Bukowski readings. (1 Viewer)

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"So fuck Doubleday Doran"
RIP
I do remember I read only a few threads about one of our members experienced a live Bukowski reading.

I think there is a thread about the Chicago reading and also about Salt Lake City?

My question is: Anyone saw Bukowski live? And if, yes, is it possible to share your experience with us?
 
Saw him read twice, in Long Beach at CSULB, in the early 1970s. Details to follow when I get done going to work, walking the dog, mowing the lawn, etc...
 
Bukowski reading, circa 1969?

I saw Bukowski read twice, both times at California State University at Long Beach (CSULB) where I was a student majoring in English from 1966 to 1973.

The first reading was around 1969 or 70, maybe earlier. It was in a small classroom in one of the Liberal Arts buildings near the bookstore. I don't think it was a widely advertised event. I don't recall who brought him there, but most likely it was a professor just asking him to speak to his class. I don't remember very much about the reading, and unfortunately I didn't make any notes. In those days, Bukowski was a small press cult hero, not very well known outside of poetry circles, and those of us who did know him more or less took him for granted. We never imagined we would be talking about it decades later. Had I any clue how big he would get and how long my interest would last, I would have taken photos, made tape recordings, kept a journal, but I didn't.

I heard about this reading and showed up. There were about 25 people in attendance, mostly students. It was during the day time, Bukowski appeared sober, and it was a quiet, unrowdy event. I don't know if he got paid, but my guess is that he didn't, given the humble venue. Buk read a short story, "Class" -- a fantasy about going up against Hemingway in a boxing match and winning the love of a society broad. Also some poems, although I have no memory of what they were. He was calm, cool, collected, and looked great. That's probably what I recall best is how he looked at that time: like Humphrey Bogart or a professional boxer -- tough, lean, strong. I'm thinking this may have been earlier than I'd imagined, say 1967 or 68, because he was thinner and his hair was darker than when I saw him read the second time, in late 1971. I should watch BORN INTO THIS again, the archival footage parts, and see if I can narrow down the year based on his appearance.

And that, sadly, is all that I remember about that reading. I would love to know more details. If any one has an information about this event, please post it. I'll follow up with my memories of the second reading, which was a much bigger event.
 
By the way, you can read that boxing story, "Class," in NORTH OF NO SOUTH. I think I first read it in A BUKOWSKI SAMPLER -- of which I do not currently have copy, so I can't check that it's in there. Anyone have a copy of SAMPLER handy? (the sound of men running to their bookcases all around America and Europe).

Part two of this epic will have to wait until tomorrow night. My wife is sleepy after digging in her garden all day and me clacking on the keys is keeping her awake...
 
Oops. Lost my compass. Make that SOUTH OF NO NORTH. I'm assuming the story I heard Buk read was "Class." I'm basing that on what I remember about the subject and tone of the story. I don't actually recall the title he gave. "Class" seems the best fit.
 
Here's a fun little item. It's a post card advertisement for the SF reading.
 

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Isn't that the one from 1972 when Taylor Hackford filmed the trip and the reading?

Anyone seen a good copy of the 60 minute version of that film?
(I haven't even seen the 30 minute one)
 
It says sept. 14 on the postcard. On the sleeve in the cd "Poems and Insults" there's a small pic of the poster which says Sept. 14, 1973, so I'm a bit confused because I thought "Poems and Insults" was from the 1972 reading, filmed by Hackford. Maybe Nymark or somebody else can clear this up...

I too, have never seen any version of Hackfords film. Does anyone know why it has'nt been issued on video/DVD a long time ago?
 
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The title card in the Hackford film uses the same lettering that appears on the postcard, so I believe this to be an ad for the same reading that was filmed by Hackford. I think.
 
