Y. Bhekhirst
Encyclopedia
Y. Bhekhirst is an outsider music
ian based in New Hyde Park, New York
. Although not much is known about him, his sole known record, Hot in the Airport
, released in 1986 and re-released in 1994 on New Hyde Park-based label HDG Records, is prized by some outsider music
collectors for its decidedly dada
istic, shambling songs. Both releases of Hot in the Airport
were cassette-only, and this, along with a 7" vinyl single (released in 1986 and 1991) containing songs from the cassette, is in fact the label's only release to date.
For the most part, Hot in the Airport is full of meandering lyrics
on mundane subjects such as cars, rain and love (although the song "Freshing Air" seems to deal with political prisoners in an unspecified country, containing the lyrics, "No more detention ... now!"), sung in a thick accent. Musically speaking, Bhekhirst's method is to sing a verse (in itself very repetitive) two, four or six times, then stop abruptly (although the cassette's final piece, "Every Time I", lasts for nearly seven minutes). This is typically backed up by one or two guitar
s, bass
, and drums
, with each of the stringed instruments playing a different melodic fragment, over and over again, creating a texture made up of several strange, angular, asynchronous patterns. (It is not known whether the songs are the product of a band or one person repeatedly overdubbing
parts on different instruments
). When these patterns are combined with the semi-random drumming and the atypical vocals
, the effect is unique. The title track of the cassette was also released contemporaneously as a 7" single; it is slightly more polished musically than the other songs, and, rather incongruously (see below), includes a number of lines sung in Spanish
.
One song on Hot in the Airport, "I Will Sing," features the repeated line, "And I will do anything for love." By coincidence, the melody of this line is nearly identical to that of the title line of Meat Loaf
's 1993 hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
." http://cutthemullet.tripod.com/feb2006.htm#021006
Information on Y. Bhekhirst is scarce, to say the least. Irwin Chusid
, who brought Bhekhirst's music to the public's attention in the mid-90s, reported that a man calling himself Y. Bhekhirst was distributing his cassettes in New York record stores; handing them over to the clerks and then walking out abruptly without further explanation. Chusid and former colleague Michelle Boulé played selections from Hot in the Airport on numerous occasions when they worked together at station WFMU
.
Recent searches at the U.S. Copyright Office have revealed that a man named Jose Hugo Diaz Guzman (born in 1946 and also known as Pepe Diaz Guzman) is somehow involved with Y's music, as the name "H. Diaz" or "H. Diazg" shows up on most known releases of material from Hot in the Airport. Some have speculated that Diaz Guzman and Bhekhirst are in fact the same individual.
This might be contradicted by several factors - the differing birthdates for both men, the fact that Bhekhirst's accent is decidedly not Spanish (it sounds more Indian
or Sri Lanka
n) and the observation that he (Bhekhirst) seems to have a difficult time pronouncing the brief Spanish-language lyrics in the cassette's title track, "Hot in the Airport", which, like the other nine songs on the cassette, was written by Diaz Guzman.
Under various pseudonyms (such as "Al Pol" and, more amusingly, "Al Phool"), Diaz Guzman appears to have copyrighted numerous songs and cassette recordings, the earliest in 1981 and the latest in 1992. If these recordings were made publicly available, they do not seem to have come to the attention of the outsider music
community as of yet.
Outsider music
Outsider music, a term coined by Irwin Chusid in the mid-1990s, are songs and compositions by musicians who are not part of the commercial music industry who write songs that ignore standard musical or lyrical conventions, either because they have no formal training or because they disagree with...
ian based in New Hyde Park, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Although not much is known about him, his sole known record, Hot in the Airport
Hot in the Airport
Hot In The Airport is the only album by Y. Bhekhirst. It was released in 1986 and re-released in 1994. Along with the 'Hot In The Airport' single, it appears to be the only publicly available sample of Bhekhirst's highly distinctive music....
