Books – Page 2 – George Blamey-Steeden

THE ECHOES OF DISTANT VOICES

Now the ground is neither a sticky mud bath nor a slippery ice rink accident waiting to happen I went up to the forest on Sunday. Amazing how many trees had fallen down over winter. It’s peaceful up there.

WISHFUL THINKING

The chatter of the ghosts
A haunting silhouette
The echoes of distant voices
An orchestral violin quartet

From this cave of constant twilight
I see a red sunset
The hurricane is over
It’s nearly time to reset
The rules and regulations
The needles and vaccine
The masks, the bubbles, the distancing
The whole monotonous routine

Outside, upgraded video
Inside, a shadow’s monochrome
When yesterday becomes tomorrow
The door opens and we roam

I’m featuring the work of another artist this week. Fifi Rong is her name. As her write-up explains, ‘Fifi is a London-based vocalist, songwriter and electronic music producer. A ground-breaking artist, she is the first to succeed in organically integrating Chinese influences into western popular music, gliding effortlessly across an eclectic range of contemporary genres. Her trademark hybrid sound is a seamless blend of Pop, Electronica, Alternative R&B, Avant-garde and UK Bass music.’ I hope you enjoy her new video and song;

If you want to download this song of Fifi’s or any of her previous work then here’s the link to Bandcamp. Just click on ‘Another Me’;

18 months ago, Fifi kindly featured on my then new song, ‘Devil’s Kiss’. In case you’ve not heard it previously, here it is;

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

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

A SCARECROW ON THE GALLOWS

*Source – Amazing Dance Shadow Studio – Funzug.com*

The lyric below is from my song, ‘Ballerina Dancing’ from 2014. It got good reviews back then but me being me it has never made a published album yet. Right now the song itself is still in demo mode, but not for much longer, so just the words today.

I’ve never known love
And I’ve never known hate
And charcoal letters on the wall
Help seal my fate

Ballerina dancing
And she’s just a silhouette
An offer to the condemned man
Of one last cigarette

All I know is all I know
And all I know is real,
Like a scarecrow on the gallows
It is no big deal

I’ve seen the writing on the walls
In shadow land today
Telling of another place
A place of night and day

I’ve never known love
And I’ve never known hate
And charcoal letters on the wall
Help seal my fate

Should you want to check out my current portfolio re music and words, here’s the list. I hope you enjoy;

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

TOY TOWN HAS LOST ITS SOUL

It may seem like Toy Town
When you’re looking down from up above
But in reality what you’ll find there
Are the lovers and the unloved

Like anywhere else around the world
Opposites attract
North and south and east and west
There’s no argument, it’s a fact

Umbrellas for a rainy day
Sledges for the snow
Barbeques come summertime
Autumn Bonfire Night’s multi-coloured show

But now the streets are empty
Corona virus has control
For lovers and the unloved
Toy Town has lost its soul

My last blog post was all about my new book, a book full of lyrical verse and short stories. It’s called, ‘LOOKING FOR REASONS’. I guess there’s no harm in mentioning it again. If you are interested, ‘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!

Time for some music. This one is called ‘Summer Died on a Saturday’. Looking back, it seems I guessed right with the title. It’s a number from my album named ‘The Forgotten Daughter of Zeus’. I hope you enjoy.

Also, 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 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

‘LOOKING FOR REASONS’ – THE BOOK

Originally from my song, ‘Liquid Truth’ – written in 2012, me a first year music student back then – these words below open Zoolon’s new book called, ‘LOOKING FOR REASONS’. They just about sum me up.

‘When will all the pieces come together,
And if I don’t like the picture am I stuck with it forever?’

Someone wrote me some kind words for the blurb for the book. Thanks for that. It reads like this;

‘Zoolon is better known as an accomplished songwriter, sound artist and musician with 5 albums to his name. He also writes in his own distinctive style. Following on from his first book entitled ‘The Words & Thoughts of a Dyslexic Musician’, the ‘LOOKING FOR REASONS’ new collection is an assortment of lyrical verses and short stories themed around today’s hapless society, it’s pluses and minuses, along with his own off-centre take on a dying planet. He’ll make you laugh, think and sometimes cry, but it will be worth it’.

