Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Hyde.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Bakersfield, California by my mother and grandmother. I’ve always been a creative person growing up, whether it was building with Lego bricks, drawing, or writing stories on my grandmother’s typewriter.
I was very much into acting in my high school years thanks to my teacher, Lawrence Orr. I still enjoy acting to this day and act in my friend’s’ short films, primarily with my good friend and visionary director Michael Kumar.
As far as my story with getting into playing and writing music, I got my first real acoustic guitar as a graduation present from my mother when I was 18. I was inspired by a lot of folk and country music like Bob Dylan, Colter Wall, and Shawn James to name a few, and that’s what I initially learned.
My music horizon grew when I finally got my first electric guitar, an Epiphone Casino, a couple years later. Once I got my Casino, I started incorporating more blues and rock ‘n’ roll influences like The Beatles, Howlin Wolf, Rory Gallagher, The Rolling Stones, and other classic artists.
I first started my band ‘The Bohemians’ around the year 2022 with my still current bass player Isaac Langer, and former drummer Jonal Clauff. I met my current drummer Lyle Wescott about a year later, and we’ve kept the same band lineup since.
As far as writing original music is concerned, I get most of my influences from the books I read. A main example of that is our first released single, “Junky,” which is based on the semi-autobiographical novel with the same title by William S Burroughs. Our song, like Burroughs’ novel, tells the story of a heroin addict and his struggles and life in the drug scene back in the 1950’s and 60’s. The story really spoke to me since I grew up in a household that suffered from the battle of addictions and from struggles of my own. I also drew the artwork for our single release of “Junky,” and we are still working to write, play, and record music. We have a new original song due to be released before the New Year in 2026, a song titled “Stray Dog.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The struggles are the hardest part personally. My family has always been in poverty. My family has been in the same dilapidated apartment in a rough neighborhood for the past 40+ years. The financial burdens take a toll on you mentally, but the term “starving artist” exists for a reason. Also, being a fresh face just emerging into the music scene in Bakersfield is not an easy path. Finding your way in is brutal, and it’s a “who-you-know” basis much like other cities with an underground music scene. We’ve had many fortunate privileges of knowing many great local bands, show promoters, and such that have given us amazing opportunities, but it’s still a rough path and hard to grow from just local shows here.
Personally, acting opportunities are even more hard to come by. There’s not many working directors locally to work with, and I don’t have the opportunity or privilege to commute to cities like Los Angeles to gain more opportunities in that field. In summary, there’s many struggles, and it’s very difficult to find opportunities.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I chose the name for my band to be ‘The Bohemians’ after researching the history of the bohemian subculture in the context of 19th century France, and found that their message summarizes what I feel I am. A spirit living an unconventional lifestyle pursuing prosperity in all artistic and creative works. I’m a writer, an artist, an actor, and a musician. I find whatever creative means that best conveys the message I want to give, in hopes that it may relate to somebody else. I write poems for myself on my typewriter, I act in short films for my friend Michael Kumar, (the latest being “Missing Hours),” I sing, write, and play guitar in my band ‘The Bohemians’ that just released our first song “Junky” in October and look to release our next single “Stray Dog” before the New Year holiday.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
As an artist/creative that was born and raised in a constant struggling environment, it’s hard, and the world constantly does everything to try and suppress your inhibitions and passions. It sounds easy to just give your artistic dreams up and move on, to find a more noble and financially prospering way of life, but it’s never worth it to completely give up on what you know is inside of you. There’s nothing wrong with finding a noble job to find financial stability, but never give up on your passions. If you don’t create for others, at least create for yourself. It’s a passion and pursuit nobody should be ashamed of. This world needs more artists, writers, visionaries, and musicians. This world needs more Bohemians.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/thebohemians?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleAOy-o1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAaeLWAwNtppeBdWVog0tedptcaecR1lomNEYDH07VvARmYmYYBdHrm2srVVpUQ_aem_TbYSCQE_X9dq4X-fQctaRQ
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebohemiansband?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ZZYmtRJA9lwedHLmiBO2f?si=oeVYgkmXTeS6UbTda1k40w
Image Credits
(Images 1, 2, 6) Lauren Bittle
(Images 8, 9) Michael Kumar
(Image 10) Sim Sekhon
