LP First Pressing: “Bukowski Reads His Poetry” Tacoma Records 1980

Produced in 1980 by Takoma Records, “Bukowski Reads His Poetry is a recording of Bukowski’s reading at the City Lights Poets Theatre on September 14, 1972, which took place in San Francisco.

This is the First Pressing of the record. Takoma continues to put out new variations on their LP, with vinyl colors such as “Ashtray” and “Vomit”.

The track list is a portion of the poems Bukowski read during the City Lights reading.

I am not qualified to grade vinyl LPs, but if this was a book I’d grade it Near Fine. The cover is vibrant and looks new, except for some bumps to the corners. The sleeve is toned with age, has a couple of small tears, and the record popped through the opposite side of the opening at one point. There are two scratches in the 12:30 area above the front label. The label looks new.

Denny Bruce, the original drummer for The Mothers of Invention, was co-owner of Takoma Records. The independent label specialized in roots music when Denny decided to put out “Bukowski Reads His Poetry” in 1980.

To promote the record, Denny arranged for a reading in Redondo Beach, California, at the Sweetwater Café. No one knew it at the time, maybe not even Bukowski himself, but this would be his final public reading. It took place on March 31, 1980, and was recorded in both audio and video. Rhino Records released the audio recording under the name “Hostage” in 1985. The video, named “The Last Straw”, was released in 2008.

The poems on this recording include: