The Away Team Megazine Vol. 1

The Away Team MegaZine

vol 1

Notes & Lyrics: Topsy Turvy World

“We’re living in a topsy turvy world, where up is down and down is up and the media spins it round and round” --from the title track Topsy Turvy World

Topsy Turvy World “Topsy Turvy World” the latest Away Team album, is an eclectic mix of modern pop songs with overtones of dance, country, jam band, rock, even world music, in a personal and sometimes political reflection of life a post 9/11 world. Penny Little and Nik Green teamed up with former White Feather Guitarist Ben Hurley recording the album remotely in two locations -- Hawaii and Southern California. Ben’s hard rock influence puts an extra edge into the songs and the extended jams which are a tradition for The Away Team in live performances.

Track List and Time What the Birds Say

6:59

Life Changes

5:00

Another Fish Story

5:45

Wild Wild Land Black Ice

6:02 6:46

Topsy Turvy World

5:02

What Dances Survives 6:30 Private War

5:50

All the People

5:59

Good Times Fly

4:46

Bottom Line

5:55

Zero Point

1:30

www.theawayteam.com

What the Birds Say ©2011

Life Changes 2011 The

The Away Team

Away Team

Another Fish Story

Vocals: Penny Little; Music and words by Penny Little completed on 9/11/2001, as demo. Re-arranged and re-recorded in 2010.

Keys and programming by Penny Little and Nik Green. Guitars, Ben Hurley

Music and Words: Penny Little; Vocals: Penny Little; Keyboards & Programming - Nik Green & Penny Little; Guitars by Ben Hurley.

Music and Words: Penny Little; Vocals: Penny Little, Ben Hurley, Caroline Chalmers; Keyboards & Programming - Nik Green & Penny Little; Guitars by Ben Hurley; Pennywhistle and spoons, Ben Hurley

The first part of this song came from a long time ago, but the verses didn't arrive until 9/11 when the idea coalesced in the eerie silence and horror of that day.

What Dances Survives

A song about the only constant in life: changes. It was written with someone else in mind -- not anything personal in my life, thinking about how people often are not "present" and then long for what was, what cannot be, what never was. Time and space are only relative.

2011 The Away Team

A song about not seeing what’s in front of you, that love is there even if you let it go. There is an old story that a fish cannot see the water in which it swims . . .

2010 The Away Team

Private War 2010 The Music and Words: Penny Little; Vocals: Penny Little; Keyboards and programming

by Penny Little &Nik Green.

Guitars by Ben Hurley.

In an earthquake, a wooden house will dance but one made of more rigid materials will crack....

Away Team

Music and Words: Penny Little; Vocals: Penny Little; Keyboards & Programming - Nik Green & Penny Little; Guitars by Ben Hurley.

Remix from “Aliens on Line” album from 1999.

It’s still relevant today.

Topsy Turvy World by

The

Away

Team www.theawayteam.com

Wild Wild Land

Black Ice ©2010 The

©2010 The Away Team

Away Team

Vocals: Penny Little; Music and words written by Penny Little while in the UK; Keys and programming by Penny Little and Nik Green. Guitars by Ben Hurley

Music and words: Penny Little Vocals: Penny Little; Programming & keyboards, Nik Green & Penny Little; Guitars, Ben Hurley

Ben Hurley from White Feather played on the original demo, recorded on 4-track.

Danceable pop song , letting someone know you won’t be trampled anymore or sideswiped with emotional blackmail, etc.

Good Times Fly All the People

©2010 The Away Team

©2010 The Away Team Vocals: Penny Little; Music and Words Penny Little; Keyboards and Programming, Penny Little & Nik Green. Guitars by Ben Hurley, Additional Backing VocalsBen Hurley This began as a gentla little ditty on a marimba pattern, thinking about a time when the world might be a better place.

It was supposed to be a Christmas song, but songs like children have minds of their own and become what they will.

Music and Words: Penny Little; Vocals: Penny Little; Keyboards & programming - Nik Green& Penny Little. Guitars by Ben Hurley A goodbye song for a friend written one night between midnight and 2 am., The original vocals are the ones you hear in this mix. Just one of those things that came out whole, all at once.

Topsy Turvy World ©2010 The Away Team

Vocals: Penny Little; Music and Words by Penny Little.

One line by author David Ray Griffin.Keyboards and programming by Penny Little and Nik Green Penny is playing guitars on this track.

This song was written about 9/11, feelings about it, the fear, and how the world has gone topsy turvy since.

Bottom Line ©2010 The Away Team

Vocals: Penny Little; Words and music: Penny Little; Keyboards and programming, Nik Green and Penny Little, Guitars by Ben Hurley Extended intro and outro music express what cannot be said in words in the music. There is hope in the end rise. This was performed for the first time at the Summer Solstice Arts Festival 1996 in Santa Barbara. Credit must be given to James Fanning our Chapman Stick player at the time for his lead notation which has been adapted for Electric Guitar.

What the Birds Say ©2001 Penny Little The original lines for this song came from an early “chant” which I’d written and performed early in my musical career, but there were never real verses, never a story which I could latch onto. I was contemplating what kind of world we want to live in, where we were heading.

Then 9/11 happened. On that day, there were no sounds of cars from the freeway, no planes overhead except military jets late in the day. There was a very deep silence which I’d never heard before.

On the television, I saw people running from the dust cloud. I knew then that the dust would be toxic. I went into the studio to try to deal with my feelings, and recorded the rough arrangement of the song.

I’ve heard that the birds have been disappearing, tens of millions of them not showing up at their regular migrational places. What have we done to make the birds disappear?

We’re losing more than their songs. The Audubon Society reports that some species are down by up to 80 percent because of dramatic environmental changes. We cannot lose the bird song, we cannot lose our songs, our soul. There is going to be a change, and it’s going to be from us.

In 2007, I looked at this song again - after I had completely my film “Dust and Deceit” about the toxic dust of 9/11. It seemed even more relevant. The heros of 9/11 had gone down to Ground Zero to help, and were told by government officials and the media that the air was safe to breathe, and now thousands are suffering, many have died. Are they the “Canaries in the cage?”.

What the Birds Say ©2001 Penny Little

The rhythm of their feet walking down the lonely street What could be the reason for all their pain I feel the heat of summer longin’ for a coolin’ rain Maybe it’s just the season, but I feel there’s goin’ to be a change Won’ t someone tell me what the birds say Someone tell me what the birds say The world is changin’ and I don’ t know which way The world is changin’ and I don’ t know which way The world is changin’ and I don’ t know which way Do we really understand we are the mirror Of those who need a helping hand, holding on Their song is calling me, it’ s knocking at my door Can anybody tell me, what’ s this for?

Won’t someone tell me what the birds say Someone tell me what the birds say The world is changing and I don’ t know which way The world is changing and don’t know, I just don’t know which way The earth is turning me inside out My soul is yearning, like a scream or a shout The voice of disbelief is knocking down my door Can anybody tell me, what’ s this all for?

Won’ t someone tell me what the birds say Someone tell me what the birds say The world is changing and I don’ t know which way The world is changing and I don’ t know which way The world is changing and I just don’ t know which way

What the birds say?

Thousands of blackbirds fell out of the sky between 10 -11 pm on the eve of 2011- over a one square mile area near Beebe, Arkansas.

The media reported that between 4,000 - 5,000 birds died. U.S. Environmental Services workers wore hazmat suits and gas masks The birds were found to have “acute physical trauma leading to internal hemorrhage and death.There was no sign of any chronic or infectious disease,” the initial report from the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission.

Keith Stephens, a spokesman for the Commission, said the birds “showed evidence of trauma in the breast tissue, with blood clots in the body cavity and a lot of internal bleeding. All major organs were normal.”

Officials speculated that it was trauma from fireworks, lightning or thunderstorms --but fireworks on New Years don’t begin until midnight. According to weather data, there were no thunderstorms in the vicinity that evening.

Blackbirds do not normally fly at night, and it was not immediately clear what caused the odd behavior.

In a seemingly separate incident, some 500 red-winged blackbirds, starlings and grackles were found dead in Labarre, southern Louisiana. Millions of dead fish were found in the Chesapeake Bay, Brazil and New Zealand, the week of Jan. 2, 2011.

This isn't the first time birds have fallen from the sky en masse. 5,000 birds were found dead in Esperance, Western Australia December 2006. Wildlife authorities ruled out infectious diseases. The story disappeared from the media.

A week later there were reports of more bird deaths in Alabama, thousands of birds were found dead in Chile, tens of thousands in Manitoba, hundreds in Italy.

What makes birds en masse drop deadin mid air, apparently traumatized, with internal hemorrhaging? All of the official explanations seem to not hold up to scrutiny.

What are they hiding?

Life Changes ©Penny Little 2010 Life

life

life

Wish you could be with me here and now But you never really knew me anyhow Guess I’ll have to settle for there and then Cause you never know you never know when Life changes

Love Changes why why

Life changes, love changes, why why?

Wish I could be you there and then But you never really know you never know when Guess you’ll have to settle for here and now

Cause you never know you never know you never know how

Life changes

Love changes why why

Life changes, love changes, why? Why? I never meant to

Don’t wanna hurt you

I can’t believe we’re standing at this corner I hear the bells ring,- we come out fighting You know deep in your heart it was like lightning What came between us, will it matter - in a year or more Like leaves we scatter All I know is that I know that

Life

changes Love changes

Life Changes Love changes

Why can’t it be here and then But we never may see ever again Eye to eye, and face to face Are we on the way to NEVER again

Life changes, love changes, why? Why? Life changes, love

changes, why? Why?

