Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life Part 18

For Bukowski's involvement and att.i.tudes to the sixties drug culture, I interviewed the following: John Bryan (13 Jan & 6 June, 1997); Steve Richmond (various dates between 1996 & 1997); and John Thomas (1 Jan & 26 June, 1997). I also consulted the following: Screams from the Balcony, including Bukowski's 2 Feb, 1966, letter to Steve Richmond, 'LSD, yeah ...'; the unpublished correspondence of Bukowski and Steve Richmond; Bukowski in the Bathtub, including Bukowski's conversation with John Thomas about LSD; and publications by Steve Richmond including: Earth Rose (Earth Rose 1/undated); Hitler Painted Roses (Earth Books and Sun Dog Press, 1994); and Spinning Off Bukowski which I referred to for the description of Bukowski's clothing and his visits to Richmond's store. For Bukowski's negative views on drugs, I referred to his comments in The Charles Bukowski Tapes.

John Bryan described Bukowski's a.s.sociation with Open City (13 Jan & 6 June, 1997). Bukowski's opinion of the newspaper's staff, 'sc.u.mmy Commie ...', was reported to me by Bryan. I interviewed Jack Micheline (15 Jan, 2 June & 20 Sept, 1997) and quote from his prose-poem, 'Long After Midnight', published in Sixty-Seven Poems for Downtrodden Saints (FMSBW, 1997). Bukowski's quote, 'The crew did not ...', is from the autobiographical essay he wrote for Adam magazine (1971). I consulted Bukowski's preface to the City Lights edition of Notes of a Dirty Old Man, taking the quote 'Think of it yourself ...'; and consulted copies of Open City at UCLA. I interviewed John Thomas (1 Jan, 1997) about Bukowski's working methods. Bukowski's former De Longpre Avenue neighbors, Sina Taylor and Paul Jenson, told me he used to read his copy to an elderly woman who lived next door (31 Dec, 1996).

Details of Bukowski's trip to see the Webbs in Tucson, Arizona, are primarily taken from my interviews with Gypsy Lou Webb. I also referred to Bukowski's unpublished correspondence with John William Corrington; to letters published in Screams from the Balcony; and to Bukowski's short story, My Stay in the Poet's Cottage, published in Tales of Ordinary Madness. Background information came from the Tucson Daily Citizen (15 July, 1967); the periodical, Book Production History (Feb, 1967); and correspondence from Ed Blair.

The history of the thirteenth Penguin Modern Poets book is taken princ.i.p.ally from interviews with Harold Norse (13 Dec, 1996 & 15 Jan, 1997); and my interview with Nikos Stangos (29 Jan, 1997). Nikos Stangos kindly made available his unpublished correspondence with Bukowski. Further background information came from Harold Norse's book, Memoirs of a b.a.s.t.a.r.d Angel (Bloomsbury, 1990); and from the unpublished correspondence of Bukowski and John William Corrington.

Douglas Blazek described his meeting with Bukowski and gave opinions of his work (7 June, 1997). I also consulted letters from Bukowski to Blazek published in Screams from the Balcony.

Details of Bukowski's problems with the US Postal Service are based on interviews with his former union representative, David Berger (4 Mar, 1997); with FrancEyE (3 Jan, 1997) and Bukowski's former landlord, Francis Crotty (4 Jan, 1997). I also consulted Bukowski's Feb, 1967, letter to Steve Richmond for the exchange with the angry postal worker. This letter is published in Screams from the Balcony. Additional background came from the archive of Bukowski letters at Brown University, Rhode Island; and the letters to the Webbs published in Screams from the Balcony.

