tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84267225967279702792024-02-06T21:51:04.894-08:00Juju Vagabond: The Music and Travel BlogJuju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-79855264719996740772022-03-31T03:35:00.001-07:002022-03-31T03:35:26.941-07:00Juju Vagabond - I wanna love you<span> Voici maintenant"I Wanna Love You", un titre sur la fronitère parfois floue entre l'amour et l'amitié</span><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/yspDJDE4_NQ" width="480"></iframe></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Musique et paroles de Julie Jeavons</i></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Something about this feels so right</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Without a shadow of a doubt</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The answer's here before the question's
asked</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It feels like love with no desire</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">More than friendship without the fire</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It feels so warm, yet no signs of a
flame</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I wanna love you</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">For everything</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I wish I loved you</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">You're all I need</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If I could love you</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">My everything</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'd never be blue</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">My darling</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">This isn't love in a disguise</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Playing hard to get in denial</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It's plain as day</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And yet so hard to see</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">A cruel joke to buy some time</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The comfort of a trick of mind</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">That tells a story</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Denies the happy end</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I wanna love you</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">For everything</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I wish I loved you</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">You're all I need</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If I could love you</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">My everything</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'd never be blue</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">My darling</p><br /></div>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-62324791167214367322022-03-28T03:39:00.003-07:002022-03-28T03:39:13.803-07:00Juju Vagabond - The little things (Original)<span data-offset-key="5iiq3-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true" style="font-family: inherit;">Un cadre champêtre, une ballade entre terre et mer au coucher de soleil pour vous présenter "The Little things", un titre sur les petits bonheurs de la vie!<br /></span></span><div><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Segoe UI Historic, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/J3BrxsvYfcY" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/J3BrxsvYfcY/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>The little things</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Paroles et Musique de Julie Jeavons</i></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Take a look all around</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Ain't the world as wonderfull as it
seems</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Ain't it colourful like paintings </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Listen up to the sounds</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">How the music brings to life all you
see</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Ain't just like in the movies ?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Just open up your heart then you'll see</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The wonders hidden on the little things</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Then slowly close you eyes, take them
in</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Somewhere out there lie your dreams</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Remember you were a child</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Living in the moment free</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The world as you playground</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Your dreams reality</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Everyday, live life as though on
purpose and rejoice</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">In every little thing</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">A fleeting happiness comes your way</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Take a look all around</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Ain't the world as wonderfull as it
seems</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Ain't it colourful like paintings </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Listen up to the sounds</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">How the music brings to life all you
see</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Ain't just like in the movies ?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p><br /></div>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-8896338004523489422022-03-23T03:34:00.003-07:002022-03-23T03:34:31.315-07:00Juju Vagabond - Someday (Original)<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/0Kvdac_s67I" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Someday</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Paroles et Musique de Julie Jeavons</i></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Sometimes, I think about sometimes</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">When it was clear in my mind</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Who I'll be</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Someone once told me I'd be someone</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And one day I'd meet the one</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Meant for me</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Give me hope tonight</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The time I wasted</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It isn't lost on me</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Get me home to find</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The life I wanted</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Has been waiting for me</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Somewhere I knew I'd gotten nowhere</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And surely there is elsewhere</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I should be</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Give me hope tonight</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The time I wasted</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It isn't lost on me</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Get me home to find</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The life I wanted</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Has been waiting for me</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Somehow thought I would have known by
now</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Yet still can't seem to know how</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To be free</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Someday I know I'll find my own way</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">For a part of me's always</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Been set free</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p><br /></div>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-72238181923438884502022-03-16T04:13:00.006-07:002022-03-16T04:13:57.067-07:00Juju Vagabond - The love we left behind<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/Ok8H3iFlIrU" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>The love we left behind</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Music and Lyrics Julie Jeavons</i></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'll give you all my love</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Won't wait another day</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And if running's too slow</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'll find another way</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Fly always 'round the world</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To make sure you're ok</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I know it in my heart</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Our love is here to stay</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We'll leave no stone unturned</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Won't look the other way</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It's easy but it hurts</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To think of us that way</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And if you find the strength to carry</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The love we left behind</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Do know I'll wait for you here</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To find</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">That given enough time most wounds heal</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To rekindle the light</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The love once lost is still here</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To find</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And so the story goes</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To always end the same</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">See what tomorrow holds</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">An answer to our prayers</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And if you find the strength to carry</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The love we left behind</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Do know I'll wait for you here</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To find</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">That given enough time most wounds heal</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To rekindle the light</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The love once lost is still here</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To find</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And if you have to go don't worry</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I fully understand</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Only a fool would stay here...</p><br /></div>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-46447866059330773492022-03-10T01:09:00.002-08:002022-03-10T01:09:33.795-08:00Juju Vagabond - A World Worth It All<span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Je renoue avec les plaisirs du noir et blanc pour cette vidéo de "A World Worth It All", qui fera partie du nouvel album sur lequel je travaille en ce moment. Cette chanson, sur l'absurdité de la guerre et la question du monde que nous laissons à nos enfants, écrite en l'espace d'une soirée il y a un peu moins d'un an, trouve évidemment un fort écho dans l'actualité de ce mois de Mars 2022</span><div><br /></div><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/n46P3RzeU04" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>A world worth it all</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Musique et paroles de Julie Jeavons</i></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Time after time</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We give in to the hate</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There's much to be had</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">For both side share some blame</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Yet still we fight</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">'Till nothing's left but shame</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Deep in our heart</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Now there's a light follow it</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Out of the dark</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There's a path now take it</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Deep in our souls</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Forgiveness lies awake</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And so for tonight take a deep breath
and go on save what we might</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">From the pain and sorrow and let's make
it right</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If it's all we can ask for</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To leave behind a world worth it all</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Yesterday's gone</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So now the choices we make for tomorrow</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So our children awake to a better world</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Than the one we fight for</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And so for today think of tomorrow and
save</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Whatever's left of our dreams and our
hopes</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Let's try our best if it's all we can
for</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To leave behind a world worth it all</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Give and forgive for evrything</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If no one's right then no one wins</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If we forget what we're fighting for</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To leavve behind a world worth it all</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Give and forgive for everything</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If no one's right then no one wins</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If we forget what we're fighting for</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To leavve behind a world worth it all</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p><br /></div></div>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-15883299535125715682021-10-21T01:10:00.007-07:002021-10-21T01:10:51.689-07:00<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>Edge of your World</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="429" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cTYAohJkwHc" width="517" youtube-src-id="cTYAohJkwHc"></iframe></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Le touquet,
France, summer 2016</i></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I don't know where inspiration comes from, or what inspiration even
means. All I know is, every now and then, I feel it's the right place
and time to sit down with my guitar and write a song. This is one of
these times.</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I am standing in front of a carroussel set up on the sea front of Le
Touquet-Plage on the West Coast of France. The light of day is
dimming now and the cool breeze of the evening is settling in nicely.