Art by Andrew Lewndowski

One Cent NOTES Penny: As a teen, I was terribly shy and self-conscious. It took me years to get over having the piano in the living room where everyone in the house could hear me practice - all of my frustrations, my mistakes, my progress, laid bare.

One time, when my parents went out of town for a weekend, I decided to move the Yamaha piano to my room, so I could have some privacy in my practice. There was a hallway with a 90 degree turning right before my room. I measured the piano, I measured the hallway, and I figured it was possible. Using my body weight, I leaned against the upright and pushed it down the hall. I got the piano to make the turn, but it became stuck in that space between my door and the turn in the hallway -- completely blocking entry into my room. I crawled over the top of the piano. There was no way for me use my weight to push from behind. I kept thinking if I got it in there, I could get it out.

Only I couldn’t.

I called my friend, Robert, who came over and started laughing as soon as he saw it. “You’re really in trouble...you might have to break the wall to get this out of here.” I think he was winding me up, but the look on his face was so serious, I began to wail. “No! I’ll just leave it until they come back...”

After about 45 minutes of back and forth we managed to get that old Yamaha through the door, without scraping the paint off the walls or breaking anything. I do believe in miracles, I do . . .

Of course, my parents were not pleased. The piano was a piece of furniture, which graced the living room. It had to go back. What goes up comes down; what goes in comes out. I practiced Beethoven especially loudly and angrily for several weeks after that.

Onstage or in the studio, it’s easy to overcome, let go of inhibitions, because the music takes over and it’s not about me. I’ve worked hard to find that conversation in my self to expand to meeting new people.

Pastel Sketch by Penny Little, Age 16

“When someone asks you, a penny for your thoughts, and you put your two cents in, what happens to the other penny?�

--George Carlin

Penny in college, with 16 mm Bolex camera

There is an old story that a fish cannot see the water in which it swims Penny is pretending to be a fish, the sound of her voice granulated and otherwise treated in Kyma. The sound of the water is also her voice treated in Kyma.

Penny: “I was thinking about how people don’t see what’s in front of them...We are very much like fish that live in a flowing stream yet cannot see the water. We exist in it all the time and feel the push of the current, but cannot really “see” it. So the story behind the song is about not being able to see the love that’s all around, yet the main character has a sort of unrequited longing for ‘the big one that got away.’ Even though I’m singing in first person, the song is not about me. It’s about a wench in a little fishing village in England, who cannot find love. I envisioned a bunch of fisherman coming home at the end of a day of fishing, in a pub singing ‘Ah Yah Yah’ while I danced on the table slightly intoxicated. I wanted to sound a bit gritty and even slightly drunk in the last set of Ah Yah Yah’s. We got our landlord to sing ‘Ah Yah yah’ on the song, plus Nik’s sister Caroline sang some great backing vocals. Ben also added Ah Yah Yahs.

Another Fish Story ©1999 Penny Little Lookin' straight at it but I can't seem to see what's in front of me Is it always the big one that got away?

Tearing through my papers searchin for a remnant of unconscious truth All I find are reminders of things I'll never get round to Another fish story, about the big one that got away Don't throw the net if you don't plan to get into the wave . . .

What could be so easy gets too complicated in the light of day So I'll just stay sleepin so I can be keepin' things just this way I been fishin for an answer can you tell me have you been fishin too You were talkin’ bout a dancer, the one meant for only you Another fish story about the big one that got away Don't throw the net if you don't plan to get into the wave Another fish story about the big one that got away Don’t throw the net if you don’t plan to get into the wave Aye Yah yah aye yah yah.. Aye Yah yah aye yah yah....

You put this hook in me, I swim like a fish in captivity You threw out your net I still don’t get how you reeled me in I don’t wanna be the story of someone who threw love away But will I ever know, if I let you go, would you?

You reeled me in, you reeled me in, you reeled me in Ah Yah yah ah yah yah... Aye Yah yah aye yah yah...

Aye Yah yah aye yah yah... Aye Yah yah aye yah yah...

Oh I wish I was in the country In the wild, wild

land

Where my heart has open spaces grows out of hand

And the grass

In the wild wild land I gotta find some peace of mind In the country I been too long in this city It’s got me hooked yeah it’s so easy I’m insulated, I got pro-rated And I’m booked beyond my means Oh see the pictures on my table in my mind Whatever happened

It’s got these places

I turned the corner

And I left them all behind In the wild wild land

It’s my country

There’s a white horse in the country for a ride Whoa I can see him In my reflection too far inside In my wild, wild land In the country my home

Yeah my home

He wanna take me But I have slipped

I gotta find some piece of me

It’ s a wild wild land

It’s my country, yeah

There’s a cloud outside my window I’m afraid I can’t go out Left over dinners, left over feelings Left in my room, left over draft Half Verse: It’s down to money, Oh I could use some Oh yeah this world can be unkind It’s a wild wild land I gotta find some peace of mind In the country It’s my country it’s a wild land I’m gunna find some piece of me in my country It’s a wild wild land ty

I gotta find some piece of mind In the coun-

It’s a wild wild land

I’m going home Goin’ today to my country.

omis, London Nomis,NLondon

Signing t o Warner

s UK

Wild Land Notes: This piece was written in London, during one of my 2 week writing binges of one song a day . The band White Feather (which was signed to Warner Brothers UK) - me, Ben Hurley and Tony Bodene - were living in a flat in Chigwell. I had a Casio Sampler and synth, my Korg Dw-8000, a 4-track cassette recorder and microphone.

I used the arpeggiator on the Korg as a pedal bass, and played some chords on a string patch over the bass, and I sang the first lines of the verse. I quickly jotted down some lyrics, which reflected my desire to be back in the USA for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons was that the band had been split up into Ben’s project, with heavy guitars -- and then there was me as a separate “something else”. I think I really longed for simpler times, trees and hills, and an imaginary place where I could hide in my own “wild wild land”. The chorus came quickly as well.

Now, Ben and I weren’t supposed to be writing together at this point, but I felt that the song needed heavy guitars; the fake guitar sound on the keyboard was lame and sounded more like a “Casio”. I asked Ben to put some heavy rhythm chords, which he did, and then he added the beautiful opening lines which were perfect.

So fast forward to 2009 when I played this song to Nik. He liked it immediately. I could think of no one other than Ben to play this, so I contacted him, and asked if he could put down some of the same kinds of things he had done before. Nevermind that he lives in Hawaii and we’re half an ocean apart. We’d figure it out, send files back and forth -- and that was the beginning of this album, which provisionally was called “Wild Land”, then “Crazy World” and finally, “Topsy Turvy World”.

I later told Nik what the guy at Warner Brothers US had said, “You need to write something more direct”. I retorted “How can I get more direct than ... “I wish I were in the country”? Perhaps he meant I should sing “baby baby I wish I were in the country” until I was blue in the face. Or, maybe what he meant was I should shorten it to 3 1/2 minutes, which is possible with a few edits...but ... a good song isn’t fast food, it should be savored.

I feel there are enough flavors to sustain the verses, the atmospheres, and the great slide and lead playing by Ben. Nik adds, “This is a great patriotic song. Maybe we can license it to the Democratic or Republican party candidates, who-ever comes up with the best offer, in 2012 for their Presidential campaigns.”

-- P Little

BLACK ICE ©2010 Penny Little I won’t let you squeeze my heart

I won’t slip on your black ice

You can’t drive me off my edge anymore Cause I’m talked out,

I’m walkin out that door

I won’t let you off the hook

You can’t throw me off my guard

I won’t slip and feel your pain anymore

Cause I’m

Talked out, I’m walkin’ out that door If you wanna know why I don’t return your calls Every time I do you got me climbing up the walls Don’t need no more of your melodrama I’ve had enough of your love hate-o-rama I’m not your bleedin’ mama You’re a feeding piranha Black Ice hidden on the road

I could not scream

Put on the brakes I’m skiddin in a bad dream Oh OH OHHHH OH OH OHHHHHHHHHHHAh I won’t let you come back in

I won’t slip on your white lies

You can’t run me in the ground anymore Cause I’m Talked out, I’m walkin out that door If you wanna know why I got all turned around I’m tired of being put in your lost and found Don’t need no more of your melodrama I’ve had enough I’m not your bleedin’ Mama

You’re a feeding Piranha

I’m not your bleeding Mama

You’re a feeding Piranha

Black Ice hidden on the road

I could not scream

Put on the brakes I’m skiddin’ in a bad dream Ah Ah OHHHHH Ah OH AAAAAAAAH Black ice hidden on the road I should have seen I’m in a spin I’m wakin in

A bad dream

Black Ice hidden on the road I should have seen I’m in a spin, I’m wakin in

A bad dream

Penny “This isn’t a Pollyanna song. It’s a rejection of BS song. I really have to be grateful for all the wonderful fodder my family has supplied for my songs. My favorite lines are ‘Love-Hate-O-Rama’, and ‘You’re a feedin’ piranha’ because this so perfectly describes dysfunctional behaviors which spin people out. It’s obviously about emotional black ice, which one doesn’t see before the spinout. It’s also a song which travels through a lot of different scenery. I’d love to do a video with crazy animation (the piranhas swimming by in the sky as we drive down the road).

Nik: I don't make a point of writing lyrics. I can, but if I did, many would probably be similarly inspired by my family, and hence I don’t write lyrics! However, there is plenty of other fodder for future loquaciosity. . . just wait!

