I’m in music hell!

There was a guy who lived in New York in the fifties and sixties called Moondog. He was a street performer and composer, a busker I guess. He was blind, at one time homeless although he later had a country retreat, but he made his money by selling his writings and poetry on the street and performing his original music. In his lifetime he was known by famous musicians and celebrities from across the world. He was the most sixties person you could expect to encounter, wearing a long cloak and later taking to wearing a Viking helmet because he was concerned that he might otherwise be mistaken as someone who looked like Jesus. He was often known as the Viking of 6th Avenue.

enchanting

So I came across him a few months ago when I was looking for music for my promo video. This is Chaconne in G major. It’s enchanting, minimalist and does just the job.

 

This piece of music is on the draft promo video that will be released when my campaign for In SatNav We Trust goes live in a few weeks. The trouble is YouTube has a system of putting adverts on videos if the rights haven’t been granted. I’ve tracked down the rights holder, apparently a legal firm in Germany, where Moondog lived for the last 25 years of his life. Remember, he had a thing about Vikings. I’ve emailed them twice now asking to buy a license for the music without so much as an acknowledgement either time. There are web pages devoted to Moondog’s music with people saying things like, “Let’s keep Moondog’s music alive.” Well the people who are looking after his rights don’t seem to be on the same page.

puppies

Therefore, I’m forced to find music from the various download websites such as Purple Planet or Audio Jungle. But I’ve never heard such a mass of generic, cloned, unoriginal dross as the stuff these people sell. The cheerful stuff sounds like it’s from a toilet roll advert with puppies, the uplifting stuff is all full of intense strings in rising tones, the corporate stuff is… well, corporate. It’s all terrible!

Of course, it’s possible that I’ve been spoiled by listening to Moondog’s music. I suppose some of the marginal music I’ve found might be okay but it’s never going to be Chaconne in G major. Moondog, if you’re out there send a Valkyrie to sort out your lawyers.