The Scarlet Oak is Grant Gordon, bassist with And Also The Trees and formerly The Divine Comedy. Tracks from brand new protest-song album 'Enemy of The State' are starting to appear on this stream. Further down check out previous albums 'Astoria' (2018) and 'The Scarlet Oak' (2015). Grant's trio Echoes of Ilion are at https://soundcloud.com/echoes-of-ilion

Why a Rock Requiem?

Grant graduated to proper rock opera in his teens when he discovered The Who's Tommy and Quardophenia albums and Pink Floyd's The Wall. In his twenties as part of pop band The Divine Comedy, he learned how to write and arrange a great song; and recently he has immersed himself in Medieval music and the requiems and passions of Bach, Verdi, Mozart and Britten. The result is his Rock Requiem. A piece for rock band and singers. Mixing Latin text with English liturgy, Hindu prayer and new divine writings, the piece is rooted in the Christian music tradition, but reaches out to those of other faiths, and those with no faith. At core it is about how epic music can lead us to redemption, and save us from the pain of grief. It is an urban, 21st Century Requiem.

"I have recently lost both my parents. Without realising it at first, the three big projects I have been working on are all about this desolation that we call 'grief'. First my rock opera 'Century' tried to reconnect with my father through retelling his family's story; then my book 'Cobras in the Rough' recounted my wanderings though India trying to piece him and me back together after he died. I started writing 'Requiem' as my mother was falling seriously ill with motor neurone disease. I didn't know why I was writing it. Now it makes perfect sense. 

'Grief' describes a mind in vertigo struggling to reshape itself around the void where your most fundamental certainties and anchors used to be. Music is like superglue in this process.

The Latin mass was the starting point to which I added English liturgy, Hindu prayer and my own writing. At core it is about how epic music can lead us to redemption, and save us from the pain of grief. 

We are desert people. Our religions emerged from desert people struggling with the harshest conditions, and bewildered by death. I am fascinated by faith. I heard the music I was creating as songs carried by the desert wind, half-heard fragments, like the echoes of the Big Bang that still resonate throughout the universe.

Music is the only truth. That and love.
 
Om.

"


Since 2009, I've been so immersed in my two shows - 'Century' and 'Requiem', and my book 'Cobras in the Rough' that I sort of forgot about all the albums I made before...so I thought I'd put some of my favourites from my Noughties albums 'Calendar', 'Clever Monkey', 'Why Aren't We Screaming?', 'Work' and 'Wild West' on one Soundcloud page and see how they play. Hope you like them. 2000-2007 was a great period for me musically, and I learned so much. Thanks to all the wonderful musicians who played on these. I am eternally sorry I didn't pay you better. Thanks mostly to Sparker, whose time and generosity were crucial, and to Simon Todd, Tom Yates, Gary Mackenzie, Tom Aldwinckle and Ian Harris who kept turning up, sometimes sober. GG

Bep Biography

Evert Molewijk : Bass/Vocals
Paul van Dijl : Guitar/Vocals
Jerome Geerlings : Drums/Vocals
Tijs Keverkamp: Guitar

Albums :

Gems (Konkurrel/1993)
Ripper (Konkurrel/1994)
Moodswing (w.e.r.k works/1996)
Worst (w.e.r.k works/1999)
Sell Out (w.e.r.k works/ 2013)

Single:

Definite Devon (GAP-recordings/1992)

Compilations:

Holland Sux (Bitzcore/1998)
Ravage Benefiet (Strike/2000)
Nou,nou, het is me wat (Strike/2001)
Punk's Not Deaf (Repunkerator/2012)


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