“Black Ice” is definitely not a standard verse-chorus structure. One of the hooks of the song is not in the chorus, and the song has got trademark Away Team long outtro.

Topsy Turvy World ©2008 Penny Little Someday you’ ll be sorry

You didn’ t ask, you didn’ t question

You didn’ t even know you were afraid.

When I saw the towers falling

I knew then, voices were calling

Screaming in the fallout and the lies.

So I write a little love song

For those who hate

Hope they’ ll hear it, we all need to The world can’ t wait.

We’ re living in a topsy turvy world Where the light is dark and the dark is light Why this endless war and this endless night But I won’ t give in

Won’ t let the evil (ones) bastards win…

Some days I feel so hopeless

Like an insect on a giant

Shaking me to my very core Do you believe in fairy tales? They made it happen Right in our face With no regrets, they closed their case.

Facts don’ t matter anymore They make them up to have their war Science is fiction , in money they trust If it’ s the darkest before the Light

The dawn must be near

Doesn’ t matter who’ s left or right

They play your fear

It’ s all the same in a topsy turvy world Where up is down and down is up and the Media spins it round and round But I won’ t give in

Won’ t let the evil bastards win.

We’ re in some grand illusion Points to just one conclusion They’ re using our confusion

To keep us from the Light

We’ re living in a topsy turvy world Where the light is dark and the dark is light Why this endless war and this endless night?

Go away so I can really be with you now I’ve had enough to last a lifetime tell me how Can we ease your pain Wish I could ease your pain Tell me tell me tell me why can’t I . . .?

If nothing is impossible the truth is a lie

It’s a lie.

I’ll take you with me where ever I go Like a ghost on my shoulder I know In my mind it’s always there In my time, was life really fair?

Go away so I can really be with you now I’ve had enough to last a lifetime tell me how Can we right this wrong?

Wish I could right this wrong.

What dances survives What dances survives What dances survives What dances survives

What dances What dances What dances What dances

© 2001 Penny Little

What dances survives, What dances What dances survives, What dances

Tell me tell me tell me why can’ t you . . .?

If nothing is impossible their lies are true But is it true?

What Dances Survives

Take me with you wherever you go Like a ghost from the past we don’t know In my mind, you’re always there In my time, it’s truth or dare

NOTES in the Studio

We really do have fun in the studio. We ran about 30 minutes of videotape, while we were doing a rough mix of "What Dances Survives". This of course meant editing the video -- so that it might actually be interesting for you to watch and give you an idea of how we spend much of our time.... Next time, we're going to run 15 minutes of tape and make that our rule ;-) Penny wrote and recorded most of “What Dances Survives” in 2000.

"I don't really remember when it first came to me. It was right before my mother died. I heard it in a dream, got up and went outside to our studio. I was sort of sleep walking, unlocked the door, turned off the alarm, and turned on the gear.

I recorded the melody, notated the chords - that is scribbled something nearly unintelligible on manuscript paper, and went back to bed. Over the next several months, the song evolved, and was complete when I added the chorus tag ‘What dances survives’”.

Nik Green

keyboards, programming, engineering

Nik, who hails from the UK, has been playing electronic dance/ambient music since the 80’s. He also played with Roy Harper in a band featuring Jimmy Page (above in photo with Nik) After, that project, Nik toured and recorded with Geffen band Blue Murder for 7 years.

Influenced by John Adams, Charles Ives, Steve Reich, Percy Grainger, numerous others, Nik is also a composer of film music, having written and produced music for several independent documentaries. He has also engineered several hit albums, including Whatever Happened to Jugula, Descendants of Smith, Between Every Line (Roy Harper/Jimmy Page), Blue Murder Nothing But Trouble, Screamin’ Blue Murder (Blue Murder). Without An Aim (Barry Palmer).

Factoid: Nik worked as a meteorologist for the British Meteorology Office at Birmingham Airport.

From Wall of Quotes: "There is little chance that meteorologists can solve the mysteries of weather until they gain an understanding of the mutual attraction of rain and weekends." ~Arnot Sheppard

Private War Lyrics and Music ©1999 P. Little Have we fallen, so far we can’t catch ourselves In the arms of our starvin’ love You accuse me of dancin’ with the demons while so righteously you tear me off your wall You point your finger, Can you point your finger some other way?

Cause I got no business in your private war...

And does it make it right, make it right?

I am wrong if you are right Can we make it right, make it right?

Needing healing, needing sight.

Cause we got no business in your private war What is your business in this war?

Have we fallen so far we can’t catch ourselves In the lies buried in our Holy Gsround Oh I’ve got so little, I’ve got so much to say to you While you shovel your dirt all around And you blame your neighbor Can you aim your saber some other way Cause I got no business in your private war And does it make it right, make it right?

I am wrong if you are right Can we make it right, make it right?

Needing healing, needing sight.

Cause I got no business in your private war What is your business in this war?

Yeah we got no business in your private war What is your business in this war?

Yeah we got no business in your private war.....

Penny Little

songwriter, vocals, keyboards, programming

Penny Little claims her childhood heroes include her father, Beethoven and Mary

Poppins. Penny’s first gigs were solo piano performances, improvisations mixed with classical pieces. When she bought a five-string “beach guitar” for $5 at a garage sale, she started singing and writing. “I tuned the guitar to suit songs I was writing. I didn’t miss that sixth string.” Several years later, on her way back from touring Japan, she met guitarist Ben Hurley in Hawaii, where they recorded the album “In a Light Garden” released on Global Pacific/CBS. In Europe, they toured and were signed to Warner/ Chappell UK. Back in the US, her cartoon character Little Savage made a bid for the Presidency in Y2k, “but the other cartoon won.” In addition to being a prolific songwriter, keyboardist, and artist, Penny has gained some recognition as a documentary filmmaker, with several features including the award winning “Electile Dysfunction”, and most recently, “911 Dust and Deceit”.

All the People (Hold on to your Dreaming) All the people all around the world are saying Gotta be a better way than this If we really wanna make things different Then we gotta take the risk.

You know it’s crazy, but it’s true There’s a better day coming for me and for you Well, maybe, maybe we’ll make it through, if we Hold on, hold on to our dreaming If all you know, if all you see, is skin deep Led around like pasteurized sheep If we look inside, we’re all bleeding For the same invisible need Why do some go hungry at night Do you think you, think you have the right To keep on, keep on turning off their light Well just hold on, Hold on Hold on

To your dreaming

To your dreaming Hold on

To your dreaming

Do you feel like crying for the end of the world All their buying selling and lying

Truth seldom is heard

All the people all around the world are signing Couldn’t be better day than this Celebration of the end of dying Dancing on the edge of a kiss The powers that be are you and me Well you say things are changing, I’ll wait and see If you need rearranging to try to stay free Well hold on, hold on

To your dreaming

Hold on, hold to

Your dreaming.

Hold on Hold on Hold on to your dreaming Hold on Hold on Hold on to your dreaming All the people all around the world are singing All the people all around the world are singing

P. Little © 1997

In 1980, Nik formed an all electronic trio with John Connell and Will Douglass known as “The Really Schmaltzy Cabaret Boys playing electronic dance and ambient music, and weird, non-catagorizable noises. “Everyone thought we were totally crazy because we had no bass, guitar or standard drum set when everybody else around us was playing punk and metal” (“Good timing Nik!” sez Nik).

John Connellwent on to join the English National Opera, singing Wagner and Verdi, etc. while Nik joined English folk artist Roy Harper whose band featured guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist Tony Franklin. Then, in the late 80’s when electronic dance music was catching on, Nik was recruited into hard rock band Blue Murder with former Whitesnake guitarist, John Sykes. which featured Tony Franklin on bass and Carmine Appice on drums. (“More good timing Nik!).

All the People: Hold on to Your Dreaming

Ben Hurley: This song brought out of me my love for African electric guitar and musicians, in particular, Ali Farkar Toure. He has since passed away but has left an imprint on my being. For this I would like to dedicate my guitar playing on this piece to him.

I also took the liberty and went a little "Ladysmith Black Mambazo" on the vocals as I wanted to keep it "native" sounding and add that "world music" feeling. I also did a little "Aaron Neville" on the "crying" part.

Penny Little: I didn’t really write this to be a political song. I just wrote it straight from my heart one morning singing over the marimba part. I truly believe that we are the power, that we must claim it, we must dream it, give up our fear of dying, begin living, take the risks, believe in ourselves -- to create the world we want to live in. I guess that’s political. We’ve performed this at several anti-war rallies, and the song made it into the set on the Unconventional Tour 2008. I wanted the song to feel more “organic” and less electronic than some of our tunes, so I recorded some live shakers and some live congas to mix in with the electronic drums.

Nik Green: This song contains a strong message relevant to the world today. The people in charge who are largely above the law, often act outside of the law and get away with it because they can. There has to be a better way than this. This song is political and addresses a centuries’ old problem from a slightly different viewpoint.