For Bukowski's relations.h.i.+p with the beat writers, I referred to my interviews with Lawrence Ferlinghetti (14 Jan, 1997); Jack Micheline (various dates in 1997); and Harold Norse (13 Dec, 1996&15 Jan, 1997). The description of Bukowski's meeting with Neal Ca.s.sady is taken from my (6 June, 1997) interview with John Bryan; Allen Ginsberg's quotes are from my correspondence with Allen Ginsberg (28 Sept, 1996). Bukowski's conversation with Ca.s.sady, and their car ride, is based on Bukowski's contemporaneous Open City column published in Notes of a Dirty Old Man; Bukowski's Feb, 1968, letter to the Webbs, published in Screams from the Balcony; and my interviews with John Bryan. Background details about the life of Neal Ca.s.sady came from the following books: Ginsberg (Viking, 1989) by Barry Miles; Jack's Book (Penguin, 1979) by Barry Gifford and Lawrence Lee; and Kerouac (Picador, 1978) by Ann Charters.

Harold Norse's comments about Bukowski's s.e.xuality come from interviews with Norse conducted on 13 Dec, 1996 & 15 Jan, 1997. I also quote from Norse's autobiography, Memoirs of a b.a.s.t.a.r.d Angel. I consulted Bukowski's correspondence at UCSB and referred to my interviews with Neeli Cherkovski. The anecdote about Bukowski inviting Cherkovski into his bed comes from an interview with Cherkovski on 16 Dec, 1996. I also interviewed John Martin and Jack Micheline.

Details of the publication of Notes of a Dirty Old Man, details of the Skinny Dynamite case and the demise of Open City are from my interviews with John Bryan (13 Jan & 6 June, 1997); and Jack Micheline (15 Jan, 2 June & 20 Sept, 1997). I also consulted the following sources: the biographical note, letters and LA Free Press extract published in Jack Micheline's book, Sixty-Seven Poems for Downtrodden Saints (FMSBW, 1997); Skinny Dynamite (Second Coming Press, 1980); Bukowski's book, The Most Beautiful Woman in Town; and Bukowski's letters in Screams from the Balcony.

Bukowski's involvement with Zapple was described for me by Barry Miles in an interview (12 Feb, 1997). I spoke to former Apple executive Tony Bramwell (4 Feb, 1997); I referred to Bukowski's unpublished correspondence at UCSB; and Bukowski's unpublished correspondence with John Bennett held at Brown University, Rhode Island.

John Martin described Bukowski's opinion of the Black Mountain poets in an interview on 20 July, 1997. Neeli Cherkovski described the history of Laugh Literary and Man the Humping Guns. I interviewed Sam Cherry (1 Jan, 1997) and consulted original copies of Laugh Literary and Man the Humping Guns courtesy of Neeli Cherkovski's nephew, Dani Tull.

Sam Cherry and Neeli Cherkovski described the taking of the box car photograph. I interviewed John and Barbara Martin about the design of The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills and referred to my interviews with Harold Norse. I also referred to Whitman's Wild Children (Lapis Press, 1988) by Neeli Cherkovski.

The poem, 'a little atomic bomb', appears in Play the Piano Drunk/Like a Percussion Instrument/Until the Fingers Begin to Bleed a Bit; 'traffic ticket' and 'true story' appear in Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame. 'The Genius of the Crowd' appears in The Roominghouse Madrigals. The extract from 'Long After Midnight' appears by kind permission of Jack Micheline. Extracts from Notes of a Dirty Old Man, copyright 1969, are reprinted by permission of City Lights Books.

7 POST OFFICE.

Details of how Bukowski left the post office are primarily taken from my interviews with John Martin, and from Bukowski's United States Postal Service personnel file. John Martin described the breakdown of the $100-a-month in an interview on 21 July, 1997.

Bukowski's att.i.tude to money is based on interviews with Neeli Cherkovski; FrancEyE (3 Jan&30 May, 1997); Harold Norse (15 Jan, 1997); Steve Richmond (8 Nov, 1996); and John Thomas (1 Jan, 1997).

Bukowski's Bridge reading was described in interviews with: Neeli Cherkovski, Jack Micheline, Harold Norse, Steve Richmond and John Thomas, who kindly supplied a list of the poems read on 19 December, 1969. I also consulted Thomas's review of the reading which appeared in the LA Free Press on 6 Feb, 1970.

