In our ongoing celebration of the William S. Burroughs centenary, here is photographer Kate Simon talking about her first meeting with Burroughs. She had accompanied Lester Bangs to the writer’s home to take photographs to accompany an interview. Patti Smith showed up and it just happened to be her 29th birthday. It was also the first time Patti had met William.

Simon went on to capture portraits of Burroughs for the next two decades.

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