Several people have emailed me to ask me what is on the cover of The Hidden Hand. And is there actually a hand hidden in there somewhere? Why not take a look and see what you can see? I can reveal that there are at least 6 images in there…can you find them all?! Good luck! Essi 🙂
2017 edition of Watchers!
Many moons have waxed and waned since I last ventured into the world of social media. I hope to correct that in the very near future. Initially, however, here is an interview I gave recently for my publishers, explaining why The Hidden Hand has been so delayed and what has been happening in the world of Essi Tolling. The good news is that there is now a newly-revised edition of Watchers available, the paperback version of The Hidden Hand is out on amazon and the kindle version will be online from August 8th 2017 and is available for pre-order now. So, lift-off at long last!
More from me very soon, but for now, here is the recent interview.
KP: Essi, many readers have been asking about you and wondering where you were and when they could expect the second book.
Essi: Firstly, my apologies for the extremely long silence. Secondly, more apologies for the delay in publication of the second book in the Tilly Greenway series. I’m happy to say that both issues are at last remedied with immediate effect!
It has been a challenging time since I last posted an entry on my blog or sallied forth into the world of social media. As readers will know, back in the spring of 2013 my publishers asked me to make some changes to the storyline of both book 2 and 3 in the trilogy. This was largely because things that were destined to happen in the books were actually playing out in the real world in a way which they were not comfortable with.
KP: Can you expand on that a bit?
Essi: To give you an example: in my last blog post I forecast further wars and predicted that Syria would be the next place of major conflict. That, like many other parts of the old subplot of the books, has sadly proved to be true. With an underlying element of criticism of governments (and the powers that run them) deliberately stirring up wars for their own benefit, it was deemed that the storyline was in fact a little too “hot to handle”.
As it turned out, making a few “small changes” to a long-planned, complex plot – with plenty of subplots for good measure! – was not as simple as it first appeared. Imagine trying to change a menu for dinner when the ingredients are already in the kitchen, the starter has been eaten and main course is ready for serving…and you get an idea of what I mean!
Then in 2013 a series of events meant things had to be put on hold. These included health issues for the main editor at Katy Press and the terminal illness of my father, who passed away early last year. I returned to the UK to be closer to my parents and family and my focus moved away from the books.
KP: We are very sorry to hear about your father. It must have been a difficult time for you.
Essi: Yes, losing a parent creates many challenges – both foreseen and not so – and moving country, along with setting up new work was certainly an upheaval. During this period I also suffered a debilitating episode during which I went temporarily blind followed by a period of several months not having full coordination either physically or mentally and then two years of frequent, severe migraine attacks. Am all fine now, but it was only midway through 2016 when I finally felt ready to return my attention to the Tilly Greenway stories.
I should probably have let readers know before now, but somehow the timing has not been right. I wanted to be able to be fully engaged again, to reply to messages and emails – and of course to be able to make school visits, do book-signings etc. All in all, things simply took the time they did.
KP:  Your decision to revise Watchers I know you made along with the publisher’s suggestion to revise the covers and book size. What led to your decision?
Essi: Well…there was the whole ISIS issue (another example of strange synchronicity between fiction and reality that did not help!) which just had to be dealt with.
For those of you who read the original version of Watchers, you will know in the story there is a secret society that runs the world from behind the scenes. I called that society ISIS. This was a deliberate choice. The name is an acronym for the Inner Sanctum of the Inner Sanctum, but I chose it more specifically because of the resonance with the Egyptian goddess, the first well-known mother-with-child archetype.
This fitted in with my idea that those involved in “dark” magic hide behind the cloak of seeming-lightness (both in the books and in reality!). In this case, they were using the name deliberately to corrupt it. It also fitted well because back in the late 18th century, Robespierre and his Illuminati cohorts chose to use a sheaf of corn/wheat as their symbol during the French Revolution– an image long associated with goddesses like Isis, Ceres and so on. So there was some historical basis for using it in the stories.
However, events in the world overtook me. On my return to the UK I realised that the only resonance the name has for people now is its association with the terrorist activities that have become an increasing part of our world. This itself was another irony, given that in the books the Director of Terror – a woman responsible for increasing terror rather than helping to diffuse it – was a part of the secret shadow-government who carried that name!
Obviously, with all the horrific things that have been happening in the world, this had to be changed and I apologise to anyone who has read the original version in recent times. No offence was intended by the use of the name. Indeed, when I drew up plans for the books back in 2008, the only meaning of the word ISIS was the goddess herself and there was no way of knowing how that particular name was to become so high-profile and why.
