Wilson “Butch” Leary

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May 3, 1966 – September 15, 2006 – Wilson was a great friend and good person.
Although he was the infamous Timothy Leary‘s nephew, he carved out his own legacy with the infamous Moon Raves in Woodside, California in the early 90s and was an artist in his own right.
I first met Wilson promoting his Bubble Society near Mad Dog & Beans and Les Amis in Austin, right around the time and place of Richard Linklater’s filming of the seminal film Slacker; Richard lived next door to Mad Dog’s. He had many adventures in his short life, including rooming with the real-life Laszlo the lawyer from Hunter S. Thompson‘s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
He came up to visit me in NYC where I had a meeting with a producer to make a film on his uncle’s life.
We had many adventures, one of which involved retaliating at someone throwing water at our barbecue by buying water balloons and catapulting it through their window, smashing their TV with Erik Wave
One time, when I was partying too much, he called my parents and warned them I was out of control. Little did I realize he was struggling with manic depression.
Rest in peace my friend.
Wilson made me this. He called me “Fisher of Men”:

Fisher Anim New

From Lara Thompson:
http://www.jelybean.com
Wilson chose the time and place of his death in the woods he loved so much. His wishes were granted that he not be found for 72 hours, not embalmed, and to be cremated.
Bio:
Wilson was born in Miami, FL and was a long-time resident of his beloved Austin, TX. Wilson was a local artist who displayed his works in New York, L.A., CA, FL, and TX. Wilson was an Event Planner and held the first Mardi Gras parade in Austin.
He created multiple companies, organizations, and events locally here in Austin. Wilson was a political activist as well and gave many speeches at the Capital and organized political events and parades fighting for the rights of the less fortunate.
Wilson was active in the Weed and Seed program. Wilson attended the U. of Texas. He went to Nationals for the State of Texas in oratory, extemporaneous speaking and debate.
Wilson’s accomplishments included: State Champion of Lincoln Douglas Debate, State Champion of Original Oration, Creator of Austin’s first Mardi Gras Parade, Creator of Texas’ first “Smart Mob” FM radio wave event, Creator of first V.R. telepresence between Austin and San Francisco, Creator of Project Global Link (a V.R. telepresence node and resource), Daughters of the American Revolution Award Winner (Wilson’s mother is a member of the DAR (Sabine Chapter, LA)), Democracy Coalition, organizer of Town Lake 2000 Fish Release, Sugar Cube Films General Partner, based in Hollywood, CA, Jelly Bean Productions, Co-Founder and Event Director Robofest, Zeus the Cyber Rave and the Multi-Media Café’s Grand Opening, Paradise Productions, Virtual Reality Productions, Dr. Leary’s Blue Moon Holding Co.; Founder of U. of TX Bubble Society, Delta Epsilon Frat., President and publisher of Kingfish Communique and TX Access Group President.
Wilson attended Katy High School, Katy, TX Wilson is survived by his mother Judy Fletcher Leary of Austin, his father Wilson M. Leary Jr. of Tampa, FL, cousin George Long of New Orleans, LA, the former Congresswoman Cathy Long (D-LA) of Washington, D.C., Margery Long of Little Rock, AR; US Senator Russell Long (D-LA), other uncles and cousins. He is also survived by friends Shirlynn Slimp, Lara Thomson, Phil Bowden, and many others.
Wilson was preceded in death by the President of the United States John Adams, John Quincey Adams; the Governor of LA, Huey Long, Governor and Congressman Earl Long of LA, three-term Congressman Gillis W. Long (D-LA), and Colonel Floyd Long of Little Rock, AR. A Celebration Memorial for Wilson was held on Saturday, September 30th, 2006.

Lunch to rave
in cyberspace
Global community’s tech-event extends use of experimental art to Liberty Lunch


BYLINE: Gavin Lance  AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN 
DATE: September 15, 1994
PUBLICATION: Austin American-Statesman
EDITION: FINAL
SECTION: XL ENT.
PAGE: 11

Central Texas’ experimental arts community is an extended family of sorts. Though ZIP codes differ greatly, running the gamut from Smithville to the Yoga House near the University of Texas, from Bastrop to the Silicon Hills on Austin’s west side, all members talk the same language: tech-speak.

