Desolation Center is the untold story of Reagan-era guerrilla punk/industrial desert happenings in Southern California. Interviews and unseen footage of Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Swans, Redd Kross, Einstürzende Neubauten, SRL, Savage Republic and more. Contact: [email protected]
Desolation Center is the untold story of Reagan-era guerrilla punk/industrial desert happenings in Southern California. Interviews and unseen footage of Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Swans, Redd Kross, Einstürzende Neubauten, SRL, Savage Republic and more. Contact: [email protected]
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Story
Mission Statement
These happenings were opposed to the rigid society that young people—white, Latino, black, Asian, LGBTQ—were in rebellion against. We will portray this diversity of the LA underground on screen. Crew features women of color as co-producer and one of the lead cinematographers.About The Project
Desolation Center is the previously untold story of a series of early 80s guerrilla music and art performance happenings in Southern California that are recognized to have paved the way for Burning Man, Lollapalooza and Coachella, collective experiences that have become key elements of popular culture in the 21st century. The feature documentary splices interviews and rare performance footage of Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Swans, Redd Kross, Einstürzende Neubauten, Survival Research Laboratories, Savage Republic and more, documenting a time when pushing the boundaries of music, art, and performance felt almost like an unspoken obligation.
Directed by Stuart Swezey, the creator and principal organizer of these unique events, Desolation Center demonstrates how the risky, and at times even reckless, actions of a few outsiders can unintentionally lead to seismic cultural shifts. Combining Swezey’s exclusive access to never-before-seen archival video, live audio recordings, and stills woven together with new cinematically shot interviews, verité footage and animated sequences, Desolation Center captures the spirit of the turbulent times from which these events emerged.
Inspired by Werner Herzog’s film Fitzcarraldo in which the protagonist goes to Herculean lengths to build an opera house in the Amazonian jungle, Swezey saw the series of pilgrimages to the desert as his way of getting to that ecstatic experience with the limited means at his disposal. The first of these events, Mojave Exodus, transported adventurous punk and industrial music fans in rented school buses into the far, remote reaches of the Mojave Desert for surreal performances remembered as “earth-shattering” and "life-changing" by those who were there.
The LA Weekly described one of the events as being “like some bizarre ritual at the end of the world.” Subsequent Desolation Center shows further explored unconventional locations: Joy at Sea transformed a ferry boat into a performance space floating in the San Pedro harbor, while the Mojave Auszug and Gila Monster Jamboree events returned to the desert's expanse, pushing the limits of what a live music experience could be. Breaking down the perennial barrier between performer and audience, the Desolation Center shows became “temporary autonomous zones” outside the rigid Reagan-era society that these young people were rebelling against.
On the stark, alien landscapes of the California desert, the anarchic aggression of LA hardcore punk cross-pollinated with the uncompromising sounds of New York's No Wave and Berlin’s industrial musique concrète to form the catalyst for a powerful new culture that in the grunge era would come to command the attention of the entire world. Some of the characters involved in the Desolation Center shows and appearing in the film are among the most compelling of their generation, including Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Blixa Bargeld (Einstürzende Neubauten, Nick Cave’s Bad Seeds), Mike Watt (Minutemen, Firehose), Curt Kirkwood (Meat Puppets), Suzy Gardner (L7), Burning Man co-founder John Law, and Mark Pauline (Survival Research Laboratories). Beyond the tale of these unparalleled events, Desolation Center also serves as a panoramic look at the 80s underground while it was still under the radar of the mass media. As a recent Vice.com article explains, “the magic of the shows is that they never had a chance to become diluted by money or time: they were raw, they were real, and, most importantly, they were completely original.”
Links for further info about the Desolation Center story:
Red Bull Music Academy:
http://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2017/10/stuart-swezey-the-desolation-center
Vice.com:
KCET Artbound:
Directors Statement
The story of the guerrilla music and performance events of the Desolation Center is inextricably bound up with my own story as a young adult in the punk and post-punk music scene of Los Angeles in the early 1980s. Desolation Center will be more than just the story of a series of wild and unorthodox happenings. The film will be true to the spirit of freedom and possibility that Punk and its clarion call of creative deconstruction embodied. The timeless power of DIY—do-it-yourself culture—which has been a through line throughout all of my creative work will be an ongoing theme in the film.
As a young underground music promoter, I was inspired by Werner Herzog’s film Fitzcarraldo. Transporting busloads of music fans to the desert was my version of Fitzcarraldo bringing an opera to the Amazon rainforest—getting directly to that ecstatic experience with the limited means at my disposal. By changing the setting where music was experienced, would it also be possible to alter the listeners' perception of that music in a profound way?
