Scratchlings are the matured and evolved snippets from my notebooks some of which began over 30 years ago! This year I sifted my songs, stories, poems and monologues and began a process of bringing the best work to the incredibly versatile guitarist Mario Potestio. For some months we improvised and experimented, tweaked, overhauled and re-arranged. Gradually we settled on a sequence of pieces that revolve around themes of human frailty, apathy, rebellion, connection and transformation. The emotional range is very broad. The musical range is too! Our test audiences have made comparisons to Neil Young, Pink Floyd and Stuart MacLean!
The Train to Nakina – Spoken Word plus Music”Future memories connected one to another like boxcars slowing into the mothlight of the staion.”
Emancipation – Monologue plus Soundscape.A true story! “Hey do you guys remember Sea Monkies?”
Sea of Trouble – Song – A rollicking tirade against apathy and call to humanity to unite and triumph!
Night Whispers – Spoken word plus Soundscape. This piece began as a bedtime story for my son many years ago.”The night whispers ‘Remember!’ and the cave waters chuckle, knowing the frailty of human memory”.
Wanderlust – Spoken word plus Soundscape.”Tonight it rises like the day’s heat from the cities hard skin of pavement.”
Scurry – Song – The first 2 verses were written as a teenager! Then left to ferment. I re-discovered the snippet and finished the song very recently. It’s one of my favourites now. Slow and plaintive with a hint of Neil Young. An elegant diagram set to music exploring humanities relationship with the Earth.
Alive – Spoken word plus Soundscape. Ah the enlightenment of youth and a dawning new day!
King of the Apes – Can’t categorize this one! Experimental. Theatrical. Passionate. “King of the Apes. Too young to escape, to the stars. And our rockets, won’t go that far.” Surprise middle! Surprise ending! 🙂
Rain – Song – Words written 30 years ago. Resuscitated into life and song with gorgeous guitar work by Mario. “Rain like liquid smoke from ancient sky…”
And don’t forget your $10 ticket includes Maelstrom a visiting dance piece from Sudbury! Very cool! Maelstom first and then Scratchlings!
Thanks to Superior Theatre Festival for supporting this work and so many other local and regional performers!