Marc Gunn is Celtic American Musician and Podcaster. Good food, good drink and good company. Folk ballads, Irish drinking songs, fantasy, Sci Fi, and cats on the autoharp. Embrace independent Celtic music!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
"Wild Kitty" Live from Ireland
I don't remember if I posted this video of me performing "Wild Kitty" from my CD Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers. It was recorded live in Dublin, Ireland at the home of Irish harpist, Clair Roche.
Dang! I should be asleep. I have to wake up in less than five hours. Grrr. But my mind is racing.
I was thinking about a CD cover for what I've decided will be single: "A Rabbit for Halloween", "Stardust Serenade", and "She Said Her Name Was Saffron". I can always do a full album in based on this theme in the future. But for now, I'm just gonna have those three songs on the Single.
So the Cover. I was thinking it'd be funny to have those three themes combined--Bugs Bunny & Witch Hazel, Stardust, and Firefly--in a cartoon style. Like imagine, Bugs Bunny helping Witch Hazel up out of a crater (per Stardust) with maybe a Firefly at the top of the crater... No, no, no! It'd have to be Bugs Bunny helping Saffron up out of a crater with Witch Hazel greedily eyeing them or ready to cast spell... oooo, That almost works. If you're any good at drawing pictures, feel free to send me one. Oh hey! And maybe the Genie can be there in the role of the Prince of Stardust... hehe! This could be fun!
Last Sunday I had the awesome opportunity to interview Marc Gunn of the Brobdignagian Bards. If you want to listen to it, it is now available on my site at www.pnwcmpodcast.com.
It was a live interview, made possible by the good people at Blog Talk Radio. This format allow me not only to interview artists, but allows fans to call in and ask questions, or just fawn over thier favorite musician. Hopefully this is the first of many. I plan to do one live interview a month, to suppliment my once a month podcast posting.
If you are an artist who would like to participate, feel free to email me at pnwcmpodcast@gmail.com. I would like to schedule them out as far as I can, so if you have a CD or tour you want to promote at a specific time, contact me.
If there is an artist you really want me to interview, whom you would really like to ask questions or fawn over...feel free to email me too.
Enjoy the interview!
Becky Johnston Pacific Northwest Celtic Music Podcast
NEW CD SINGLE: Stardust Serenade and other Movie-Inspired Music
My new tune, "Stardust Serenade", has received a LOT of traffic recently. I wrote it after watching the movie Stardust. The movie was just as inspiring today as I saw it once again at the Alamo Drafthouse.
I spent this weekend putting the final touches to my new solo CD, A Tribute to Love. So I thought, what's one more single to release? So I added another new instrumental song inspired by Lord of the Rings and a single from A Tribute to Love and created Stardust Serenade and other Movie-Inspired Music. It's just a simple three-song single. I don't even have graphics for the album. But the tunes are quite beautiful. I hope you enjoy them as much I enjoyed writing them.
CD Baby Now Offers MP3 Downloads of My Music for Sale
As if CD Baby wasn't cool enough, it now offers MP3 downloads. You can download entire albums at 200 kbps variable bit rate MP3s with absolutely No DRM!
Dang! I love CD Baby. They have totally revolutionized the independent music business. So hurry up and be the first to buy MP3s from the new store. Check out the Mage Records Music Store at CD Baby.
I know I should be sleeping already, and I will in a moment. But I went through the songs to see what would be best and easiest to get out in time for Halloween. And I came up with a five song EP featuring:
Another one I doubt I'll make available outside the internet, but I think that'll make a nice sounding EP. I'm still brainstorming CD titles, but what about Five Movie and TV Songs for Geeks Like Me. Let me know if you have any ideas.
So I had a couple others listen to A Tribute to Love, and one of them convinced me, yes, "A Rabbit for Halloween" really doesn't belong on this CD. I think I was keeping it on there because I REALLY wanted to release it this year before Halloween. But it doesn't fit the mood of the album. It really doesn't. *sigh*
So then after removing it from the track listing, I started thinking about how I could release the song. And thought a single would be the way to go until I can get a full album out. So I started thinking, "What other two songs could I put on a single?" I started compiling a few, next thing I knew I had ten songs... with a TV and movie theme...
