Andy Warhol interviewed at the Rhode Island School of Design

From: R. Spencer, "BP Interviews Warhol," Blockprint (Rhode Island School of Design), vol. 16, no. 21, April 10, 1967 as reprinted in Alfredo Garcia (ed.), The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground, p. 125

BP INTERVIEWS WARHOL

Andy Warhol was here last weekend amid a barrage of lights, loud music, and visual stimulation. He remained in the background almost unnoticed, but was very cooperative in allowing me this brief interview in the projection booth during Saturday's show. The content follows and speaks for itself. Need I say more? The Editor.

R. Spencer: Would you like to give me a comment on what the Providence Journal wrote about you?

Andy Warhol: Well, they always say something bad about us but the second show was different so... Did you see it yesterday?

RS: I was here for both shows.

AW.: Did you like the second one?

RS: I thought the second show was much better.

AW: Well, it was different - I mean, different places we do different things. It's, you know, hard to know what direction to go in or something like that so the second show was a discotheque and the first one was sort of like a concert.

RS: Do you suit the show to the people?

AW: Yeah, I guess so.

RS: Did you organise the Velvet Underground?

AW: Well we sort of work all work together.

RS: Do you want to continue to do these shows?

AW: Well we just opened another night club in New York called The Gymnasium but I'm more interested in making movies - I'm just in mostly that.

RS: What about Chelsea Girls?

AW: It went out sort of just like that but it's going to Cannes and we're going with it.

RS: That movie uses the split image doesn't it?

AW: Year and it's about 3:40 - three hours and forty minutes long.

RS: What kind of reaction would you like the audience to have to your show - what do you consider a successful reaction?

AW: Well, I thought the second show yesterday just, you know...

RS: The fact that they were involved?

AW: Yeah, when we did it you know a year ago, I guess over a year ago, well there were a lot more people and a lot more things happening.

RS: What about he lights, etc.? Is it all your design or is it a group effort.

AW: Yes - well we had a lot more in it - somehow it just changes.

RS: Do you think it would be a good idea if the school was this way all the time?

AW: Yeah, it's just terrific.

RS: It's not like this every day though - this was an Architectural problem.

AW: Yeah but why, I mean, were all the kids more excited?

RS: Well the whole weekend - you were coming and...

AW: I guess I was supposed to meet someone from the Architecture School, you know, to take us around and show us.

RS: What do you think of this city?

AW: Oh well, I don't know - yesterday it looked so great.