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

https://www.rpmchallenge.com/

“We work not only to produce but to give value to time.” (Delacroix)

Ten years ago I participated in the RPM Song Challenge: 10 songs in 30 days. I chose the theme of “Time” - (a fertile and elastic subject), for my inventions.  Included here are 4 songs from that creative surge.

It is said that time moves more quickly the older one gets. My brain can’t compute that it’s been ten years since these songs popped into being; It seemed like a speck.

I hadn’t heard these recordings since that time - they had been committed to little mini cards, and salted away in an obscure container. I’ve since moved, and I thought the files had been lost to the sands of…… well, you know.

But, Eureka!  I remembered that I had logged entries into my diary, notating the precise location of each tune: (which card, the sequence of titles, and timings for each). And, they appeared! Talk about foresight, and good time-management… temporarily.

So, in praise of our brief, yet glorious existence on this globe, allow me to share:

1. Time Bends - An instrumental trinket, with one simple lyric stanza. It was created on a Mountain Dulcimer that had been gifted to me, and I recall becoming awestruck by its warm tone and craftsmanship. I felt that I needed to establish a relationship with it, and It didn’t disappoint - lovingly responding to my explorations with this haunting melody. 
2. 50 Years Ago Today - As the challenge was taking place, there was a lot of press coverage on the approaching 50th anniversary of The Beatles appearance at Shea Stadium, which immediately reconnected me with my 12 year old self, and we pondered how the relentless bulldozer of time had flattened us. 
3. Our Bodies Are One - Though originally written in 2014 in response to another news story about a devoted husband and wife’s long separation during his incarceration, and eventual death. As I listen to it anew, each line resonates with the tragic events that have transpired recently in a Siberian prison. I dedicate this song to Alexei and Yulia Navalny.
4. Dada Dancehall - The music critic and historian, Greil Marcus a wrote a fascinating book connecting the dots between the Punk movement of the 1970s with the Dadaists of the World War I era.  In this song, Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols time travels to the Cabaret Voltaire of 1916, to sing a duet with Hugo Ball, the creator of the Dada Manifesto.

The lifeblood during my youth was infused by the artists who plied their magical trade via the 45 rpm discs of the 60s and 70s. I never stopped to think about the business men who signed and recorded these artists, distributed their records, and got them played. Art is Art, and Business is Business, and apparently you can’t have one without the other. But, oft-times, in the Capitalist system, control of the means of production and distribution don’t equate with who gets to share in the pie. In many cases, the recognized artists are exploited and only the business men get rich. In this episode we take a closer look at the practices of a couple of the biggest players.

One of the positive aspects of the internet today is that the artist has more control over their product - which is more democratic, but without the gate-keepers of yore, it’s easier for your creations to get lost in the crush of competition. We look back at this time, not with nostalgia, but, not without a certain degree of awe, either. 

Herb Alpert: you’ll never find a more beloved figure in the pop music world. A mensch. Did you think he was Latin? Nope. He IS an Angeleno, but….he was a Jewish kid, born in Boyle Heights; went to Fairfax High and USC. Before “cultural appropriation” became a dirty word, Herbie had a revelation while attending a bullfight in Baja - came back with “The Lonely Bull”, and ignited a career that has won him a Tony, 8 Grammies, and, a National Medal of Arts. 

He is the only musician to have #1 hits, both as a vocalist and instrumentalist. In his mid-sixties heyday he outsold The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Frank Sinatra. Always smiling behind his trumpet, the handsome Mr. Alpert became an unlikely pin-up, then he scored big-time as a record producer and mogul (with partner Jerry Moss), and today, at 88, as an artist of renown, crafting massive sculptural installations and paintings, he continues to thrive creatively. I guess you could say that in addition to being a dedicated, hard worker, that he also was blessed.