If you’re interested, ‘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!

Time for some music. Today, ‘The Pigeons are Switzerland’. I hope you enjoy;

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 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

DEAD DAYS, NEW IDEAS

What does a musician do when the virus has caused the market to be as good as dead? In my case it’s about thinking of other ways of using my music in a way that has a purpose. In this case a marketing purpose – a promo video with backing music for authors.

Better put, a creative marketing video for authors about to launch their new book, or wish to give a bit of extra oomph to a book they already have out there. For example, the one below I made for MIKE STEEDEN’S latest book.

The Blue-Eyed Cat Promo Video from Mike Steeden on Vimeo.

Basically, all I need from an author is the book front cover and a script, say, of the book’s blurb along with audio, chosen by the author, in the form of a song or instrumental from my easy to access portfolio on BANDCAMP – all I’ll need is the song title. This way you don’t have to go paying a fortune for use of a musician’s copyright as you would if, say, you wanted background music from someone you’ve heard on Spotify or such like.

Anyhow, from that collection of book cover, author’s words and my music I can put the lot together into a video for just £35. Should an author want an original instrumental to match the mood of the book and own that piece of music for themselves then the fee is £100 simply because I’d have to compose, produce and mix and the masterpiece.

If you’re interested you can email me on this link PROMO VIDEOS FOR AUTHORS or via the link at the top of the blog.

Here’s another one I also made earlier, again trying them out on MIKE STEEDEN

Notoriously Naked Flames from Mike Steeden on Vimeo.

Lastly, if you ever require sound for a marketing video you are making yourself or commissioning elsewhere should you find anything from my music portfolio that fits the bill or if you want me to create a bespoke composition just for you then let me know. For a inexpensive fee, to be agreed, I’d be happy to help out.

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 or you can stream and/or make a playlist of it on SPOTIFY

If you’re thinking about new t-shirts and similar for the summer, you might be interested in ZOOLON’S MERCHANDISE

SHE COULDN’T HELP HERSELF

‘Black Widow Marionette’ – Artwork by Johan Swanepoel

All decent blokes support the feminists. However, in one society the masculists – is that a real word? – need a helping hand. You probably knew this already. In case you didn’t, ‘Black widow spiders are arachnids that are known for the females’ unique appearance and tendency to eat their mates’ – courtesy of livescience.com.

The spider climbed the old brick wall
He was looking for a bed
He’d left his web unattended
At least that’s what he said

By the time he’d reached the rooftop
He stopped to take a rest
And that was when he saw her
She looked great, he was impressed

So he thought that he must tell her
She was the most beautiful black spider girl
She smiled and said ‘thank you, Sir’
And gave him a sexy twirl

Later, under a full moon
They made love on a chimney stack
When that was over and done with
Was the time of her attack

She didn’t plan to do it
It’s just the way that she was made
She ate him alive for supper
Straight after getting laid

She never could help herself
Every lover she had got ate
Not one of them escaped her bite
Was it bad luck or was it fate?

Today, just my ‘heartbeat silhouette’ song called ‘Tick Tock’. I hope you enjoy.

If any poets out there are interested in having your 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 or you can stream and/or make a playlist of it on SPOTIFY

OXYGEN IN A CUP

‘Money is the reason we exist
Everybody knows it, it’s a fact – kiss, kiss’
Lana Del Rey from her song, ‘National Anthem’

OXYGEN IN A CUP
The Amazons on fire again
The ice caps melt away
Sea levels gone and lost the plot
Plastic bottles don’t decay
Exhaust fumes and factory waste
Industry is all
The planet keeps on spinning
But it’s heading for a fall
Species upon species
Mankind has killed the lot
Go kill another elephant
Go take another shot
We breed too many humans
While the food chain’s breaking up
Come tomorrow, come the big bang
Our lungs will scream for oxygen in a cup

It wouldn’t be right to quote Lana without posting a vid of her song ‘National Anthem’. To me it’s a masterpiece stuffed full of satire.