Bukowski reading in 1971

The second time I saw Charles Bukowski read was in the fall of 1971, and it was a much bigger event. My friend John Kay, a small press poet and editor, had organized Poetry Week at CSULB as an annual event, and this was its first year. He had a budget of $1,000 from the college to pay for nationally known poets to come and read, and among those who came were Lyn Lifshin, Brother Antoninus (William Everson), and Bukowski. John had a previous connection with Buk in that he had published some of Bukowski's poems in his literary magazine, MAG. When John first approached him, Buk wasn't interested, but when John offered him a $200 honorarium, Buk accepted. John had some posters printed up advertising Bukowski's reading. They were maybe 11 by 17 and all black and white. There was a photo of Buk that was either in silhouette or high contrast -- all I recall is that it was dark and almost abstract in effect, but the face was unmistakeable. John and I went all over campus and probably throughout the city of Long Beach, tacking these up everywhere. Bukowski's first novel, POST OFFICE, had just come out and he was better known than the last time I saw him. The reading was held in the Student Union building, in a lecture hall, or maybe it was a small auditorium. About a hundred people showed up. I got there early with some friends and we sat near the front. We were pretty damned excited to be seeing Bukowski read. This was on a morning during a week day. Some of us had probably skipped class to be there. Buk looked a lot different than the last time: more seedy and gone to pot. He appeared hung over, and was drinking openly during the reading, so this reading was more rowdy and less genteel than the last time. He sipped orange juice and Vodka from a thermos and made a few jokes about it. He was much looser, perhaps due to the drink but also possibly because he was more of a literary star by then and felt he could get away with it. He read many poems from his early books. I don't think he read any fiction. I recall two poems in particular: one called "the shoelace" (collected in MOCKINGBIRD WISH ME LUCK), and another that I don't know the title of (maybe some of you experts can help me out here) but it's got an image in it of a man picking a flower on a mountaintop, or something like that. It was 36 years ago, so that's the best I can do on that one. Being young and stupid, I had the idea at one point to yell out a question at him, heckler-like, something along the lines of: "Hey Bukowski, how did you get so ugly?" Somehow, I resisted that temptation. He read for over an hour, and earned his money. It was a good reading -- solid poems, strong performance -- and the whole event had a timelessness to it, like it was history in the making. Afterwards, he was surrounded by fans asking him to sign books. I remember this one young woman who was very attractive had him sign a copy of his first book, FLOWER, FIST AND BESTIAL WAIL, and he was genuinely surprised to see it, asking her how she got her hands on it, and commenting on what a rare book it was. Afterwards, there was a gathering at the local college beer bar, the 49er Tavern, with a bunch of us sitting around Bukowski on one of the long wooden benches, listening to his stories. John Kay was there, also professor Gerry Locklin, who was a good friend of Bukowski's, and one of the few poets Buk could tolerate being around, my writer pal Dana Hall and I, and others. After a while, Buk got bored with us and made a statement about "Here we are again with the boys from English 1A," and shortly after that the party broke up. I kept some of John's posters for a while until I had my run-in with Buk (also at the 49er), after which I was pissed at him and threw the posters away. I've never seen another, never seen it reproduced. If one of you collectors have a copy of that poster and could post a photo on the Forum, I'd love to see it again. That's about all I remember from the second reading. Hope these accounts of live Buk readings have been interesting to some of you.
 
the accounts of the readings are fantastic... thank you. it occurred to me to see if your memoir is on abe, which it is... i'm really looking forward to reading it.
 
Very interesting account, David! Thanks a lot! - I read your "Charles Bukowski spit in my face" piece (collected in "Drinking with Bukowski"). That was just great!...
 
Thanks, Jordan and Bukfan. I discuss both readings in my book, CHARLES BUKOWSKI SPIT IN MY FACE, but when I sat down to write these two accounts, I remembered a few more (very minor) details. It pains me that I don't recall a lot of what I saw and heard when I was around Bukowski. I wrote SPIT about 10 years after the events. Long enough to have forgotten so much stuff, but at least I didn't wait too long. If I tried writing it now, the book would be about 5 pages long. Anyway, glad you enjoyed the posts.
 
