The bee apocalypse, zombies, new video, songwriters circle, The Answer, perception & deception

Wow, time flies and stuff happens. Not sure where I left off in the continuing saga of Theo Massop and the BoodAbooM project, but here I am back at the blog. That as well as the long list of injustices, political mismanagement, strange events, stupidity and other things that my vision has scanned over morning coffee at my laptop has inspired me to put fingers on keyboard again.

I’ll leave the annoyances of the world at large till the later part of my blog and concentrate of the music for now.

Somehow in my wild and crazy brain, I thought it would take about three weeks from the beginning of May to have everything in place and have the discs / downloads readily available. Well, I’m nearly there. Four weeks have past since that brave and foolish announcement with loose ends still needing to be tidied up. My friend Brian Hazelbower had a good laugh about that last night as I was waving one of my newly manufactured discs “The Answer” by BoodAbooM in the air at the Nanaimo Songwriters Circle. This gathering comes around once a month and is held in a very informal manner at the Oak St. Manor in Nanaimo. A friendly gathering of musicians of all skill levels to sing our new songs, tell stories and share music. The only criteria is that you perform your own compositions. Although my schedule rarely allows time to attend, I still get there when I can. Great people, great fun. A similar event is also held in the Comox Valley where Helen Austin is the host.

CD’s of  "The Answer" have been manufactured with some in the Toronto warehouse and some discs on the west coast. I will let everyone know once all the links to purchase sites, streaming and downloads have been properly established. CD’s of “The Answer” by BoodAbooM will also be available at HMV stores across Canada. If you’re interested in a BoodAbooM tee shirt (see previous blog), they are $20.00 Canadian plus shipping. Send me an email at boodaboomband@gmail.com and we’ll make the arrangements to get you one or more.

In amongst the pandemonium of life, sorting out distribution details, planning promotional campaigns and mowing the grass (not exciting, but it needs to get done), we’ve managed to squeeze in a video shoot. The first video for a tune from “The Answer” by BoodAbooM was “Another Sunny Day”. This coming video is for the song “Run” and was directed by video-tographer, Marius TV Lohmann. It was an exchange or bartering of intellectual skills. I wrote a song for a series being created by Marius and his colleagues call “Project Paintball” . He wanted a theme song with particular parameters and I was able to write, record and deliver it for him. In exchange Marius offered to shoot a video for one of the songs from my upcoming album. To my fellow musicians in this area I will mention, Marius is available for hire if you like what you see in my new video. We chose the song “Run”, a relationship song reflecting the “fight or flight” response born into all of us.  This tune also features the voice of Tina Jones singing a duet harmony with me. Marius, along with my daughter Angela, came up with a storyline that elicited the response “really???”  from me.

I was safe, no brains. Jeffery couldn't resist the cookies .

Once I understood my role in the story, I was greatly relieved that I wouldn’t have to undergo major makeup. It makes me snicker a little everytime I discuss the video or think about it, because in my personal life I never watch movies about zombies, werewolves, vampires or anything like that. It’s fine and I understand that it is “just entertainment”, but not usually something I indulge in. That being said, no one except perhaps Canadian politician John Baird, really believes we are going to have a “zombie apocalypse”.  Yes folks, the next video for the BoodAbooM album is themed around a “zombie apocalypse”. It is all tongue in cheek as they say and it was huge fun putting it together. All of the actors and actresses were fantastic. The makeup was amazing as we had some master zombie creators and makeup artists working with us. Marius managed to find the right people to fill the roles of the militia protecting the remaining humans. Thanks to all for their outstanding portrayal of their assigned characters. 

Travis "Wingnut" English, one of the actors

Jeffery Randle joined me in the scenes where I am singing the human encampment, banging on the djembe while we’re hanging around the militia guys waiting for supplies. Flash bombs, zombies, military types, rifles and 4x4’s, all cool stuff that makes for a fun video. That’s as much as I will reveal for now and the next blog will include links to our mini movie.

I’m pushing the 700 word mark so let me try to round this up as quickly as possible. First, a big thanks to all those who help get “The Answer” by BoodAbooM it’s first chart action hitting #1 for the week of May 14th, sustaining at  #3 week of June 4th at CHLY in Nanaimo. Next I would like to say that I have a lot of readers from Russia, the USA and all around the world as well as Canada, also a big thanks to you. So with due respect, please understand that the next set of issues and links are merely me shining a spotlight of some of the things that have crossed my path. People are people, we are all basically the same. Politicians also seem to vary little from country to country. To me they look like a bunch of bungling bozos with their hands in the pockets of the working class, while big business pulls the puppet strings and dictates the politicians actions. Just my humble opinion of course.

Here’s some of the things that make me feel that way. Russia is mad at the USA because of Omaha’s continued protection of biogenetic / chemical giants, companies like Sygenta, Monsanto, Bayer, Dow and Dupont. Russia is gravely concerned over the coming “bee apocalypse”. This one’s real, unlike my coming zombie video.

A report I read recently talked about a 82 year old Catholic nun who along with a 57 and 63 year old pacifist broke into a nuclear weapons manufacturing facility in Tennessee in order to protest war and violence. It was a passive protest where they actually waited to be arrested for their deed. The charges should have amounted to a misdemeanor fetching up to a year in prison and a $100,000 dollar fine. In five months the charges were ramped up to terrorism and all three are facing up to 35 years in prison. At 82 it pretty much guarantees the nun will die imprisoned. This while another report from Canada's CBC claims that the FBI fabricates and perpetuates more terrorist acts than any other organization.

Meanwhile in Canada, corporate puppet Stephen Harper gets away with election fraud while feeding his big business buddies 114 billion dollars of taxpayers money in 2009. After all, it was a rough year. It works out to about $3400 for every Canadian citizen. That’s ok though, because Stevie is pushing hard for the success of the Alberta (his home province) tar sands oil. This despite the academics warning us about the catastrophic climate change that this practise could create.

In Rome, the Pope is blaming human misery and suffering on the world capitalist focus. Interesting considering my brother Joe Massop a Baptist minister, recently visited the Vatican where he was appalled by the incredible poverty which exists outside the city walls paradoxically set against the opulence and decadence on display inside. Joe was asked to leave when questioning one of the priests why more resources were not directed to immediate help for the poor and hungry, rather than keeping the money in gold and jeweled trinkets for tourist to come see.

Something a little more cheery was a video I came across in which a University of British Columbia forestry researcher talks about her discovery of communication between trees in the forest. Apparently the trees help each other by communicating through roots systems with the help of certain types of fungus. It lends credence to the idea that everything is connected and we have so much yet to learn when it comes to the mysteries of life.

Despite the many injustices and problems in the world today, as individuals we can start to effect change by approaching everything from the standpoint of loving kindness even when dealing with adversity. Not easy to do, but possible with practise. Be good to each other as much as possible. That’s how we begin to make the world a better place.

Brother T

Mid month blog, Performances and BoodAbooM progress....

Fiona Stuart

Jeffery Randle

Giving it at the Red Willow Coffee House

I spent a bit of time at CHLY this month promoting the coffee house show with Dave Kilbank of the Songwriters Circle show February 3rd. We spent nearly an hour chatting about the process of recording for broadcast and played a half dozen songs from the new album. I sang “Choices” from my previous album live and encouraged people to come out to the Red Willow Coffee House.  February 5th I went back and spent the afternoon doing pretty much the same thing with Pam Edgar who was filling in for Big “G” on a show he calls “The big G spot”. It was great fun to hang out, chat about songwriting  and spin a few more tunes from the soon to be released BoodAbooM album. Pam and I discussed how the BoodAbooM project was a concept project featuring music I’ve written that reflects the rudimentary teaching of the Buddha against life in modern times.