Wooden horses, elephants and cups swing round and round again to the
sound of accordeons in a fairytale dazzle of lights. I like
carroussels. I'm not sure why, because as far as I can tell I wasn't
particularly fond of them as a child. But I feel good here. I'd like
to sit down with my guitar and just play for a little while. I notice
a couple of benches to my left. That would be perfect. Right, I'll go
and drop of my stuff at the car and come back.</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I turn around and head back up the Rue Saint Jean, the main walking
street of the town where I have been playing for a couple of hours
this afternoon. It was a nice little session. In fact now would be an
even better time to play here, but I really want to sit down by the
carroussel. As if some mysterious force is drawing there.</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Arriving at the car I meet up with my friend Sophie who's travelling
with me. I ask her if it's ok for me to go back and songwrite for a
little while. I then head back towards the seafront with my guitar,
my pen and my notebook.</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It is dark now. I sit down on the bench I had noticed earlier. It's
far enough from the carrousel so that I can still hear a bit of the
1930's french songs that are playing, but still quiet enough for me
to write. From the moment I sit down it all goes very quickly. I have
no idea what, or if I 'm gonna write a new song at all, but I can
tell the mood is right. Time to give it a shot. I randomnly put on a
capo on the 3<sup>rd</sup> fret, start of with a D chord followed by
a F#m<i>. </i>The words « <i>Meeting you somehow, wondering
where you've been </i>» come out almost simultaneously. From
then on I know what the song is about, and the whole process of
writing it goes down very naturally. Within a matter of 20 minutes or
so I have it. The missing lyrics I will complete within the next few
of days.</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There is something trully magical about the whole thing. I know now
that this song was waiting for me here. Maybe she was with me all
along, and this was the place for her to come to life. All I know is
that there is nothing like these few seconds in which a new song
takes shape for the first time. It's just one of the best feelings in
the world. Maybe like a miner who just struck gold, only so much
better. Because this song isn't just for me. In time it will come to
mean as much to someone else. Maybe even more. It will have a life of
it's own through the hearts of those who'll take her in. I feel
blessed to be the messenger.</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</p>
<p align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
****</p>
<p style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Meeting you somehow</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Wondering where you've
been</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Behind those tired eyes</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>The ghosts of everyone
you've been</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>That paved the road to
who you are</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>To who you used to be</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Smiling to me know</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Though you're not
really here</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Somehow lost inside</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>A life now lived in
memory</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>And walking in the
shoes of</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>The one you used to be</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Needing you somehow</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>To put your faith in me</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>And if you take my hand</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Know I need you like
you need me</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>I'm standing at the
edge of your world</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Hoping you'll let me in</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Standing at the edge of
your world</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Hoping you'll let me in</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>And as silence grows
old</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>And the words break
free</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>See the shadows fall
over me</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Needing you somehow</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>To share your tale with
me</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Feels I'm lost alike</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>If I help you you might
help me</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>I'm standing at the
edge of your world</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Hoping you'll let me in</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i>Standing at the edge of
your world</i></p>
<p align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>Hoping you'll let me </i>in</p><br /><p></p>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-2862385516457658692021-07-05T01:07:00.000-07:002021-07-05T01:07:24.942-07:00Juju Vagabond - Songs to Set you Free (Live Video Live @Chapelier Fou)<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/DXb8Z_JZONs" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DXb8Z_JZONs/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>I've witnessed your pain and loneliness</div><div>How you can't find no peace in sleeping</div><div>How only music relieves your pain</div><div>Prisonner of a heart that won't stay still</div><div>Prisonner of passion that keeps you away</div><div>From what the world has to say</div><div>And only music will set you free</div><div>And join your sorrows in melodies</div><div><br /></div><div>Sing for me</div><div>Sing me the songs that set you free</div><div>Sing for me</div><div>We'll sing songs to set us free</div><div><br /></div><div>You want to tell the world</div><div>Cry it out loud</div><div>'Cause no one seems to take the time to listen</div><div>How could they know how you feel inside</div><div>What do you do to reach out for them?</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Prisonner of passion that keeps you away</div><div>From what the world has to say</div><div>And only music will set you free</div><div>And join your sorrows in melodies</div><div><br /></div><div>Sing for me</div><div>Sing me the songs that set you free</div><div>Sing for me</div><div>We'll sing songs to set us free</div></div><div><br /></div>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-63222839399837171932021-02-15T01:50:00.001-08:002021-02-15T01:50:23.389-08:00Juju Vagabond - Now It's Over (Lyrics Video)<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/PXnmmZF0uYg" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Now it's over</b></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i><b>Music and Lyrics by Julie Jeavons</b></i></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Hangin' over, shadows of the past</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Time goes memories last</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Imagination runs wild into walls</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Misses all wake-up calls</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Now it's over</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tell me what comes next</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tell me what's the best plan</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Growing older I see what it takes</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And I'll try my best now</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Misdirection, got lost on the way</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I hear what you say now</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Strange as it sounds, I knew all the
way</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Wouldn't listen somehow</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Now it's over</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tell me what comes next</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tell me what's the best plan</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Growing older I see what it takes</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And I'll try my best now</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">See my wanders</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It's all over the place</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">My quest for answers</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It has led me nowhere</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'm heading back now</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'll be on my way</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And in the silence</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Hear the heart that breaks</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Can't bear that crackeling sound</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Now it's over</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tell me what comes next</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tell me what's the best plan</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Growing older I see what it takes</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And I'll try my best now</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p><br /></div>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-47323048051474993732020-08-05T03:45:00.001-07:002020-08-05T03:45:24.976-07:00Juju Vagabond - Butterfly (Live @ Zik Zak)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JBs6H_Typ00" width="480"></iframe>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-69424461847514002272020-06-25T02:27:00.001-07:002020-06-25T02:28:19.249-07:00Taxi Driver<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hsIgc6X-jwA" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
<i>Live performance of Taxi Driver with the Rhythm Kings at Crossroads Café in Antwerp!</i><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Taxi<br />
Driver</b></span></span></div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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<i>Calcutta, India, summer 2011</i></div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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A chauffeur from the school is waiting for me in the airport lobby.<br />
As the sliding glass doors open to let us out of the airport, the hot<br />
and damp air of the Indian summer hits me. I am welcomed by the soon<br />
to be familiar sounds of honking from the streets. I climb into a<br />
grey jeep along with a little group of Italian students also here for<br />
a 6 months exchange program at the Indian Institute of Management in<br />
Calcutta.</div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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This is my first time in India, or any oriental country for that<br />
matter. I am in for the ride of my life, as our driver takes on the<br />
City of Joy's busy maze of restless streets. The airport is on the<br />
opposite side of the city to the campus, so we have to go all the way<br />
accross, and I couldn't have dreamt a better introduction tour to the<br />
city's wonders. </div>
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There's so much happening it's overwhelming. Our driver swerves<br />
through the jungle of stray dogs, herds of sheeps, chickens, pigs and<br />
cows, pedestrians, dog carts and push carts,bikes, mopeds, rickshaws,<br />
cars, yellow taxis, buses and lorries of all colours. It's total<br />
chaos out there, and I feel a sense of relief to be safe inside the<br />
car. A dare devil green a yellow rickshaw zooms by in between the<br />
lorries and trucks, and I tell myself I'll never get into one of<br />
those death traps on wheels. The next day of course I'll be taking<br />
one from the campus to the center of town.</div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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In front of us is a bus of yellow and red with the words « Danger,<br />
Blow Horn » written in thick black and red letters on it's<br />
bumper. A fair warning indeed. Here it seems there are no indicators<br />
for turning left or right, or for overtaking. If there ever was they<br />
stopped using them a long time ago. Honking is the way to go. It's<br />
also hard to tell whether there are any trafic rules. We take a turn<br />
out of a little street onto a boulevard. And all of sudden, just when<br />
you think it can't get any more complicated, trams are added to the<br />
equation. And they don't stop for anyone or anything. Our driver<br />
blows his horn at a couple of kids crossing ahead.</div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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On both sides of the road life is happening. I take in the various<br />
scenes as they come before my eyes. An old man is washing himself on<br />
the pavement from tap water coming out of a concrete block. A bit<br />
further down a mother surrounded by two young kids is cooking rice<br />
and chapati from steaming pots on the sidewalk. Improvised vending<br />
stalls take over most of the sidewalk : on offer is anything<br />
from fish to piles of books and pieces of clothing. Colourfull shop<br />
banners of all sorts bring life the otherwise washed down and<br />
dirty facades. It looks like the city could use a fresh coat of<br />
paint. But Calcutta's architecture shows fantastic heritage and<br />
diversity. Worn out dull looking buildings share ground with<br />
victorian style palaces and mansions of great beauty and refinement.<br />
No two houses are the same, and there's no telling what's coming<br />
around the bend. In the corner of my eye, a splendid red building<br />
with white frames and columns from the british era. A bit further<br />
down another massive colonial building has trees and plants growing<br />
all over it. Everynow and then hindu temples of a variety of shapes<br />
and colours pop out of nowhere.</div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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We come to an intersection where a policeman standing outside of a<br />
little booth seems to have the impossible task of regulating the<br />
crossings' trafic, hopelessly waving his arms around every which way.<br />
Dressed in a white uniform with a white round helmet, he stands out<br />
of the crowd, which is probably a good thing. Traffic lights haven't<br />
made it here yet it seems. We are now back on a huge boulevard and<br />
heading to the outskirts of town when our chauffeur slows down to<br />
make a turn left towards what appears to be the entrance of the<br />
Indian Institute of Management, with its white and green gates. A<br />
couple of guards are posted at the entrance. I'll later learn that<br />
you actually have to check in and out with them anytime you leave the<br />
campus by writing your name down on a sheet of paper. But for now<br />
this is it : home for the next couple of months ! And<br />
judging by that first experience, it's going to be a hell of a ride.</div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>*****</i></div>
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<i>Taxi Driver on a one way street</i></div>
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<i>He ain’t afraid of anyone he meets</i></div>
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<i>He senses danger like a hawk</i></div>
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<i>Oh taxi driver blow your horn now</i></div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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<i>Taxi driver now you take a chance</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>A twist of faith and luck changes hands</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>A centimeter to the left or right</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>Decides of the poor pedestrian’s plight</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br />
<br /></div>
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<i>Taxi driver there’s a rickshaw ahead </i></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i><span lang="en-US">A<br />
cow to your right and a bus to your left</span><span lang="en-US"><b><br />
</b></span></i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>Two kids crossing and a tram on your trail </i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>Now comes the time to push through ahead</i></div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>Taxi driver blow your horn now </i></div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
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<i>Taxi driver never look back</i></div>
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<i>Just overtake them don’t cut them no slack</i></div>
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<i>Your rearview mirror </i></div>
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<i>is at the lost and found</i></div>
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<i>Who cares about dead spots anyhow?</i></div>
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<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>Taxi driver now the price ain’t right</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>Let’s cut to the chase and settle down</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>Just please take us for a frightful ride</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<i>Through the city of joy’s delights</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Taxi driver blow your horn now</i></span></div>
<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-71378081190765086792020-06-09T02:51:00.001-07:002020-06-09T02:51:10.142-07:00Juju Vagabond & Friends - Give me all your love (Original)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TosTI-Dg4bo" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, Noto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Music & Lyrics by Juju "Vagabond" Jeavons<br />
Vocals & Guitar: Juju Vagabond<br />
Bass: Marc Creten<br />
Piano: Florence Sabeva<br />
Harmonica & Vocals: Marc François<br />
Violin: Melissa Schaak<br />
Guitar: Attilio Rigutto<br />
Vocals: Emanuele Bozzini, Cristina Daddys, Tiffany Daspect, Yveline Jeavons, Sophie Kroonen, Marie-Christine Maquestiaux<br />
And a special thanks to our dancing queen!<br />
Maelia</span>Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-54767865297757587472020-05-06T05:00:00.000-07:002020-05-06T05:00:54.914-07:00Child of the Universe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8gbWAAXxiNE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8gbWAAXxiNE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Child of the Universe</b></span></span></div>
<div align="RIGHT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Göteborg, Sweden, summer 2013</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sitting on a bench with my guitar
Tanguie, I am putting the final touch to the lyrics of a new song,
entitled <i>Child of the Universe. </i>Earlier that afternoon I
played the song for the first time while busking in Haga Nygata
street, even though it wasn't quite finished yet. Sometimes it helps
find the missing parts of the lyrics. Because I need to come up with
something on the spur of the moment, I say the first thing that comes
to mind. And sometimes it works, I find the missing piece of the
puzzle and write it down later. Nothing like working under pressure !
