tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86203998415189943412024-02-07T16:48:24.553-08:00The Writer And The RiverJournal Of A Modern-Day MinstrelUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-33555028129769523232013-04-29T00:56:00.000-07:002013-04-29T00:57:51.838-07:00LAST POST !!!THIS IS THE LAST POST ON THIS BLOG . . .<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">The reason is that I've created a new website and new blog that takes up where this one stops.</span><br />
<b><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">The new site and blog is at: <a href="http://www.thewriterandtheriver.com/">www.thewriterandtheriver.com</a></span></b><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">I hope to see you there - where you can follow my adventures as I travel around Europe in 2013 as a singer-songwriter/troubadour.</span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">Thanks for reading this far,</span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">Mike</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-54399203901967262802013-02-27T22:30:00.002-08:002013-02-27T22:31:32.231-08:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Update February</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">26-02-2013 </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><img src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ80rfiguHZW26UeLp0YvHeGS7-KbadlC-N0HLlIpeeLQzzuFUv_w" /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Cafe thijssen, corner of Lindengracht and
Brouwersgracht, Amsterdam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">I set off with Kyrian to find a music store where I
could buy a neck-brace for harmonica. I've got two songs with harmonica parts, and I have the intention of writing more, so this is a necessary investment.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">We headed for the Rosengracht. Bought my
brace (17euro), and we walked through the side streets to look for a suitable
cafe where we could write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kyrian has some theater texts to work on, among other TtheaterTroep" work... I just want somewhere to write. There's so
much playing around in my head, I need to get it down. So after a little wandering we ended up here. It's a
popular destination, close to the Noordermarkt. Last time I was here was 5 or
so years ago... in a summer if I remember. After 20 years its surprising how much of Amsterdam I still
don't know - the result of a limited (poor) social-life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But being here now is inspiring This is a typical brown-cafe - brown smokey ceiling and green woodwork. An old piano opposite our
table tells of the good old days of local singalongs...no longer a part of the
culture. This is the Jordaan.. the heart of the city, the soul of its history.
The piano is just a place to dump newspapers onto now - it would surprise me if it ever gets played. The bar is distinctly low
with tiny stools for a child's format - or a dwarf's. Only seen one place with
this sort of low bar.. The Nieuwe Anita where I played a couple of weeks ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">I stood outside to smoke and had an idea... while I'm
still in Amsterdam, and to make the most of the opportunity, I could visit a
different cafe everyday.. take a picture, describe the atmosphere... a nice
little series before my farewell. And since I'm going to be visiting many cafes
across Europe this year, it could be the start of a continuing series. A red
line to bind my travels together... if I could play every piano I came across,
well that would be nice too... but I'm not a piano player unfortunately. Still,
there's always the chance of singing. I realized after this week away, that I
may not have to look for venues to sing in... just as with the Nieuwe Anita,
and the Kuhstal, I could get all my invitations from other people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">-----------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">This ski-trip has been more important than just an
opportunity to take a holiday in the snow. I had a discussion with Geert the
morning we left, in a little cafe in Pec Pod... we touched on some existential
points, and I'm having trouble trying to define them. They were important
because they summed up what it is I'm actually doing this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The point we came to is that its not about the music,
or the travel, or the money, or the album, or even the songs... it's about the
exercising of self-awareness. I'm a minstrel, on a pilgrimage of the soul -
that's as close as I can get to a good formulation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It's about discussion and questions, learning to ask
the right questions and stimulate answers and further self-examination. The music
is a means to come into conversation, the album is a trade-middle. Through my
meetings and discussions, I will gain insight into myself and others... and be
part of the awakening of others to themselves. I can function as a storyteller
(in song, poetry and prose) and these stories will serve as a reflection of
life that causes people to think about their own stories. This is the way Geert
functions - he doesn't provide advice, he never says how things must be done -
instead he poses questions, often without planning, which spurs people into
self-reflection and understanding. And he does this by carrying out his own
self-examination, and sharing his findings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Geert is quite a phenomenon in this area - for me a sort of mentor for the philosophical questions - and I'll possibly be referring to him often. He isn't
limited by judgement of others by age or status.. everyone is truly equal and
he talks to everyone in the same way, undaunted and unintimidated by any
personal traits or factors of his discussion partners. This is an enviable
trait of his, which I hope to emulate in the course of my development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Most people are confined within their insecurities,
and project a persona that serves as protection... I would really love to break
free of this. Maybe this is my true purpose this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">I have an enormous amount of creative freedom before
me - sometimes I feel overwhelmed. I want to write, to tell stories, to write
songs, to develop my performing skills and my social skills, I want to develop
my musicianship, I want to inspire people, to meet people, to gather the
stories of others, to be inspired, and to live an adventure worthy of a book...
and I want to secure a situation that
will enable me to continue as such into next year and beyond. And I want to
learn to have complete trust in this happening for me. I also want to improve
my physical state considerably, and improve my eyesight. So much to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">And this is where I come back to the existential point
of it all - break free from "wanting" to do things, and discovering what
happens by "doing" without any end in sight...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Geert has the ability to put these thoughts into a
well-formulated whole - I really need to capture this on video for study
and clarity... because I'm not yet ready
to read Steiner religiously just yet (HIS mentor).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">--------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">I was reminded of my father during one of my
langlaufen trips last week. My father was a plasterer and loved his work. Proud
of his smoothly finished walls, a real craftsman. But what I always admired was
his tempo - he worked steadily at his own tempo, while others raced to get as
much work finished in as short a time as possible. His tempo enabled him to
guarantee a steady standard without ever tiring. His work was a form of
meditation, and it's enlightening to understand why he loved his work so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On my langlauf trip, I was part of a group, and we
were pushed to our limits this day. Climbing for three hours before we could rest
in a restaurant, because the half-way stop was closed. I was shattered, had to
take off my skis because I had strength no longer in my arms to help me up those
slippery routes. I wasn't the only one. But two of the group combated their
tiredness by going faster - racing ahead to reach a destination we couldn't
see, desperate to shorten the agony. But then you have Geert, again, as an
example of zen-spirit... Geert doesn't seem to tire. He doesn't hurry, doesn't
change his pace. Just continues at his own "steady" tempo. If you
just keep going, you'll get there eventually, and anyway, it's not the
destination but the journey that is the goal. Geert approaches and carries out
all his activities, whether in work or play, with the same attitude.... </span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">just as my father did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">I understand this, but I have to keep reminding myself
that this is how it should be. Even on this project, where have a whole year ahead of me to do all the
things I want to do, without deadlines, without time-limits, without expectations,
without competitive elements, without goal other than just to "do"...
