Christmas – George Blamey-Steeden

MARILYN, THE PAPARAZZI & PLANET MARS

‘Not my lucky day’ – read on!
I tried my best but couldn’t find the photographer’s name for this, so I can’t credit it

Weeks and weeks of rain. Every now and then some hailstones; every other day early morning frost. So, totally unexpected, on Christmas morning here in South-East England, sun – zero wind, blue skies, calm sea. A decent day at last. Getting it all wrong I went out with the big coat on and no sunglasses. It should have been the other way around. I’m good at getting weather related stuff all wrong. Here’s some of the pics I took, plus the Marilyn one I never got.

‘Where it all went wrong’

Down at the harbourside, although a good distance away, outside of the posh hotel I saw a dead-ringer for Marilyn Monroe, like the ones in the posters you see everywhere – white dress and stereotypical blond-dyed hair – draped seductively over the bonnet of this old motor on some sort of photo shoot it looked like. I’m supposing ‘seductively’ is the right word although alternatively the scene did look a bit like a tragic accident what with her being flat on her back on the bonnet of a car! Anyhow, such an odd thing to see on Christmas morning. I was too far away to get the pic and it was obvious, even to me, the professional photographers hanging around, plus the regular people out for a walk all managed to get the pics they wanted. I had a jealousy moment. By the time I made it there all I got was this shot of the vintage car. I could have run flat out I suppose but that would make me look a bit over keen to get there – even though I was over keen to get there! Running would definitely be embarrassing. Passers by might think I was a weirdo. I’d never make it as a paparazzi.

‘Wrought iron versions of 007 & friends’

‘Now that’s what I call a roundabout’

‘Western Dock still being updated’

‘Colour version of same Dock – taken from Western Heights’

Having missed the Marilyn look-alike shot I had this random thought that I’d more chance of getting a pic of the surface of Mars than get lucky on Christmas Day, hence today one of my older songs, not yet on an album even though it got curated a couple of years back called ‘RED PLANET’. I hope you enjoy;

If you are looking for music then you’ll find mine to download on BANDCAMP or you can stream and/or make a playlist of it on SPOTIFY

RUSTY TINS & VIOLINS

‘On The Outside Looking In – A Travel Agent’s Shop Window’

It’s Christmas any day now. Stating the obvious, this year is nearly over. Time to give my head a break for a few days. I’ll catch up with you all soon.

The main thing is that I’d like to thank all of you for your support this year. It’s meant a lot and helped inspire me on those days when the music goes into hiding and the words just won’t arrive. Also to those who have bought my albums, merchandise and ‘poem to song’ product, a major thank you. Importantly I want to say Happy Christmas to everyone. Have a good one. Here’s a few words of hope for 2020.

WE SURVIVED
Don’t matter who or what you are
When we all eat and sleep on the same dying star
It’s no one else’s business if you’re a believer or you’re not
Face it – this abused planet is all that we’ve got

It’s Christmas once again, a time of peace
So let the fighting and all the pointless hatred cease
There are no border lines to cross to make it so
Give back to Planet Earth all that we must owe

Here in the West I play my guitar
Over in the East she plays sitar
All around the world we play on rusty tins and violins
If we don’t play the melody together no one wins

Tomorrow is too late when there’s today
Let’s get our act together – no delay
Our last chance to scroll back time has now arrived
In the end we need to say, ‘we did it, we survived’

‘Thinking’ Mugshot

I think 2019 has been my most creative year yet. In January I released the instrumental album ‘The Forgotten Daughter of Zeus’, then come May there was the ‘Devil’s Kiss’ EP. On top of that in September and October I managed two 4 hour long ‘backing track’ albums. Although the backing tracks are mainly aimed at other musicians they work for anyone looking out for background music while they work, read or whatever else they might be doing (like cooking a festive feast).