The Mexican Shuffle, (or, as some may remember from the chewing gum commercials)- The Teaberry Shuffle, was ubiquitous. It was all over the tv. This is happy music, pure and simple. In the ad folks of all walks of life, just going about their business, start dancing whenever they pop in a stick of Teaberry gum. And, Herbie’s percolating soundtrack conveys that propulsion perfectly. (I recommend YouTubing it). The record received a sizable boost of recognition from this exposure - as did A Taste Of Honey (from the Whipped Cream and Other Delights album) - as The Dating Game theme song. Along with Motown and The Beatles, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass were the soundtrack of the 60s. 

The first time I heard this tune was on Ricky Jay’s collection of songs about cards and card players. Subsequently, I heard Steve Earle’s story about how, when he was playing some dive for 4 or 5 people, Townes Van Zandt stumbles in and starts heckling him. It’s Outlaw Country lore: Townes demands Earle play Wabash Cannonball- repeatedly. Finally, Steve demurs, claiming not to know the song, but lays this - Towne’s own lyrically impossible gauntlet, line perfect, on his drunken hero, and thus begins a legendary friendship. 

The words fly by so fast here that it’s hard to follow the narrative, which upon some study, reveals a poignant tale of a royal pair of Anthropomorphic, married playing cards doing battle through the avatars of Mud and Gold - a couple of hapless gambling addicts. The overall message being that winning and losing are matters of destiny, dictated by the fates, and beyond our control, so you might as well keep raising the stakes. Townes, an acknowledged tortured genius whose untimely death at age 52, left behind a sumptuous body of work, kept raising his stakes, living his addict’s life as though his demise was pre-ordained. Even with this song, which he claimed was not written by himself, but by a “giant pencil in the sky”. 

Is it odd that Mr Mudd and Mr Gold would qualify as a “sunny” song? Not to me. Maybe that’s because I loved Ricky Jay’s winking panache, and he introduced it to me. Plus, Townes’s break-neck torrent of lyrical showmanship is a thrill ride, and I smile as my brain endeavors to keep up with the writer’s masterstrokes. Also, a good, ripping yarn will always bring a smile.

The 4AM Rat Pack performance presented here was privately pressed on vinyl as a special gift to very special 500 Club patrons. We present this untouched audio from the original acetate as it represents the taste and feel of this historic occasion.

What tomfoolery! It’s 4 o’clock in the morning, and these bad boys are just getting started. This recording is a rare glimpse into the real, live, Rat Pack experience - and, the slightly distorted, overloaded sound is just part of the cinema verite. “YOU ARE THERE,” as Walter Cronkite once intoned. 

The year is 1962. Dean Martin has circled back to the 500 club in Atlantic City, where his career with Jerry Lewis first exploded, and his rat pack brothers in arms are there to support. For anybody devoted to, or interested in this celebrated entourage of 20th century entertainers, you can’t get any closer to the actual experience of being there. 

The banter is not particularly clever (they’re enjoying themselves, I won’t say MORE than the audience, but equally, at least). There are lapses in taste and attention to keeping the show moving - (an extended drunken improv about stools is one example) - and, though the finest singers of that generation are not always on perfect pitch here, it matters not a jot! The real personalities of these icons is vividly on display. The pecking order and inter-relationships are fascinating. And, as far as sheer entertainment value goes: The band swings hard, the legendary Sammy Davis Jr. sings, dances, and does impressions; Sinatra and Dino croon medleys to die for, and the whole 40 minutes is boffo. Not to be missed!

By Don Altobell

I will never forget August 26, 1962.

I was 24 at the time and after having the good fortune of seeing Dean Martin's appearance at the 500 Club in Atlantic City on Aug 19 -- his first solo gig since his split with Jerry Lewis -- the following week gave me an added treat.

Thanks to a drawing I did of Dean, I was able to see his opening shows and also attend rehearsals. And 500 Club owner Skinny Damato introduced me to Dean, who autographed my drawing, which still hangs on my living room wall.

Fans knew that Dean's pal, Frank Sinatra, would join him midweek to conclude the engagement. Atlantic City was bursting at the seams, with all hotels, motels, and restaurants jam-packed. At the club itself, tables were pushed together to make room for more patrons. It was a bonanza time for Atlantic City long before the first casino was opened.