This year, therefore, before releasing The Hidden Hand, the old copies of Watchers had to be pulped and a new version produced. This has now been completed. ISIS has been replaced by HORUS (more on what this means another time) – a name I hope will not be picked up on in quite the same way!
KP: Are you happy with the new look Watchers?
Essi: Absolutely! I love the new cover. It is more in keeping with how book-covers in general have evolved over the six years since Watchers was first published and suits the story perfectly. I love the single eye (reminiscent of the Eye of Horus!) and the pathway through the trees, with Tilly and Zack in what looks to me like a dreamscape. Perfect! The cover of Book2 is also wonderful – as are the new in-text illustrations by fabulous artist Meraylah Allwood!
On top of that, I was happy to be able to make some revisions to the text. There was no change to the story. It was more a case of tightening the language in some places and reverting to the opening sequence that had been in the very first draft of the book which in hindsight I preferred. There was also some clarification of the relationship between HORUS, The Others and the Dark Brotherhood. Without wishing to give any plot-spoilers, I’ll leave it at that, but I think readers of the original book will enjoy what I see as improvements in this revised edition!
For those of you who would like to read the revised edition of Watchers, here are the links:
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1999757009
Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/199957009
NB Make sure you get the 2017 edition. Several copies of the old edition are available through re-sellers, but for now the only way to get the new edition is direct from amazon. The new edition is also available in kindle for only 99p in the UK, 99c in the US!
    Cover for the Hidden Hand
KP: What can we expect from The Hidden Hand?
Essi: Again, I don’t wish to say too much about it as it would be a pity to spoil any surprises for the reader (of which there are plenty). Suffice it to say that The Hidden Hand has all the magical elements of Watchers, including a host of fantastical creatures (sea monsters, dragons, bogwights and giant swans to give just a few) mixed with a slightly darker edge than in Book1. A new baddie joins the throng of people hunting Tilly and Zack and the Dark Brotherhood come to the fore as the hidden history of the world is slowly revealed.
I can reveal that much of the story takes place on the south-west coast of Ireland, including a visit to Skellig Michael, a place featured in the latest Star Wars films…yet another example of one of the strange synchronicities that have accompanied the tale as Skellig had been set as the location for book two back in 2009!
I’ve deliberately kept the chapters really short (something I know a lot of people enjoyed) to keep the story rattling along, whilst still having time to explore the magic. I’m sure it’s always a bit nerve-wracking when writers launch a new creation on the world and I have to admit to being a tad nervous as we finally approach publication, especially after the success of Watchers. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed that The Hidden Hand lives up to expectations and say that I’ve written a book that I love and enjoy. Here’s hoping plenty of others feel the same way!
KP: Thank you Essi for chatting today and we look forward to the release of The Hidden Hand!
Essi: You’re very welcome. Again, I apologise to all the readers who have waited long and patiently (and to those who waited long and impatiently!) for the second instalment. I should perhaps have explained things earlier, but one thing led to another and I’m afraid that when I focus on writing I’m inclined to withdraw from the world outside.
Thanks to all my readers for your encouragement. I look forward to reconnecting with those of you who have already been in touch and to making new acquaintances with those who are discovering Tilly, Zack and the mysteries of the Ancient Keys for the very first time!
One thing is for sure – you definitely won’t have to wait so long for Book 3!
I’ve not been blogging for the past few months because I’ve been working on the second and third books in the Tilly Greenway series. The second book, called The Hidden Hand, was due to be released this spring. That’s all changed. My publishers have decided that some of it is simply too contentious, given what is happening in the world right now!
Readers of Watchers, the first book in the series, will know that the story blends old-style myth with a modern-day conspiracy tale in which the plot revolves around a shadow-government that rules the world from behind the scenes. I’d always wanted to mix these two elements because I like both and although they don’t seem to match, I wanted to do something that no one else was doing – to break new ground.
I’m really glad I did. With letters and emails flooding in from readers of all ages who love Watchers, I’ve felt that I have a mandate to continue on with a story truly unlike any other.
For the conspiracy element, I researched a lot of articles on current events and studied a lot of history. I also read many old prophecies that predict either the end of the world or specific major events. I then wove a plot in which a modern day shadow-government (like the Illuminati of The Da Vinci Code) not only follow these ancient prophecies – they do all they can to make them happen. For instance, the first book, Watchers, begins on June 5th, which is indeed referred to in a number of almanacs as “The Night of the Watchers.”
