DIG THIS WITH BILL MESNIK AND RICH BUCKLAND- THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS

Rich Buckland and Bill Mesnik
  • 4.8 (18)
  • Music
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My Fellow Americans, Life is actually just a microscopic, deluded moment in time, so let's cut to the freakin' chase. One look at our impending election debacle can solidify my case. It has been my contention since birth, that the answer to every difficulty we encounter on this sacred yet demented Stone, can be revealed with ultimate clarity through the ultra neurotic engagements of Music, Art, Literature, Film, Poetry and a good Pastrami sandwich. Why would any sane human spend so must time on a film set (Do you know how long you gotta wait until your 8 second deliverance of an edited beyond repair line gets a chance to become a professional embarrassment etched in time forever? ) or expend so much energy in a recording studio, piecing together another ode to a man or woman who could not care less how much love existed within your digestive tract? It's all about hymns and prayers and a quest for mercy and forgiveness and silence and faith. We were blessed with Charles Bukowski,  Gene Chandler, Lenny Bruce, Mitch Ryder and a legion of creative explorers whose influences provided the air we breathe.  So Let's Dance! This site shall explore the reaper, find a way to disarm the stench of injustice, discover some true loves and talk it all over before it's all over. So what's the worst that our desires could produce? Failure? So sue me. I'm going to require your assistance in making as much trouble for the grown-ups as possible. Let the record show that my childish heart yearns to disrupt the madness. Join me Ladies and Germs! With Gratitude For Gena Rowlands, Nancy Sinatra, Jerry Quarry, Leo Gorcey, Arthur Alexander and Joey Heatherton, Your Splendid Bohemian, Rich Buckland.

  1. 2d ago

    THE MIGHTY MEZ OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS ASKS THE I CHING: "HOW CAN I OVERCOME RESENTMENTS DURING PTSD?" THE ANSWER, THOUGH OBSCURE, POINTS THE WAY... MEZ MULLS IT OVER, ALONG WITH DREAMS AND SONGS.

    Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a pervasive topic of conversation these days, and recently it’s been on my mind a lot as I endeavor to move past grief. It’s been over 5 years since my life partner departed suddenly - so suddenly that when it was happening, and for a long time after, I completely denied its reality. We know that death comes for us all, and no matter what age you are it’s probably best to prepare yourself, to make friends with the Reaper, and get ready to surrender to his scythe - (I heard that George Harrison used to rehearse his passing); Sarah Bernhardt slept in a coffin… but, very few of us are truly prepared, even at some pretty advanced ages - my father wasn’t reconciled to his fate even when it came at 96. The last phone conversation we had as he waited to be seen at the emergency room was fraught with annoyed bewilderment at being held there against his will. It seems to be the primary topic of conversation that Rich and I are apt to discuss on any given day, and he has expressed frustration at my reticence to volunteer the dour details of my slide towards the inevitable, but really, why harp on it? Why dwell on the depressing aspects of life while you can still laugh ironically at those same concerns? Eat, drink, and be merry, I say. Of course, if you have to constantly watch your sodium and cholesterol while considering the lethal effects of the cocktail you’re sipping, your options for fun will be limited.  Anyway, back to PTSD… This week it’s been front and center of my consciousness because I recently consumed two items of popular culture that feature it - one 60 years old, the other recently released - namely, Rod Serling’s short lived 1965 television series, The Loner, starring Lloyd Bridges, and Christopher Nolan’s freshly minted sword and sandal epic, The Odyssey. In both, the main character struggles with PTSD - Bridges’ character in the aftermath of the Civil War, and Odysseus from his part in the atrocities recounted in the Iliad. Both men have experienced horrific and emotionally crippling events; they roam vistas rife with unremitting violence, and long to find home.  Rod Serling transplanted his WW2 experiences to the Western genre, and audiences weren’t ready for it’s moral meditations, ill suited to an escapist medium. Regarding the Odyssey, Jon Stewart has reflected that it seems like a sequel to Oppenheimer, Nolan’s rueful depiction of that protagonist’s bequest of a doomsday weapon to arm mankind with the power to destroy itself.  Echoes of PTSD resound everywhere - inside each of us, in the chaos all around, and throughout our popular culture. And, today I asked the oracle how to find peace with it.  QUESTION: HOW CAN I OVERCOME RESENTMENT? The Oracle answered with Hexagrams 51  (Provoking), and 31 (Cutting) Let’s examine those, along with  a dream diary passage, and  a song, “Cairns” composed during that time… Chemayne used to collect stones that appealed to her. She would then cover them in varnish to make them glisten. After she died there were tons of them, and I started giving them away as gifts. One friend was so taken with them that he took a bunch and built some amazing cairns, a term which I hadn’t been familiar with, but which filled me with hope and pride for their future home.  The following song “Cairns” evokes that appreciation.  CAIRNS (Bill Mesnik) Stones banded by layers of time Stacking stone upon stone upon stone Creates a monument A tower sublime Marking time These cairns of stone Chorus: Fly away through Arches in the desert To a windswept morning beach Where the sun glistens on the pebbles As you soar Swiftly Out of reach  You left no lost communication Before your flight to the unknown Just some orphans With no destination Lying lonely in our home I’ll stack stone upon stone upon stone And mark the trail of time For some wanderer  To wonder on Who left this cairn behind?