Taking the music that I found so inspiring and placing it into the wide open spaces of the California desert or on a boat in the industrial wasteland of LA Harbor became my personal challenge. As organizer of these events, I will also appear in the film, sometimes on-screen and sometimes in voice-over to help propel the narrative and also reflect on the events and personalities.
The newly discovered archival footage and the interviews with largely unheralded pioneers of underground West Coast culture in this film will hopefully begin to reclaim the anarchic and unfettered roots of these now-institutionalized symbols of hedonism, commercialization, and contemporary youth culture that the desert mega-festivals have become. As a filmmaker, I will create a highly textured cinematic evocation of these events highlighting the visual and auditory explorations that the Desolation Center events represented at the time.
In the decades since I first organized these quixotic excursions of idealistic young people—bent on expanding the horizons of music, art and experience itself—a pure and compelling time in our cultural history has become somewhat obscured, taken over by mega-festivals such as Burning Man and Coachella. For better or worse, these uber hyped desert festivals trace a direct lineage back to Desolation Center.
The story of the Desolation Center events will be told collectively by eyewitnesses who were participants, whether as musicians, artists, organizers or attendees. Through the film, I would like to explore an almost lost subcultural story and also be a catalyst to future generations to question assumptions and carve out new possibilities even if for a fleeting moment in time.
Why We Need Your Support
Desolation Center has been a labor of love from the start. We have now made it to what is really the starting gate of getting a documentary film out into the world. The response to our first festival screenings has been overwhelmingly positive. Now we are asking your help to share the Desolation Center story with the rest of the world. Desolation Center is at its heart a music documentary and in order for it to be seen outside of a few film festivals, we need funds to pay for music rights and for professional music supervision to assure that all these rights are cleared properly.
Funds from this campaign will go toward the costs of bringing Desolation Center to more festivals and setting up other event screenings around the world. Other costs that still need to be paid for include clip fees, unforeseen post production costs and legal fees.
Your contribution will also help Desolation Center to be able to exist online and share the wealth of interviews and archival material that we were not able to include in the current cut, creating a worldwide community around the ideas that are explored in the film.
DESOLATION CENTER is fiscally sponsored by The Film Collaborative, a 501(c)3 organization. ALL donations are tax deductible.
In accordance with IRS regulations, The Film Collaborative (TFC) issues tax receipts for all donations of $250 and over. SEED&SPARK and credit card processing fees are deducted before TFC receives the funds. TFC issues tax receipts on the amount they receive.
Incentives
$10
DESOLATION CENTER STICKER AND SOCIAL MEDIA SHOUT-OUT
Support the film and score a badass Desolation Center logo sticker! Plus a personalized social media thank you shout-out from Desolation Center director Stuart Swezey.
$10
DESOLATION CENTER LIVE TRACKS DOWNLOAD
We are so stoked that the sounds of the Desolation Center shows were recorded live and have lovingly been brought into the digital domain.This exclusive digital download of live recordings from the Desolation Center shows includes never-before-released tracks from Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, Sonic Youth, Einstürzende Neubauten, and more playing live in the Mojave Desert and afloat in the San Pedro harbor.
$15
DESOLATION CENTER ART CARD
As seen in the upcoming Desolation Center doc, letterpress printing is a trademark of Bruce Licher’s Independent Project Press. This is a beautifully designed card commemorating the release of the Desolation Center documentary printed in Bruce’s letterpress print shop in Bishop, California. Support the film and get a limited-edition art card!
$20
STREAM THE MOVIE!
Desolation Center is currently playing film festivals and will not be in theaters or available on streaming sites for some time to come. Your contribution gives you access to a private link that will allow you to watch the film in advance of its release. Next best thing to being on the bus to the desert!
$35
DESOLATION CENTER STAMPBOOK
The Desolation Center doc is filled with striking images of the original desert shows. This is a beautifully designed booklet of postage stamp-style images created by Savage Republic’s Grammy-Award-winning design guru Bruce Licher. Instant collectibles!
$50
DESOLATION CENTER REPLICA TICKET SET
The strikingly designed tickets letterpress-printed by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic were one of the really cool trademarks of the original Desolation Center shows. You can get a set of the four original show tickets (Mojave Exodus, Mojave Auszug, Joy at Sea, Gila Monster Jamboree) letterpress-printed by Bruce Licher’s Independent Project Press on the same type of letterpress machines. Support the film and get a beautiful piece of underground music history!
Claimed: 15 of 300
$50
DESOLATION CENTER MUG + STICKER
Whether nursing an old-school 80s-style hangover or brewing up an ancient herbal tincture with psychotropic properties, a Desolation Center mug is the perfect vessel. Support the film, score the coolest mug on the planet NOW and we’ll throw in a Desolation Center logo sticker for free! Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required.
