Today Wax Audio Group launches a new Kickstarter campaign to release the last recordings of Charles Bukowski on vinyl. This release will only be available via the Kickstarter campaign which you can check out here. There are also several T-Shirt designs that will also be exclusive to the campaign – check images of those out below.
2020 marks the 100th birthday of the poet, novelist, and short story writer Henry Charles Bukowski, born Heinrich Karl Bukowski on August 16, 1920. Bukowski wrote thousands of poems, hundreds of short stories and six novels, eventually publishing over 60 books.
A long time resident of Los Angeles, Bukowski often wrote about the city, it’s working people, alcoholism, homelessness, love and finding redemption through art, music and literature. He also gave dozens of live readings to his fans through out the world. These performances were known for their ruckus confrontations and banter with the audience.
Two documentaries were made of Bukowsk’s live readings:
There’s Gonna Be a God Damn Riot in Here, is a film documenting the last live poetry reading given outside the US by Bukowski.
The reading was given at the Viking Inn, a small concert hall in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on October 12, 1979. It is produced by Dennis Del Torre, and directed by Jon Monday for MondayMedia.
The Last Straw, is the second film documenting the very last live poetry reading given by Charles Bukowski. The reading was given at The Sweetwater, a music club in Redondo Beach, California on March 31, 1980. Also directed by Jon Monday for mondayMedia.
Bukowski lived another 14 years passing away on March 9, 1994. Despite living another 14 years he was never to read before a live audience again.
The Last Readings, presented by Wax Audio Group, in cooperation with mondayMedia and the Bukowski estate, is a Kickstarter campaign to remaster, restore and preserve the complete audio masters of these final live performances as an archival quality 4 disc limited edition vinyl record box set, with new liner notes, essays and unpublished photos. This limited edition boxset and “concert” t shirts will not be sold at retail.
