Not counting the
words that got cut I wrote 2,264 over the past 3 days, including this
blog. I'm going through a good phases it seems. I should put this
towards something productive I guess.
Lighting the Way
That new One Song on‘The poet and the Pendulum’ took some time. I have had it in mind
for months and listened to a lot it a week ago to start my initial
thoughts. I took notes as I listened and read the lyrics at the same
time. theses nots formed the basis for what I wanted the post to
become. Spiting it up along the parts was obvious but how much to say
in each was harder, the is a lot more going on in some but I gave
descent coverage and hit all of my main points.
It took it a bit at
a time, I wrote in floods then went back and did a pass over it to
iron out any dodgy bits. when I had covered all 7 main parts I
listened to the whole song again and thought about what I had
written. I added a few bits, polished off the last few paragraphs and
the first draft was done. Which came in at a count of 1573 words. I
added in the style with the lyrics serving as good intros for each
part.
I did a final pass
over it to straiten out any bad spelling and grammar then left it for
the day. Then the morning of the day I posted it I listen to the song
again then read each part of the of the post out loud to my self.
This helped catch missing words and helped the flow of the writing.
The weren't many changes but the word count came in at a total of
1684. By far the longest one song post.
I had to get the
styling to work in the Blogspot settings and find a video to stick at
the top (not easy I've moaned about the video search before). One
last look over then I was ready to go. I am proud of what I have
managed to write and how fast it came together. About seven hours of
writing time and as few in planning and pondering. I don’t think I
will choose a long song next, but you never know what will strike my
fancy.
Swan
The blog is going
under a bit of a redesign. Probably nothing too drastic but I need to
come up with a plan on how far to go and what I want this sight to
be.
The background
needed to change so I did just that. It is temporary but the final
will be along the same simple lines. I just need to fight with the
blog builder tools or learn more HTML and CSS. I should pick codeing
back up again.
I want to keep the
posts as the main focus of the site. Too many of the template designs
wont work they squash things down to the title and a picture. It is
good design but it’s not what I'm after. I will have to have a play
about and see what happens when I break things.
Swedish Candles
I hope I can keep
things together, a nice work and workout ethic. Even my sleep patten
has gotten better, things are on the up. The is always a chance to
fall like the Poet. But not if I can help it.
I
like long songs. Something that can forge a place for its self and
tell a good story. Songs are one of the oldest and best forms of
story telling and with ‘The Poet and the Pendulum’ we have one
that excels in story and music. It is a piece of audio artwork.
Clocking
in at 13:51 it clears the threshold for a long song by by books (7
min) and it uses its time well to deliver the story. The story is
broken into five parts; each a different aspect of the story and
quite different in style. But before I get into any of that just a
quick world on long songs.
The
more time that something has to play with can make it better; not
having to constrict itself to a short limit just to get air time. I
love Iron Maiden for this reason most of their songs are too long for
regular radio but it hasn't hurt them at all. Their songs tell the
stories they want and use all the time that they need. Nightwish are
similar, they have a fair few long songs and with ‘The Greatest
Show on Earth’ they have the longest song that I own (its a
whopping 24 minuets). I like to enjoy my music and a long song I can
get my teeth into makes it all the more enjoyable.
The
end
The
songwriter’s dead
The
blade fell upon him
Taking
him to the white lands
Of
Empathica,
Of
Innocence
Part
1: White Lands Of Empathica
What
a way to kick off your song! A solo by a young choir boy singing very
clearly and beautifully. The song starts off at the end of the story
with the dead song writer’s spirit going off into the beyond
(Strangely Empathica is a place in the Dark Tower books). This part
starts the story and sets up the tone and themes.
It
sets up questions, how and why did the song writer die? How did it is
come to this? The answers will come in time. The title can suggest
the is interesting things going on with time itself. The song doesn't
run in a ‘normal’ linier fashion, that much is obvious. It jumps
around in the writers life as we see different times. The story point
of view swings back and forth.
The
music is haunting and the whispers in the background sells the
setting of a death bed or a spirit moving on. The voice of an Angel
perhaps? The choice of the singer is great and adds even more when he
comes back later. This part is less that 90 seconds long and is very
much an overture, but the set up is outstanding. Onto the struggle.
The
dreamer and the wine
Poet
without a rhyme
A
widow writer torn apart by chains of Hell
One
last perfect verse
It's
still the same old song
Oh
Christ, how I hate what I have become
Part
2: Home
The
tempo shift hits and the song kicks into gear. Back in 2007 if this
album was the first you had heard of the new Nightwish then this was
your intro to the new lead singer Anette Olzon and boy is she good.
She has the range to pull of all the parts of this song from melodic
to fast and heavy. She makes the lyrics flow better than just reading
them ever can.
Here
we come the sensitive part, the man who wrote this song. The song
writer of the story and reality share the same name, Tuomas. This
song and album is the first since the split with the former singer
and a dark period in his life. He has since stated this is the “album
that saved his life”. I down want to dive deep into the cross
meaning but it is something to keep in mind.