$50
DESOLATION CENTER LIVE CD COMPILATION
We are so stoked that the sounds of the Desolation Center shows were recorded live and have lovingly been brought into the digital domain.This CD of live recordings from the Desolation Center shows includes never-before-released tracks from Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, Sonic Youth, Einstürzende Neubauten, and more playing live in the Mojave Desert and afloat in San Pedro. Beautifully packaged and printed by Savage Republic’s award-winning designer Bruce Licher along with a groovy booklet of images from Desolation Center shows. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and kick out the jams!
$50
SIGNED DESOLATION CENTER ART SHOW POSTER
Desolation Center and our friends at Cornelius Projects in San Pedro, CA organized an art exhibition last summer of photos, art and memorabilia from the Desolation Center shows. Your donation will get you a 19" x 27" poster designed by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic and signed by all four co-curators of the exhibition including Desolation Center film director Stuart Swezey. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and get an awesome limited-edition poster!
Claimed: 9 of 150
$50
DESOLATION CENTER T-SHIRT
Where else can you score a t-shirt design featuring a lineup that includes MINUTEMEN, SONIC YOUTH, EINSTüRZENDE NEUBAUTEN, MEAT PUPPETS, SWANS, SURVIVAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES and even LAWNDALE? Not only is the lineup a badass powerhouse but so is the design! Features Desolation Center logo on the front and design by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic. (Black shirt with 3-color ink.) Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and rock this ultra-cool t-shirt for decades to come!
**note: you will be asked "T-Shirt Size" via email AFTER you have ordered**
Comes in Small, Medium, Large, XL & XXL
$50
SPRING 2019 DESERT SHOW LIVE STREAM
Next Spring, it will be 35 years since Desolation Center presented the legendary Mojave Auszug and Joy at Sea shows. In honor of the 35th anniversary and the upcoming release of the Desolation Center documentary, we are planning a new show for Spring 2019. Where? At a “remote desert location” of course! While many details are still under wraps, we can reveal that there will be musicians from the original Desolation Center shows performing. Your contribution will get you exclusive access to the livestream video of this historic event. Available worldwide.
$50
SIGNED AMOK BOOK AND BOOKMARK PACK
After organizing the Desolation Center shows, Director Stuart Swezey went on to be a founder of the influential underground bookstore, extreme information sourcebook and publishing house Amok Books. Inspired by the works of writer J.G. Ballard, Swezey edited the acclaimed compilation Amok Journal: Sensurround Edition. Subtitled "A Compendium of Psycho-Physiological Investigations,"its topics include autoerotic fatalities, self-mutilation/amputee fetish, infrasound, trepanation (cutting a hole in one's head for the purpose of enlightenment), mondo film, cargo cults, and Laibach/Irwin. Support the film and get a signed copy of the Amok Journal (as-is condition) plus a Bruce Licher-designed limited edition reissue Amok bookmark. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required.
Claimed: 3 of 200
$60
DESOLATION CENTER LONG-SLEEVE T-SHIRT
This long-sleeve white-on-blue t-shirt prominently features the Desolation Center logo and is designed by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and then rock this groovy garment!
**note: you will be asked "T-Shirt Size" via email AFTER you have ordered**
Comes in Small, Medium, Large, XL & XXL
$80
DESOLATION CENTER SOUNDTRACK LP + DOWNLOAD CODE
Deluxe collectible vinyl LP package of live recordings from the Desolation Center shows includes never-before-released tracks from Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, Sonic Youth, Einstürzende Neubauten, and more playing live in the Mojave Desert and afloat in San Pedro. Beautifully packaged and printed by Savage Republic’s award-winning designer Bruce Licher along with a groovy booklet of images from Desolation Center shows. This limited, numbered edition also includes download code. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and then crank this high-grade analog vinyl!
Claimed: 28 of 300
$80
DESOLATION CENTER BUNDLE: STICKER, CD, T-SHIRT
Get all of these awesome Desolation Center perks: CD of live tracks from the legendary shows and new soundtrack music, classic t-shirt, sticker and a social media shout-out. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support this “proj” big-time!
**note: you will be asked "T-Shirt Size" via email AFTER you have ordered**
Comes in Small, Medium, Large, XL & XXL
$125
CAST AND CREW SCREENING TICKET
****NO LONGER AVAILABLE**** THANK YOU TO THOSE THAT JOINED US - IT WAS A BLAST*****. Join us for a private LA screening of Desolation Center with the people featured in the film and the talented folks who made it! Many of the cast and crew will be seeing the film projected together for the first time. You can be part of this historic screening at a Hollywood landmark this summer BEFORE our US festival premiere. Then hang out at the reception afterwards, shoot the shit with director/organizer Stuart Swezey and knock a few back with the characters you just saw on the big screen. Transportation to Hollywood and purple pyramids not included.