Both Penny & I worked on drums and various keyboards. I added the bass to the mix, in 12/8 rather than 6/8, so it feels like it’s going across the beat, but it’s not really. Then I came up with a little marimba ostinato riff in 13/8 to weave around the vibe part which Penny was doing in 12/8. They create an interesting interaction like a tapestry in the minimalist tradition as used by the likes of Steve Reich. The way we end the song live takes those same riffs and we play them together until we are in unison. It’s an interesting technique very rarely used in pop music. -- maybe because if you mess it up, it becomes a train wreck. ;-)

NOTES Private War “Private War”originally was written by Penny Little in Spring of 1995 after a tres bizarre (read extraordinary) incident in which an exhibition of her art was pulled down at a Santa Barbara art gallery; the manager of the popular coffee-house art gallery claimed that customers had been influenced by the images to the extent that "fighting had broken out downtown on State Street", and "people were having their meditations disturbed" (!!) as far away as the Mesa, some 3 miles away. Well, hey… that sounds great… if art is supposed to be mind-stimulating, thought provoking, or controversial, rather than some bland, tasteless, ersatz, homogenized, generic blancmange "newage" (pronounced newidge to rhyme with ‘sewage’).. then the exhibition was a roaring artistic success. However, I would question the mental stability of any persons who were so disturbed by the art, that, according to reports, it resembled "Bosnia on the wall"! I would also question the sanity of anyone who claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus Christ; one person closely associated with that particular, long defunct gallery, claimed just that. However, it is now safe to assume that this person's imaginings were just that… wild, baseless hallucinations; as far as I know, Santa Barbara hasn't been any witness to any genuine latter day Messiah, or even a single solitary crucifixion within the last 15 years.

"Private War" was originally demo'ed on a Tascam 4-track open reel quarter-inch tape machine, belonging to a friend who was also our landlord. When we put our studio together, we re-recorded the tune from scratch. The bass parts and outro guitars were played during this period by James Fanning, the Chapman Stick player in the former trio version of the Away Team, and it appeared in another form on our first album "Aliens on Line". In 2010 we decided to do a retake of the tune because the title had now assumed a far greater political topicality, and the lyrics, although originally were all about the art gallery fiasco, could equally be applied to the mega-fiasco of perpetual war against various nations in the Middle East, a series of wars and scams which have benefitted big private enterprise to the tune of hundreds of $$billions. A private war, indeed, and while we the public are paying for it, every year, all the profits end up in the coffers of the individuals and corporations that comprise the the real "Axis of Evil". - Nik Green

“War is a racket.

It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.�

--Smedley Butler Major General, US Marine Corps

Penny Little produced her first animated cartoon ‘A Surrealist Looks at Creation” at Sangamon State University, followed shortly by “Lullaby for Three Orphans”, a 20 minute animated story about an orphan bird with no wings finding herself in the Land of Kitch, meeting the evil King Mitch.

However, instead of pursuing animation, Penny pursued her first love -music - toured Japan, the US, and was signed to Warner Brothers in the UK as singer and songwriter in the band White Feather. It was sometime during this period that Penny decided to draw her life in pictures, rather than words. A drummer had remarked to her that she was a “Little Savage”, and that was the beginning of the Little Savage™ character which evolved from 1991 to the present.

More than 1,000 cartoons later, Penny began to organize the cartoons into little books, including “This is NOT a Cookbook”; “This is NOT a Coloring Book”, “This is NOT About you, My Pet”; “The Book of Blah”’ and “On a Savage Planet”.

Music again resumed more importance, as Penny teamed up with Nik Green to form The Away Team. After 9/11, Penny returned to film, not as an animator, but as a documentary filmmaker, producing numerous shorts, commercials, two features - “Electile Dysfunction” and “9/11 Dust and Deceit”, which premiered in 2007 at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Penny organized “Unconventional Tour 2008: an eight city, 7200 mile tour of the US, showing clips from her films and performing with The Away Team. Little Savage™ was featured in some of the shows in a slideshow presentation which includes cartoons from “The Road to POTUS” and “On a Savage Planet”.

Good Times Fly © Penny Little 2010 I’ve been trying to tell you I don’t know If I should stay here or I should go It’s been said so many times before I’m at that door Nature repeats like the flowers in the spring What should I say, why do I sing?

Something inside has died.

If I could go back I would I think we’re caught between two worlds …apart Gooood bye how goood times fly Gooood times fly I’ve been trying to get you outta my mind I won’t forget you never in time What is this dancing, dancin’ in my head Nature repeats like the flowers in the rain Where should I go? Why is this pain?

Something tells me I know If I could come back I would I think I’m caught between two worlds . . . apart Gooood bye My gooood times fly Gooood times fly Gooood bye how gooood times fly Gooood times fly, Gooood times fly, Gooood times fly gooood times fly.

Gooood times fly

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you c

can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back”

-- Harvey MacKay

Good Times Fly ©2009 P Little Penny: This is another middle of the night song. It was around 11 pm and I was thinking about my friend I hadn’t seen for awhile, about goodbyes and how time flies. I was War Lyrics and Music feeling a song coming on… so Private I started playing the backing riff on the keyboard, as a ©1999 P. Little piano part, scribbled down some words, and began to sing them. I realized I should be recording, so I determined the tempo, played keyboard parts into the computer as a midi part. I set up the mic, and by this time it was nearly midnight. Not wanting to disturb neighbors I sang very quietly and very up close to the mic.

By take three, I figured out the melody and words I wanted to sing, and left it til mornHave fallen, far we can’t catch ourselves ing. The next day I listened, kept takewe three andsosang some backing vocals, adding a In the arms of our starvin’ love half-time drum loop and simple bass. I really liked the initial impulse during the writYou accuse of mevocal of dancin’ with the demons ing process, and patched up just a couple parts where I hadn’t been quite while so righteously you tear me off your wall on this sure what was going to come out of my mouth. So the majority of the vocals You point yourprocess. finger, recording were from that first night’s writing can you point your finger some other way?

We sent the track via email to Ben Hurley in Hawaii as an mp3 and waited expectantly Cause every I got no business your war... for his guitars. It’s a bit like Christmas time we getinhis filesprivate sent back to us on CD, And does it make it right, make it right, and Nik puts them up in the song for the first time and synchronizes them.

I am wrong if your are right Ben: I didn’t do much strumming inwe themake chorus sections, but did a downward stroke Can it right, make it Iright for each chord change on acoustic to add more body and brightness. I did a two-guiNeeding healing, needing sight, tar treatment in the bridge sections…Strumming on the acoustic and some arpeggios Cause we got no business in your private war on clean electric. Again, I think it gives it body and lift from the guitar point of view.

What is your business in this war I wanted to get a violin type sound the volume fade-in.

Also, I felt Havehence we fallen so far wecontrolled can’t catch ourselves the vocals in the choruses wereIn“ethereal” sounding so Holy I didn’t want to add a static guithe lies buried in our ground tar line but instead wanted a more spatial to hopefully accompany thetovocal Oh I’ve got feel so little, I’ve got so much to say you on it’s journey. I did a bunch of different guitar stuff like clean glissandos, pizzicato timeWhile you shovel your dirt all around piece sounds, to bring a vision of a clock or metronome . . .

And you blame your neighbor can you aim your saber some other way Cause I got no business in your private war And does it make it right make it right, I am wrong if your are right Can we make it right, make it right Needing healing, needing sight, Cause I got no business in your private war What is your business in this war Yeah we got no business in your private war What is your business in this war Yeah we got no business in your private war.....

Nik: I fleshed out the drums, put down a fretless bass part, and added some mellotron pads. I also added the ‘aliens playing violins’ sound in the link and the outro.

Originally the song was going to end a little earlier, a few bars after the last vocals – on a major chord. Because that outro section had developed into a nice groove, and Ben’s guitars were really great, I extended it and I added the flute – a sine wave-ish solo with some peculiar pitch bends and trills which at times resembles a bird, maybe it’s flying away. I didn’t intend to do that. It just turned out that way. Listening back to it, I thought ‘this is a little off the wall’ but I like it, so I kept it — first take.

I thought the song could fade out on that groove in the minor feel, but Penny really wanted to end on a major chord, so we came to a compromise.

We dropped the rhythm out, and it fades on an ethereal wash and lands on the major chord. (Is that a compromise?!) I really wanted to end it on a minor chord to emphasize the sadness of the song, but Penny kept insisting that it needs to end on a major, because it’s more hopeful.. So we joke about it, ‘No, that’s the wrong chord at the end, it should be a minor…’No it needs to be major, we still need a little hope” ;-) I really like the overall spaciousness and airy feeling of the song, which offsets the melancholy lyrics.”

Bottom Line ©2009 Penny Little Have we lived up to the promise

Of the human zoo?

Are we still alive? Are we better

Than primordial goo?

Could this be random?

Is there a plan?

What is this tandem between

Woman and a Man?

Do you wanna jump?

Do you wanna dive

To the bottom line?

Watch out below I think I’m fallin’ So there’s a bottom below I think I’m fallin’ Watch out below I think I’m fallin’ So there’s a bottom below I think I’m fallin’ Security, there is no security.

Security, there is no security. There is no Do you think you have the answer To the Universal Why? Can you sell your way into Heaven I’m not for sale it’s somethin’ you can’t buy This ain’t no picnic I got no trip tik,

This ain’t no church

I’m just

Do you wanna jump

Caught in the lurch Do you wanna dive

To the bottom line?

Watch out below I think I’m fallin’ So there’s a bottom below I think I’m fallin’ Watch out below I think I’m fallin’ So there’s a bottom below I think I’m fallin’

"Apathy is the new polyester.�

--Mark Morford

NiK: “Bottom Line” came out of an attempt to realize a piece of music which had been sitting in my mind for awhile. A similar thing happened with “Aliens on Line” the tittle track for the Away Team’s first album, released about 10 years ago. Both times, the idea was taken by Penny who wrote lyrics, and what was originally going to be a slab of unlistenable noise morphed into a catchy song…ie something somewhat different from what I was intending…. the original idea has yet to be heard! But hey, its probably just as well! The only part that is left over from the original idea is the intro.

