S.A. Griffin, born in San Antonio, Texas, raised primarily in Richmond, Ca. Served four years in the USAF during the waning years of Vietnam from 1972-76. Did two years of college on the G.I. Bill and then moved to Los Angeles on the heels of Jarvis-Gann in 1978. Founding member of poetry/peformance ensemble The Lost Tribe (1985-1992) and The Carma Bums which toured exstensively throughout the western U.S. and Canada from 1989-1996 from behind the wheel of S.A.'s 1959 Cadillac Sedan de Ville. In 1994 The Carma Bums created The Carma Bums International Superhighway Tour of Words under the auspices of The University of Washington at Seattle. An interactive poetry website which contained hyperlinks, original graphics and sound files making it what many consider the first poetry website of its kind. In 1988, he was named Best Performance Poet by Wanda Coleman for The L.A. Weekly.
Mr. Griffin has been published exstensively in various periodicals and anthologies. He is the co-editor of The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry (Thunder's Mouth Press, 1999) which won The Firecracker Award. In July of 2007 he edited/published Black Ace 8 for The Temple of Man in Los Angeles, a tribute to friend and Venice West progenitor Tony Scibella.
In October of 2006 S.A. co-produced Rabbits Over Clevyland, a tribute and celebration of mimeo revolutionaries d.a. levy and Tom Kryss. In April of 2006 he produced Sal Mimeo & The Revolution Without Applause Tour of Words. Both events creating original mimeo books at Mac's Backs Books in Cleveland and The Book Collector in Sacramento, both with the assistance of Bottle of Smoke publisher Bill Roberts who participated by flying out with his vintage mimeo machine to both locations from Delaware.
His books include A One Legged Man Standing Casually On Hollywood Blvd. Smoking A Cigarette (Shelf Life Press, 1989), Heaven Is One Long Naked Dance (Rose of Sharon Press, 1993), Twisted Cadillac with The Carma Bums (Sacred Beverage Press, 1996), Unborn Again (Phony Lid Publications, 2001), Duckwalking Thru The Apocalypse (Bottle of Smoke Press, 2003), Harvey Keitel, Harvey Keitel, Harvey Keitel with John Dorsey and Scott Wannberg (Rose of Sharon Press, 2005), and his most recent collected works Numbskull Sutra (Rank Stranger Press, 2007).
In 1986 The Lost Tribe were the subject of a short documentary by John Leslie Fox, The Lost Tribe. In 1996 The Carma Bums were the subject of a feature length documentary, The Luxurious Tigers of Obnoxious Agreement, directed by Bruce Dickson and co-produced by Viggo Mortensen. Music by Viggo Mortensen, Henry Mortensen, Exene Cervenka, D.J. Bonebrake and Double Naught Spy Car. The Lost Tribe also appeared on The Gong Show winning with the lowest score ever: 8.
He has worked on the editorial staff of alternative and underground poetry magazines Shattersheet, The Moment and Damaged Goods. With Rafael F.J. Alvarado he co-edited/published (Sic) Vice & Verse from 1990-1998.
In 1995 he was invited to be a part of the City Lights 40h Anniversary Celebration at The Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley where he was honored to read with Diane di Prima, David Meltzer, Jack Micheline and Michael McClure.
He established Rose of Sharon Press in 1988 with the publication of Scott Wannberg's masterpiece The Electric Yes Indeed! and Doug Knott's Sharktalk and has since published several chapbooks, books and anthologies. In 2006 David Smith joined him as a new business partner and they are presently working on books for FrancEye Dean Smith, Scott Wannberg, Richard Meltzer and an anthology of punk era poets and poetry.
Formerly a radio dj for pirate radio KBLT, internet radio Kill Radio, he presently hosts blog talk radio show Onword for The World Wide Radio Network recently interviewing Bucky Sinster, Bill Morgan, Martin Espada and Hettie Jones among others.
In 2006, S.A. and his wife librarian Lorraine Perrotta were key in helping with the acquisition of the Charles Bukowski archives at The Huntington Library where Lorraine is the head of technical services.
May of 2007, was recognized by the city of Los Angeles with a certificate from councilmember Eric Garcetti and the city of L.A. for his contributions to the community as a poet, editor, producer and publisher.
He presently lives and works in Los Angeles, Ca. with his wife Lorraine and his son Spencer.