Claimed: 6 of 10
$175
MIKE WATT PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHWARTZ
One-off canvas print photo by Jordan Schwartz of WE GOT POWER! "The Minutemen, house party, Hollywood, 1982". From Jordan" “Mike Watt playing Earl Liberty’s bass. The hepcat in the glasses to the left of Watt is Spot, producer of all the early SST records by Black Flag, Hüsker Dü, Minutemen, Meat Puppets and many others.” Also features Janet Housden, Dave Markey, Davo, Earl Liberty and some guy who used to sing for Black Flag. Ripped from the wall of the Desolation Center art show at Cornelius Projects in Pedro! Shipping not included outside the US.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$180
TWO ADVANCE TICKETS TO NEW DESOLATION CENTER DESERT SHOW
Next Spring, it will be 35 years since Desolation Center presented the legendary Mojave Auszug and Joy at Sea shows. In honor of the 35th anniversary and the upcoming release of the Desolation Center documentary, we are planning a new show for Spring 2019. Where? At a “remote desert location” of course! While many details are still under wraps, we can reveal that there will be some musicians from the original Desolation Center shows performing. Your contribution to this campaign will guarantee you admission for two to this historic new Desolation Center event next year. Original Bruce Licher letterpress printed tickets will be a special limited edition solely for Seed & Spark campaign donors. Transportation to Southern California starting point not included.
Claimed: 12 of 100
$180
MOJAVE EXODUS SAVAGE REPUBLIC FLAG POSTER
The original Savage Republic flag disappeared in the aftermath of the Mojave Exodus show but its spirit lives on in this limited-edition print! Three-color letterpress art print (22 1/2" x 17 1/4"), printed on plain chipboard designed to commemorate the Mojave Exodus show featuring Savage Republic and Minutemen. Designed by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic and printed at Independent Project Press in Bishop, California. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required.
$200
VIDEO CHAT CONSULTATION
Have you been inspired by the tales of the Desolation Center shows to organize site-specific shows of your own? Director and Desolation Center organizer Stuart Swezey will brainstorm with you on how to create your own happenings via Facetime, Skype or other video chat. One hour chat, available worldwide.
$500
HAVE BLU-RAY, WILL TRAVEL
Director and Desolation Center organizer Stuart Swezey brings the film to you for a private screening at your pad. Then you and your posse can ask him whatever you want about the film for hours (or at least until the beer runs out). If this seems like your idea of a good time, then this is all the “incentive” you need. What the hell are you waiting for? North America only, does not include travel expenses.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$1,000
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER CREDIT
You have really helped make the release of the Desolation Center film a reality! We would like to recognize your timely contribution with an actual Associate Producer credit in the closing titles and also on IMDB. In addition, as part of the crew, you are invited to be part of any film festivals, screenings and events that you would like to attend.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$1,500
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER CREDIT BUNDLE
Your support of the Desolation Center film is deeply appreciated! We would like to recognize your timely contribution with an actual Associate Producer credit in the closing titles and also on IMDB. In addition, you are invited to be part of any film festivals, screenings and events that you would like to attend as part of the crew. You will also have bestowed on you all the coolest items and upcoming events that you can handle: two tickets to new Desolation Center desert show, invitation for two to Cast & Crew screening, IPR Flag of Republic poster, Desolation Center t-shirt, coffee mug, replica ticket set, stampbook and your very own Desolation Center sticker!
Claimed: 6 of 10
$3,900
Djemaa El Fna Painting and Lathe-Cut Record
An original Mixed Media Earth & Oil Painting by renowned artist Karen Nielsen Licher, painted from one of the photographs she took of the Djemaa El Fna performance at Mojave Auszug in 1984. This one-of-a-kind piece was created by mixing earth from the Eastern Sierras with oil paint and other mixed media to create a stunning and visceral portrait of the event. Contained within a custom-fabricated steel frame, this artwork measures 27" wide x 37" tall x 2" deep. The painting will be accompanied by a limited-edition lathe-cut recording from the actual Djemaa El Fna performance, packaged in a unique letterpress-printed art folder created by Bruce & Karen Licher. In addition, we will include a copy of the original letterpress card that Bruce Licher created for the Djemaa El Fna performance. Shipping or freight costs for the painting will be additional, or the purchaser may pick up the painting at The Project Room at Independent Project Press in Bishop, California.
- Artist Statement below
Djemaa El Fna
Karen Nielsen Licher
Earth and mixed media on canvas over board with steel frame
Djemaa El Fna was the theme chosen by Bruce Licher for a conceptual performance which served as the opening act of Mojave Auszug. This was the second Desolation Center desert event which took place in the Orocopia Mountains outside of Mecca, California on Sunday, March 4th, 1984. The experience of this musical performance stands out in my memory as one of the most meaningful live music performances I have ever witnessed. Bruce conceived of the concept, and executed the performance with the help of fellow musicians Daniel Voznick, Greg Grunke, Thom Fuhrmann, Ethan Port and Mark Erskine. They played their acoustic, mostly percussive instruments on the crest of a ridge overlooking a desert arroyo, with the audience following in the canyon below. The musicians’ percussive sound blended with the textures of the Mojave Desert landscape and its own soundscape of wind and brush. Even the crusty rock crumbling loudly underfoot of both musicians and audience alike conspired to create a most immediate and integrated sonic experience.