</span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">So today was this Child's first
public appearance, and it got the best welcome I could have hoped
for. I had been playing for a little while by the time I sang <i>Child
of the Universe.</i> At the end of the song this lady stepped out of
a little shop on the opposite side of the walking street and came up
to me with a big smile : « I'm the owner of this shop, she
said. I've been listening to you for the past half hour, and I loved
every bit of it. But then I heard this song and I thought, I have to
go out and tell her ! That song just has such a happy feel,
there's something special about this one ». As a songwriter, I
am always filled with doubt when it comes to a new tune: is
this song good enough ? Is anyone going to care ? Is it
worth putting in the sweat and tears to see it through ? Because
you never know if all those hours are going to add up to anything
worthwhile. So today the lady from the little shop gave me the
biggest boost of energy.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">***</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was just a couple of days ago.
I was cycling down the norwegian coast on my way back down from Oslo,
and I'd just spent the previous night in a campground in Larkollen,
right at the end of the peninsula. The place was managed by two
amazing ladies who offered me accomodation in a cosy red and white
chalet, for the same price as a tent spot! This kind gesture was more
than welcome after a solid day of cycling. The setting of the camp
at the edge of the peninsula was simply breathtakingly beautiful, so
I gathered up what little energy I had left over from the day's
effort and took a long walk through the pine forest and along the
beach, as the sun set low on the horizon behind the clouds. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">After a good night sleep I woke up
early the next morning and headed for a wooden table in the middle of
the rocks by the sea. I'd spotted it during my evening walk, and
thought it would be the perfect spot to finish working on another new
song, <i>Travelling Around with Me. </i>This was late in the season
and most tourists were long gone already, so I felt like I was the
only one there, alone in paradise. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Upon my departure that morning I
received many gifts from my hosts, including food supplies, a blue
and red scarf and a Norway cap.We took a souvenir pic of all three of
us together before I left for Fredrikstadt.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">There weren't many cars on the
road as I rolled up and down the gentle green hills, home to the
cattle of typical red and white farm houses. As I came to a road
crossing under the grey skies I paused on the side of the road to
take a look at my map. A this junction two options presented
themselves to me: the more direct route sticking to the main road, or
taking a turn to the right on a small winding road that ran in a loop
along the coast. No doubt longer and hillier but also more scenic
option. As I looked up from my map I saw a tall black guy coming my
way from the bus stop accross the road. He asked me how I was doing
with a great big smile, and whether I needed any help on some
directions. So I told him about my dilemma, and of course, him not
being the one who had to cycle up the hills, he said it's a
no-brainer and advised me to take the nicer route along the coast. I
would not regret it he said. We'll see. People are always very
helpful that way. We ended up talking for a little while. He told me
a bit about himself, how he came to Norway all the way from Togo when
he was a student, and how he ended up spending the rest of his life
here. When I asked him whether he ever felt homesick, especially
given how different the two countries could be: « I am a child of
the universe, everywhere is my home » he said. I thought that
was nice. As I prepared to leave he added: « Take it easy, ok?
You gotta take it easy ». </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">His words kept me company for the
remainder of the trip, and I knew I finally had the right idea for
the lyrics to that new song I had been working on. I was gonna take
it easy now.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Wherever I go, wherever I am</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whether I am walking on ice </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>or standing on sand</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whatever I do, however I feel</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whether I am laying down </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>or standing still</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I m gonna take it easy now,</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><i>taking it easy </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whether I go north, </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>whether I head south</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whether I just follow the word
of mouth</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whether I go east, whether I
head west</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I'll follow my feet </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>for they sure know best</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I'm gonna take it easy now,</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><i>taking it easy </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;">‘<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Cause I'm a child of the
universe, </i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>at peace on every corner of planet earth</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There’s no better place I
wanna be</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When everything falls in it’s
right place, </i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>whether down here on earth</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>or in out of space</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There’s no better feeling I
found, </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’m gonna take it easy now</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whether I live fast, whether I
grow old</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’ll way out the bad </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>and let the good times roll</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Good times or bad times, </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>high tide low tide</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whatever I know I ‘ll enjoy
the ride</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I ‘m gonna take it easy now,</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><i>taking it easy</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;">‘<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Cause I'm a child of the
universe, </i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>at peace on every corner of planet earth</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There’s no better place I
wanna be</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When everything falls in it’s
right place, </i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>whether down here on earth </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>or in out of space</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There’s no better feeling I
found, </i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="fr-FR" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’m gonna take it easy now</i></span></span></div>
<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-72552718880523822732019-05-08T06:46:00.001-07:002019-05-08T06:46:38.348-07:00Utopia<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mJjhJ-95nqg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mJjhJ-95nqg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></h3>
<br />
<div align="RIGHT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Utopia</b></span></span></div>
<div align="RIGHT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Takaka, New Zealand</i></span></span></div>
<div align="RIGHT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Standing by the side of the road
outside of Kaiteriteri, I put my thumb up in the hope of catching a
ride to Takaka, a quaint little town niched in the heart of the
Golden Bay Area, on the northern part of Te Wai Ponamu, New Zealand's
south island. Anthony, the owner of a pizzeria and backpackers called
the Beach Whale back in Kaiteriteri was nice enough to drop me off
here. I met Anthony a couple of days ago as I stepped inside the
Beach Whale after hearing that there was some live music going on. Of
course I asked whether it would be ok for me to jump on stage and
join the festivities. We spent two evenings jamming on the little
stage of his restaurant, in front of a small but attentive audience.
As it turned out Anthony had his claim to fame with a couple of radio
hits in his younger days, and made a living as a musician for many
years before deciding he'd had enough and used his savings to open
the restaurant. Anthony also allowed me to stay in his caravan
outside on the parking lot for the couple of nights I spent there in
Kaiteriteri. When I told him I wanted to go over to Takaka, he kindly
warned me about that so-called Takaka Hill the town was hiding
behind, that it really was more of a mountain, and that whoever
called it a hill had quite some sense of humor! So he told me I could
leave my bike in his garage for a few days, and gave me a lift to the
main road. Takaka is known as a bit of a hippie place in the Tasman
National park. I wasn't especially planning on going there because it
is a bit out of the way of my two months cycling trip from Auckland
to Queenstown, but while I was busking in Nelson someone working at a
place called the « Roots Bar » invited me to come over
and play there, if ever I happened to pay the town a visit.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Only five minutes have gone by
when a white Toyota campervan pulls over to offer me a ride. Driving
the rented van is a young Dutch couple on a six months road trip
through this beautiful land. As we are driving up the mountainous
road I silently thank Anthony for his advice, but also try to
convince myself that I made the right call. The view of a struggling
cyclist about halfway to the top helps comfort me in my decision.
Whenever I am not the one on the bike, I always feel a sense of
relief: « Thank God that's not me ! ». But it's
always the hardest thing to leave my bike behind on such trips. I
almost never do so. You have to push yourself so hard to overcome the
challenges of cycling over thousands of kilometers in such a hilly
landscape that what keeps you going is the thought that when you've
finally made it, you'll really have surpassed yourself and
accomplished something trully special. So this feels like I'm letting
myself off the hook. I do tend to be excessive in what I do: that's
how I work, that's how I get things done. I throw myself completely
into whatever it is I have undertaken. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">As they drop me off at the top of
mainstreet, I hand them one of my cds as a thank you. I head into the
first shop I see to ask for directions to the Roots Bar, and it turns
it's right next door. I also learn something interesting as the
shopkeeper and I get to talking: he used to work at a little place
called the « Dangerous Kitchen », a little further down
the road, and they have live music there too, so I could always ask.
The weather isn't looking too good this week end, with quite a bit of
rain to come, so I might not get to a lot of busking done. Indoor
options do sound good! I thank him for his help and head next door. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">That's the Roots Bar indeed, but
unfortunatly the guy who invited me over back in Nelson is away for
the weekend, and the girl behind the bar has no idea who I am.
However to her knowledge no one is scheduled to play here tonight, so
I can always send an e-mail to her boss.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">While waiting for a reply I decide
to explore main street in search of a nice busking spot while the
weather still holds up. Colourful painted storefronts and peace
writings on the walls definetly give the place a hippie vibe.