That closing night after early dinner, I made my way through the block-long line and was ushered inside by a policeman who remembered me after seeing me at so many shows. I didn't mind that I had no seat...

A Cherry Bomb is a spherical exploding device, banned in 1966, but whose pop is enjoyed throughout the nation as a salute by rebellious teenagers everywhere. A “cherry” is also a moniker for a virgin’s hymen, the “popping” of which was a badge of honor for teenage boys everywhere. Cherie Curry, the lead singer of The Runaways, an all-girl, hard rocking band devised by notorious L.A. huckster Kim Fowley, sang the anthemic Cherry Bomb - the explosive debut single by that group. And there you have it: a circle within a circle, a wheel within a wheel - a brilliant conceptual confluence for rock n roll rejuvenation.

But it wasn’t just hype and corsets - these players: Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Cherrie Curry, Jackie Fox, and Sandy West were the real deal, and this song - written on the spot by Joan for Cherie’s audition, exploded in people’s ears just like its gunpowder namesake, and it catapulted to #6 on the Billboard chart. 

What is it about that (ch-ch-ch) stutter, used by David Bowie in Changes, and in a “G” variation by Roger Daltrey in The Who’s My Generation that lights up our fuses? It’s like the ticking of the ignition device right before the big explosion. And, the way Cherie calls out: “Hello Daddy, Hello Mom, I’m your ch-ch-ch-ch CHERRY BOMB!” is so defiant, and so perfect in that snide, teenage delinquent way, that I just can’t help but identify.

Today The Splendid Bohemians pay homage to three not only consummate artists of the guitar, but teachers of their craft as well - responsible for passing on the mysteries of their music to generations of thankful acolytes. 

ARLEN ROTH:

Arlen Roth is the ultimate sideman and guitar teacher who has played with everybody. His first book, Slide Guitar, was published by Oak Publications when he was 21. Roth is a Telecaster enthusiast who wrote the book Masters of the Telecaster detailing the techniques of many famous Telecaster guitarists.He has been called "Master of the Telecaster.”

THE REVEREND GARY DAVIS: 

A Piedmont style guitar master, The Reverend Gary Davis was a player who became a gospel singer, Christian minister, and teacher.The folk revival of the 1960s invigorated his performing career, when he performed at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Peter, Paul and Mary recorded Davis' version of “Samson and Delilah”, also known as "If I Had My Way", a song by Blind Willie Johnson, which Davis had popularized. The resulting royalties allowed Davis to buy a house and live comfortably for the rest of his life, and Davis referred to the house as "the house that Peter, Paul and Mary built.

RY COODER: 

He is a multi-instrumentalist, but is best known for his slide work, his interest in traditional music, and his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries. He is a much sought after film soundtrack artist, and he produced the Cuban music album sensation - Buena Vista Social Club (1997), which became a worldwide hit; Wim Wenders directed the documentary film of the same name (1999), which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000. Cooder was ranked at No. 8 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

There was nobody like Lou Reed, and there is no Sunny Song like Dirty Blvd: a black and white hellscape, described by a cynic past being surprised by any indignity - yet, still managing to extract beauty and hope out of the filthy miasma. When the Statue of Bigotry says: “give me your hungry, your tired, your poor, I’ll piss on them” you know this Jeremiah is decrying the bitter truth about our present times. Still, at the very last moments of his life, Lou was doing poetic Tai Chi moves on his deathbed to ease himself into the portal of eternity.

In the song, the cursed, downtrodden boy, Pedro finds a book of magic in a trashcan and dreams of flying away from the dirty blvd. For an urban portrait this grim, it’s amazing how uplifting the song becomes, and as the final chorus swells and Dion jumps in to add: “fly, fly away…” my spirit is soaring.  

Lou was a Rock n Roll Animal through and through, but he was also a serious artist who aspired to lift the genre to the heights of great literature. And, on Dirty Blvd., those two poles are fused and magnetized, creating a Dante-esque journey from hell to heaven.  He had gotten to the place artistically where he could say anything, in language so direct and stark, and still get you to sing along. 