Johnny Moore described the night Bukowski left the post office (6 Mar, 1997). I also referred to, and quote from, Post Office.

For the writing of Post Office, I consulted the original ma.n.u.script of the novel which is held at UCSB. I referred to the 25th Black Sparrow Press imprint of the novel; and to my interviews with John Martin. I quote from Russell Harrison's book, Against The American Dream (BSP, 1994). Bukowski's quote, 'I was concerned ...', is from an article in the periodical, LJ (1 Feb, 1971). The Bukowski quote 'for laughs' is from a 23 Feb, 1970, letter from Bukowski to Carl Weissner published in Living on Luck.

The anecdote about Bukowski throwing forty paintings away is from an unpublished letter (dated 17 April, 1970) from Bukowski to Harold Norse. The letter is part of the Bukowski archive at Temple University, Philadelphia. I further consulted my 20 July, 1997, interview with John Martin in which he described Bukowski's artwork and interest in art.

Details of Bukowski's readings in New Mexico and Seattle, Was.h.i.+ngton, are from the following sources: unpublished correspondence between Bukowski and Linda King; the video film, Bukowski at Bellevue. The quote 'a drunken half-f.u.c.k' is from a June, 1970, letter from Bukowski to Sanford Dorbin published in Living on Luck.

I interviewed and corresponded with Ann Menebroker about her visit to De Longpre Avenue (interviews: 9 Feb & 6 July, 1997) and quote from her letters to Bukowski held at UCSB, with her kind permission.

Details of Bukowski's problems with his De Longpre neighbors are from various unpublished letters he wrote to Harold Norse. The letters are at Temple University, Philadelphia.

I referred to original copies of the p.o.r.nographic magazines Bukowski wrote for. They are at the University of Arizona, Tucson. The archive at UCSB contains a letter from the editor of Fling to Bukowski (26 June, 1971).

I interviewed Carl Weissner (7 Mar&10 Aug, 1997) regarding the translation of Notes of a Dirty Old Man and its publication in Germany. The section about the fake Henry Miller quote, and the quoted Bukowski letter, is from Living on Luck.

Details of Bukowski's applications to the National Endowment for the Arts are from correspondence at UCSB. The quote, 'I thought the life of a writer ...', is from a 1 Sept, 1970, letter from Bukowski to Neeli Cherkovski, published in Living on Luck.

The extract from 'Another Academy' is from A New Year's Gift for the Friends of Black Sparrow Press.

8 LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Bukowski's relations.h.i.+p with Linda King is primarily based on my interviews with Linda King conducted on various dates in 1996 and 1997, and our correspondence. Linda kindly made available her previously unpublished correspondence with Bukowski, her collection of artwork, magazines, and photographs. Extracts from her love letters to Bukowski appear with her permission. (NB: The letter from Bukowski to Linda about picking up a man on the way home has been lost, but Linda's reply of 7 May, 1971, reads, in part: 'I hope you had a good time with your h.o.m.os.e.xual pick-up ...') For additional background, I consulted the previously unpublished BukowskiKing correspondence at UCSB; and the article, 'Bukowski', written by Linda King and published in Small Press Review (May, 1973). The reference to the unpublished Bukowski poem, 'I have eaten your c.u.n.t like a peach', is from this article. I also referred to my interviews with Neeli Cherkovski, John Martin and Steve Richmond; to Bukowski's unpublished correspondence with Richmond; and to a previously unpublished letter dated 14 June, 1976, from Linda King to John Martin listing all the times Bukowski had been violent towards her.

For additional background information for the early part of the chapter, I referred to An Anthology of LA Poets (Laugh Literary/Red Hill Press, 1972); Me and Your Sometimes Love Poems; Women; and back issues of Open City and the LA Free Press which are on microfiche at UCLA.

The Gerald Locklin review of Post Office was published in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on 18 Mar, 1971.

The poem by Linda King, 'How Long (for C. B.)', appears with her kind permission.

