Any writer and/or composer of environmental music who would like to promote their work on this blog are welcome to contact us. See contact details.
We write lyrics and compose music with an environmental message. We encourage participation from visitors to our blog by means of comments. Go to our Youtube channel or preview these tracks:
Keeper of the Plains
Gaia
Chernobyl
About Keeper of the Plains
At the time we wrote Keeper of the Plains, the culling of Rhinos for their horns in South Africa to be used as some aphrodisiac in Eastern Block countries, was rife. But even before this current culling-spree these beautiful (and already endangered) animals with their pre-historic looks has intrigued me. One evening I was flipping through the channels and came across an environmental program discussing Rhino culling and they promised that they would play out with a song dedicated to the Rhino. I eagerly waited for the end of the show, but was disappointed as the music and the video portrayed all sorts of wildlife on the African plains.
The Rhino is a very important link to maintain ecosystems on the plains of Africa. They eat a lot. White Rhino’s keep the lawns of the landscape in check by eating various types of grass. Black Rhino’s on the other hand trim the shrubs of the landscape. Therefore the lyrics that went through my head the following morning conveyed the image of some kind of keeper of Africa’s natural vegetation.
I strongly felt that the world needs to hear the plight of the Rhino and therefore the message should be rocked out load and strong. However soon after the basic musical structure and lyrics was done, Eugene asked me to come and listen to another version. It was so sad… and I think this is what we would rather like to communicate. (Give us your thoughtsJ)
About Chernobyl
The original lyrics for Chernobyl, Happy Town was intended to communicate a feeling of intense loss when one is deprived of the surroundings, friends and family that you have grown to love. As we wanted to capitalize on the fact that we are environmental warriors, we tried to bring in the natural element as well. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster seemed to offer the perfect opportunity to convey both human frailty and the vulnerability of the natural environment.
Before the disaster the town of Prypiat used to be called the Joyful Village. Seventy percent of its citizens were under the age of twenty. Smiles, opportunity and all the elements that constitute the good life were present until the day a fatal mistake was made at the power plant. Over the next three days it slowly dawned on the residents that what they thought would last forever came to an abrupt end. The negative physical, social and psychological impacts were far-reaching.
The song does therefore not aim to outright knock nuclear technology as such. It is about the emotional impact that comes over you when you are deprived of what has become dear to you first. Secondary it could caution against the indiscriminate use of dangerous technologies. We should learn from our mistakes and find the hope within ourselves to move on. Even the great environmentalist, James Lovelock who formulated the now-famous Gaia theory, is in favor of using his environmentally clean technology until the earth has had chance to recoup from its present ‘sick and feverish’ state due to global warming. (Give us your thoughtsJ)
ABOUT GAIA
As musicians we love the concept of harmony and as environmentalist activists we do sense a strong connection with the natural world. It therefore does not come as any surprise that there might be a force out there that strives to survive by enabling various forms and systems of life to co-exist in conjunction with one another. The Gaia hypothesis believes that the entire Earth is a single unified organism. It recognizes the trouble the ‘Earth Mother’ is having at this point in history as we experience unprecedented earth changes. Rather to wait for the surface of Planet Earth to heat up to the extent that it turns into a dry, brown, dusty and rocky place like that of Planet Mars, let us feel with and for the rest of the living components and their environments. Let us as individuals, organizations and nations around the world take hands in order to secure a better day and stop the mad self-annihilating destruction in a quest for personal gain. Let us prevent the dawn of a new cosmic period of barbarism where wars will be fought over the last remaining natural resources. (Give us your thoughtsJ)
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