Okay, I prolly won't do that, but still it's tempting... I mean: "A Rabbit for Halloween", "She Said Her Name Was Saffron", "Harry Potter and The Rising of the Moon", "Stardust Serenade", and I have a bunch more that *might* be good. I'd just have to listen to know for sure.
What would be a good name for it? Oh! And graphics... hmm....
Did I mention Once at all? Once is a new indie film that's earned a lot of awards, and for good reason. Fantastic film. I need to see it again. And the music... WOW! Beautiful. And it turns out Once is on Myspace. Made in Ireland too. So if you like great music and you like things Irish... yeah. Just listen to the music. You'll understand.
A while back I compiled a website for people interested in Celtic Weddings. The site continues to grow, but I haven't had any new Celtic wedding musicians swap links with me recently. So if you perform at Celtic weddings, make sure you submit yourself and swap links with me.
Near to Banbridge Town, in the County Down One morning last July, Down a boreen green came a sweet colleen, And she smiled as she passed me by; Well, she looked so sweet from her two bare feet To the sheen of her nut-brown hair; Such a coaxing elf, sure I shook myself To make sure I was really there.
From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay, And from Galway to Dublin town, No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen That I met in the County Down.
As she onward sped, sure I shook my head And I looked with a feeling rare. Then I said, says I, to a passer-by, "Who's the maid with the nut-brown hair?" Well, he smiled at me, and with pride says he, "That's the gem of old Ireland's crown, She's young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann, She's the Star of the County Down."
Well I've traveled a bit, but ne'er was hit Since my roving career began; Then fair and square I surrendered there To the charms of young Rose McCann. I'd a heart to let and no tenant yet Did I see in shawl or gown, But in she went and I asked no rent From the Star of the County Down.
At the harvest fair, I'll be surely there And I'll dress in my Sunday clothes With my shoes shone bright, and my hat cocked right For a smile from my nut-brown Rose. No pipe I'll smoke, and no horse I'll yoke Though with rust my plow turns brown, Till a smiling bride by my own fireside Sits the Star of the County Down.
One of my friends is having her birthday tomorrow. So I decided to go look up a couple o'birthday songs. One... is a messed up. To be nice. My friend Jack Murphy plans to record it for his next CD. And it's REALLY messed up....
But for those celebrating your birthdays, here's a short, clean version that I recorded:
I believe in love. It's an essential part of human existence. There are so many great aspects to it, and not all of them are romantic: love, love lost, marriage, infatuation, longing, lust, frustration, love for animals, places, and things. It is not all cut and dry. There is no perfection, except perhaps in accepting the imperfection of our own understanding.
We put a lot into that little word. Yet, it's only through opening our hearts and acceptance do we really embrace and receive love back.
That is how I approached my new CD, A Tribute to Love. It's not just another love CD, all romantic and mushy. It's an internal journey through the ups and downs of love. And it is only a fragment of the experience that you may have shared in your life.
The album is nearly complete. I plan to release it in mid-October. But for those of you who joined me on this path by listening and sharing, you can now pre-order A Tribute to Love.
This album is not for everyone. I accept that this may not appeal to you in your current path in life. Yet, I hope when you are ready and you listen to the album, you will experience the emotions I experienced in making and releasing the album. I hope you will see it as more than just music, but a way to share your love with others.
I was reading about a musician who leads "Great Big Dream Retreats". She and 20 women go off to a solitary place in the mountains to meditate and educate people on how to achieve their dreams. After the whole Ireland Tour, I've been anxious to do MORE stuff like that. I've thrown around ideas of even doing tours around the U.S..
Something about that sounds REALLY nice. Instead of running non-stop around a country, finding a place of solitude to commune with nature and oneself. That sounds beautiful. If I decided to organize something like that, a weekend Bardic Retreat, complete with live music as well, would anyone be interested in sharing that experience?
- Marc's Music News - Marc Gunn Live! - Demand Me - Saffron Wins Best Filk Song - New Celtic Cat Wooden Mugs
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Marc's Musings Greetings,
I mae a lot of updates to my websites recently. I wanted to clean up my websites and make them more accessible. As you can see, I made some changes to Marc's Musings too. It's tough deciding to cut content that you like. I love posting poems, but since I haven't written many recently, it's kinda hard to continue that feature when I don't have new ones to post. But don't worry, I'll still post links to new poems as I write them. On to the musings...
