Ok. I'm scared.

Father Luke

Father Luke

Founding member
Opera Meets Skid Row featuring Bukowski poetry

Awright.

I wrote to Valerian and asked him about the rights he purchased.

For those wishing to do similar (I have a gun, now. be advised) ...(granted it's
a potato gun, but I'm pretty accurate) according to Valerian the rights to
perform the poems cost a meager 75 american dollars for each poem. I
put the meager in the sentence, not Krinski. This permission he obtained from
the publisher. That's according to Valerian.

There have been not just one thread about this question, i.e. how do I go
about getting the rights to ass rape bukowski and use his works for blah, blah
blah... I won't suggest a F.A.Q. 'cause then I'd feel obligated in some way,
but there it is, steraight from the grand Old Aw-per-ah's mouth.

What gets me is how much the old man (Bukowski) loved classical music.
Let your imaginations go from there.

And that's about all I got in this department.
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
That $75 per poem had to be based on the perceived commercial potential of the recording. I can't imagine the price would be the same for some cookie cutter million seller out there.

I asked VALERIAN how many copies of the recording he has sold, he didn't respond. Maybe it was the way I asked; "Not counting orders from your family and known masochists, how many of the Bukowski song CDs have you sold?"

Now that I look at it, that's probably why he didn't answer my other questions too...
 
roni

roni

mjp said:
... because people mistook me for this guy
Click to expand...

What??? You AREN'T that guy???
I feel screwd now! All these awesome, hillarious Michael-Phillips-books, on my shelf I bought in hope to meet you personally one day and make you sign them! You weren't the author? So Who are you?
 
Black Swan

Black Swan

Abord the Yorikke!
Please do not shoot me
I was thinking that the fact that an opera singer would choose Bukowski's texts is not such a bad thing. I am not an opera fan but I happen to know a few very cool people who appreciate that form of art

I find it more funny than horrendous.
I think that these musicians are demonstrating a certain courage and a clear appreciation of Buk, no?
Does their work deserve to get entirely blasted?

Anyone?
 
Father Luke

Father Luke

Founding member
Black Swan said:
Please do not shoot me
Click to expand...

You mean the potato gun?

Black Swan said:
I was thinking that the fact that an opera singer would choose Bukowski's texts is not such a bad thing. I am not an opera fan but I happen to know a few very cool people who appreciate that form of art

I find it more funny than horrendous.
I think that these musicians are demonstrating a certain courage and a clear appreciation of Buk, no?
Does their work deserve to get entirely blasted?

Anyone?
Click to expand...

Someone said it in the thread about the Disney Cars. Where there used to be
so little about Bukowski except for Bukowski himself now: toy cars. :eek:

Then again, while Opera was invented to give the rich something to feel, what
would they think about hearing a song about Bukowski cutting off his balls and
flushing them like a couple of apricots?

There is appreciation, and then...
It's a fine line, isn't it?
 
Black Swan

Black Swan

Abord the Yorikke!
Let's say that opera was invented for the rich to feel something does not mean that it can't change.
Think of Buk in his greasy room with his toes coming out of his socks listening to Mahler with a fifth of Grand Dad.
I knew someone who sat in the Chinatowns wherever they were, drunk out of his mind listening to Maria Callas, for years that is
 
Father Luke

Father Luke

Founding member
Father Luke said:
What gets me is how much the old man (Bukowski) loved classical music.
Let your imaginations go from there.

And that's about all I got in this department.
Click to expand...

Black Swan said:
Think of Buk in his greasy room with his toes coming out of his socks listening to Mahler with a fifth of Grand Dad.
Click to expand...

I already did. A few posts before you.

Now think of saturation.
Bukowski beer, for instance.

We could argue the merits of beer, or Bukowski.

Or we can argue that it is a tribute to the man, the life stlye and the ...
you know?

I like having Bukowski's work where I can find it. In his Books and in his poetry
with nothing added, nothing taken away and nothing extra.

He never even removed his warts.
He was 100% Bukowski till the day he died.

I miss him, and Opera isn't going to bring him back.
I can turn to him when I like, in his books, and poetry.

Yes. There are ways to bring him to those whom fate otherwise may not have
touched by him. But isn't it like those little souvenirs they sell of the Eiffel
Tower, and Mickey Mouse?

Bukowski Dolls, with a little stuffing coming out of the ears, and holes in the
socks. A tribute, or?

I believe that those guys may have good intentions. They may also have
selfish intentions. It's not for me to say.

