A great American author and good friend died last week. He was a man perpetually ahead of his time and a true American original.
I first learned about David Walley when I discovered the Ernie Kovacs biography David wrote called "The Ernie Kovacs Phile" (or "Nothing In Moderation" as David preferred to call it). Not only did it paint a complete picture of Ernie's life and public persona, but David's writing cut deep into Ernie's psyche and, via some form of psychadelic literary osmosis, channeled Ernie's spirit. That was David's genius. He could hit the facts, but he was never satisfied with his work until he, "spent time with the man." David had a way of crawling inside the head of his subject. Almost a form of method writing. Then he could somehow pull himself out, stand back objectively and translate what he learned into words that were unvarnished, raw and real.
David wrote many things you've probably never heard of and will probably never read. Like Ernie, he'll never fully be appreciated for his work, at least to my satisfaction. But my hope for both David and Ernie is that the world might some day catch up with them. So come on, World, get the fuck going!
I'm forever enriched and truly honored for the priviledge of having "spent time with the man."