No way can I best Lana, so today just me and an angry guitar. The number is called ‘One Man Band’;

THE FORGOTTEN DAUGHTER OF ZEUS

forgotten daught of zeus cover 08012019

I would have liked to take a photograph of the sign in the shop window that read, ‘OUR BIKINIS ARE EXCITING. THEY ARE SIMPLY THE TOPS’ but couldn’t as I was told about it rather than saw it for myself.

Anyhow, my new album, ‘THE FORGOTTEN DAUGHTER OF ZEUS’ is, as of today, out there on Bandcamp. Here’s what it’s all about;

‘In composing Zoolon’s 4th album of new mixed-genre instrumentals the objective was to create a compilation of music that reflected a wide assortment of atmospheric sensations, emotions and moods.

Save for the title track, ‘The Forgotten Daughter of Zeus’, all others were composed using the song title as the prompt. In terms of that title track, the ‘forgotten daughter of Zeus’ in question was Persephone, Queen of The Underworld. As to the other tracks, Scandinavian and old time film noir background styles play their part on some, freeform on others, even metal makes an appearance.

Within what is just shy of 45 minutes, pretty much all states of mind are represented. If you’re looking for music to think, write, meditate or relax by, this is the album for you. Enjoy.’

It’s available per the picture Bandcamp link below to buy at £5 – or the equivalent in other currencies worldwide, as are my previous lyrical song based albums, ‘Dream Rescuer’, ‘Rainbows End’ & ‘The Pigeons Are Switzerland’. The complete set of albums, my discography is also available at £12 the set. It/they can be streamed direct from Bandcamp, although for top notch sound quality the download purchase is best. Either way I hope you like it.

THE BAD, THE SAD & THE BEAUTIFUL

DSC01643 (2) ‘Endangered Species’ by Zoolon

I guess, one way or another all living things are an endangered species. If it’s not mankind interfering with the environment that’s wiping life out, it’s mankind having a pathetic pop at mankind. Some seem to get off on it. Here’s a few words regarding the latter from a piece I’ve called ‘Salutes from The Shed’;

Glaze over long words for small occasions

Self-proclaimed dwarf god of pen and ink

Innuendos, insults thrown from a cowardly safe distance

You’re not even worth the #missinglink

‘The Witchcraft of Shadows’ by Zoolon

That’s sorted ‘the bad and the sad’ stuff, now for ‘the beautiful’. These words are about an artist who committed suicide aged 22 in the winter of 1981. I owe thanks to another blogger who got me into this artist’s work and now I’m hooked. This is a much edited version from where I started. I’ll probably edit again and again as I’m turning it into a song reflecting, but not charting, her life.

‘BEAUTIFUL’

Capturing unholy ghosts

Dark side of a mirror chasing dreams

Her face hid behind the curtain

Falling apart at the seams

“Am I in the picture?

Am I getting in or out of it?”

Francesca asked the strangest questions

She never could commit

Blurred images in a blurred life

Someway, somehow, somewhere

On the East Side on a winter’s day

She went walking in thin air

Such a tragic shame that she topped herself. Not everyone is beautiful as well as talented. She was one of the lucky ones in that regard. This girl had amazing photographic talent. The journals she kept are full of addictive random and surreal words. Class act. It’s a massive shame great artists across all genres seem to chase self-destruction. Here’s her self-portrait. Her name was Francesca Woodman. I’ll post her song very soon.

francesca

For now, maybe my song ‘Rebirth’ has found a home at last. Maybe it does her justice, even if it’s just a bit. I hope so.

Apart from the Francesca self-portrait, Copyright ©2015 music; 2018 lyric Zoolon Audio. All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited.