Steven Jesse Bernstein
Encyclopedia
Steven Jay "Jesse" Bernstein (December 4, 1950 – October 22, 1991) was a Jewish American underground writer and performance artist who is most famous for his recordings with Sub Pop Records and close relationship with William S. Burroughs
. Bernstein's substance abuse issues and mental illness contributed to his provocative local celebrity, though they ultimately culminated in his suicide.
, California
. His substance abuse issues began as the aftermath of his stay in the Camarillo State Hospital in Camarillo, California
as an adolescent. He moved with his family to Seattle, Washington in January 1967, where he adopted the moniker Jesse, and began performing and self-publishing chapbook
s of his poetry (the first chapbook was Choking On Sixth, 1979). Bernstein would become something of an icon to many in Seattle's underground music scene. Notable fans included Kurt Cobain
and Oliver Stone
.
Though often noted for his connection to grunge
and punk rock
, Bernstein saw himself primarily as a poet and his live performances in Seattle, such as his regular readings at the Dogtown poetry theater
and Red Sky Poetry Theater were influential in Seattle, and he is credited as a major influence by many local poets from his era.
Bernstein's mental illness was not as alarming as it might have been off the stage, as his drug-reinforced manic episodes were harnessed and channeled into engrossing, often perverse, entertainment. According to one Seattle newspaper, he opened for music acts such as Nirvana
, Big Black
, Soundgarden
, U-Men, and The Crows
:
It is important to distinguish between the on-stage antics fueled by alcohol and those which, however bizarre (like the performance with a mouse), were deliberate. Bernstein was clean and sober from 1981 to 1990, despite the ravages of bipolar disorder
and posttraumatic stress disorder.
The concept for the Bernstein album Prison was for Jesse to do a raw, live performance at the State Penitentiary Special Offenders unit in Monroe, Washington
in 1991. Jesse went with his manager Barbara Buckland, Bruce Pavitt from Sub Pop Records, Grant Alden, then a writer for Rocket magazine and now the co-founder of No Depression magazine, photographer Arthur S. Aubry, and various technical assistance people. None of the session except for the photos taken by Aubry was usable. Sub Pop later contracted Steve Fisk
to finish the project. The album was intended to be produced along the same lines as Johnny Cash
's At Folsom Prison
, but Fisk later decided to score the recordings with jazz
and ambient music
. The album was only partially completed by the time of his Bernstein's death.
On October 22, 1991, at the age of 40, Bernstein committed suicide by stabbing himself in the throat in his home in Neah Bay, Washington
.
Prison was released on April 1, 1992. In 1994, one of these recordings, Me and Her Outside (No No Man), was used in the film Natural Born Killers
.
I am Secretly an Important Man, a collection of poetry, short stories, and spoken performances, was released in March 1996 by Zero Hour Publishing.
His song "A Little Bit Of Everything (That Brought Me Down To This)" was also included on the two-CD set "Home Alive
", the proceeds from which benefited women's self-defense groups in the Seattle area.
William S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
. Bernstein's substance abuse issues and mental illness contributed to his provocative local celebrity, though they ultimately culminated in his suicide.
History
Bernstein was born in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. His substance abuse issues began as the aftermath of his stay in the Camarillo State Hospital in Camarillo, California
Camarillo, California
Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at the 2000 census. The Ventura Freeway Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at...
as an adolescent. He moved with his family to Seattle, Washington in January 1967, where he adopted the moniker Jesse, and began performing and self-publishing chapbook
Chapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
s of his poetry (the first chapbook was Choking On Sixth, 1979). Bernstein would become something of an icon to many in Seattle's underground music scene. Notable fans included Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
and Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
.
Though often noted for his connection to grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
and punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, Bernstein saw himself primarily as a poet and his live performances in Seattle, such as his regular readings at the Dogtown poetry theater
Dogtown poetry theater
The Dogtown Poetry Theater was a short-lived but influential venue in mid-Seventies Seattle. Organized as a grass-roots outlet for poetic expression across cultural and societal boundaries, it became an alternative to the academic reading series controlled by University of Washington professor...
and Red Sky Poetry Theater were influential in Seattle, and he is credited as a major influence by many local poets from his era.
Bernstein's mental illness was not as alarming as it might have been off the stage, as his drug-reinforced manic episodes were harnessed and channeled into engrossing, often perverse, entertainment. According to one Seattle newspaper, he opened for music acts such as Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, Big Black
Big Black
Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Naked Raygun...
, Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
, U-Men, and The Crows
The Crows
The Crows were an American R & B singing group who achieved commercial success in the 1950s. The group's first single and only major hit, "Gee", released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first Rock n’ Roll hit by a rock and roll group...
:
It is important to distinguish between the on-stage antics fueled by alcohol and those which, however bizarre (like the performance with a mouse), were deliberate. Bernstein was clean and sober from 1981 to 1990, despite the ravages of bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
and posttraumatic stress disorder.
