A Wrecking Ball Named Is Bruce Springsteen

As keynote speaker at the 2012 SXSW festival the iconic artist shared wisdom to all of us.  Dreamers have always sought out a leader and interestingly it is the artists and musicians that pave the way out of chaos.  Bruce Springsteen is one of those poets challenging us all with his music to think about what is really going on in our country, culture, and how passive acceptance of the unacceptable has perpetuated the chaos.


I hear the groans from people grumbling how easy it is for the 1% to be champion for the 99%.  They felt self indulgent, not the Bruce I have grown to love throughout my life.  A songwriter who embraces the truth and turns it into art. That is the Mr. Springsteen I know.  This humble artist from New Jersey has remained the voice of America though I have not liked some of the last few albums. With Wrecking Ball he has found that focus, said so well in the interview below,

I was at Hastings to recycle some movies that were no longer being watched last week.  My daughter picked up some music, and I gravitated towards Mr. Springsteen's new release Wrecking Ball.  The CD has been living in my car player not yet getting to my iPod.  My sister and I spoke on the phone last week and she thought this might be the best record since Born in the USA released in 1984.  The more I listen to this latest work I am convinced this is his best musicianship since The River  in 1979 (though the song of the same name was not released until 1981's Nebraska).


Wander through the soul of Bruce Springsteen through his music, and if you are anything like me you will relish the depth of this intellectual, artist, and activist who deeply loves democracy and his country - the United States of America.  Songs like "We Take Care of Our Own" is a call to arms in the classic Springsteen style of songs like "Born in the USA"  - mixed with lyrics that suggest we as a country have forgotten how to be "right" ethically and morally.  Forgotten what it means to fight for truth and justice for all.  Images in the video for this song show the people of America - the hard core individuals that make our country strong  - that 99%.  Ironically American culture has placed importance on that all mighty dollar rather than the integrity that has made this country great questioning "where is the spirit that'll reign rain over me" challenging priorities in a country where the average citizen may slip below the poverty line just as easily as someone with a MBA.  I always remember my first KNOCK THE BLUES OUT OF HUNGER and there was a family living in their car, in the park.  They wanted to listen to the music but did not have the one canned food item as entrance fee.  I gave them a hug and said,  "you are why we are here so please come on in and enjoy the music and cool mountain air,"  We take care of our own.


Just so we are straight I am a long time Bruce Springsteen fan.  The problem with this statement is that I am a fan of any musician with a voice in popular culture that has meaning ad conviction. Listening to Wrecking Ball is a lesson in the oppression that has been the horrifying fabric of America.  Brilliant and pointed lyrics are layered within "shanty Irish being the poor or disreputable people of Irish descent (this term used in the United States rather than in Ireland.  "Death to My Hometown" is a direct assault on the American way of life.  Challenging citizens to battle the "Death to My Hometown" flavoring the song with subliminal connections to a culture long identified with fight, passion, and perseverance - the Irish.


"Shackled and Drawn" mixes a  gospel structure with the Irish shanty sound,  pointing out that the American people may feel as if they woke one day imprisoned, but the irony may be that this process Springsteen sings about was voluntarily entered in to with the American politic.  Is it that we can feed our politician but we cannot feed ourselves?  We probably all know someone affected by the state of economics in the United States.  I personally have family and friends (myself included) who are scrambling, breaking out of the chains that consumerism bound, giving away freedom.  America is populated by immigrants and slaves.  Our society has voluntarily become slaves again because of apathy in regard to an informed citizenry.  

"Land of Hope and Dreams" is strong in gospel roots.  An anthem of the common man, the impure, hopeless, but most of all the dreamers who made America strong.  Faith and hope are hardest to come by when life is at its bleakest.  Brilliantly turning this song into a gospel hymn, as a listener I was drawn in to the positive possibilities of change.


