Maynard & Miles on My Own Mag

Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker

Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting

The bulk of Maynard & Miles’ bibliographic entry on My Own Mag is reproduced here in the order in which it was printed. (The same copy accompanies the images on the My Own Mag archive page, where it was reordered to match what is presumably the correct publication sequence.) In parentheses are “Bunker Notes” by Jed Birmingham. Drawing on Iain Sinclair’s bibliography and additional research, these notes expand on the information provided by M&M.

My Own Mag #1: No Burroughs appearance. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 1. Copies of this first issue were sent to Ray Gosling, Anselm Hollo, and William Burroughs.)

My Own Mag #2: “From H.B. William Burroughs” (2:3) (C93) January or February 1964. The cover describes it as “An Odour Fill Periodical.” (Bunker Note: Sinclair 2. Acknowledged by Burroughs as his first appearance in inscription at Lyon Sale. Gosling believed this to be the first issue.)

My Own Mag #3: No Burroughs appearance. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 3)

My Own Mag #4: “Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning” (4:4) (C94). Contains a 32 square grid manuscript. The cover describes the issue as “very late edition” and it is burned away in part on the bottom. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 4)

My Own Mag #5: “Afternoon Ticker Tape” (5: 1-2) (C95). The Burrough (p. 1-2) edited by WSB and mimeographed by Nuttall, and it appears as the last two pages of My Own Mag. Run off pages from the My Own Mag insertion were sent by Nuttall to WSB in Tangier who issued them there in Ex 3, Tangier 1964. A folder containing a variety of loose and stapled sections in no fixed order, one of which was The Burrough. Described on the cover as “Cut Up Issue,” most pages have been cut into eight squares which are stapled at edges to backing sheet. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 6)

My Own Mag #6: “Bring Your Problems to Lady Sutton Fix” (6:2,4) (C97); “Over the Last Skyscrapers a Silent Kite” (6:7-9) (C98). The title of the magazine is one page three and shows through a hole burned on first page. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 7. Burroughs cut up comes from an article dated May 1964. I suggested that this could be issue 8. As the date for the Festival and Bank’s essay proves, such a reliance on Burroughs to date the magazines is a mistake.)

My Own Mag #7: “What in Horton Hotel Rue Vernet” (7:9-10) (C99). Described as “Special Festival Issue.” (Bunker Note: Sinclair 8. Burroughs’s cut up includes a dateline from April 1964 prompting me to suggest this issue was Issue 7. As the date for the Festival and Bank’s essay proves, such a reliance on Burroughs to date the magazines is a mistake.)

My Own Mag #8: “The Moving Times” (8:3-4) (C100). Described as “Special Tangiers Edition,” the cover has a full page drawing of William Burroughs wearing a fez. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 5. Bomb Culture and Bank’s reading of Perfume Jack supports this conclusion)

My Own Mag #9 “Extracts from Letter to Homosap” (9:11) (C101); “Personals Special to The Moving Times” (9:12) (C102). Has a special “Fall Out Shelter” cover and a brown-green stain running down the front. A small square has been cut from bottom of front page. “Special Post-Election” issue. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 9)

My Own Mag #10: All British Issue; No Burroughs appearance. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 10)

My Own Mag #11: “Dec. 29: Tuesday Was the Last Day for Singing Years” (11:14) (C105); Letter to Jeff Nuttall (11:12) (C106); Collage (11:13) (C107). In the form of a letter to Nuttall. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 11)

My Own Mag #12: “The Last Words of Dutch Schultz” (12:12-14) (C111); Letter to Sunday Times (12:15-16) (C113). (Bunker Note: Sinclair 12)

My Own Mag #13: “The Dead Star” (13:7-13) (C122). One of 500 numbered copies. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 13)

My Own Mag #14: Burroughs provides quotes to a Carl Weissner piece. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 14)

My Own Mag #15: “Nut Note on the Column Cut up Thing” (15:15) (C137); “WB Talking” (15:15) (C138); “Quantities of the Gas Girls” (15:16) (C139); Untitled (15:19) (C140). (Bunker Note: Sinclair 15)

My Own Mag #16: No Burroughs appearance (Bunker Note: Sinclair 16)

My Own Mag #17: No Burroughs appearance. (Bunker Note: Sinclair 17)