A Round of Words: New Month, New Me!

Short week and feeling pretty good. Feel much more productive and positive today. Had a bit of an
epiphany about my writing and my goals for A Round of Words and Beyond. Happy to say I am going full tilt, so let's get this started.

I think this mood is partially because of my recent acquisition of Scrivener. Having been through the tutorial and am actually excited to start using it. Also, my friend James Owen has started a new page to his life with the e-book releases of all three of his Meditation Trilogy  (Drawing Out the Dragons, The Barbizon Dairies, and [for the first time], The Grand Design). He is offer Drawing Out the Dragons free at his site The Awesomist Revolution through September 10th.

This week:
     *Read "Abhorsen". I'm on Chapter 29, and rounding third of the book. Really good! I have loved revisiting Sabriel, Touchstone, Sameth, and Lirael's stories. Also, read a bit more of "Misty of Chincoteague", and while not a long read I get into one book and forget to read others that are in progress. Planning a blog around Misty, which includes reading some more of M. Henry's other books.
      *Visited fellow bloggers blogs yesterday, about 4. At 4 for the week, add 3 or 4 today, will be doing pretty good with that goal. Now to keep up with it.  I have decided to set time to visit and read others stuff each day to help attain it.
       *Blogged last night. That's one for the week. One more  and that'll be the start of the twice weekly blogging.
       *Wrote a bit with my Word Sparks.

Still working on:
       *Revision Time! Yeah, this hasn't happened yet. Working on it.
       *Submission Time! Honestly, I haven't had the proper time to work on this. Going to make time this week and block out submission time during the week.
       *Exercise Time! I have slacked on this. Even with the forthcoming winter (I know I shouldn't cuss on the internet). There is a full three weeks of Summer left, and after that Fall has decent weather to allow for exercise time. I want to get back to where I was when I was unemployed. When I had the time to work out. Work in progress, Babe!!
       *Write! Yeah, this will always be on this part of the list. :-)

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My mind has been on the end of summer, the return to school, and the beginning of the cooler and darker months. getting a little thoughtful. I am going to miss the summer nights and the greenery. Even though I love the foliage change, the crisp mornings, pumpkin spice, Halloween, and snuggling under warm blankets. There is a sadness that hangs over me right after labour day. Possibly a throwback to my days as student and returning to school? Or maybe my young friends who are seniors in High School, or the little ones starting Pre-K? Change is on the horizon and sometimes I get a little sad, but it is not bad, just thoughtful. I think I will haiku online later. It's turned into a form of therapy, writing haiku. That and listening to music.

Question for you, Dear Readers. What music do you listen to when you are feeling sad, angry, happy? I float between Meatloaf, Great Big Sea, and Celtic Woman.

Mix Tape....What is this....the 1990's?

Alright, I missed a few days! Oops! :-)

I had a stage crew gig this weekend and was overly busy in general. It happens. Been thinking of ideas for this blog, such as reviews to do in the future, or topics of interest to the internet public. I still want to review "The Golden Compass", both the movie and book, but I need to time re-read the book again (and as I am still reading the "Inheritance Cycle", it'll be a bit before I get to that). I have another super secret review that I am planning, but it's also not ready. I think all y'all will enjoy it, but it's so secret, so don't ask! ~wink~ It's some GOOD trouble, as my Mentor is often fond of saying. I like that phrase. I also want to interview a couple of people and feature some of their stuff on "Here, There be a Writer". These are also in the works. So, what does that leave to feature today?

Well..... ~pause~

A number of ideas spring from a a single source have exploded in my brain lately. About a week ago friends-Amy and Richard-came down to visit (they live in Rochester) and one of the many topics discussed while during this said visit was our love of our old mix tapes. After all, we (the four of us) grew up in the era of cassette tapes and often this only way to get/discover new music when you were a poor college student; was to trade mix tapes with your friends. Of course this also goes for collecting concert tapes and rare tracks, something my husband was ever so fond of doing in the 1990's (still does actually, just different format). The CD burner had yet to come out, or was so new that it cost close to 200 dollars to purchase. Yeah, Chitlins, your parents, aunts and uncles used to not be able to burn a copy of their favourite band new album for their friends. We had to listen to the radio (gah!), or cassette tapes. Most of us had only the radio and whatever cassette tapes  we had lying around (sometimes record albums, although they hadn't made the come back yet). This was part of the reason, no doubt, how mix tape were born, because when you were bored you would make the mix tape and not be bored (at least that how it was for me). Often I had more fun making the mix tape, especially if it was for someone else.