I could go on and on about the voice of popular culture.  Historically these individuals are born out of the art that they create.  It connects.  Somehow these people are gifted with the ability to carve into the soul.  They tell the stories that we all think but often are unable to give voice to those ideas.  Wrecking Ball is one of those records, telling the tale of a revolution waiting to happen.  From gospel to Irish folk to just plain rock and roll, each track connects.  Each track gives voice to the social issues breeding in the shadows of democracy,  Thank you Bruce Springsteen for shining a light in the dark, though this time we aren't dancing .

The Musical Musings of a Wandering Man

Occasionally an artist comes along that finds a way to express individual vision in a way that connects.   I know there is no formula to this, no magic add this and take away that to blend a sound that travels straight to the soul.  Hauntingly beautiful, Charles Ellsworth and the Dirty Thirty is one of those records.  This modern day troubadour  of blues Americana creates with storytelling reminiscent of the country greats like Johnny Cash and Townes Van Zandt. Sit down and stay a while. . . .

To those of you familiar with the indie scene of the last decade you may remember a hometown band from Pinetop, Arizona with a name that kind of stuck out in the emo-blackness.  Alaska and Me released I Will Die in the West after recording with Arizona producer Bob Hoag.  This little band of high school friends made a big statement about what they wanted to hear in the indie music scene and that screamed originality flavored by the ideals of western culture.  Life, death, love, and the pain that a soul feels when these things are lost pushed these guys into the top twenty on the Smartpunk charts.  A huge accomplishment when music was redefining itself on a moment to moment basis, Alaska and Me lingered like the scent of a campfire on a starlit summer mountain night.

More often than not moments like that flicker like a shooting star burned too bright too fast.  The demise of Alaska and Me became the birth of Charles Ellsworth as a solo artist.  Along with a piece of university  paper  the man found a clear voice as a filmmaker, songwriter, and musician.  Life is a journey and it is no mistake that Wandering Man Productions is an unknown force to be reckoned with rising above the glut of good artists attempting to find a clear voice in the indie music herds.  I do want to be clear on some things before I go on with this.  I am biased.  I worked with Alaska and Me and that relationship is a large part of why I am a writer, work with musicians in various capacities, and am always excited when I hear an artist that seems genre less, defining their path, and opening up the view for all of us with their artistry. That describes Charles Ellsworth.  I am including his documentary short  film about The Dirty Thirty by Charles the filmmaker that explains who the other musicians that were part of the creative team in this project.  I too am proud to be working with Charles again, and I look forward to meeting the rest of the family.

Does this make me biased?  You tell me. You can go to  YouTube and listen to the entire release from Charles Ellsworth.  “Mama Can’t Sleep” as the first track on this self titled CD is like a train leaving the station, filled with anticipation and adventure.  The harmonies lilt along, hopeful as most of us are stepping out into life on our own.  “Mike Calls it ‘Savior Complex’” lilts an echo of childhood, that dream of hitting the road running toward the possibilities of love.  Finding that “girl next door”  is a grounding force in the face of the storms of life.    That  beautifully balanced harmony in this release is often provided by backing vocalist Kiki Jan Siegler.  Angelic and youthful, she is the perfect balance to the deep resonant tones present in Ellsworth’s vocal style.  Charles Ellsworth brings a haunting beauty to his lyrics, recalling in my mind the struggles in life and the triumphant victory each moment affords.  “Coffee, Drugs, and Cigarettes” is the fork in the road. It begins cutting the path for  us all to follow into the darkness.  “History repeats all we know, and we don’t know nothing at all” is a premonition of what is real, present, and the state of our country at this moment.  Nothing to hide, but never leave.  Should we only be treated right if we never leave?  This echo of the state of affairs in the American political and economic meltdown suggests that integrity is lost, sold, or forgotten.  "All My Tin Soldiers" is nothing less than a honest appraisal of self.  How we grow, change, and evolve is a shared pain.  Love is the grounding force keeping fear at bay.

