Saturday May 28, 2022; 8:43 AM EDT
- A Zoom Call with Jon Anderson#
- As a subscriber to Jon's Patreon page, I was delighted to receive an announcement that Jon was going to host a Zoom call titled "Ask Me Anything." A question has been burning in my mind. There was no way I was going to miss this call!#
- My Question#
- I prepared this question for Jon in advance and raised my hand when our Zoom meeting started. He looked at my pixelated face, said Hi Ken, and asked what my question was?#
- Hi Jon,#
- Like everyone on this call, I have so many words and melodies running through my consciousness thanks to you. Your presence on stage, your Songs have enriched all of us- all of these years.#
- Recently, you posted videos in protest of the terrible events in Ukraine (Song for Peace), you created a powerful protest song telling the the politicians and wall street tycoons to go and Screw themselves, and most recently you gifted us with the fun and uplifting story of Charlie and the Sun Stealers (on Patreon).#
- I believe in the power of story and music to change peoples minds and hearts as you have been doing all these years. When thinking about Global Heating, the 6th Planetary Extinction and Violence in our Societies, we desperately need new stories, dreams and visions to sustain us through the times ahead.#
- My question is… Do you have any advice for aspiring songwriters that want to take on this challenge? And have you ever considered offering an online class for songwriters?#
- Thank you for your time and energy.#
- Jon's Answer#
- What did Jon say to my questions? “Nope and Nope.” Then he proceeded to talk to me for the next 15 minutes as he went on to answer my questions. He said we are everlasting beings and we live many lives. That I needed to look into my heart and find my own way. That all I needed to do was look at the great writers of lyrics and music, like the Beatles and Paul Simon. That for him, he had been lucky. He had found a way to create spiritually based compositions that expressed the potential of human experience. That all we need to do is wake up and dream the idea of life.#
- Jon spoke to the sickness in America, that we are hung up on energy and power and money. That we have a fear of death and need to rise to the next level of consciousness. He said that America is sick. That we as a nation need to ask for forgiveness from the Native Americans (and African Americans) for what we did to them. (See Requiem For the Americas remix) That we are living with self inflicted wounds that are causing so much chaos. That we have to get rid of the guns that kill people, over and over again.#
- He then went on to speak of real people that he admired singling out Jon Stewart as brilliant, real and true. He drew attention to the recent Phish concert at Madison Square Gardens and the Waves, Whales and Dolphins that attended. He also mentioned a couple of books by the painter and mystic, Vera Stanley Alder; The Finding of the Third Eye and The Initiation of the World. He also spoke of The Seven Keys to Color Healing by Roland Hunt. Classic Jon Anderson- now I see where he gets his inspiration to paint from. (Check out Sound and Color from the South American tour and band, off the Native American concept album Toltec.)#
- On Recently Departed Friends#
- After that, Jon took other questions and spoke quite a bit about the loss of two of his best musical friends, Alan White and Vangelis. He said Alan was the best man at his wedding, and one the best people he ever knew. He never had a bad word to say about anything. Jon was amazed at how Alan was able to step into the band when Bill Bruford suddenly left. Jon reminded us that Alan cowrote the beautiful Turn of the Century with him and he suggested going back to look at some of the video of Alan on the epic Gates of Delerium - he was a monster drummer! Jon said Alan loved his mom dearly and the last year had been very hard on him. He was looking forward to seeing his mom in heaven again.#
- Of Vangelis, Jon had a lot to say. That he was the best musician Jon ever knew. He loved watching him at his keyboard with his big fat Greek fingers… his music was romantic, powerful, surreal and cosmic! All in one larger than life person. Jon said that Vangelis also carried around with him a cloud in his pocket. He would often pull the cloud out and put it over his head where it would rain down on him. Jon said he also had terrible stage fright, and twice when Jon was in the audience asked him to come up on stage and perform together. They made wonderful music together.#
- Closing#
- There were lots of references to songs from the past. Jon would sing a few words and everyone would guess the song. He spoke of his current concert tours with the young peeps from the Paul Green Rock Academy and music he was working on to be released within days. Jon also soke of the recent Phish concert at Madison Square Gardens with flying whales and dolphins!#
- As always, Jon remains an amazing creative force- an everlasting being full of life and love. A great Sage of Music and the Angel of Rock and Roll. It was a Beautiful, Wonderful, Extraordinary, Amazing Beautiful Experience. Bless his Soul!#
