LAST POST !!!

THIS IS THE LAST POST ON THIS BLOG . . .

The reason is that I've created a new website and new blog that takes up where this one stops.

The new site and blog is at: www.thewriterandtheriver.com

I hope to see you there - where you can follow my adventures as I travel around Europe in 2013 as a singer-songwriter/troubadour.

Thanks for reading this far,

Mike

Update February

26-02-2013        

Cafe thijssen, corner of Lindengracht and Brouwersgracht, Amsterdam.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

-----------------

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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).

--------------------------------

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.

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.... just as my father did.

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?

-------------------

Just another line of thought that springs up when I let my mind wander:  People are  strange... the energy between people can be so confusing - it's worth an examination.

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.

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.

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.

------------------

Live At De Nieuwe Anita

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. 

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.

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!

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?

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.

I've got the bug now - and that's just what I needed.

If you're in Amsterdam, check out "De Nieuwe Anita"... it's definitely worth a visit. Here's a couple pics to give you a taste of the atmosphere.

Just A Saturday Morning

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.
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.
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 "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? 
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.
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.
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.
There is enough time to do the other things... there's always enough time - really!

Update January 2013

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

The excitement is growing, I'm ready for the adventure, and this "River" blog is going to get busy shortly.

Bye for now
Mike

Update December 2012

It's been a busy time and I've finally got all the songs written for the album, but I can't relax yet.
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.
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.

One more thing... I've decided to do most of my daily writing for a while on Hubpages. 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.

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.

I'm on schedule and the project's looking and sounding good!

UPDATE NOVEMBER

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.
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...

SONGS
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!

STORYTELLING
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..."
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!
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.

PROJECT
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...
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.
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.

WRITING
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 Hubpages (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.

OTHER THINGS
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!

And that's it for this post. I think it's time I tried my hand now at videoblogging... hmmmmm!

Song For The Protest Singer

SONG FOR THE PROTEST SINGER

For the faithful stand you displayed – and the glory songs you played

This one's for you

With my salute and respect – to your pen's skilled effect

For it wrote so true

In a time of troubles and wrongs – you gave your voice to the young

And the common man

Where many more never dared – you sang aloud to be heard

Or be damned

…..

With guitar on your shoulder – you stood wild as a soldier

Of the stage

And the truths you did shout – were like bullets ringing out

From your page

And your ballads and poems, written proud – were the anthems of a crowd

That had suffered too long

And the sonnets you sang were the creed – of an army you would lead

With your battle song

…..

With your choruses and chords – as bard and troubadour

You bared your soul

With your stories full of pain – of disillusion and shame

For the rights they stole

But the fears dissipated – and hopes were celebrated

In your rhyme

And your music gave them chance – for freedom and dance

In a changing time

…..

Ousting tyranny and fraud – Wielding pen as a sword

To the throats of those lords and presidents of propagation

You tore the cloaks from their lies – You filled their ears and their eyes

With the echoes of our cries – Stirred the conscience of a nation

You were our teeth and our tongues – Sharp as daggers in your songs

You were the voice that sang along – For a whole angry generation

…..

The truth be told, it is so – we've still a long way to go

And we're not there yet

But our souls won't be sold – and your songs won't get old

And we won't forget...