Bruce printed a letterpress card of the same title and this card was given to each concert-goer as they began the trek to the Mojave Desert by ascending the steps of the rented yellow school buses in downtown Los Angeles earlier in the day. The story described on the card recounted the custom and experience of a marketplace in Marrakesh, Morocco, and it spoke towards the concept of bringing life to a desolate place through human culture.
Bruce’s creation resonated with my already keen interests in the shamanic magic of human expression to transform and energize healing experiences. This painting represents the feeling of being down in that canyon, looking up at the six members of the group as they performed, trance-like, to the desert and the audience below.Sold Out!
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
DESOLATION CENTER STICKER AND SOCIAL MEDIA SHOUT-OUT
Support the film and score a badass Desolation Center logo sticker! Plus a personalized social media thank you shout-out from Desolation Center director Stuart Swezey.
$10
DESOLATION CENTER LIVE TRACKS DOWNLOAD
We are so stoked that the sounds of the Desolation Center shows were recorded live and have lovingly been brought into the digital domain.This exclusive digital download of live recordings from the Desolation Center shows includes never-before-released tracks from Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, Sonic Youth, Einstürzende Neubauten, and more playing live in the Mojave Desert and afloat in the San Pedro harbor.
$15
DESOLATION CENTER ART CARD
As seen in the upcoming Desolation Center doc, letterpress printing is a trademark of Bruce Licher’s Independent Project Press. This is a beautifully designed card commemorating the release of the Desolation Center documentary printed in Bruce’s letterpress print shop in Bishop, California. Support the film and get a limited-edition art card!
$20
STREAM THE MOVIE!
Desolation Center is currently playing film festivals and will not be in theaters or available on streaming sites for some time to come. Your contribution gives you access to a private link that will allow you to watch the film in advance of its release. Next best thing to being on the bus to the desert!
$35
DESOLATION CENTER STAMPBOOK
The Desolation Center doc is filled with striking images of the original desert shows. This is a beautifully designed booklet of postage stamp-style images created by Savage Republic’s Grammy-Award-winning design guru Bruce Licher. Instant collectibles!
$50
DESOLATION CENTER REPLICA TICKET SET
The strikingly designed tickets letterpress-printed by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic were one of the really cool trademarks of the original Desolation Center shows. You can get a set of the four original show tickets (Mojave Exodus, Mojave Auszug, Joy at Sea, Gila Monster Jamboree) letterpress-printed by Bruce Licher’s Independent Project Press on the same type of letterpress machines. Support the film and get a beautiful piece of underground music history!
Claimed: 15 of 300
$50
DESOLATION CENTER MUG + STICKER
Whether nursing an old-school 80s-style hangover or brewing up an ancient herbal tincture with psychotropic properties, a Desolation Center mug is the perfect vessel. Support the film, score the coolest mug on the planet NOW and we’ll throw in a Desolation Center logo sticker for free! Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required.
$50
DESOLATION CENTER LIVE CD COMPILATION
We are so stoked that the sounds of the Desolation Center shows were recorded live and have lovingly been brought into the digital domain.This CD of live recordings from the Desolation Center shows includes never-before-released tracks from Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, Sonic Youth, Einstürzende Neubauten, and more playing live in the Mojave Desert and afloat in San Pedro. Beautifully packaged and printed by Savage Republic’s award-winning designer Bruce Licher along with a groovy booklet of images from Desolation Center shows. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and kick out the jams!
$50
SIGNED DESOLATION CENTER ART SHOW POSTER
Desolation Center and our friends at Cornelius Projects in San Pedro, CA organized an art exhibition last summer of photos, art and memorabilia from the Desolation Center shows. Your donation will get you a 19" x 27" poster designed by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic and signed by all four co-curators of the exhibition including Desolation Center film director Stuart Swezey. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and get an awesome limited-edition poster!
Claimed: 9 of 150
$50
DESOLATION CENTER T-SHIRT
Where else can you score a t-shirt design featuring a lineup that includes MINUTEMEN, SONIC YOUTH, EINSTüRZENDE NEUBAUTEN, MEAT PUPPETS, SWANS, SURVIVAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES and even LAWNDALE? Not only is the lineup a badass powerhouse but so is the design! Features Desolation Center logo on the front and design by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic. (Black shirt with 3-color ink.) Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and rock this ultra-cool t-shirt for decades to come!