It says sept. 14 on the postcard. On the sleeve in the cd "Poems and Insults" there's a small pic of the poster which says Sept. 14, 1973, so I'm a bit confused because I thought "Poems and Insults" was from the 1972 reading, filmed by Hackford. Maybe Nymark or somebody else can clear this up...

I too, have never seen any version of Hackfords film. Does anyone know why it has'nt been issued on video/DVD a long time ago?
Do we know if he did more than one City Lights reading? I've only seen this one documented. The 9/14 date makes sense as the date of the reading in Hackford's documentary, since the film premiered a couple of months later, at the end of November '73.

The documentary was done for the Los Angeles PBS station, but I have no idea whether it was a freelance project, or the station funded it. If the station funded it I would assume they have the rights to release it commercially, but I don't know if KCET ever did any commercial releases on their own, outside of the PBS umbrella.

A commercial release seems unlikely if Hackford owns the rights, and only slightly more likely if KCET owns the rights. Born Into This was not really a commercial success, even by documentary standards. It probably made more in DVD sales than it did in theaters, but it's a modern documentary that appeals to a general documentary audience. I'm not sure a 1973 documentary would be very popular outside of a small group of aficionados and freaks (like you, if you're reading this).

Considering the problems Jon and Dennis are running in to trying to get distribution for their "Farewell Tour" of the final two readings, it doesn't look like there's much of a demand for Bukowski on DVD.

Yet.
 
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DAvid, I think the Hemingway story you mention is "The Time I Knocked Out Ernest Hemingway and Was Discovered as a New Literary Giant," published in Laugh Literary And Man The Humping Guns Vol. 1 No. 3. I read that story looong ago, but I think to remember Hem and Buk were two boxers in the story.

and, yes, I have seen the 60m Hackford film. I said it before and I'll say it again: it's available for your viewing pleasure at USC.
 
It says sept. 14 on the postcard. On the sleeve in the cd "Poems and Insults" there's a small pic of the poster which says Sept. 14, 1973, so I'm a bit confused because I thought "Poems and Insults" was from the 1972 reading, filmed by Hackford. Maybe Nymark or somebody else can clear this up...

I too, have never seen any version of Hackfords film. Does anyone know why it has'nt been issued on video/DVD a long time ago?

Don't know why, but this is bugging me.

The card posted by nymark says Thursday September 14th. For it to be a Thursday, the reading has to be in 1972. I believe this is the one Hackford filmed. In Sounes' bio, he states that the Hackford film premiered in October 1973. For me, thats realistic. I don't think he would have had it ready within a couple of weeks.
The pic in the CD booklet is the cover of the 1975 vinyl LP Poems and Insults. I think the same image (and font) was also used in posters promoting either this reading or another around the same time: a couple of years ago someone was selling photocopies of a poster like that on ebay.
 
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... here's my little contribution:

I saw Bukowski read twice, both times at California State University at Long Beach (CSULB) [...] The first reading was around 1969 or 70, maybe earlier.

Rekrap, I wouldn't doubt what you say about personal experience, can only tell from the bios, and these say (Sounes), that Buks first readings were Dec 19th and 20th of 1969 at 'The Bridge' bookstore at Hollywood Blvd., then a reading in New Mexico in May 1970 and - numered as the forth - the Bellevue-reading. Also I remember very well parts of the published letters, where he's talking about 'now giving readings' and his own counting there fits into this.

But we know from another thread here, that maybe Buk may have done his first reading WAY before that (and maybe decided that it didn't count), so why shouldn't he have given another, yet unkown one. If so, this would be of interest to biographers, so maybe you still have any possy to make that sure? (old diaries or something?)

Another thing is: according to Gerry Locklin in 'Bukowski - A sure bet', it was him, who brought Buk to CSULB in 1970 (by request of others). (page 1ff.) Maybe he was just referring to the first time HE invited Buk there. But then, he was talking about a fee of only 50,-$, not 200,-$ as his second reading there seems supposed to be. Maybe he was also just talking out of memory.