Little did I know, however, that so much of my fictional plot would turn out to be virtually identical to what is going on in the real world!
I’m fascinated by dreams and visions and how they have shaped our history. It seems prophecies have flourished all over the world, from the earliest Sumerian writings, through the religious texts of almost every culture, including the bible, the Oracles of Ancient Greece and the Sybils of Rome, through Nostradamus, right up to today.
My particular writing method is unusual. I use a technique I have developed called the Alpha State Meditation. All dreams happen when our brains dip down into the alpha-wave pattern, rather than the beta-wave of waking life. So, if you like, I dream the stories – neither fully conscious nor unconscious – which is perhaps why so many people have written to me saying that the style is very visual.
It’s an interesting way to write; like watching a movie where I can become any one of the protagonists, experiencing a scene from their point of view (I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to do this in cinemas soon). So, whilst I may have the overall plot worked out in advance, I am often surprised by what unfolds. I’ve even had new characters arrive “out of nowhere.” I’ll write more about this technique another time. For now, let’s return to the reasons The Hidden Hand has been held back.
Most conspiracy theories are just that: theories. The Illuminati, however, are real. Formed in the late eighteenth century by a German called Thomas Weishaupt, documents intercepted in Bavaria twenty years later revealed that Weishaupt and his co-conspirators had the specific aim of infiltrating the highest echelons of government, the church, the media and businesses worldwide in order to gain control over the world’s population. They began in France, where their success can be measured in the number of heads severed by the guillotine. Every high-ranking member of Robespierre’s “Reign of Terror” was a member of the Illuminati.
This seemed a perfect place to begin a tale of mystery and intrigue that stretches right back to the dawn of time.
As you will find out when Book 2 is finally released, the fictional shadow-government of my story forms an “Axis of Power” that involves London, Washington DC and Rome. Intent on reducing the world’s population, this Axis of Power begins with a programme of micro-chipping Londoners with mu-brains, tiny microchips that control human thought.
The twist in the tale is that these people are working with a host of invisible entities who live in another dimension and who feed off human fear. This idea itself is not new. Many of our oldest stories are filled with warning of demons and devils who visit us in our sleep, like the Night-Mare, the Succubus or the Incubus. In the Tilly Greenway series, the shadow-government does a deal with these demons, spreading fear through the media so that people are unwittingly turned into a source of food or made easier to manipulate.
I had originally foreseen the use of the Olympic Ceremonies, the Music Industry and war in the Middle East as the main events/stages for this shadow-government to drive through its plans during Book 2 and 3.
Having seen the Olympic ceremonies last summer, having looked at the images and words being pumped out in many music videos and having followed the wars that have rocked Iraq, Egypt and Libya – with the very real danger of war in Syria and perhaps Iran to come – it has become plainer and plainer that the fictional plot of my books has to a large extent foreshadowed real life events.
To give you an example:
Centuries ago, an Irish seer called St Malachy foresaw a line of 112 Popes, the last of whom he calls Petrus Romanus, or “Peter the Roman.” Petrus Romanus, says Malachy, will “pasture his sheep in many tribulations: and when these things are finished….the terrible judge will judge his people.”
The original draft of The Hidden Hand begins with a quote from Malachy’s prophecy and continues with a Papal Conclave during which Petrus Romanus is elected.
Back in the real world: Benedict XVI was the 111th pope on St Malachy’s list. Benedict surprised the world by resigning on February 28th, but what no one has mentioned is that February 28th is the Feast Day of a certain St Romanus!
As I write this post, the 115 Cardinals who will decide who will become the 112th Bishop of Rome are entering the Sistine Chapel. The Conclave has begun. Obviously, when I was drawing up the plot of the Tilly Greenway series, I had no idea this was going to happen just a few weeks before the second book was due to be released.
Given all this, my publishers have asked me to re-write some sections of the next two books. Without spoiling the plot for you, that’s about as much as I can say right now!
Full info and reviews of Watchers here:
With the Reynolds family at Camberley Waterstones
This autumn I am doing tour of Waterstones bookstores, signing copies of Watchers. It’s been a busy programme, with signings every weekend since the middle of August! I love doing these events: such a great way to meet readers, chat about their favourite books – and, of course, to have a browse around the shelves myself too!
