Gradually feeling back to my normal electric self after a slower week.
I dreamt of being pursued by a flying beetle with a hard grey case, perhaps a robotic one. The experience was mortally terrifying, having to dodge this deadly insect about the size of a small mouse. This seems to reflect, or be connected to my recurring nightmares about being pursued by black flies, bees, wasps or other flying insects. All are disturbing and terrifying. This time, the beetle was being controlled by someone, using a radio control, a small malevolent figure who was present. After much dodging, I managed to crush the beetle hard against a wall with a folder of papers. I wonder if the papers represent work? A small bee appeared, but easily killed that, evidence that my old foes were now easily defeated, unlike this new one. I leapt upon the small man and threatened him not to try that again.
The day was productive. I took some new artist photos, it's time for a change. Here are all of them over the years:
There is one missing, myself in the red glitter outfit for The Spiral Staircase and other pure electronic works 'Barry Falcon':
After this, and subsequent editing, I continued work the new Salome book of words an music. Following discussions with Deb, we've decided to include words and music on the score, something I've not done with Fall in Green works before, initially because the 'lyrics' option in MuseScore is tied to per-note, and our words are spoken independently from the music. I can, however, use 'expression text', which appears below the music, like lyrics, but doesn't track the notes. This seems to work well enough, though the words will always be a guide more than anything exact, but that is how our work is performed anyway. Deb's words flow around my music, and my music tracks her words, pace, and feelings.
The hard part will be combining many pdf files into one, but my copy of Acrobat seems to do this. The book will be square, about 20cm, so about the size of an old 45 record. It will facilitate including a CD too.
Working on the music and these words I'm struck how good and how ground-breaking it is; more ground-breaking than, say, Genesis' Lamb Lies Down, and far less popular too. Unlike them, I'll try, however, to keep pushing on and do as much as possible in our new and special area. Sometimes things are unpopular because they are rubbish. Sometimes things are unpopular because they are brilliant, ahead of their time, not promoted, not electric enough to catch on. Unpopularity isn't always a bad sign, just as popularity isn't always a good one. All of the best art is unpopular at first and viewed with confusion, as were all of Beethoven's symphonies. Our performances can elicit this response. We are on the right track.
Onward.