This was the age of the late 90's, when you would hook your computer to your boombox (is that ever the right term now-a-days?) to record mp3's that you had gotten from Napster, Audio-galaxy, Scour, or Morpheus so you could record digital media onto cassettes. I used this method quite a bit, that and the CD to tape method to create my mix tapes; sometimes I would use tape to tape, if I could borrow my parents dual tape deck player, that is (mine had only one tape deck).

I made mix tapes not only for my friends, but also for myself. There is a kind of magic in popping in a mix tape and listening to the often eclectic track list boasted on most of these tapes, singing along, usually to the dismay of your suite mates or siblings (no one really cared). Songs that you grew up with, or that friends introduced you to and then they became your favourites, or those guilty pleasure songs (you know which ones).

In this modern age when most music is digital and  cassette tapes are hard to find anywhere, I like to harken back to my own cassette tape collection. It doesn't get a lot of use much lately, but I find comfort in listening to these very same tapes from late high school through college. I even brought one such mix tape into the 21st century and made a CD version of the track list. The tape which has been a crucial part of my car driving experience in the post college years. It is feeling the years and may not last much longer. I made this conversion in order to save the history of this particular tape. While the old tape still works-and it'll probably last until the cassette breaks or implodes, whichever comes first-I wanted to remember the awesome time and good feelings it sparks in my soul.

Featuring the track list from this famous mix tape that is lovingly dubbed, "Amy's College Mix", is a collection of tracks from my friend Amy. Because of her, I now know these song so completely that I think they are knitted into my DNA now. It also brings back a bit of nostalgia for me, "Well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable/And lightness has a call that's hard to hear..." from the depths of the boring real world, I have a little ray of hope and sunshine calling to me to sing along. From this tape I learned to love Great Big Sea, I discovered the musical-Scarlet Pimpernel, understood what RENT meant, hated U2 a little less, understood Amy a bit better, learned that the Indigo Girls had other songs out there that weren't "Closer to Fine", and discovered some new/new to me artists.

Amy's College Mix, Circa 1999ish

In the House of Stone and Light - Martin Page
Send Me on My Way - Rusted Root
Ordinary Day - Great Big Sea
Uptown Girl  - Billy Joel
Call Me Al - Paul Simon
Roam - The B-52's
Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls
Soul Cages - Sting
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
Nightswimming - REM
You're My Home - Scarlet Pimpernel
Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
Kid Fears - Indigo Girls
Gimme One Reason - Tracy Chapman
Mari-Mac - Great Big Sea
Jesus' Brother Bob - Arrogant Worms
Birdhouse in Your Soul - They Might Be Giants
Tell Her About It - Billy Joel
Angel of Harlem - U2
RENT - Rent
I Will Not Take These Thing For Granted  - Toad the Wet Sprocket
I'm Going to Go Back There Someday - Gonzo
Into the Fire - Scarlet Pimpernel
Last Dance - Sarah McLachlan

This brings up the point that I wanted to make. I want to make a new mix tape for Amy (as she herself said there was a volume 2 in the works of the above mentioned mix tape). Well, if she makes me a new one, then I will make her a new mix tape (using actual cassette tapes too) of my current favourite songs/new stuff that I think she would like. What to look for? Maybe some Annie Lennox, She and Him, Celtic Woman, maybe a little Great Big Sea, Bare Naked Ladies, or even some of Hannah-Rei and Sophie Madeleine (two very talented British Lassies), might even put some Paul Simon or Indigo Girls (but different tracks on this one).

Question Time: Has anyone made a mix tape before? If so, then what have you included? What would you put on a mix tape? Comment below, in the Comment Section....

Great Big Sea in Buffalo, and Greek Food, and BACON!

Buffalo at Night

 Afternoon All!

I am back from my weekend away, and while I did not write, I did think. As Wallace would say, it was a Grand Day Out, or at least a Grand Island Weekend Out!

As is my usual, when Great Big Sea travel to Buffalo, NY I find my way to Grand Island, NY where a college friend lives and we get to hang out and have shenanigans. 2013 is Great Big Sea's 20th Anniversary Tour, with a double disc Greatest Hits and a friggin' awesome tour. I bought these ticket last year and waited in triumph for this day.

It has come and as of this post gone! But, truly a memorable concert with one of the truly awesome bands out there.

There are a few things I do need to point out. Great Big Sea is based out of Newfoundland Canada (see map) and it along with Labrador make up the farthest eastern Canadian province. It is a rich and cultural diverse land. I will save the historical lesson, but I do plan to visit both Labrador and Newfoundland someday soon, preferably in the Summer months (I hear the Winter's are pretty wicked). Newfoundland is the island and 2 of my favourite bands bands have come out of this far out there place; Arrogant Worms and Great Big Sea.