Restaurant menus suggest a variety of organic foods. Bohemian style
clothing, colourful patchworks and baggy trousers seem to be the
dress code. I decide to follow the sound of music as I enter a place
that's half thrift store, half tea room, and a third half live music
venue! An out of tune honkey tonk piano, guitars missing a string or
two, a couple of djembes and a washed up drum kit are the instruments
of choice. There are already three or four people playing, so I pick
up the guitar that has the most strings left, and decide to join the
jamming fun of shuffle blues and reggae.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">As I head back out after a couple
of songs I find myself a perfect spot in front of a closed up nature
and fishing shop. It has a covered entrance, which is perfect given
the weather forecast for the afternoon. People of all walks of life
pass me by as I set up my busking equipment. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I
start with </span><i>Utopia,</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> as
I often do, but here more than ever, it feels like the right place to
do so. This is a song I wrote a few years ago between my two stays in
Canada, after reading a book about how the world back in the sixties
and seventies was like the carefree teenager to today's grown up
world. How the dreams and innocence of youth were now over and it's
time to face facts after decades of unbridled consumerism and brutal
exploitation of the earth's ressources. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">It
turns out to be a great session. People are hanging around and
enjoying it from both sides of the road. And I have sold a few cds
too. Once I am done playing I cross over to the Dangerous Kitchen
place to ask them if they would be interested in me playing tomorrow
night. They are, and the deal is a meal, a drink, and a 50$ voucher
for the restaurant. This isn't much, especially given that I probably
won't have the time to spend much of my voucher anyway, since I'll be
leaving the day after. But I came here to play, and the place does
have a cosy vibe that will be just right for my songs. And it looks
like it's going to rain cats and dogs tomorrow, so it's a deal. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Soon after I also receive a
confirmation for the evening at the Roots Bar. And it looks like the
pay is better this time. Great!</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Next up on my list is finding a
bed for the night. While I was busking there was this one lady who
offered me a room to stay at her home outside of town. But when I
told her I would most likely be playing at the bar until late this
evening we both agreed it wouldn't be possible. I am not in luck this
time. I didn't book any accomodation, and because of the bad weather
all three backpackers in town are completely full for the weekend. I
usually prefer to camp, but I had to leave all of my tenting gear
back at Anthony's along with the bike. So I finally head back towards
an Old West style hostel I had spotted earlier right on the corner
opposite the Roots Bar. With its saloon and old school furniture, it
felt just like the kind of place Lucky Luke and Jolly Jumper would
have made a stop at for the night! It's also a bit more expensive
than the other backpackers, but at least it has vacancy and the rainy
weather doesn't encourage me to take any chances elsewhere. Plus it's
conveniently situated for tonight. I'll take it.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's now 7pm, and I am setting up
for the gig on the little stage of the Roots Bar. It's everything
you'd expect a blues bar to be: dim blue and orange lights,
beers, burgers, and lots of background noise. The boss warned me upon
my arrival: I'll be playing over the chatter of people eating at the
tables right in front. It's good for me to go back to these kinds of
gigs everynow and then, for they remind me of how good I have it out
on the streets, where I have control over my sound and I can hear
myself properly, at least most of the time (unless I am playing next
to a road busy with trafic of course). In a bar I sometimes feel
like people take live music for granted, it's there in the
background, fighting it's way over the chatter and laughter. In the
street, a good song becomes the most unexpected of gifts to people
just passing by in the rush of day. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Still I can tell I am getting the
music through to a couple of them here in the bar today, and those
are the ones I sing for. Those are the one's that might come for a
chat after the show. The owner's of the Roots Bar are cheering and
enjoying it too. I mention a couple of times that I have an album and
cds for sale, but I am not getting my hopes up: cd sales are usually
quite slow in bars. It turns out I still sell most of them my while
busking. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Every now and then people will
offer to book me gigs in proper venues, so that I won't have to play
on the street any more. While I am all for it, they should know that
I'll always come back and play on the streets for the pleasure of it,
for I trully love it here.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Both gigs today were nice ones.
One on main street, one in the Roots Bar. But if I had to pick only
one, I would choose my busking gig. Even with a bit of cold and rain,
that's the one I enjoyed most, the one that made my day. I am very
lucky to feel this way. Something about playing on a street corner
appeals to the romantic in me. To the poet. I am a dreamer, and maybe
that today, singing my songs on the streets of Takaka, I was the most
hippy of all.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">*****</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>World we were so young</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And love’s the word that told
freedom</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>World we knew no rules</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Oh were we fools?</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>To live for fun knowing someday
we might grow old?</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’m a 1960’s child and I
can’t help but wonder why</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The polar bear has no ice left
to stand?</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’m a flower power child, how
come I see in black and white?</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When everything seemed so
colourful then</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Look back on these hippie years
</i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Setting out to write the future</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When Utopia was not left to
dreamers</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>World land of possible </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Where no’s no word, yes says
it all</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>World throw in some colours for
faith to blossom</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>From the ashes of a land once
young that’s now grown old</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’m a 1960’s child and I
can’t help but wonder why</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The polar bear has no ice left
to stand?</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’m a flower power child how
come I see in black and white?</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When everything seemed so
colourful then</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Look back on these hippie years
</i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Setting out to write the future</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When Utopia was not left to
dreamers</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-57491120422796175472019-04-29T05:24:00.001-07:002019-04-29T05:33:34.319-07:00Stand Up Charlie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Stand
Up Charlie</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Montreal, Canada, 2011</i></span></span></div>
<div align="RIGHT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a warm monday evening as I
step out of the Club Soda, a nice old cabaret theater on Saint
Laurent Boulevard, where I sometimes volunteer on National
Improvisation League game nights. Improvisation matches are quite
popular here in Quebec, for this is where it all started back in 1977
before later gaining popularity in other French speaking countries
such as France, Belgium and Switzerland. It is modeled on hockey
games and takes place in a small imitation ice-skating ring, with two
teams of six players each, a referee, and even a guy playing themes
on the organ, just like in an actual hockey game! The themes and
rules of each improvisation are drawn by lot by the referee before
each round. The audience votes for the winner by show of hands with
cardboards to the colours of the teams. Today's game opposed the
Greens to the Oranges. Although it does rather sound like a fight
between fruit and vegetables, it was another great game with no
shortage of wit and laughs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I decide to take a walk up to Parc
Lafontaine, in the heart of the plateau Mont Royal, one of my
favourite places to go to and work on my songs in the evenings.
Photogenic twisted staircases ornament the colourful brick plexes
bordering the streets along the way. The eclectic architecture of
Montreal makes for a most interesting walk, with more hidden gems
around the corner than first meets the eye. Colourful victorian
houses, gothic revival cathedrals, castle shaped fire stations, art
deco monuments, roman catholic churches and modern glass buidling all
stand side by side, fighting for spotlight in this patchwork urban
landscape. Montreal feels like several cities superimposed into one,
and yet it does work beautifully, nothing here feels out of place,
however unlikely the mariage.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-size: small;">The historic park welcomes me
with a cool breeze. I am about to pick a spot in the shade of a
century old poplar tree by the side of the lake when I hear notes of
blues harmonica in the distance. That has to be Simon, I say to
myself, and so I decide to go on and follow the sound of music
through the park's winding pathways. Finally a lonesome figure
sitting on a washed up wooden bench appears from behind the hedge
around the corner, and surely enough there is Simon, giving all he
has to a Big Bill Bronzy tune, his all time favourite. We exchange a
knowing smile as I grab my guitar out of its case and sit down by his
side to join in the blues. It has been that way ever since we first
met in this very park, about four months ago ; Simon has been my
brother in soul, and we have shared many great jams under the shade
of the old trees. I then go to the first chord of one of my own
songs, <i>Stand up Charlie, </i>I know it is one of his favourites.
This is a song I wrote for children who are war victims of left over
landmines from conflicts, who either die or end up losing limbs when
all they were doing was playing innocently in a field. I also wrote
it with the humanitarian action of NGOs such as Handicap
International in mind. Simon once told me he simply wouldn't get it
if I didn't make it big time with that song; that song was gonna be
my big break, he was adamant about it. There is also room for an
extended harmonica solo at the end of the song, allowing him to play
away to his heart's content, with inspired solos that would lift the
song to a whole other level. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's something about Simon. He
has a beautiful soul, one of a true poet. He works a variety of
manual jobs during the day -gardening, painting houses, construction
work-, all so that he can free his mind for his writing once the work
is done. I find this approach inspiring: many times have I noticed
that some of my best songs came out of the blue after my body and
mind had been devoted to a completely different task. Simon's best
friend died suddenly about a year ago, and I can tell how deeply
still this loss affects him. Both philosophers at heart, two kindred
souls sitting on a bench, we'd spend hours wondering about the
meaning of life and singing the blues. Other times we'd head off
towards the subway to do some busking, either at Sherbrooke or Saint
Laurent Stations, passing by Square Saint Louis and its colourful
Victorian houses of purple, red and blue. There in the subway, under
the blue lyre that marks the spot, we'd sing and play our hearts out,
our melodies riding the waves of the crowd at rush hour, hoping our
little songs could maybe ease some of that stress away.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">My internship here in Montreal is
coming to an end, and I 'll be leaving Canada soon. I bought a guitar
during my stay here, a nice little parlor size acoustic from Simon
and Patrick, handmade here in Quebec. This is the guitar I have been
busking and songwriting on for the past seven months, it is really
lovely, and I am very fond of it, but I already have a guitar to take
back with me on the plane. Simon once told me he would like to learn
blues guitar someday; this little parlor would be perfect for that.
