Fri 10/15 @ 8PM
Wed 10/20 @ 6PM
Adele Bertei had a tough childhood growing up in Cleveland. As a teenager she became involved with Cleveland’s legendary ’70s art punk scene and developed a close friendship with one of its leading lights, the late Peter Laughner, who served as a mentor and encouraged her when she decided to move onto New York City. There she settled into its music scene and collaborated with many legendary artists.
Last year, she published a book she wrote about Laughner, who died in 1977 at the age of 24, and the influence he had on her as a musician and a person. In Peter & the Wolves, named after a short-lived band she played in with him, she touches on her own background and coming out story, and her journey to overcoming obstacles. In the process, she reclaimed Laughner from the myth of him as simply a reckless protopunk trying too hard to emulate Lou Reed.
Early this year, her book What Labelle Matters, came out on the University of Texas Press, detailing the influence of the girl group, which involved into an eclectic, glittery Afrofuturist ensemble.
Bertei is back in town this week, stopping at Loganberry Books on Wednesday October 20 to talk about and sign her books. She’ll also be at the Beachland Tavern Friday October 15 as part of a short book tour she’s doing with fellow Cleveland author Mike DeCapite, author of the New book Jacket Weather, set in NYC’s ’80s downtown music scene, and Lucy Sante, formerly Luc Sante, a writer and artist whose book of culturally focused essays, Maybe the People Would Be the Times, was published last year. The Kidney Brothers, Robert and Jack, from Kent’s legendary Numbers Band, will be providing music.