115 Rimbaud: Dirty Rude Scummy Teen Drunk (Genius)

Episode 115 Rimbaud: Dirty, Rude, Scummy, Drunk, Teenage Genius.

Was he a visionary poet or a victim of exploitation? This week, we expose the volatile, scandal-ridden affair between veteran Parisian poet Paul Verlaine and his 16 year old protégé, Arthur Rimbaud.

We’re diving into the wreckage of a two year relationship defined by obsession, public scandal, and a point-blank gunshot that changed literature forever.

In this episode:

* The power dynamics of a decade long age gap.

* The dark reality behind the tumultuous affair

* The aftermath: Who pulled the trigger, who ended up behind bars, and was justice actually served?

It’s a masterclass in genius, depravity, and the thin line between art and crime. Don’t miss the most controversial chapter of 19th-century poetry yet.

Listen now

*THE MUSIC

Late Show by Laurie Anderson https://music.apple.com/ca/album/late-show-live/358043598?i=358043634 performed live by Anderson (keyboards, tape violin), Adrian Belew (guitar), Richard Landry (saxophone) and William S. Burroughs (vocal sampling) from her album Home Of The Brave.

In the performance of this piece of music Laurie Anderson utilizes the tape-bow violin, a custom built instrument Anderson created in 1977 that replaces a traditional horsehair bow with a bow strung with pre-recorded magnetic audio tape.