Folks Of Interest The Curse Of Kenneth Howard

amen

 

The undertow was there to see, if a person wanted to see it.

 

IMO he was a fringe character. They are wired differently or was influenced in a negative way in their youth. Many of the truly talented people are flawed in many ways or maybe their talent simply amplifies their flaws in ways the unknown never go through.

The world would be a boring place without flawed characters but sadly we can't seem to get passed some of his flaws as a country. To say any more would go where we don't need to here IMO.

 

Well written and an interesting perspective. Your piece has given me a lot to think about.

There are times when it's either very difficult to down right impossible to separate a person from their art/work. Dutch may be one of those times.

 

I'm with you there, but I'll bet no one ever called him out. There is a bigger point there but not really for here perhaps.

It's hard to know you are wrong when so many go along with you.

 

There is a difference between admiring someone's work and admiring someone as an individual. They are not mutually exclusive. You can acknowledge his achievements and respect his work while simultaneously condemning his personally-held beliefs, his behavior, his lifestyle, etc. It holds true in any walk of life, and any field of profession. Just because someone is famous doesn't make them a good person, whether they be pro athletes, movie stars, musicians, or even "stars" of the hot rod and custom car world. And it wasn't like Von Dutch is the only jerkoff in the car scene. In fact, I can think of another "big name" off the top of my head who was a fucking scumbag because he was creepy as hell with women, and for other reasons I'm not at liberty to discuss. While I'll never wish ill health on anyone, I wasn't sad when I heard he had passed.

I think in the hot rod and custom world, just as any other circle of folks, you're going to meet good and bad. The Alexander Brothers, Dean Jeffries, Chip Foose, Faye Butler, John D'Agostino, and soooooo many others, have been nothing but complete gentlemen. But there's always a few in a crowd.

 

Ryan, you told it as it was. Some people might not like what you had to say, but you were honest in what you said.

 

Wow. That was enlightening.

 

How embarrising!

 

When you finish cancelling everything, all that will be left is dried-up bones on a desert floor. We have become vultures circling overhead on an up-current of vanity, just looking for any meat to devour. Perhaps the profiteers are not as bad as some others. You do realize that people are multi-faceted, and you get the behavior you reward. In other words, focus on the good and move on.

At the current rate, none of us are going to be left once we all get through with this puritanical cleansing act. Despite this, I do agree with you that hero worship is a dangerous thing, especially on the back end. This whipsaw effect is anxiety inducing, at the very least. Van Gogh, Von Dutch, history repeats itself. Hey, look at the bright side, when they (the son's and daughter's of biatches) are ganging up on you, at least they are letting someone else rest!

If you decide you don't want that watch, I'll gladly pay you the $100 you spent on the purchase. The saga continues . . .

 

The clues were always visible for those perceptive enough to see them, but the whitewashing for monetary reasons is less rare than you think. And there's still thousands of people who hold those beliefs but most lack any talent that would raise them out of the crowd.

 

I never was too big a fan of his work. Always seemed too busy and cluttered to me. Maybe it was the drugs or alcohol, or maybe just a demitted mind.

 

Interesting read Ryan. Thanks for sharing. I have never necessarily been a Von Dutch fan or paid much attention to his artwork, but obviously knew the name. Anyway. I appreciate the information and insight.

 

Mental illness wears many faces…but sometimes people are just turds.

 

I have 2 degrees in art and can say that BamaMav hit the nail on the head. Not much of an Artist and a poor excuse for a person when you looked behind the public image. Just a nasty ugly person

 

That's bullshit. Condemning nazism is not cancel culture....it's condemning nazism. Saying that it's canceling is akin to saying "Yeah, I know about the other thing....but Hitler was a really good paper hanger."

 

Recently saw an old video done of an interview with his ex-wife, filmed after he died. She raved about his talents in art and music, but you could tell by her musings that he was not much of a husband or father. She put it down mostly to his alcoholism, but there certainly could have been other things that she didn't bring up.

 

A hard truth in many ways. I too have known some rather sketchy folks that had talents I admire. I can only say that I too have a hard time splitting the hairs required to have an open respect. I can, but I stay on my side of the "line" you noted in your write up.
I agree, cancel culture, not worth it. Kid Rock recently openly said he can't be cancelled because he doesn't give a fuck. Not beholding to anyone, like a "...to thyne own self be true..." thing. Tom MacDonald is another one and a host of others (I'm gonna bet you know some too). Awesome. YOU Mr. Cochran also cannot be cancelled. Be proud.
Now I'm going to spill something in a PM shortly which may surprise you or not based on something else you mentioned. We're all lovers of most things that founded this life we like so much. The stuff you put up that makes us think is always a welcome read. I could go on, but let others tell their recipes. Thanks for this one.

 

Ryan, at least you are being honest, which is more that I can say about some people.

 

Thank you for writing this Ryan... I had never heard this before about Von Dutch.. I was always admired his art work and knives, guns he did.. This kind now changes how I looks at his work and the man he was.. I always thought is was just his alcoholism and being paranoid that let to his behavior ( well maybe part) .. I am no expert , never will be... but that was a great read..

 

It's a known fact that Kenneth Howard/Von Dutch was an alcoholic with mental issues and never medicated. His living conditions were always questionable, but seemed to be OK with it. He came along when hot rod's/custom car's were probably at their peak. Every east coast kid wanted to live in So-Cal and be part of that culture. Songs were even written about them by groups like the Beach Boy's, Jan and Dean, Dick Dale and others. Drag racing, surfing and car show's helped promote the scene. Von Dutch fit right in and became a legend because of his pin striping of several famous cars and numerous car magazine articles written about his antics. That being said, who knows in 2022 how the public would have viewed him. Perhaps now a day's he might have been hospitalized and might have been able to cope with free medication. Who knows, with proper medication and if he took it, treatment for his alcoholism, again, if he took it, he might have been a totally different person.

 

Ryan, good and precise. That old saying about never meeting your heroes?! Funny this comes on after Xydias' birthday, and Isky right behind him nearing 100 too. And Winfield, God bless 'em. I know I'm guilty of hijacking, and speaking all things " unforgivable", I was thinking of Gene Snow recently; did those pedophile allegations play out?

 

V.D. had limited talent and after reading this sounds like more of a just plain lousy human than I had previously thought. he was at the right pace at the right time and hung out with the right people who made him "Famous" because they were famous as well. people are fans of this clown because other people seem to be and no other reason.

as for the commercialization of the Von Dutch name that is not an issue for me. I bought a Von Dutch T shirt at Paso once that had really cool pinstripes on it and nothing else. if they were readily available I would have bought another 10 of them since that time.

they say his original pinstripes were put in place to hide scratches under the paint and as far as I have seen that is what the rest of his striping looked like.