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ree

Good morning from the tower. It’s Friday, I woke with a flood of words today. They were everywhere. I love that. I was in an LA parking lot this morning, sitting in the fog to misty street lights while a homeless person had a little campfire going in the street. I felt like an extra in “Escape from New York”. I was doing my morning singing routines… always training… in patterns… singing the words I see in the air… but while I was singing I saw a wooden cat on a library shelf, its toylike magic feline glowing Siamese eyes were hidden in the dark between two books… a bit sinister like.. ha.. well, I suppose there is a story brewing for the Hadder tale, perhaps the wooden cat that Zabble will stumble upon when he finds his way to the lower level of the castle. He makes an odd noise when he walks, like wood knocking into each other… eww… I like him… my own Pinocchio minus the nose liar thing… I call him “Mattix” Perhaps a spell from Medlin to keep his books safe from pesky smart mice. So is my day but filled with wonder.. looking forward to that chapter.


Other news on the Hadder story: the waterfall tale will have to wait, as it’s far too important of a puzzle piece to release now, I think a few short tales to set the scene are in order still. Hence “The keeper and the key” and now “Mattix the Coin and the Book”. I will say that Hadder, lord skynn and ezra are quite safe journeying to the gates of Europa well past the Gorgon bridges, and that soon Hadder will wake with an interesting dream about a hidden waterfall and a sacrifice and a mysterious raven who’s perhaps not a raven after all. Somewhere in this world, there is a Lady that Hadder will meet.. which also might have something to do with his dreams and the future. I’m looking forward to this adventure. I can only imagine the music for it all once it’s completed.


Diamond Hadder New Music: “Rivers End” is almost complete. I’ve had about 3 sessions of Drum, Bass and Guitar work on it and now it’s starting to sound quite grand. It’s one of the more elaborate pieces of music I’ve worked on. Like meatloaf meets phantom of the opera. It might not win a Grammy, but it certainly is a painting I’m proud of. This weekend I’ll tighten up a few screws and perhaps add some grand piano to the front of it. I know a keyboard/Harp player that I’ve been considering for the hadder project, who I also might send the track to, to see if he might create a little magic on the opening sequence of the song. We’ll see how the mixes go this weekend before I do that. Right now “rivers End” is all I’m focused on, after that… there is a track called “Long is the Road’ next on my list and I imagine I’ll be working on that in about 2 weeks while final mixes of rivers get close.


On the side project front: With 3 Ramsay/Evermore tracks completed, we’ll have to discuss what to do next with that project. Record more songs to round out a record or tie up loose ends on the mixes and “Officially” release what we have. I have more Ramsay material, so I’ll probably start tracking a new one in the coming weeks… mixed in to the “Diamonds Hadder” workload. Which reminds me of a lyric that came to me while I was listening to some of the new Ramsay material.


“I might be the King of the Lonely cards,

but the deck is ruled by a Queen of Hearts.”


Stargazer Crew: After some discussions with Dougy Weiand, looks like we are booked and tracking some new cover songs in 2 weeks. From what I can gather this will be the same crew that did the Stargazer video, with Rob Black… the studio engineer at Light Black Studios in LA filling in on Bass Guitar. There’s talk of some original music on the table with that particular cast of characters… as well as some talks regarding Dougy maybe being involved with the first official Diamonds Hadder record. But we’ll see how that all plays out. Next year should be a rather interesting year of creation… on all musical fronts.


Here is a little piece of music at the end of “Rivers End”, it was on the chopping block for the TOR record, and was soon to disappear into the oblivion of lost things recorded at the 200 north tower, but it will be part of the song now. Actually, it always was part of the song.... now it just gets to be heard. You could say I’ve set it free. A rock collector and vindicator of words and ideas, that's me.

-j


“It's hard to believe we’re forever

It’s sad to think you know it all

It’s a gift…

We play this game at all…

Somewhere past the end it all begins again….

Go see the man at the rivers end.”


Video Info: Music from "Rivers End".




Updated: Nov 30, 2021


ree

Field Notes from Diamonds Hadder: On the topic of Master Medlins Death and the Keeper and the Key.


