Photo: Forest Hills High School / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
MacLise fascinates me as one of history's great almost-figures. He was the Velvet Underground's first drummer, then walked away right before their first paid gig over a dispute, a decision that quietly redirected rock history. But reducing him to that footnote misses the point. A Connecticut-born percussionist, poet, composer, occultist and calligrapher, he chose his own esoteric art over commercial success at every turn. His early death abroad in 1979 only deepens the mystique. To me he's the patron saint of artists who shape a movement from the shadows and never cash the check, and I can't help admiring that purity.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Angus MacLise
- Name (Japanese)
- アンガス・マクリーズ
- Reading
- あんがす・まくりーず
- Born
- March 14, 1938 – June 21, 1979
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Tiger
- Origin
- Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States
- Occupation
- musician / writer / composer / poet / percussionist
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Angus MacLise born?
March 14, 1938 – June 21, 1979.
Where is Angus MacLise from?
Angus MacLise is from Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States.
What does Angus MacLise do?
Angus MacLise works as musician, writer, composer, poet, percussionist.
Musician — see all → · Writer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.