I still feel the pressure to get there fast... but where? I ask myself. Why is
it so difficult to find a tempo and stick to it? Why am I in a hurry to find
out why I feel hurried?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">-------------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Just another line of thought that springs up when I let my mind wander: </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">People are strange... the energy between people can be
so confusing - it's worth an examination.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I come back to Geert. He appears to intimidate a lot of people.
He doesn't do it himself, and it's not his intention. You have intimidaters who
do it purposely for the power-trip or as a form of defense for their egos.
Geert doesn't intimidate people... people are intimidated by him. That's a
different thing altogether. And the reason is that he is a very good mirror.
His questions jolt the status-quo of peoples illusory lives. And not everyone
(and I would say most people) are happy being jolted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But I've never felt intimidated by Geert. How can that
be so? Whereas I "AM" intimidated by many others - especially those
who are adept at using intimidation for their own good. I an even be intimidated
by people who feel intimidated in their turn by Geert. Strange indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But I do believe it is an ego thing. Geert doesn't
feel any need to protect or enforce his ego - this gives him the security to
just be himself, and to interact with everyone on the same level regardless. I
find this to be an enviable trait. I don't like to "feel" intimidated
- so this is an important area of examination for me this year. And the only
way to exercise this as a developing trait, is to talk to people - many and
often... I think I'm going to be surprised to discover that I've had no reason
to feel intimidated all his time. And I can imagine just how freeing it will be
to be released from this self-induced belittling character trait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: NL; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-language: NL;">------------------</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-24337176704979071342013-02-13T00:25:00.001-08:002013-02-13T00:26:52.102-08:00Live At De Nieuwe Anita<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yesterday evening I performed a few songs from the album live before an audience for the first time, The venue was a music cafe in Amsterdam West called DE NIEUWE ANITA. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is the first time I've performed for a long time (with the exception of the one time I sang at the Mezrab), so it was pretty exciting for me. I was nervous but managed to subdue that for the day - luckily I wasn't playing alone, this gives me moral support and helps me get over the worst of my anxiety... I've got to be honest - I'm not at ease performing, but I have to get over it if I want to share my songs with people. A small performance like this is a perfect start.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">De Nieuwe Anita is also a perfect place - a cute little cafe with the atmosphere of a lounge. Bookcases along the walls, and a low semi-circular bar which doubles as the stage area. This is a really intimate setting, where the audience is close enough to converse with, and respectful enough to listen when some-one is playing (it's also the rule). The atmosphere is friendly, and so are the owners. It's like a little piece of ... home!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There were three guest artists, and I was booked to play at 22.15. I could've had use of a microphone, which may have suited my soft vocals and guitar, but it's also important for me to develop "presence", so I stuck with the "acoustic" flavour of the event. So how did it go? Well, despite the fact that my hands were stiff due to my nerves, and that I forgot a few lines and mixed up words (which no-one seemed to notice)... it went pretty well. Geert, Marcel and Martin (accompanying me on bass, harmonica and ukelele) were all pleased with the performance. A few people came over to thank me and tell me how much they'd enjoyed my songs and singing. The management said I was loud and clear enough. And the colleagues and friends who turned up were enthusiastic. What more can I desire?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some pictures or video would have been nice to place here, but I'm a bit too self-conscious to arrange that yet. But I'm a step further now... and looking forward to my next opportunity to sing live - and that's going to be on my skiing holiday next week, where I will definitely get it on video and photo so there'll be some proof of my achievement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've got the bug now - and that's just what I needed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you're in Amsterdam, check out "<a href="http://www.denieuweanita.nl/">De Nieuwe Anita</a>"... it's definitely worth a visit. Here's a couple pics to give you a taste of the atmosphere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-65295214300893575732013-02-02T04:42:00.001-08:002013-02-03T04:50:47.054-08:00Just A Saturday Morning<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When the sun shines I can't stay inside, no matter what my plans were from the previous evening. One of the most important things I want to learn this coming year is to free myself from the feelings that I "have" to do things... check off my list, and fill it with new things to do - as if everything is important - shuffling things around as to what has priority and what doesn't.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't like deadlines, don't care too much for commitments - I want to simply experience the day as it comes...the "moment" as it is. But I am programmed like many people to follow a schedule, in order to get all the things done in the "too short a time" to do them in. But this is an illusion as is everything else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't have to "check-in" or "check-out" at the beginning and end of a day. I don't have to feel like I'm procrastinating if I put things off. I don't have to live with the pressure of</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> "having to achieve something". Who cares if some things take longer than they could? What does it matter if some things never get done? Who's keeping tabs? Who's holding me responsible? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I could clean the house, do some shopping, get my administration in order, practise those songs on mandolin, check my mail and Hub comments, work on building my connection with the Hubpages community, do the design sketches for the album cover... there is always something to do. But I've got the whole year - my whole life, to do these things. The sun is shining.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Instead I can go for a walk in the park, enjoy the people milling about, the warm rays of the sun that promise the spring, the life that is going on around me... and let my mind drift in the freedom of being able to do nothing, except just this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And follow this walk with a coffee and some writing in a cafe, then go back home for a midday snooze, and then just see what I feel like doing the rest of the day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is enough time to do the other things... there's always enough time - really!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-27000597104498477422013-01-31T05:30:00.000-08:002013-01-31T05:30:41.587-08:00Update January 2013<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Already into the new year, already at the end of January - still in Amsterdam, still working on the album. It's taking longer than hoped but I sort of expected that it would. But it's a learning process and a discovery process...and part of the adventure. We've found our style and sound based on acoustic guitar and mandolin, and the results are exciting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The way things are going, we should be finished by the beginning of March - with the CD design completed and the CD's printed ready for sale. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've not spent much time on storytelling, but I've been doing a lot of poetry-writing which I publish on Hubpages - that's been my major publishing and community platform for the last months. Once I start my travelling I'll be putting most of my content on this blog. At the moment it's still sparse because my daily-life isn't that interesting... that IS going to change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One performance evening coming up in February which I'm looking forward to - to start the ball rolling. My following on Hubpages is growing with a lot of good reactions to my poems. Even got a couple of surprise followers on YouTube. I'm still very much at the start of the adventure though, still very much stuck in my old patterns too - can't wait to get on the road and really start doing what I've been dreaming of for so long.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The finances are sorted; the camper is in the garage, getting fixed up for purchase and the journey; I know most of my songs by heart now too. I've got some interesting "writer"-contacts lined up to visit in Germany and Spain - but before all this I'm taking a week in the Czech Republic to do some skiing at the end of February... I'll be testing all my songs on my fellow travelers there too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The excitement is growing, I'm ready for the adventure, and this "River" blog is going to get busy shortly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bye for now</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mike</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-60435656785688812932012-12-12T07:52:00.002-08:002012-12-12T07:52:34.078-08:00 Update December 2012<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's been a busy time and I've finally got all the songs written for the album, but I can't relax yet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now begins the next part of the project - making the album. We've spent one evening a week in the studio to get used to the feel and sound, but the real work is just about to start. We've listened to a lot of professional albums to get some ideas how we want this one to sound, which has been an interesting journey of its own. I'm playing the songs solo at home every day because that's how I'm going to be singing them on my travels - so the basis needs to be tight. Now I'm trying out different instruments that can add some decoration to the sound - mandolin, harmonica, flute, piano among others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The serious studio work begins in January and shouldn't take too long if we're well prepared. Got some ideas down too for the album-title and the cover artwork, and we've been researching the costs of getting the cd's made locally... more info shortly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One more thing... I've decided to do most of my daily writing for a while on <a href="http://moesky.hubpages.com/">Hubpages</a>. This is a writing and community platform that's international... a good way for me to build up some pre-launch interest in my songs. Take a look there too - I'll be posting links on this blog for every article I post there. Just started a new series there in which I post the songs from the album with some relevant notes on the story behind them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And I've finally got my own simple recording program so I can make some simple solo-version videos of the songs. Time to put them out there for feedback.