Bookshops are just such fantastic places. I know the market for kindle and e-book sales is rocketing and more and more people are buying online, but nothing can replace the excitement of heading into a real store. It’s a whole different experience to shopping on the Internet. Something unexpected often catches the eye in a way that simply can’t happen unless you’re surrounded by the books themselves. If you’re seeking inspiration you can ask for help from the staff, who often suggest titles you’ve never even heard of. And then there is the simple pleasure of reaching out, opening a book, feeling the paper as you thumb the pages, smelling its unique smell, as you let the words take you off to another place…
That first page is always the one that does it for me!
Don’t get me wrong: I welcome the surge in e-book sales. More people reading more books has to be good news, and I have a hunch that many people who read the electronic versions will go on to buy physical books too. But there will always be a special place in my heart for bookstores, much as I prefer reading from the page rather than the screen.
Maybe it is because it’s a social thing? Although we hunt for titles in our own little “bubble”, when we are in bookstores we share the space with others who love reading – whereas shopping online is a solo experience.
If you enjoy visiting bookstores as much as I do – and if you’d like to meet me sometime soon – you can find me in the following Waterstones stores over the coming weeks:
Saturday November 3rd: Waterstones Trowbridge
Saturday November 10th: Waterstones Bristol Galleries
Saturday November 17th: Waterstones Hereford
Sunday November 25th: Waterstones Southampton West Quay
Saturday December 15th: Waterstones Swindon
All signings are between approximately noon and 3pm. Do come along and say hello. I’d love the chance to meet you!
With Sue Brooks at Cardiff Waterstones
One of my favourite sites in south-west Ireland is the Kealkil Stone complex. It’s not big, but it IS spectacular.
Looking out across the Ouvane Valley to the north and Bantry Bay to the south, the site is the largest of a line of stone circles and standing stones that runs along the spine of a mountain-ridge from East to West until it meets the bay. Most of the hilltops in this area are dotted with such sites.
The Kealkil Stones
The first thing that catches your eye when you approach the Kealkil Stones is the two stones in the centre of the complex. One is tall and thin, the other short and broad. They remind me very much of The Cove stones at Avebury. Here are pictures of both so you can see what I mean:
The tall stones at Kealkil
The two remaining stones of “The Cove” at Avebury
Apparently the tallest stone at Kealkil was once six feet higher than it is now, but it broke and had to be shortened when it was re-positioned.
As well as the two large stones, there are two circles at Kealkil – one of five stones about chest-high and an even older stone circle that is largely hidden in bushes and is made up of stones that are no more than a foot high.
Stone Circle at Kealkil
Even though some 50% of sites like this have been destroyed since the second world war, the south-west of Ireland still has plenty (more than anywhere else in Europe). I love to visit them, to sit quietly, to listen, feel, breathe. Each has its own unique qualities, it’s own tales to tell. But I have a soft spot for the Kealkil Stones.
There is something about the site that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. On one visit the mist came tumbling down from the tops and we were suddenly enveloped in a silent white shroud. Time stopped and if someone from 5,000 years ago had emerged, I wouldn’t have been surprised!
You can see the stone circle and the tall stones here. The smallest stone circle is hidden in the bushes on the right
Looking south from the Kealkil Stones, you can just see the sea in the distance.
Tonight sees that rare occurrence, a second Full Moon within one month – a Blue Moon! Being August, it should also be a HUGE moon when it rises above the horizon…
The last Blue Moon that I saw was December 31st 2009. As one year shifted to another, that Blue Moon weaved its way across cold winter skies.
I was in Ireland at the time. I watched it before going to bed. Then I watched it when I woke up. It was still in the sky at 9.00am, heading for the range of hills that I can see from my kitchen.
I watched it dip lower..
And lower…
And lower…
Until eventually it disappeared…
..from sight.
But the Magic wasn’t over.
A few hours later the sun broke through, revealing a dusting of snow on the distant mountains (snow in Southern Ireland is as rare as a Blue Moon – some people might say sunshine is too!)
It was New Year’s Day 2010 and a Blue Moon had given way to Sunshine and Snowfall. Pure Magic. The year that followed proved to be just as special. It was the year I finished writing Tilly’s first adventure!
Best wishes – Essi
Book-signing in Waterstones bookstores is always fun!
This autumn I’m doing a tour of Waterstones Bookstores, signing copies of Watchers. I started off as soon as I got back from Ireland with a visit to Wells Waterstones on Saturday 18th August.
It was the hottest day of the year, which normally means fewer folks are out buying books, but we had a really excellent day with a steady stream of people coming to the desk. Thanks to Sarah and all her staff for helping to organise everything. I really enjoyed my visit with you.