Penny: It’s true, I hijacked the interesting hiphop rhythm over ambience with words - and used it as a diving board into a song which was brewing.

Nik: The song eventually evolved into its current (and final) “sandwich” shape… with its extended instrumental and ambient intro, then the main body of the song which Penny wrote, followed by the ascending symmetrical chord sequence and the final restatement of the intro.

The solo/melody line over the outro was originally written and performed by former band member James Fanning (Chapman Stick/Warr guitar).

When we came to record the song for this album, I tried all kinds of alternate lines, but James’ one seemed to be the best fit.. so I did a guitar emulated synth part. This worked to a fashion, but we had Ben play the same thing on guitar .... nothing works quite like the real thing!

Penny: I was inspired, and philosophizing about what are people’s bottom lines: money-wise, love-wise, Universe and God-wise, thinking about the “human zoo”, all of our foibles, our beauty, and how tenuous our socalled security is. I feel that musically the song is a journey that takes one on a dive - like swimming on the bottom and then emerging to rejoice in the sunlight above, almost like a mini epic.

Nik: Lyrically, the song is even more topical than when the words were originally coined: society is becoming more ruled by the obsession over the “bottom line”, in financial terms, or the “lowest common denominator” in terms of esthetics, or lack thereof.

Penny: Looking at the bail-outs, and all the financial terrorism inflicted on ordinary working people while the banksters get their bonuses, I now sing this with a renewed sense of purpose. I know there is real hope but not the pre-packaged faux hope which has been sold to the public.

The pre-release copy of “Topsy Turvy World.” was given away free to the first hundred who responded to our offer of a free copy of “Topsy Turvy World” who promised to donate $15 or more directly to the Feal Good Foundation. The Feal Good Foundation of course was very happy that we chose them.

We like the idea of gifting since we believe our music is a gift - from our heart to you. We want as many people as possible to hear our album. The work that goes into each song is a work of love.

www.911dust.org

The Feal Good Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the first responders at Ground Zero who were exposed to the toxic dust. Please check out their site, www.fealgoodfoundation. com. They have been fighting an uphill battle to bring national awareness to the health issues of the first responders at Ground Zero.

In September 2010, the House passed the 9/11 Health Care Bill which will provide billions of dollars for medical treatment to rescue workers and residents of New York who suffered from the dust and smoke at Ground Zero. It passed the US Senate in December 2010, and was signed into law by President Obama, January 2011.

Part of our campaign was to help bring awareness to the work that the Feal Good Foundation has been doing, and to get people to contact every Senator and tell them to get on board to pass S1334 instead of joining their friends who wanted to filibuster these heroes’ lives away.

John Feal of the Feal Good Foundation says the bill is a “6 or 7 out of ten. It will save some lives”

The two lead negotiators in the Senate were Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer. Apparently, after the vote, Mr. Schumer grabbed John Feal and said, “You’re the man, baby!” John had been persistent in his lobbying campaign in DC, threatening to run primary candidates against every single New York Democrat in Congress if they didn’t get a vote in the House on the bill.

Nik says “There are similarities between the US government aid response to the victims of 9/11, Katrina, and Haiti. We must not forget the 9/11 first responders, who nearly 9 years later are still suffering with debilitation and sickness.”

Approximately 1,000 have died as of January 2011 from the effects of the toxic dust.

Penny’s film “9/11 Dust and Deceit’ about the plight of the heroes and first responders at Ground Zero, premiered in 2007 at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and has shown in festivals, theaters and salon showings

around the globe. A preview cut in 2005 was shown in major cities in Europe. This film has been used to fundraise for the first responders in NYC, and raise awareness about this issue.

www.fealgoodfoundaton.com

Unconventional Tour 2008 Unconventional Tour 2008, from September 26 to November 4, featured politically relevant live music, DJs, local performers, special guests, films & media clips, comic relief, plus an open mic townhall (Freespeech "contest"). The intrepid unconventional crew traveled 7200 miles in Dawn Perrine’s truck and horse trailer from Southern California through the US Southwest , South and Midwest.

In some venues, Penny Little presented her films including the award winning “Electile Dysfunction” and “911 Dust and Deceit”. The mission was to bring more awareness to the issues of election reform, localizing, and forming a real opposition to the corporatocracy running and ruining our Country.

One of the big successes of the tour was the Free Speech Contest - an opportunity for audience members to try out their skills as orators. Also successful were the music-oriented shows with the media mashup. The next Unconventional Tour will undoubtedly feature the same lively format. The tour video clips are available through the website VLOG .

Why "UNconvention"?

Whether Radical or Progressive, Libertarian or Green, Democrat or Republican, we all want fair elections. We’re against wars based on lies. We want our votes to count. We want our Constitution and our civil liberties back. We don't believe that bailouts of banks will solve our economic problems. We want media to report the unbiased Truth. We don’t think torture is a family value. We can probably all agree on these things.

We’re in unconventional times, where it’s no longer just about party affiliation, left or right. We know that America is all about football - the Red Team versus the Blue Team with the corporate cheerleaders and funders pulling the strings. It doesn’t have to be that way. We want a government that is accountable to “We the People”. We support an independent investigation of 9/11 with full subpoena power, and an examination of the Federal Reserve. Whether you are ecstatic or disappointed by the election results, the real work always begins now, keeping the current administration accountible.

As we release “Topsy Turvy World” there’s sure to be more political muck raking and media to fan the flames of activism in a spirit of fun and seriousness.

www.unconventionaltour.com

www.electile-dysfunction.com

Unconventional Tour 2008 Chicago’s Heartland Cafe

www.music-unconvention.com

Topsy Turvy World So much is going on it’s hard to know where to begin. The State of the Union, drones in Pakistan, health care, bailouts for corporations but not the people, the economy . . . .

The decision of the Supreme Court on January 21, 2010, Citizens United versus Federal Election Commission, is an affront to all citizens, whether Conservative or Liberal, giving corporate person-hood yet another boost.

The Highest Court in the Land ruled that the government may not limit corporate spending in candidate elections. In this decision, the Supreme Court elevated corporate advertisements to political speech with First Amendment protections of free speech equal to that of an individual.

The underlying assumption is that corporations have the same rights to free speech as citizens -- and that a corporation which does not have the same responsibilities and duties as a citizen, may now donate unlimited amounts of funds - whether US or foreign - to influence elections.

Justice John Paul Stevens (appointed by Republican Gerald Ford) in his 90 page dissent states: “The conceit that corporations must be treated identically to natural persons in the political sphere is not only inaccurate but also inadequate to justify the Court’s disposition of this case. . . .[Corporations] cannot vote or run for office. Because they may be managed and controlled by nonresidents, their interests may conflict in fundamental respects with the interests of eligible voters. The financial resources, legal structure,and instrumental orientation of corporations raise legitimate concerns about their role in the electoral process.”

When speech is paid for, is it free? Isn’t that called “advertising” or “propaganda” --whether funded by the State or by a Corporate entity? Perhaps the applicable laws should be “truth in advertising” as opposed to addressing the issue of whether an organization has the “right” to free speech. Apparently, this line of thinking was partially examined In Nike v. Kasky, wherein Nike claimed that they had a First Amendment free speech right as a corporate person, claiming its ads were political speech, not commercial speech. Winning in lower courts, the California Supreme Court ruled 4 to 3 against Nike. The US Supreme Court dismissed the case, not wanting to deal with the “premature adjudication of novel constitutional questions” that would “apply with special force to this case. “ And since when did these institutional sociopaths (corporations without a conscience) earn the right to the same status as living beings? Apparently, since 1886.

It was in 1886, in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad, that a court reporter, J C Bancroft Davis (a former railroad official) wrote a headnote to a decision -- NOT the decision - which declared that the “defendant Corporations are persons with the intent of . . . the Fourteenth Amendment, which forbids a state to deny any person with its juridiction the equal protection of the laws.”

A clerk misinterpreting what the Court said, essentially wrote into common law what has been handed down as the basis for corporate person-hood. Of course, corporate lawyers seized the headnote, quoting it to their advantage.

I would like to know how any thinking individual can believe that a business entity with only profit motive as it’s core operating principle deserves the same rights as human beings? With their undue influence, corporations already skew the election process unfairly, and with this decision, without being reigned in, corporations will gain more control of our electoral process, our government, and our lives. Big Brother is unelected. Big Brother is the new Feudal Corporate Order -- the merger of corporate power and State. The New Normal.

Thomas Jefferson wrote: “The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history -- whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite.”

Unless we the people begin to understand and object, and work together, Left and Right, Christian and non-Christian, Jew, Muslim, we can kiss our freedoms and protections goodbye, as the merger of state and corporate power tightens its velvet gloved iron grip. We must resist the “New Normal”! -- P Little

Album Cover Art In the search for art which might represent a topsy turvy world, Penny googled “topsy turvy world”, and “crazy world”, and one of the first images which came up in the search was the outsider art of Franciscan Priest Andrew Lewandowski.

Outsider Art is “art from outside the art world.”

It has been defined as a genre of art made by untrained artists who do not recognize themselves as artists. Coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as the English synonym for “Raw art” or “art brut”, outsider art is created outside of official culture, but it can also mean folk art, ethnic art as well as art produced by prisoners, the mentally ill, or those who do not make their artwork to sell.

