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Harry Perry (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other persons named Harry Perry, see Harry Perry (disambiguation).
Harry Perry
Perry performing on Venice Beach Boardwalk
Perry performing on Venice Beach Boardwalk
Background information
Birth nameHarold Arthur Perry
Born (1952-03-05) March 5, 1952 (age 72)
OriginDetroit, Michigan, US
GenresRock, alternative rock
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, record producer, author, poet
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1973–present
Websiteharryperryband.com

Harry Perry (born Harold Arthur Perry;[citation needed] 5 March 1952) is an American musician and busker, known for playing an electric guitar with a target design on roller skates at the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Perry is also known by his Sikh name, Har Nar Singh Khalsa (he often performed wearing a traditional Sikh turban),[citation needed] and by his stage name, Kama Kosmic Krusader.[1]

Life and career

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Perry was born on March 5, 1952, in Detroit, Michigan. After growing up in Michigan and recording with his first band there,[2][3] Perry began performing his original songs and guitar compositions on the Venice Beach Boardwalk in 1973.[4] Perry typically used distortion effects and played in a style reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix or Eddie Van Halen.[5] Perry has played with bands such as the Grateful Dead and Jane's Addiction.[6]

In addition to being the most famous musician performing at the Venice Beach Boardwalk,[7] he is also considered one of the area's most famous skaters, first on traditional roller skates, then on inline skates, and finally on LandRoller skates.[8][9]

During the early 1990s, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance banning people from performing publicly on the Venice Beach Boardwalk.[10] In response, Perry became a named plaintiff in a class action lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the Los Angeles Police Department and the ordinance. The plaintiffs based their suit on various constitutional principles that provide for freedom of expression, commerce, and congregation. After many years of litigation, The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Perry and his co-plaintiffs; however, their victory was short lived. The Los Angeles City Council created new legislation that severely restricted performance on the Venice Beach Boardwalk rather than banning it altogether. In addition, the City of Santa Monica followed the Los Angeles City Council's lead, passing statutes that limited the ability of performers like Perry to sell CDs and T-shirts to their audiences.[11] Perry and others initiated legal action in response, alleging that the combination of gentrification and the performance restriction ordinances threatened to destroy the atmosphere and commerce that made Venice Beach the social mecca for which it was famous.[12][13][14]

Perry is dedicated to health and fitness, running twenty miles daily and practicing Kundalini yoga. Perry is a non-smoking vegetarian.[15]

Discography

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Filmography and television appearances

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Harry Perry had numerous cameo appearances in several films and television programs, such as:

Fletch (1985), Dragnet (1987),White Men Can't Jump (1992) and its 2023 remake, Gift and Point of No Return (1993) - for which he also performed one song on the soundtrack[16] -, Marching out of Time (1993), Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006) and Starstruck (2010), as well as the television shows CSI, Vengeance Unlimited, Heroes and In the Heat of The Night (episode "No Country Boy"). He also appeared on the Dutch television program Gamekings and on America's Next Top Model.

Perry can be seen in beginning of the music video for "Party Train" by The Gap Band.[17] He appeared in the music videos for Michael Nesmith's "Cruisin'", found on his 1981 Elephant parts DVD, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" from their 2011 album I'm with You.[citation needed] Perry can also be seen in the 1982 documentary, Contemporary Photography in the USA, behind Garry Winogrand.[18] He appears in the credits of VAMPS DVD, Vamps Live 2009 USA.

On September 6 and 7, 2013, Perry performed at the Hollywood Bowl with the Blue Man Group in a rendition of Boléro.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Cabanatuan, Michael (October 5, 2019). "Will strict security measures spoil the fun at Hardly Strictly? Hardly, fans say". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  2. ^ "H. P. & THE GRASS ROUTE MOVEMENT". Motor City Music Archives. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  3. ^ "Hamtramck Review". Archived from the original on November 17, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  4. ^ Barros, Francisco (August 3, 2014). "Venice has grit | San Diego Reader". San Diego Reader. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  5. ^ "Mr. Siknhet". Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  6. ^ "Harry Perry: Street Performer". KCET. March 25, 2010. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  7. ^ "Venice Beaach Artists". Archived from the original on March 8, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  8. ^ "Venice Beach Skate Log". Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  9. ^ "Venice Beach Performers". Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  10. ^ David, Kelly (June 27, 1995). "L.A. City Council 1990s Ban on Venice Beach Performers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  11. ^ Groves, Martha (April 10, 2008). "L.A. City Council Again Passes Restrictions on Venice Beach Performers (2008)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  12. ^ "9th Circuit Opinion – PERRY V LAPD". United States district court. Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  13. ^ "Perry v. LAPD #96-55545 August 25, 1997" (PDF). United States Circuit Court. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  14. ^ "Perry v. LAPD #96-55545 August 25, 1997". FindLaw.com. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  15. ^ "He's going the Distance: An Interview with Harry Perry". BrooWaha. Archived from the original on May 31, 2007. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
  16. ^ "Soundtracks for Point of No Return (1993)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  17. ^ "The Gap Band – Party Train". February 19, 2013. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2014 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ "Contemporary Photography in the USA". February 26, 2013 – via YouTube. Garry Winogrand - Photographer. Michael Engler
  19. ^ Gans, Andrew (September 6, 2013). "Blue Man Group Debuts Orchestral Concert at Hollywood Bowl Sept. 6-7". Playbill.
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