User:Andrew Zito
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[edit] Andrew Zito
Andrew Zito (aka Andreas, Andi Anderson, b.1954- ) assumed pen name/s of an established published poet, writer, artist born in the Crown Heights/Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn section of [New York City], to a Greek born construction worker (young refugee from WWII and Greek Civil War, and political activist, and union rep), and a Jewish mother (freguent student of the Brooklyn Museum's art classes, occassional office worker)in Brooklyn, New York. Raised in a household influenced by his mother's profound cultural influences he became deeply influenced by the Arts and through his early trips to the Brooklyn Museum and other local museums such as the Brooklyn's Childrens' Museum.
He was awarded 2nd prize for the best poster related to National Dental Week at about the age of 9 and then went on to work as an engraver, a jeweler, a stone setter, a painter, artist Simple Color drawing, movie extra [[The Rehearsal], 1974, Jules Dassin), copyrighted author, a poet, a songwriter, a musician, an early cable TV artist (appearing on the Manhattan Cable TV public access channel D back around 1974-75), craftsman, silversmith, woodworker Guardians to the Gates of Hell(inlaid mother of pearl artwork.
A confirmed believer in dialectical materialism, a monotheistic Jewish Deist and scientific Pantheist, and an online author and writer since 1988 - he has written prolifically. He has been associated with Students for a Democratic Society, Young Workers Liberation League(YWLL), the Greek Anti-Dictatorial Committtees Aboard, the Greek Democratic Left during the Greek Junta years of 1967-1974, and the Industrial Workers of the World. In 1979 he left for self-imposed exile in Europe (mostly France) where he had attempted to obtain political asylum twice (France and Holland) but was prevented or denied (without cause) exposing the relationship of the US and European governments.
On returning to the US in 1980 he began working on various art projects. Between between 1988 and 1990 he became one of the first to attempt to expand use of the internet for political purposes (before most political groups) and commercially (before Amazon.com in order to off set the costs of maintaining a BBS (24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a years) and various art projects, he regularly struggled to pay for despite financial hardships). He was the founder and sysop of the Tentra BBS(Art Net spelled backwards) Red Flag BBS in the 718 212 local calling areas New York City between the years of 1988 and 1996.
He was a member of the John Lennon/Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band via being a member of the David Peel Lower East Side Band, friend, associate, and acquainted with Allen Ginsberg (by whom he was and has been an profoundly influenced ),Peter Orlofsky, Gregory Corso, Richard Sohl of the Patti Smith Group, Debbie Harry and Chris Stein via Steven Sprouse (Halston designer and video producer who introduced him to Elsa Peretti, Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Blondie_(band); AZ has had also known associations with folk song writing legend/activist Phil Ochs, PUNK guitarist Doug Holland (Kraut Chromags), Lou Reed, Eric Emerson (Andy Warhol Super Star), Bern Nix (noted jazz guitarist, Berklee College of Music grad, music teacher extraordiniare) Ornette ColemanBand member, Jannis Glezos (Greek Composer newphew/cousin of Jannis Ritsos),Wendy O Williams, Norman Mailer, Jimmy Breslin, Irving Stetner Poet.
AZ frequented Soho before it became trendy, frequented Max's Kansas City, the Mercer Arts Center, Electric Lady Studios, NYC Club 82, The Roach, The Village Gate, The Cafe Wha, Studio 54, The Bitter End; and performed one new year's eve at The Poetry Project of Saint Marks Church on the Bowery, and some other time at Gerde's Folk City. He later dropped out of those scenes to avoid their heavy drug alcohol infuences use, in what he viewed as unbridled ignorant decadence. At one time he had a song writing relationship with Richard Sohl(of the Patti Smith Group) whom he met thru the auspices of Danny Fields in mutual friendship with Gabriel Rotello. And he has met such questionable characters as Clive Backster (CIA), Nelson Rockerfeller (ex govenor [NY] and vice president), and Joseph N. Gallo alleged Consigliere for alleged godfather/s Carlo Gambino, Paul Castelano, and John Gotti.
Most work he produced between 1981-1996 was destroyed or lost when he and his home was unlawfully attacked by the New York City Police when without search warrant, probable cause or exigent circumstances they violated his apartment home, which resulted in his being railroaded and incarcerated between 1996 and 2002 (During which he met Mark David Chapman and became proberly the only person alive who was actually introduced to John Lennon and whom met Mark David Chapman). Since the Cold War ended anti-climaticly with a wimper he has been often highly unenthusiatic politcially as he views much of politics and society as corrupt and unlawful, in what is generally cynical of what he calls contrieved and manipulated.
As a multi-media artist he is associated with the Fluxus Art Movement and continues to work and maintains interest in various mediums including video and audio production, painting, poetry, songwriting. He currently maintains his personal web page and numerous user groups Deist and online web projects under various pen names to express his views, as he is a prolific subscriber and writer to many email user groups and an active USENET poster. Thru his early pioneer Internet eyes he views the maturing and stratification of the internet as a global threat to free expression and the creativity of academic, artistic, and intellectual works.
In America (US of North America) He has been viciously attacked by the right center and extreme left alike which he atributes to fascistic elements in the governmental services (as they either initate such attacks or provoke them as part of the governmental destablization programs to prevent opposition to it control. Once he single handed prevented the invasion of 32 Lydon Larouche Goons into the YWLL headquarters in New York only to receive recognition in print from the Larouchies and obscured existence from the YWLL and CPUSA (as he was not even mention in reference by them but was mentioned by the Larouchies[who bragged of the matter] New Solidarity mentioned 4 defenders the Daily World mentioned 3] strange bed fellows he concluded as he has been often attacked by the so called left and the right).
He has had great insight into the activities of inteligence forces especially the US as those elements has tried very hard to hinder, obstruct, and discredit him officially.
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Old article on Tentra Red Flag BBS by the rabid hack writer James Taranto [editor of OpinionJournal.com and former deputy editorial features editor of The Wall Street Journal)
212 Tentra Red Flag old school bbs listing
718 Tentra Red Flag old school bbs list
