Review of The Treasures of Long Gone John (2006) by Maura M — 07 May 2010

Here's a review from "Pulse of the Twin Cities" newspaper in Minneapolis in Fall 2006:

Disney may have a blockbuster with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom as hunky Caribbean seadogs, but if you want to see a hardcore contemporary pirate, catch a screening of Gregg Gibbs' "The Treasures of Long Gone John." A self-proclaimed outcast, John has spent his whole life collecting things -- from the neighbor's trash to commissioned oil paintings -- to make up for the emotional and physical abandonment of his estranged family. The result is an amazing collection of art and commerce from a haggard hipster with the Midas touch. The film showcases John's massive and spectacular collection of underground art and toys, and includes interviews with some of L.A.'s hottest lowbrow artists (a term, by the way, that most of the artists abhor.) "A gentleman and a scholar," "an art pirate" and "a fun guy" are just a few of the ways that people like Frank Kozik, Coop, Mark Ryden, Camille Rose Garcia, The Pizz and Robert Williams describe their beloved John. Addicted to music as much as art, John founded the indie label Sympathy for the Record Industry in 1988 -- pirating bootleg recordings he made of punk bands at Le Masque. Less than two decades later, he has single-handedly released more than 750 recordings by 550 artists, including The White Stripes, The Melvins, El Vez, The Dwarves and Hole. Calling himself an "anti-mogul," John prefers handshakes to contracts, splits the profits and lets the musicians keep the master recordings. Do not miss this compelling film that not only documents an eccentric visionary and art patron, but also highlights some of the most interesting and heretofore undocumented visual and recording artists of today.