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm on schedule and the project's looking and sounding good!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-19631547746302878132012-11-25T01:44:00.002-08:002012-11-25T02:02:40.467-08:00UPDATE NOVEMBER<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've let things lie a bit too long. My head is so full of things I need to do, want to do and plan to do when I finally get to travel, that I find myself getting overwhelmed and end up doing nothing. Well, not exactly nothing - the songs are still getting written and this is the most important thing I have to do since the songs, and the album, are the basis of this whole project.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, to catch up, this is an update on... everything. Just to clear my head and find some order. You'd think I wouldn't have any problems seeing as I've got all my time for myself, but having the freedom to do your own thing each and every day brings its own problems - self-motivation being the key word here. I can be so lazy sometimes, other times so inspired and creative - maybe I shouldn't worry, but just ride the wave of my creative energy... let it all happen in its own time...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">SONGS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've written 12 songs of the 18 I had planned. I can get the last 6 done over the next week or so. I've been playing them often - that's productive work too. But I'm eager to get into the real work in the studio. Spent an evening with my partner Geert last friday - we played through the songs using different instruments: flute, mandolin, two acoustic guitars in harmony, harmonica... it's given us some ideas for the production and mixing. With influences ranging from Nick Drake to Eddie Vedder via Steven Stills, I'm confident this is going to be as good an album as you can make in an attic studio. It's great for me to leave the technique in Geert's hands - I do not want to get into that side of things at this stage. And believe me, writing the songs requires a lot more input than you would expect. I'm not writing cheesy love songs or laments of heartbreak or "clap your hands and dance" ditties... this album is a somewhat historical document - I have to do a lot of research about the subject I'm writing about. And THEN I have to condense that information into rhyming sonnets. Having a catchy tune is only part of the process - this is literature man! This is poetry!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">STORYTELLING</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I finally got the courage up to get out in front of the crowd at the Mezrab. I'd done my Mezrab song and an introductory poem a few weeks ago - and I was nervous as hell. This time I made it a little easier for myself. Took Geert and his wife along for moral support, and a camera to record my performance. After a few regular storytellers had done their pieces I got up there on the "Orator's chair". I had a story worked out as an introduction, but I changed my mind about doing it at the last minute - instead I just improvised my intro to tell people about my project and the two songs I wanted to sing. It was a strange experience - one part of my brain is consciously communicating with the audience, and another part is consciously observing myself in this situation, and talking to me like a miniature angel on my shoulder - "He Mike, this is going okay - you're connecting - they're laughing and cheering - this is not so hard or scary after all..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It worked - I looked at the video later and I can say I didn't do too bad. But the most important thing is that I've finally broken through my main obstacle - I enjoyed it and I know I can do this now, and I never have to fear it again... and it was a kick!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The video is rubbish though - the light was low and my camera didn't record it well so I'm NOT going to post it here. When I've got the technique sorted, and I think I've got it sorted now, then I'll start filming all my "performance" experiences. There are some evenings I want to get to in December... and I'm fired up now and can't wait for my next chance to sing and tell a "real" story.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">PROJECT</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been re-defining what my goal is with this project - apart from the obvious one of being free to write songs and travel. And it's about sharing the experience of storytelling and helping others to see what telling stories can do for them, for their self-confidence, their understanding, their relationships with the people around them. I want to get people as enthusiastic about this as I feel... get them writing, and opening up, and telling, and writing poems and songs, and singing and celebrating the wonder of being human and living life...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And I hope to inspire people through MY story, THIS story: me, quitting my job to follow my dream travelling and meeting people everywhere. When I told people about this at the Mezrab I was greeted with loud cheers and whistles and applause... obviously it makes an impression on people - maybe it lies at the root of everyone's dreams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, with this clearly defined "purpose" I can stop thinking that I have to do this to sell lots of albums so I can make enough money to carry on doing this - which is the conditioned mindset that smothers me from time to time - but instead look forward in anticipation to a journey of discovery that is sure to bring a lot of surprises.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">WRITING</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I bought myself a new laptop - a notebook. It took so long for the old laptop to function that I never wanted to start the thing up. But this is a good laptop so I can get online quickly, onto my blog and get stuck into writing. But I don't write every day, which surprises me because I always thought that I would. I still write every day in my personal journal - with a pen on paper, and when I'm typing at the computer I enjoy the process...but sometimes I think my days are not eventful enough yet to share. When I'm travelling I expect to have lots to tell - but here, now, in Amsterdam where I spend most of my days at home... well that's not so exciting is it? But yesterday I wrote a short piece for <a href="http://moesky.hubpages.com/">Hubpages</a> (an online writing community that I was active on a few years ago)... and that fired me up again. So I hope I can get back into regular posting, and step up this project into the next gear. The songs are nearly finished, we'll be starting the recording soon, my preparations for the journey are moving along, I'm getting a buzz back, personal obstacles have been conquered... and Christmas is on the doorstep. I'm surfing the crest of a high wave at this moment, and I don't want to lose this momentum.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">OTHER THINGS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm getting my first smartphone soon - a friend has an old Samsung he can sell me cheaply. This should give me more options for video and photo documenting on my travels. An ex-colleague from the school is still wanting to sell his camper - I think it would be a good solution for me, but I need to get it sorted soon. I've been tentatively researching the "storytelling" scene in Europe... might be a good idea to base my travel route around these venue locations... at least to start off with. And I've actually started to get my house in order - in preparation for leaving it all behind!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And that's it for this post. I think it's time I tried my hand now at videoblogging... hmmmmm!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-68085861576285736762012-11-12T03:39:00.002-08:002012-11-12T03:39:51.175-08:00Song For The Protest Singer<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SONG
FOR THE PROTEST SINGER</span></span></div>
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</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
the faithful stand you displayed – and the glory songs you played</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
one's for you</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With
my salute and respect – to your pen's skilled effect</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
it wrote so true</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
a time of troubles and wrongs – you gave your voice to the young</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
the common man</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Where
many more never dared – you sang aloud to be heard</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Or
be damned</span></span></div>
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<br />
</div>
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…<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">..</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With
guitar on your shoulder – you stood wild as a soldier</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of
the stage</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
the truths you did shout – were like bullets ringing out</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From
