Nick Cave called the late poet and writer Charles Bukowski “a bukkake of bad poetry.”
Cave was responding to a comment on his Red Hand Files blog, in which a fan wrote: “Not a question, but a statement. In my opinion, you are one of the bonzerist cranks, like Bukowski with a guitar. Thank you, Mr. Cave.
The Bad Seeds singer replied that he doesn’t like being compared to Bukowski: “I appreciate that you tried to be kind and make me feel good and all that, but I don’t like this person. This is a well-known fact.”
He continued: “Now, if you were to call me, say, “Philip Larkin from Joanna,” or “Stevie Smith from Ivories,” or “All Singing, All Dancing John Berryman,” or “Langston Hughes from Banger.” I would be much happier. But, I don’t know, Simon, I just don’t like Charles Bukowski. In my opinion, Charles Bukowski is a “bad poetry bookcake” who just throws his junk around. I don’t like him. I just don’t know. Even a little. No, not at all.”
In the track Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds “We Call Upon The Author” Cave sings great: “Prolix! Prolix! / Something can be fixed with scissors / Bukowski was a jerk! / Berriman was the best!”
In addition to the lyrics of “We Call Upon The Author”, Cave has clearly expressed his feelings for Bukowski over the years. In another Red Hand Files post from 2021 , a fan wrote: “In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, I read that you said, ‘They should stop reading Bukowski, and they should stop listening to people who tell them to read Bukowski’… I always wonder why you consider him like that.”
Cave responded by noting that he has no problem with Bukowski, “except that I think his poetry sucks.”
He added, “He once said that poetry is ‘like taking shit, smelling it, and then washing it off… writing means leaving behind as much stink as possible,’ and that’s very good, except I think he’s applying that to all poetry.” when he had to apply it exclusively to his own poetry.
“His poems are really clueless — stupid shit — and sickly sentimental about his own place in the world, which he treated with absolute contempt. His particular view of humanity as an abomination that is difficult for me to digest, especially in poetry, beautiful poetry, love of life and the world that I am.”
Elsewhere last month, Cave was contacted by 13-year-old Ruben from Melbourne, Australia, who asked him for advice on the Red Hand Files blog on how to “live life to the fullest” when there is “so much hatred and disunity” around. “in the world.
“Soak up all the wealth of the world, and goodness, and fun, and genius, so that when someone tells you that it’s not worth fighting for, you stand up for him, protect him, run to his defense, because this is your world, they say, and then watch how the world continues to pour out on you as a sign of gratitude,” he said.
“A smart little vampire, full of raging love, amazed by the world — it will be you, my young friend, the earth is shaking at your feet. Love, Nick.”
