November 14, 2010

Could Have Been Something

Alright folks I need your help. I seem to be saying that a lot lately, but isn't that the nature of the collaboration game? Anyway, let's not waste time with pleasantries and verbosity. Let me give you the skinny and let's get started.



Over the last few weeks,  a few Twitter pals of mine and I have been recording a very raw cover of Nothingman using Indaba Music, a collaborative music recording site. Leslie laid down the original Ukulele track and some harmonies, while I proceeded to do what I do best, sing out of key and out of time over her lovely voice. Then Keri Lee came in and added some lovely vocals. This is not a polished piece in anyway, but it is cool that we are working from three different countries and using music as a way to connect. In the future, perhaps we can create more polished pieces, but for now I was thinking we could take this one to another level. That is where you come in. I want you to help us create the video for this first song.

In order to keep it as raw and lose as possible there are very few rules, so here we go:

1. Take a look at the lyrics:

Once divided...nothing left to subtract...
Some words when spoken...can't be taken back...
Walks on his own...with thoughts he can't help thinking...
Future's above...but in the past he's slow and sinking...
Caught a bolt 'a lightnin'...cursed the day he let it go...

Nothingman... (2x)
Isn't it something?
Nothingman...

She once believed...in every story he had to tell...
One day she stiffened...took the other side...
Empty stares...from each corner of a shared prison cell...
One just escapes...one's left inside the well...
And he who forgets...will be destined to remember...oh...oh...oh...

Nothingman... (2x)
Isn't it something?
Nothingman...

Oh, she don't want him...
Oh, she won't feed him...after he's flown away...
Oh, into the sun...ah, into the sun...

Burn...burn...
Nothingman... (2x)
Isn't it something?

2. Spend some time with the song:



3. Take and send me any photographs the words and song inspire.
4. Shoot and send me any footage the words and song inspire. No more than 15 seconds long. As many as you want.
5. Share this post with as many people as you can.
Send all submissions to jabizraisdana@gmail.com We will share the video and song when it is all compiled. Let's set the deadline as December 1st. Happy image hunting.

6 comments:

  1. I like this.

    The video is unavailable in Argentina due to Sony blah, blah, blah. So I'm watching this one instead to get inspired:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqzEPvI26XQ

    Any tag to share the story in the making?

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  2. What an awesome idea! I'm totally sending you something in the coming days. Promise!

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  3. onepercentyellow10:18 AM

    Jabiz, this is so much fun! Since the summer I've been exploring how music connects me with myself, groups with others, and helps cultures sneak across borders. Rollin' with music opens doors, minds and hearts. So happy to share with some great tweeple.

    On a bit of a side note, I have always sung the second line as "some words unspoken can't be taken back". That was one of my reasons for suggesting this song, it is my contribution to your Pearl Jam project... For me it's about my first significant love affair... one in which I was so afraid to say I love you that I actually bit my tongue to keep the words in. Our relationship ended for multiple reasons shortly thereafter and I carried that failed expression with me for nearly 8 years before I had the chance to speak to him about it. While my unspoken words were certainly already not out-there, it felt good to finally let them out.

    Sometimes I think it's the unspoken words that really haunt us in the end.

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  4. Great point Leslie. I love how Pearl Jam songs allow for so much flexibility. I never heard it that way.

    I look forward to seeing what images you send me for our video.

    You too Tim.

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  5. Love it! I just took some photos in Denver Colorado, USA, which might work with the lyrics:
    Oh, into the sun...ah, into the sun... Burn...burn..

    I will send them.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Scavenged my flickr stream- use or ignore, no diff to me!

    divide
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/24854033/

    minus/missing
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/4272596811/

    walks alone
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/3171975539/

    Lightning (at least a storm cloud)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/2804302763/

    nothing man
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/3028135048/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5069361629/

    empty stare
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/2196386701/

    escapes
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/2824428296/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/3670389068/

    he who forgets
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/4806711834/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/4829367/

    into the sun
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/4806713622/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/1245165163/

    burn burn
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/2491696348/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/369644609/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/2163188644/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/81180178/

    ReplyDelete