your page</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
your ballads and poems, written proud – were the anthems of a crowd</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That
had suffered too long</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
the sonnets you sang were the creed – of an army you would lead</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With
your battle song</span></span></div>
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<br />
</div>
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…<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">..</span></span></div>
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<br />
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With
your choruses and chords – as bard and troubadour</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
bared your soul</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With
your stories full of pain – of disillusion and shame</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
the rights they stole</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
the fears dissipated – and hopes were celebrated</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
your rhyme</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
your music gave them chance – for freedom and dance</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
a changing time</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
…<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">..</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ousting
tyranny and fraud – Wielding pen as a sword</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To
the throats of those lords and presidents of propagation</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
tore the cloaks from their lies – You filled their ears and their
eyes</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With
the echoes of our cries – Stirred the conscience of a nation</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
were our teeth and our tongues – Sharp as daggers in your songs</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
were the voice that sang along – For a whole angry generation</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
…<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">..</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
truth be told, it is so – we've still a long way to go</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
we're not there yet</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
our souls won't be sold – and your songs won't get old</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
we won't forget...</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-51298486222791366452012-11-10T22:56:00.001-08:002012-11-10T22:56:48.974-08:00Utopian Dreams<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Utopian
Dreams</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m
going down to the land and the fields</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Get
myself back to the earth</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bathe
my soul in the free flowing rivers</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Open
my heart for rebirth</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m
going to live with the beautiful people</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
sons and the daughters of Eve</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lend
my hands to the gardens of Gaia</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A
crown of bright flowers for to weave</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’ll
burn the ways of an angry world behind me</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rise
through the ashes of their fear</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Join
as one with my brothers and sisters</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Create
a new brave world for us here</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">From
the soils that our fingers are turning</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sowing
the seeds of our tree</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Under
the leaves of our love and our learning</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our
children will grow to be free</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m
going down to the fields of our Mother</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back
to the source of the stream</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There
I’ll dance and I’ll sing in her meadows</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A
song of Utopian dreams</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-29994410110061172102012-11-10T22:54:00.000-08:002012-11-10T22:54:06.296-08:00Times Of Change<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Times of Change</b></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Daybreak
pines, but your love it smiles</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For
your soul lies true in your heart</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Blaze
the old guard fires, but you know you’re alive</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
your banners are heeled for the start</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
day will long hours bring, but your heart shall sing</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh
pray now, be the brave now</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">C’mon
and sing our song against the social wrong</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hail
these… times of change</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Make
some noise, for a silenced voice</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For
the weak who long for their word</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For
the ones who cry, beaten down by lies</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For
the ones without rights to be heard</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
fight will long time toil, but our bloods they boil</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Heed
the call now, heads will roll now</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">C’mon
and break these chains, steer the drivers reins</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hear
me, times are changing</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Worlds
go round, but the trumpets sound</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For
ears that are tuned to the times</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For
an equal chance, for all who dance</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With
freedom scratched on the signs</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With
a new respect for the long oppressed</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For
us all now, lest we fall now</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">C’mon
and take this stride, for a changing tide</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hail
these… times of change, times are changing…</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-80438381022072927432012-11-10T22:50:00.003-08:002012-11-14T03:25:43.165-08:00Sadder Sun<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">SADDER
SUN</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's
all so clearly getting out of hand </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It
only takes a finger, to heed a fool's command</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Be
the biggest, be the first, the best</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
sow the fears to put it to the test</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In
the heaven's blue our star it shines</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But
there's a sadder sun poised to burn the sky</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Breaking
atoms is the truth they said</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But
playing god they raised the devil up instead</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">---</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Eye
for eye and tooth for tooth is wrong</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When
it means we kill the earth we stand upon</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
as we celebrate succes we fail</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When
there is no-one left to tell no-one the tale</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We
saw the horror and the cries we heard</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pacific
islands lie as scars upon the earth</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Skin
as paper peels among the screams</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A
nightmare for us all to haunt us in our dreams</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">---</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
all are waiting for the horns to sound</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cellar
doors ajar, safety underground</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A
guide will tell you how you can survive</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Maybe
you'll be among the too few left alive</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But
will your children ever get the chance</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To
see their own children laugh and sing and dance</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
how to tell them when the sirens start</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A
silent kiss away – how did we come so far?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-14330193519888566752012-11-10T22:46:00.001-08:002012-11-10T22:46:54.295-08:00Once More To The Garden<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ONCE
MORE TO THE GARDEN</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's
an old ghost </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In
a grey suit</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On
a green road </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where
the time flew</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where
the words hide </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
the dreams fade</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
the cause died </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As
the world frayed</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It