MARC'S MUSIC NEWS Last month's CD release went great. My solo audience is growing. So well, I got a couple o'satirical reviews that we joked about at the show. They were too funny not to share.
As for my new CDs? Well, "A Tribute to Love" (Listen) is nearly complete. I need to do a wee bit o'editing on one song before it is done. Otherwise, I'm really pleased with the album. It beautifully highlights so many different aspects of love. It just fills my heart with joy listening to it. You can hear to it on my redesigned homepage where I post all my latest news.
I am currently recording a lot of new instrumental pieces. At this rate, I might have ANOTHER CD by Christmas. This one will be dedicated to the fae. You can listen to my latest tune "Stardust Serenade" in my blog.
For those of you who just love Irish music, I just received a new pressing of my latest compilation CD, "Victims of Irish Music". This album features 17 instrumental Irish tunes by a wide variety of Celtic artists featured in my Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. The music is top-notched and continues to receive rave reviews. If you enjoy independent Celtic music, you will love this CD
MARC GUNN LIVE! Our Fall schedule is just now fleshing out. It's gonna be a busy one since we were just confirmed at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival. I was also throwing around the idea of flying up to Boston to visit friends and maybe play a gig or two. As the idea developed, I decided I needed a better way to share my upcoming gigs. So I signed up with Eventful.
Eventful is a fantastic site where you will be notified every time I decide to perform in your area. Just go make a Demand at Eventful. It's quick and easy to do.
Meantime, you will find us performing next week at DragonCon. Our complete schedule is now on our website. Hope to see some of you there.
SAFFRON WINS BEST FILK SONG AND CELTIC CAT WOODEN MUGS The last big news is that my song "She Said Her Name Was Saffron" did, in fact, Win in the recent Sing-A-Song for Saffron Contest. It won Best Filk Song, and we were invited to sing the song on The Signal Firefly Podcast at DragonCon next week.
OH! And I told a few people about my new wooden mugs. They are designed with my Celtic Cat Logo and look brilliant. I place an order for them and they are now on sale. Not sure how many of these I'll actually sell. So if you want one, order soon.
--- Peace and love in your life. Slainte! - Marc Gunn
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Marc Gunn is a musician, photographer, poet, author, American Scotsman, songwriter, music download connoisseurs, web designer, Rennie, online entrepreneur, and a bunch of other labels that don't mean a whole lot but are all entirely independent.
The world is dominated by massive organizations that strangle the life out of the independent arts. You can stop it at the source. Your good will and support of the arts through kind donations, purchases, and friendly word of mouse will make your feel great!
While I was in Ireland, one of our tour attendees, Jan C., asked if she could make a cross stitch of my Celtic cat logo that was designed by Ingrid Houwers. I told her, "Go ahead!" And now she's finished the cross stitching.
Now I think she might throw it together into a wee banner for those rare times that I actually I perform solo. It should make a nice addition in any case.
Here's some of the guidelines Ande Rasmussen follows when he is writing lyrics:
1) there are no rules, there's only tools, you'll find exceptions to everything below, but it's generally good to stick with them, unless you have a really good reason not to
2) Genuine Idea Is the idea worthy of becoming a song? Does it strike a chord? Does it make the singer look good? Is it universal, will millions want to hear it over and over?
3) Conversational write a lyric the way you would say it lyrics are conversational, don't reverse word order for the sake of rhyme, only use words you'd use in a natural normal conversation keep it simple, make it so people who are half listening can half understand
4) Song Structure Lyrics have structure, there's usually a verse then a chorus then the 2nd verse then the chorus so the simplest song form is V C V C some songs have a Bridge V C V C B C There's several more song forms
5) Titles songs have titles, they are the brand. the title is the most repeated phrase in the chorus, it's the phrase that sticks in people's heads, find a word or phrase that DEMANDS ATTENTION it usually summarizes the song if a chorus has 8 lines here's 5 examples of where title are often placed in 8 line choruses
1) x 2) 3) 4) 5) x 6) 7) 8)
1) x 2) 3) x 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) x
1) x 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) x
1) 2) 3) 4) x 5) 6) 7) 8) x
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) x
some songs don't have a chorus they just have a repeated hook line
6) Prove the title. The purpose of the verse is to lead the listener to the chorus every line in the verse should be connected to and point to the title
the verses should build up to the chorus
7) IMAGERY use imagery, don't tell me, show me with images write with all your senses, things you see, feel, hear, taste, and touch Specifics are special,
8) Opening Lines the opening line of the lyric should GRAB the listeners attention Start with a bang Drop the cat in the punch bowl! Splash http://www.peoplestories.org/tips.asp Establish who what when and where
9) Avoid cliches, they are the kiss of death Attempt to create expressions that people have never heard before but when they hear it they understand it. Sometimes a cliche is what you need to use to best convey the emotion.