**note: you will be asked "T-Shirt Size" via email AFTER you have ordered**
Comes in Small, Medium, Large, XL & XXL
$50
SPRING 2019 DESERT SHOW LIVE STREAM
Next Spring, it will be 35 years since Desolation Center presented the legendary Mojave Auszug and Joy at Sea shows. In honor of the 35th anniversary and the upcoming release of the Desolation Center documentary, we are planning a new show for Spring 2019. Where? At a “remote desert location” of course! While many details are still under wraps, we can reveal that there will be musicians from the original Desolation Center shows performing. Your contribution will get you exclusive access to the livestream video of this historic event. Available worldwide.
$50
SIGNED AMOK BOOK AND BOOKMARK PACK
After organizing the Desolation Center shows, Director Stuart Swezey went on to be a founder of the influential underground bookstore, extreme information sourcebook and publishing house Amok Books. Inspired by the works of writer J.G. Ballard, Swezey edited the acclaimed compilation Amok Journal: Sensurround Edition. Subtitled "A Compendium of Psycho-Physiological Investigations,"its topics include autoerotic fatalities, self-mutilation/amputee fetish, infrasound, trepanation (cutting a hole in one's head for the purpose of enlightenment), mondo film, cargo cults, and Laibach/Irwin. Support the film and get a signed copy of the Amok Journal (as-is condition) plus a Bruce Licher-designed limited edition reissue Amok bookmark. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required.
Claimed: 3 of 200
$60
DESOLATION CENTER LONG-SLEEVE T-SHIRT
This long-sleeve white-on-blue t-shirt prominently features the Desolation Center logo and is designed by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and then rock this groovy garment!
**note: you will be asked "T-Shirt Size" via email AFTER you have ordered**
Comes in Small, Medium, Large, XL & XXL
$80
DESOLATION CENTER SOUNDTRACK LP + DOWNLOAD CODE
Deluxe collectible vinyl LP package of live recordings from the Desolation Center shows includes never-before-released tracks from Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, Sonic Youth, Einstürzende Neubauten, and more playing live in the Mojave Desert and afloat in San Pedro. Beautifully packaged and printed by Savage Republic’s award-winning designer Bruce Licher along with a groovy booklet of images from Desolation Center shows. This limited, numbered edition also includes download code. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support the film and then crank this high-grade analog vinyl!
Claimed: 28 of 300
$80
DESOLATION CENTER BUNDLE: STICKER, CD, T-SHIRT
Get all of these awesome Desolation Center perks: CD of live tracks from the legendary shows and new soundtrack music, classic t-shirt, sticker and a social media shout-out. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required. Support this “proj” big-time!
**note: you will be asked "T-Shirt Size" via email AFTER you have ordered**
Comes in Small, Medium, Large, XL & XXL
$125
CAST AND CREW SCREENING TICKET
****NO LONGER AVAILABLE**** THANK YOU TO THOSE THAT JOINED US - IT WAS A BLAST*****. Join us for a private LA screening of Desolation Center with the people featured in the film and the talented folks who made it! Many of the cast and crew will be seeing the film projected together for the first time. You can be part of this historic screening at a Hollywood landmark this summer BEFORE our US festival premiere. Then hang out at the reception afterwards, shoot the shit with director/organizer Stuart Swezey and knock a few back with the characters you just saw on the big screen. Transportation to Hollywood and purple pyramids not included.
Claimed: 6 of 10
$175
MIKE WATT PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHWARTZ
One-off canvas print photo by Jordan Schwartz of WE GOT POWER! "The Minutemen, house party, Hollywood, 1982". From Jordan" “Mike Watt playing Earl Liberty’s bass. The hepcat in the glasses to the left of Watt is Spot, producer of all the early SST records by Black Flag, Hüsker Dü, Minutemen, Meat Puppets and many others.” Also features Janet Housden, Dave Markey, Davo, Earl Liberty and some guy who used to sing for Black Flag. Ripped from the wall of the Desolation Center art show at Cornelius Projects in Pedro! Shipping not included outside the US.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$180
TWO ADVANCE TICKETS TO NEW DESOLATION CENTER DESERT SHOW
Next Spring, it will be 35 years since Desolation Center presented the legendary Mojave Auszug and Joy at Sea shows. In honor of the 35th anniversary and the upcoming release of the Desolation Center documentary, we are planning a new show for Spring 2019. Where? At a “remote desert location” of course! While many details are still under wraps, we can reveal that there will be some musicians from the original Desolation Center shows performing. Your contribution to this campaign will guarantee you admission for two to this historic new Desolation Center event next year. Original Bruce Licher letterpress printed tickets will be a special limited edition solely for Seed & Spark campaign donors. Transportation to Southern California starting point not included.