Saturday May 28, 2022; 8:43 AM EDT
- A Zoom Call with Jon Anderson#
- As a subscriber to Jon's Patreon page, I was delighted to receive an announcement that Jon was going to host a Zoom call titled "Ask Me Anything." A question has been burning in my mind. There was no way I was going to miss this call!#
- My Question#
- I prepared this question for Jon in advance and raised my hand when our Zoom meeting started. He looked at my pixelated face, said Hi Ken, and asked what my question was?#
- Hi Jon,#
- Like everyone on this call, I have so many words and melodies running through my consciousness thanks to you. Your presence on stage, your Songs have enriched all of us- all of these years.#
- Recently, you posted videos in protest of the terrible events in Ukraine (Song for Peace), you created a powerful protest song telling the the politicians and wall street tycoons to go and Screw themselves, and most recently you gifted us with the fun and uplifting story of Charlie and the Sun Stealers (on Patreon).#
- I believe in the power of story and music to change peoples minds and hearts as you have been doing all these years. When thinking about Global Heating, the 6th Planetary Extinction and Violence in our Societies, we desperately need new stories, dreams and visions to sustain us through the times ahead.#
- My question is… Do you have any advice for aspiring songwriters that want to take on this challenge? And have you ever considered offering an online class for songwriters?#
- Thank you for your time and energy.#
- Jon's Answer#
- What did Jon say to my questions? “Nope and Nope.” Then he proceeded to talk to me for the next 15 minutes as he went on to answer my questions. He said we are everlasting beings and we live many lives. That I needed to look into my heart and find my own way. That all I needed to do was look at the great writers of lyrics and music, like the Beatles and Paul Simon. That for him, he had been lucky. He had found a way to create spiritually based compositions that expressed the potential of human experience. That all we need to do is wake up and dream the idea of life.#
- Jon spoke to the sickness in America, that we are hung up on energy and power and money. That we have a fear of death and need to rise to the next level of consciousness. He said that America is sick. That we as a nation need to ask for forgiveness from the Native Americans (and African Americans) for what we did to them. (See Requiem For the Americas remix) That we are living with self inflicted wounds that are causing so much chaos. That we have to get rid of the guns that kill people, over and over again.#
- He then went on to speak of real people that he admired singling out Jon Stewart as brilliant, real and true. He drew attention to the recent Phish concert at Madison Square Gardens and the Waves, Whales and Dolphins that attended. He also mentioned a couple of books by the painter and mystic, Vera Stanley Alder; The Finding of the Third Eye and The Initiation of the World. He also spoke of The Seven Keys to Color Healing by Roland Hunt. Classic Jon Anderson- now I see where he gets his inspiration to paint from. (Check out Sound and Color from the South American tour and band, off the Native American concept album Toltec.)#
- On Recently Departed Friends#
- After that, Jon took other questions and spoke quite a bit about the loss of two of his best musical friends, Alan White and Vangelis. He said Alan was the best man at his wedding, and one the best people he ever knew. He never had a bad word to say about anything. Jon was amazed at how Alan was able to step into the band when Bill Bruford suddenly left. Jon reminded us that Alan cowrote the beautiful Turn of the Century with him and he suggested going back to look at some of the video of Alan on the epic Gates of Delerium - he was a monster drummer! Jon said Alan loved his mom dearly and the last year had been very hard on him. He was looking forward to seeing his mom in heaven again.#
- Of Vangelis, Jon had a lot to say. That he was the best musician Jon ever knew. He loved watching him at his keyboard with his big fat Greek fingers… his music was romantic, powerful, surreal and cosmic! All in one larger than life person. Jon said that Vangelis also carried around with him a cloud in his pocket. He would often pull the cloud out and put it over his head where it would rain down on him. Jon said he also had terrible stage fright, and twice when Jon was in the audience asked him to come up on stage and perform together. They made wonderful music together.#
- Closing#
- There were lots of references to songs from the past. Jon would sing a few words and everyone would guess the song. He spoke of his current concert tours with the young peeps from the Paul Green Rock Academy and music he was working on to be released within days. Jon also soke of the recent Phish concert at Madison Square Gardens with flying whales and dolphins!#
- As always, Jon remains an amazing creative force- an everlasting being full of life and love. A great Sage of Music and the Angel of Rock and Roll. It was a Beautiful, Wonderful, Extraordinary, Amazing Beautiful Experience. Bless his Soul!#