10) The last line in each verse should transition the listener into the chorus
11) a song contains a. *lyrics*: which are the words b. *vocal melody* which is the way the words are sung and c. *music* the notes and chords that fit around the music.
12) you don't need to be able to sing, read music, or even write music to write songs
13) each line in a song needs to be concise each syllable has to be sung, what's the simplest clearest way to write it?
14) some words don't sing well, don't use them, avoid adverbs, find the verb, one and two syllable words are the backbone of lyrics
15) verse 1 and 2 should have the same rhyme scheme when you compare each line in verse 1 and 2, they should have close to the same number of syllables and you should be able to sing the same melody on each line ie when you compare V1 L1 with V2 L2
16) avoid puns and being overly clever, a song should generate a real emotion in the listener rather than make the reader say, "my my my you are so clever"
17) when an idea arrives, allow it to flow out, write, write down what ever else arrives with it just get it out then go back later and edit it if you have a strong idea you will think of many lines to go with it edit them down to the strongest most effect lines
18) well written songs move listeners emotionally well written lyrics move the readers emotionally songs need to be universal which means people can relate to the tory or situation in the song We write songs for our listeners.
19) Music is about theme, variation on the theme, departure from the theme, then return to the theme Song sections need to contrast, lyricists do this by only using title words in the chorus, using different line lengths, rhyme sounds and rhyme patterns in different sections
20) there's nothing new under the sun, strive to have something new and special about your lyric
21) have your song idea radar on at all times when you find a song idea write it down
22) songs rarely arrive fully baked at once they usually arrive in bits and pieces it's up to you to put the lyric together writing lyrics can be like solving a puzzle
23) you can tweak the song forever ad nauseum a some point have the courage to say this song is done but remember just because you say it's done doesn't mean that it is
24) Lyrics need to make the singer look good, but not too good
25) Think about which angle would best expresses the song I / We / Me / Us You He She They
26) Write What you know Write with authority, don't contrive
27) start a songwriting journal and write down your ideas keep pen and paper handy where you can't bring your journal when you have enough of a song going transfer it to your computer
28) Consider cowriting, you're likely to write a better song faster
29) study the songs you love and write similar songs
30) keep a list of all the songs you've written, the date you started, who you worked on it with, what the current status of the song is
31) you dont have to use perfect rhymes, like rock and block, you can rhyme the vowel sound with out worrying about the end consonants imperfect rhymes sound similar to each other like swim and win, imperfect rhymes give writers a larger word pallette
32) songwriting can be pandoras box if you start you might not be able to stop
33) that's all for now but i'll probably write more later
I hope this helps you write better songs Let me know if it does so now I challenge you to write a lyric
Although I'm just now doing the CD Release for Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion, I am already working on my next CD, A Tribute to Love. The album is nearly complete. There are a few tweaks I want to make, but right now, you can listen and enjoy the album for free, right here.
I forget when we first released this t-shirt. I guess it was in 2003 maybe? Or was it 2004?
Whenever it was the T-shirt design was created by Nikki O'Shea of Dragonpress Graphics. We met Nikki several years ago at I-Con, a Sci Fi Convention on Long Island. We loved her work and asked if she would be interested in making a Brobdingnagian Bards Comic. She agreed.
Nikki began the comic using lyrics from Randy Farran's song "Do Virgins Taste Better". And if you're wondering why there's a unicorn in this story, you'll have to read the comic.
Nevertheless, it went over so well that she decided to design a T-shirt. The t-shirt sold out shortly after printing it. We made a second printing. THAT one sold out. Then she designed a 2006 shirt for us. And while "Dreams Are Made of Music" went over great, everyone kept asking for This Shirt.