This ten track CD is homage to the storytelling of icons  such as Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, and Townes Van Zandt.  Ellsworth lists as his influences these legends  along with blues greats like  Robert Johnson and Lead Belly. This record  blends voices of the past with a real time experience with life's truths and lies.  The voice of this record is a road trip from youth to adulthood, with pain, hope, love, and loss.  What matters to this listener is not that I prefer one genre over another.  What matters is a fresh take on an individual’s story, arranged and set to music.  “Education of a Wandering Man” takes the listener to a land of knowing, moment to moment, that we are all on the path whether we know it or not. Relationships, love, hope, and strength bring the message home  - that  if we heed the warnings and listen for the message  we all could be just fine.



www.CharlesEllsworth.com


Presale  Special

A Guide for the Wireless Generation

Somehow I ended up in the promotions business.  Not really sure how I ended here from there but no matter.  In the big scheme of things an individual or a country or a planet finds hindsight to have perfect vision of the future.

That is, unless you are dead.

Bringing me from there to here,  the only obvious failure is to embrace apathy for rear of pissing someone off or making a mistake.  Oscar Wilde states "experience is simply the name we give our mistakes" forging a positive path in an individual psyche.  On this note I would like to share a collection of writings that I have compiled over the last five or more years.  One was originally published in the National Gallery of Writing.  Others I simply have a fond space for in my writing.  Now here is the fear and failure thing.  Any art asks for criticism, be it positive or negative matters only to the faint of heart.  In future months I will be acting as editor on two other books, and this was the one helping to "get my feet wet" in the world of virtual publishing.  All books will be offered in print copy eventually, some sooner than later.

Take a moment and tell me what you think.  To keep living humanity MUST keep thinking, and only by going back to how we got from there to here as a species will we all find life.

Let's all share the experience.

How to Think: A Guide for the Wireless Generation

In All Things We Are Connected

An interesting thing to read - my submission to the National Gallery of Writing.  I was given the opportunity to submit to this and was humbled to receive notice that my piece was selected for placement in the NCTE . . . here is the link:

In All Things We Are Connected

The NCTE stands for the National Council for the Teachers of English.  Ironically I did not find myself wanting to teach, only to write.   This was my second published work after the collaborative work on the first music video that I did for the band Senses Fail and their song "The Priest and the Matador" through NetStudio TV.

Strange how the world brings an individual to what they desire as a child if one just stays open to the possibilities and the fact that we are all connected.

The Hallmark Holiday Part 1

I am often a cynic when random belief systems are integrated into popular culture.  When reflecting on one of the well known "chocolate holidays" I make an effort to find a basis of belief which feels real to me in modern times.  Researching the origin of St. Valentine leads this author back to valens  which can be defined as worthy, strong, or powerful according to most references.  Looking to Roman and Greek origins, the birth of St. Valentine, a common theme of martyrdom is its basis of life when moving toward the modern era.  This is intriguing to me as the current incarnation of the holiday is often fed by unrealistic expectations, broken hearts, and crushed dreams.Don't get me completely wrong ~ many find their true love and their heart's desire on this day that seems to vomit out red in a commercial deluge of hopes wrapped in dashing dreams.  Are men waiting for Barbie to drive up in the pink Corvette as much as us women look to Prince Charming to ride up on his white stallion?  

In today's world does love mean the self effacing martyrdom of the past or some as yet undefined plasticity?  Is that plasticity  evident in the inability that most individuals exhibit when attempting to "be themselves" as part of the ritual of dating?  In this respect I keep coming back to the term martyr as representative of valens. How many men and women today have sacrificed personal belief systems so they do not end up alone? 


  Now a person can celebrate "Singles Awareness Day" combating the stereotypical happily ever after expectation of modern society.  I say that we celebrate the Romanticism of chivalry, honor, and valor.  Love is a feeling, a hope realized in reality.  Love is a decision, not a fleeting desire to capture a prize or take a hostage.  Only in the tangible can the imagined be formed into substance.  A gentle breeze, the scent of roses on a midsummer night's air, the velvety smooth tactile embrace of hope in each other's arms.

Sonnet No. 18

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? 

   Thou art more lovely and more temperate: 

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, 

   And summer's lease hath all too short a date: 

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, 

   And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; 

And every fair from fair sometime declines, 

   By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; 

But thy eternal summer shall not fade, 

   Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; 

Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, 

   When in eternal lines to time thou growest; 

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, 

   So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

  William Shakespeare




I challenge you to find a way to act in a loving way, every day.  Express the passion you feel in life through positive actions that can change us all. It is time for a RENAISSANCE OF HUMANISM on the world stage, taking the ideals of valens out of the history book, giving them life.

Some of the greatest art, music, literature, science, and philosophy was born out of humanism as an ideal.  On this day of martyrs I choose to embrace the possibilities of an open mind and hopeful hart as my gift .

 Humanism relies on flexible thinking and being open to all of the possibilities in life and less concerned with the closed minded thinking of the past.  Yes it is a jump from Pixar to Shakespeare, but is it REALLY? Both celebrate the beauty that is born of a possibility, an idea, and forms finding a voice.  Let's get flexible and concern ourselves with each other rather than another Hallmark chocolate  holiday.



  

Is Surrealism Street Art?

What makes one an artist?  Today culture is returning to a renaissance of creativity, a blast of ideas illuminating the chaos.  From moments on the never ending stream of too much information how do we as the human racing find an outlet that brings peace?  One of the most intriguing concepts in culture today is the idea that anything can bring form to feeling.  I am a writer.  This is the medium that I find most comfortable expressing myself.  I sculpt ideas with words, painting a vision of what lives in my soul.  

Art makes an impression and great art makes the audience think outside of the normative belief systems in society.  According to Antonin Artaud, "Surrealism is above all a state of mind, it does not advocate formulas. The most important point is to put oneself in the right frame of mind. No Surrealist is in the world, or thinks of himself in the present, or believes in the effectiveness of the mind as spur, the mind as guillotine, the mind as judge, the mind as doctor, and he resolutely hopes to be apart from the mind. The Surrealist has judged the mind. He has no feelings which are a part of himself, he does not recognize any thought as his own. His thought does not fashion for him a world to which he reasonably assents. He despairs of attaining his own mind."   Martin Esslin states, “The hallmark of this attitude is its sense that the certitudes and unshakable basic assumptions of former ages have been swept away, that they have been tested and found wanting, that they have been discredited as cheap and somewhat childish illusions." (Theatre of the Absurd).

When  thinking of modern artists who capture the ideals of the surrealists I immediately go to the street artists such as Banksy. These painters were considered criminal painting in the cover of darkness evading authority. Going to any lengths to let loose the passions, one of the most beautiful pieces of graffiti I have seen was while walking the streets of Sydney, Australia a few years ago.  I was amazed to see the side of a building painted with an image of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Street art is the expression of defiance on a canvas for the world to see.  A surreal concept - taking a building and covering it with art.  Unexpected, transformed, and often surreal.  

Phoenix artist Joseph Sentrock Perez recently told me, "Art is a very spiritual experience for me, I often seek God to give me inspiration. Art in any sense is an act of being God like. Creating something out of the norm is more than just a physical act. I don’t understand the concept of not making art anymore. So much of my life is sacrificed to creating art, and expressing through art." I had first seen his artwork in person at a CD release show for Dearspeak which featured musicians telling the story of their art.  Also there was Joseph, and I was fascinated by the images that I saw, brought to tears by an image with no idea of the painting's name or the artist's meaning.  I simply found my own connection.

Joseph's affinity for large canvas size began with a mural project in third grade, sparking the desire to create, turning on the light in a young artist  who says, "Since then I always sought ways to express myself and my art."  A true artist finds the drive to create much like someone who is possessed to let loose the beings living inside.  Pursuing art school now, the foundation of Joseph's creative vision has been formed while working with and learning from his fellow artists in the occasional workshop setting,  When asked what place street art has in our culture today Joseph states, "Street art is very interesting and refreshing to me. Its such a love/hate relationship with society. Art done in the streets is so organic. It pushes our idea of what art is and how society should be. One hand is vandalism on the other its expression, to me when i see street art it reminds me that, the city is alive and wanting to be noticed."

Has the Surrealist ideal found new mentors to keep the passions alive without Rene Magritte of Frieda Kahlo?  My perception sees the man with a can of spray paint on large canvas that may or may not include the sides of dilapidated buildings.  Adding texture and color to a decaying culture, refusing to break the rules of artistic convention. Artistic expression is the blood of human culture.  Freedom to express is the driving force for change. Why wait until history decides ithe importance of art?  I hope you decide for yourself.

  You can read more about Joseph Sentrock Perez by checking out this piece in the  Phoenix New Times or look him up on Facebook to purchase his paintings.

Beauty and Truth

What does the death of someone really mean as we walk through life?  The death of an idea or an ideal brings about great change in our  perception of  life.  The Descendants is another Academy Award nominated film about life and death, but it is predominantly about rebuilding  the lives impacted by the decisions we make.  The story is set in the beauty of Hawaii and its tropical paradise. Affected is the last pristine island of Kauai.  Fighting development to stay true to the ideals of King Kamehameha and the land inherited by a family trust, George Clooney seems out of character as the grieving father of a daughter lost to anger, a dying unfaithful wife, and his youngest daughter who wanders lost.  The power of this family dynamic are the vines that keep growth possible.  Sometimes it is growth apart, together, or the growth of an idea that anything is possible if one knows the truth.

The irony of this dysfunctional family is the ability to be true to the land which holds the memories of generations.  I wondered as this film played how many people would sacrifice millions of dollars today to preserve the connection to a land, a piece of heaven on earth.  As I watched an actor find depths of truth in a character whose world had been literally ripped out from under him, the moral of this story is the importance that our history or stories if you will play an integral part in identifying who we are as individuals, families, and societies.  My parents met in Hawaii in the 1950's and married on the day the islands became a state,  My mother came to a point in her life that she refused to go back, and complained that the commercialism has fouled one of the most beautiful places on earth.  She had never been to Kauai while she lived there as a nurse after the war.  It was owned and cared for by the natives of the land.  

My last boyfriend moved to Hawaii to find a way of life that he could not find in the mainland.  My first love lived on Kauai for many years before I met him in Newport Beach, California. This is a  place  you could live off of the land, caring for yourself and nature and the island, the mother of all well being.  For a film to take such a stand gives strength to the idea that we are tied to the land with memories, lessons, and visions in our mind of what it all really is.  I have never been to Hawaii or any of the islands.  Yet.  I have lost two men to the lure of the tropics, a destination for those who want to play but more that want to live in the beauty that is the paradise of Hawaii.  

Somehow the bottom line for The Descendants is a simple concept that many people have forgotten the farther their lives take them from the land.  There is poverty, crime, and family difficulties no matter where you live.  There is homelessness and addiction.  No matter where we live, we are connected as a species to the land that has cared for us in spite of our best efforts to screw up the scenery.  

My parents married on the big island so in some weird way I am bound to be a descendant of a land I have yet to see or know. My great uncle flew around the world in 1924 as part of the Great Air Race of 1924 and after his aeronautical days were through he settled in Hawaii because of the beauty of a simple people who loved the land and ocean as part of their being.  It is my privilege to be part of history, the continuity of beauty unknown in much of the world, without the chocking effects of hotels and resorts.Sometimes the best way to change is to be at peace with the world, needing nothing to change and leave the untouched just that - untouched.

I have boomerangs on my wall that were brought back from lands that only an airplane could reach.  A Maori prayer rug hangs on my wall facing my bed.  I am connected to the land. The Descendants strongest theme throughout was a value for the land above what wealth might bring. It was refreshing to watch a movie that set greed and wealth aside and valued the tangible, wild, irreplaceable place that was part of continuous family history.

 More on the Air Race of 1924