In a book and several widely read newspaper articles, the English journalist David Goodhart has identified a new cause for the vicious populism of our time. Le Pen, Brexit, Trump, the online hate culture - according to Goodhart, two new "meta-classes" (the "Anywheres" and the "Somewheres") have emerged in the global world, two completely different ways of living and feeling. According to Goodhart, these separate cultures are now competing against each other in a kind of new world culture war.

The picture shows: an altered extract from a photo somewhere out of the net

Somewhere, 3:33 am


Anyone awake again…? 
Now, 3:33 am…?

I was just looking… 
I was gazing…
I was just listening,
I was wondering…

Is it change that drives, 
Challenges and brings life, 
Even if failures are included?

Or is transformation 
A constant calculation 
Of loss, a humiliation?

And I was just looking… 
I was gazing…
I was just listening,
I was wondering…

You were somewhere, out there
You were not anywhere, no

Is it change that drives, 
Challenges and brings life, 
Even if failures are included?

Or is transformation 
A constant calculation 
Of loss, a humiliation?

I was just looking… 
And I was gazing
I was just freezing
While I was listening
And I was just looking
(For an answer
Of any kind)

You sang somewhere, out there
You were no anywhere, no
You were a somewhere, out there
You were not anywhere
Anywhere, anywhere, anywhere
(To find)

Somewhere, 3:33 am

This is an original composition in tribute to heroically good classic rock pianist Nicky Hopkins (a.k.a. “Edward” as he was sometimes called in the studio by members of the Rolling Stones).  He would have turned 80 years old today (02/24/2024).

This was not an attempt at impersonation, but rather an effort toward one specific aspect of his versatile playing style, namely, that elusive balance of flow and syncopation.  Simply put, listening to Nicky Hopkins makes my brain dance, and trying to capture that effect is what inspired this piece.  

Note: Many are unfamiliar with the name Nicky Hopkins, but everyone is familiar with his piano playing which has appeared on records of the Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, the Who, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, the Kinks, Steve Miller Band, Art Garfunkel, Jerry Garcia, the Beatles (as well as solo work of all four individual Beatles), and many others.  He played on over forty top 40 albums, and dozens of singles.  He was practically a member of the Rolling Stones (and came up with many of the Stones’ most iconic piano parts including for the songs Angie, She’s a Rainbow, Loving Cup, Sympathy for the Devil), but his battle with Crohn’s disease prevented him from being able to commit to regular touring.  As a result, he spent most of his career working as a session musician. He was, however, an official member (from 1969-1971) of Quicksilver Messenger Service where his piano work generally sits up front in the mix and where you can hear his creativity fully unleashed (e.g., check out their songs Shady Grove, Edward the Mad Shirt Grinder, and Fresh Air).  In spite of his limited number of live performances, he was also a talented improviser as showcased in the Rolling Stones studio jam album “Jamming with Edward”, and another great example of this is the high-quality recording of his live performance with the Jerry Garcia Band on “Let it Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection Volume 2" https://soundcloud.com/jerrygarcia/sets/let-it-rock-the-jerry-garcia.

Here is the Wikipedia article on Nicky Hopkins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Hopkins

Song art: The image depicting “a session pianist resembling Nicky Hopkins” was created with a lot of help from my brother-in-law Patrick McGee using a combination of AI art generators.

Edward Piano Hands

Vidéo : https://youtu.be/jckflDtyfUQ

Je sors..
Texte : Sanzen 
Chant : Julia 
Musique : Alain Illos

La nuit comme un écrin,
lendemains juvéniles.
Des lumières se devinent,
j'irai ce soir en ville.
Je sors ce soir,
retrouver ma jeunesse,
les regards qui scintillent,
ma nuit adolescente.
Je sors ce soir, en ville,
pour une célébration,
je sors me réjouir,
le brio dans leurs yeux.
Gardez moi du déclin,
lendemains juvéniles.
Je sors me réjouir,
les lumières de la ville.
Ce soir, adolescent,
ce soir, reconnaissant.
Pour ce qui est à venir,
mon coeur juvénile.
La nuit est un écrin,
les lumières,
les lendemains...

I leave

The night as a jewel box,
youthful tomorrows.
Lights can be seen,
I'm going into town tonight.
I'm going out tonight,
back to my youth,
glittering eyes,
my teenage night.
I'm going out tonight
for a celebration,
I'm going out to rejoice,
the brio in their eyes.
Save me from decline,
youthful tomorrows.
I go out to rejoice,
the lights of the city.
Tonight, adolescent,
tonight, grateful.
For what's to come,
my youthful heart.
The night is a jewel box,
lights,
the tomorrows...

Je Sors.... ( avec Julia )   translated after the French text

Piano Sketch 10 Desert Bloom

A Forest Needs The Rain

The Night Visitor

Music and Lyrics by the amazingly talented The Corking Crack Band.  https://soundcloud.com/lee_boyes-128832399

I listened for your keys at the door
And I waited for your steps upon the floor
I picked up my drawing of cows and barns
Then ran into your coat and your scarf and your arms

You showed me that fear is forbidden
You told me that pain should be hidden
You smacked me, you struck me when I opened my eyes
You taught me that truth hurts more than lies

Oh I, yes I’m not sad and lonely
You won’t see, you won’t see the tears I cry
Oh I, no I’m not sad and lonely
It’s just the way the rain falls every time that we say goodbye

I hope for a day
A day of diamonds and dreams
I hope you will say
Things are not as they seem
I pray you will take me
Your hand on my cheek
And tell me you love me
And you’re sorry for being so weak
Oh daddy…

I can still smell the green grass you mowed
Every Sunday, cut blades blew across the road
So little was there on show
The roots are still deep and still guide how they grow

Oh I, yes I’m not sad and lonely
You won’t see, you won’t see the tears that I cry
Oh I, no I’m not sad and lonely
It’s just the way the rain falls every time that we say goodbye

The Way the Rain Falls (With The Corking Crack Band)

Another of the fabulous Wildsilences Open Collaboration tracks, to which I've enjoyed adding bass, beats, synths and guitars.
Original and links to her numerous pages here
https://soundcloud.com/indiiwildmoon/i-dont-wanna-bury-wildsilences

'i don’t wanna lose myself silence holds no
i don’t wanna lose you i don’t wanna bury myself slowly 
i don’t wanna lose myself stories untold breathe in breathe out
i don’t wanna scream cry walls are closing in and
i don’t wanna lose myself

Lyrics - wild silences

Be good
Nick
pic: Nick - Hyde Park 2024

I Don't Wanna Bury - Wildsilences with Nicholas Ridiculous

For Once In My Life

Chaotic Dreams

allsummer

I'm a conceptual musical artist but the concepts are vague and I'm not willing to explain them.

For Once In My Life

jon lock