At long last, *whew*, we reprinted the shirt. This time, we added in baby doll shirts for the ladies. The shirts were printed by Lunatic Fridge and they look fantastic!
Oh! And we also printed some Tote Bags too, which is Awesome, because my old Tote Bags are really worn out.
I've been having a theological discussion recently with a friend recently. She sounds disenchanted with church and consequently no longer believes in God. What I find frustrating is not that she doesn't believe, because everyone must make their own decision about their faith. What is frustrating is the "Christians" who kill our faith.
Yes, I call myself a Christian. But I am not proud of the direction the Christian faith has gone. It's gone the direction of the Pharisees in Jesus' time. They lost the point of what God was telling them. Jesus came back and said,
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." -Matthew 22:37-39
That's it. Love God, love your neighbor, and love yourself. That's the entire Bible in a nutshell. All else is stories to convey that point.
Now my friend was at some sort of youth gathering at her church where these twenty year-olds preached abstinence before marriage. That's all based on some quotes by Paul: "everyone striving for the mastery must abstain from all things" (1 Corinthians 9:25); and "let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of Christ in labours, watchings, and fastings."
Wow! That's grand Paul. He had some good points. Yes. If you're to be a servant of God, that'd be grand if you can focus only on God. But Jesus would be the first to spark up and say, "Love first and foremost. THAT is most important.".
I remember going to a gathering, like my friend's, back in high school. They told me what they told her. Pre-marital sex is evil. Lust is the work of the devil. Resist that temptation. But Paul conceded that not everyone is cut from the same rock and can abstain from sex and marriage. So is there something wrong with wanting it? It depends on your reasons.
I spent most of my childhood feeling sexually repressed. What does "sexually repressed" mean? It means I did not experience sex in any form. I had an internal, natural need for love but no way to physically express myself. I suffered because of it. I hurt my spirit because I was sexually repressed. I did not love allow myself to be free from sexual repression.
Now I'm not saying, I should go out and screw anything or anyone. No. I'm saying I denied myself the love God commanded me to give. What I am saying is by teaching people to sexually repress themselves, they are teaching them hate for their own bodies!
That is inexcusable. Love God, your neighbor and yourself.
Now don't get me wrong. I think it's good to teach people sexual responsibility. And that may include abstinence for some people. But to teach it as the only way to avoid "the devil", is evil and against God's commandments.
God taught me that love is most important in life. I believe in Love. I believe that it is our ability to express love and share it that makes us children of God. And we should spend more time teaching love and less time corrupting the minds of its people by teaching hate. Because that is what we teach every time we tell someone to deny themselves something. That is not the responsibility of the Church. That is our responsibility.
Teach love. Teach what is right and good. Lead by example. And remind them that they must come to their own decision. God gave us that choice, because he loved us. Show God the same courtesy by making a choice to love.
While I may not be getting many podcasts and such done, I sure am recording a lot of music. Sunday, I was inspired to write a song and after watching Stardust I came up with the name Stardust Serenade".
It is a song based on the idea of seeking love across a wall and finding it in an unexpected fallen star. The three-song single is now on-sale in my music store.
Want to Hear Bards or Cat Lovers Live! Boston, East Coast, Mid-West?
Last night, I was brainstorming the idea of visiting a friend up in Boston. As we were talking the idea came up to do a house concert while I was there. Then they asked if Andrew might join me up there.
The tough thing about bring Andrew is the cost. Since I'm going for vacation purposes, I'm willing to swallow the financial loss. But if we both go up there, we'd need to book 4-6 gigs in and around Boston just to make that feasible.
But there options. We could head into Vermont, New Hamshire, Maine, Connecticut, upstate New York and even Canada if we want to get really crazy.
But to do any shows up there, we need to know where you are at or where you're willing to see us.
We recently signed up at Eventful to find out where more of our fans were. All you have to do is drop by and sign up, and the website will notify you when we're near you. There's one for the Brobdingnagian Bards and one also for me solo. I'd appreciate it if you would sign up for both.
PS, the Brobdingnagian Bards DO NOT play cat songs. That's just solo stuff. So if you like those songs. You definitely need to complete my solo Demand. Thanks!
Recently, I've been spending time at SoundClick.com. This is the website where we sell digital downloads of our music in a nice DRM-free manner. It was the replacement to MP3.com, and it seems to be growing as such. When I first found them, you could just host music there. But now, now you can buy albums and create your own custom internet radio station.
