V.A., "Big Ego: The-Dial-a-Poem-Poets" G+/VG Philip Glass, Patti Smith

$

45

1978 gatefold double album "Big Ego" from the Giorno Poetry Systems artist collective, featuring Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, William S. Burroughs, Patti Smith, and many others. Record acquired by a Brooklyn-based vintage shop that specializes in vinyl from a private collection. Previous owner was an audiophile who played exclusively on high-grade equipment.
Grading
Grading Vinyl graded in-store conservatively and competitively: NM - A nearly perfect record, never played. Never assigned unless a record is sealed. (Open records that look unplayed are graded down to VG+) VG+ - Some signs that the record was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. May contain slight scuffs or light scratches that do not affect play. VG - Light surface noise upon play, but will not overpower the music. No skipping. G+ - Surface noise and groove wear will affect play and overpower the music in some sections. No skipping. G - Surface noise and groove wear will overpower the music in most sections. Record may contain skipping in some sections.
Label: Giorno Poetry Systems ?– GPS 012-013 Genre: Electronic/Non-Music/Modern Classical/Comedy/Spoken Word/Experimental Condition: Vinyl/G+, Sleeve/VG (Sleeve has corner wear, slight splitting on bottom by opening, "JOHN GIORNO" circled in blue pen on inside gatefold, see photos)

Track listing:
Side A

A1 Patti Smith- The Histories Of The Universe 7:46

A2 Philip Glass- A Secret Solo 2:17

A3 John Giorno- Grasping At Emptiness 9:45

A4 Laurie Anderson- Three Expediences 3:00

B1 Meredith Monk- Education Of The Girlchild, 1972: Biography 8:00

B2 Michael Lally- All Of The Above (Excerpt) 6:17

B3 Robert Lowell- Ulysses & Circe (Excerpt) 9:40

B4 Larry Wendt- How To Cook A Duck 4:44

B5 Jackie Curtis- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 2:27

C1 Ed Sanders- The Fugs: A Monologue 2:12

C2 William S. Burroughs- Naked Lunch: The Laboratory Has Been Locked For Three Hours Solid (Excerpt) 2:14

C3 Harris Schiff- 15 Years Passes / Dollar Bill 1:45

C4 Otis Brown- Boneless Chicken 1:43

C5 Joel Oppenheimer- Cities, This City 2:45

C6 The Fugs- Saran Wrap 1:15

C7 Claes Oldenburg- June Was / Panodramdra 1:15

C8 Denise Levertov- Homage To Pavese: Woman Alone 3:33

C9 Ted Greenwald- Friends 2:08

C10 Anthony J. Gnazzo- Hisnia & Hernia 4:44

C11 Steve Tropp & Gloria Tropp- Snow White1:03

C12 Jim Brodey- Homeward Bound 1:52

C13 Robert Ashley- Interiors With Flash 3:07

D1 Eileen Myles- Tuesday Brightness 0:50

D2 Helen Adam- Apartment On Twin Peaks 5:42

D3 Anne Waldman- Light & Shadow 6:10

D4 Joe Johnson- Fly Ho 0:37

D5 Lorenzo Thomas- Wonders 1:50

D6 Ishmael Reed- Sky Diving 2:19

D7 Kenward Elmslie- The Woolworth Song 2:30

D8 Mona DaVinci- The Sacred Wood Of Art: The Last Supper Of Mona DaVinci (Excerpt) 2:50

D9 Bernard Heidsieck- Canal Street No. 19 2:25

D10 Steve Hamilton- Promise 3:25

D11 Frank O'Hara- Poem / Poem 1:45

From Wikipedia:

Founded in 1965, Giorno Poetry Systems was an American artist collective, record label, and non-profit organisation founded by poet and performance artist John Giorno with the direct aim to connect poetry and related art forms to a larger audience using innovative ideas, such as communication technology, audiovisual materials and techniques.

Dial-a-Poem

After having a conversation on the phone with Burroughs in 1968, Giorno initiated the Dial-a-Poem Poets concept, which he claimed would later influence the creation of information services creation over the telephone, such as sports and stock market. Fifteen phone lines were connected with individual answering machines: people would call GPS and listen to a poem they were offered from fragments of various live recordings. Dial-a-Poem, from 1969 on, was very successful, with 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. peaks. GPS used a variety of social issues at the time, what with the sexual revolution and the Vietnam War, which would create appeal as well as shock from the reactive community.