The concept for the Bernstein album Prison was for Jesse to do a raw, live performance at the State Penitentiary Special Offenders unit in Monroe, Washington
Monroe, Washington
Monroe is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population as of 17,304 at the 2010 census.-History:The history of Monroe is intertwined with that of the Great Northern Railway which pushed over the Cascade Range at Stevens Pass and worked its way down the Skykomish River...
in 1991. Jesse went with his manager Barbara Buckland, Bruce Pavitt from Sub Pop Records, Grant Alden, then a writer for Rocket magazine and now the co-founder of No Depression magazine, photographer Arthur S. Aubry, and various technical assistance people. None of the session except for the photos taken by Aubry was usable. Sub Pop later contracted Steve Fisk
Steve Fisk
Steve Fisk is a Washington-based audio engineer, record producer and musician.Fisk joined the instrumental rock band Pell Mell in 1982. With vocalist Shawn Smith, he formed Pigeonhed, which released its first album in 1993....
to finish the project. The album was intended to be produced along the same lines as Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
's At Folsom Prison
At Folsom Prison
At Folsom Prison is a live album by Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records in May 1968. Since his 1955 song "Folsom Prison Blues", Cash had been interested in performing at a prison. His idea was put on hold until 1967, when personnel changes at Columbia Records put Bob Johnston in charge of...
, but Fisk later decided to score the recordings with jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
. The album was only partially completed by the time of his Bernstein's death.
On October 22, 1991, at the age of 40, Bernstein committed suicide by stabbing himself in the throat in his home in Neah Bay, Washington
Neah Bay, Washington
Neah Bay is a census-designated place on the Makah Indian reservation in Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 794 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Neah Bay is located at ....
.
Prison was released on April 1, 1992. In 1994, one of these recordings, Me and Her Outside (No No Man), was used in the film Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers is a 1994 crime/black comedy film directed by Oliver Stone about two victims of traumatic childhoods who became lovers and psychopathic serial killers, and are irresponsibly glorified by the mass media...
.
I am Secretly an Important Man, a collection of poetry, short stories, and spoken performances, was released in March 1996 by Zero Hour Publishing.
His song "A Little Bit Of Everything (That Brought Me Down To This)" was also included on the two-CD set "Home Alive
Home Alive
Home Alive was a non-profit organization based in Seattle which promotes anti-violence. The organization offered self-defense classes and public education and awareness in order to reduce and prevent violence. The Home Alive group trained its own instructors. They held a range of courses including...
", the proceeds from which benefited women's self-defense groups in the Seattle area.
Discography
- Words and Music: Steven Jesse Bernstein and Pete Leinonen (cassette) (Original Cast 1984, 1993)
- Sub Pop 200Sub Pop 200Sub Pop 200 is a compilation released in the early days of the Seattle grunge scene . It features songs from Tad, The Fluid, Nirvana, Steven Jesse Bernstein, Mudhoney, The Walkabouts, Terry Lee Hale, Soundgarden, Green River, Fastbacks, Blood Circus, Swallow, Chemistry Set, Girl Trouble, The...
- "Come Out Tonight" (Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
1988) - The Sad Bag (cassette) (Trigger Recordings 1990)
- The Sport/No No Man (12") (Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
1992) - Prison (Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
1992) - National Public Radio and Interview Excerpts (cassette) (Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
1992) - Afternoon Delight! - "This Clouded Heart" (Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
1992) - Revolution Come And Gone - "No No Man Pt.2" (Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
1992) - Home Alive-The Art Of Self Defense - "It's Just A Little Bit Of Everything (That's Brought Me Down To This)" (Epic RecordsEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
1996)
Filmography
| Actor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Gorefest | The Gorehound | Unreleased and unedited splatter film shot on VHS with a cast consisting of avant garde and underground Seattle artists. |
| 1987 | The Last Blast: Big Black's final show | self | A video cassette release of Big Black's final performance on August 11, 1987; at the Georgetown Steam Plant in Seattle. Steven Jesse Bernstein opens the show. |
| 1989 | Birthright | Dr. Steiner | Is the head of an asylum in the future where deviants are reconditioned. |
| 1990 | Shredder Orpheus | Axel | Lost the use of his hips during an apocalyptic war and sits on a skateboard through the entire film. |
| 2009 | I Am Secretly An Important Man (documentary) | self | Documentary on his life and art. |
External links
- Seattle Weekly article
- Steven Jesse Bernstein Facebook page
- Official Tribute Site
- A legacy of poetic provocation
- The Wire'sThe Wire (magazine)The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine, founded in 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and improvised music, but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music...
100 Records That Set The World On Fire (When No One Was Listening) - Birthright
- Discogs
- Archive Project
- Documentary Film Site