I put one such station for a new CD I'm working on. I admit it wasn't the easiest thing in the world to create. But it wasn't too difficult either. Though the thing I like best about it is since these stations are managed via SoundClick and the music is all licensed via SoundClick, you don't have to worry about the internet radio atrocities that were created by the music industry and SoundExchange. Just last month, Ren Radio closed due to those problems. And Highlander Radio is fighting to survive as well.
So if you are at work and want to your hear favorite songs by the Brobdingnagian Bards or Marc Gunn, start your own internet radio station and share it with your friends. There's a lot of great music on SoundClick as well. Enough to keep you entertained for weeks.
I love my kitties with a passion. Working at home, I spend a lot of time with them, and they spend a lot of time with me.
In fact, in February 2006, I caught them napping together, paws tossed over one another taking a simple cat nap. They were adorable. So I grabbed my camera and *snap*. I captured a beautiful image and saved it to my computer.
Later that day, I was inspired. I sat down on my long antique couch. Not the best place to paint, but it's comfortable. I printed a copy of the image and started painting. I was amazed by the finished item. It kinda touched me. I love this painting.
As much as I love it, I feel I must part with it for a bigger cause. You see, it is time for me to start planning the follow-up CD to Irish Drinkings Songs for Cat Lovers. That album was not inexpensive to make. I expect this album to cost $6,000-10,000 to make. Yeah. Not pretty. I don't have that kind of money. So I need to start raising money to pay for the new CD. Yes, I have new Celtic Cat Wooden Mugs to help me in my goal. But it's not enough.
Because of this financial difficulty, I decided it is time to put my favorite painting, "To Love Is Human, To Purr Divine" up for sale.
But I am not just making this available for any old purpose. All the money earned from this painting will go towards the release of my next Celtic Cat Lovers CD. This is for the die hard cat lover, and the sooner I get this sold, the quicker I can start production on the album. In September, I start looking for a producer. So stay tuned.
"To Love Is Human, To Purr Divine" is a one-of-a-kind acrylic painting on canvas. It is 12" x 91/4" and currently still on its frame.
I was checking links today and realized I had a LOT of dead links on my Celtic Songs & Folk Music Downloads. It's a popular page on the search engines for "Celtic songs", and well, "folk music downloads". So I just finished cleaning that page up. I think it'll be easier to access in the future. Though really what I should be doing is driving traffic to the webpage period. Kinda hard to sell music when very few people visit my website.
Todays show at Things Celtic went well. There was a nice-sized turnout. There seem to be more and more people showing up at these shows. One day, I'd like to do a nice evening show somewhere, maybe even longer than the typical hour-long show that I do at Things Celtic, too. Maybe for my next CD release?
Hmm. Which raises an interesting thought. I really don't enjoy trying to book gigs at typical venues. It's fun playing those places, but not so much trying to convince people to book me. That's one of many things I love about Things Celtic. I already have a good friendship with them, and they are willing to allow me to use their store as a place to promote my music. (Thank you Lanora!)
But the next solo CD, A Tribute to Love, is a bit different. As I mentioned, this is not a Celtic album. In fact, there's only one traditional Irish song, though another uses an Irish melody.
So I wonder, what would be a fitting place for a non-Celtic CD release about love?
Guess I'll have to brainstorm that one a wee bit. Meantime, thanks to everyone who came out.
Here's the latest list of my podcasts, in order of popularity, as of February 2008:
Irish & Celtic Music Podcast This is by far my most-popular podcast with over 8,000 subscribers and 30,000 downloads each month. It features Irish and Celtic music from some of the hottest independent Celtic groups around the globe.
Renaissance Festival Podcast Ever been to a Renaissance Festival? This show highlight artists performing at Renaissance festivals each week. It also hosts the annual Renaissance Festival Awards.
Marc Gunn's Pub Songs Podcast I started this podcast with plans to feature pub songs, but it evolved into my personal podcast. It features live performances, thoughts, some favorite bands, and just all-around amusement.
MarcSongs's Podcast I started this podcast with the intent to feature just Irish songs. But I got carried away and decided to open it up to all my music. Once a week, you can download a free 128kbps MP3. Course if you enjoy it, I just ask that you consider buying an album or buy the upgraded 192kbps MP3 file.