was then</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It
was when</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There
the tide was love </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
the clouds were doves</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
the fields were home </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where
your hopes were grown</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
your stride was sung </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In
a voice so young</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
your wars were won </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In
the rain and sun</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There
you saw them</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In
the garden</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And the wheel still turns</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But
the light still burns</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
the wind blows</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Falls
and grows</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In
your muse</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dove
coes</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-80081936598557521182012-11-10T22:43:00.000-08:002012-11-10T22:43:29.529-08:00March You Did<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>MARCH
YOU DID</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">March
you did, for your right to refuse</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To
die in a war they were losing</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But
to fight the injustices on your home soil</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That
was a war of your choosing</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
Children’s Crusade filled up the jails</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
students and women came out fighting</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jim
Crow and the Gays and The Vets led the trails</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Marched
along for the wrongs they were righting</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>March
with your cries to the Lords of Democracy</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Force
them to open their doors</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Turn
the world’s eyes to their shame and hypocrisy</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Force
them to rewrite their laws</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stand
you did, when the Civil Guard stormed</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sticks
against Billyclubs bashing</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fall
you did, when the Bull raised his horns</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
set the dogs free with teeth gnashing</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Run
you did, when the rifles were drawn</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There
now were the rights they were reading</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cry
you did, when shots killed the dawn</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
the streets were aligned with the bleeding</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>March
with your cries to the Lords of Democracy</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Force
them to open their doors</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Turn
the world’s eyes to their shame and hypocrisy</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Force
them to rewrite their laws</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>March
your demands in the face of authorities</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Storm
their troops with your banners and words</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Rally
for your war against civil atrocities</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Get
yourself heard</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mourn
you did, the ones who were killed</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then
as one with the bullied and beaten</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You
marched to defy those who’d have you be stilled</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With
a heart that would truly defeat them</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
cheer you did, for the words of the brave</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
speeches and voices that led you</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And
shout you did, for a world you would save</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With
the slogans that fired and fed you</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>March
with your cries to the Lords of Democracy</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Force
them to open their doors</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Turn
the world’s eyes to their shame and hypocrisy</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Force
them to rewrite their laws</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>March
your demands in the face of authorities</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Storm
their troops with your banners and words</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Rally
for your war against civil atrocities</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Get
yourself heard</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-39225452667848091492012-11-10T22:39:00.004-08:002012-11-10T22:39:46.863-08:00Like A Long Time Ago<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Like A Long Time Ago</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remember those days of the freaks and the squares</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">hearts in the clouds and flowers in your hair</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">testing ideals that were raised in the dorms</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">questioning rights of the established norms</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">challenging all who refused to believe</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">there was any way other than those of authority</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">which cloaked all the truth and fed you on lies</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and ask you be silent and cover your eyes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and when you rose up they would not understand</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and when you dropped out they would lift up their hands</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and scold you for throwing your chances away</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">like mud in their faces – now those were the days</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remember the ideals the dreams and the goals</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">away with those antiquated values and roles</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">away with the arms race – stop all the wars</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the only thing worth fighting for was the cause</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">your right to freedom – free to be free</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">your right to undisputed equality</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">for women and gays, black man or white</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">freedom to demand your true civil rights</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">to practise your love and peace – expand your mind</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">alter your consiousness, yourself to find</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">respect for the earth and all of the garden</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">to listen to Gaia and beg for her pardon</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remember the heroes, the ones who spoke out</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the ones who dared stand up, the ones who dared shout</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">remember the fallen killed by our own</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">as well as those tragic souls far from their homes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">remember the battlegrounds of Birmingham and Chicago</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jackson state, Madison, Kent state Ohio</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the cries and the blood flowed over to europe</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and from London to Prague the young they all stood up</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And remember san francisco, the gathering of tribes, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the summer of
love, the vision and the vibes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">the human be-ins, the robes and the beads, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and the music and
dancing that coloured the streets</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and remember the weekend that captured it all </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> and the 500
000 who answered the call</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And took to the road to join woodstock nation </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> and bathe
Yasgurs fields in peace and celebration</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and remember the poets the minstrels and bards, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">who wrote for your
souls and sang for your hearts</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and gave you the music that could never lie, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and carried your
legacy through years gone by</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Through a world rearranging –</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> for the times were a
changing...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Far as it seems now</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What does it mean
now </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where are the dreams now</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's like a long time ago, like a long time ago – like a long