Father Andrew donated use of his work to The Away Team for their album cover.

www.AndrewLewandowski.com

gratitude Special thanks to Adrienne Meyers Cherie Pleau Dawn Perrine Ben Hurley, Jr. James Walter, Jr. Andrew Lewandoski Erin McCune James Fanning Bob Kudrna Ron Dexter Caroline Chalmers David Ray Griffin (for the line�

Science is Fiction� in Topsy Turvy World), and to all of our friends and fans who have been so supportive and all those who are working to make this a bet-

Of Dancers, Spiders,Tarantellas & Tarantulas

A Tarantella is a folk dance which originally referred to an exorcism ritual in Greece around 2000 BC, connected to the gods Dionysus and Apollo.

In Taranto, Italy, there was a type of poisonous spider, its venom causing a hysterical condition known as tarantism, the symptoms of which were a wild whirling motion which would bring the victim to the point of exhaustion. For a long time, it was believed that the only way to cure the bite was with very rhythmic, fast music, which became known as the Tarantella.

There is a tradition known as “neo-Tarantism, which is hypnotic and trancelike.

This is used in music therapy today to stimulate the endocrine system.

“As welcome as a Tarantula on a Wedding Cake”

by Nik Green

I wrote this as a self-referential observation. The piece starts gentle and soothing, with a minimalist, hypnotic motif. The middle section is spikey, angular, and dissonant, orchestrally modern. I was emotionally involved in the content in two, distinct separate ways. First, it is about a particular person who admitted that had a vendetta - he made me feel about as welcome as a tarantula on a wedding cake. In parallel , I sometimes feel like an outsider on an alien planet where I feel almost as welcome as that tarantula . . . . .I can only imagine how those who are not so lucky as I am must feel. There is so much inequality and injustice in the world. In some ways this piece is an exorcism, or is that an “exercise”?

Making an album of music is quite an undertaking, for those unfamiliar. It is a task which can be divided into several distinct areas of endeavor. First, there is the actual “divingin, getting one’s hands dirty, part”… which more often than not is too close to reality for comfort: the amount of time I have spent in contorted, often painful positions in the hot, always cramped space behind equipment racks, armed with a flashlight, inhaling dust bunnies and dead bugs, trying to find out which cable has gone on the fritz… must run into days, if all added up.

Before even a note gets committed to disk, there is so much to do which has so little to do with making *music* (what’s that?), but rather, making technology work properly, installing and configuring often pesky drivers, hardware and interfaces, spending hours with tech support, in other words … hours “on hold”, running up a huge bill to enrich the phone companies, undertaking multiple learning curves for many items of complex software, (many of which are written for engineers and software designers rather than musicians.. although this area of “use-ability” is improving by leaps and bounds), also being unwilling beta testers for expensive software items foisted on the public before ready for primetime (!) no names mentioned, burning endless backups to DVD, making cables… ahhh… just savor the smell of hot solder landing on bare skin… sizzle, sizzle, “long pig” for dinner…. and there is just the start…..

Album Craftiness

by Nik Green Once the studio and work space is in a working-enough-order state so as not to trash the creative flow by endless interruptions caused by crashing computers, music making can finally start. Hip hip‌Woop dee freaking doo!

Hooray! Hang on‌ which hat am I wearing now? Am I now free to disengage myself from the dusty inner workings of some malfunctioning computer, all ready to lay down that inspired solo thats gonna rock the world and make us all millions? That's the unstated requirement in today's world, in which we D-I-Y 'ers are competing against top tier artists who have album budgets that could fund a small war, or at least a limited police action

In a top tier project, specific people are employed who are only required to wear *one* hat at a time during their working hours, such as "drummer", "bassist", "tape op" (tape?), "tracking engineer", "mixing engineer", "gophers" of all kinds that is, fetching anything from guitar strings, take-out catering and baggies of contraband, "Pro Tools trouble shooter", "drum programmer", "guitarist", "producer" (we don't shit 'em these days, they cost too much), and they all have personal assistants to get yelled at when times get "rough".

Ha! But in the corporate music arrangement, despite the dictatorial, top-down hierarchical, chain of command structure, at least everyone on the project payroll has the time and energy top do what they do best, intoxicants permitting, and nothing more.

Album Craftiness (cont) For the actual musicians, this means the ability to concentrate on the songs, the parts and the performances. For the sonic integrity of the record, the music is being recorded by professional engineers, in $multimillion spaces acoustically designed for the purpose of capturing live audio, using the finest, state of the art audiophile quality mixing boards, outboard gear, $5000+ microphones and rental instruments, and helped along by the finest A-list session players, arrangers, real live orchestras, backing singers, horn sections, choirs, tanks in the streets.. etc.. hang on, that last one was a tad off topic… but having said that, music performance and warfare do have similarities… seasoned (now retired) drummer Bill Bruford put it this way: "Playing in a band is like being in the trenches in World War I… 95% boredom, 5% terror". Musicians fresh off a grueling tour, suddenly deprived of the nightly adrenalin rush provided by the intensity and focus of a live performance, can exhibit a similar set of stress symptoms to troops on leave from a tour of active duty…

But back on topic, we “do it yourself ” musicians, recording an album in a project studio, are trying to do it all, without a staff of hundreds, on the proverbial budget of $43 and 29 cents. A major label’s pet project may take two years or more to complete with all the finest facilities at hand… How on Earth (or anywhere) is the lone DIY’er expected to compete with *that*, no matter no extraordinarily gifted?

Gimme a break! Yes, we on the lower levels of the music-entertainment industry ladder have a vast task confronting us: how to make our songs sound as "big budget" as the song which might be next on the radio playlist or Joe Q Public's i-Pod…. which could be anything from "classic" rock and pop, Madonna to Led Zeppelin, from Lady Gaga to Celine Dion to the corporate favorites of today's youth.

Will your music stand the new acid test? Will it sound as LOUD? Will it sound as BIG? Will it sound as WIDE? Are we that regimented by the notion of "Bigger, thicker, longer"? Even "punk" bands' albums recorded on a high budget have the sonic sheen and polish of the big studio, even though such is the antithesis of the punk ethic…. go figure.

In todays climate, what chance does quality song-writing, ie material written by writers who are not under the heavy manners of A and R executives whose job status is on the line according to the next quarterly bottom line…. often perhaps recorded in a "low budget" facility, stand up to professionally produced, loudness-maximized pieces of little musical worth? Can people really tell the difference?

In todays market-driven, topsy turvy world, our attentions are diverted by sonic aspects, inverted “qualities” which have little or nothing to do with actual music, i.e. the prime content, and in todays world, where we the subtlety oppressed people have so little time to catch a breath, does the casual listener

have the chance to properly evaluateand assimilate something of real worth, music which usually takes several airings to "get it" , or does the instant appeal ditty, superficially great the first time around, and then there's nothing left to get one's hearing gear around afterwards, win the battle? Maybe the old expression comes to mind: "It ain't what you do, its the way that you do it… thats what it's all about".

Innovation, experimentation and originality as regards prime content appear to have gone the way of the dodo in the commercial world…. to be replaced with baby formula, instant appeal, cookie cutter, recycled pap.

Artists, signed into eternal debt to the corporate world, in order to be able to do music, as oppose to a multitude of seemingly unrelated tasks described in the previous paragraphs, are also under pressure to conform to the formulae, courtesy of arbitrarily designated genres promoted by rule-bound marketing department drones in the Dilbertesque hell of Cubicle City. Conform or be damned… the rules are written, don’t create, obey, or go work flipping Frankenburgers at Mickey D’s.

Peter Gabriel, almost 3 decades ago, recognized the great leveling that modern electronics and computer technology was (theoretically) going to provide for us supposedly musicianly folk; his terminology was “electronic skiffle”. Now we are see the iresult n earnest, in that vast numbers of artists who categorize themselves in the broad “urban” category (rap, hip hop,

instrument) and dance music makers have taken the bull by its proverbials and have used this new technology as the mainstay of their creations.

Anybody can access tools which only two decades ago would have cost literally $millions, but now have been transformed into software that can be installed on a $1000 laptop computer…. and with a few accessories and interfaces, a very capable audio recording facility is available to all. This is great, but with some provisos… so much output is forthcoming, music is everywhere, there are no filters, the market place is swamped by so much music, some obviously horrendously inept, vast quantities of mediocre and/ or plagiaristic recycling, to even the most scintillatingly brilliant.

Coupled with all this opportunity comes a problem: there is the need for the home studio buff/songwriter to be not only a jack of all trades, but a master of all as well. The musical integrity of a recorded project is only as strong as its weakest link, and in the recording cycle, as I mentioned, there are many, many links in the chain… and even a set of great songs does not necessarily make for a great overall package.. *everything* has to be right. And how many people have the time in the their lives to become a master of all?

Nik Green with Blue Murder on tour with Billy Squier & Kings X

Blue Murder was formed by John Sykes in 1988. As he was partially responsible for the success of their multiplatinum-selling self-titled album, Whitesnake's label Geffen signed a record deal with Sykes following his dismissal from the band.

In the nascent stages of the band, drummer Cozy Powell (with whom Sykes had played in Whitesnake) was attached to the project. Ray Gillen, who had previously sung for Black Sabbath and later for Badlands (not the same band Badlands (née John Sloman's Badlands) that Sykes once played in), sang for an early version of Blue Murder, and reportedly the band recorded demos with him.

