I was lucky enuff to meet Dutch--- and got to know him---as if anybody really knew him. He was living on Brucker's property in Santa Paula,Ca.Got to be friends with the Bruckers and would stop by and see Dutch once in a while.At the time,the Bruckers were getting ready to sell out their warehouse of stuff---and a couple of us helped Dutch work on The Great Race cars---MAN O MAN!---he had NO tolerance for most people----anyway, i posted this so as to see if anyone on here knew Dutch---not just storys,but met him. Also---he made some beautiful knifes ---a lot of the guys in Santa Paula still have em ---and guard them with their life! Lets here from somebody!
Somewhere around '73/'74 I was at Gay Johnson's Truck Stop in Rawlins, WY. A kinda scruffy guy came up to me and asked me if I wanted my truck pinstriped...I really didn't have the cash to spend on getting my company truck done...I said no. As I was leaving, I noticed a Kenworth pick-up truck in the lot...I think it had some kinda camper on the back. Never really knew who the guy was but after Dutch died I saw a picture of that same truck in an article about his life....he built it and evidently went south on occasion and must have worked his out and back. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it...
I met Dutch once @ one of the early 'Rat Fink Reunions" he was drinking as usual, Sitting near Robt & Suzanne Williams. I intoduced myself saw his drink was almost gone,I offered to get him another. His reply was "I don't give a f*ck who you are & if I wanted another f*cking drink,I'd get it myself"). I thought, "How the hell did I piss that guy off??? " After awhile I just saw that was the way he just was to most everyone. I was told later by Robt that if he think I was alright, he just wouldn't have said sh*t to me. I never knew he'd get famous hocking aparrell and energy drinks post-humously though. I would have him given more shit back then Ken Kennedy from IL.(bought Jakes 28 P.U) brought to the 1st Americruise a knife that he had made by Dutch, This thing was off the Hook! He was a very talented man, but like most great artists probably suffered from some kind of mental disorder .
What, the energy drink guy? Better yet, anybody ever meet Jon Rinehart? There's one abrasive bastard.
Many artists, or creative people suffer from bi-polar disorder among other things. This is caused by a chemical imbalance in the body/brain that is treatable. Bi-polar causes the person to cycle between manic episodes and depression. If you talked to Ken Howard's real friends you might see a pattern in his life that would indicate this condition in him. Alcoholism is one indicator of a bi-polar condition. However, speculating on a person's mental state is not a good thing to do. The better thing to do is the have empathy for them and help them to get treatment, privately. I never met Ken Howard, aka Von Dutch, but I would have liked to. Creative people are usually thinking "out of the box", to use a cliche, and you can learn so much from them, like empathy.
If VonDutch was "VonDutch" because of being bi-polar...... Then what would happen to the creativity if he got treatment? Just a thought.
Alright, I'll be totally honest, when I was on Zoloft to level out my 'mood swings' The creativity was still there (painting,drawing,writing, and doing music), but the passion and feeling of satisfaction was lacking. It just made me apathetic in general, which was funny since I was diagnosed with dystemia(sp?) which basically means I never really get all that excited about anything and sort of function in a low gear of irritation (much to the joy of my wife and kids ). The majority of the rest of my family suffer from bi-polar depression and the effects of 'self-medication'. It's a shame because my real grandfather and uncles were incredible artists and machinsts. From a cultural aspect, I can say that in our group setting, it's a lot more acceptable to come off as grumpy old coot with a drinking problem than someone who needs help. My grandpa had that and the fact that he had the Mexican 'macho' image to keep up just reinforced that. I've been off the meds for sometime and as you get older, you just start to notice better when an 'episode' is coming on and you make the proper arrangements (lot's of alone time if possible) That was probably more info than ya'll needed to know, but I thought I'd just throw in my perspective...
He probably would have lost most of his creativity. If, it was inspired by manic episodes. There may have been a strong underlying desire to simply create. I believe a lot of artist "suffer" from some type of mania too, but the vast majority are simply very skilled people naturally. I used to have bouts of mania and depression, I would get on massive sugar binges and write tons of short stories. Once I met my girlfriend, whatever chemical love releases in your brain balanced that out, and i'm a lot "better". But I rarely feel inspired to write anymore. For what it's worth, it's been said that Charlie Parker did some of his best playing while on H, but look where it got him. What price creativity?