    THE MIGHTY MEZ OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS ASKS THE I CHING: "HOW CAN I OVERCOME RESENTMENTS DURING PTSD?" THE ANSWER, THOUGH OBSCURE, POINTS THE WAY... MEZ MULLS IT OVER, ALONG WITH DREAMS AND SONGS.

  2. 6d ago

    BUCK OWENS AND DWIGHT YOAKAM, PTS 1&2: BILL AND RICH, THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS EXPLORE SOME OF THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE BAKERSFIELD SOUND'S SPIRITUAL FATHER AND SON IN THIS "DIG THIS" REWIND.

    Buck Owens (August 12, 1929 – March 25, 2006), and Dwight Yoakam (b. October 23, 1956) :  two master navigators of a very unique tributary along the stream of popular music, inspired and learned from each other - one, being the progenitor of the "Bakersfield Sound", and the other his adopted musical progeny. "The Streets of Bakersfield," originally recorded by Buck Owens in 1973, was revived as a duet between the two men in 1988, becoming  a chart hit and a popular video.      Buck, whose career had gone dark after losing his friend and musical partner, Don Rich in 1974, was sparked back to life when Dwight came into his life.  Here Bill and Rich attempt to connect some of the musical catalogue and biographical dots  of these two musical giants.

    BUCK OWENS AND DWIGHT YOAKAM, PTS 1&2: BILL AND RICH, THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS EXPLORE SOME OF THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE BAKERSFIELD SOUND'S SPIRITUAL FATHER AND SON IN THIS "DIG THIS" REWIND.

  3. Jul 26

    THE MIGHTY MEZ OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS INVITES YOU TO UNRAVEL THE THREADS AND MYSTERIES OF LIFE, DREAMS, SONG, AND SPIRITUAL PARABLE IN THIS I CHING EPISODE #4.

