PhilOchs' EB.I. File By VIC SADOT Reprinted from The DELEWARE ALTERNATIVE PRESS· Over 400 pages of FBI memorandums on the anti-war movement as-he appeared at folk singer Phil Ochs were recently re­ major rallies from coast to coast. leased to Gordon Friesen and Sis Cunning- ! ham, publishers of Broadside topical song Another FBI memo reports back to Head­ magazine since lQ62. They used the Free­ quarters: "On Oct. 15, 1965 Special A­ dom of Information Act to obtain the FBI gents of the FBI observed Philip Ochs in files on one of their most prolific con­ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as he sang top­ tributors. ical folk songs at a street rally protest­ ing the U. S. participation in the war- in These files show that the FBI began Vietnam." After a blacked out paragraph, surveilling the folk singer early in his the report continues: "During the rally. career until his death in lQ76. A New Ochs mentioned that he was appearing at York Office memo labeled ~unclassified" that time at the Second Fret, a night spot but "confidential" reports that "Main­ and coffee house in Philadelphia." The stream (magazine). Aug. 1963, on page 34, report doesn't say whether the agent(s) contains a poem entitled 'Glory Bound' dropped by for the show. by Phil Ochs and an article 'The Guthrie Legacy' ." In the early '60' s. a f'olk song· As the Vietnam war dragged on year movement burst out of the Gree~wich Vil-after year and thousands of young American lage coffee house scene to claim national men were sent home in body bags, the do­ attention. Woody Guthrie. the "Dustbowl i mestic opposition grew to a majority of Balladeer" and union movement singer, was Americans. A large demonstration outside a hero and inspiration to a whole new ge- the Democratic Party convention in Chica- nera tion of singer/songwriters. Guthrie . wrote such'-Well-known songs as "This Land go-1nl968 was attacked by police, and Is Your Land" and "Goin' Down that Road after CBS reporters were clubbed and had Feelin' Bad." Phil Ochs wrote a tribute their cameras smashed, a shocked Walter song to Guthrie titled the same as Cronkite wondered aloud if it was not a Guthrie's autobiography, "Bound for Glor;or."police riot". Ochs sang to the rally in - Lincoln Park before it was overrun by Phil Ochs grew up in Columbus, Ohio. ciJIub'swinging police. One Ochs' FBI file He became an activist at Ohio state Uni­ reports that he participated in a comic versity as his awareness expanded in the incident by the Youth International Party climate of questioning aroused by the (Yippies~) .during the convention: "At Civil Rights movement and the Cuban revo­ 10:20,am it was observed that a live pig lution. He quit college when he came up was brought to the Plaza by the YIP con­ against censorship of campus pUblications tingent, which they announced was the YIP which he edited. Ochs moved to Greenwich 'candidate' for President of the United Village where he performed his own songs, States. When efforts were made by the and befriended such talents as Bob Dylan, Chicago Police to bring the pig under con­ Eric Anderson, Dave Van Ronk and Tom Pax­ trol, 7 Yippies attempted to intervene ton. Most of his songs were topical and and were arrested by the police. One of controversial, apparentl:y' controversial those arrested was PhiLLip Ochs, a white enough to cause the FBI to enter into its male, born December 19. 1940." files: "Records of the Insurance Office of the American Federation of Musicians, The goyernment attempted to put the Local 802, 261 West 52nd St •• NYC, were diverse leadership of the American anti­ checked on 10/28/63 by (blacked out, of war movement on trial on charges of "con­ course) and they reflected that Phil Ochs spiracy to cross state lines to incite a riot". They were popularly known as the joined Local 802 3/13/63 as a gu,! tarist." Chicago' 8 until Black Panther Party lead­ er Bobby Seale was removed from the case Ochs appeared at the Newport Folk Fes­ and they became the Chicago 7. Seale tival in 1963 when Sis Cunningham and was bound and gagged and tied to a chair Gordan Friesen of Broadside persuaded by order of Judge Hoffman because he re­ Pete Seeger to include ~hil in one of~is peatedly demanded to be represented by an song workshops. It was an important op­ attorney of his own choice. ochs testi­ portunity for the young folk singer. fied at the trial which lasted several Ochs was soon recording, and songs like months. It was the government's way of "I Ain't Marching Anymore", "Draft Dodger tying up scarce funds and experienced Rag", "Outside of a Small