Smells like shit to me....
Current mood: contemplative
Category: News and Politics
I've been reading Faces & Masks, by Eduardo Galeano (one of my favourite authors) for the third time.. It's the second book in his spellbinding Memory Of Fire trilogy, (a history of the Americas, told in short stories and prose with the proud bias of a South American journalist and free thinker. arguably one of the greatest free thinkers of our time).
Faces & Masks covers the 18th and 19th centuries… I just read the following passage and it made me wonder; why is it that with so much so called progress since that time; things are essentially the same?
Carriages rolling up to the fiesta cross paths with caravans of blacks toting fetid pots and barrels. Clouds of flies pursue the procession to the beaches of Rio de Janero. Every evening, slaves throw the maters' shit into the waters of the lovely bay. - Edurado Galeano...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This paragraph closed a short story about Brazil celebrating the devastation of Paraguay in 1870. In typical Galeano fashion he closes a story with a poignant twist of irony that's hard to ignore.
It's understandable that most young Americans (both Nth & Sth) might ask… "what the hell has events in Rio in 1870 got to do with anything I'm experiencing in my life today?"…
Well for starters...
Think of the current economic crisis in the USA that's resonating globally… and rest assured that as the shit hit's the fan during the current stock-market dive (which might even be an engineered crisis) and then the panic subsides; it will be the slaves who clean up the masters' mess… Even those who don't believe they are slaves, because their shit toting wagons have been replaced by shiny new, leased, fossil fuel powered vehicles and their wallets are stuffed with plastic.
And least the shit the slaves in 1870 were toting was real and smelled like shit!
August 27 2008.. – NEW REALEASE from VOCIFEROUS MUSIC
Artist: Kandinsky Opera
Album: Free Kandinskys
A compilation of works by a mob of passionate, creative, lunatics, scoundrels, musicians and friends… created in various locations between 1993 & 2008.
Listen or download free anytime at Last.FM.com or Reverb Nation.com
I just uploaded a couple of rough cut scenes to You Tube from our indie feature film 'What A Great Idea'. These particular scenes feature two characters that aren't main players (and it's not even certain these scenes will make the final cut of the film which is still in the final stages of production) but the scenes uploaded are examples of the improvised nature of parts of the film. Both the young cast members did a wonderful job of taking a simple scenario and infusing it with humor and a touch of the absurd while staying in touch with the humanity and almost tragic reality of the characters and situation.
The film will be a collage of sorts, a pastiche of vignettes, a rich tapestry and mixture of scripted/rehearsed scenes and improvised situations/interactions; all held together by a loose narrative; well I hope it will all hold together ; )
Much of this will be revealed or discovered in the editing process and with close to 40 hrs of footage to choose from the editing will no doubt be; both a huge challenge and an exciting process!
In the meantime I'll be throwing myself back into the task of raising the finishing funds… So any potential Executive Producers are welcome to get in touch. And for anyone who doesn't know exactly what an executive producer is, I'll translate from movie speak to plain English…
Executive Producers = anyone with a minimum of $ 3,000 they'd like to throw at an indie film production in exchange for a credit, invitation to the wrap party, festival rights and piece the final product.
The production/film has been and will continue to be produced in a collaborative fashion, with all investors, cast and unpaid crew sharing in the equity… All legally notated, documented and accounted for of course.
I’m not a physicist
Current mood: creative
Category: Life
"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music." - Albert Einstein.
I've always loved this Einstein quote... the odd thing is I don't really consider myself a musician (though some of my musician friends would disagree). I've never learned to play an instrument to an even basic minimum level (not enough to jamm with others).
But I compose music, have a good basic understanding of music theory, have a very good ear and in my role of music producer... I often guide musicians or call the shots and discuss the most subtle nuances of a performance with confidence.
The bottom line is that even though I'm not performing music live...
I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music...
And here's a few other famous quotes about music that I also love.
"Without music, life would be an error" - Freidrich Neitzsche.
"Don't play what's there, play what's not there" - Miles Davis.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music"- Sergei Rachmaninov.
"There are two kinds of music, the good and the bad. I play the good kind." - Louis Armstrong.
Another one of those overused cliché's perhaps? And from another perspective I'm sure life can be too long. And when you're approaching 50, single, lost your father and had a heart attack in the past year… and feel emotionally isolated and sexual frustrated… you start to see life from both those perspectives.
