Miles said he was "a retired student" (of Chinese) and was dodging the draft, though he later went to Vietnam as a war contractor. He was also an agitator for democracy and was expelled from Taiwan and not removed from the blacklist until 1996.
Metzke was responsible for the coffee and design of the cafe. Miles made lamps and tried putting burlap on the walls.
"That was a disaster, afterward we tried painting instead, but kinda went nuts because of the beer and vapors. We ended up rolling around the floor," Miles said.
They bought a stereo system and deejayed, introducing US artists like Bob Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Mississippi John Hurt, Joan Baez and Miles Davis.
The Barbarian opened in September 1967 but Metzke and Miles moved on soon after, leaving Hong to run the coffee shop on his own. It survived until Spring 1970 and sadly closed because it was more trouble than it was worth. Some customers would nurse a cup of coffee all night long and refuse to leave at closing time.
"Apparently [Hong] had to call the cops to get people to leave and he wasn't making any money. There were rumors about a suicide but it was never confirmed," Miles said.
"We wanted to open a place where people could meet and exchange ideas but we weren't interested in running a coffee shop," Metzke said. "To be successful you need to contribute something new, something special at the right time. We did, but that time is finished, it's over."
As for today's Taipei, Metzke was impressed. He said there had been "enormous" development and attitudes had changed.
"People seem to have a broad way of thinking, it is very international. Taiwanese have not only been brave they have been successful. They did not have vision before but now it's a free country.
"These are not empty words. It is not like it used to be, when there was always pressure because of martial law. Before it was just a few artists and intellectuals who said what they thought. Now everyone can do it."
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