We had a great night with a full house and a long open mic at the Red Willow Coffee House February 8th. The performers are far too many to list here, but some of the real standouts for me were Brian Hazelbower, Paul Bezooyan and Dave Kilbank (Nanaimo’s Simon and Garfunkel), and the lovely Fiona Stuart who performed with bass wizard Kenny Brault and Jeffery Randle on Cajon. Jeffery also put in a performance of his own on guitar with a couple of his tunes. Consequently I didn’t take the stage until much later than expected, but fortunately most stuck around after break time and took in my presentation.

I felt truly blessed with a warm and loving audience. The musical focus for the night was songs from the upcoming BoodAbooM album and a bit of conversation about the concept behind the project. I opened with a tune called “The Answer” that basically points out that “love” is the answer. Try to approach everything from a standpoint of loving kindness, it seems to work well. After a few songs from the BoodAbooM album, I wanted to pay tribute to three song writers that I have great respect for and I feel have influenced my own song writing. I sang Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem”, got everyone to sing along in the last chorus of “I shot the Sheriff” and rounded out my trinity of songs with Steve Earle’s “I ain’t ever satisfied”. Great fun to be sure. After that I performed a couple of songs from my previous album “Choices” and then finished the evening off with more songs from the BoodAbooM project.

The BoodAbooM album project is pretty much completed with all of the recordings being in place. As of the writing of this blog I am in the process of finalizing the mixes with producer / engineer Rick Salt of Lois Lane Studios. After that, the mastering and we are off to the next step. Physical CD’s to sell will be a little ways off and once that has been completed, I do hope to be able to assemble the band for a full album release party. The details of that will be announced once we get closer to that becoming a reality. There will be a period of taking the project to a variety of music professionals for a variety of reasons, mostly to get feed back. What happens next is really quite unpredictable in the ever changing vortex we know as the world of music.

My next performance in the Nanaimo area will be “party time” at the Landlubber Pub on March 30th with my friend Dean Doyle from the Hygrade band on drums and harmonies. We are going to be playing a lot of old favourites as this gig is just about having HUGE fun. New owners Andrew and Jenny have been unwavering in their dedication to bring and keep music in the pub. The kitchen is turning out great food and the atmosphere is awesome. They have brought a wonderful friendly vibe, so Dean and I are looking forward to a night of “given’ er” and playing a bunch of our favourite songs. Music from the Tom Petty to Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen to Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen to The Violent Femmes. It’s going to be a fun night!! Come on out, enjoy a great deal on steaks (for you carnivore types) or any of their menu selections, as well as an evening of sing along and jump around dancing.

As mentioned earlier there will be more BoodAbooM shows coming up, but details will be released closer to the show dates. Check back here or go to the BoodAbooM web site for continuing updates.

I would suspect somewhere into early March is when the next blog can be expect. It's good to check back though because if the desire or a reason hits to blog, I will blog. Between now and then be good to each other. Remember to try and approach everything from a standpoint of loving kindness. It really helps make the world an easier place to live.

Brother T

Upcoming show, the BoodAbooM project, songs, about words and permanence

My first blog of 2013! Let me start by wishing all of you readers peace and blessings in this coming year. The Christmas season was great with family and friends sharing a meal at our home. I was a little worried as we did have snow on the 25th and although many are delighted with a white Christmas, I am not a fan of snow. So I cleared the stairs and did the best I could with the driveway. As it turned out the snow, while annoying, didn’t stop anyone from coming over and sharing a great evening.

On the BoodAbooM project since my last blog entry, Tina Jones of the Kerplunks and Wunderbread came in and added her voice to the upcoming album. She did a fantastic job and I am thrilled to include her energy to this collection of songs. I am anxious to have these recordings heard and exposed for all to hear. The hardest part of recording a new collection of songs is to wait until the process is complete. After all the musical nuances have been mused over and the last guitar strum has been recorded, the task of mixing and mastering is next. As of tomorrow I believe the last thing to be recorded will be done. Plans are to add a harmonica part in the song “I’m Worried”. I wrote the song after a trip to L.A. in 2001 which was one of the more bizarre journeys I’ve made. I came home with a feeling that everything we encounter that comes from Hollywood has to be put into question, including the influence it has on our society. If all goes really well and there are no stumbling blocks the songs should be ready for the next step by mid month.

