Charles Bukowski: The Run with the Hunted Sessions CD

In 1993, HarperCollins published Run With the Hunted, a massive 497-page collection of Bukowski’s works. For both Bukowski and John Martin, this must have been one of the most gratifying moments of their partnership. One of the biggest publishing houses in the world validated all the work the two had done over the past 25-plus years.

This is a home recording of Bukowski reading works from the book, one year before his death. The producer makes it a point to mention that Bukowski didn’t want to go into a studio to record. But this was the case from the very beginning. Sometime in 1962. KPFK radio in Los Angeles invited Bukowski to its studios to do a recording of his poems. Bukoski was afraid that he would freeze up in the studio and embarrass himself, so he borrowed a tape machine and recorded it in his apartment. The tape aired on August 5, 1962.

This whopper of a recording is as big as the book, lasting 2:30 minutes on two CDs. There’s banter among the producer, Linda Lee and Bukowski as the recording takes its course.

I don’t have the expertise to grade CDs, but if this were a book I’d rate it  in Very Good condition. The paper case has some general wear and the discs could use a wipe. With no large scratches, It should play just fine.

Note: Should any used CD or DVD recording have issues while playing, I will refund your money and you can keep the CD/DVD.

From Producer John Runnette
"Charles Bukowski wasn't anxious to record his poems and short stories that night. He certainly didn't want to go to a recording studio to do it, and not because he wanted star treatment. Just opposite. For a man who sometimes promulgated a boisterous two-fisted image, Bukowski was surprising shy and quiet. He liked his routine, the days at the racetrack and nights in front of his computer, writing or sometimes just playing computer games. His good fortune shocked him. "I'm sixty five", he told me," and I just bought my first house." He had an expensive car, too which amazed him.

He seemed happy that the disorder and chaos that had inspired so much of his writing was behind him. For that reason he was worried about letting people into his private world.

For three hours one night, Charles Bukowski read his poems and stories into a microphone that sat on the coffee table in his living room. It was curious to watch him read. His face was as craggily as the photos suggest; he held a bottle of beer in one hand, a clove cigarette in the other. When he read though, innocence rose up in him as simple and direct as his sentences and language.

Listen to the stories of his childhood and you'll hear that quality. This is the other Bukowski, and if some of his stories and poems reveal and relish in anger, remember that outrage is the other side of innocence.

After three hours of recording Bukowski had had enough. He didn't want to memorialize any more of his writing. He didn't take himself that seriously. What he wanted to do was have another beer and just talk about writing, which we did, late into the night."

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