Over the years, I’ve occasionally heard references to a video of a Bukowski reading filmed by Francis Hogan Brown. The title is listed in the University of Southern California Special Collections with no other details. So, I was recently excited to see a copy on eBay and managed to snag it before anyone else.
Unfortunately, upon viewing, it was evident that the VHS tape was demagnetized at some point and is basically unwatchable. (It’s unfortunate because it seemed to be nicely filmed.) But the audio on this tape is still excellent – especially for a Bukowski reading.
Then came a second issue: The VHS tape abruptly ends near the end of the long poem “love”. (NOTE: Debritto’s “Every Piece of the Puzzle” lists 10 Bukowski poems simply named “love” -- this one has a manuscript date of August 2, 1974.)
Still, this was a great find. According to the Bukowski Forum database, 8 of the 15 poems Bukowski reads on this occasion do not appear on any of the recordings that the forum has cataloged to date.
Of course, I wanted to know more. The VHS tape said it was recorded in 1975, but there is no other information. So, I did a random search for “Bukowski reading 1975” hoping to find a mention or a footnote that might help piece things together. Instead, I found something much better.
It turns out that the reading took place at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Although I couldn’t find a specific day or month, the event also featured Michael McClure, the well-known poet, playwright, songwriter, and novelist. The best part: The college has made its recordings available through the Internet Archive, so there is a second recording of the same reading.
The Brown recording includes Bukowski’s introduction with some instigating opening remarks and is much better quality audio. On the other hand, the college’s recording starts with the reading of the second poem ($5.95), but lasts until after the final poem is read – the classic, one for the shoeshine man.
There is also some post reading banter by Bukowski. If you listen closely, one of the last things you hear Bukowski say is, “What’s this? Where’s the check?”
Because the recordings have these differences, I am including both here as audio files. For posterity, I didn't want to mesh both recordings together only to confuse future scholars and fans.
Below is the reading list from the event. It includes previous instances of the poems recorded elsewhere and also the circa or manuscript dates of the poems (according the Bukowski Forum database).
Since this was a double bill, one has to wonder what McClure was thinking while Bukowski read All The Little Girls.
- the good guy (manuscript dated November 2, 1975)
- $5.95 (circa 1974)
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Face Of A Political Candidate On A Street Billboard (circa 1974)
Poem previously read on the Underwater Poetry Festival in Salt Lake City - big grey balloon things, heavy (manuscript dated October 7, 1973)
- The Giraffes (circa 1973)
- Blue Moon, Oh Bleweeww Mooooon How I Adore You! (circa 1974)
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Rexall Cut Rate 4:30 pm (1974)
Poem previously read on the Underwater Poetry Festival in Salt Lake City - All The Little Girls (manuscript dated November 2, 1975)
- 2 horsecollars (manuscript dated July 16, 1974)
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Now She Hates Me (circa 1974)
Poem previously read on the Underwater Poetry Festival in Salt Lake City - free (manuscript dated September 15, 1974)
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The Avoidance Of Boredom (circa 1973)
Poem previously read on the Underwater Poetry Festival in Salt Lake City -
The Sex Fiends (1971)
Poem previously read on Home recording, Live reading at the City Lights Poets Theater in San Francisco, and the Underwater Poetry Festival in Salt Lake City -
love (Manuscript dated August 2, 1974)
(Poem previously read on the Underwater Poem previously read on the Underwater Poetry Festival in Salt Lake City -
One for the shoeshine man (circa 1975)
Poem read on Live reading at Baudelaire's in Santa Barbara and Live reading in Hamburg, Germany
Francis Hogan Brown recording
Maryland Institute College of Art recording