Photo by Jan Stephens

When I started this blog I told myself not to get too controversial or political. There are so many stories to be shared and things going on in this country, the continent, this world! It’s hard to know where to start or what to focus on. So please, excuse me while I side step music for a moment.

I read an incredibly good blog on what happened with the “Occupy Movement”. It hasn’t died, but it has seen much change. This article gives an interesting insight. Click here to read. Next was finding a video from “Anonymous” warning Canadians about the Harper regime that boiled the blood while sending chills up the spine. No wonder they are trying to warn us, between Bill C-45 gutting our environmental laws and more, the Canada / China trade deal the Harper cooked up, Mr Harper’s smear campaign against those who would oppose him, accusations of big oil companies guiding Harper’s decisions, the words “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty” take on a sense of urgency. One can quickly understand why the “Idle No More” movement has sprung into action and why it is important to all of us Canadians. I don’t want to form your opinions for you, read the article links and decide for yourself a course of action.

I try to be careful with words because while that is what we have to communicate with, words are incredibly powerful and at the same time horribly ineffective. You must chose your words wisely as is pointed out in the third step of the noble eight fold path and the third of the five precepts that the Buddha taught. I think we are well advised to learn to listen before jumping to conclusions as well. That allows for a clearer perspective without preconceived notions or judgement. Not always easy to do, but it does seem like the most advantageous choice. It is good to strive for these things, even if we find ourselves falling short of the mark. After all, we are all just humans trying to find our way through the maze of life.

Back to the world of music, I was invited to perform a song live on air and be interviewed on CHLY’s “Songwriters Circle” show Dec. 30th. Nice way to end the year! Host Dave Kilbank and co-host Pam Edgar chatted with me about the upcoming BoodAbooM album. The interview was captured on video for those who may be interested. Click here to see the interview. I love doing “live on air” radio because it heightens the sense of being “in the moment” and it is always a lot of fun going down to the station. I will be there for February 3rd for another chat around 11 AM to talk about the upcoming album and my next Nanaimo performance. Tune in or listen on line at CHLY.

February 8th is going to be my first performance for 2013, being the featured act for the Red Willow Coffee House. I played this coffee house gathering a couple of years back and had a wonderful night. The acoustics are superb, the hosts gracious and of course this is also a night to pitch in for the local “Loaves and Fishes” food bank. Everyone is asked to bring a nonperishable food donation to help out those who need. I am looking forward to presenting songs from the BoodAbooM album in an up close and personal form, voice and guitar. The lyrics and stories stand out beyond any audio dressings to be offered and examined by all in attendance. If you the reader are in the mid Vancouver Island area, please come and share some music with me. Admission by donation, open mic performers are free.

I also recently posted the song “The Light Within” from my “Choices” CD on my Reverbnation site for anyone to listen to. Eventually songs from the “BoodAbooM” will also be posted for listening purposes. Links to where the songs will be able to be downloaded will be posted as soon as things are ready.

The next Nanaimo show will be announced with the next blog, until then the venue and date will stay undisclosed. The one of the dates has been booked, but a lot of details still need to be worked out. There are irons in the fire for more live performing now that the BoodAbooM album is nearing completion and my focus is changing, so check back and see what’s up at the BoodAbooM web site or check back here at the blog.

I will leave you with these thoughts. Permanence is the grand illusion, nothing stays the same. Everything that comes into being eventually changes or goes away. Every choice you make alters the path of your life and obscures the path of the other choice. Enjoy life for what it is and as it unfolds itself before you. This journey of this life is the gift we need to pay attention to. Please have a listen to the title song from my previous album “Choices” at this link, then go hug someone that you love. Love is the answer.

Until later, Brother T