And call it destiny, she even bears his name. These two were clearly
meant for each other. So I have decided that I'll leave her here in
his company, she'll be in good hands.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">*****</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Stand up Charlie</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>In a world that's undermined</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>By the greed and the hatred</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Of the human kind</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Where bastards build bombs</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Killing children of the world</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Making money at all costs</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>No matter if it hurts</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Stand up Charlie</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Don't give up hope just now</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There's still good to be found</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>In the human kind</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>People dedicate their life</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>To humanitarian cause</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>To whom human life</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Can still be about joy</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Stand up Charlie</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Get yourself up from the ground</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There may not be no heaven</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Here on earth to be found</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There's a better place for all </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Behind the deep blue skies</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Not the heaven we hoped for</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Not as bad a place for sure</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Stand up Charlie</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Meet the Devil in the eye</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And free your own angel</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>To those deep blue skies</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Prove wrong those who</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Turn the light into shade</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>That the smile of a child</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Is enough to light up the day</i></span></span></div>
<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-3758554536476653982019-04-15T01:49:00.000-07:002019-04-29T05:28:07.261-07:00Back to the Roots<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div align="RIGHT" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Back to
the Roots</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Montreal,
Canada, winter 2009</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
cold biting wind raises swirls of snow in the dim light of the
deserted street, its quiet complaint the only sound to be heard in
the ghostly landscape surrounding us. Mounds scattered along the
street mark the spot of cars buried under the white blanket of snow.
It's the first storm of the season on a cold december evening in
Montreal, and it feels as though the whole city has just shut down
for the night. My brother Matthew and I could just as well be on the
moon, for there isn't another soul in sight in the surreal stillness
of these streets. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Matthew's
plane landed just in time at Trudeau airport, just hours ago as the
storm was coming up. He is visiting from France on my last week here
as an exchange student in Montreal, and we have a busy planning ahead
of us, with a trip on the East Coast to the cities of Boston and New
York, where we will no doubt catch a couple of basketball games by
the Celtics and The Knicks. But for now we are much like Scott of the
Antartic, leaving deep footsteps in our wake as we venture out in the
snow coated city in the storm. And by the looks of it we are amongst
the very few crazy enough to be wandering out here in these extreme
conditions, stopping for a warm cup of cocoa in every Tim Hortons
coffee house that comes our way! Those footsteps lead all the way
back to the heart of the Plateau,<span style="font-style: normal;"> at
the crossroads between Rue Saint Denis and Avenue Mont Royal, where
Matthew and I ate </span><i>Poutine </i><span style="font-style: normal;">earlier
on, in a retro looking diner open twenty-four seven, a little place
that has made its reputation on this unlikely dish, a perfect winter
treat of French fries, cheese and gravy for those cold canadian
nights. And not far off on Rue Saint Denis is the place I have been
calling home for the past five months, a tiny bedroom with washed up
walls, squeezed between the bathroom and the laundry room, with just
enough space for a single bed and a desk, on the third floor of a
house shared with no less than seventeen roomates, students for the
most part. The place gets so crowded with continuous visits from
relatives and friends that to this day it is still hard to tell who
actually lives there!</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Those
same footsteps led us all the way down here in the heart of the old
town, at the foot of Basilica Notre Dame, where we now find ourselves
staring up at luminous trumpet playing angels against a waterfall of
blue tinsel, in what turns out to be a perfect christmas fairy tale
setting beneath the falling snow flakes. We decide to seek shelter
inside the Basilica for a few minutes and warm ourselves up a bit
before stepping back out into the cold. I decide to show Matthew what
has come to be known as the Underground City, or Ville Souterraine in
French, as we make our way back towards the city center. Montreal
indeed has an extensive network of underground streets, tunnels and
plazas that run for over 30 kilometers between subway stations,
shopping malls, art centers and residential buildings. They provide a
much welcomed shelter during the long winter months, a true blessing
on nights like this one. Colourful souvenir shops and neon signs of a
variety of fast food restaurants welcome us as we enter the warm and
well lit dark brick tunnel, where we start wandering through the maze
of corridors, feeling like refugees from some kind of holocaust in
this quiet underworld, although there are still more people to be
found down here than outside. We decide to make our way towards one
of the subway stations and take the train to<span style="font-style: normal;">
Berri Uqam station, a gateway to main arteries like Rue Saint-Denis
and Rue Sainte Catherine, and after a short ride we find ourselves
greeted by the now familiar smell of warm pepperoni pizza that takes
over the entire station, all because of a little stand in the corner!
As we climb up the steps leading towards one of the many corridors,
we catch sight of a guy sitting in a cardboard boat, a fishing rod
hanging at the front, a most unexpected scene in a metro station, or
any other place for that matter! He is singing and playing the
guitar, circled by a much intrigued crowd, one of many great buskers
to be heard in the maze of underground stations here. Affectionately
known as « Les musiciens du métro », they are a much
appreciated part of the life of the city.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is
where it all started for me, playing music in the metro and in the
streets, also known as busking. Back in France I had been songwriting
and playing gigs in bars for a few years already, but it had never
crossed my mind to go out and play music in the streets. But many
seemed to be doing it successfully here, and both the musicians and
the audience of commuters passing by seemed to enjoy it. The
underground also made for a safe and comfortable environment to try
it out, and so, standing by the blue lyre panels which mark the spot
where musicians are allowed to play, those windy hallways are where I
learnt my trade as a busker.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I quickly
learned that busking is serious business, especially for those that
make a living out of it, and that when there is good money to be made
at a given spot at rush hour, buskers could get quite competitive
amongst themselves. Every morning, from as early as half past five,
musicians come and write their name down for a slot on a little piece
of paper that can be found tucked behind the blue lyre panel, and it
is first come first served basis. Given the distances between
stations and the train schedules, this alone can take up to a couple
of hours if you want to play in different spots. Now even though
busking is officially admitted and spots clearly marked out
throughout the stations, none of this paper schedule system is
official. It is simply implemented by buskers amongst themselves as a
means of regulating spot allocations. So sometimes you would find
somebody else occupying your spot because your name was no longer
found on the little piece of paper which had most likely been
switched at some point by someone whose favourite slot had already
been taken! So yes, it's not always flowers and hippy love, but still
most buskers I have met here were really friendly and happy to help.</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coming out
of Berri Uqam through the heavy revolving doors, we find ourselves
greeted by the fierce cold wind once more, so we quickly put on our
woollen hats and decide to head for the Bistro à Jojo a bit further
up on Saint Denis street. You can't miss it: with its giant guitar
and gold letter sign, this place is a blues institution here in
Quebec, and has been my refuge on many a cold evening! It's
everything you'd expect a canadian blues bar to be: dark wood
furniture, dimmed lights, blues memorabilia, guitars hanging on the
walls, and of course a selection of Coors and Molson draft beers! The
musicians take center stage midway through the bar, that is where the
magic happens on a daily basis. And tonight Frede Freedom is the one
pulling tricks out of his guitar. We take a seat at one of the round
wooden tables in the corner as the show gets on the road, rageous
notes screaming out of the guitar as the whole band kicks in. Ripping
through a repertoire of blues classics and original songs for over an
hour, Frede groans and moans the blues, backed up by a heavy rhythm
section of bass and drums, while the keyboard player goes crazy
during solos, climbing on his Hammond organ as all hell breaks loose
and the crowd goes wild. There is an older couple sitting at the next
table to ours, and we quite naturally engage in conversation. They so
happen to be Frede's parents, and they are very proud of their son.
And quite rightfully so, they should be, he is putting on a hell of a
show! As we get to talking I let them know that I am a musician too,
and that I can fully appreciate their son's performance here tonight.