    Inspired by the clear and evocative 1985 translation of the I CHING,  by Kerson and Rosemary Huang - a team of a poet and physicist-poet, I kept a diary of musical interpretations of hexagrams which appeared to me when I consulted the oracle over the course of a year. HEXAGRAM 33: RETREAT (Bill Mesnik) "Form is transitory, acquiescing in the flow" I'm yielding to the circumstances, being still and letting go, open to the transformation - going with the flow. I'm gone with the flow in the grip of the tide I don't know - nobody knows if I'll see you on the flip side. What we see ain't what we get, it's not under our control -  the tide surges up, then leaves us flat in the midnight coaster roll What's the point in making scenes, or, inscribing your little name in stone, When the tide surges up and the beach is swept clean into endless, timeless unknown? I'm gone with the tide in the grip of the flow - Whether or not I'll be purified well, I just don't know. HEXAGRAM 42: INCREASE (Bill Mesnik) "The time of increase does not endure, therefore it must be utilized while it lasts." One hand strengthens the other; on the other hand, I might fall. Could you lend a hand, my brother?  I don't have much, but I could lose it all. I'll follow your instructions; you seem to know the way, I played right through the harvest, now my stores are empty at the dark of the day.  I heard warnings about the future, but I turned the other way, music soothed my apprehension, and my passions held sway. Now I'm looking for a harbor, and I saw your firelight. Might I bide awhile in your cabin to pass away the dampening night? HEXAGRAM 13: WATCHING (Bill Mesnik) I'm watching - watching... letting things play out in time Although I'm invested in the outcome, I'm just watching, and trailing behind. In the dawn - the anxious dawn... before the pulse of the day, Should it come to pass the shadows grip you, you may not be able to have a say.  We are travelers - fond travelers sharing this path for a mile, Although I may want to protect you, we'll only be together a little while. So, I'm watching, watching... letting things play out in time. although I'm invested in the outcome, I'm just watching, and trailing behind.

    THE MIGHTY MEZ OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS INVITES YOU TO UNRAVEL THE THREADS AND MYSTERIES OF LIFE, DREAMS, SONG, AND SPIRITUAL PARABLE IN THIS I CHING EPISODE #4.

  4. Jul 22

    "PUT ON A STACK OF 45's" - GERRY RAFFERTY - "BAKER STREET" - Featuring The Splendid Bohemians, Rich Buckland and Bill Mesnik - A CLASSIC SONG POWERED BY AN IMMORTAL SAXOPHONE RIFF!

    The story of Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street" has it all: a troubled, ambivalent creator, an unforgettable sax riff whose ownership has spawned controversy for almost 50 years, and a mysterious, compelling lyric. One of Scotland's leading artistic lights, Rafferty, who started as partner to the beloved comedian Billy Connolly in The Humblebums, went on the wow the world with Stealer's Wheel's irresistible mega-hit "Stuck in the middle with you, before torpedoing that early success. He refused to tour, and after going solo, became increasingly withdrawn into an alcoholic death-spiral, which ended with his death at age 63.     Bill and Rich, The Splendid Bohemians relate the story as only they can - with reverence, tempered with their unique perspective. Take a walk with us down BAKER STREET.

    "PUT ON A STACK OF 45's" - GERRY RAFFERTY - "BAKER STREET" - Featuring The Splendid Bohemians, Rich Buckland and Bill Mesnik - A CLASSIC SONG POWERED BY AN IMMORTAL SAXOPHONE RIFF!

  5. Jul 16

    THE MIGHTY MEZ OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS TESTIFIES AS TO THE STRANGE COINCIDENCE OF LIFE, DREAMS, MUSIC, AND FORTUNE-TELLING: HEXAGRAMS 62 & 52 TELL THE TALE.

    Hexagram 52: THE ARTIFICIAL DARK (Bill Mesnik) The bird sings in his cage, His song sounds full of rage. I’ll cover him up - and he’s silent, Asleep in the artificial dark. This wine is the color of blood, It releases its dreams in a flood, I’ll sleep for awhile and be silent Awash in the artificial dark. Hexagram 62: THUNDER OVER MOUNTAIN (Bill Mesnik) Thunder over mountain - fire in my soul Holding steady, keeping quiet, Trying to stay whole. Burrowed in the mountain, Waiting out the storm, Fighting the urge to run away, Trying to stay warm…. Time heals all wounds, Time steals all… Thunder on the mountain… Listen to the squall. As the flames roar up into the heavens I’m rolled up in a ball. Keep your shit together, Morning’s coming soon. Patience - all will be rewarded With the setting of the moon. Time heals all wounds, Time steals all.

