Richard A. Lefkowitz is the author of the new memoir Welcome to Fabulous Angeles: The Rock 'n' Roll Adventures of a Wayward Westside Teen. He is also an attorney based in the Los Angeles area.
Q: What inspired you to write Welcome to Fabulous Angeles?
A: It was the urge to preserve the truth of what made the world spin during those special times. I didn’t wake up one day and suddenly decide to write; the story’s been on my mind for decades.
But it didn’t congeal until I’d gained enough personal growth, perspective, and clarity to connect the dots. It took life experience, maturity, and old-fashioned hard work for the stars to finally align.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: It’s a riff on the world-famous Las Vegas sign, which is emblematic of post-mid-century architecture and culture, as well as the colorful zeitgeist of the ’60s and ’70s. The image also hints at the decadence about to unfold. In a subtle sense, Vegas stands at the heart of the story, as it—like me—sprang out of LA.
Q: What do you think are some of the most common perceptions and misconceptions about Los Angeles?
A: For as long as I can remember, I’ve listened to the media disparage LA. The national press has been only too happy to report that Southern California was filled with shallow people who held superficial values and lived plastic lives. But generally, Angelenos act more like small-town folks, grounded in nature and family, in pursuit of adventure and community.
I call LA the world’s most hospitable city because it’s the best place to live. That’s why we attract seekers and dreamers and creative geniuses. People from every corner of the earth don their dark shades and settle into our endless summer vibe.
Q: What impact did it have on you to write the book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
A: I feel like I’ve finally claimed my highest ground and found my surest footing. I see myself as an anthropologist studying behavior as a means to advance the evolution of humanity.
I’m also like an archeologist preserving relics for future examination. What others choose to do with these artifacts—if anything—is up to them. I will say this, though: Welcome to Fabulous Angeles is my love letter to our much-maligned metropolis.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m taking a deeper dive into the wellsprings of LA in the ’70s and thereafter, through present day, including an extensive psychological family history centering on intergenerational trauma and healing.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Yes: this is only the beginning. Please visit my website, FabulousAngeles.com, and follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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