Oh yea lets take the guy who drank and did pills in the 50s and 60 more drugs he was what he was and as far as by polor he was polarized lol and I have proof of a young Axel and brother Markey at the early R.F. party back when it was cool...................... Endsville V.F.......................dutch yea i use it to clean my sink.........
Maybe he was bi polar and bought one of those advertised perscriptions on TV. He forgot to read that side effects may include, alchohol abuse and pill dependency. Oh and it also causes biggotry.
I know several people who are bi-polar and on medication. The creativity is still there, its just the intensity level varies. Even on medication, a bi-polar person's mood levels vary. JeepersCreepers, Thanks for being honest. Many doctors do not diagnose bi-polar correctly and many times get the medications wrong. I know one person who was on lithium for her bi-polar and did just fine. On one trip to the hospital for another health problem, the hospital doctor put her on a mood-controlling drug and caused a serious problem. It took some time, once she was off the drug to get her system stabilized on lithium and settle out her mood swings. Sometimes drugs are not the answer. The person and their family can do the best sometimes. Porknbeaner, You are right. The only person who "knew" von Dutch was Ken Howard. I think its sad that with all the hype and commercialization of Von Dutch that the real Ken Howard is being lost.
I wasn't very old but looking back on my conversations with Ken ( I called him Mr Dutch ) I'm not absolutly sure he knew Von Dutch very well. The Ol Man once said that he knew who he wanted Dutch to be, but just not how to get there. I think the world got in his way alot.
Dutch was the " Guest of Honor" at the first Lead East (fleminton, nj 1983). Generally avoided meeting the folks there, and acted like an ass.
.........Anthony.........tell us how you really feel! That probably won't be popular, but you are probablty right. Seems that "insanity" and "genius" do share a lot of the same space. There is a museum in Baltimore called the American Visionary Art Museum. www.avam.org I won't go into the whole thing, but I have read the history of many of the artists represented there over the years and many shared "Dutch's" path. Many wound up institutionalized and art was used as therapy. There was one woman that did fantastic works and they did electro-shock treatment on her and afterwards, she never touched her craft again (of course they probably fried her fuckin' brains!!)
I know you said you wanted to hear from people that knew Von Dutch, and not just stories, but I have one to add. About 10 years ago, I was fixing up a '50 Plymouth. It was parked at my uncle's place, and that's where all the work was being done. One day I was there working and I had a magazine on the seat of the car. It was the Rod and Custom that was the tribute issue to Von Dutch after he died. My uncle would always come out of his house and visit with me while I was there working. That day, he saw the magazine and he says "While I'll be go to hell, I knew that guy! I thought he died a long time ago." I came out from under the hood of the '50 and I asked him "What guy?" He said, "I knew Von Dutch." I asked him to tell me more. My uncle was in the Air Force in the late 40's and early 50's. After he finished his tour, he got a job at a place that built ships in Long Beach, California. (I wish I could remember the name of the place but I don't.) My uncle was quite a skilled machinist and that's the type of work he was doing there. His boss was an older guy that had a thing for old motorcycles. He had a few Ariels, Triumphs, Indians, etc. He was always asking my uncle to make this part or that, and he'd slip my uncle a few extra bucks for the help. Well, one day one of the motorcyles was finally finished, and the boss rode it into work that day. He came up to my uncle and said "What do you think?" My uncle told him it was beautiful. The boss said, "I think it turned out nice, too, but it still doesn't look finished to me. I'm going to have one of my friends come over today and put some pinstriping on it." The boss left the bike in my uncle's work area, (which my uncle told me was basically a two car garage with barn style doors so that fairly large things could be moved in and out.) until the striper got there. A short while later, Von Dutch came in with his box and started to lay down lines. My uncle tried to make small talk with him when he would stop to load his brushes or clean off a mistake or whatever, but he told me that the guy was "a real prick! Very unfriendly. He just didn't seem like he wanted to be bothered with conversation." Well, after watching Howard work for a while, my uncle went back to his lathe and got to work. My uncle said the next thing he knew, Von Dutch was there looking over his shoulder watching what he was doing! He started asking my uncle some questions, and they started having a good conversation. Von Dutch told my uncle he did machine work too, and there was the common thread that seemed to get Von Dutch to open up