I give this only from the written sources tonight. If required, I could ask Gerry, who stays in lose contact with me, for details.

The second time I saw Charles Bukowski read was in the fall of 1971, [...] and another that I don't know the title of (maybe some of you experts can help me out here) but it's got an image in it of a man picking a flower on a mountaintop, or something like that. [...] John Kay was there, also professor Gerry Locklin, who was a good friend of Bukowski's, and one of the few poets Buk could tolerate being around, [...] After a while, Buk got bored with us and made a statement about "Here we are again with the boys from English 1A," [...] I've never seen another, never seen it reproduced. If one of you collectors have a copy of that poster and could post a photo on the Forum, I'd love to see it again.

Not very sure about the flower-poem, but I think I remember one like that. Is it about a man picking the flower and coming back the next day and being eaten by a flower in return? Somewhere I've read that, but really ain't sure where. Not even if it's from Buk, this one I remember.

What you say about Buk's moods is EXACTLY, what Gerry pointed out, when he was in Germany 2002! He was even using nearly the same words, starting "Here, we are again ...", imitating the voice of Buk. It fits to a whole picture, when different people have similar experiences. Fine.

The poster: Ain't sure, but maybe it was the very known one, that also was used for the famous SF-reading of 1972. This one (that's also reproduced on the CD-cover of 'poems and insults' was - at least used for ONE other reading, as I know from a photograph. I cannot post tonight, for my ftp-account has a problem at the moment, but it's the same picture, announcing a reading for "Saturday, May 31 / 8pm at City Lights Bookstore". According to this information, it can only be the year of 1969 (which would be another big surprise - but not totally impossible) or 1975.
I'll ask mjp to upload it for me/you.

So, since this pic seems to been used more often for announcing Buk-readings, and also suits your description "all black and white. There was a photo of Buk that was either in silhouette or high contrast -- all I recall is that it was dark and almost abstract in effect, but the face was unmistakeable", maybe it was that?

DAvid, I think the Hemingway story you mention is "The Time I Knocked Out Ernest Hemingway and Was Discovered as a New Literary Giant,"

cirerita, maybe the story you mention (and Buk read there) was a pre-form of the later 'class'-story from 'South' (p.65ff). We know, that he had the subject in mind for a way longer time:
In a letter to the Webbs, dated Dec 7th, 1963 he wrote:
"I remember, when I was very young, Hem used to work out in the ring, you know, and I always dreamed that I would volunteer to sit in the opposit corner, and in my dream, of course, I kayoed Hemingway, and therefore I was a greater writer, I was a greater everything. " ('Screams', p.97)

That also tells us something about the way he worked, doesn't it? What a long time he kept sujets and feelings and thoughts in mind, till he worked them out into literature. And this also shows, why some of the stories occure more than once; How he wrotem down again and again, with bigger or fewer changes, just bc they were still WORKING inside of him.

It says sept. 14 on the postcard. On the sleeve in the cd "Poems and Insults" there's a small pic of the poster which says Sept. 14, 1973, so I'm a bit confused because I thought "Poems and Insults" was from the 1972 reading

Bukfan, yes, this was a problem for me too, when I did the timeline for Bjuk2006 (German part). But all other sources, except that cover, give the year 1972. Take Sounes, take Linda King, take the story 'This is what killed Dylan Thomas', all points to 1972. Even IF he did give a reading at the same place at the same date one year later - the famous reading mentioned everywhere (and the poems & insults - reading IS this one without doubt) is most likely to be dated 1972.


o.k., now,
I must admit:
this was way more than just a "little" contribution.
So I'll shut up now.

 
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Thanks mpj, hank solo and roni, for trying to clear this up! So I guess the reading was at sept. 14, 1972, but I'm still puzzled by that sept 14, 1973 poster...
 
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In Sounes' bio, he states that the Hackford film premiered in October 1973. For me, thats realistic. I don't think he would have had it ready within a couple of weeks.
Right, and in addition:
Sounes 'Bukowski in pictures' says: "one of his most famous readings - an event organized by City Lights in San Fransisco in September 1972". (p.86)
But you're right: something is still bugging!
 