time...</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-75328461585284954252012-11-10T22:33:00.001-08:002012-11-10T22:33:52.799-08:00It´s Easy<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">IT’S EASY</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s easy just to play
the game - to pass the buck in times of change</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There’s always someone
else to blame - it’s easy, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Defend your morals handed
down - your right to fear, your right to frown</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To serve the flag and save
the crown - it’s easy standing common ground, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As day is day and dark is
night - it’s easy knowing wrong from right</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So long no-one turns on
the light - it’s easy, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So long you’re not put
to the test - the devil that you know is best</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s one for one, forget
the rest - it’s easy, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wear your blinds, pull
down the hood - See private gain as common good</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And tell each other how
you should - it’s easy, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Patch up the holes and sew
the seams - and fence off all your hopes and dreams</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Turn the truths and call
them lies - it’s easy just to close your eyes, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s not that hard to
open out - to question what it’s all about</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To speak your heart and
let it shout - it’s easy, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To stretch your arm
with open hand - to make a different kind of stand</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A different march, a
different band - it’s easy when you understand, it’s easy</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To learn to see beyond the
wall - to love yourself, to love them all</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While dancing to dove’s
bugle call - it’s easy, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s not so hard to save
our race - arm in arm and face to face</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No place like here, no
time like now - it’s easy when you just know how, it’s easy</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-43199005540001279612012-11-10T22:23:00.000-08:002012-11-10T22:23:01.726-08:00Like I Was Coming Home<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Like
I Was Coming Home</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
sit before my tv screen and watch your world go by</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
see you dance and hear you sing and feel you on your high</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
wasn't there to walk with you for I was just too young</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
I can dream along – I can dream along</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
bathe me in nostalgia's tones for years that were not mine</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
share your pains all filled with hope and clothe them in these times</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Where
stone hearts preach to fearful and blame you for making waves</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
that's how man behaves – that's how man repays</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Though
I know my pretty picture is but half the tale</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It
guides me still to dragons slain and my own holy grail</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And
was I younger maybe I would even grow my hair</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And
flowers I would wear – and would not give a care</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
maybe it's you now who rule, by power and money bought</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Who
raise the flag and wear the suit and smile the face you fought</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And
if that's so, I grieve for you and hope freedom you'll find</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From
your disillusioned mind – from your disillusioned mind</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Give
me your dreams of peace and love, they soothe these confused days</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They
give me words and voice when I feel lost upon my way</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In
brother's melodies they call and warm me to my bones</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Like
I was coming home, like I was coming home, like I was coming home</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
sit before my tv screen and watch your world go by</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
see you dance and hear you sing and feel you on your high</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
wasn't there to walk with you for I was just too young</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
I can dream along – I can dream along</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
I can dream along – I can dream along</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
I can dream along.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-72544968842748565852012-11-01T08:51:00.001-07:002012-11-01T08:51:08.514-07:00Studio Session 1<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finally, finally... some video.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's still early days - I've got 7 songs written for the album but they're still in their basic form. Marnix has joined me and Geert for the percussion and this video is from our first session playing together. But this song isn't for the album.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This session is from 30th October - we ran through the 7 new songs and then finished with some old ones from....years... ago. So it's really a jam session. It was also a test to see what quality the video camera would give me. Now I'm happy about the visual and audio - but I have to do something about the lighting, and the position so you're not just looking at the back of Marnix's head. It's a cramped room, but maybe it just needs a little tidying.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had problems with getting this edited too - my camera makes video files with a complicated extension which doesn't play on my laptop - so I had to find a converter that worked, and then learn how to use the "new" version of windowsmoviemaker... it's taken me three days to get this up, finally.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'll be videoing every session from now on so there will be lots more videos coming up regularly - and I plan to video any story sessions I do too.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So this song... to start this series off, is originally from 30 years ago. I wrote it on the Greek island of Naxos. But the lyrics really only worked on Naxos, so I rewrote them 15 years ago with a different and more general theme. One day I'll get round to making an album of all my "older" songs, but for now they can live again here on video, live and acoustic. This one's called "BREAK MY HEAD". <a href="http://thewriterandtheriver.blogspot.nl/2012/11/songlyrics-break-my-head.html">Lyrics here...</a></span><br />
<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-74079422142140277042012-11-01T08:44:00.002-07:002012-11-01T08:52:11.215-07:00SongLyrics - Break My Head<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">BREAK MY HEAD</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My input really makes no sense</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My presence mostly makes you tense</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My best is never good enough for you</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All the truths bent into lies</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can't be good, I can't be wise</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I break my head tryin' to get through to you</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If I could only find a word that's right</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Find the spark to set your heart alight</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Turn your head around enough to notice me</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well I could even write a song for you</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I might even make you fall in love with me</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wonder why I waste my time</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Like turning water into wine</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I must be dumb to take what I go through</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The ways that you can put me down</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If I couldn't swim I'd surely drown</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I break my head tryin' to get through to you</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If I could only find a word that's right</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Find the spark to set your heart alight</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Turn your head around enough to notice me</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well I could even write a song for you</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I might even make you fall in love with me</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Feed the dog that bites my hand</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm not even sure I understand</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I break my head</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tryin' to get through</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tryin' to get through</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tryin' to get through</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Get through to you...</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-48287505858033546392012-10-23T02:36:00.002-07:002012-10-23T02:36:15.256-07:00Spoken Word PoemsI've made a new page called POEMS. This is going to list all the writings I do that fall under the category "Poem" to distinguish them from stories. I've been so inspired lately by "Performance Poetry/Spoken Word Poetry" that I know it's going to be a major part of my writing activities from now on.<br />
