I seem to have been away for some time. I needed a break from all things EB band including this blog. The last year has been some thing of a trial. Geese fly across the sunset sky high above the broad. My heart beats well again. Urban life seems to be not so attractive among the arteries of eastern waters where the Bittern booms and foxes cry in the dense foliage of river banks. Where a natural pace and rhythm slowly emerges in my day, colouring my thoughts , anxiety subsides. It is calming here in the wet lands.

Back in the day the millwright would climb the steeple of the highest church and look out at the windmills he maintained. If the sails were in the cross of Jesus position all was well. If the sails were in the position of the cross of St Andrew then he knew the windmill needed repair and he would set out to fix things. Same day service as and when needed. This was before telephones, faxes, texts or email. Occasionally the water swirls as a big fish surfaces. The sky is huge and the light magical. Long ships sailed these water when the Norsemen came to Miceni. Shallow drafted ships that could sail in a couple of feet of water allowed the hull of the boat to tip just enough to allow a warriors horse to step over the gunnels and on to land. Cormorants are every where. They seem to enjoy the kill swooping down to spear a fish only to let it drop back in the water uneaten.

Our boat throbs it’s way into the growing gloom of a small broad off the side of a great river. The sun set is now glorious as we settle for the last few casts for elusive Esox Lucius or even a small perch. The boat is still for the duration of night. I reach for my guitar. A song with out an ending is running around my brain. It, like the pike, has eluded me for weeks and it is time to progress it. Back in the world, a short step from where I am, Fiscal Chancellors and financiers are reeling from the first stages of the great illness. Their capital system is failing. Their greed and ours has shaken the models for capitalistic security and prosperity.

“Governments are brought down by the collapse of computer banking systems and the pirates who intercede at major transference terminals and make off with the credits are still selling rice to the dying of the ruined hinterlands, whose rulers have forgotten them in the race to go Western” –
Super Chip the final silicon solution.

It must be clear now that Governments have huge reserves in order to be able to shore up the failing profiteers. The Head of Leh-mans was taking as much as 5 mill in salary, per annum, over a period of six years. What would the US have done with the 700 bill allocated for propping up it’s failing banks had they not needed to? It is amazing what hidden treasure can be found by western governments and the nouveau rich of the developing economies when they and their pals decide they need it. Is Obama a threat to their world order? He intimated the possibility in his acceptance speech some weeks ago. We shall see. Is it reasonable to expect our hopes will be dashed with the usual disappointment of endless broken promises or will a new day dawn in the land of the free? It seems the needy shall not have much relief in these times and the promises of the good and great are hollow though still – unsung good works are carried out by many people who will not accept the increasingly selfish status quo of these days. They struggle as public servants to do what can be done with dwindling resources. On closer inspection Cameron appears to have little if anything helpful to add to the pot regardless of Labours poor showing in recent polls.

Recently during the days of The Hamar festival at which the EB Band performed a new friend gave me an old guitar. It is an unusual object and is hybrid of Fender jaguar and other parts. I restrung it and here it is in all it’s wacky glory.

It plays nicely and has a distinctive sound that is great for some chord work. So thank you Steinar. No one ever gave me a guitar before.

A new suite of video editing programs sits on my hard drive. I want to re-visit all my previous material and re-process it all but the Deliverance video project is now top of the list and should be finished over the next few days. Keeping busy defeats some demons. The music is almost finished and I have half of the video material. So, I’ll be getting on with it all then.

peace

copyright e d g a r b r o u g h t o n 2008