some. They really hit it off and started to get along. Well, my uncle's boss was really cranking out alot of motorcycles, and Von Dutch was there striping them all the time. The bikes were always parked in my uncle's shop, so when Dutch came to stripe them, they always had conversations. My uncle told me he thought that Von Dutch liked the fact that he was a machinist, and Von Dutch seemed to respect that. Well, after my uncle finished telling me this story, he said he'd be right back and he went into the house. I got back to work on the car, and a few minutes later, he returned holding a small box. He said, "Why don't you take a break and check this out". He handed me the box, and I opened it. There was THE KOOLEST knife I has ever seen! It was engraved with all kinds of kool designs, and an inscription "To my friend, Lee, a machinist like me. K.H." I asked my uncle where he got it, and he said, "One day I was working in the shop. There was another of the boss's bikes there waiting to get striped. Von Dutch showed up, and did his work. We had a nice conversation, like we always had when he came to the shop. Like I said, my boss was really cranking out bikes, so Dutch was there quite a bit. Next thing I know, Kenny came up to me and handed me this box and said, here, I got something for 'ya." My uncle opened it up, and needless to say was impressed. He thanked Dutch for the gift, and he said Dutch muttered something about "Oh it ain't much" or something of that sort. A few weeks later, his boss needed another bike striped, but he couldn't get in touch with Howard. My uncle said "I guess he had loaded up his crazy RV bus thing he lived in and took off somewhere. I never saw the guy again." My uncle passed away in 2001, and I really miss his sharp, intellectual mind. He was quite a guy! He left the knife to my cousin Tom. It's in good hands, but I hope it doesn't get lost somewhere. It is a neat piece of personal history for me, and a little insight to Von Dutch. A man that is admired world wide, but little is really known about. E
I saw Von Dutch at the 1964 (I think) Teen Fair at the Hollywood Paladium. It was when they shot the famous pic of him in the '29 Sedan Delivery with striping brushes stuck in his ears and a stick on eye on his forehead. I tried to talk to him because he had striped a friends brother's Ford in ELA when I was a little squirt. He was not a friendly man and semed all f*cked up on something. Not much of a meeting, but I also saw the Ariel square 4 chopper hed striped in Long Beach. Boy I wish someone could post a pic of that. I was beautiful. Back to your discussion of energy drinks and hats, now in progress.
I knew him , he had a small shop in tempe az when he was here , it was near this great burger place " minder binders" which is still there , the place has stull hanging all over the walls rafters etc , and some of it is /was his,and is still there .As a kid riding my stingray or apple crate , later lemon peeler bike , i would ride from the next town over as often as i could just to hang out and pester him , i did some sweeping and errans for him . And yes i learned early when to leave and when to stay and when to grab a broom . He was one of if not the first guy to take me to a swapmeet .But thats a whole nother story . Sure wish i had my old bikes from those days he tricked um all out for me . He also made me a very cool knife but my mom made me give it back DAMMIT ! i have some great tales of him , i do not remember exact times and dates as i was a young shop pest , but it was very cool .He would often write notes to have me go to the corner UtoteUm store and get him stuff , back in those days kids could get smokes , beer etc if ya had a note and the manager knew you .Kinda like the note from epstienes mother on welcome back kotter , only i had to actual give the items to him . I had no clue why all these kick ass rides were in front of this lil shop til i started hangin out there .
I doubt there were a handfull of people who REALLY knew the real Ken Howard. He did his best to distance himself from the outside world; for whatever reason. A very sad way to have to live.
Like Wille I got to meet Dutch at Brucker's. We'd talk about craft, people, and every once in awhile if he was in the right mood I get him to talk about the ''old days''. He never ranted. Was pretty quick to point out that his drinking kept him from doing many things he would have liked in his life.But he couldn't stop. People would push his buttons. They were easy to see. He would do his ''Dutch Act'' I think it was easier for him to be ''vonDutch'' with strangers There was a shy quiet Craftsman inside there. Than ''knew what he knew'' and was proud of his work I knew von Dutch enough to still miss him and still remember the little tricks he taught me But if you wanted an act that's all you got Once he told me. ''Don't say anything. These guys are here to get their knife. The are nothing for me to make. They treat 'em like gold and pay me stupid money for 'em'' He was telling me ''I have to be a Clown now. Forgive me friend. It's my job''
The Jalopy Journal