<br />
And I've written and performed my first poem already - <a href="http://thewriterandtheriver.blogspot.nl/2012/10/i-wrote-song.html">"I Wrote A Song"</a>, which I did last Friday evening at the Mezrab. As I get more adept at this I'll be able to discuss the process of writing them, but as everything else on this blog, it's still a process in development - as is this blog itself and this whole project.<br />
<br />
I got a message from my brother Gary, whose following my blog, in which he suggests I add some videos of my songs so people can hear them as well as read the lyrics - this too is in development. But most of all... "I am in development myself" - this is a whole new lifestyle for me. I've been so programmed the last 15 years to get up and go to work, that I now have to "deal" with having all the time in the world for myself and the things I like to do. And my head and heart are still in a sort of "pleasant shock"... suddenly, with all this time on my hands, I realize just how much there is that I want to do, and it feels somewhat overwhelming. I need to get down from this cloud and into some new routine, organize myself - but I want to do this naturally because what is the point in creating new deadlines and pressures for myself, expecting myself to be measurably productive every day?<br />
<br />
Yesterday, for example, it was such beautiful weather, that I couldn't stay inside to do the things I'd planned - I had to get out. So I went for a walk in the forest. And in walking, and later during a jogging session with Geert, I mulled over other important concepts - this too is productive in an abstract way, and this too is part of the development I'm going through. A long walk brings thoughts into clarity that I can write later as a poem, or a story, or a song.<br />
<br />
Life is good for me at this moment - I'm still on the cloud enjoying the wonder of it all... I don't want to feel guilty for that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-18489574046417002982012-10-23T02:30:00.002-07:002012-10-23T02:35:37.021-07:00I Wrote A Song<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wrote a
song – the Mezrab song</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It’s quite
long<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But when my
tongue and mind were synchronized<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And I had
the whole thing memorized<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I aspired
to sing that song <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">one summers
eve at the tolhuistuin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And I was
ready – so I thought<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But I was
wrong…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And to cut
a long story short<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I realized
just how scared I am about singing in front of an audience and
that’s the main reason I never did much with all the songs I’ve written over
the years which is quite a few, and why I didn’t grasp at opportunities and
missed some chances I regretted later but don’t anymore but still I could have
been much more… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Is it the
things we do in life that define who we are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Or is it
the things we don’t do, that define who we are not<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Are YOU
doing what you want to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Good for
you – if you are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">If not –
why not?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What is it
that stops us doing that which we want to do<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">These are
important questions to ask yourself if you want to know who you really are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">If you want
to be more than you are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">More than
who you seem to be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">To you – to
me – to we<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">If you
believe you could be more – should be more<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">If you know
your potential is greater than your reality<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Your latent
potential – your patent reality<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Hiding the
real you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Disguising
the bigger you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What great
things could you do – or be – if you were free<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">To be who
you want to be…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Be honest
with yourself<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Like me –
I’ve searched my soul for my answers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’ve seen
my potential<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’ve
scurried through the ominous shadows of my fears<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I know who
I am – and who I’m not…..yet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Because you
can bet – I’ve got big plans for myself…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">SHE – a
friend – “calls me dreamer still”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">and she believes that,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And she’s
not the only one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But I can
ignore those labels now<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I know me
better than she<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And I’d
rather be a dreamer than… well…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">“I’d rather
be head in the clouds than be sinking”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">to quote
one of my own songs – and I’m thinking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I do that a
lot these days…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And I’m not
the only one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So who AM I
– and who am I not?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I changed
my facebook profile recently<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">It didn’t
fit my new identity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Or my
present activities<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And if it’s
the things you do that define who you are then I’m<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">A
songwriter – I write songs – sometimes, I sing them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’m not a
rockstar – too old to start on that road<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’m a
storyteller<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’m a poet
– don’t you know it <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And this is
a poem, and a story, and could be a… long… song…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And all
this makes me a writer too<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And this is who I am - on facebook at least.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But I’m not
yet a performer, you see <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I suffer
from “stage anxiety”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">and I'm not the only one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But that’s
a problem as you can imagine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I still
need to learn to connect with an audience<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I mean…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This is my
priority – this is my dream<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This is the mountain I’ve still got to climb<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The dragon I’ve still got to slay<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And it’s
going to take time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But one
day…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And if you
think I’m doing okay now, up here, and maybe this is enough<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Well don’t
be fooled, this is all just bluff<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">And inside
I’m a shaking, shuddering sweating wreck of nerves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">But I
promised myself<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Tonight…
tonight… I will not put it off til tomorrow<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Or next
week or next month… not again…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I’ve
already put it off too long<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Tonight…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I WILL sing
the Mezrab song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-31315407281836705322012-10-17T02:57:00.001-07:002012-10-17T02:57:21.379-07:00SPOKEN WORD POETRYI thought I'd found it all with storytelling and songwriting, but there's a new dimension and activity to add to my creative journey - "Spoken Word Poetry" - or "Performance Poetry".<br />
<br />
You can easily see how I'm a late developer - these things have been around for a long time but I'm only just discovering them - it's like I just beamed down from another planet, or walked down from the mountain where I've been holed up for the last 20 years, or that I've just woken from a coma...<br />
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I don't mind - I'm discovering these things now and they're filling me with such joy as only a kid knows with the endless discovery of the wonder of the world around him.<br />
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Spoken-word-poetry is like a cross between stories and songs, between telling and singing - it's dynamic, theatrical, emotional.... and still, surprisingly (or not) very popular as an oral tradition, far more present in these modern times than storytelling. I've already found some favorites: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rives&oq=rives&gs_l=youtube.12...0.0.0.11319.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0...0.0...1ac.">RIVES</a>; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=TAYLOR+MALI&oq=TAYLOR+MALI&gs_l=youtube.12..35i39j0l9.45543.55270.0.57521.11.11.0.0.0.0.101.552.10j1.11.0...0.0...1ac.1.3QpmItsiQ5E">TAYLOR MALI</a>; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=SARAH+KAY&oq=SARAH+KAY&gs_l=youtube.12..35i39j0l9.37978.40220.0.42926.9.9.0.0.0.0.78.427.9.9.0...0.0...1ac.1.otJAGTy74eM">SARAH KAY</a>; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=PAPERGIRL&oq=PAPERGIRL&gs_l=youtube.12..0l4.32813.35543.0.37820.9.6.0.3.3.0.113.312.5j1.6.0...0.0...1ac.1.nMJvlBlTOz4">PAPERGIRL</a>...and all these on Sarah Kay's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=DFBC4DBF7976778A">PLAYLIST</a>" but there are thousands still to discover, and there is me to discover myself as a poet, and maybe that's the most important thing.<br />