Here's the cover of the LP, with the WRONG DATE?

poems_insults_lp.jpg
 
yep, I'd still dare to say, this date's wrong!

The reason:
the date on this LP as well as on the CD (which is perchance only taken from the LP and thus re-produced one error) is just a number, in fact only ONE figure, that could be taken wrong by the printer or someone in the chain. This is no unusual mistake.


But all other sources depend on happenings AROUND that date. That makes Them more reliable.
If you can proof, (A) was before the reading and (C) was after it, there is some evidence, that the reading (B) was inbetween. [-just a joke to pretend I've read Aristoteles- haha]


So, Do you know ANY evidence, besides one printed information, that points to the year of 1973 for this famous reading?


Oh, btw., (and NOT according to the dating question) I have here an old LP of that reading, with a totally different cover!
The front shows a pinting by Buk, the back has a photograph of his Germany-trip (1978).
This reading is identical to the 'poems & insults'-one, but does not give any date for the reading!
Only the date of production is given: 1980.
(by Takoma Records Distributed by Chrysalis Rec. Inc. / Sunset Blvd. / L.A. / Calif. / 90069)
and the label on the LP itself says "Produced by Joe Wolberg".
Maybe the only solution is to ask Mr. Wolberg.



I totally agree with you, that this confusion is annoying!
And I think, WE (this forum) are the people to work with this problem / and solve it in the end.
I've never seen so much competence gathered in one place.
So, everything, I say is just ONE thought among many possible others - and I HOPE for these others!




We may be Here One of only a Few prototypes of a NEW WAY of Literary-Research.
And I DO beliefe in this way of gathering forces!
 
DAvid, I think the Hemingway story you mention is "The Time I Knocked Out Ernest Hemingway and Was Discovered as a New Literary Giant," published in Laugh Literary And Man The Humping Guns Vol. 1 No. 3. I read that story looong ago, but I think to remember Hem and Buk were two boxers in the story...

Yes, it could have been that story. I thought the same thing myself. Both "Class" and "The Time I Knocked Out Ernest Hemingway..." have similar themes. No way of telling now what I heard. Thanks for adding that information.
 
roni; so much great feedback and information from you. I don't have time right now to really respond, but I'll try to dig into it this weekend. Too bad I didn't keep a diary. All I have is memory. Locklin may have arranged the first reading I saw, the 1968/1969/1970? one. That would be perfectly in keeping with everything I know about Gerry and Bukowski. I just don't recall whose class it was, who the teacher was. I wasn't a member of that class, just someone standing in the back of the room. Whatever Gerry says about this will be authoritative. I'm very sure that it was at least a year or two before the 1971 reading because of the radical change in Buk's appearance between readings. And I'm pretty sure about that 1971 date for the second reading I saw, but I could be full of shit, too. I didn't check John Kay's essay, "The Reading" in DRINKING WITH BUKOWSKI. If I recall (and I did some editing on that piece), it's about that same 1971 reading. I need to look at John's piece again. Perhaps he gives the date and some details I've forgotten. In haste...
 
Quick note: I don't think that's the photo that was on John Kay's poster, but I could be wrong. Close, though.

The date John gives in the title to his piece in DRINKING WITH BUKOWSKI is 1972. I need to reread it. Not sure if he came up with that date or I did (I pulled three drafts of his into one piece -- all his memories and words, just my editing.) Probably he did, and it's probably right.

Another thing I can do is to take a look at some clippings I saved from the CSULB college newspaper about Bukowski's reading.

Also, my friend, the late poet and small press editior, Leo Mailman, may have written about that reading in his book, GRANDAD'S BRAIN, which I edited and published. You would think that I would better remember stuff I'd edited, but those were both (John and Leo's texts) years ago, and it's foggy. Memory is a lousy thing. The newspaper clippings, if they are there, will nail down the date for that second reading I saw.