Claimed: 12 of 100
$180
MOJAVE EXODUS SAVAGE REPUBLIC FLAG POSTER
The original Savage Republic flag disappeared in the aftermath of the Mojave Exodus show but its spirit lives on in this limited-edition print! Three-color letterpress art print (22 1/2" x 17 1/4"), printed on plain chipboard designed to commemorate the Mojave Exodus show featuring Savage Republic and Minutemen. Designed by Bruce Licher of Savage Republic and printed at Independent Project Press in Bishop, California. Price includes shipping and handling costs in the U.S. Overseas customers will be contacted if additional fees are required.
$200
VIDEO CHAT CONSULTATION
Have you been inspired by the tales of the Desolation Center shows to organize site-specific shows of your own? Director and Desolation Center organizer Stuart Swezey will brainstorm with you on how to create your own happenings via Facetime, Skype or other video chat. One hour chat, available worldwide.
$500
HAVE BLU-RAY, WILL TRAVEL
Director and Desolation Center organizer Stuart Swezey brings the film to you for a private screening at your pad. Then you and your posse can ask him whatever you want about the film for hours (or at least until the beer runs out). If this seems like your idea of a good time, then this is all the “incentive” you need. What the hell are you waiting for? North America only, does not include travel expenses.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$1,000
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER CREDIT
You have really helped make the release of the Desolation Center film a reality! We would like to recognize your timely contribution with an actual Associate Producer credit in the closing titles and also on IMDB. In addition, as part of the crew, you are invited to be part of any film festivals, screenings and events that you would like to attend.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$1,500
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER CREDIT BUNDLE
Your support of the Desolation Center film is deeply appreciated! We would like to recognize your timely contribution with an actual Associate Producer credit in the closing titles and also on IMDB. In addition, you are invited to be part of any film festivals, screenings and events that you would like to attend as part of the crew. You will also have bestowed on you all the coolest items and upcoming events that you can handle: two tickets to new Desolation Center desert show, invitation for two to Cast & Crew screening, IPR Flag of Republic poster, Desolation Center t-shirt, coffee mug, replica ticket set, stampbook and your very own Desolation Center sticker!
Claimed: 6 of 10
$3,900
Djemaa El Fna Painting and Lathe-Cut Record
An original Mixed Media Earth & Oil Painting by renowned artist Karen Nielsen Licher, painted from one of the photographs she took of the Djemaa El Fna performance at Mojave Auszug in 1984. This one-of-a-kind piece was created by mixing earth from the Eastern Sierras with oil paint and other mixed media to create a stunning and visceral portrait of the event. Contained within a custom-fabricated steel frame, this artwork measures 27" wide x 37" tall x 2" deep. The painting will be accompanied by a limited-edition lathe-cut recording from the actual Djemaa El Fna performance, packaged in a unique letterpress-printed art folder created by Bruce & Karen Licher. In addition, we will include a copy of the original letterpress card that Bruce Licher created for the Djemaa El Fna performance. Shipping or freight costs for the painting will be additional, or the purchaser may pick up the painting at The Project Room at Independent Project Press in Bishop, California.
- Artist Statement below
Djemaa El Fna
Karen Nielsen Licher
Earth and mixed media on canvas over board with steel frame
Djemaa El Fna was the theme chosen by Bruce Licher for a conceptual performance which served as the opening act of Mojave Auszug. This was the second Desolation Center desert event which took place in the Orocopia Mountains outside of Mecca, California on Sunday, March 4th, 1984. The experience of this musical performance stands out in my memory as one of the most meaningful live music performances I have ever witnessed. Bruce conceived of the concept, and executed the performance with the help of fellow musicians Daniel Voznick, Greg Grunke, Thom Fuhrmann, Ethan Port and Mark Erskine. They played their acoustic, mostly percussive instruments on the crest of a ridge overlooking a desert arroyo, with the audience following in the canyon below. The musicians’ percussive sound blended with the textures of the Mojave Desert landscape and its own soundscape of wind and brush. Even the crusty rock crumbling loudly underfoot of both musicians and audience alike conspired to create a most immediate and integrated sonic experience.
Bruce printed a letterpress card of the same title and this card was given to each concert-goer as they began the trek to the Mojave Desert by ascending the steps of the rented yellow school buses in downtown Los Angeles earlier in the day. The story described on the card recounted the custom and experience of a marketplace in Marrakesh, Morocco, and it spoke towards the concept of bringing life to a desolate place through human culture.
Bruce’s creation resonated with my already keen interests in the shamanic magic of human expression to transform and energize healing experiences. This painting represents the feeling of being down in that canyon, looking up at the six members of the group as they performed, trance-like, to the desert and the audience below.Sold Out!
