buk on popular music (1 Viewer)

ClassIntellectual

Founding member
We all know Hank was in love with classical music. But any idea what his thoughts were on popular music during his life? In particular, I'm curious about what his published thoughts or possible thoughts were on Bob Dylan, since I'm a huge fan of both.
Opinions?
 
"They pound on my consciousness with their falure in vital ideas. For instance, every day as i drive to the track i keep punching the radio to different stations looking for music, decent music. It's all bad, flat, lifeless, tuneless, listless. Yet some of these compositions sell in the millions and their creators consider themselves true Artists. It's horrible, horrible drivel entering the minds of young heads. They like it. Christ, hand them shit, they eat it up. Cant they descern? Cant they hear? Cant they feel the dilution, the staleness?
I cant belive that there is nothing. I keep punching in new stations. I've had my car less than a year yet the button i push has the black paint completely worn off. It is white, ivory-like staring at me.
Well, yes, there is classical music..."

The above is actually one of my favorite bits from The Captain... The above, paired with the R Crumb drawing usually entered my head whenever the buick's radio would give and I'd be stuck with jack 104.3 endlessly. thank goodness the new car has a cd player.
 
He didn't like Dylan and wrote that in a couple of poems and stories. I think he liked a few tunes by Randy Newman, though. Or did I dream that? :D
 
the man was a genius not a god, many bands have come along and bathed in his reflected glory but it is to simplistic to associate him to one genre to me he is a punk to someone else he is a blues man i am sure he could not care less about any of our nonsense and held a glass up to anyone who played a note while he nodded out and laughed at our over top intellectualising
 
Bukowski was a hater of most things. Particularly 'mass culture' and 'popular taste'. He would rather listen to Classical music...quite right! I personally don't think all the popular music is Fake or Stale...but sure...most of it is!

I read in one of his poems, can't find it right now, and he warns that 'we ignore other forms of music at out peril'. I suppose if its sincere - the job is done....truth is, how do you tell the sinerity from the bullshit?

Consistency is probably one sign.
 
Sure. He rejected, at least in his writing, so much about Mass Society! I guess, in our increasingly technologically connected society, it is easy to get swept away with every FAD and COMMODITY, every SCENE!

But in reality the best scenes
have no people in them!
 
acky said:
I know he could not work out why everyone was going crazy about the Beatles-forgot where i read it.

Oh man,
I think John and Paul were the greatest song-writers.....
Short and Ironic,
I'd think Buk would appreciate that.

"Baby you can drive my car...."
 
zoom...
to be sure...there have been 'real song writers' prior to the beatles...
indeed - check out the 40's r&b - early soul & 50's rock labels for credits...
music had begun to catch-up to poetry...to incorparate 'verse' bas bukowski
used it -

vinden pacific
rrat
 

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