Zabble sits by Master Medlins bed in his personal chambers high in the 3rd tower of kilwaughter Castle.


Medlin: “Master Zabble, I’ll be leaving very soon. I’ve been preparing for this day for a long time. You’re ready as you could ever be. I’ve done my best to prepare you for what’s to come. The rest of your journey you’ll have to take alone. Shed no tear for me as I have other plans beyond this place, as you will someday as well. I hope I’ve trained you well and fair and that you always trust the light in the darkness. I’ve seen your path through the woods Zabble, if you only knew what I have seen.”


Medlin struggled to lift his head and reach for a necklace he was wearing. It was a medallion of the sun etched in Bokonian text that translated to, the keeper. Medlin waved his hand over the medallion which seemed to activate and open a strange puzzle mechanism that was perfectly hidden and woven into it’s design. Inside the medallion a strange red glow could be seen spilling out as the 2 halfs cracked… inside was a tiny but ornate key.


Medlin: “Take this.. it’s the key to the forbidden lower level of the castle. You’ll find things down there that will keep you busy. Secret things, old words, forgotten spells, magic books and enchanted wooden cats, lost things… old coins and hidden trinkets. Even a smart mouse or two. It’s time you know everything and maybe more. The castle is yours Master Zabble. I’m proud of you, I could not have had a better student or friend. You’re like the son I never had. You’ll serve this place well in my stead I’m sure… I’ll be watching over you. Before I leave… I have one last request my friend.


Zabbles eyes opened wide.. his chest lifted with his spirits… his tone strong and clear.


Zabble: “Anything my lord… just say the word.”


Medlin: On the first winter moon, after the dream, you MUST go to the edge of black forest… you MUST… there you’ll come upon something that is of great importance to me and the fate of this world. It’s you Zabble, the new keeper, who MUST go. You’ll know what to do then.


Zabble: I don’t understand Medlin, what dream, what is it in the forest I will find.


Medlin: You’ll know when you see it… my son.


Zabble eyes began to water, and tears fell from his face.


Medlins voice went soft and quiet… to a faded whisper… his hand on Zabbles hand… he was saying things as he drifted off…. smiling… something about a coin book and a queen…. A prince… and a hidden city… but it was to faint to understand or make sense of. He was smiling while his voice suddenly began to softly whisper the song of the warmoths… and then he was gone.


Zabble took the key from Medlins hand, a strange thing it was, polished silver with strange red etchings on it that seemed to glow to his touch. He starred at it a moment then placed it in the medallion which suddenly closed perfectly with an odd and complicated puzzle like clicking sound.. “Hmmm… the keeper” Zabble said in a faint grumble… he wondered if it would ever open again. A tear came to his eyes as he held Medlins hand.. one last time…


Zabble: “My lord” he said, “I don’t feel like I’m ready.”


His voice fell in silence.... other than the faint echo of his last trailing words as they echoed through the empty hallways of the castle... "I'm ready... I'm ready.. I'm ready."


A keeper of what… he wondered. As he stood and headed for the lower levels of the castle and the door that such a key might unlock.





ree

I’m back from Holiday readings. Just a quick Monday update on the Ramsay/Evermore project. We did a photoshoot over the weekend, a little promo shoot for some of this DEMO material I’ve been posting on the front page the last few months, which now seems to be three songs to date. Along the way I wasn't really sure where this material was headed. It was created for simple reasons with minimal effort and great intention and so I answered the call so to say as it was presented to me. I was considering it for the Diamonds Hadder record, but now I am leaning more towards keeping it as a separate side project… outside of Diamonds Hadder.. for lots of simple past Hadder related reasons that have been rattling my moth cage for the last month or so. I think that would be best. At the moment I’m knee deep in 2 other songs for the 1st official Hadder record, which should occupy my tower time till well past good old St nick’s arrival and departure. At that time, mid January or so, I’m guessing I'll have all this figured out. Reminds me of a lyric from one of the newer tracks I’m sleeping with:


“Time, is a ladder

up to the shine

every step we take

leads to another why

and hope is the only thing that keeps us alive

while we reach for the gold

long is the road.”


I’m in no hurry to get nowhere fast. Staying the course.

Happy Holidays.

-j


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