Utopian Dreams

Utopian Dreams

I’m going down to the land and the fields

Get myself back to the earth

Bathe my soul in the free flowing rivers

Open my heart for rebirth

I’m going to live with the beautiful people

The sons and the daughters of Eve

Lend my hands to the gardens of Gaia

A crown of bright flowers for to weave

I’ll burn the ways of an angry world behind me

Rise through the ashes of their fear

Join as one with my brothers and sisters

Create a new brave world for us here

From the soils that our fingers are turning

Sowing the seeds of our tree

Under the leaves of our love and our learning

Our children will grow to be free

I’m going down to the fields of our Mother

Back to the source of the stream

There I’ll dance and I’ll sing in her meadows

A song of Utopian dreams

Times Of Change

Times of Change

Daybreak pines, but your love it smiles

For your soul lies true in your heart

Blaze the old guard fires, but you know you’re alive

And your banners are heeled for the start

The day will long hours bring, but your heart shall sing

Oh pray now, be the brave now

C’mon and sing our song against the social wrong

Hail these… times of change

Make some noise, for a silenced voice

For the weak who long for their word

For the ones who cry, beaten down by lies

For the ones without rights to be heard

The fight will long time toil, but our bloods they boil

Heed the call now, heads will roll now

C’mon and break these chains, steer the drivers reins

Hear me, times are changing

Worlds go round, but the trumpets sound

For ears that are tuned to the times

For an equal chance, for all who dance

With freedom scratched on the signs

With a new respect for the long oppressed

For us all now, lest we fall now

C’mon and take this stride, for a changing tide

Hail these… times of change, times are changing…

Sadder Sun

SADDER SUN

It's all so clearly getting out of hand

It only takes a finger, to heed a fool's command

Be the biggest, be the first, the best

And sow the fears to put it to the test

In the heaven's blue our star it shines

But there's a sadder sun poised to burn the sky

Breaking atoms is the truth they said

But playing god they raised the devil up instead

---

Eye for eye and tooth for tooth is wrong

When it means we kill the earth we stand upon

And as we celebrate succes we fail

When there is no-one left to tell no-one the tale

We saw the horror and the cries we heard

Pacific islands lie as scars upon the earth

Skin as paper peels among the screams

A nightmare for us all to haunt us in our dreams

---

And all are waiting for the horns to sound

Cellar doors ajar, safety underground

A guide will tell you how you can survive

Maybe you'll be among the too few left alive

But will your children ever get the chance

To see their own children laugh and sing and dance

And how to tell them when the sirens start

A silent kiss away – how did we come so far?