At which point Frede's mom leans towards me and almost whispers in a
secretive manner: «To me he is as good as Clapton and all these
other greats, he should be right up there with them!» This instantly
puts a smile on my face, for I know this is exactly the kind of thing
my mum would think about my own guitar playing! You can always count
on your parents to be your greatest fans, and who knows, maybe they
are right! </span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">We then
just sit back and let ourselves get carried away by the music,
tipping the waitress as she brings us our drinks, as is the rule
here. We make a toast to the begining of our canadian adventure
together, and to a fantastic first night!</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have
been working on a new song lately, about my blues nights here at the
Bistro à Jojo, and until tonight I was still missing the lyrics
second verse, but now I have them!</span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">*****</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Le
Bistro à Jojo on a Montreal night </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>For $8
a beer you get the music right</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>From
10pm 'till very late at night</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
blues meets the rock </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>And the
blues rock rocks the house</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>With
-20°C it’s cold outside</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>But inside it’s warm </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>as
the guitar plays slide</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
pints of beer keep you in the mood </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>To sing
in tune and get back to the roots</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Going
back to the roots</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Going
back to the roots yeah yeah yeah</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Going
back to the roots </i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Going
back to the roots yeah yeah</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
Bistro à Jojo listen to Frede Freedom</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>His
mama and papa </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>believe
he sounds like Clapton</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Listen
to the music </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>he
plays and screams and moans</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You
know in your heart </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>you’ve
finally found your home</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>With
-20°C it’s cold outside </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>But
inside it’s warm </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>as the
guitar plays slide</i></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
pints of beer keep you in the mood </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>To
sing in tune and go back to the roots</i></span></span></span></div>
<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-8732885802619223062016-04-27T06:27:00.000-07:002016-04-28T01:35:59.458-07:00Under the spell of: JP CooperAs I was streaming Mahogany Session videos on Youtube , which are acoustic concerts by all kinds of artists all around the world and filmed in all kinds of locations, I fell on a session with JP Cooper, a british singer songwriter. I didn't know him and thought, hey, this is nice.<br />
I saw he recorded a couple of EPs, including <i>When the Darkness Comes</i> and <i>Keep the Quiet Out.</i><br />
<br />
So I went on to listen to some more, until I fell on this. And that's the one that won me over, totally, unconditionally. This week, I am under the spell of JP Cooper.<br />
<br />
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<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-6526858054386982982016-04-26T05:07:00.000-07:002016-04-26T05:08:32.457-07:00Busking in AntwerpThe city of Antwerp has been another one of my regular busking destinations in Belgium. I usually head over there by train and arrive at the Central Station, probably the nicest one in Belgium and considered to one of the most beautiful stations in the world.<br />
<br />
There is a very nice zoo right next to the station, and if I don't get to distracted by the idea of going and say hello to the animals, then I can head into town in search of a nice busking spot. A fair share of the center is pedestrianized, which is nice for busking.<br />
<br />
It starts with the huge shopping street, the Meir, which starts not too far away, in a straight line from Central Station. It is quite wide and busy, you probably need to be amplified to play there, unless you're busking as a band, or playing loud instruments maybe. The thing is from what I have understood amplification is not allowed in Antwerp, and you need a permit to busk, which you can ask for online, but the whole thing is in Flemmish with no translation, kind of tough for foreigners. So far personnaly I haven't bothered with the permit, and have played with amplification in various parts of town, including the Meir, without beeing bothered by the police. But I think I've just been lucky maybe, not to fall on the wrong cops, because I have been told that they can be strict with those regulations at times. I guess as always it depends on who, when and where.<br />
<br />
I don't know whether this info is still valid but here's wha tI found on the web about the permit and regulations:<br />
- you can fill out a form at the Office of Safety at Sint-Pietersvliet 7 and you then have to wait a few days to get it<br />
- the permit is free and would be valid for a year<br />
- as a general rule you should only play at a given spot 1 hour at a time<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MRPEB10iRn4LLpFuFB-xbK68K5L__uNGfy5setMjaL9NsBvX5dIEjVunoWg8YRldzTxSe82Zu0BuomUryR3FIAROb2RCuy7hIVhqsDUiII6GUFEvwxje919ZgdRCpaVJhkBk34SgEOo/s1600/11751966_884289344979394_7936830983733214691_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MRPEB10iRn4LLpFuFB-xbK68K5L__uNGfy5setMjaL9NsBvX5dIEjVunoWg8YRldzTxSe82Zu0BuomUryR3FIAROb2RCuy7hIVhqsDUiII6GUFEvwxje919ZgdRCpaVJhkBk34SgEOo/s320/11751966_884289344979394_7936830983733214691_n.png" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In De Wilde Zee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of my favourite busking spots in Antwerp has been a quiet little square at the end of Wiegstraat in De Wilde Zee. But it is also many other buskers favourite spot so often busy. Everytime I played there I got great feedback from shop owners around, anda few of them even bought the albums to play in their shop, which is nice!<br />
<br />
I have played in a number of other streets and places around that area, and it seems to be appreciated. Sometimes people in the vicinity, whether they are shop or restaurant owners, would be a bit weary when they see you set up nearby. But once I started playing then they seemed reassured and even enjoyed it. In this one place where I was just setting up, the lady in the shop opposite came out to ask me whether I intended to play for long, because after a while it gets tiring for her. I reassured her that I would'nt be playing for more than half and hour, 45 minutes max. So I went on with my gig, and after about 7-8 songs I asked her as she came out of her shop if it was ok and whether I should continue playing or not. She said it was lovely and that I could play all afternoon if I wanted, which felt nice! At the end as I left she gave me a pair of earrings (she owns a ethnic/fantasy jewelry shop), and now everytime I pass by her street she asks me to stay and play there! The lady in the shop next to her was really nice also and offered me cup of tea. It happens from time to time with café and restaurant owner's nearby, as a thank you for crowding up their terrace!<br />
<br />
All in all this goes to show that you are not, as a busker, the nuisance that autorities make you out to be. More often than not, people are keener to ask you stay and come back than to get lost! This I have witnessed almost everywhere I go: if what you do is nicely done, and not to loud, people will enjoy it :-)<br />
<br />
To end on a musical note, here's a link to a little Facebook video of me busking in Antwerp, the song is called Flower Serenade:<br />
https://www.facebook.com/ruud.tax/videos/10207190080368944/<br />
<br />
<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-10055136574034595692016-04-25T13:58:00.000-07:002016-04-28T01:35:39.402-07:00Busking in BrusselsI often busk in Brussels, as it is my hometown when I am not on the road. I always enjoy it a lot, people nice and keen to take the time to listen. And you get to play for the whole world, as there are many tourists all year long.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busking at Place de la Monnaie </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But there are many rules to busking in Brussels. You need a permit, and that permit states where and when you can play with unbelievably painfull precision. As a general rule you can only play at a given spot at even hours, and the spots where you are allowed to play are specified on the permit. In the UNESCO zone, ie the walking center of the town, only the spot facing galery St Hubert seems to be worth it really, and everybody fights over it. There used to be a nice spot behind the Bourse, facing Sint Niklaas Church, but they removed it recently (the spot, not the Church). Instead they created a new spot in front of La Bourse on the new walking street that is now Boulevard Anspach, known as Le Piétionnier. I have busked there a few times but the whole atmosphere isn't the same, I miss the old spot. Then there are a few spots around the UNESCO zone but still in the center, at Mont des Arts, Place de La Monnaie, and in the shopping street that is Rue Neuve, in front of the church.<br />
<br />
To get the permit you need to head to the town's "Service de la Culture" on Rue Sainte Catherine, but beware of the opening hours which are very limited, to say the least: opened on Tuedays from 2 to 4pm!! Almost as if they didn't want you to busk...<br />
<br />
To get the permit you need to comply with either one of these two conditions: you have an Artisitc Degree, or you have to pass an "audition". Don't worry about the so-called audition though, they basicallyu just check whether you are capable of playing or singing and that you won't be too much of a nuisance and scare people away...<br />
<br />
Once you get the precious permit it is valid for 1 Month, after which you need to head back to "Service de la Culture" and ask them to renew it. This can be done 3 times over the course of a year, 4 times if you live in Brussels. And don't expect to get your new permit on the same day, you have to come back the week after to pick it up. Oh and bring a photo and a copy of your identity card.<br />
<br />
The one good thing about busking laws in Brussels is that you are allowed to play with amplification, which is rare enough to be mentionned.<br />
<br />
Now, can you risk it without the permit? Yes and no. In the UNESCO zone it's a bit tricky, and it's anyone's guess whether they'll bother you or not. It really depends on which cops are on duty that day: some won't mind and won't bother you, some are extra zealous and will stop your performance and give you a warning. They won't fine you if it's your first warning though... it's once you've been warned that it gets tricky. In rue Neuve it depends on cop patrols also, they have already bothered me there. Elsewhere as far as I can tell, if nobody complains and calls the cops on you, you should be fine!<br />
<br />
You can always e-mail me if you have any questions about busking in Brussels, and here is the link to the city's page for the busking rules and permit:<br />
http://www.brussels.be/artdet.cfm?id=5273&404;http://www.bruxelles.be:80/5273<br />
<br />
To end on a lighter note, here's a little video of me busking at Place de la Monnaie last November:<br />
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<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com1Bruxelles, Belgique50.8503396 4.351710300000036150.6899556 4.0289868000000357 51.0107236 4.6744338000000365tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-9398876456255557052016-04-24T16:15:00.003-07:002016-04-26T15:13:32.496-07:00Busking in Burlington & Boston - US Coast Cycling Tour summer 2015During the summer of 2015 a friend and I went on a cycling trip between Montreal and New York, and of course we took our guitars and busking equipment with us ;-)<br />
<br />
So we stayed in Montreal for a few days after flying in from Brussels. Having spent a year there back in 2010 as an exchange student I knew about busking in the city, and so we had planned to play a bit before leaving for our journey. The weather was nice so rather than busking the subway we decided to try our luck outside, and so we went to busk a couple of times on Rue Prince Arthur, a nice and cosy walking street on Le Plateau Mont Royal!<br />