The circle includes lightwave researchers, a man whose work with robotics was featured in Newsweek, body piercing professionals, gestural communication pioneers, software designers, dream creators, tribal percussionists and T-shirt painters.

The clan will introduce itself by tele-presence to distant relatives around the global village this Saturday at Liberty Lunch when “Zeus – The Cyber Rave: Project Global Link” blasts off.

Zeus is a multimedia, multiple environment event with Austin’s Jelly Bean Productions’ Lara Thomson and Wilson Leary as hosts. It will feature a diverse roster of characters ranging from medicine men to a robot band.

“It’s several parties happening simultaneously under one roof,” Leary said. “We’ve invited all kinds of tooney people, each a brother and sister in techno-arms.”

Thomson, Jelly Bean’s founder, and Leary, creative director, sought out or discovered each of Zeus’ attractions through friends. “We bring technology to the regular Joe,” Thomson said. “Most of these systems we’ll have are used by major corporations and are very rarely seen by people like myself. Our event brings out and invites people to use the technology in a user-friendly environment.”

Among the list of “subcontractors” on hand for Zeus are Craig and Charlene Sainsott, whose Shrinking Robot Heads, “an industrial, voodoo, surplus trash, ethno-pneumatic, meta-kinetic, solenoid rhythm orchestra” include Maraca Man, Xerox Madonna, Big Mac and the Jambo Singers, among others.

Then there’s Brooks Coleman of the Austin Robot Group, who’s deemed a miracle worker based on his Great Wall of Gizmos and floating blimp sculptures; Michael Moss of Nootrophia, whose super-vitamin “Smart Drinks” are said to enhance mental and thought capacity; Omega Metals’ Patrick Wrobel and Susan Kolancy, who will provide ornaments and the services for body piercing; Eyecon Interactive Media’s Karen Pittman and John Witham, who are at the forefront of creating a cybernetic world using virtual reality; Lisa Beckard, owner of Topos Gallery, who’ll do installation art; and musician Fred Mitchim, a fusion/space soundmaster. To top off the sensory overload, High End Systems & Lightwave Research are lighting the 15,000-watt dance floor – house, trance and techno music are on the menu – that will make Liberty Lunch the envy of the club world for one night.

“The common denominator of our subcontractors is their ability to use their technology to enlighten and bring together different kinds of people,” Thomson said. “We all envision the longevity of the rave scene, not so much where it is now, but where it’s going. We’ll soon have the ability to create a spiritual dance with each other in cyberspace to bring about global harmony. The younger generation has the uninhibited will to seek out new life and new civilizations.”

Zeus’ highlight is “Project Global Link,” Eyecon’s cyberart creation. Throughout the evening, Liberty Lunch will be linked up to Melbourne and Sydney, Australia; Denver; San Francisco; Atlanta; and Toronto and Windsor, Ontario, over the Interactive Video Network. Users of IVN will interact by standing before a video camera while their image is transferred by the Mandala VR system running on an Amiga Toaster Editing video-digitizer-equipped computer, then sent through a video phone and received on a large screen TV projector thousands of miles away, where they will romp in digitized “cyberspace.”

“Project Global Link,” sponsored by XL ent., might be a harbinger of things to come in Austin. The Eden Matrix Online Service recently broadcast a live performance by Machine Screw at the Black Cat Lounge via the Internet on Sept. 7.

Technology didn’t wash up on Austin’s shore accidentally. The proliferation of raves and high-tech happenings are an indication that new art is being manufactured while the town collectively nurtures traditional forms of music and entertainment. Like Congress Avenue’s bridge bats on a midnight bug hunt, Austin artists continue to follow their instincts.


Illustration: COLOR PHOTOS

Charlene Sainsott will present Shrinking Robot Heads at `Zeus – The Cyber Rave: Project Global Link’ on Saturday at Liberty Lunch.

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