Anyhow, with the new year on the way I thought if any of you out there want to listen to my collection of 2019 music then below, the links to stream each album. I hope you enjoy;

CHARCOAL CARTOONS

”Outside the Unknown’

DARK SIDE OF NOWHERE
Stay away from the entrance
Shut your eyes, you’re immune
On the dark side of nowhere
You’re a charcoal cartoon

Like nightmares and dreams
Lookalikes never look back
They say there’s no in-between
When you’re just one of the pack

I’ll write new a song
Dedicate it to you
With words you can’t count on
If only you knew

A heart full of hurt
Don’t mend on its own
You only find yourself
Inside the unknown

With Christmas on the way maybe Zoolon designed music merchandise might be something you’re interested in. There’s a link on the side bar of this blog (where some pics are) or alternatively, right here ZOOLON MERCHANDISE

Here’s a couple of other pics from the collection;

VICTORY & AN ARTIST

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I took this photo on Christmas Eve. The statue lives in the Western Docks of Dover Harbour. I read the girl the two soldiers are holding is called ‘Victory’. The statue is a memorial created in remembrance of the 556 employees who worked on the railways and who died in service during World War I. I’ve got to try the best I can to compose a piece based on this.

A less important, yet a problematic thing followed. So, it’s Christmas Eve late afternoon. The shops will be shutting soon. A random memory grabs hold. A couple of weeks back I ordered my mother’s Christmas present. To save paying postage and packing I’d opted to collect it from the store a couple of days later, but I forgot. In a panic I drive down town to the store. The song ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham is playing loud. I hate that song. There’s nothing in it or about it I like. Anyway, I get to the counter. “No can do,” says the girl, “I need proof of identity.” I’d left my phone and my wallet in the car.

I’d had to park a good distance away and closing time was closing in. I rush back to the car. Grab my phone and wallet. Back to the shop. The girl on the counter says, “Not again, please God, not again.” Thinking she was having a dig at me I point out that this is only my second visit and that’s it’s not like I’ve been in and out of the shop loads of times. She says, “Sorry, it’s not you, it’s this song. It’s mangling my mind. I’ve had to listen to it all day, every day for weeks. I can’t cope.” The song? ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham. It just had to be. I sympathise with her. Tell her I understand.

I go on to say, the first two lines of the lyric are the worst opening lines ever written. She asks me why. So, I give her the first two lyric lines, “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, But the very next day you gave it away,” adding, “Think about it. Those words are definitely not Organ Donation friendly.”

She says, “Wot you mean?” I decided that elaborating might be a bit long-winded. I collect mum’s gift and leave the shop.

Come Christmas morning I remember I’ve forgotten to wrap mum’s gift in the sparkly paper I got last year but never used and couldn’t find anyhow. All the stuff my mum gave me were wrapped up dead neat.

Time for a song. The new album is a couple of weeks away, but for now my song plus instrumental, both in remembrance of just one person. A unique photographic artist. The song, ‘Francesca’, her suicide reflected in the instrumental, ‘Eastside 1981’. I hope you enjoy.

Last thing. On Christmas Day I was No. 1 artist on the ReverbNation UK Chart.

ZOOLON’S CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR ONE & ALL

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(the artist looks to be Olbingski – I think)

Since ‘Zoolon’ being on social media I’ve had quite a few requests from people asking if ‘ERASING THE 38TH’ is available to download. I’ve never included it in any of my albums previously. I’ve posted the song on this blog before so some of you will know it already.

It’s an experimental song and it deals with the potential for another stupid war in as surreal a style as I could make it. At the time I composed it that potential was just flexing its muscles a bit. Right now, that potential has grown like a cancer. In this season of traditional worldwide goodwill hopefully the subliminal effect will be that that same potential will at least go into remission.

As of now the song is available to download from my Soundcloud for FREE; no strings attached. All you have to do is simply go to the link below, hit the ‘More’ button (it’s next to ‘Share’ button) and on the drop box you’ll see ‘Download’. Hit that and it’s done. I hope you enjoy.

Finally, whatever your code, creed or take on all things, I wish everyone of you a

HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON

https://soundcloud.com/zoolon/erasing-the-38th

Should anyone need to get a partner or friend a last-minute gift, below is the link to my new album ‘Rainbows End’ on Bandcamp. It’s just got its first great review there. You can listen before you buy. It costs £4 (or equivalent in other currencies) and can be gifted via the recipient’s email address.