On this Podcast , The Dolmen, Brocc, Devil's Elbow. Electrick Wytch. michael tingle and Russell Davis and a live performance by Spriggan Mist
Wednesday 12 January 2011
Monday 3 January 2011
A Spiritual Beginning
So my bloggy friends, 2011 is here . in this blog you have seen trials and tribulations. From me picking up the bass one Christmas a few years ago to playing festivals with Spriggan Mist. A few weeks ago whilst being interviewed on the BBC I made reference to a musical journey to the amusement of rory , a long time supporter of Spriggan Mist and indeed one of our crew. I kicked myself for using that corny analogy but find myself using it again unashamedly here in this blog.
It has been a journey, not just musically but spiritually too and it’s that intertwining of music and spirituality that I am blogging about today. I am about to embark on a year long self study on the basics of Bardism. The process of becoming a Bard can take 15 -20 years and I’m not sure to what extent my intentions will take me but I know it will increase my knowledge of Awen –inspiration ,flowing spirit, knowledge of music poetry ,story telling ,performance and it certainly has ticked all the boxes in my spiritual beliefs. I intend to update my progress through this blog. A lot of the progress gets logged in private journal, but I see this as a way of getting out there if you like
One of the first exercises is to write how I started out. This blog contains all the details but an abridged version is called for. Within the year of touching a bass for the first time Maxine and i played in a small put together ensemble to accompany a school production...what a buzz..we formed a band Hot Machero playing covers this morphed into Stone Jesters and musicians came and went as did gigs..some good some ok some awful. Maxine started to write some amazing songs and Spriggan Mist evolved from that song writing. By the time Spriggan mist came along I had already been writing a quite well received blog and my creative writing was coming along we made an EP called Konditions of change. One of the tracks on this CD was Dragut’s Eye , a brief song telling the story of the demise of a Turkish general in the great siege of Malta. I had written these lyrics and for the first time I let someone (Maxine ) look at them the song was re recorded for the Caught in a spell CD we did a year later. With Spriggan Mist I undertook some singing duties and some of the writing. Be it very small parts, the odd poem and lyric and a melody here and there. I have always loved a good story and entertaining ,public speaking is no longer an issue for me. I am writing more and more lyrics ,songs and stories and I see 2011 is going to be an amazing year on that musical journey as my spiritual beliefs ,my love of traditional values ,ancient stories ,myths all seem to be merging.
A few weeks ago I had the blessing of seeing a real life Bard in action Damh the Bard. He was presenting a talk on Ogham at Witchfest and he told a story which completely captivated the audience, his demeanour his voice body movements ...he was skilled in the art of communication. I knew his singing was something special , the lyrics, catchy tunes and humour but he inspired me that day ...enought to have lead me to where I am now at a bottom of another hill on that journey looking up at this long path I want to pass along not knowing really where it leads but know I must take it
So the first year and a day is the basic learning cycle and soon I will be Anruth of the Gwion Grade or an initiate into the Bardic ways ...who knows may be one day I’ll be called a Bard, because only then...and then alone will I have become one.
It has been a journey, not just musically but spiritually too and it’s that intertwining of music and spirituality that I am blogging about today. I am about to embark on a year long self study on the basics of Bardism. The process of becoming a Bard can take 15 -20 years and I’m not sure to what extent my intentions will take me but I know it will increase my knowledge of Awen –inspiration ,flowing spirit, knowledge of music poetry ,story telling ,performance and it certainly has ticked all the boxes in my spiritual beliefs. I intend to update my progress through this blog. A lot of the progress gets logged in private journal, but I see this as a way of getting out there if you like
One of the first exercises is to write how I started out. This blog contains all the details but an abridged version is called for. Within the year of touching a bass for the first time Maxine and i played in a small put together ensemble to accompany a school production...what a buzz..we formed a band Hot Machero playing covers this morphed into Stone Jesters and musicians came and went as did gigs..some good some ok some awful. Maxine started to write some amazing songs and Spriggan Mist evolved from that song writing. By the time Spriggan mist came along I had already been writing a quite well received blog and my creative writing was coming along we made an EP called Konditions of change. One of the tracks on this CD was Dragut’s Eye , a brief song telling the story of the demise of a Turkish general in the great siege of Malta. I had written these lyrics and for the first time I let someone (Maxine ) look at them the song was re recorded for the Caught in a spell CD we did a year later. With Spriggan Mist I undertook some singing duties and some of the writing. Be it very small parts, the odd poem and lyric and a melody here and there. I have always loved a good story and entertaining ,public speaking is no longer an issue for me. I am writing more and more lyrics ,songs and stories and I see 2011 is going to be an amazing year on that musical journey as my spiritual beliefs ,my love of traditional values ,ancient stories ,myths all seem to be merging.
A few weeks ago I had the blessing of seeing a real life Bard in action Damh the Bard. He was presenting a talk on Ogham at Witchfest and he told a story which completely captivated the audience, his demeanour his voice body movements ...he was skilled in the art of communication. I knew his singing was something special , the lyrics, catchy tunes and humour but he inspired me that day ...enought to have lead me to where I am now at a bottom of another hill on that journey looking up at this long path I want to pass along not knowing really where it leads but know I must take it
So the first year and a day is the basic learning cycle and soon I will be Anruth of the Gwion Grade or an initiate into the Bardic ways ...who knows may be one day I’ll be called a Bard, because only then...and then alone will I have become one.
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