    THE MIGHTY MEZ OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS TESTIFIES AS TO THE STRANGE COINCIDENCE OF LIFE, DREAMS, MUSIC, AND FORTUNE-TELLING: HEXAGRAMS 62 & 52 TELL THE TALE.

  6. Jul 10

    "PUT ON A STACK OF 45's- THE VANGUARD RECORDS STORY - FEATURING " THE ROOFTOP SINGERS "WALK RIGHT IN"- Dig This With The Splendid Bohemians - Featuring Rich Buckland and Bill Mesnik -The Boys Devote Each Episode To A Famed 45 RPM and It's Import

    Vanguard Records is best known for its eclectic catalog of pivotal jazz, folk, rock and blues recordings by iconic artists like Joan Baez, Linda Ronstadt, Buddy Guy, Charlie Musselwhite, John Fahey, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Doc Watson, Country Joe and the Fish and countless others. Most recently, Vanguard has carried forward the label's legacy of artistic excellence with a diverse roster including Barenaked Ladies, Indigo Girls, O.A.R. and Collective Soul. Riding the tail end of the popular boom of  commercialized  Folk Music, Vanguard's unexpected mega-hit "Walk Right In" soared to the top of the pop chart.  Looking for a long forgotten treasure to mine, Erik Darling and Bill Svanoe, doing what many had done before them, updated an old string band tune, composed by Gus Cannon and recorded with his Jug Stompers in 1929. They arranged it for TWO 12-String guitars (one of which, a leftie model, had to be specially constructed  for Bill), and adding the mellifluous tones of Lynne Taylor to complete the trio, the magic concoction was brewed to MOR perfection. And, just in time for Gus Cannon, too!  He had recently pawned his banjo to pay his heating bill, and the royalties and national recognition breathed new life into a long dormant career.

    "PUT ON A STACK OF 45's- THE VANGUARD RECORDS STORY - FEATURING " THE ROOFTOP SINGERS "WALK RIGHT IN"- Dig This With The Splendid Bohemians - Featuring Rich Buckland and Bill Mesnik -The Boys Devote Each Episode To A Famed 45 RPM and It's Import

  7. Jul 10

    A Dig This Special Presentation: The Mothers Of Invention- "Paralipomeni della Batracomiomachia" -Paris, 1970 -The group's highly exploratory, humorous, progressive Rock and Jazz-fusion sound during this era. W/ Flo & Eddie,Jean Luc Ponty & Aynsley Dunb

    The Mothers Of Invention- Paralipomeni Della Batracomiomachia  Paris- 1970 The December 1970 Paris gig was a standout date during their European tour. The setlist included iconic Zappa tracks and heavy improvisations like "Dog Breath," "A Pound for a Brown on the Bus," and "Call Any Vegetable". The band featured an incredible lineup that included:Frank Zappa (Guitar/Vocals)Mark Volman & Howard Kaylan (better known as Flo & Eddie)Ian Underwood (Keyboards/Woodwinds)Jeff Simmons (Bass)Aynsley Dunbar (Drums) Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention performed this legendary concert at the Gaumont-Palace in Paris, France on December 15, 1970. The show famously featured renowned French jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty Batracomiomachia: Translates from Ancient Greek as the "Battle of the Frogs and Mice" (a classical comic epic parodying the Iliad).Paralipomeni: An Italian term for an appendix, sequel, or "things left out". The Italian poet Giacomo Leopardi wrote a famous satirical continuation titled Paralipomeni della Batracomiomachia in 1831. 1 |  | Penis Dimention | 11:26 2 |  | The Air | 3:53 3 |  | The Dog Breath / Mother People | 4:23 4 |  | You Didn't Try To Call Me | 3:34 5 |  | King Kong | 32:41 6 |  | Who Are The Brain Police? | 6:32

    A Dig This Special Presentation: The Mothers Of Invention- "Paralipomeni della Batracomiomachia" -Paris, 1970 -The group's highly exploratory, humorous, progressive Rock and Jazz-fusion sound during this era. W/ Flo & Eddie,Jean Luc Ponty & Aynsley Dunb

  8. Jul 9

    THE MIGHTY MEZ OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS OFFERS THREE MORE HEXAGRAMS FROM THE I CHING, ALONG WITH SONGS, DREAMS, AND DIARY ENTRIES, ALL IN A DIALOGUE WITH THE ORACLE.