<br />
We would have loved to busk more, but getting prepared for trip, buying all the equipment we needed including the bikes and trailer, took much more time than we had foreseen! But after four days of running around town like crazy, our trusty steeds were finally ready to hit the road!<br />
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<br />
We headed south for Vermont and the Lake Champlain, on a beautifull "<i>Route Verte</i>" that took us accross the charming town of Chambly and it's lake. From there we followed the Richelieu River down to the US Border.<br />
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An injury forced us to stay put for a week in a little american town called Rouses Point, right at the border with Quebec.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rouses Point</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busking the Farmer's Market in Plattsburgh</td></tr>
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This forced stay in this unlikely town pushed us to get creative, and gave us time to explore busking opportunities in the vicinity. We quicly found out that there was little to do in Rouses Point, and little point in busking there. So we went down to Plattsburg, a relatively bigger town south of Rouses Point on Lake Champlain, and luckily enough happened to be there on the day a little farmer's market was taking place. After asking around if it was ok to set up there, I got to busk a bit with Folk Vagabond, in nice and relaxed atmosphere. We felt very much welcomed, and actually were asked whether we could come back and play every week when the market took place, which was very nice of them. But although by that point the injury situation didn't look so good, and our chances of ever leaving Rouses Point by the means of bicycles seemed bleak, we still had hope of getting out of there someday!<br />
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We then headed to <b>Burlington </b>for a couple of days, one of the two places with Boston during the trip where we had the time and opportunity to get some busking action! Burlington seemed very promising: the heart of the town was a busy walking street called Church Street, perfect setting for us. Too perfect to be true. After finding a very nice spot in the shade of a tree, we'd been playing for about a quarter of an hour withvery promising success when we were stopped by the dreaded police patrol. <i>"You need a permit to play. And I don't think you're allowed to use an amp". </i>Oh bollocks<i>. </i>(yes I always picture Hugh Grant standing next to me in these kind of situations). We are told that you can ask for a permit, and after having being sent back and forth up and down the street between different administrations for about an hour, we finally knocked on the right door, at Church Street n°2. There we are nicely told that we have to come back at noon to pass an audition. We comply and do so next day. At the end of our audition song, the two shrews officiating as judges and who told us to come and audition the day before looked at each other before finally telling us that they no longer can deliver permits for people just passing through for a short period of time...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busking in Burlington</td></tr>
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Undeterred and determined to busk, we decided to go on a search for a busking spot outside of Church Street, and we did find a beautiful spot in the end, on the promenade by Lake Champlain. Actually on the most beautiful busking settings I've ever played, especially at sunset!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burlington Promenade, Beautiful Busking Setting!</td></tr>
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Eventually we left Rouses Point and cycled back down to Burlington. Being 10 days behind on schedule and wanting to make sure we would see New York, we decided to drive down to Boston from there, having figured out how to fit all of our stuff in the rented SUV!<br />
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In <b>Boston</b> we got round to do a bit of busking too for a couple of days, downtown in the walking area around Summer Street, Winter Street and Washington Street. Busking there was ok, nothing extraordinary, but at least the cops didn't seem to mind or bother us. Well, on the second day I was doing a Folk Vagabond set in Winter Street when a cop stopeed me to tell me it wasn't allowed here. I told him I was kind of surprised, given that dozens of other policemen and police cars had passed us by in the last couple of days and none had anything! Funny thing is he seemed kind of surprised and taken abck by that. That's when he told me that basically this was his precinct or something like that, and that he had been away and just came back that afternoon.I said ok. Just as he was walking away he turned around and said I could go on, what I was doing was nice and that so far, there hadn't been any complaints or anything, but that if he did receive any he would have to give me a ticket... Not quite sure what to do with that I did a couple more songs and then wrapped it up for the day, I was almost done anyways and it was getting late. So all in all downtown Boston seemed pretty relaxed for busking.<br />
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We did also try to busk a bit in Cambridge, but we couldn't quite find the right spot that day, between the street noise, the burning sun and heavy wind. I did play a bit of Folk Vagabond in a little parc though and had a very nice time there. I actually got a priceless souvenir out of it: someone gave a sticker with the following words handwritten on it: "Keep it up, you are amazing". This motto I know keep on my guitar Tanguie, and I try to remember it during hard times, when I'm maybe feeling a bit blue about what I am doing.<br />
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We didn't have much time to try other spots in Boston, from what we gathered a popular busking spot is Quincy Market, but there is an audition system with permits going on there as well, only held once a year during April if I remember correctly. So we didn't bother.<br />
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After Boston we cycled all the way down to New York and busked a couple of time along the way, however we didn't get round to busking in the Big Apple as we arrived there shortly before having to head back home, and we decided to spend the couple of days we had visiting and enjoying the city. But there will definetly be a next time! Meanwhile, I'll try and post a video from the cycling trip soon!<br />
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Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0Burlington, Vermont, États-Unis44.4758825 -73.21207199999997844.385267 -73.373433499999976 44.566497999999996 -73.05071049999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-10661652679978524992015-11-18T13:03:00.001-08:002016-04-25T14:11:27.574-07:00Busking in Göteborg The swedish town of Göteborg was the final busking destination of my "One Girl Band" busking and cycling trip during the summer of 2013.<br />
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I spent 3 days there, catching up with an old friend back from my days as an exchange student in Montreal, and just wandered around this wonderfull city, my inner busker always on the look out for the perfect spot! The weather during my stay wasn't always the best, but amidst the dull grey skies, the city offered me one of my favourite pics from the entire trip:</div>
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The second day I set my heart on the Haga neighborhood, with it's cosy walking streets and handicraft shops. So I decided to set up shop in Haga Nygata:</div>
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My busking times in Göteborg are amongst my favourite memories from the trip. In the last couple of days I had been writing a new song, entitled Child of the Universe. I got the inspiration for this one a few days before, back in Norway just before entering Sweden. I had left Fredrikstad and was trying to find a way around to Norway. Coming up to the crossroads I pause to take a look at my maps. This friendlyguy comes up to me asking me whether I am lost and would need any help. After letting him know that I am ok we start chatting, me telling him about my cycling adventures, and him telling me the story of how he ended up staying in Norway after coming up here as an exchange student from Togo. When I asked whether he missed his homeland he said: "I am a child of the universe,everywhere I am at home". And later as we parted and I was pondering upon which route to take, either the most direct and slightly boring one, or the more scenic/hilly/windy one along the coast, he kept on repeating: "you got to take it easy. I guess he meant I should take my time on the scenic one, which I ended up on.</div>
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These two phrases: "I am a Child of the Universe" and "Take it easy", and the philosophy behind them, stuck in my head for the remaining days of the trip to Göteborg, and so on my first day there I put them into a song called "Child of the Universe".<br />
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Anyways that day busking in Haga was my first time performing this song to anyone. And I had been playing for a little while by the time I got to this one. But as it came to an end, one of the shop owners nearby just jumped out of here store like a jack-in-the-box and came up to me to tell me she had been listening to me from the beginning and really enjoyed it, but that for this song in particular, she felt she needed to come out and tell me how wonderfull it was, and how good it made her feel. That meant the world to me, it doesn't get much better than that when you play a new song for the first time and don't really know what to expect, or how people are going to react to it. It felt pretty good!</div>
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The second day busking in Haga I also remember quite fondly, because that's the day I met Chao Chen, another wonderfull encounter and stranger who happened to make my day. Chao took amazing pictures that day, one of which I later used as the cover for my One Girl Band album.</div>
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I don't know what the rules are for busking in Göteborg, but I wasn't bothered by police while I played overthere, but then again I didn't use amplification so I don't know... All I can say is Haga is a nice and friendly neighborhood to be busking in!</div>
Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0Göteborg, Suède57.70887 11.97455999999999757.165859499999996 10.683666499999998 58.2518805 13.265453499999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-42677327841199058172013-08-21T04:34:00.002-07:002016-04-25T14:11:47.152-07:00Busking in MunsterI stopped for a couple of days in this smaller but very nice city. When I told people I was heading for Munster they told me "Ho you are going to love Munster it's great for cycling, it's like the number 1 german city for that, maybe the only one that compares with cities in the Netherlands." And truly enough there were bicycles everywhere!
As usual I headed for the Altstadt, the Old town center, on the look out for a nice walking street where to busk. Here I found two streets: the first was the main shopping street with all the usual shopping stores, pretty busy and noisy. The second one was a smaller and quieter shopping street also, with less passage.
This allowed me to conduct a little experiment in Munster: first I busked the main busy shopping street, and it went great, it was a good busking session in terms of income. But it was also streneous for the voice and not that enjoyable because of the noise level.
Then later on in the evening (sometime around 6pm I think) I did a quieter session in the smaller and less busy street. Actually at first there was so few people that I wondered whether it was worth it.
But as it turned out it went great, and it was much more enjoyable for me too! People would interact more, stop to listen in, and although fewer people gave money in the end it came out the same as my afternoon busking session on the main street because people gave more each time (actually got a couple of 5 euro bills, which goes to show how much they appreciated it). I even allowed myself, for the first time, to do really quiet songs without the whole cajon and tambourin set up for a change, and to my surprise also people listened in and gave a little something for these songs, so that was great! It was also nice to play something else than the major hits I usually play when I am going for making money, because although I enjoy these songs it's nice to play something different every now and then!