Once More To The Garden

ONCE MORE TO THE GARDEN

There's an old ghost

In a grey suit

On a green road

Where the time flew

Where the words hide

And the dreams fade

And the cause died

As the world frayed

It was then

It was when

There the tide was love

And the clouds were doves

And the fields were home

Where your hopes were grown

And your stride was sung

In a voice so young

And your wars were won

In the rain and sun

There you saw them

In the garden

And the wheel still turns

But the light still burns

And the wind blows

Falls and grows

In your muse

Dove coes

March You Did

MARCH YOU DID

March you did, for your right to refuse

To die in a war they were losing

But to fight the injustices on your home soil

That was a war of your choosing

The Children’s Crusade filled up the jails

The students and women came out fighting

Jim Crow and the Gays and The Vets led the trails

Marched along for the wrongs they were righting

March with your cries to the Lords of Democracy

Force them to open their doors

Turn the world’s eyes to their shame and hypocrisy

Force them to rewrite their laws

Stand you did, when the Civil Guard stormed

Sticks against Billyclubs bashing

Fall you did, when the Bull raised his horns

And set the dogs free with teeth gnashing

Run you did, when the rifles were drawn

There now were the rights they were reading

Cry you did, when shots killed the dawn

And the streets were aligned with the bleeding

March with your cries to the Lords of Democracy

Force them to open their doors

Turn the world’s eyes to their shame and hypocrisy

Force them to rewrite their laws

March your demands in the face of authorities

Storm their troops with your banners and words

Rally for your war against civil atrocities

Get yourself heard

Mourn you did, the ones who were killed

Then as one with the bullied and beaten

You marched to defy those who’d have you be stilled

With a heart that would truly defeat them

And cheer you did, for the words of the brave

The speeches and voices that led you

And shout you did, for a world you would save

With the slogans that fired and fed you

March with your cries to the Lords of Democracy

Force them to open their doors

Turn the world’s eyes to their shame and hypocrisy

Force them to rewrite their laws

March your demands in the face of authorities

Storm their troops with your banners and words

Rally for your war against civil atrocities

Get yourself heard

Like A Long Time Ago

Like A Long Time Ago

Remember those days of the freaks and the squares

hearts in the clouds and flowers in your hair

testing ideals that were raised in the dorms

questioning rights of the established norms

challenging all who refused to believe

there was any way other than those of authority

which cloaked all the truth and fed you on lies

and ask you be silent and cover your eyes

and when you rose up they would not understand

and when you dropped out they would lift up their hands

and scold you for throwing your chances away

like mud in their faces – now those were the days

Remember the ideals the dreams and the goals

away with those antiquated values and roles

away with the arms race – stop all the wars

the only thing worth fighting for was the cause

your right to freedom – free to be free

your right to undisputed equality

for women and gays, black man or white

freedom to demand your true civil rights

to practise your love and peace – expand your mind

alter your consiousness, yourself to find

respect for the earth and all of the garden

to listen to Gaia and beg for her pardon

Remember the heroes, the ones who spoke out

the ones who dared stand up, the ones who dared shout

remember the fallen killed by our own

as well as those tragic souls far from their homes

remember the battlegrounds of Birmingham and Chicago

Jackson state, Madison, Kent state Ohio

the cries and the blood flowed over to europe

and from London to Prague the young they all stood up

And remember san francisco, the gathering of tribes, 

the summer of love, the vision and the vibes

the human be-ins, the robes and the beads, 

and the music and dancing that coloured the streets

and remember the weekend that captured it all  

 and the 500 000 who answered the call

And took to the road to join woodstock nation  

 and bathe Yasgurs fields in peace and celebration

and remember the poets the minstrels and bards, 

who wrote for your souls and sang for your hearts

and gave you the music that could never lie, 

and carried your legacy through years gone by

Through a world rearranging –

 for the times were a changing...

Far as it seems now

What does it mean now 

Where are the dreams now

It's like a long time ago, like a long time ago – like a long time...

It´s Easy

IT’S EASY

It’s easy just to play the game - to pass the buck in times of change

There’s always someone else to blame - it’s easy, it’s easy

Defend your morals handed down - your right to fear, your right to frown

To serve the flag and save the crown - it’s easy standing common ground, it’s easy

As day is day and dark is night - it’s easy knowing wrong from right

So long no-one turns on the light - it’s easy, it’s easy

So long you’re not put to the test - the devil that you know is best

It’s one for one, forget the rest - it’s easy, it’s easy

Wear your blinds, pull down the hood - See private gain as common good

And tell each other how you should - it’s easy, it’s easy

Patch up the holes and sew the seams - and fence off all your hopes and dreams

Turn the truths and call them lies - it’s easy just to close your eyes, it’s easy

It’s not that hard to open out - to question what it’s all about

To speak your heart and let it shout - it’s easy, it’s easy

To stretch your arm with open hand - to make a different kind of stand

A different march, a different band - it’s easy when you understand, it’s easy

To learn to see beyond the wall - to love yourself, to love them all

While dancing to dove’s bugle call - it’s easy, it’s easy

It’s not so hard to save our race - arm in arm and face to face

No place like here, no time like now - it’s easy when you just know how, it’s easy

Like I Was Coming Home

Like I Was Coming Home

I sit before my tv screen and watch your world go by

I see you dance and hear you sing and feel you on your high

I wasn't there to walk with you for I was just too young

But I can dream along – I can dream along

I bathe me in nostalgia's tones for years that were not mine

I share your pains all filled with hope and clothe them in these times

Where stone hearts preach to fearful and blame you for making waves

But that's how man behaves – that's how man repays

Though I know my pretty picture is but half the tale

It guides me still to dragons slain and my own holy grail

And was I younger maybe I would even grow my hair

And flowers I would wear – and would not give a care

But maybe it's you now who rule, by power and money bought

Who raise the flag and wear the suit and smile the face you fought

And if that's so, I grieve for you and hope freedom you'll find

From your disillusioned mind – from your disillusioned mind

Give me your dreams of peace and love, they soothe these confused days

They give me words and voice when I feel lost upon my way

In brother's melodies they call and warm me to my bones

Like I was coming home, like I was coming home, like I was coming home

I sit before my tv screen and watch your world go by

I see you dance and hear you sing and feel you on your high

I wasn't there to walk with you for I was just too young

But I can dream along – I can dream along

But I can dream along – I can dream along

But I can dream along.

Studio Session 1

Finally, finally... some video.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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". Lyrics here...

SongLyrics - Break My Head

BREAK MY HEAD

My input really makes no sense

My presence mostly makes you tense

My best is never good enough for you

All the truths bent into lies

I can't be good, I can't be wise

I break my head tryin' to get through to you

If I could only find a word that's right

Find the spark to set your heart alight

Turn your head around enough to notice me

There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you

Well I could even write a song for you

I might even make you fall in love with me

I wonder why I waste my time

Like turning water into wine

I must be dumb to take what I go through

The ways that you can put me down

If I couldn't swim I'd surely drown

I break my head tryin' to get through to you

If I could only find a word that's right

Find the spark to set your heart alight

Turn your head around enough to notice me

There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you

Well I could even write a song for you

I might even make you fall in love with me

Feed the dog that bites my hand

I'm not even sure I understand

I break my head

Tryin' to get through

Tryin' to get through

Tryin' to get through

Get through to you...