    Inspired by the clear and evocative 1985 translation of the I CHING,  by Kerson and Rosemary Huang - a team of a poet and physicist-poet, I kept a diary of musical interpretations of hexagrams which appeared to me when I consulted the oracle over the course of a year. The result was the album "9 Hexagrams," three of which I offer here. #44 : RENDEZ-VOUS (HEAVEN OVER WIND) / “Persevere” (Bill Mesnik) It’s a dangerous hour when darkness reappears, And a sudden shower of your fears drowns your dreams, chokes your screams, Persevere! Judge not, lest ye be judged, and lead me not Into temptation… Persevere! through the dangerous hour, when I’ve lost my will When my soul is sour, and hope is nil Find the will, Forge the will,Crawl uphill — Persevere! #35: ADVANCE (FIRE OVER EARTH) / “Desire” (Bill Mesnik) I want what’s on the shelf, I kill myself… I pray upon my knees, I crave release. I’ll change my point of view, Each day is new. The pull begins again, Desire has no end. I want your every part, I kill my heart. #24: RETURNING (EARTH OVER THUNDER) / “Echoes” (Bill Mesnik) Echoes are echoing from deep in the ground, Churning, turning all around, As far as I’ve come, I’ve come back around, I’m hearing the sound of echoes, echoing from under the ground. Shadows are shadowing from the room down the hall, Dancing, glancing off the wall. Every step that I take, I answer the call  Of shadows shadowing in the room down the hall. Whispers, whispering from the waiting grave Thrill me, will me to be brave, Each moment arrives in a rush like a wave, It’s the rush that I crave As whispers are whispering from the waiting grave.

    THE MIGHTY MEZ OF THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS OFFERS THREE MORE HEXAGRAMS FROM THE I CHING, ALONG WITH SONGS, DREAMS, AND DIARY ENTRIES, ALL IN A DIALOGUE WITH THE ORACLE.
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About

My Fellow Americans, Life is actually just a microscopic, deluded moment in time, so let's cut to the freakin' chase. One look at our impending election debacle can solidify my case. It has been my contention since birth, that the answer to every difficulty we encounter on this sacred yet demented Stone, can be revealed with ultimate clarity through the ultra neurotic engagements of Music, Art, Literature, Film, Poetry and a good Pastrami sandwich. Why would any sane human spend so must time on a film set (Do you know how long you gotta wait until your 8 second deliverance of an edited beyond repair line gets a chance to become a professional embarrassment etched in time forever? ) or expend so much energy in a recording studio, piecing together another ode to a man or woman who could not care less how much love existed within your digestive tract? It's all about hymns and prayers and a quest for mercy and forgiveness and silence and faith. We were blessed with Charles Bukowski,  Gene Chandler, Lenny Bruce, Mitch Ryder and a legion of creative explorers whose influences provided the air we breathe.  So Let's Dance! This site shall explore the reaper, find a way to disarm the stench of injustice, discover some true loves and talk it all over before it's all over. So what's the worst that our desires could produce? Failure? So sue me. I'm going to require your assistance in making as much trouble for the grown-ups as possible. Let the record show that my childish heart yearns to disrupt the madness. Join me Ladies and Germs! With Gratitude For Gena Rowlands, Nancy Sinatra, Jerry Quarry, Leo Gorcey, Arthur Alexander and Joey Heatherton, Your Splendid Bohemian, Rich Buckland.

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