Brad Warner, Porno Buddhist, Returns to Ohio

• Is this the porn or the buddhist part?

Akron expatriate, punk bassist, and controversial Zen teacher Brad Warner returns to Ohio this week for a Zero Defex concert and a Buddhist talk. Warner just published his fourth book, Sex, Sin and Zen. Like his previous books, it uses plain language to explain Zen in an everyday context, based on events from Warner’s everyday life, which takes him spiritual retreats to Ozzfest backstage.

You’ll have two chances to see Warner in action over the next week, whether you’re into punk rock or Buddhism. His group, Zero Defex, will play the Kent Stage’s Debacle Concerts, a reunion of a dozen Akron bands from the 70s and 80s, on the second night, Saturday, Sept. 25. Then he’ll speak at the Cleveland Buddhist Temple Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m.

Here’s our conversation with him…

This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2010.