Bobby Beausoleil Reference Archive

Do you think that one day they will let live your life on the outside?

I have always believed that one day I would be released from prison, though early on I never expected that my release might be so long in coming. I still believe it will come. 

You are a model prisoner.  How do you explain the fact that you are still in jail? 

Being a model prisoner has little bearing on how much time a prisoner with a life sentence will do before being paroled. It should play a much bigger role. The biggest factor is that incarceration has been closely tied to politics in this country. There are over two million people in prison in America, since the big push for mass incarceration and mandatory sentencing in the 1980s and 1990s. Those with life sentences are politically the least favored for parole. There has been some improvement in recent years but about 86% of parole hearings in the state of California result in denial of parole. The fact that my crime has been associated with Charles Manson adds to the political difficulties in my case.

What would you be doing the rest of your life if you could be free?

I am 69 years old now. As much as possible in the years that remain in my life I want to spend days in the company of loved ones, to go on long walks in the country with my dog, and maybe do a couple of concerts, possibly a live performance of Lucifer Rising with some newer compositions. Large venues with projected film. I intend to continue to produce new music, visual art and do some film work as long as I am able.

Why did you spend so much time at your grandmother’s house when you were a child?  Is it because you were her favorite grandchild or because you didn’t get along with your parents?  

I was the eldest of five children, and very active, so my parents were happy to have me staying with my grandmother during the summers to ease their responsibilities. It was not because of strife at home. I loved my grandma, and I’m pretty sure I was her favorite grandchild. I also liked being in the big city, near Los Angeles where she lived. The first time was a two-week visit. Eventually I was staying the whole summer with her. 

How were your dad and mom?

I was blessed with good parents, loving and responsible. My dad worked two jobs to support his large family, and he was usually tired when he got home, so I regret that I didn’t have an opportunity to form a close relationship with him. I was my mom’s firstborn son and I’ve never doubted that she loved me, even when I disappointed her. I had rebellious tendencies and left home at an early age, but not because there was anything wrong with my parents. I grew up in troubled times. They are not to blame for that.

Did your dad tell you stories about your French Canadian ancestors? 

My father’s parents were both deaf; they could not have told him about his ancestry. I did not learn that I am descended from an Acadian general until I was in my forties. 

Was your family very close to you when you were arrested and sentenced? 

My arrest and conviction was very very hard for my parents but they were as supportive as they could be and stood by me to the ends of their lives.

I don’t understand: you had children when you were in jail. Did you meet their mother before or in jail?  

I’ve not fathered any children while I’ve been in prison. My three biological children were all conceived prior to my arrest. I married Barbara in 1981. Though she died in 2012 I remain close with her three children and her grandchildren.

How did you meet her?  

In 1981 Barbara was a carpenter living in Sacramento and working on the restoration of the historic Capitol Building. I had recently finished the Lucifer Rising soundtrack, and a Sacramento TV news program did a little story about me and the work I was doing in prison. Barbara kindly wrote to me to express how she had been impressed by my efforts. A month later she asked me to marry her. Accepting was the best decision I’ve ever made.

What do you teach your kids? How do they live with a dad in jail?  Are you close or does it depend on how each one reacts to your condition?

Ah. I will not presume to speak for them. The situation is difficult for everyone, of course. I know they love me, and that is truly a blessing.

You say that Truman Capote wrote a fake version of the interview he made about you. You think he arranged the facts the way he wanted?  And in that case, why?

Truman Capote did interview me once, in the early 1970s. A number of years later he attempted to recreate the interview from memory, throwing in some self-aggrandizing and fabricated comments he attributed to me. Why did he do this? Narcissists tend to do what promotes their opinions of themselves with little regard for who gets hurt when they do it. I have read reports about how Capote mistreated many of his subjects to promote his own interests. That sort of behavior in a journalist is incomprehensible to me.

Do you remember the day you met Kenneth Anger? How was the Russian Embassy? 

Yes, I remember that meeting. I wrote about it in the story I wrote for The Lucifer Rising Suite album release. You can read this on my website. The Westerfeld House, the mansion we used to call The Russian Embassy, was old and in disrepair when I lived there, but it had great character, history and ambiance. I loved living there and creating there.

Did you sleep sometimes as a friend in Gary Hinman’s basement?

When I first moved to Topanga Canyon in late 1967 with my girlfriend we stayed with Gary, living in his basement, until I could find us a more suitable place to live. He was a kind man.

Before all this happened, what were your plans? Set up a new band, anything else?

There was so much social turmoil in those times that it was difficult to make much in the way of plans. I was always looking for opportunities to play music, and I was collaborating with other musicians, though not formally as a member of a band. I did a little recording, mostly on demos for aspiring solo artists, but the established music labels ruthlessly took advantage of musicians in those days. In an industry with little trust it was difficult to get good management and a record deal.

Did you ever meet Neil Young and Dennis Wilson in L.A. during these times and how? 

I first saw Neil Young when he was playing in Buffalo Springfield, maybe 1965, and crossed paths with him many times after that, but I never got to know him personally. I got to be friendly with Dennis Wilson, jamming with him in his apartment sometimes. He was a good musician, and I liked him.