This is also how I met Ludwig and Julie, who kindly filmed and took pictures :)
So all in all Munster was great for busking, and the whole experience got me thinking about my busking strategy: I think from now on I will try and go for more intimate setting in quieter walking streets if possible, rather than the main busy street which, although it brings in money too, doesn't make for such an enjoyable busking experience. Plus I like the fact that people interact more and feel more ate ease to stop and listen in in a quieter setting.Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com1Münster, Allemagne51.9606649 7.62613469999996651.6474869 6.9806876999999661 52.2738429 8.2715816999999667tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-16797529979507748122013-08-09T03:12:00.002-07:002016-04-25T14:12:10.589-07:00Busking in dusseldorfOn the road to munster I decided to stop in dusseldorf to try out a littlr bit of busking inthe altstadt. It fell a Monday so I wasn't expectng much,but still it was the holidays and there are always people in thr streets. In the early afternoon I found a nice busking spot at the intersection of the two main shopping street. And things started out prrtty well: the location was good because people could see me well, and I ve found that to be pretty important with the one girl band thing because it is also a goodvisual act. There were benches too close buy and people started sitting down around to li st en in. I got a request to do Mrs Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel, and so I improvised something and the chap who had requested it seemed very pleased. Then as I was talking to some people two women from the city council street surveillance service or whatever came and say hi. They explained the rules for busking in the city, which I already new, as I had now learned that the half hour busking rule applied to many pla ce s in germany.like in Koln you can busk bf from every half hour till half past, thrn you have to stop and look for another busking spot 200m away at least, and you can start busking again nth at the start of the next hour. As it turned out they had bf fallen on me at a timr when I was allowd to busk so all was good, I was respecting the rule and all. But they were sort of aggressive about it, repeating like the three times that If they caught me la ter on at that same spot or playin the other half hour or smtg they would confiscate the guitar. It was kind of harsh and it didn't feel very welcomingy! Even the people who were sitting and listening in were ki nd of shocked and took my defense,saying like "yeah ok it s cool she got it you know, she won't play when she sh ouldn't and all" :-) so that was kind of nice! Anyways the problem was th at this spot turned out to be the only good one for me that day, as the others didn t work as well, but I definrtely couldn t take therisk of going back to it after that, although the rule isn't quite clear on whether you can come back to it later on in the day... The thing is I realised lat er that day that local buskers didn't respect these rules at all, so I don't know either it was just bad luck or th ey we re ju st bluffing because hey knew I wasn't from that town! So in the end busking wise dusseldorf was average for me, but the ci ty itself was nice enough and definrtely worth thr stop for a day ;-) Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com1Düsseldorf, Allemagne51.2277411 6.773455600000033950.909617600000004 6.128008600000034 51.5458646 7.4189026000000338tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-87680024468523435832013-08-05T03:13:00.004-07:002016-04-25T14:12:33.828-07:00Busking in Koln<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My first stop along the Rhine route was the beautifull city of Cologne, where I spent 3 days busking, and meeting all kinds of great artists. Yeap Cologne is defintetly a great city for busking, but there is also a lot of competition. And so you need someyhat of an original performance act in order to stand out.</div>
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The busking rule in Cologne (and apparently so in quite a few german cities), is that you can start busking every roudn hour for a half hour, which basically means that you can play from 5pm to 5.30pm, but then youneed to wait until 6pm to start playing again. This is kind of a strange rule and it takes some getting used to, from a logistics point of view. Basically during the second half hour you go and find your next busking spot, and because there are so many street musicians in Cologne you must get there early for the good spots.</div>
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Good busking spots in Cologne generally are the main waliking and shopping streets like Hohe strasse (but it is very crowded and loud), the platz around the Dom cathedral area (but again without amplification it is a great open space so for unimplified ac ts it can be tough to get heard).</div>
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My personnal favourite which worked best for me in the evening was playing on the promenade along the Rhine known as Leypstadel if I remember correctly, because it is quieter, the whole setting is quite beautifull and all in all it seemed better suited to my act.</div>
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I met great buskers with great acts in Cologne, especially guys who take down a piano to the streets. First I met Constantin and Jacob, who respectively played the piano and cajon, with a full size acoustic straight piano: Needless to say this makes auite an impression in the streets. On my second day I had the greatest busking and jamming session on the promenade with these two guys. We had an amazing crowd (actually their were so many peoiple who stopped to listen that others couldn't paas by the promenade any more, so they just had to hang out and listen in too!! I was an incredible night, and the audinece participated too, as Constantin would invite people from the audience to come and sing or play songs of their choice.</div>
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On my third day I met Marcel form Netherlands, who takes the concept even one step further by üushing a full sized grand piano in the streets!!! Very very impressive of course, and his playing was brillaint too, so all in all ´he did more than ok ;-) pretty damn well actually!!!</div>
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This is what I love about this kind of adventure and travel, it's that you meet so many great people, with so many great ideas, sometimes all crazier the one than the other!!! </div>
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I like the idea of busking with a piano though, I am going to look into that for sure ;-)</div>
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And the next stop: Dusseldorf!</div>
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Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com0Cologne, Allemagne50.937531 6.960278600000037850.6174665 6.314831600000038 51.2575955 7.6057256000000377tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-53469649069823885772013-07-30T03:31:00.002-07:002016-04-25T14:12:59.121-07:00Busking in MaastrichtLeaving Belgium, Maastricht was my next stop, and a promising busking location as I had read blogs from other buskers about it.<br />
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I arrived there fairly early on on a friday afternoon, so after checking in at the Youth Hostel StayOkay just alongside the river and not far from the town center, I had time to go out and try out a first evening busk.<br />
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I found a great spot immediately right at the entrance of the old town, on the street that continues from the walking bridge. There was lots of passage and once again a closed store location made for an excellent spot!<br />
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Maastricht didn't disapoint one bit: after the first song, which was Out on the weekend by Neil Young, a crowd had gathered around in a circle, applauded at the end of the song, and money started flowing in! I played there for about an hour and a half and had one of my best busking sessions to date :) Things seemed very promising for the week end to come.</div>
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As usual I hadn't really inquired about the rules for busking in Maastricht: I had read stories from other buskers and nobody seemed to know exactly how it works. As usual nobody seemed to bother with a permit and didn't seem to have had any issues, although some said you needed one and it cost about 20 euros, which is a lot!</div>
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So anyhow I went back the second day, it was a saturday, to set up my busking rig in the same street as the previous evening, only a bit higher up so as not to bother too much the same shops twice. Again a closed shop provided a great spot for me.</div>
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I'd hardly started setting up that some kind of street patrol guys (not cops) came and asked me if I had a permit. In this kind of situation the only rule is to play nice, and say that basically you didn't know a permit was required to play there. If you are nice about it there usually is no problem, and all you have to do is ak where and how to get the permit, and pack up your stuff. These guys were nice about it and so there was no problem, although they told me that the permit in fact does cost 20 euros. This sort of put me off a bit, but then I thought well maybe this is worth it if I make as much momey as the day before. But the real setback came when I asked where to go for the permit, which is basically the townhall, and they told me it was closed on weekends.</div>
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My week end of busking in Maastricht was thus over, as I couldn't get the permit before monday, and monday I had to get a move on towards Germany. This left me fustrated, mostly because the busking would have been great probably, but still I couldn't take the risk to go back without the permit if ever I fell on the same guys again, for this time I would get a fine! (I don't know how much)</div>
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It is a matter of luck really, but I learned my lesson in Maastricht: for a big and potentially profitable city on weekends, whenerver it is possible, I will enquire about permits and stuff before hands. Had it fallen in the middle of the week it would have been fine and I would have been able to get the permit, but as it turned out...</div>
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Still I got a great busking session out of it anyway, and then made the most of it visiting the town and its surrounding during the week end, thus spending most of my busking sessions earnings, but hey, that's what it's there for right ;-)</div>
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<br />Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com1Maastricht, Pays-Bas50.8513682 5.690972500000043550.690994200000006 5.3682490000000431 51.0117422 6.0136960000000439tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426722596727970279.post-12211967695033684432013-07-30T02:53:00.001-07:002013-07-30T03:42:20.980-07:00Busking in LiegeThe next stop in Belgium on my summer busking tour was Liege.<br />
After arriving there in the late afternoon and checking in the local HI Youth Hostel I went on to do my research for a nice busking spot on the next day. I found a couple of walking streets right in the center of town that would seem to do just fine. On the one, called rue du pont d'isle, there was an abandonned shop location wich seemed just about perfect, at the crossroads with another street. Acoustics seemed promising too. So I decided I would try this spot in priority the next day, provided that it would be in the shade in the late afternoon.<br />
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I usually busk either during launch time, say between 11h and 13h, because then people come out of their offices and into the street to grab some launch, and so they have both a bit of change on them and some time to relax and enjoy the music. This time I chose my second favourite time of the day, somewhere between 15h and 18h, which is time of busy shopping and also snack time, so again people have a bit of change to spare maybe ;-) But there I choose it because my elected busking spot was in the shade, and that counts a lot!!!<br />
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Busking was good, a bit better than in namur, and I must have made around 35 euros for a bit less than two hours busking. I never do more than two hours per day really because of my voice: I have no amplification and it can get quite tough on the voice singing in open spaces like these, above a cajon, a tambourine and a guitar ;-)<br />
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So anyways I would recommend busking in Liege, in either one of the main walking shopping streets. Once again I didn't enquire about a permit or anything but it was ok, I didn't meet any police or anything and had no complaints from local shops, so that' s good!Juju Vagabondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00254361789607985298noreply@blogger.com1