If there's one thing amongst all the powerful emotions, joys, sorrows accomplishments and disappointments that keeps coming back to haunt me it's the loneliness. Not to be confused with being alone… I still enjoy being alone very much at times… some might argue too much.
So this morning I got to thinking about all the girls I've loved before… not just past lovers but the one's I've truly fallen in love with!
They've been very few and far between; so I started thinking about what they had in common. What is that magikal ingredient that's lured me, eluded me or deluded me?
It's certainly not physical appearance since they've been red heads with freckles or olive skinned brunettes, nor is it style or personality.
So again I asked myself; what is this mystery ingredient they all shared?
And I came to the realization that there isn't one or I'm not aware of it. Perhaps the only common denominator is that they all viewed me or used me as a stepping stone, or curiosity, plaything, detour, substitute, voice of reason, shoulder to cry on or father figure while they continued to search for THE ONE… and I say that without animosity or regret, it is what it is, I played the game willingly, fell in love honestly and enjoyed the moments of bliss.
There are probabl;y some guys (or girls for that matter) that would read this and say "what a pathetic loser or sad sack". But I'm sure there are just as many who can relate. The longer I live the more lonely people I encounter; the more I wonder why?
And yet I'm an eternal optimist!…
Post heart-attack but fitter and stronger than I've been in years.
Post heartaches but more ready, willing and able to LOVE than ever before
Approaching 50 but as youthful or more-so than I've ever been
There is one LOVE however that stands out… one that's been there for me through my highest highs and lowest lows.
SHE was my first LOVE
And SHE will most probably sing my swan song and write my epitaph with more passion, pathos and LOVE than the others could ever pretend to.
And HER name is MUSIC
How do I know MUSIC is a SHE ?
Well anything so gorgeous, emotive, unpredictable, alluring & elusive just has to be female.
So today's piece of pathetic prose, prefaced by this even more pathetic long and probably unnecessary introduction, goes out to all the girls I've loved before except the MUSIC.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Am I supposed to be Happy to be One of the boys you call friend
Do you really expect me To jump with glee When I'm not the type to pretend
I need the nectar Under purple skies Mango moments and elongated sighs
Fuck your empathy, curiosity Or faux friendship Confusion and signs from above
Drop all the pretense Show me the LOVE Or hate me with passion and say he's the one
So I can stand tall In the firing line And die like the black son
Kids Off The Kerb - is recruiting
Current mood: inspired
Category: Jobs, Work, Careers
I was recently appointed Arts Director for a new youth organization called "Kids Of The Kerb" ... And we are recruiting Melbourne based artists to lead workshops with young people.
Here's the lowdown.
KIDS OFF THE KERB
Facilitating and creating arts programs & workshops designed to give youth from all backgrounds a broader perspective and greater confidence, providing inspiration and developing skills that enable them to make a positive difference in their own lives, their communities and the world.
Kids Off The Kerb is a new Melbourne based non-profit organization, we are currently recruiting artists in all disciplines to lead workshops with disadvantaged youth. Acting training or experience is an advantage but not a prerequisite; artists involved in any performance, musical or visual arts are welcome to apply.
The artists will complete 10 free training sessions and will then be offered employment subject to completion and assessment of suitability. The training program is based on a model from the highly regarded Los AngelesCalifornia based "Inside Out Community Arts". http://www.insideoutca.org/index.htm We acknowledge with gratitude the support, association and freindship with Inside Out...
This is a great opportunity for Melbourne based artists to participate in a unique training program that may lead to rewarding part time employment that benefits local communities.
Artists interested in applying or wanting further information should contact:
Another piece of prose that started life as a poem until the Ancient Ones said... "hold on a bit this should be a song".
EVEN BETTER
(Verse 1)
If it was wrong Why did it feel so good Four years have passed And I still play the fool You say they're not in sync Your head and heart But it's the choices you make That split them apart
(Chorus) We live & love, laugh & cry
We live & love, laugh & cry (Verse 2) We were so close To love and ancient hands The things I miss the most Lie buried in the sand If it wasn't meant to be Why can't I start anew Eight thousand miles away But never far from you
We live & love, laugh & cry
We live & love, laugh & cry
We live & love, laugh & cry
We live & love, laugh & cry
(Middle 8) And it will never be the same But magik never dies I will hold you again Sure as the eagle flies Yes it may never be the same As that time we had together Next time around It will be even better
contemplative
focused
aroused
creative
amorous
quixotic
inspired
luminous