Ray Gooch

[likeachill...@gmail.com]

I know people have discussed the description of Ray Gooch in Chronicles before, but there seems to have been no consensus on whether he was a real person or a composite character that Dylan created. EDLIS implies that Ray Gooch did not exist, saying that "Chloe Kiel lived with that hero off the gridiron Sergeant Ray Gooch and they often put Dylan up in 1961 in New York City, according to Bob Dylan's comic book memory."

Just lately, however, I have read an interview with AJ Weberman in which he states: "I started hanging around the studio with [Dylan] and we had a great time. He writes about it in Chronicles, you know—allegorically. You know, we always moved in the same circles, druggie-type circles in the West Village. The guy who lived next door to me in the West Village was the guy who Dylan originally crashed with, Ray Gooch. So, there was a connection right there."

I know, I know, imagine citing Weberman as a source! But for all his craziness, Weberman *was* around at that time and at least some of what he says -- albeit, a very small part -- has the ring of truth.

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether or not Ray Gooch could have been a real person who has been overlooked?

[Stephan Pickering]

> Does anyone have any thoughts on whether or not Ray Gooch could have been a real person who has been overlooked?

'Ray Gooch', the opium smoking gun collector, is a fabrication. The original name first appeared in April 1942, in True Comics # 11:42-43, 'Hero off the gridiron: Raymond Gooch'. Robert Shelton, Dave Van Ronk, Suze Rotolo, in their work, never mention 'Ray Gooch'.

Using Peter MacKenzie as an inspiration, he combined aspects of Paul Clayton and Dave Van Ronk to create an avatar, as it were.

Interestingly enough, for all of his gossipography, Toby Thompson tried tracking down the apartment 'Ray Gooch' lived in on Vestry near Franklin Street. It did not exist then, or in 1961.

Toby Thompson, 2008. Positively Main Street: Bob Dylan's Minnesota (Univ. Minnesota Press, revised new edition),1-215 (210-211)

cf. R.E. Prindle, 2008N Exhuming Bob IX. Pensee 6. Bob and Dave. A review. Dave Van Ronk: The mayor of Macdougal Street. IDynamo.wordpress.com, 28 June

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STEPHAN PICKERING / חפץ ח"ם בן אברהם
Torah אלילה Yehu'di Apikores / Philologia Kabbalistica Speculativa Researcher
לחיות זמן רב ולשגשג

THE KABBALAH FRACTALS PROJECT