Harry Perry (musician)

Harry Perry (born Harold Arthur Perry; May 19, 1951) 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), and by his stage name, Kama Kosmic Krusader.[1]

For other persons named Harry Perry, see Harry Perry (disambiguation).

Harry Perry
Perry performing on Venice Beach Boardwalk
Background information
Birth nameHarold Arthur Perry
BornMay 19, 1951
OriginWashington, D.C., United States
GenresRock, alternative rock
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, record producer, author, poet
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active1973–present
Websiteharryperryband.com

Perry has played with bands such as the Grateful Dead and Jane's Addiction.[2]

Life and career

Perry was born in Washington, D.C. After growing up in Michigan and recording with his first band there,[3][4] Perry began performing his original songs and guitar compositions on the Venice Beach Boardwalk in 1973.[5] In addition to being considered the most famous musician who performs at the Venice Beach Boardwalk,[6] he was considered one of the area's most famous skaters, first on traditional roller skates, then on inline skates, and finally on LandRoller skates.[7] Over nearly four decades, the Venice Beach Boardwalk became a world-famous tourist attraction where a variety of artists performed and sold various wares associated with their creative arts, such as CDs and T-shirts.[8]

During the early 1990s, at a time when real estate developers sought to gentrify Venice, California, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance banning people from performing publicly on the Venice Beach Boardwalk.[9] Using the ordinance as its bludgeon, the Los Angeles Police began to harass people who performed there. 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 strictly limited the ability of performers like Perry to sell CDs and tee shirts to their audiences.[10] Perry and others initiated legal action in response, alleging that the combination of gentrification and the performance restriction ordinances threatens to destroy the atmosphere and commerce that made Venice Beach the social mecca for which it is famous.[11][12][13]

Discography

Skate Town Ball and Harry Perry's Greatest Hits of the Millennium. Perry typically used distortion effects and played in a style reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix or Eddie Van Halen.[14] He began playing on Venice Beach in 1973. He is dedicated to health and fitness, running twenty miles daily and practicing Kundalini yoga. Perry is a non-smoking vegetarian.[15]

Track list
  1. "Xman Can't Save Me Now"
  2. "Queen of Robot World"
  3. "Time Travel Freaks"
  4. "Love Jet"
  5. "Hot Rod Lincoln"
  6. "Intro to Invaders"
  7. "Video Commander"
  8. "Music Maker"
  9. "Guiding Forces"
  10. "Gambling Man"
  • Video Commander (album) (2006).

Track list
  1. "Heads of Skins"
  2. "Invaders"
  3. "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo"
  4. "World of Freaks"
  5. "Out of Control"
  6. "Message"
  7. "Zoo Man"
  8. "How Soon Is Now?"
  9. "Zoo Man (reprise)"
  • Greatest Hits of the Millennium (album) (2007).

Filmography and television appearances

Harry Perry appeared as himself in several films, bringing life to his Venice Beach persona in various films, but also acted in numerous films and television programs with cameo appearances that include:

Fletch, Dragnet, Starstruck, White Men Can't Jump, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, Gift and Point of No Return, Marching out of Time, Way Past Cool, as well as the television shows CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Vengeance Unlimited, and Heroes.

Perry can be seen in beginning of the music video for Party Train by The Gap Band.[16] He also appeared briefly in the music video for Cruisin' by Michael Nesmith, found on his Elephant parts DVD. He also appeared in the Red Hot Chili Peppers' music video "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" from their 2011 album I'm with You. He was also featured in multiple E3 episodes of the Dutch television program Gamekings and appeared in cycle 15 of America's Next Top Model. He also performed one song on the soundtrack to the movie Point of No Return.[17] He can also be seen briefly in the 2007 documentary Without the King.

On September 6 and 7, 2013, Perry performed at the Hollywood Bowl with the Blue Man Group in a rendition of Ravel's Bolero. He was also seen skating playing his guitar on the TV show, In the Heat of The Night, episode; No Country Boy. He appears as a very brief cameo in the opening scene of the 2020 film Scoob!

References
  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. "Harry Perry: Street Performer". KCET. March 25, 2010. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  3. "H. P. & THE GRASS ROUTE MOVEMENT". Motor City Music Archives. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  4. "Hamtramck Review". Archived from the original on November 17, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  5. Barros, Francisco (August 3, 2014). "Venice has grit | San Diego Reader". San Diego Reader. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  6. "Venice Beaach Artists". Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  7. "Venice Beach Skate Log". Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  8. "Venice Beach Performers". Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  9. David, Kelly (June 27, 1995). "L.A. City Council 1990s Ban on Venice Beach Performers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  10. Groves, Martha (April 10, 2008). "L.A. City Council Again Passes Restrictions on Venice Beach Performers (2008)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  11. "9th Circuit Opinion – PERRY V LAPD". United States district court. Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  12. "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.
  13. "Perry v. LAPD #96-55545 August 25, 1997". FindLaw.com. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  14. "Mr. Siknhet". 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. "The Gap Band – Party Train". YouTube. February 19, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  17. "Soundtracks for Point of No Return (1993)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
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