Now in paperback is the Motorbooks release of Indian Larry: Chopper Shaman.For the three people on the planet who don’t know, Indian Larry DeSmedt was a New York City motorcycle builder who gained mega-fame on The Discovery Channel motorcycle programs. His biography is from Easyriders magazine Dave Nichols and Larry’s lovely mermaid widow Andrea “Bambi” Cambridge.
Bringing Indian Larry back to life is of course impossible. What we have left is the story of Indian Larry in his own words and through the words of his family and friends. This is not a kiss and tell book sensationalizing Larry’s life warns the author early in the dedication. This is a loving look at the life of a complex human being. Accompanying the text is Larry’s life and bikes as shown through the lens of famed motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter.
Indian Larry was a heroic figure who rose above his own personal demons and found fame as a motorcycle builder. But he was more than that. Larry grew up in the hippie '60s and fell into the abyss of drugs and alcohol after losing his sister to a violent murderer. He took the route of many other original American outlaws and began taking what he wanted resulting in a prison term for robbing a bank. Of course he got caught.
Larry said “I got what I deserved. You can’t do what I was doing. That’s my advice, don’t do what I did.” Instead of just doing time he used the time as a form of forced self discovery learning meditation and metalworking in the process.
After finding fame on the Discovery Channel and having his face and motorcycle creations attracting the attention of millions of new motorcycle fans Larry lost his life while performing one of his trademark stunts.
The awesome photo’s accompanying the text makes the book more than worthwhile. There are 250 color pix of Larry with family and friends. The best part is the photos of Larry’s one off motorcycle creations. They do justice to the rolling sculpture Larry and his crew created. Daddy-O (the Rat Fink bike), Grease Monkey, Mr. Tiki, Wild Child and the other bikes look just as good on paper as they do in real life. The photographs really do the bikes justice from Michael Litchter’s practiced lens.
Format: Softbound
Pages: 176
Length: 8.25 x 10.625
ISBN-13: 9780760338278
Catalog ID: 149653
Price: $19.99