9 WOMEN.

Bukowski's relations.h.i.+p with Liza Williams is based on my interviews with Liza conducted on 22 Feb & 25 June, 1997. Liza made available a photograph alb.u.m of the Catalina holiday, which provided useful background information. Additional background came from Bukowski's unpublished letters to Linda King, and letters published in Living on Luck.

The primary source for the death of Jon Webb were my interviews with Gypsy Lou Webb. Ed Blair supplied useful background information and a copy of the June and Clyde story which appeared in the LA Free Press on 14 April, 1972. The Gypsy Lou quotes about Jon's ashes are from an article by Liza Williams published in the LA Free Press in 1972, later reprinted in Sure magazine (No. 2, Aug, 1991).

For details about Liza Williams' party, I interviewed guests: Spain Rodriguez (19 July, 1997); Robert Williams (3 April, 1997); and corresponded with R. Crumb (19 Jan & 10 Mar, 1997).

All quotes from Linda King are from my interviews conducted on various dates in 1996 and 1997, and these are the primary sources of all pa.s.sages relating to Bukowski's relations.h.i.+p with Linda. She also made available her unpublished correspondence with Bukowski and the extracts from the following letters: the letter beginning 'I was so happy ...' is dated 21 May, 1972; and the letter beginning 'b.a.s.t.a.r.d Bukowski' is dated 30 May, 1972.

Quotes from Marina Bukowski are from my interview with her on 21 July, 1997.

The section about the Silver Lake party is based on my interviews with Linda King, and the following guests: John Bennett and Marty Balin (as detailed in the Source Note to the Prologue); Brad Darby (13 Feb & 28 April, 1997); and Tina Darby (7 July, 1997). I also referred to John Bennett's short story, The Party to End All Parties, which appears in The Moth Eaters (Anglefish Press, 1997).

John Martin told me the story about Bukowski and the police who turned out to be fans (21 July, 1997). I spoke to Linda King about the fight which preceded the arrest.

Bukowski's relations.h.i.+p with Joanna Bull was described by Joanna Bull in interviews and correspondence (7, 15 & 27 Mar, 1997). Joanna also made available her unpublished correspondence with Bukowski.

Bukowski's trip to Utah is based on my interviews with Linda King and her sister, Gerry King (5 Jan, 1997). I also referred to Bukowski's published letters in Living on Luck and his writings in Women.

The screening of Taylor Hackford's doc.u.mentary, Bukowski, was based on my interviews with Neeli Cherkovski; Taylor Hackford (5 Feb, 1997); Linda King; and Jory Sherman. Taylor Hackford was kind enough to screen the film for me at his home in Hollywood. For additional background, I referred to Jory Sherman's chapbook, Friends.h.i.+p Fame and b.e.s.t.i.a.l Myth; and Steve Richmond's book, Spinning Off Bukowski.

Ruth Wantling described Bukowski's visit to Normal, Illinois, the death of William Wantling and her trip to Los Angeles (interviews on various dates in 1996 and 1997). I also spoke with her friend, Victoria Harris (4 Dec, 1996), and interviewed the following: Brad Darby (13 Feb, 1997); Tina Darby (7 July, 1997); and Steve Richmond (8 Nov, 1996). Additional information is from Bukowski's unpublished correspondence with William and Ruth Wantling, held at UCSB, and Bukowski's unpublished correspondence with John Bennett, held at Brown University, Philadelphia. I also referred to microfiches of the LA Free Press at UCLA; and to A.D. Winans' book, The Charles Bukowski/Second Coming Years.

The poem, 'cooperation', is from Play The Piano Drunk/Like a Percussion Instrument Until/The Fingers Begin to Bleed a Bit. The poem, 'trouble with spain', is from Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame. The poem, 'the icecream people', was first published in the New York Quarterly (No. 14/Spring, 1973) and has never previously been published in a book. The extract appears here by permission of Black Sparrow Press.

