Search - Charles Bukowski :: Neither Bought for Gold Nor to

Another possible rip-off

Stephan Dulka | 03/30/2000

(1 out of 5 stars)

"A possible rip-off, although this time it's a CD and not a memoir. This import CD has a great title and great packaging. You want it to add something to Bukowskiana. Opening the vinyl packaging fills one with anticipation. It looks good, but alas, what you get is a silly documentary of Buk's life narrated by someone sounding very much like a posh twit. The sound bites of Bukowski are poorly recorded, virtually inaudible and laughingly inserted in all the wrong places. The liner notes on the back of the CD contain misinformation about a quote attributed to Jean-Paul Sartre. It is common knowledge to all Buk fans that there is no record of any such quote anywhere. What were the producers thinking? A much better CD is the easily available "HOSTAGE". This is an unedited recording of a Bukowski reading without any silly commentary or ludicrous 'background' music. Hostage is raw and pure Bukowski. "Neither Bought For Gold, Nor To The Devil Sold is a waste of time."

Neither Buy With Your Money Or You Will Get Shafted

John J. Martinez | Chicago, Illinois United States | 02/20/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If you're not careful, you'll soon find out in "Neither Bought For Gold, Nor To The Devil Sold" that you're caught.



I bought this with the idea that it might contain new nuggets of Buk audio, like the previous purchases "King Of Poets" or even "At Terror Street and Agony Way."



Ah, was I wrong. This over-an-hour long "retrospective" is told in a rigid biographical style, and to be blunt, it was DULL. Oh God, was it DULL.



If you want the true skinny on Buk, read "Run With The Hunted" or the new bio, "Charles Bukowski: Locked In The Arms Of A Crazy Life", by Howard Sounes.



I expected new revelations, there were none. I expected new poems or explosive words by Buk, and instead there were these old recordings of the foreign press interviewing him, and badly.



(I have to admit, whoever Enlightenment Records is, they have put together a really nice slick package, with a 16 page booklet enclosed and a brief and very general book bio as well. I like how it LOOKED, anyway.)



Now to the background music. The repetitive pseudo-jazz 'mood' music by "The Magic Dragon" is ANNOYINGLY present throughout the ENTIRE CD, and it reminds me of some vintage 1970's vintage porn music. It was everywhere, and it bothered me A LOT.



Other than the packaging, there isn't much else as far as real substance I can recommend, sorry to say. There are a few times when Buk speaks, but it sounded so out of place in this schlockfest.



Normally, imports don't disappoint, because they are less restrained and put in a lot of previously unheard recordings, music, etc. in their records or videos. This CD seems to have been unconciously designed for one purpose: to trap loyal Buk readers and collectors into believing that this was worth the price they're going to pay for pretty much almost nothing.



Now I am a great follower of the poetry of Buk, and I own quite a bit of it, and I would NEVER, NEVER knock the efforts of someone to present Bukowski to the world, but I can't stand idly by while something like this is out there.



But, I got stuck. Be wary of it if you consider purchasing it too."