Richard Lewis
"This is Joyce, Richard’s wife. Thank you for your loving tributes. He would be beyond thrilled and so touched, as am I. In response to the many queries , I know Richard would appreciate donations in his memory to the Los Angeles based charity http://comedygivesback.com or the charity of your choice."

"If you wish to know who Richard Lewis truly was, I urge you to see his greatest dramatic achievement, a 1995 motion picture titled “Drunks”.
As a comedian there were few who could match his Lenny Bruce inspired delivery.
Lenny's daughter Kitty was a  friend of Mr. Lewis as she respected his comedic bravery.
The film is an enduring creation combining all of the creative and complicated parts that made this man one of the most unique artists of our time.
Richard was a grateful, kind and beloved recovering alcoholic and drug addict with 30 plus years of sobriety at the time of his death.
Lewis had been sober since the mid-1990s after ending up in the ER, feeling near death. He went on to become an advocate for others treading the same path, including actress Jamie Lee Curtis.“He helped me. I am forever grateful for him for that act of grace alone,” Curtis said in a series of Instagram posts paying tribute to her co-star in the sitcom “Anything But Love,” which aired on ABC from 1989-1992."
- Rich Buckland

 Norm McDonald
 Over the years Norm McDonald made numerous appearances on various late-night shows, including Late Night with David Letterman and Conan, eventually assuming a revered “comedian’s comedian” stature as he routinely left Letterman, O’Brien and anyone within earshot in stitches. In one memorable 2014 appearance on Conan — which O’Brien’s Team Coco later posted on YouTube under the title “Norm Macdonald Tells the Most Convoluted Joke Ever” — Macdonald reduces the talk show host and his sidekick Andy Richter to tears of laughter and frustration with a rambling, shaggy-dog tale about Quebec, beluga whales, baby dolphins and an outrageous pun that prompts O’Brien to admit, “I love you, I really do.”

Shecky Greene
Among the many notable stories about Greene's life used for material, perhaps his most famous include him driving his car into the the fountain in front of Caesars Palace and Sinatra saving his life when five men were beating him, per The New York Times.

On television, Greene starred as Pvt. Braddock in ABC's Combat! for eight episodes, and later made appearances in The Fall Guy and The A-Team in the '80s. His film work includes appearances in 1971's The Love Machine, 1976's Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood and Mel Brooks' 1981 hit History of the World: Part I, in which he played Marcus Vindictus.

Leo Gorcey
Leo  was every bit as recognizable to the average man and woman as Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Jimmy Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Bob Hope.
The leader of the Dead End Kids, the Bowery Boys or the Eastside Kids, depending on the year, the diminutive Gorcey was the reason the series were successful. They sputtered and died after Leo opted out of Hollywood around 1956 and headed for his “ranch” on the Sacramento River near Los Molinos, living there for a good part of the time until his death, three wives and a dozen years later.

Noel Coward (1899-1973), that epitome of British sophistication, was an invention. He was entirely self educated, having left school at 9 years old to pursue a career on the stage. After a modest success as an actor, he switched to playwriting in 1924 with The Vortex - (in order to write a good part for himself) - and set the theatrical world on fire. The combination of his jaw-dropping verbal dexterity, bravado verging on ballsiness, and tender insight into the frailty of humanity bordered on the supernatural. In the 1920s he became the brightest of “The Bright Young Things,” the Beatles of his era.

His life story (too enormous to recount here) encompasses a litany of glittering highs, gut wrenching lows, dramatic intrigues, and an unparalleled output of creative work that would crash a computer. Yet, through it all the manufactured elan, the stylish ease with which he presented himself - as he encapsulated it his: “talent to amuse” never failed him.

This parody of Riviera society, recorded towards the end of his career, was written in 1938 for the Broadway revue Set To Music, and originally performed by Beatrice Lillie, a frequent collaborator. What’s amazing to me as I drink it in, is that despite being so specific in subject matter and execution, Coward’s universal appeal is undeniable.