The band searched high and low for vocalists., because at that time John did not want to be the lead singer and guitarist. Tony Martin who sang on tour with Black Sabbath, auditioned for Blue Murder in November of 1988, and penned the lyrics of one of Blue Murder’s songs, “Valley of the Kings.” (which ended up being the first single/video for the band, the video being produced by Mary Lambert, known for her work with Madonna and as director of the film Pet Sematary) Tony was invited to join the band to record the first Blue Murder album in Vancouver with producer Bob Rock. The original lineup was John Sykes, Tony Franklin, Carmine Appice, and Nik Green. On the day the band was leaving to go to Canada, they were all waiting in the taxis at John Sykes’ studio until the last possible moment, and finally had to leave for the airport without Tony, who never showed or called. Instead of showing up in Vancouver, Tony had been recruited by his manager and Warner Brothers to sing with the Ben Hurley project, which effectively split up the Warner-signed band White Feather (Ben Hurley, Penny Little, Tony Bodene). Penny was recruited to play keyboards on the Hurley project - which ended badly afer ten days in The Dog House Studio* after interpersonal disputes between all the boys in the “project”.

Upon comparing the original demos with Sykes singing to the demos with Ray Gillen on vocals, A&R executive John Kalodner encouraged Sykes to handle the vocal duties himself.

Blue Murder released two studio albums: Blue Murder in 1989 and Nothin' But Trouble in 1993.

A live album, Screaming Blue Murder was released in Japan in 1994, but has since been released elsewhere via iTunes. There were several Sykes compilations albums (Loveland) Nik recorded and toured with Blue Murder from 1987 - 1994, and did a tour with John Sykes in Japan in the fall of 1995.

Blue Murder was dropped by Geffen in the mid-90s, at which point Sykes recorded Out of My Tree in 1995 with Blue Murder members Marco Mendoza and Tommy O'Steen, effectively transforming Blue Murder into an "official" Sykes solo project. www.thedoghousestudio.co.uk

www.johnsykes.com

The March 15 Town & Country Club on Highgate Road in London was Little Feather’s first big gig - before being signed to Warners UK as “White Feather” -- On the bill the headliner was doing a reunion tour– a psuedo sychedelic band the reformed Pink Fairies. It was an all day band fest: also on the bill was “Crazyhead” “Voodo Child” and the “Flying Tractor Band.

The Little Feather lineup at that time was Barry “Thundersticks” Graham (formerly from Iron Maiden) on drums, Sam from Cambodia on bass, Ben on guitars, vocals, and me on keys, vocals and playing bass for a couple songs.

We were in the dressing room and our manager John came in. We asked about the audience, and he said something like there was hardly anyone in the house. Turned out it was a full house. I had fun with someone in the front who kept throwing a balloon on stage….. It was one of those memorable highs - sans any mind-altering substances - where normal “time” was suspended. …. Our 45 minute set flew by in minutes. The drums were literally “thunder” and I felt the beat through the stage floor more than I could actually hear it. -- from Penny’s journal

Town & Country, London

9/11 Dust and Deceit

This disturbing film by Penny Little “9/11: Dust and Deceit at the WTC” exposes the environmental disaster of 9/11 through interviews with scientists, waste management specialists, government workers, politicians, volunteers, first responders, the heroes and victims of the dust which permeated the air after 9/11.

The music was composed by Nik Green, the intro piece having been written on September 11, 2001.

Nik: Everybody remembers that horrific day when the world lost so much. It’s hard to describe the feelings as the day unfolded. This piece was originally an improvisation which reflectsed my state of mind that evening. By the end of the afternoon, I was mentally and physically exhausted, and emotionally drained.

I felt music would be a good way to heal the rupture in the psyche.

The first sound that came up was a slow string patch; I just started playing,. After a few minutes, I thought I should capture what I was doing for posterity. The gravity of the day enabled me to forget about the “record” light, and I got into thinking about the human loss.. I recorded about ten minutes of playing, and listened back. There seemed to be a “basic shape”. The 4 1/2 minute pieces was made from the first 2 and last 2 minutes edited together,. All the meandering in the middle sliced out of it. Then I tidied it up, and left it. I provisionally entitled it ‘9/11”. Several years later, Penny remembered it when she was looking for music for her film.

The version on the film is the original

recording.. Since then I’ve revoiced it, and recorded a different version.

www.911dust.org

Art Studio Miami is an example of a group doing something to make the world a better place.

Rachel Hughes, who was featured in the documentary “9/11 Dust and Deceit” is the founder and force behind Art Studio Miami. Largely working from her bed, she has attracted fantastic people to empower at-risk youth in Little Haiti, Miami, Florida.

Penny Little produced several montage pieces for Art Studio Miami in 2009. One of them was “A World without Art”.

Art Studio Inc, a 501c3 non-profit organization, whose mission is to empower young minds by providing a safe location where youth are inspired and guided by artists, teachers and professional mentors who support the student’s education and career development through the integration of creative arts.

www.artstudiomiami.org

The US is the richest nation in the world, yet 37 million Americans live below the official poverty line and millions more struggle to get by every month. In America today, our prison systems are filled with high percentages of young adults from impoverished beginnings. This is America’s pipeline to prison — a trajectory that leads to marginalized lives, criminalization, imprisonment and often premature death; all of which costs our country far more in the long run than the educational solutions to fix it.

“In the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education. And in this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential.”

- President Barack Obama In his State of the Union Address ALL youth deserve a chance toward successful futures in a global community.

A world-class education can be made available to all students by using art as a learning tool to expand the possibilities, especially for at-risk youth in educational, emotional, and career development while instilling a sense of personal responsibility and a love for lifelong learning.

Art-integration, mentorship, and the development of creative thinking are proven to increase a student‘s long-term chances for success. Using art to develop self-esteem, find interests, relevancy, and gain exposure to career choices creates a well-rounded person. Art Studio is a program which is taking action to change the “cradle to prison” scenario that is currently playing out for youth throughout the United States.

www.peopletopeople.tv

Little Savage™ Books: Cartoon Wisdom interspersed with Savage commentary -like watching a movie with commentary on, and you can’t turn it off.

Little Savage’™ Books also feature her Pet Peeve, SkeptiCat, One Cent, Little Shitsky, Mr. Nobody, “Z”. All books are rated PG-28, although some may be suitable for all ages.

A word from the Savage about her upcoming book: “This is my Beta Book. I’m sure it’s next upgrade will be a much more useless......take longer to load, require more disk space, and have general bloat. It’s the technology in a handbag syndrome -- the bigger the purse, the more stuff one can pile in....

If I’m not mistaken, my quad Intel machine is possessed. I am learning to live with it, honing my skills as an Exorcist (or is that “troubleshooter”?), hoping someday for the tool to become my slave, rather than the other way around . . . . and while we’re at it, please, please give me something that works!”

www.littlesavage.com

Savage Thots: There is so much Armageddonism going on. The End has been near for thousands of years and yet like the grass in the spring, hope springs Eternal.

In her book “This is NOT the End” ©2011, Savage lampoons the End Times, while facing disasters and tribulation. Times are tough and it looks like the world is in meltdown. There are many who believe this is the beginning of the End. Perhaps the End has already ended. “Perhaps this “End” business could be big business,” Little Savage muses.

“You really gotta watch those Muses”!

For more Savage thots check out

www.littlesavage.com

A fluffy piece about creativity

Appointment with a Muse

Little Savage Š2011

by Penny Little My work in documentary film has taught me to

I’ve carried songs around for years, and some

get down to the essential. How much can you cut and

have come back to me and finally given me the

still retain the meaning? I have learned to be unat-

last verse; others were complete in less than 30

tached to the footage, to let go of great shots because

minutes. All I had to do was be there, and write

they don’t move the story along. I have learned that

it down.

there are always the “extras” that one can put on the

was “written” as I recorded it, a song born in its

DVD, so one doesn’t have to add everything into the

entirety between midnight and 2 a.m. The original

film, no matter how stunning. If one can live without

vocals and keyboards are still on the finished mix

it and not miss it, well, maybe it just didn’t belong. I

on the album.

am only this ruthless after the freedom and beauty of allowing the creative process to play out it’s “intro”.

One of the songs on the new album

What often takes the most work is shaping the production around the song arrangement:

Occasionally this applies to life as well. For ex-

making the drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, all work

ample: clutter. If you don’t love it, if it isn’t beautiful, if it

together. The song starts to grow up. In this phase

doesn’t serve a purpose, if it’s not essential edit it out.

of recording and performing, what becomes most

Getting down to the essence is the ability to be a lens

important is what we refer to as “playing for the

to a vision. It sounds so simple!!

song”. Every part must work with every other part

Making an album is a bit like making a film. Each

in place, and be heard, - not drowned out by other

song is a short story, a chapter. Instead of a storyboard

sounds. Just think: if everyone played for the song,

or footage already filmed, an album begins with the

wouldn’t the world would be a better place?

songs, the little stories or “interviews with a muse” as I call my creative work.

And then all the parts in each song are “mixed”, levels adjusted, effects added, fairy dust-

When I tell people I set up appointments with

ed and finalized.

my muse, it is perplexing perhaps to some. It’s all

The album, being a collection of songs, be-

about being there, whether one has five minutes or

gins to have a shape of its own, similar to a docu-

five hours, and if I’ve only got five minutes I ask my

mentary. Some songs didn’t make it to the album.

muse to come back when I’ve got the time. That’s an

The songs on this album have a deep relationship

appointment.

to each other, because they come from a similar

There are as many songs as there are people

genre, time period, mood, or thematic idea.

on earth and stars in the sky. My songs are uniquely

Then, we looked for the commonality and

my own yet culturally grown - the meaning is trans-

narrative,. The working title had been “Wild Wild

formed and filtered through my lens, my vision.

