about
PROLOGUE - KNOT MAKER
So begins the centre piece of Shade and Flake. The scene has been set by the previous track "In The Belly Of An Ice Giant", with the descent of gruelling cold and despondent darkness. The Bardic Brigadier now gathers the tribe around the fire, aknowledging their plight and preparing their ears for the telling of the story of "The Crystal Joy", and the battle of "Shade and Flake"
This is the sister track to "Epilogue - Knot Breaker" which occurs at the end of the centre-piece "Shade and Flake"
ABOUT SHADE AND FLAKE
In 2006 I made a white top hat and a black top hat. In the night I woke up, put the hats on in front of the mirror, and out came the two poems “Shade’s Theme” and “Flake’s Theme”. I proceeded to make two costumes, write music for them using my loop machine, and started performing the two pieces in open mics. The poem “The Crystal Joy” followed in 2007 (performed at The Bath Story Telling Circle), but it wasn’t until 2009 that the concept E.P. took shape, and not until 2011 that the prologue and epilogue poems were written and recorded.
The opening piece contains the lines:
From out two hats the brothers crept
to duel upon the life of knots entwined.
So know we well, how through the darkness pass
the tormented writhings of our minds.
and the final piece contains the lines:
You who would the knots of night to make untie
In error do you toil alone.
Our knots shall breaken be, by the medicines of laughter
And melted by the warmth of gentles’ love
Copyright Ash Mandrake 2011
These are reflections from personal experience of struggling through depression, and how the way through it may be simpler than one might imagine at the time.
lyrics
PROLOGUE - KNOT MAKER
Hark - Gather thee here !
For I have stories for our troubled times.
From out two hats the brothers crept
To duel upon the life of knots entwined
So know thee well how through the darkness pass
the tourmented writhings of our minds
Hark - quicken thee !
For here commence the telling of our song
Be seated here around the fire
Where spirits dance umong the flamed tongues
Where wolves shall feel the sparks of spears
Where wives and mothers shed their tears
And where the strength of words shall lead us through our years.
credits
from
Footprints From A Tribal Id 2012,
track released August 5, 2012
Percussion: Mendhi Singh (Tabla) and Breda Horgan (Bodhrn).
Vocals: Ash Mandrake
Lyrics/Poetry: Ash Mandrake
Percussion recorded by Ash Mandrake
Vocals recorded by Sprog
Mixing by Ash Mandrake
Mastering: Sprog
Paul Nocher for the loan of a recording system and Mic
license
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