beautifully printed; publisher The Artist Edition used Danish printer Narayana Press to create a physically impeccable book.Don’t miss the excellent Foreward by journalist/activist Jimmie Briggs, “A significant factor in the invisibility or willful blindness to the history and value of Black riders and MCs is the unsurprising bias to their very existence.” He quotes sociologist Jason Eastman’s 2015 study of two motorcycle events in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Harley Week and Black Biker Week. Analyzing 8600 online comments about these rallies in the Mrytle Beach Sun News, Eastman concluded that one event is seen as a gathering of ‘underclass criminals who attend the rally to steal and murder’, while the other is a gathering of ‘exemplars of American Individualism.’ No points for guessing which is which and who is who.Cate Dingley’s book, besides being an exciting photographic essay, slides easily into your bookshelf, filling a long-missing piece of the American motorcycle story. Check out her website here.
1) Had to call up the Hendrix tune to remind me . Forgot all about that one ! Damn that was a *****in nast little tune . The liver version at Fillmore … is … wild to say the least … even for Hendrix . Amazing how that tune slipped on by !! Thanks !
2) This book’s definitely going into my library ASAP . Thanks again
3) And most importantly … Hows about PdO … putting up that list of 75 chopper books in your library so we can add a few of them to ours … along side yours of course 😉
😎
I was going to dig in on the Hendrix song in the article, but will do it here.
The use of Hendrix’s song title as the title of the book is brilliant. Ezy Riders vs Easy Rider. There’s a clear parallel relationship between Cate’s book vs. chopper literature generally (neglected amazing stories versus tired clichés), and two iconic 1960s songs related to Easy Rider, ‘Ezy Rider’ and ‘Born to be Wild’. One became the power pop anthem of the Sturgis set, the other is an obscure psychedelic funk animal that raises the hair on my arms every time. The Hendrix song, especially the studio version, is wild, thrilling, and almost out of control. I listened to it so many times in the early ’70s that I wore out the album!
Hendrix recorded ‘Ezy Rider’ with Buddy Miles on drums and Billy Cox on bass, his first all-Black backup band, and Traffic’s Steve Winwood and Chris Wood singing backup. Can a recording so savage be a masterpiece? I think so.
Thanks .. after reading her website the connection to the tune/title was clear … and yeah I knew about Hendrix’s Ezy Rider but it slipped my mind .
How is a wonder considering Hendrix’s Band of Gypsies line up is beyond any doubt my absolute favorite of all his bands .( well except the ghost tapes he did with Miles Davis … which the general public will unfortunately probably never hear … but I have 😉 ] .. I mean really …. Buddy Miles … shiiii……….
” Well, my mind is goin’ through them changes
I feel just like comittin’ a crime
Every time you see me goin’ somewhere
I know I’m goin’ outta my mind, yeah ”
..was a mainstay standard in several groups of mine afer I started writing my own and doing the ‘ ghost player ‘ studio gigs . . Oh man … when my one lead singer ‘ Crow ” ( African American .. his mom gave him the nickname ) belted that one out …. damn .. the walls shook and small children ran for cover
Daa daa.. do dada daaaa
But once again good sir … its that list o’ 75 chopper books on yer shelves I’d like to be seeing … cause I’s sure with my minuscule in comparison collection … there’s more than a few I’d like to be adding
Now … if only there’s a work around to get her book ( WE DON’T DO NO INTERNET FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS )
Here’s hoping ( calling Powells first )
“Can a recording so savage be a masterpiece? I think so.”
In answer to your question …
DAMN [ bleeping ] right it can … and it is !!!!!
But seriously … look up the Filmore East performance of ” Ezy Rider ” … takes savage to a whole nuther plane … phew .. that drum solo ….
Rock On – Ride On – Remain Calm ( remembering I’s a bonafide the dyed in the wool boomer ) and do Carry On
” Well my mind is going thru ….. ” ear worm of the day …. oh well .. least its a goodin
Good lord PdO … can’t believe you already took this off the head of the page !!!!
In my never ever humble opinion ( yeah right … musician / composer .. humble … dream on ) this should remain at the very top for at least a week .. or until enough new stuff has come out .
Why ? Cause this my friend .. is you … at your very best .. profound … a bit rebellious … opening eyes ( and hopefully minds ) to the realties and diversity of the M/C universe
Just sayin bro … just sayin 😎
Thanks … ahhh … back where it belongs …