Irwin Silber
Encyclopedia
Irwin Silber was an American
journalist
, editor
, publisher, and political activist
.
to ethnic Jewish parents.
As a young man, Silber joined the Young Communist League
, the youth section of the Communist Party USA
(CPUSA), moving later to membership in the adult party. Silber ultimately severed his ties with the CPUSA in 1955.
Silber attended Brooklyn College
, where he was instrumental in establishing the American Folksay Group. Through his involvement with folk music
, Silber made the acquaintance of Pete Seeger
, Alan Lomax
, and others influential in that music scene.
magazine from 1951 to 1967, Silber was perhaps best known for his writing on American folk music
and musicians until he left Sing Out! and began writing for the radical left wing newspaper The Guardian. His creation of Oak Publications was responsible for a large portion of the folk music material available in print during the growth of the revival.
On the occasion of his 80th birthday an interview with Mr. Silber was published giving details on his role in the progressive folk music circles of the 40s, 50s and 60s as well as his appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee
in the 1950s.
In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War. After leaving Sing Out! in 1968, Silber became cultural editor of the independent radical newsweekly, the Guardian and also its film critic. He began to write on more directly political subjects, specializing in analysis of both national and international developments and developing a broad and appreciative readership. He became the Guardian's executive editor in 1972 and led it into the milieu of the New Communist Movement
. Factional disagreements led to a split within the Guardian staff, and Silber left the newspaper in 1979, moving to California to join the leadership of a current within US Marxism known as the "rectification movement."
Silber and blues/folk singer/fellow activist Barbara Dane
became a couple in 1964. Among other collaborations, they established the independent recording company Paredon to distribute and document the music being created by the liberation movements of the 1970s. Dane produced nearly 50 LPs, and Silber handled the promotion and distribution. To insure availability of the material, in the mid-1980s they donated the label to Smithsonian Folkways
, which distributes the collection on CD and digitally.
Among Silber's most important political writing is Socialism; What Went Wrong, an examination of the theoretical and practical events in the USSR leading up to its collapse. His only non-political book in the last 20 years is A Patient's Guide to Hip and Knee Replacement based on his own experience with these operations. Silber's most recent book, Press Box Red, tells the story of sports editor Lester Rodney
, whose decade-long campaign in the pages of the Daily Worker
helped pave the way for the racial integration of major league baseball
.
In the December 24, 2007 issue of Newsweek magazine Garrison Keillor of Prairie Home Companion fame was asked to name his five most important books. His #2 choice (after the Acts of the Apostles) is The Folksinger's Wordbook by Irwin Silber, a huge collection of "hymns, blues, murder ballads, miner's laments-the whole culture."
, Silber wrote an article called "Open Letter To Bob Dylan."
Dylan
did not like being told how to perform or how to write, and he didn't really like any criticism much either. He replied by telling his manager Albert Grossman
that his songs were no longer available for publication in Sing Out!
.
Eventually, in 1968, Silber retracted his criticism in the Guardian:
The words quoted above are from page 314 of No Direction Home: the Life and Music of Bob Dylan, by Robert Shelton.
In Chronicles Volume One (2004), Bob Dylan
commented:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, publisher, and political activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
.
Early years
Irwin Silber was born October 17, 1925 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to ethnic Jewish parents.
As a young man, Silber joined the Young Communist League
Young Communist League
The Young Communist League was or is the name used by the youth wing of various Communist parties around the world. The name YCL of XXX was generally taken by all sections of the Communist Youth International.Examples of YCLs:...
, the youth section of the Communist Party USA
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
(CPUSA), moving later to membership in the adult party. Silber ultimately severed his ties with the CPUSA in 1955.
Silber attended Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
, where he was instrumental in establishing the American Folksay Group. Through his involvement with folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, Silber made the acquaintance of Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
, Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
, and others influential in that music scene.
Activist and author
The co-founder, and former long-time editor of Sing Out!Sing Out!
Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
magazine from 1951 to 1967, Silber was perhaps best known for his writing on American folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and musicians until he left Sing Out! and began writing for the radical left wing newspaper The Guardian. His creation of Oak Publications was responsible for a large portion of the folk music material available in print during the growth of the revival.
On the occasion of his 80th birthday an interview with Mr. Silber was published giving details on his role in the progressive folk music circles of the 40s, 50s and 60s as well as his appearance before the House Un-American Activities CommitteeHouse Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
in the 1950s.
