Al Stravinsky
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95,262 views
So he never existed... not really, as a real person. He made himself up one day in 1969 and lived a dual existence: half of him surviving on dead-end jobs, the other half believing that one day he would write at least one song that the world would remember. Now half of him is dead, and, as with all conjoined twins (without major surgery) that sentences both of them. It would be sad if it wasn't so pathetic. Fairy-tales always end this way... well not always, rarely... and this was rarely a fairy-tale; so there the similarities end: the ending was neither sad nor happy - it just... was.
The enigmatic and tragic Jackson C Frank was a hero of his... now he emulates that frail and failed soul. Maybe in 40 years people will still say 'Al who?', much as they do today. That would be both a great epitaph, and a fitting legacy.
Below is the page as he inexplicably and hurriedly left it: hot meal still on the table; knife and fork still in place and at the ready; the drink untouched in the bone china cup...
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I now have an album: 'The sentence that I serve' available from CD baby. Click on this mini album cover to take you there:
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It's on iTunes too, where the whole album or individual tracks can be downloaded in mp3 format:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=216015067
Thanks.
I've been a professional musician for 24 years, and over 3000 gigs (I've stopped counting); always working, travelling, trying to make ends meet...nearly...if you could just hold these a minute please...er...thanks: my hands are now free so I can get on with actually (ironically) playing some music at last. I sing and play bass guitar and I play some acoustic/electric guitars also.Band/artist history
I heard 'Space Oddity' on Radio Luxembourg (transistor radio, 2am with the earpiece in, under the covers) when I was about 13, and the world hasn't been the same since. I bought my first guitar at 16, left school at 18, joined my first band in 1977, and since 1982 I've worked as a bass player/singer; mostly in bands but latterly in a duo, doing the clubs, pubs and suchlike of the UK's ever-shrinking live circuit. Is it like this the world over? Anyway, in November 2004 I suddenly found myself with time on my hands, after years of gigging too hard and helping to bring up two kids. Gigs are no longer so vital (in most senses of the word), the boys are both now at school, and the days are relatively empty. I now have the equipment and the time, a bit of pent-up creative frustration, and a reservoir of bits of ideas and tunes that have floated round my head for years looking for a home.
Ive not tried to be commercial or anything: the songs are just, or as close as I could get to just, as I heard them in my head.Have you performed in front of an audience?I once played live, it's what I did for a living; but not my own songs unfortunately.
Your musical influences
For their bass playing: Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, David Hungate, James Jameson, Bernard Edwards, Ron Carter. For their words/music: Beatles, Cream, Freddie Mercury, Boz Scaggs, Kinks, David Bowie, Doobie Brothers, Moody Blues, Heatwave, Sting, James Taylor, Elton John, Hal David, Bert Jansch, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Frank Sinatra, Nat 'King' Cole, Johnny Mercer/Cole Porter/Sammy Cahn and all the great 'standards' writers, Miles Davis, Mozart to Motown, Bach to Bacharach...it's hard to spot, but it's all in there somewhere. I've listened to some of these from age 6 onwards, and they are still my favourites. I've been influenced by many one-off songs too: 'Say you don't mind' by Colin Bluntstone; 'Have you ever been in love' by Leo Sayer; 'Night to remember' by Shalamar; 'Butterfly kisses' by Bob Carlisle, to name but four at random out of a hundred and forty eight.What equipment do you use?
I use Cubase SE (for live recording) and Reason 2.5 (for sounds and sequencing) software. I have several Voxengo and Yamaha mastering plug-ins which are very good, and Brian Delaney, Black2Black and Mark Walker provide most of the drum loops. For guitars: Warwick Streamer bass; Clarissa semi-acoustic; my old classical that I bought all those years ago; and a Tanglewood Strat copy. My mic is an AKG C1000s which must do for all applications at the moment.Anything else?
Email me at: al32123@hotmail.com
Come and find some more of my tunes at:
CD available at CD Baby
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Al, I just listened to Falling Apart, and it's now my favorite by you.
Excellent work, and my wife likes it too.
Regards,
Stephen (mewsician2)Hello there Al.
Don't you write any more?
We've had some mixed weather here lately, ranging from hot and sunny over 30 degrees Cel. to cold and raining, as it is today. You must be heading for better temps now that Winter is nearly over for you.
My kids are well. My son is in his last year of primary school. My daughter is doing her 2nd year at high school.
I haven't been writing anything lately. A bit like you, stacks of other and higher priorities. I work three days a week at a terrific primary school. The children are enthusiastic and I love teaching Art. Every piece is a winner. They surprise me every time.
I know this is idle chatter, but I haven't spoken to you for so long. I hope you're not neglecting your song writing. I keep looking to see if there is anything new.
Good wishes to you and your family.
Regards DiAre you still around?
DiAL,
Happy new year, I hope you are enjoying 2008.
Keep in touch
JOHN PAULAll comments (93)
15,005 plays
95,263 views
95,263 views
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Al
@Al Stravinsky
i heard this last night on another site. glad i found it! excellent job!