10 GETTING FAMOUS.

The Santa Cruz reading is based on my correspondence with the late Allen Ginsberg (23 Sept, 1996), and on an article by Ric Reynolds in the 6 Dec, 1974, issue of the Berkeley Barb.

The information that Bukowski was invited to the Naropa Inst.i.tute comes from a 18 Oct, 1978, letter from Ginsberg to Bukowski which is held at UCSB, and Bukowski's reply declining the invitation. Harold Norse told me about Bukowski's meeting with William Burroughs (13 Dec, 1996).

Regarding the Sartre/Genet quotation about Bukowski being the best poet in America, John Martin initially referred me to Esquire magazine where he believed it first appeared. I also referred to the 17 June, 1976, issue of Rolling Stone magazine, where the claim was made. The staff at Esquire searched their archives, but found nothing. I then contacted international Sartre and Genet scholars starting with Professor Malcolm Bowie at Oxford University, England, who consulted his colleagues in Britain and the United States, none of whom knew about the quotation. Dr Jean-Pierre Boule, secretary of the UK Society for Sartrean Studies, took my enquiry to the 1997 Sartre convention in Paris, France, but no one was aware of a connection between Sartre and Bukowski. Edmund White, author of Genet, knew nothing about an a.s.sociation with Genet. Albert Dichy, director of the Genet archive in Paris, was firmly of the opinion Genet had said no such thing (11 June, 1997). In an interview with John Martin in Santa Rosa on 21 July, 1997, he agreed the quotation was no more than apocryphal.

The Bukowski quote, 'I look around ...', and details about Bukowski's meeting with Raymond Carver are from Donald McRae's interview with Bukowski published in the Guardian newspaper, London, on 14 Dec, 1991. I also corresponded with Carver's widow, Tess Gallagher (18 Dec, 1997). Lines from 'You Don't Know What Love Is' come from Fires: Essays, Poems, Stories by Raymond Carver, first published in Great Britain in 1985 by Collins Harvill, copyright 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 by Tess Gallagher. Reproduced by permission of The Harvill Press.

Bukowski's Santa Barbara reading was described by John Martin (21 July, 1997) and club owner Claire Rabe (6 & 22 Mar, 1997). I also referred to an article in the Santa Barbara News & Review (24 Oct, 1975).

Bukowski's comments about the inspiration for Factotum are from an interview he gave to Robert Wennersten of London magazine, reprinted in Zoot magazine (June, 1996). I also quoted from Richard Elman's review of Factotum which appeared in the New York Times on 8 Aug, 1976; and referred to the 1989 Penguin edition of George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London.

The Bukowski quote, 'My writing has no meaning ...', is from Bukowski's interview with Hustler magazine (Dec, 1976), as are his comments about The Fiend.

Details about Bukowski's payment by Hustler is from a 18 May, 1976, letter from the managing editor of Hustler to Bukowski. It is on file at UCSB. All comments from John Martin are from interviews with the author.

Tina and Brad Darby described life at Carlton Way in interviews on various dates between Feb and July, 1997. I also corresponded with Bob Lind (1 June, 1997) and interviewed Bob Lind (8 Oct, 1997).

The section about Bukowski's friends.h.i.+p with George Di Caprio is from my 28 July, 1997, interview with George Di Caprio.

Linda King described her break-up with Bukowski in interviews and correspondence on various dates in 1996 and 1997. I referred to her previously unpublished 14 June, 1976, letter to John Martin. I also spoke to Tina Darby; referred to Women; and Bukowski's letters in Living on Luck.

The primary source for the section about Pamela Miller (aka Cupcakes) are my interviews with Pamela (6 & 25 July, 1997). I also referred to letters published in Living on Luck.

The poems, 'one for the shoes.h.i.+ne man', 'how come you're not unlisted?', and 'huge ear rings' are from Love Is a Dog from h.e.l.l. The Fiend is from The Most Beautiful Woman in Town: copyright 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1983 by Charles Bukowski. Reprinted by permission of City Lights Books.

