In the summer of 1978, I moved into Black's Gaslight Village, Iowa City’s authentic Bohemian commune. Henry Milton Black, founder, had recently passed away in April. My roommate split soon thereafter when he didn't get into the University of Iowa writer's program for Fall term. Friend and guitarist Scott Dalziel had recently graduated high school, so I invited him to room with me at Black's, whereupon he moved to Iowa City. At Black’s, we lived in the L-Shaped House in the apartment at the far end.

Described as the Greenwich Village of Iowa, Black’s Gaslight Village was a colony of artists, musicians, writers, hippies, progressive students, and eccentric individuals living in a rustic setting. Life there was appealing, a bit crazy, and certainly memorable.