Circle of leadership of the movement. Friends", "Changes", and "Love Me, I'm a Liberal" found an audience of millions. There is an FBI memo labeled "SECRET" Throughout the late 60's Phil Ochs sold dated 10/1/68 Which directs FBI agents: out large concert halls across the countr~ "During your investigation remain particu­ including Carnegie, even though he was larly alert to subject's writings and virtually excluded from TV and most com­ public statements which would indicate hi~ mercial stations. Beyond any doubt, he attitude toward violence to attain anti- also became the travelling troubadour of Unit~d states objectives." Ochs had moved been nationalized. Ochs met and toured to California, and the Los Angeles FBI ' with the popular Chilean folk singer office responded on 12/20/68: "A suitable Victor Jara. They sang to the copper photo of the subject is available. The miners, students and farmers, and subject is being recommended for inclusion they appeared on a television show in the Security Index." Earlier FBI memos together. Ochs ran into Dave Ifshkin. had recommended that Ochs be placed on the a former President of the U.S. Na­ "Reserve Index.". Subsequently, Ochs was tional Student Association. and re­ put on the Security Index when a form mained in Chile with him while Rubin letter signed by FBI Director J. Edgar and Albert went to Peru. From Chile Hoover was sent to FBI offices around the Ochs and Ifshkin went to Uruguay country; Box #3 was checked: "Because where they were promptly arrested of background is potentially dangerous; and deported to Bolivia. There is an or has been identified as a member or par­ FBI memo dated 10/27/71 that starts ticipant in communist movement; or has in capital letters I "DAVID MICHAEL been under active investigation as a mem­ IFSHIN, SM - SUBVERSIVE." All five ber of other group or organization inimi­ paragraphs are blacked out. At the cal to U.S. Photograph enclosed." bottom of the report it statesl "Foreign I,iaison Desk, La Paz" and in The Little Rock, Arkansas FBI office hand writing it says: "referred to responded on Oct. 22, 1969 with a memo State Department." Victor Jara was titled "Threat Against the President". later killed in the Santiago stadium The report claims that a motper turned in in front of thousands of his compa­ an Ochs record which was purchased by her triots as he led them in song during "14 year old son, Stanley Thomas, at Oseo the CIA-backed coup by the Chilean Drugs, S.W. Shopping Center, L.R." It military in 1973. The crowd in the reads: "This record was monitored on Oct. stands was sprayed with machine gun 20, 1969 and on side one the first song, fire to silence thei~ rebel songs. entitled Pretty Smart on My Part states Ochs took this, poE tical event very in song what appears to be: 'I can see personally and was deeply shaken and them coming. They're training in the depressed by it. He was struck by the mountains. They talk Chinese and they contrast between the utter horror of spread disease. They wanna get me. They the coup and the oblivious routine of wanna hurt me. They wanna bring.me down. everyday life in America. But some time later, when I feel a little better, we'll assassinate the President Ochs took a trip to several dirican and overthrow, the government, and then, countries in 1973. One evening. while we're gonna fry them." Apparently, the strolling alone on the beach in Dar es FBI agents weren't sharp enough to realize Salaam. Tanzania, three muggers beat that Ochs was-making fun 'of right wing him savagely and left him unconscious. Was there any political motive behind anti-communist paranoid nuts. Each verse this? The attackers ruptured his in that song mocks paranoia (unjustified vocal cords and caused some permanent fear) from several different angles. damage to his singing ability. Other file reports show that Phil Oehs' In 1974 , Ochs and several others org­ travels were closely monitored: "On Oct. anized a benefit concert for Chilean re­ 25, 1970, a Special Agent of the FBI ob- . fugees in Madison Square Garden in which served Phil Ochs and Jerry Rubin depart Bob Dylan. Arlo Guthrie, Harry Chapin, Kennedy Airport, N.Y.C., for Paris via fv1elanie and Pete. Seeger perforilleu. Air France flight 076, at 10:32 pm." Af­ ter several blacked out paragraphs, we see His last major project was to produce a rather curious, perhaps informative, an album and negotiate a record contract statement: "This document contains _ with Warner Brothers for singer-songwriter neither recommendations nor conclusions of Sammy Walker in 1975. For the most part, the FBI.