“My
home was there and then, those meadows of heaven.” There are
moments of joy at the memory of a better time or place but now his
life is filled with a struggle to work and to handle his renown. Its
just a small line but I think he struggles to live up to his fame and
the name he had made for himself. Why can’t he write another
perfect verse. He is an artist who has lost his muse and pines for a
simpler time at home where all is safe.
Time
to talk about that chorus. To me this is his break down. There are
struggles, problems and fancy in his life but this keeps coming back.
Its interesting to fit the nature of a song into the story, in any
other song a chorus can cause a narrative dissonance. but here it is
used to show his struggles are the same and they keep coming back. A
need to get away, and an insight of his own coping mechanism tangled
with his main issue an inability to cope with his life.
The
good times of the past only serve to show how deep his current
struggles are and it will spiral deeper into despair.
You
live long enough to hear the sounds of guns,
Long
enough to find yourself screaming every night,
Live
long enough to see your friends betray you.
For
years I've been strapped unto this altar.
Now
I only have three minutes and counting.
I
just wish the tide would catch me first and give me
a
death I always longed for.
Part
3: The Pacific
Oh
boy this bit. The part that makes me reconsider sharing my music
choices. Dose it make a difference that it seems to be a metaphor?
Nope its still dark and rightfully so. I wouldn't have it any other
way. I am not one to cringe away from uncomfortable things but to
share it…
This
bit is powerful and hits hard. The child's voice packs all the right
emotion and makes the impact that much greater. It is something no
child should mean to say, and it is used to great effect and sells
the state of mind the Poet is in. It is his struggle in his own
words. His fear resentment and resignation to his fate.
The
pain comes in after what seems like his wish for an easier life; a
life of beauty full of poetry and to be a careless as a child one
again. It started off so beautify and kind of hopeful, the first
three stanzas then give way to the narration and it slides into
despair and the brink of death. So calm, so sincere. It makes the
shift to the next part a huge blow.
2nd
robber to the right of Christ
Cut in half - infanticide
The
world will rejoice today
As the crows feast on the rotting poet
Part
4: Dark Passion Play
The
is a lot going on here, first off is to work out what is meant by
‘2nd robber to the right of Christ’? At a glance it is referring
to the penetant thief but the wording is odd and I think it would
make more sense to be about Gestas, the impenitent thief who taunted
Jesus. Dose he see himself as Gestas a man worthy of death but who
would taunt Jesus? Seems at odd with the line about a face for God
but now perhaps all pretences have dropped.
The
male vocals are done by Marco and they are great, strong and
understandable
they bare the emotion of the words well. These
are the poets last words as
such, they are full of hate for the world and himself. He sees it as
something he must do and the line: ‘Slain
by the bell, tolling for his farewell’ heavily
implies suicide.
All
three vocalists have a part in this act; an out burst from the poet,
then we are shown the aftermath with an implication that he is not
missed and lastly a eulogy. It states the circumstance around his
death but with a slip of hope he was at least content in death. But
then why is the next line ‘Save me’?
Be
still, my son
You`re home
Oh when did you become so
cold?
The blade will keep on descending
All you need is to
feel my love
Part
5: Mother and Farther
Did he find solace in death? Perhaps,
but it seems even in the world after you must search it out. Are his
parents now there to help and guide him: to find his shore or must it
be for him to find? Dose the end of his life lead to a new beginning.
Its an almost damming observation of
the Poets nature by his parents if it even if it is his parents. With
all the refinances to God is it divine worlds that set him on his
path. The blade descending seems to be kept a bay by love and meaning
in work
Through all the pain and hate and
fear, the song ends in a lighter more optimistic tone. Even through
all hardships and the casting off of ties and even life the will
always be love if you want it.
The beautiful singing from the start
is back, but now it lacks the whispers from the start of the song. It
shows the change in his mind set, the is no more harmful thoughts to
get in his way.
Get away, run away, fly
away
Lead me astray to dreamer's hideaway
I cannot cry
'cause the shoulder cries more
I cannot die, I, a whore for this
cold world
The Power in the Song
This is a masterpiece. The story of
fear, hate, self loathing, pain and death of one struggling man. It
shows us all of the complex issues that can be suffer with in the
time where someone want to die. It doesn't end there where the is
darkness the is also light and the song gives hope to anyone who
looks.
The is other way at looking at things
and I could have gone on for so much longer about the meaning of the
pendulum the method of death and so on but what I have discussed is
the bit that stand out to me. Different people see things in many
ways and I don’t even know if this is the writers intentions and
I’m not sure I want to know just yet.
The are some key choices in the
creation of this song that work to its advantage. The use of the
orchestra and choir boy add so much and sells the emotion of the poet
and elicits feelings in the listener time after time. Few songs are
so daring and it pays of with one of the greatest songs the band has
done.
Nightwish
are not strangers to darker
story's
and I may have to take a deeper look at their
film sometime. But for now this has been my
thoughts
on just one of their
songs. I hope I have conveyed
my thoughts
well enough. This has been a long a tricky topic but one well worth
thinking over. But that is the nature of a great
song, not only do I love to listen to it. I want to understand it.