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I feel I've been given a gift - a gift of voice. If you want to solve the world's problems - get everybody telling stories and writing and performing poetry - give everyone their VOICE. If you want to inspire children to believe in the beauty of life and learning - stop trying to teach them, stop trying to fool them that it's all about grades and exams and competition and certificates and being the best and knowing this and that so you can prove that you've learned it so you can get a good job and a house and a car and maybe a pension if you work hard enough long enough without dying first, without ever tasting the real essence of life..give them their voice by inspiring them to tell stories and write and tell poetry.<br />
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If you want to live in a world where everyone knows and understands and respects everyone else - give everyone the experience of finding their voice and sharing it with the rest of us. We talk but don't talk... we hear but don't listen... we look but don't see... <br />
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It's been around for ever, but I have a feeling that "spoken word poetry" and "storytelling" could be the new revolution.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-21748436908686502312012-10-10T10:19:00.000-07:002012-10-10T10:19:04.615-07:00THE 4 a.m. MYSTERY <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-29466773012346213812012-10-10T07:58:00.002-07:002012-10-10T07:58:46.092-07:00A Band Is Forming<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My album project consists of me and my friend Geert - I write the songs, Geert does all the complicated recording technique, and we both play the music. We've got guitar, voice and bass as basics, but that's it. I plan to keep the whole album pretty basic too - it's about the songs, not about the production (meaning over-production) and I've been inspired by the more basic recordings on Nick Drake's albums.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But some songs are already screaming for extras: guitar parts that are more intricate than either of us can play; percussion parts; and strings (especially cello). So it's time to get some more people involved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Starting with another friend - Marnix. He is percussionist, and we had him over yesterday evening for a session in the studio. Great! He's into it and raring to go. An extra advantage of this is that he also plays some bass and sings - and with my idea of holding a "launch concert" when the album is ready, he'll be important to take over the bass when Geert is playing extra guitar parts, and joining in the vocal-harmonies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've also got my son Kyrian interested in putting down some piano tracks - he plays intricate jazz improvisations so that'll add some real color to the album. And he'll be good too for the extra guitar parts because he's better at that than me or Geert too. What's really interesting is that Kyrian has never heard my songs - he's never seen this side of his father (except when he was younger - but he doesn't remember).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've got 5 songs completed and 13 to go (yes that many!). But the main songwriting part is done - the "inspirational" part. I've got all the musical ideas on video, and the "concept" of the album is decided, and all the ideas have already been designated a "theme/subject". So I only have to write the lyrics. This is not as difficult as it may seem - it's no different from writing an article (except making rhyme). Just a matter of sitting down with information and organizing it into verse - it's a "craft", and I'm not bad at it. And I have to say... writing songs gives me just about the most enjoyment I've ever had creatively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've heard a lot of demoralizing advice when it comes to "doing things yourself". Many would think if I want to make a professional album I should go to a professional studio. I don't agree with this - especially when it comes to this project. I'm sure a professional studio with expert and experienced producers and engineers would create a really nice album of my songs (and charge me a really nice big bill for their services), but what is the advantage of that? Really?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want an album that gives listeners the effect that I'm singing personally for them - and that "I'm" singing and playing, and not a full studio of session musicians. It's not about how "exquisite" the production is but how authentic the songs are, and the performance. And it's not just about the album either... it's about the experience of "making" it... ourselves!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a journey of creative discovery - why would I want to put it in the hands of someone else who's already made the journey?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Following the same line of thinking - when I go travelling, that won't be just about "gigging" and "selling albums". That'll be as much (if not more) about connecting with people and sharing stories - the album and songs will just be a vehicle by which to do this. That's why I'm not planning on touring in the traditional sense - around the songwriter/band circuit - but on finding the storytelling venues and gatherings and mixing song and story as a troubadour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's also not about being rich and famous as a popstar either - just so you know... I'll leave that dream aside for all the young ones.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-42923706238225929722012-10-10T07:01:00.000-07:002012-10-10T07:11:43.768-07:00THE MOTH - True Stories Told Live<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><em style="background-color: font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://themoth.org/">The Moth</a></em><span style="background-color: color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"> is a New York City based nonprofit organization that conducts live storytelling events.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">An article I read over this U.S. storytelling venue is what got me first interested and looking for a similar venue in Amsterdam which led me to <a href="http://www.mezrab.nl/">The Mezrab</a> and turned my world upside down and changed my life and got me songwriting again and eventually..... so on and so forth..... got me where I am now.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">I keep an eye on The Moth - get updates for new videos (the events I can't get to on the bike), and I think I've viewed most of their Tube videos. I have mixed feelings. The storytellers give me an idea of the general standard, so I think if I can do what these guys 'n gals are doing I'm not doing too bad. But these speakers are often professional tv writers or authors or even comedians - so where are the "normal" people I ask myself.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: color: #222222; line-height: 16px;">Anyway - that's America, this is here, and the Mezrab is full of 'normal' people telling their stories. But I just wanted to give you an example of one "speaker" from The Moth so you get an idea for yourself - one of the stories I enjoyed the most because the guy doesn't come over as a great speaker, but warms to you as you get into his story:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I haven't found a storytelling-video from The Mezrab - yet. Maybe that's something that still needs to be done.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620399841518994341.post-73304305159770440902012-10-09T00:16:00.001-07:002012-10-09T00:16:15.999-07:00Once Upon A Time On A Greek Island...<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Take one dancing fool who sings a bit and plays some strange wind instruments and a failed pantomime villain on accoustic guitar and you get some acoustic cabaret punked up pop - whatever that is.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Once upon a time on a Greek island I bumped into Nigel - a chef with rockstar ambitions. We became close friends and my songwriting efforts of the time (which were, at that time, more effort than song) inspired him to ditch his kitchens for a life on the stage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Over the years, along with occasional joint songwriting episodes, Nigel honed his own songwriting and performing skills and gathered a rich and varied musical repertoire in a style that can only be described as "Nigelish"!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now, 30 years on, he's still performing regularly in bars and at festivals across the UK as one half of a distinctly unique duo called "The Big Fibbers". He's also a politician... of sorts!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I envied his ambition and determination - he's clocked up 30 years of experience, while I've stayed a reclusive songwriter. He has therefore been as much an inspiration to me as I was to him way back when. So now, at this turning point in my life, as I'm set to follow his example, I want to make this dedication to a man who made his own dream come true without any regard for the opinions of others. This is what he wanted and he went out and just did it... his way!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>The Big Fibbers - a dangerously different duo from a dark kettle of fish. They write songs about booze, madness, the ghosts of love, aliens, fish and even more booze.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Visit the website: </span><a href="http://www.bigfibbers.co.uk/">http://www.bigfibbers.co.uk/</a><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And enjoy a taste of something, well, completely different...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ROCK ON NIGEL</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3