Ms.

Land”. This changed to “Topsy Turvy World” when

Ruthless is not allowed in during the conception phase

that song was included on the album. After several

of birthing songs. It is free, it is fun, it is like being a kid

permutations and mixes and mastering, it is now

on a swing for the first time. Wheeee! Do it again! I

let loose in the world. This is a crystallized mo-

love this.

ment in time. The songs captured in digital bits,

Once a song begins to take shape, it settles into

and reproduced can take a life of their own; and

forms. There are song structures like verse, bridge,

when we play these songs live, that will bring in

chorus, middle-8, intro and outtro which one can use

another demention.

as a tether for the Muse to latch onto. - or not.

I found my Ruth again!

Wall of Quotes from The Away Team Freedom is when the people can speak: democracy is when the government can listen. -- Alastair Farrugla If I could have convinced more slaves that they were slaves, I would have freed thousands more. -- Harriet Tubman The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. -- H.L. Mencken (1918) I can't understand why people are frightened by new ideas. I'm frightened by the old ones. John Cage There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't. - unknown You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.

-- Frank Zappa If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standards of nonconformity -- Bill Vaughan A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. – Edward R. Murrow The harder they hit us, the louder we become, like the skin of a drum. - Michael Franti First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

-- Mahatma Gandhi I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum -- 1988 John Carpenter film “They Live”

The Away Team in their multi-media mashup often present interesting quotes known as their “Wall of Quotes” The greatest enemy of the truth is not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth – persistent, pervasive, and unrealistic. -- John F Kennedy “Military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy.” – Henry Kissinger An intellectual is a man who takes more words than necessary to tell more than he knows. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower When I die, I want to go out like my grandfather did, in his sleep, unlike the screaming passenger on the back of his motorcycle. -- Jack Handey It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. --Samuel Adams Great spirits will always encounter violent opposition from mediocre minds.

--Albert Einstein Those who stand for nothing fall for anything. -- Alexander Hamilton In times of change, the Patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."

--Mark Twain The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them. --Patrick Henry Secrecy is the keystone to all tyranny. Not force, but secrecy and censorship.

-- Robert A. Heinlein The last time we mixed religion with politics, people got burned at the stake. -- Dori Shipley Kenyon More quotes: www.theawayteam.com/RANT/quotes.html

Unconventional Tour Tulsa

Sunset in Illinois , a shot taken by Nik from the truck, as we headed for St. Louis. On the right hand side of the page is a stop in New Mexico for lunch, and the gig at the Players Pub in Bloomington, Indiana.

www.unconventionaltour.com

After Little Rock, we headed for Indiana --This was our first crossing of the Mississippi

Penny & Dawn, Springfield Illinois

Unconventional Post one Unconventional Tour 2008, Chicago’s Heartland Tour Cafe. Jim Post, of the “Midwest’s great treasures”, and an inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, sang a few folk tunes, including one called “Brain Damaged”, about the lingering effects of the 60’s drug culture. Jim also is a Mark Twain look-alike and does a traveling show called Mark Twain and the Laughing River.

www.jimpost.com

Penny “Little Savage” in Chicago

Members of Swizzle Tree & Jungle of Cities join the Away Team on stage at the Heartland Cafe

http://www.myspace.com/swizzletree

Review of Chicago Show at Heartland Cafe by Ragen Gillam.

Those of us lucky souls who attended the Unconventional Tour at the Heartland Café in Chicago on Friday October 24 were treated to a variety of entertainment, including great music, political satire, including some 911 truth, and audience participation.

Jim Post, one of the “Midwest’s great treasures”, and an inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, sang a few folk tunes, including one called “Brain Damaged”, about the lingering effects of the 60’s drug culture. Jim also is a Mark Twain lookalike, and does a traveling show called Mark Twain and the Laughing River. Check out Jim Post’s site. www.jimpost.com Jungle of Cities, featuring Tim Wais and Kimi Carpenter, are a stunning Chicago band playing socially and politically aware music. If you’re in the Chicago area, check out their schedule to see where they’ll be playing.

The Away Team, featuring the incredibly talented duo, Penny Little and keyboardist Nik Green, performed a few of their original songs, interspersed with some great videos clips, including a video referring to the NIST report about building 7.

Also on the bill that evening was Swizzle Tree, a really hot Chicago band, treating the audience to some hard-hitting songs.

One of the highlights of the evening was the free speech contest where audience members were allowed to vent and rant on stage for 2 whole minutes, or until the gong was hit.

The audience – representing all age groups - realized they had witnessed a truly unique event filled with mind-expanding truth and exceptional talent, seamlessly put together in one great show! Hats off to Penny Little, Nik Green and Dawn Perrine for a delightful and mind-expanding evening of great entertainment!

www.jungleofcities.com

A review from Donald Stahl, St. Louis: I would tell you that Penny Little and her troupe are brave and good people, but I can't. Not because it's not true, but because if I did you would be suspicious about what else I say about them. You'd think I was just laying it on. I'm not. I was amazed at the professional quality of her singing voice and the proficiency of the couple's keybording. I suppose fogies like me will be amazed at what can come out of a set of electronics, but really, it was like an orchestra.

Miss this show?-Don't.

Hiphop duo "Family Affair" performed for the Unconventional Tour in St. Louis on October 26 at the Community Arts and Media Project.

The St. Louis event was at the Community Arts and Media Project. Next stop was Tulsa’s Nightingale Theater where the Away Team was joined on stage with spoken word artist Deborah Hunter, musician Michael Warner, Joe Christiano, Reggie Cervantes

www.deadlinelive.info

www.threeshoesposse.com

Jack Blood, Austin, Ruta Maya Show. Three Shoes Posse also performed that show.

http://unconventionaltour.blogspot.com/2008/11/unconventional-tour-tulsa-away-team.html

Red Team

More on Topsy Turfiness

Is America really all about football: the Red Team versus the Blue Team? There was a whole lot of Kool-Aid being consumed in 2008 by both Teams. Since then, hope has become a four letter word used by marketers, and Maverick the Sequel just isn’t as good as the original flavor.

And we all know that “politicians are like diapers. they both need changing regularly and for the same reason.”

In 2008, the first Black President of the United States was elected - whether we agree with him or not; it’s an historic first.

Most of the world seemed relieved to be rid of the Bush administration, except for that 23 percent who really are his base. And then there are those who long for someone to really hate..

Since that election in 2008, a lot has happened . . . .

Nano-thermite was confirmed as being in the 9/11 dust.

For those with the inclination, you can read a peer reviewed scientific [3]analysis here.

Links: 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nano-thermite 2. http://www.bentham-open.org/pages/content.php?T OCPJ/2009/00000002/00000001/7TOCPJ.SGM The worst banking heist in history occurred, grand theft on an unprecedented scale -- taking taxpayer monies to bail out those who actually caused the problem with their addiction for gambling.

The US is still in Iraq and the Afghanistan conflict has been stepped up, despite the fact that no invader in recent history has conquered that territory.. and despite the fact that the reasons for both wars are suspect. No weapons of mass destruction were ever found in Iraq.

The biggest weapon of mass destruction has been the economic terrorism inflicted by big banks, and the violence of poverty abounds.

Blue Team

Trends analyst Gerald Celente predicted that the rich would get even richer, and the disenfranchised would become more resistant. Ralph Nader sees a convergence of liberals and progressives - no more Red Team versus Blue Team, as the financial crisis worsens.

In early 2011, the people of Tunisia, Yemen and most significantly Egypt, awakened, and are engaging in their quest for self determination and liberty by taking to the streets, calling for the resignation of their oppressors.. Could this happen here?

And, from where we sit, we’re still hopeful that change will happen and we know it’s unlikely to come from the top down.

Truly, we live in unconventional times and the world has gone all topsy turvy. Does this mean it’s up to us?

Doing Videos for “Fish Story” and “Wild Wild Land”.

We decided to try out blue screena and green screen. With a little help from our friend Ron Dexter, we did a couple of test shots, and proceeded to run several takes.

Don’t know why Nik picked up the shovel and started to play it like a guitar, but it seemed fun at the time, so I picked up the broom and started to play it like a guitar.

Nik is playing the Synthi A which belonged to English National Opera principal bass (singer) John Connell. He got it from Brian Eno. This is an analog voltage controlled patch bay modular synthesizer dating back to 1969, when it was manufactured.

The blue and green screen technique is used extensively in films these days. Our set up of course is nothing quite so sophisticated. We’ve got a big roll of green screen paper, and a small blue screen cloth on loan. The fun part is the lighting, since we’re relying on natural light out of doors, and have to wait for the wind to be calm and the sun to be in the right place in the sky.

Energy - from Greek Eνέργεια - energeia, "activity, ope

eration", from Eνεργός - energos, "active, working”

friends Jimmy Walter - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzS-xJOj_6E Ron Dexter http://www.rondexter.com Richard Gage - Engineers and Architects http://www.ae911truth.org/ Most Crucial Info- http://mostcrucial.info/ Musicians: Love Lightning: http://www.myspace.com/alansvec Eliza Jane - http://www.elizaschneider.com/ Wil B - http://www.myspace.com/wilbandthepoliticalpowerofhiphop Cosmic Love Child -http://www.myspace.com/cosmiclovechildmusic

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