And then I'm wondering if I didn't, in fact, write something at the time -- a note, a reference in a poem or story. It seems very strange that I made no record at all of Bukowski at the time it was happening. I have all my old writings and, honestly, remember very little about it all. If I have the time, I'll go looking at that stuff. Maybe I'll get lucky and find some "new" lost pieces on him.

More later, dudes...

Thanks for your observations and help on this puzzle.
 
1972 Reading Clipping

Miraculously, I found a copy of the CSULB "Forty-Niner" campus newspaper dated Friday, December 15, 1972. In a derisive article titled "English Students Publish Creations," Staff Writer Jim Schafer says John Kay brought Bukowski to read "a few weeks ago" in the Student Union. Here are scans:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h185/barkerbooks/BukClipping12-15-1972detail.gif

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h185/barkerbooks/BukClipping12-15-1972.gif

It mentions Lyn Lifshin and Brother Antoninus, so it must be the same event I remember (my "second" reading.) What confuses the hell out of me is that 1) I thought it was in 1971, and 2) in John Kay's article, he says he offered Buk $300 (not $200) to read six weeks earlier, at a publication party for ANTHOLOGY OF L.A. POETS that was held in March 1972, which would put the reading somewhere in April, 1972. Maybe he's recalling it wrong, or maybe there were two 1972 readings at CSULB?

I still need to look at Leo Mailman's articles to see what dates he gives for the 1972 reading, if any.
 
Ok, re the City Lights Reading. Bukowski definitely read there in 1972. He talks about going "up to Frisco tomorrow" in a letter to Patricia Connell dated September 13, 1972 published in Living on Luck [p. 162]. In it he says "the auditorium holds 750 and they claim to be sold out. I hope they are. I get half the god damned take[...]" and that he has started seeing Linda King again. Interestingly he writes again on the 18th and says he is back with Liza Williams. Also, he tells Weissner he received $400 for the reading and split up with Linda while in San Francisco (Living on Luck, p.166).
 
Thanks, hank solo! Good research! So now it's cleared up for sure. It was in '72. The poster saying '73 must be a misprint then, as roni suggested...
 
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Okay, I went back and reread my CHARLES BUKOWSKI SPIT IN MY FACE, for the first time in many years, and now I'm thoroughly confused. In his piece, John Kay describes two readings on the same day (in April ? 1972), one at noon and one in the evening. In my memoir, I talk about a morning reading in 1971, and then, a year later, an evening reading (i.e., in 1972). I say the evening one was part of the second annual Poetry Week event at CSULB. The artcle I found gives a date in Nov or early December 1972. So, I'm thinking that Bukowski may have read at two different Poetry Week events, in 1971 and 1972, or, my chronology in SPIT is completely messed up and I need to revise the book, or John Kay's memory was faulty and the March/April timeline he gives for the Poetry Week reading was wrong, and he really meant the November/December 1972 date. All very confusing. I'll ask John what he remembers about how many times Buk was at Poetry Week. And I still need to check Leo Mailman's book for details on the readings. I also need to read Locklin's A SURE BET, which I have but haven't yet read. I also need to look at mjp's timeline here on the Forum. It always amazes me that when you start to dig into the past, there are endless questions and mysteries. It's a miracle that any valid history gets written at all. I wouldn't mind revising my SPIT book. There are several errors in it, and stuff I could add, and maybe a bad chronology.
 
yes, often research raises more questions that it answers. When we get to the buttom of this, we may be able to make a timeline of those early readings. That would be nice...
 
In his piece, John Kay describes two readings on the same day (in April ? 1972), one at noon and one in the evening. [...] I also need to read Locklin's A SURE BET, which I have but haven't yet read.
Locklin also mentions two readings in one day at Long Beach in the Sure Bet piece "Two Poets," but doesn't give dates. The piece was written in '74, and describes what a pain Bukowski was on the day of the two readings and says, "So we didn't have him down to the college this spring..." Which kind of intimates that the readings he's talking about happened in 73, but it could have been 72.
 

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