11 RED DEATH SUNSET BLOOD GLORY GALS.

Pamela Miller (aka Cupcakes) described her meeting with Bukowski and their subsequent affair (25 June & 6 July, 1997). The notes Bukowski left at her apartment are taken from Living on Luck. I referred to Pamela's original inscribed copy of Scarlet; to Women and Love Is a Dog From h.e.l.l.

The New York reading was described by Pamela Miller. I also consulted my interview with Gerard Malanga (18 Dec, 1996). Additional background came from reviews of the reading that appeared in Dodeca magazine (Aug, 1976) by Tom Jackrell, and The Drummer magazine (6 July, 1976) by Louise Simons; and from Bukowski's own writings in Love Is a Dog from h.e.l.l and Women.

Background about Bukowski's other affairs and correspondence with women fans are from the following sources: my interview with Amber O'Neil (23 Mar, 1997); interviews and correspondence with Jane Manhattan (7 & 14 Mar, and 14 Aug, 1997); and interviews and correspondence with Jo Jo Planteen (423 Mar, 1997). Amber O'Neil allowed me to quote from her self-published chapbook, Blowing My Hero. I also referred to her unpublished correspondence with Bukowski. Jo Jo Planteen allowed me to read her unpublished correspondence with Bukowski. I consulted Bukowski's general correspondence on file at the University of Arizona; and letters in Living on Luck.

Bukowski's relations.h.i.+p with A.D. Winans' girlfriend is based on details that appear in Winans' book, The Charles Bukowski/Second Coming Years; from my 7 July, 1997, interview with Winans; and from Bukowski's unpublished correspondence with Winans, collected at Brown University, Philadelphia.

All quotes from John Martin, including the story about the two Dutch girls, are from my interviews with Martin.

The exchange between Bukowski and his mail man is from Barbet Schroeder's The Charles Bukowski Tapes.

All quotes from Linda Lee Bukowski (nee Beighle) are from my 25 Oct, 1996, interview with Linda Lee. I also interviewed Joan Smith (26 July, 1997). Background information on Linda Lee's early relations.h.i.+p with Bukowski is taken from the following sources: Bukowski's published correspondence in Living on Luck; his correspondence with Amber O'Neil, published in Blowing My Hero; his unpublished correspondence with a confidential source; his unpublished correspondence with Jo Jo Planteen, Linda Lee's contribution to the doc.u.mentary The Ordinary Madness of Charles Bukowski; Linda Lee's 1985 Certificate of Registry of Marriage; pages 253254 of Hank by Neeli Cherkovski; my interviews with Pamela Miller; the unpublished BeighleBukowski correspondence at the University of Arizona; and, at Linda Lee's suggestion, Bukowski's fictionalized account of their meeting as published in Women.

I am grateful to the staff of The Musso & Frank Grill in Hollywood, and especially to barman Ruben Rueda whom I interviewed there on 2 Jan, 1997.

Details of Bukowski's last meeting with Linda King are based on my interviews with Linda King on various dates between 1996 and 1997.

I also consulted Thomas Schmitt's 1976 doc.u.mentary, Charles Bukowski East Hollywood.

The extracts from Bukowski's letters to Cupcakes and Carl Weissner are from Living on Luck.

The poems, 'i made a mistake', 'liberty', 'a stethoscope case' and 'the retreat' are published in Love is a Dog from h.e.l.l. The poem, 'i am a reasonable man', appears in Dangling in the Tournefortia. The poem, 'the shower', appears in Mockingbird Wish Me Luck.

12 EUROPEAN SON.

Bukowski's publis.h.i.+ng history in Germany was described by Carl Weissner in interviews (56 Mar & 10 Aug, 1997).

I interviewed Michael Montfort on 23 July, 1997, and referred to his limited edition book, Bukowski (Photographs 19771987).

Montfort and Weissner described the Hamburg reading. For additional background, I referred to Shakespeare Never Did This, and to audio and video recordings of the Hamburg reading.