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
STUART SWEZEY
Director/Producer/Writer
Stuart Swezey began his creative career organizing the Desolation Center events in the desert and at sea that featured music groups such as the Minutemen, Einstürzende Neubauten, Sonic Youth, and Meat Puppets among others. He is a founder of Amok Books—the influential extreme information sourcebook, cult L.A. bookstore, and publishing house. His book Amok Fifth Dispatch: Sourcebook of Extremes of Information in Print was nominated for the Best Nonfiction Book Title in the FIrecracker Alternative Book awards. Swezey produced the acclaimed feature documentary Better Living Through Circuitry about rave and DJ culture that was released in theaters nationwide and aired on Showtime, the Sundance Channel and BBC Channel 4. Swezey has been a VP, Development for Original Productions (Ice Road Truckers, Black Gold), Alternative Programming exec for Syfy Channel, documentary film producer, and reality television producer and show runner.
TYLER HUBBY
Editor/Writer
Tyler Hubby has edited over 30 documentary films. Most notable among them are The Devil and Daniel Johnston, a picaresque biography of mentally ill artist/musician Daniel Johnston; Double Take , Belgian artist Johan Grimonprez’s metaphysical essay on the cold war, the rise of television and the murder of Alfred Hitchcock by his own double; the HBO documentary A Small Act; and Participant Media's The Great Invisible, which won the Grand Jury Prize at SXSW 2014. He also edited and co-produced Lost Angels about the denizens of Los Angeles’ Skid Row and the new punk rock documentary Bad Brains: A Band in DC. He served as an additional editor on the Oscar
nominated The Garden and HBO’s Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired . Hubby’s acclaimed 2016 directing debut “Tony Conrad: Completely In the Present” was an official selection of the Rotterdam Internation Film Festival.
JEREMY ROYCE
Director of Photography
Jeremy Royce graduated with an MFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in 2013. His work has screened at festivals across the country, has been nominated for a student academy award and Emmy and has earned him multiple awards for directing and cinematography. Jeremy’s debut feature film 20 Years of Madness premiered at the 20015 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah where it won the Jury Honorable Mention. Jeremy currently works as an LA-based freelance director/cinematographer and teaches part time at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.
SANDRA VALDE-HANSEN
Director of Photography
One of the 2014 “Generation Next” cinematographers in ICG magazine, Sandra Valde-Hansen holds an MFA from the American Film Institute. Besides lensing political and socially conscious documentaries for Al Jazeera America (Daisy and Max), PBS (Tales of Masked Men) and MTV (House of Style), Filipina-American Valde-Hansen has over fifteen independent feature credits, including F*cking People directed by Theresa Bennett and Shotgun directed by Hannah Marks and Joey Power. Valde-Hansen lensed indie darling director Gregg Araki’s last two features Kaboom, which was an official selection at Cannes and Sundance and White Bird in a Blizzard, starring Shailene Woodley and Eva Green that also premiered at Sundance. Valde-Hansen worked her way up through the camera
department and was mentored by luminaries such as Stephen Lighthill ASC and Nancy Schreiber ASC.When she is not shooting, she teaches in the cinematography department at AFI.
MARISKA LEYSSIUS
Co-Producer
Mariska Leyssius began her creative career as a photographer, musician and pioneering zine publisher (Contagion) in the LA punk and industrial scene. She was involved in the original Desolation Center desert shows and was a co-founder of Amok Books. While working at Island Records, she had the honor of picking Malcolm McLaren up at the airport and chauffeuring Marianne Faithfull around Hollywood. Mariska was at ground zero of music video production and has worked with directors like Julien Temple (Neil Young, Tom Petty) and Kevin Kerslake (Nirvana). She can still be found at low-profile desert parties dancing as the sun comes up.
LISA JANSSEN
Archival Producer
Lisa Janssen is an archival producer and researcher living in Los Angeles CA. Her most recent work includes Hal, a 2018 official Sundance selection documentary on director Hal Ashby, Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present, and the award winning web series We've Been Around.
MICHAEL TOJI/MONKEYLAND AUDIO
Sound Editor
Monkeyland Audio is well known for the quality of its mixes and post-sound services, but an equally compelling reason that keeps clients returning is the smooth and friendly experience during the entire process. Not only are our staff experts in their fields and have a passion for their craft and art, they operate in a smooth and relaxed environment which nurtures the creativity and collaboration that ultimately translates to superior results. Our technical staff keep the facility on the cutting edge of technology, utilizing the latest gear and software to keep the facility at the forefront of mix stages on par with the major studios. Lastly, the experienced management team ensures a superior, smooth, and personal client experience from beginning to end. Centered around a comfortable, well-stocked kitchen and lounge, Monkeyland’s editorial and mix stages create a comfortable environment for both staff and clients to bring out the best for everyone and every project.
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