Great Big Sea is a wonderful blend of celtic, irish, egland, french, folk, and rock all roll in one. I was brought into the Sea early in college, but didn't really sink my teeth into their music until after I moved  back from Dallas. Something Beautiful was my first full album. If I didn't like them before (I did, but only knew 4 of their songs), I was in love now. The melodic vocals of Sean and the rock power behind Alan just made me melt, plus Bob on the fiddle was just my cup of tea (as I spent 9 years playing violin in school). They became my world!

So, 20th anniversary, check; tickets, check; bestest friend (one of three or four), check. I set off from my home in Corning, NY for Grand Island, NY. A trip of about 2 1/2 hours. I drive the scenic route up 390 to Geneseo to Rte 63 to Bethany, NY then Rte 20 thru Alden, NY. It's a pleasant drive and one usually filled with GBS tunes along the way.

JAM BASKET!!!

The whole trip was a wonderful time with Laura, Krys, and Linda that included Greek food at Alton's on Saturday night, that means Souvlaki (beef) with olive and pitas with dill dressing and a Bacon-filled dinner Sunday before the concert with home Sangria and bacon wrapped chicken and bacon chocolate chip cookies. made by Laura and Krys (i wrapped the chicken in Bacon and cooked the bacon for the cookies. YUM YUM!

And the game afternoon with Krys playing Clue, which I hadn't played in year, and somehow managed to win. I was trying, but I think I got lucky. Anywhoo, I had fun. It was good times! I love my Buffalo peeps!

Before the Concert

All lit up!

 And then the concert, in one of the best venue to see the Sea, the Center for the Arts on the University of Buffalo's North Campus. Great acoustics and really decent seats. GBS rolled out the all of the hits and some of the new tracks recorded specially for the XX album. Personal favourites, that's always tough, but when they sing accapella, I melt; The River Driver, Safe Upon the Shore, or Come and I Will Sing You.

 
Their stage banter is also a point to be remember. The love interacting with each other and their audience, sometime Kris their drummer will walk around the stage while the rest of the guys are playing and interact with each of them, much to the audience's amusement (including mine). They play a few song that don't normally get played, What Are Ya'at?, Wave Over Wave, and Captain Wedderburn; still waiting for them to play Seagulls or Trois Navires de Ble.

I always said. give these guys a listen, they are totally worth it.

The Guys in action!! (Kris on the drums, Murray, Alan, Sean, and Bob)

20th Anniversary of Great Big Sea

This year’s is GBS’s 20^th anniversary (1993-2013). For 20 years they have been making and playing music across the great Canadian Plains, as well as in the States and across the Pond. Part of their big celebration this year, the band has released a 2-disc Greatest Hits collection and are going on a rather extensive tour of Canada and the US to promote it. They have also recorded 6 new tracks that have been included on the "XX" album.

You’re probably wondering who GBS, right? Well, GBS is Great Big Sea and Celtic/folk rock band that hails from Newfoundland, Canada. You know that big island off the eastern coast of Canada. Theirs is a blend of traditional Irish/Celtic/Newfoundlander folk and rock.

Newfoundland is the island in the lower right corner.

I was introduced to GBS in college by the same friend who introduced me to Dar Williams. Back then, I knew a total of 4 songs by GBS: "Run Run Away", "Mar-Mac", "Ordinary Day", and their cover of REM's “End of the World,” Alan has phenomenal breath support to be able to sing it that fast. I love these tracks, they were very catchy and bordered on pop, without actually being pop. That was where my knowledge stayed until a trip to one of the many CD conventions I attended in the late 2000's. This one was in Ithaca, NY and I happened upon the "Great Big CD/DVD" combo and the "Something Beautiful" album. I fell in love with them after that. Something in their sound was truly beautiful- something there-and is full of awesome.

I remember one weekend-after getting those albums-up in Buffalo visiting my friend Laura and we went for a drive in Canada (back when you could cross the border with just a regular license). We were listening to the "Something Beautiful" album while driving thru St. Catherine’s. That album is made for scenic driving. Laura and I had the best drive of our lives (well, I can’t speak for her, but it was the best for me).

After that we started attending any concerts that were in the Buffalo/Rochester areas and the collecting of the music began. I discovered that this little band from the St. John’s area was quite the thing. They are REALLY HUGE in Canada! The US boasts quite a fan base as well, but GBS isn’t really main stream here as in Canada. Not that I mind, they make great music, have fantastic voices, and offer their hearts to their fans.

