Episode 4: Janet Fitch With Pleasant Gehman and Nicole Panter
Episode 4 Promo
Janet Fitch
In addition to ‘Paint It Black,’ which was made into a 2017 feature film, Janet Fitch is the author of the novel ‘White Oleander,’ a #1 national bestseller that was translated into 24 languages, named an Oprah Book Club selection, and made into a feature film in 2002. Her most recent offerings are her epic novels of the Russian Revolution, ‘The Revolution of Marina M.’ (published in 2017) and ‘Chimes of a Lost Cathedral’ (published in 2019).
Janet has also written a young adult novel, entitled ‘Kicks,’ short stories, essays, articles, reviews, and contributed to anthologies. A veteran writing teacher at such institutions as USC Master of Professional Writing program, the UCLA Writer’s Program, and Pomona College, she continues to lecture frequently on fiction writing and regularly teaches at the Community of Writers Summer Workshops, and in their online program.
She lives and writes in Los Angeles.
Pleasant Gehman
Pleasant Gehman is a Hollywood rock ‘n’ roll icon. During the 1970s, she was one of the first punks in Los Angeles, documenting the scene she helped create in her fanzine ‘Lobotomy,’ which led to writing for many of the top mainstream rock publications. She’s published literally thousands of articles nationally and internationally on everything from rock ‘n’ roll to the paranormal, from magic to homeless teenagers. Her memoirs, short stories and poetry have been widely anthologized and many works were recorded on her spoken word CD ‘Ruined.’ She is the author and/or editor of eight books, including her brand spanking new ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Witch: A Memoir of Sex Magick, Drugs and Rock ‘N Roll.’
During the 1980s, she toured fronting her three bands, all of which released multiple recordings: The Screaming Sirens, The Ringling Sisters, and Honk If Yer Horny.
A practicing witch, her work as a psychic, intuitive Tarot reader and energy healer has been life-long; she currently shares her gifts with clients worldwide.
In March 2020, she launched the popular podcast The Devil’s Music, also on the Pantheon Network, which explores the intersection of rock’n’roll and the occult. It is available across all podcasting platforms.
She lives and writes in Los Angeles.
Nicole Panter
Nicole Panter grew up in Palm Springs, the step-daughter of Pat, the Philadelphia Cheese Steak King. She ran away to the Big City in her mid-teens and began a countercultural journey that led her to a group of like-minded delinquents who would become the first generation of LA punk rockers. Nicole managed the Germs from late 1977 till April 1st 1980. She moved from the Germs to a group of comedian/writer/actors who produced the earliest iteration of the Pee Wee Herman Show as a live stage show that became the hottest ticket in Hollywood. She ran off to London with a rock star who shall remain unnamed. Nicole lived in Europe for 5 years before returning to California, where she worked in the movie business, first as a director’s assistant then as a script doctor. She wrote a book of short stories and edited another. Both were reviewed nationally, which led to an interview on NPR’s Fresh Air, which led to an invitation to teach at Cal Arts. For 10 years Nicole taught one of the most popular all-institute classes, which the students referred to as “Punk Writing.” For the last 28 years Nicole has nurtured several generations of screenwriters in both live action and animation. Nicole went back to school in 2012 and got a masters in psychology followed by a doctorate. Her area of research and study is the use of psychedelic substances in the treatment of anxiety, depression & ptsd. In addition to teaching at Cal Arts, she sees patients privately in Los Angeles and Palm Springs. She was widowed when her beloved William Dailey, a rare book dealer in Los Angeles, was run over by an elderly driver in 2017.
She lives with LouLou & Cleopatra Jones, two drunken toddlers in dog suits, in Los Angeles & Palm Springs.
About the Episode
HIGHLIGHTS:
Janet and I talk about some of the major themes of her novel ‘Paint it Black’; grief and the aftermath of suicide; the significance of the title of her novel; the freedom that punk rock gives fans and musicians alike; why ‘Paint it Black’ is a punk rock novel as opposed to a more generalized rock novel; how each of the three main characters in ‘Paint it Black’ has their own distinct soundtrack; classical music and early 20th century Americana music; L.A. punk, especially The Germs and The Cramps; the deaths of John Lennon and Darby Crash; the changing punk scene in L.A. in the early ‘80s; how the Ingmar Bergman film ‘Persona’ influenced the creation of Janet’s novel; Janet’s experience as a student filmmaker in the ‘80s; the 1913 poem “Trans-Siberian Prose and Little Jeanne from France”; the movie adaptation of ‘Paint it Black’.
Pleasant talks about the beginning of the L.A. punk scene and her involvement in it. She mentions various bands and iconic L.A. punk rock venues, becoming friends with Darby Crash and Pat Smear of The Germs before they were in The Germs and dating Pat Smear, smoking pot with Tony Curtis, rooming with Belinda Carlisle and smoking pot with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins at Disgraceland, hanging out with Joan Jett.
To hear more from Pleasant about some of the hottest punk bands in L.A. in the early ‘80s, including The Cramps, The Weirdos, Blondie, The Damned, X, and Black Flag, and the decline of the scene, listen to the outtake from this episode in the Rock is Lit Vault.
Nicole shares her memories of being friends with and managing The Germs; Darby Crash’s childhood; why Germs shows were a trainwreck; Darby’s abuse of alcohol and drugs; the making of The Germs’ album, including Joan Jett’s involvement; ‘The Decline of Western Civilization’ documentary, in which Nicole and The Germs are featured; why Nicole stopped managing the band; Darby’s fascination with Adam Ant; how Nicole heard about Darby’s death; Nicole’s dislike of the biopic about Darby and The Germs, ‘What We Do Is Secret’, and The Germs reunion tour with the actor who played Darby in the film, Shane West; the legacy of The Germs.
CLIPS OF MUSIC PLAYED IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
"Paint it Black" by the Rolling Stones
"Land" by Patti Smith
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major Op. 82, played by Yuja Wang with the Munich Philharmonic, conducted by Valery Gergiev, Dec 1, 2018
“West End Blues” by Louis Armstrong
“What We Do Is Secret” by The Germs
“Human Fly” by The Cramps
Erich Wolfgang Korngold: ‘Kings Row’, Main Title, music for the 1941 film
“Our Way” by The Germs
“Media Blitz” by The Germs
“American Leather” by The Germs
Two short clips from the 1981 documentary 'The Decline of Western Civilization', directed by Penelope Spheeris, featuring Darby Crash and The Germs appear in the episode.
KEY QUOTES:
Janet: “Punk rock had such a lot to do with the writing of the book.”
Christy: “With punk rock, perfection is the enemy.”
Janet: “Perfection is the enemy of art. . . . Making art is a dance between permission and perfectionism.”
Janet: “I think of [‘Paint it Black’] as a punk rock novel, because it’s about the spirit even more than the music. It’s about the attitude of ‘I have a right to walk here’.”
Nicole: “I think The Germs’ genius was Darby was a person in pain whose verbalization of that pain in his song lyrics spoke to a lot of other people who were in similar pain.”
LINKS:
Janet Fitch Twitter, @JanetFitch323
Janet Fitch Instagram, @janetfitch323
Pleasant Gehman Twitter, @PleasantGehman1
Pleasant Gehman Instagram, @princessofhollywood
The Devil’s Music With Pleasant Gehman podcast
Belle, Book, and Candle Instagram, @belle_book_and_candle
Nicole Panter Instagram, @poseyp
