Artwork – George Blamey-Steeden

A BELL THAT DOESN’T CHIME

Source – Lieutenant Morris Meredith Williams was a talented artist and filled 15 pocket-sized sketch books while serving on the Western Front in WW1. The drawings, along with letters, he sent back home to his wife, Alice. There’s a book of his work called ‘An Artist’s War.’

A BELL THAT DOESN’T CHIME

You’re looking for a hero
That hero isn’t me
I gave up counting daydreams
And climbed into history
On that day I saw a thousand graves
They all said ‘Aged 19’
Wall to wall white marble stone
Stood on grass so green
They went on for miles
As far as I could see
Relics of remembrance
A cosmic storm’s debris

Were they just a band of brothers or just a band of new born ghosts?
Were it not for war they’d ditch the trenches for homeland’s coasts
What was once green grassland is now a battlefield so obscene
Where did it all go so wrong? Could it have been foreseen?

Guess that it hardly matters now
When the stones say ‘Aged 19’
Battles fought and lives all lost
Or something in between?

The portal up in the sky
Got opened bang on time
For mud and guts and diaries
And a church bell that doesn’t chime

Before lockdown shut the cinemas I’d seen the movie ‘1917’. Brilliant in so many ways. Since then I’ve watched it a couple of times more at home. I remembered I’d once written a song called ‘Age 19’ after visiting the WW1 graveyard in Etaples, France a few years ago where there were line after line of gravestones all marked ‘Age 19’. It makes you shiver; it makes lockdown a nothing. I’m told I had a relative who died on the last day of WW1. Imagine that. That war ended at 11am on 11th. November 1918. All he had to do was to stay out of trouble that morning. Sad, for sure. Above is the revised version of the original lyric.

I’m thinking ‘Time Out’ from my ‘Dream Rescuer’ album fits the mood of the trenches in WW1. I hope you agree;

If you’re interested in my book of lyrical verse, ‘LOOKING FOR REASONS’ is available on Amazon, either as a paperback or on Kindle. The UK link is below. Outside of the UK, just type in ‘Zoolon Audio’. The purchase prices have been cut right back, hence they’re not expensive. On Kindle Unlimited it’s even free!

If you’re interested in my inexpensive PROMO VIDEOS FOR AUTHORS hit the link here or aim at the one at the top of this blog.

As ever, if any poets out there are interested in having their poems turned into songs then click here to check it out: POETRY TO SONG

If you are looking for all my other music then you’ll find it to download on BANDCAMP and at AMAZON when searching ‘Zoolon Audio Albums’or you can stream and/or make a playlist of it on SPOTIFY

If you’re thinking about new t-shirts and similar for yourself, here’s my collection you might be interested in ZOOLON’S MERCHANDISE

THE SUN DON’T SHINE

‘A broken mirror left behind’

A couple of posts back I wrote some semi-lyrical words. I called them ‘The Secrets of the Blind’ I have been playing around with them hoping to get a new song together. I’m still playing around, adding a slightly different take on the evolution of the songs words and melody. If not prompted by the brilliant poet YASSY KHAN I wouldn’t have got this far with this one. If you don’t know her already I recommend you give her blog a visit. As ever with lyrics they sing better than they read.

The secrets of the blind
A broken mirror left behind
Playing games with your mind
However undefined
They may be

When all you see is what’s inside your head
Like the open book you never read
For daylight read instead
The darkness of the dead
The sun don’t shine

You captured all the stars
From the West End to Planet Mars
Even today you bear the scars
Of burning violins and old guitars
You cannot see

The day Saint Peter broke your heart
That’s when you almost fell apart
You swapped a lead role for a bit part
That wasn’t very smart
I heard you say

Some music. Another track from Guitar Jam – Volume 1. This one is called ‘Alternative Rock Groove – F Major. I hope you enjoy;

The album itself, along with all my other albums are available on BANDCAMP

THE ARTIST

I can’t draw let alone alone paint. However, fellow blogger Ted Giffin can. Not just can, he’s actually a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Indiana University, the Herron School of Art, plus he’s a musician as well.

So, I get to see a pic of me (above) on his blog. I let my mother take a look and she says she want’s it for her birthday. Ted obliges. Not only that, he paints version two (below). She’s over the moon.

I get speaking to the old man. He says, and I quote, “You couldn’t ask Ted to knock one out for Shirl could you? I’ll add it to her list of b’day presents.” Shirley = my mother. Once more, Ted obliges. Her birthday was a success all round. Her pic below.

We were all in a Turkish restaurant on the big day. The old man reminds me that back in 2017 Ted did the artwork for the front and back covers for his book, ‘Notoriously Naked Flames’, so for good measure I’ve included these also, for no other reason than it shows, yet again, that Ted is a great talent.

I recommend you check out the work of TED GIFFIN and, if you don’t know him already, see what you’re missing.

Time for some music. Here’s one from the new album available on BANDCAMP . It’s called ‘Melancholy Groove’. I hope you like it;

Guitar Jam, Vol. 1 – Zoolon Audio Backing Tracks

by Zoolon Audio

COUNT TO THREE

‘Calorific Tardis’

BAD ADVICE
‘to be adapted into a lyric’

You’ve got the motor; you’ve got the SatNav and a tank full
But you’re still stuck on the inside looking out
Blind faith, too blind and blinkered to realize
The kick you get living with all that doubt

There’s a doorway to Hell or is it some kind of heaven
All you’ve got to do is turn the key
Either way it really doesn’t matter
Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and count to three

‘Destiny’

‘What Next?’
Note my Arsenal thinking hat

What next? What about a ‘Laid Back Grove in G Minor’?

If you want more music like this check out the album it’s from, namely ‘Volume I Guitar Jam Backing Tracks’ – it works for musicians & regular listeners alike. Below, the album itself. Just £6.50 for 3 hours and 20 tracks.

‘DEVIL’S KISS’, ZOOLON’S NEW ALBUM

My new album has now been released. No need for too many words today. Here’s the title track, ‘Devil’s Kiss’. This song features the unique, globally acclaimed artist, Fifi Rong who duets with me on this number. Hope you enjoy;

Here’s a pic of vocalist, songwriter and electronic music producer, Fifi. You can check her music portfolio out using the name link per my first paragraph.

If you’re interested in my album download it’s available at BANDCAMP for just £5 or equivalent in other currencies worldwide. Also, my complete discography – all 5 albums -can be purchased at £16 (a 50% saving on individual prices) at Bandcamp

‘THE PIGEONS ARE SWITZERLAND’

pigeons cover Cover Art by Zoolon

Zoolon’s brand new five track EP was released earlier today.

For this collection of mixed genre songs, I have brought together three lyrical pieces, an instrumental as well as a piece of pure sound art, the latter being the title track, ‘The Pigeons Are Switzerland’. There’s a long story behind that title I’ll share one day.

The opening track ‘Tick Tock’ is a song primarily about violence. It’s followed by my reflective tribute song ‘Francesca’ named after the sublime photographic artist Francesca Woodman who committed suicide in the winter of 1981, aged just 22 years. Her tribute continues with the instrumental ‘Eastside 1981’, a eulogy. ‘What Remains’ is a number about life in general. Lastly, ‘The Pigeons Are Switzerland’, echoes in ‘sound art’ the concept of neutrality.

You can listen to, or buy the easy to download EP at Bandcamp. Included in the download is a PNG file of the lyrics. Enjoy ~ Zoolon

Also, for a heavily discounted price you can buy – if the idea appeals to you – my whole discography from Bandcamp at ZOOLON’S DISCOGRAPHY

Pigeons Are Switzerland cover Reverse Cover Art by Zoolon