About Jay Babcock
I am an independent writer and editor based in Tucson, Arizona. I publish LANDLINE at jaybabcock.substack.com
Previously: I co-founded and edited Arthur Magazine (2002-2008, 2012-13) and curated the three Arthur music festival events (Arthurfest, ArthurBall, and Arthur Nights) (2005-6). Prior to that I was a district office staffer for Congressman Henry A. Waxman, a DJ at Silver Lake pirate radio station KBLT, a copy editor at Larry Flynt Publications, an editor at Mean magazine, and a freelance journalist contributing work to LAWeekly, Mojo, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Vibe, Rap Pages, Grand Royal and many other print and online outlets. An extended piece I wrote on Fela Kuti was selected for the Da Capo Best Music Writing 2000 anthology. In 2006, I was somehow listed in the Music section of Los Angeles Magazine's annual "Power" issue. In 2007-8, I produced a blog called "Nature Trumps," about the L.A. River. From 2010 to 2021, I lived in rural wilderness in Joshua Tree, Ca.
Arthur Magazine 
Ronald “Galahad” Johnson was supposedly one of the guys who turned Ed Sanders’ Peace Eye Bookstore at 147 Avenue A into a hippie crash pad in the spring of 1967, when Sanders was too busy with The Fugs to keep it open.
This photo is a good illustration of how unhinged things were getting on the Lower East Side at that point. Four months after it was taken, Galahad’s friend and collaborator James “Groovy” Hutchinson was beaten to death – along with a girl from a rich Connecticut family – just a few blocks away. The coverage of the murders in the Times suggests that scene pretty quickly became squalid and dangerous …
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Where is the photo of Galahad? I remember Groovy and Galahad well from 1967 love to be in touch with people who were there then
mspennyarcade@gmail.com
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Image lost in recent server change, hasn’t been restored yet.
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I’m Galahad’s daughter. I’ve never heard of this pre-commune crash pad. Any way you can tell me more? cathinahaynes@gmail.com
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Hi Kathina, It’s me Andy again…Galahad’s friend (Shakespeare). You can just tell by how that statement was written that it was from someone that was clueless. Yeh, it was a crashed for a very short time and it was anything but “unhinged”. We weren’t in Ed’s store all that long before Galahad me and Groovy found the place around the corner at 622 11th St. Apartment 11 (yes, I eve remember the apartment number). While we were in Ed’s store a scout from the Allan Burke Show came in and invited us all to appear on the show, which we did…another long story.
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i would not be caught on a roof while taking acid
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Me(Shakespere), Galahad and Groovy started the commune on 11th st after we left the Peace Eye.
Seeing that photo of Galhad is mind blowing!! WOW
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Hey Andy..I remember you from those days! where do yo live now? I am still on the LES. best susana
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Whoa…I just read your reply Susana,…not sure you’ll see this but if you do email me at andybuildz@gmail.com…Very cool to find some people from back then!!
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I met Groovy and Galahad in Denver, I moved to SF in 1967 and was shocked to read about his murder. Very sad.
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I would like to read this piece..how do i find it?
best
susana
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