, released in 1986 and re-released in 1994 on New Hyde Park-based label HDG Records, is prized by some outsider music
Outsider music
Outsider music, a term coined by Irwin Chusid in the mid-1990s, are songs and compositions by musicians who are not part of the commercial music industry who write songs that ignore standard musical or lyrical conventions, either because they have no formal training or because they disagree with...
collectors for its decidedly dada
Dada
Dada or Dadaism is a cultural movement that began in Zurich, Switzerland, during World War I and peaked from 1916 to 1922. The movement primarily involved visual arts, literature—poetry, art manifestoes, art theory—theatre, and graphic design, and concentrated its anti-war politics through a...
istic, shambling songs. Both releases of Hot in the Airport
Hot in the Airport
Hot In The Airport is the only album by Y. Bhekhirst. It was released in 1986 and re-released in 1994. Along with the 'Hot In The Airport' single, it appears to be the only publicly available sample of Bhekhirst's highly distinctive music....
were cassette-only, and this, along with a 7" vinyl single (released in 1986 and 1991) containing songs from the cassette, is in fact the label's only release to date.
For the most part, Hot in the Airport is full of meandering lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
on mundane subjects such as cars, rain and love (although the song "Freshing Air" seems to deal with political prisoners in an unspecified country, containing the lyrics, "No more detention ... now!"), sung in a thick accent. Musically speaking, Bhekhirst's method is to sing a verse (in itself very repetitive) two, four or six times, then stop abruptly (although the cassette's final piece, "Every Time I", lasts for nearly seven minutes). This is typically backed up by one or two guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, with each of the stringed instruments playing a different melodic fragment, over and over again, creating a texture made up of several strange, angular, asynchronous patterns. (It is not known whether the songs are the product of a band or one person repeatedly overdubbing
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
parts on different instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
). When these patterns are combined with the semi-random drumming and the atypical vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, the effect is unique. The title track of the cassette was also released contemporaneously as a 7" single; it is slightly more polished musically than the other songs, and, rather incongruously (see below), includes a number of lines sung in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
One song on Hot in the Airport, "I Will Sing," features the repeated line, "And I will do anything for love." By coincidence, the melody of this line is nearly identical to that of the title line of Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
's 1993 hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)
"I'd Do Anything for Love " is a song composed and written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by Meat Loaf. The song was released in 1993 as the first single from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. The title of the song confused some listeners, who were curious to know what "that" is...
." http://cutthemullet.tripod.com/feb2006.htm#021006
Information on Y. Bhekhirst is scarce, to say the least. Irwin Chusid
Irwin Chusid
Irwin Chusid is a journalist, music historian, radio personality and self-described "landmark preservationist." His stated mission has been to "find things on the scrapheap of history that I know don't belong there and salvage them." Those "things" have included such previously overlooked but...
, who brought Bhekhirst's music to the public's attention in the mid-90s, reported that a man calling himself Y. Bhekhirst was distributing his cassettes in New York record stores; handing them over to the clerks and then walking out abruptly without further explanation. Chusid and former colleague Michelle Boulé played selections from Hot in the Airport on numerous occasions when they worked together at station WFMU
WFMU
WFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...
.
Recent searches at the U.S. Copyright Office have revealed that a man named Jose Hugo Diaz Guzman (born in 1946 and also known as Pepe Diaz Guzman) is somehow involved with Y's music, as the name "H. Diaz" or "H. Diazg" shows up on most known releases of material from Hot in the Airport. Some have speculated that Diaz Guzman and Bhekhirst are in fact the same individual.
This might be contradicted by several factors - the differing birthdates for both men, the fact that Bhekhirst's accent is decidedly not Spanish (it sounds more Indian
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
or Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n) and the observation that he (Bhekhirst) seems to have a difficult time pronouncing the brief Spanish-language lyrics in the cassette's title track, "Hot in the Airport", which, like the other nine songs on the cassette, was written by Diaz Guzman.
Under various pseudonyms (such as "Al Pol" and, more amusingly, "Al Phool"), Diaz Guzman appears to have copyrighted numerous songs and cassette recordings, the earliest in 1981 and the latest in 1992. If these recordings were made publicly available, they do not seem to have come to the attention of the outsider music
Outsider music
Outsider music, a term coined by Irwin Chusid in the mid-1990s, are songs and compositions by musicians who are not part of the commercial music industry who write songs that ignore standard musical or lyrical conventions, either because they have no formal training or because they disagree with...
community as of yet.