A Brobdingnagian Minute The podcast of the Brobdingnagian Bards. Once a month, we ramble on about whatever's on our minds and then we play a few songs in each show. It's the next best thing to a live show that you'll find.
Cat Lovers Podcast Do you love cats? I started this podcast to promote my Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers, but it kinda grew beyond that featuring cat news, humour, stories, health tips and much more.
Your Weekly Irish Stout I started this podcast for my friend Jack Murphy. It features Irish songs, pirate songs, and sea shanties from Captain Black Jack Murphy and Irish Stout. It is currently podfaded, but we still hope to bring it back one day.
It was 2005 when I was listening to the DragonPage WingingIt and The Signal Podcast (Firefly) and fell in love with podcasts. That's when the addiction began. I recorded a podcast in March, but scraped it. A couple months later, the bug hit me again, and I recorded the Cat Lover's Podcast. It was fun and easy to produce. So I started the Renaissance Festival Podcast. The next thing I knew I had a half a dozen podcasts and new ones pop up all the time.
Life is a gift, to waste it is the greatest sin. Do what you do, prepare as you can, and then move on. Worry never adds.
I used to tell the story of the two monks who are walking down a country road when they come upon a river. Suddenly a beautiful naked girl runs up to them. She says, "The river flooded everything I have away. My family is on the other side. Can you help me across to find them?" The younger monk is flustered, but the older one picks the girl up, throws her over his shoulder and walks across the river. When he reaches the shore he puts her down, and without a word, walks on. The younger monk follows, but his mind is not at rest.
After a couple of hours he stops his brother and says, "Brother, we are supposed to be above things of the flesh! And yet you picked that girl up and carried her across the river." The older monk says, "Yes, and when I got to the other side I put her down. You have been carrying her ever since." When it comes to using our time and energy every once in a while we have to put the girl down.
- Feature Poem: Here's to the Dreamers - Musings: CDs, Firefly, and Other Notes
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Marc's Musings
Greetings Amici,
The sun is setting as I sit out on my porch. Torre is lying on the planks, basking in the final rays of sun. Op! Here comes Tiziano too. It's warm outside, but this has been a mild summer. I almost miss the Texas heat, but I think I've made the best of it as I did last week, falling into the waters of Pedernales Falls. But for now, I've a lot to do. In fact, I have two CDs in the works.
TWO CDS? YOU JUST FINISHED ONE! Yes, I know, I know. I did just finish my third solo CD "Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion". And this Saturday, I have a CD release party for that album at Things Celtic, here in Austin.
Sat, August 11, 2007 Things Celtic @ 2PM 1806 W. 35th Street Austin, TX 7870
But didn't I also mention earlier this year that I have a LOT of CDs planned this year? And this one... wow! I'm REALLY excited it, because the album is something different.
It's called "A Tribute to Love", and it's not your typical love CD. Instead of just love songs, the album is an expression of an idea. It sounds nothing like anything I've ever done before. It feautres songs and ideas about the many types of love, some sweet and loving, some comical, some touching, some heartwrenching, some sad. Love is all of that, and I hope I might touch on a small piece of that beauty and magic in this album.
While I finish mixing and mastering this CD, Andrew is finishing a new Live CD of the Brobdingnagian Bards. To celebrate that new album which will be officially available in about a month, I setup a new website to highlight other live bootleg recordings that we make at BardBootlegs.com. You can download copies of a few past shows, all broken into nice convienent MP3s to listen and share.
FIREFLY, CD REVIEWS, AND OTHER NOTES "Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion" has received quite a few glowing reviews since it was released. Associated Content calls it "unique, fun, and purr-fectly wonderful". You can read more at the Celtic Music CD Store.
I want to thank everyone who voted for me in the last issue of the Musings. My song "She Said Her Name Was Saffron" was up in a stiff competition for the popular vote. And I pulled in a close second. After the competition closed, they asked if they could add my song to a compilation CD benefitting Equality Now. Of course, I'm all over that. What a great honor! I'll tell let you know when this Firefly CD is done.
Oh! And I almost forgot! Today's poem features one of the songs from "A Tribute to Love!". I finished mixing most of the songs. I have some nearly finished recordings that I posted on SoundClick. So you can now listen to many of the songs on the album before I even release the final CD.