In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War. After leaving Sing Out! in 1968, Silber became cultural editor of the independent radical newsweekly, the Guardian and also its film critic. He began to write on more directly political subjects, specializing in analysis of both national and international developments and developing a broad and appreciative readership. He became the Guardian's executive editor in 1972 and led it into the milieu of the New Communist Movement
New Communist Movement
The New Communist Movement ' was a Marxist-Leninist political movement of the 1970s and 1980s in the United States. The term refers to a specific trend in the U.S. New Left which sought inspiration in the experience of the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Chinese Revolution, and the Cuban...
. Factional disagreements led to a split within the Guardian staff, and Silber left the newspaper in 1979, moving to California to join the leadership of a current within US Marxism known as the "rectification movement."
Silber and blues/folk singer/fellow activist Barbara Dane
Barbara Dane
Barbara Dane is an American folk, blues, and jazz singer.-Early life:Barbara Dane's parents arrived in Detroit from Arkansas in the 1920s. Out of high school, Dane began to sing regularly at demonstrations for racial equality and economic justice. While still in her teens, she sat in with bands...
became a couple in 1964. Among other collaborations, they established the independent recording company Paredon to distribute and document the music being created by the liberation movements of the 1970s. Dane produced nearly 50 LPs, and Silber handled the promotion and distribution. To insure availability of the material, in the mid-1980s they donated the label to Smithsonian Folkways
Smithsonian Folkways
Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...
, which distributes the collection on CD and digitally.
Among Silber's most important political writing is Socialism; What Went Wrong, an examination of the theoretical and practical events in the USSR leading up to its collapse. His only non-political book in the last 20 years is A Patient's Guide to Hip and Knee Replacement based on his own experience with these operations. Silber's most recent book, Press Box Red, tells the story of sports editor Lester Rodney
Lester Rodney
Lester Rodney was an American journalist who helped break down the color barrier in baseball as sports writer for the Daily Worker.-Early life:...
, whose decade-long campaign in the pages of the Daily Worker
Daily Worker
The Daily Worker was a newspaper published in New York City by the Communist Party USA, a formerly Comintern-affiliated organization. Publication began in 1924. While it generally reflected the prevailing views of the party, some attempts were made to make it appear that the paper reflected a...
helped pave the way for the racial integration of major league baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
In the December 24, 2007 issue of Newsweek magazine Garrison Keillor of Prairie Home Companion fame was asked to name his five most important books. His #2 choice (after the Acts of the Apostles) is The Folksinger's Wordbook by Irwin Silber, a huge collection of "hymns, blues, murder ballads, miner's laments-the whole culture."
The open letter to Dylan
In the November 1964 edition of Sing Out!Sing Out!
Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
, Silber wrote an article called "Open Letter To Bob Dylan."
- "I saw at NewportNewport Folk FestivalThe Newport Folk Festival is an American annual folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the previously established Newport Jazz Festival...
how you had somehow lost contact with people ... some of the paraphernalia of fame were getting in your way".http://www.edlis.org/twice/threads/open_letter_to_bob_dylan.html
Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
did not like being told how to perform or how to write, and he didn't really like any criticism much either. He replied by telling his manager Albert Grossman
Albert Grossman
Albert Bernard Grossman was an American entrepreneur and manager in the American folk music scene and rock and roll. He was most famous as the manager of Bob Dylan between 1962 and 1970.-Biography:...
that his songs were no longer available for publication in Sing Out!
Sing Out!
Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
.
Eventually, in 1968, Silber retracted his criticism in the Guardian:
- "Many of us who did not fully understand the dynamics of the political changes...felt deserted by a poet." "Dylan is our poet – not our leader...Dylan...is communicating where it counts."
The words quoted above are from page 314 of No Direction Home: the Life and Music of Bob Dylan, by Robert Shelton.
In Chronicles Volume One (2004), Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
commented:
- "I liked Irwin, but I couldn't relate to it. Miles DavisMiles DavisMiles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
would be accused of something similar when he made the album Bitches BrewBitches BrewBitches Brew is a studio double album by jazz musician Miles Davis, released in April 1970 on Columbia Records. The album continued his experimentation with electric instruments previously featured on his critically acclaimed In a Silent Way album...
...what I did to break away was to take simple folk changes and put new images and attitudes into them."
External links
- [ Biography at allmusic.com]
- Brief biographical sketch by Martin Snapp
- 2002 interview at Perfect Sound Forever
- Irwin Silber's official website