Newfoundland flag

Neat factoids about this great group of guys, of whom there are 5. (there were originally 4, but one member, Darrell Power bowed out after their live album after of their Sea of No Cares tour to spend more time with family). The band added 2 more and this is the line that is still touring and making music. The members are Alan Doyle, Sean McCann, Bob Hallett, Murray Foster, and Kris McFarlane. Back to the factoids: Alan Doyle, the co-lead singer of the band was in the recent Robin Hood adaptation with Russell Crow. The Bob Hallet is an published writer and author whose work includes many of the early GBS liner notes, a couple of textbooks for children, and pieces of work pertaining to the music business. Murray Foster, formerly of the cult band 'Moxy Fruvous" has created a pseudo band "The Cocksure Lads" and is making a movie of the music that he has co-written with fellow Fruvous band mate (9funded through Kickstarter), Mike Ford. Sean McCann, the other co-lead singer of GBS was the first of the band to take a stab at a solo work. He now has 2 solo albums. Kris McFarlane, the drummer from Nova Scotia who has performed with the likes of Denny Doherty (founding member of the Mamas and the Papas) and The Paperboys to name a few. 4 of the 5 members all have degrees in English (be still my beating English/Literature heart).

GBS has a wide body of work and I would like to highlight my top 10 Great Big Sea songs. Not all of these are from the Greatest Hits, nor are they all singles from any of their albums. These are tracks I think anyone looking to get into GBS should give a listen to.

Number #10:  "Trois Navires de Ble"

Translates into 3 Ships of Wheat, it tells the story the sailors on the ships talking to 3 sisters on the shore trying to sell wheat to them and not succeeding. While sung entirely in French, it’s done very well. From the “Turn” album and beautifully sung by Alan.

Number #9: "Wave Over Wave'

This is a  sentimental ballad about the life of a sailor and his feeling about the sea and his family. The hardship of leaving his family, but the love he has for sailing and the sea. This is also sung by Alan and is from the “Up” album.

Number #8: "When I am King"

From the “Something Beautiful” album, it’s more modern sounding, although not as heavily influenced by the pop rock sound as the “Sea of No Cares” album. It’s simply about things going right in the singer’s life, if he were king.

Number #7: "Come and I Will Sing You (The 12 Apostles)"

A Bob song! When I first realized this was a Bob song, I was instantly impressed. There are a lot of words in this song. It’s a traditional Yuletide song, in the vein of “12 Days of Christmas”. Traditionally sung during the Christmas season in Newfoundland. Bob does a great job on this track. It’s from “The Hard and the Easy” album, which is all traditional Newfoundlander folk songs.

Numbers #6: "Straight to Hell"

The first time I heard this song, I realized that GBS could and is a rock band. The band that had been practically a folk band for years was proving they could do the rock and do it well. The song is about selling your soul to make great music, but the reason it works is  because Alan believes it as he is singing. It’s not the normally pretty ballads or the rough salty sea shanties of the norm. It’s raw and gritty. I love it!

Number #5 ": Sea of No Cares" (Live/Living Room version)

This song in from the album of the same name, and is unfortunately the victim of over-production. I like the song and the album has a number of nice tracks, but it is clearly over-produced. The Live/Living Room version of "Sea of No Cares" slows down the song. It makes it more emotional and touching. I can hear Alan singing his heart out on this version. I recommend anyone curious to skip the album version listen  to the version on the “Courage, Patience, and Grit” live album or any live version online, or even better go to a GBS concert. It’s worth it.

Number #4: "Good People"

A Sean track this time. It’s a little more country, but there is something inherently catchy about it, about the kindness of good people in a world filled with many less than kind people. It’s on the “Safe Upon the Shore” album.

Number #3: "General Taylor"/"Old Brown’s Daughter"

These are tied, simply because I cannot choose between them both; at least with their live shows these are both done acapella. "General Taylor" is naturally acapella and "Old Brown’s Daughter" is done acepella at their live shows. GBS have such amazing harmonies that any acapella songs make me melt. "General Taylor' is sung by Sean from the “Play” album and "Old Brown’s Daughter" is from the "Turn" album.

Number #2: "River Driver"

Another traditional song from “The Hard and the Easy” album, sung mostly by Alan with only a bodhran accompanying him and the rest of the group singing the chorus. Oh man, I get goose bumps when this sung play. It’s a touching story of the River Driver, the men that help pull the barges (with the use of horses of course) up the canals to deliver goods to the more inland cities and villages. Alan’s soulful voice is heart breaking as he tells the story. I highly recommend this one.

Number #1: "Ordinary Day"

Probably their biggest hit ever and the unmistakable with the Morse code beeping in the intro. The first track on the “Play” album, it a fun track to listen to both the studio version and any live version.

GBS is still putting out quality music. I recommend you giving them a listen if are interested in the Celtic/Folk sound, but don't discount that these guys can rock. If you get a chanced to see them live, please do so. Their tour schedule, music, and such can be found on their website: GREAT BIG SEA.