--- I hope you enjoy and please stay in touch. Slainte! - Marc Gunn
Marc's Lyrics & Poetry
Here's to the Dreamers by Marc Gunn, Feb 8, 2004
The movie, Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery and staring Megan Follows has long been an inspiration to me. I first saw it in high school. It's sort of a comfort movie for me. While watching in before bedtime late one evening, a song came to me. The inspiration of Anne came back to me.
Here's to the dreamers And the children all alone Imaginations Evoke a world of a happy home A wild cherry tree To bed down late late night Horse-drawn pavillion Will carry you to the growing light
Arm in arm They'll ride by seaside While our dreams... drift in With the rising tide.
Here's to the orphans Who's dreams are ever aloof Imaginations Are only shadowed by the truth They sail cross the ocean And drift up through the trees Through the White Way of Delight Flowers bloom with the coming Spring
Arm in arm They'll ride by seaside While our dreams... drift in With the rising tide.
Do Marc's Musings ever inspire you? If so, there's something you can do. Help me out. Pass the inspiration on. Share with others, and I'll keep sharing songs.
Marc Gunn is a musician, photographer, poet, author, American Scotsman, songwriter, music download connoisseurs, web designer, Rennie, online entrepreneur, and a bunch of other labels that don't mean a whole lot but are all entirely independent.
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Last month I said I was going to continue my discussion of Celtic crosses, but with summer here and the Highland games / Renaissance fair / reenactment season here I thought it would be a good time write something lighter and to share a few tips for people who are trying to wear a kilt for the first time. Back to the crosses next month.
Andrew MacGregor?s Tips for New Kilt Wearers...
New to wearing a kilt? Start watching women in short skirts (-well more than you already do...) to study how they move while sitting down to avoid exposing themselves. You can learn some tips by following their example. That sweep of the hands underneath you as you sit can not only prevent embarassment, but protect you from surprises like cold/hot surfaces not to mention splinters.
Planning on buying/wearing a great kilt/belted plaid? Don't listen to the people who try to tell you that you need 9 yards of 60' wide material. All you need is 4-6 yards depending on your size and the pattern of the tartan. The idea of 9 yards comes from a misconception because the cloth for a belted plaid was only around 25' wide, depending on the size of the loom that was used to weave it. A 9 yard length of cloth was cut in half, and then the selvedge (long) edges were stitched together, resulting in a piece fabric only about four and a half yards long and 50 (or so) inches wide. See this article by Matthew A. C. Newsome (Member of the International Guild of Tartan Scholars, curator of the Scottish Tartans Museum) for more discussion of the matter. For the people that tell you that the phrase "The whole nine yards" refers to the belted plaid see this article for all the other supposed explanations of that phrase.
Chafing. Yes, there is a certain esprit de corps about being regimental, but on a hot, humid day even us skinny guys can suffer. So if you are out on a hot/humid day you are NOT any less manly a Scot if you save yourself some pain by wearing some bike shorts, or boxers. Briefs can help, but they don't prevent your inner thighs from rubbing. Another option is a little anti-perspirant where your thighs rub together to minimize irritation later in the day.
If your sporran is full/heavy and you need to run or move quickly, move it off-center so it doesn't bounce against delicate parts.
If you are going to wear a sword, especially with a great kilt/belted plaid, use a baldrick that goes over your shoulder rather than belting the scabbard at your waist. If you are spending the day at a Renaissance fair or historical reenactment, the combined weight of your plaid, sporran, sword and any other accoutrement all hanging from a belt at your waist can become very uncomfortable on your hips after a couple hours.
Moms, please don't put your young boys into a full-sized great kilt/belted plaid. It can take a while to get used to wearing a great kilt, even for an adult. So if you want your son to enjoy participating in your hobby, or celebrating your heritage, make sure he is as comfortable as possible -let him wear a cut-down plaid made from a generic tartan as a great kilt that fits his size. Once he grows out of it you can use your "son's first kilt" as an arasaid, or shawl. Or he can use it as a "fly plaid" pinned to his shoulder.
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I posted a new gig calendar on Eventful with the hope to use it as a better way to bring more fans to our shows. If would like to see the Brobdingnagian Bards or me perform live, then check it out and make a demand for us to come to your town.
