DIG THIS WITH BILL MESNIK AND RICH BUCKLAND- THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS
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.
DIG THIS WITH BILL MESNIK AND RICH BUCKLAND- THE SPLENDID BOHEMIANS
"CAPTAIN BILLY'S MAGIC 8-BALL" RETURNS WITH ALBERT KING - LIVE WIRE/BLUES POWER! (STAX, 1968) IN HIGH DEFINITION - THE ENTIRE ALBUM WITH THE CAPTAIN'S MAGNETIC NARRATIVE -THE CAPTAIN EXPLORES HIS COVE OF 8 TRACK TREASURES!
CAPTAIN BILLY’S MAGIC EIGHT BALL:
ALBERT KING LIVE WIRE/BLUES POWER
So, there were three “Kings” of the blues: B.B., Freddie, and Albert.
B.B. had the delicate simplicity. Less was always more with his virtuosity. He was a consummate communicator and showman, and much beloved. Freddie had the muscle and the size. A big man who stood 6’5’’, he was all grit and groan. From his early days when he recorded Hideaway, up through his resurrection in the 70s by Leon Russell’s Shelter label and the unbelievable propulsion of I’m Goin’ Down, Freddy blew the doors off whatever venue he graced, but this energy proved too much to sustain; leading to his untimely death at age 42.
My favorite was Albert. Also tall, 6’4,’’ he was nicknamed “The Velvet Bulldozer”. Brandishing Lucy, his Gibson Flying V guitar - his ear was impeccable, as was his timing, guiding him through licks that have such sinuous grace, as he bends those out of tune strings into perfect harmony, as if they are taffy - but, also displays deep emotional power - a stinging embodiment of the Cross Cut Saw in action. The sound he produced was beefy, yet lyrical at the same time.
His birth name was Nelson, but he copped the surname King, and claimed he was related to BB, in order to catch some of the latter’s reflected glory. It was a tough road for Albert, and though he never reached the widespread recognition that his namesake garnered, his influence on the younger generations - including Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn is undeniable. Cream’s Born Under A Bad Sign was just a simulacrum - a note for note tribute.
In 1968, Albert played three nights at the legendary Fillmore West in San Francisco, and this recording, produced by Stax Records, documents that immortal outing. When you hear his dissertation on Blues Power - punctuated by those gleaming licks, that’s all you need to know.