I may say in all honesty that it is not my cupp'a tea.

Dignified poetry.
The first one is called Jam (B U R P )

;)
 
Black Swan

Black Swan

Abord the Yorikke!
Father Luke said:
I already did.
Click to expand...


Was just agreeing with you.

And I too love him as he is

It is just that it fascinates me to see the different types of people that his poetry has reached even if so remote from my standpoint

On Bukowski beer hummm! I'd have to have one...
Bukowski dolls , gross (*X*)
 
Father Luke

Father Luke

Founding member
Well, when the Bukowski cigar ash trays, and the Bukowski beer hit the
market, we can take comfort in knowing that we knew him when...

;)
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
Black Swan said:
I think that these musicians are demonstrating a certain courage and a clear appreciation of Buk, no?
Click to expand...
Whether they appreciate Bukowski or not isn't the issue as far as I'm concerned. I have a problem with people taking art or music or writing that is not theirs and putting their ugly stamp all over it. For $75 you can buy the right to fuck up a work of art? That is bullshit.

Bluebird and whatever other poems Valerian and his crew raped were perfect as they were. Setting them to music - such as it is - does not improve them. It degrades them. Unquestionably.

Also note that this was done after Bukowski was long dead. Once someone is dead you really ought to leave their shit alone. It isn't for Yoko Ono or Rita Marley or Linda Bukowski (or worse yet, Martin, or some lawyer at Ecco) to decide that the dead men's work can be deconstructed and destroyed.





But, you know, I have no strong feelings on the issue either way. ;)
 
TDjazz

TDjazz

Petey said:
You better check out this ass kicking guys:
Click to expand...
Cool song. Great groove.

I emailed Valerian Ruminski and received a heartfelt reply.

I hope others are emailing him. He seems like such a warm fellow, appreciative of the positive comments we're sharing with him.
 
bospress.net

bospress.net

www.bospress.net
TDjazz said:
I emailed Valerian Ruminski and received a heartfelt reply.

I hope others are emailing him. He seems like such a warm fellow, appreciative of the positive comments we're sharing with him.
Click to expand...

Why not post them here for us all to see?
 
TDjazz

TDjazz

Valerian's email

My original email I sent to Valerian:
If Bukowski were alive, he'd slap the crap out of you for butchering his poems with your awful singing.
Stop it, and destroy all the CDs--you shouldn't be making any money off of this.

Valerian's response:
Well, then Bukowski wouldnt mind if I said, " Fuck you!"

My response:
He probably wouldn't mind, but he'd still slap the crap out of you, you pimple.

As you'll notice, he's the one who used the expletive, though "crap" and "pimple" are considered quite rude in certain circles. I'll let you know whether he replies.
 
Father Luke

Father Luke

Founding member
1682030459_7a3fb05299_o.jpg
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
It's kind of funny to me to think that years after this clueless idiot foisted his stinking garbage onto the world, suddenly, out of the blue, he's getting shit from seemingly random people for it. I don't know, it's absurd and funny. To me. Probably not to VALERIAN.

I just had the misfortune of learning that he called the record, Opera Meets Skid Row. That makes me hate it even more than I used to hate it for some reason (if that's possible).

valerianISsatan.jpg


"He is actively involved in recording new music, such as the songs based on the poetry of Charles Bukowski composed by Persis Anne Vehar, for which he received rave reviews in the Los Angeles Times." http://www.naxos.com/artistinfo/6382.htm

"The first six songs of what will be an 18-song cycle premiered in Los Angeles last fall to glowing reviews." http://www.buffalo.edu/UBT/UBT-archives/16_ubtw01/alumni_profiles/profile2.html

Wow, how did I miss the rave and glowing reviews?
 
Bukfan

Bukfan

"The law is wrong; I am right"
LOL...and afterwards we can read Valerians books: Screams From The Opera, Living On Opera and Reach for The Opera...
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
1fsh2fsh said:
do you know how many bottles of wine I could buy with $75??!!
Click to expand...
25 bottles of Charles Shaw at Trader Joe's!

You'll want to kill yourself after the first glass, but on the bright side, you'll only have 149 more glasses to choke down...







VALERIAN is the Charles Shaw of music.
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
With apologies to Father Luke, I did snag a ticket for a more affordable show...


ticket.jpg
 
Bukfan

Bukfan

"The law is wrong; I am right"
At least! I'm sure some sucker on ebay would pay more. After all, it's the only copy in existence...:D
 
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