Lovely weather for
relaxing and doing pretty much nothing. So what possessed me to go
for a run at the warmest part of the day. It was about 32-33 C and I
went out and ran for 13 and a half minuets.
Blue Flag
I have been on a
fitness kick the last month or so. I have been kind of scared to talk
about it as it may become something that ends as soon as I start a
record of it.
Just a few exercises
at first sit ups pull ups and some reps with dumbbells that my
brother got somewhere like 15 years ago. I have done this day in day
out for a month with a rest very 10 days or so. The routine had
changes and evolved a bit. Now I do (almost) daily:
20 sit-ups
10 bicep curls 8Kg
As may Pull-ups as
I can (5 to 10)
Planks
10 Rapid sit ups
lateral lifts with
2Kg
Squats
10 bicep curls 8Kg
Is this a good
workout? I’m not sure but it is better than nothing. ( I do
press-ups and others as well but this is my core list)
Old Hives
I am looking into
gyms to join sometime in September. As strange as it may sound I
think I need to be slightly fitter to get a decent benefit from a
gym. (short writing break to remove a huge Bumble Bee that has just
flown in through the window) If I can improve through simple
exercises at home then I will wait until I need the next step up,
which should be in a month or two.
I have also been
getting out for long rids on my bike every few days and I think I
will chuck in a run now and then. I just need to keep things going
not just because I want to get fitter. But if the past 5 or so years
are any indicator I will struggle with my asthma sometime in the next
month or so. I hope I can have a fitness level where I wont be as
badly affected as I used to be.
Mother Duck
Oh yeah it's been hot.
Nice though the weather is, it could stand to be a bit cooler.
01. Barefoot Gen (04.06.17)
A powerful film. As with 'Grave of the Firefly's' and 'When the Wind Blows' it pulls no punches about the horror of the bomb. A slightly more optimistic and whimsical take on the time but it had is shocking moments. Like the other two it is a must see film.
02. Wallace and Gromit - A Grand Day Out (09.06.17)
A bit of a mini marathon tonight. Following the loss of Peter Sallis I had to watch the originals again. Wow I always am surprised by the rough work of the models but it is the charm it brings that brings it to life. A top film with a cool plot and very cool moments.
03. Wallace and Gromit - The Wrong Trousers (09.06.17)
The best chase in any film? It must come close. I love the pace of this one it just bangs moment after moment out all of which are great. One of the best films of all time.
04. Wallace and Gromit - A Close Shave (09.06.17)
The first of what would seemingly become a staple, the romance. It isn't needed but it dose work here. I love the plot and again the pace is good. I love Shawn to bits. Goodbye Peter I loved you as Wallace and Clegg.
06. Batman - Bad Blood. (12.06.17)
Not bad, much better than The Killing Joke. It suffers from the off bit of dodgy dialogue but the plot holds it together. Nothing too interesting plot wise just a collection of faces under one big bad. The animation was clean and smooth and the designs not too over he top.
07. Someone's Gaze [Short] (14.06.17) Yep this one again. Not sure If I watched it last year but I have seen it before but it is one of the best. Shinki had a thing for cats and the frank narration by the cat adds a few layers to the story. SO much is conveyed in so little time. and it looks and sounds great. Only on Shinkai left to watch this weekend I think.
08. The LEGO Batman Movie (16.06.17)
Fantastic.
09. The Gold Rush (18.06.17)
Chaplin had a great voice. This is a somewhat restored film with added narration (by Chaplin) instead of text cards and it works well. The action and effects for 1925 are awesome. Chaplin is a master.
10. Your Name (19.06.17)
'Kimi no Na wa' by the great Makoto Shinkai. It lives up to the hype. Biggest box office ever in Japan and highest Anime film ever. It surprised me and delighted me. I've got to pick up the OST.
11. Rakka [Short] (21.06.17) Love the production quality of this short. This is a studio I will be following. Some of the dialogue was a bit uninspired but everything else was awesome. Love a good sifi short.
12. The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey (24.06.17)
The extended version, because the original didn't have enough messing about in it. First watch since the cinema and it's still a good film. The are some very good moments and all the parts are there just a lack of polish in places. Good but not the great it should have been.
12. One Point O - The Death and Rebirth of Final Fantasy Online - part one (25.06.17)
I have never played a FF game but I know a fair bit from mates at school and general knowledge. This story is damn interesting a game that came out far below standard and the journey to re-make it. A great No Clip doc.
13 Rise of the Planet of the Apes (26.06.17)
A superb film in every way. Very fast paced with tight direction and some of the very best CGI. I liked the background nods to the original film. The is plenty to be happy about with this one and apparently they only get better.
14. Rewriting History - The Death and Rebirth of Final Fantasy Online - part two (28.06.17)
That must have been quite the journey to fix the dead game wile making it's replacement. The is a interesting look into the corporate world of Japan and the amount of work that can be done with the right plan. One part left.
15. The New World - The Death and Rebirth of Final Fantasy Online - part three (30.06.17)
Nicely tied up and some interesting lessons presented. A fantastic mini series by Noclip.
'Kimi no Na Wa' takes this month but Lego Batman was a good surprise.
