Charles Luden

Charles Luden's first book of poems, VIRGIN DEATH, appeared in 1977 and was published by Astro Black Books. BAZOOKA 49, NO BANANAS, an experimental book of collaboration poems with David Hellwig, came out in 1979. His best seller is 1986's WEST OF VENUS: Punk Love Poems. Charles drummed in No Direction, an influential punk / alternative rock band from 1982 to early 1989. At the same time, Charles did many readings in the Sioux Falls area and advocated for poetic self-expression. His most...See more

Charles Luden's first book of poems, VIRGIN DEATH, appeared in 1977 and was published by Astro Black Books. BAZOOKA 49, NO BANANAS, an experimental book of collaboration poems with David Hellwig, came out in 1979. His best seller is 1986's WEST OF VENUS: Punk Love Poems. Charles drummed in No Direction, an influential punk / alternative rock band from 1982 to early 1989. At the same time, Charles did many readings in the Sioux Falls area and advocated for poetic self-expression. His most legendary reading was in 1990 at Zandbroz Variety Store in Sioux Falls for the release of the chapbook THE POET ALONE. The crowd was so large he had to read from the mezzanine office ledge dangling his legs in the air while banging on bongos. He gave away 106 copies, one to each member in attendance. From 1996 to 2001 he wrote the biweekly column The Fringe of Literary Decency for the Sioux Falls independent newspaper TEMPEST. In the early 2000's, he gave a series of readings with the jazz band Kind of Blue at Touch of Europe, a basement grotto restaurant and jazz club in Sioux Falls. See less