Wells is a beautiful city, full of higgledy-piggledy side streets and wonderful medieaval nooks and crannies. The Cathedral is one of the most spectacular in the country (amazing to have such a vast building in such a small place) and is definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been already (or perhaps another visit, if you have!).
Wells Cathedral – front view
One of the pleasures of being back in England is the variety of architecture, spanning so many centuries. Just look at this fabulous arch-work inside Wells Cathedral!
Wonderful interior – Wells Cathedral
It was market-day in Wells and the streets were packed with people hunting for goodies. It was so hot it felt more like being in southern France than England. Reminded me of when I was 17. A friend and I spent the best part of a year in Provence, picking whatever fruits were in season and doing any jobs we could find. Sometimes we would get up at the crack of dawn to take cherries to the local business-market and afterwards we’d wander back through the village, sampling the wonderful olives, cheeses and fruit. Mmmhmm!
There was no market in Camberley yesterday, where I was signing books at the Camberley Waterstones, but as it was a wet day lots of people were out and about (rain is good for book-selling I’m told) and we had a record-equalling day of sales, which was great!
One of the things I enjoy about doing book-signings is the chance to meet and chat with people of all ages and from all walks of life. Each meeting is quite brief, but it’s amazing what comes up within those few, short minutes. It seems book-buyers love to tell their own stories as well as buying those written by others! And of course, as I writer, I’m not averse to telling my own…!
My thanks to Tracy, Louise and rest of the Camberley Waterstones staff for all your help.
At Camberley Waterstones Saturday 24th August
Next Saturday, I’ll be in the Haywards Heath Waterstones from noon until 2pm. Do come along for a chinwag if you are in the area. I’d love to swap stories with you!
For now, I’d better get back to writing the last chapters of The Hidden Hand – my deadline is approaching fast!
A month without blogging: what’s going on? The answer is that I’ve been in Ireland for the last couple of months, beavering away at Book 2 of the Tilly Greenway series, The Hidden Hand, which is going really well.
Ireland is such a beautiful place. I especially love the south-west (Cork and Kerry) with its misty mornings, its craggy shores and the magical mountains rising above the sea. Not that I’m a big fan of the weather. In eight weeks we must have had seven of almost solid rain – but that’s an Irish summer for you!
Sunset over the Beara Peninsula
There are plenty of compensations. Take yourself up onto almost any hilltop and you’re almost certain to find a stone circle, standing stone, burial mound or fairy fort. There are more stone circles in this part of Ireland than anywhere in the world.
Drombeg Stone Circle
I’ve found that the Irish remember their myths and legends – and pay heed to them too – in a way that is increasingly unusual (in the west) these days. No one, for instance, would EVER build a house on the site of a fairy fort. They have too much respect. I like that. I like the sound of laughter too, which I seem to hear far more frequently there.
Then of course there are the innumerable rainbows, the green green fields, the windy headlands and the curlews calling like sirens from the shore.
A favourite spot
Ireland is like that for me. Too much of it and I get itchy feet (the grey clouds can get to you after a while!). Yet, as soon you are gone, its lilting song drifts back over the seas, calling out: “Come back! Come back! Come back!”
Which, being (at least half) a Celt, I’m sure I will!
Best wishes, Essi.
Taken from ” the hill at the back”…
I’ve had a lot of emails about my last post “Olympic Earthquake Song – Striking the Right Notes?”
Most people agree that using the song “Earthquake” during the Olympic Celebrations is at best “crass”, at worst “horrifying”.
I’d like to think that the organisers of the world’s most wonderful spectacle of sporting achievement are just “too stupid” (as one correspondent suggests) to notice the messages of the songs that are being used during it, but I find it very hard to believe that they could have failed to notice the underlying energy of violence and aggression within those songs.
This underlying energy is hugely important.
To me, life happens as much in the invisible realm as in the visible. That’s the core theme within my books. What we experience on a subconscious (subliminal) level is far more powerful than anything we consciously perceive; which is why dreams, intuition and visions play such a dramatic part in our daily lives, just as they have throughout history. It’s also why subliminal advertising is so effective.
We all emit and receive millions of micro-waves of electro-magnetic energy every second. These speak to us on a deep level, informing us of frequencies (of light and sound) that our eyes cannot see. But just because we don’t see them does not mean they are not there. To a great extent, they shape us deep within.
When you have a billion people tuning in simultaneously to an event like the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics tonight, you have a chance to communicate with them on both the visible and invisible level. It’s an opportunity to be uplifting, to unite people together in a joyous occasion. Whether you choose to take or not is another matter.
I’ll happily comment on tonight’s ceremony once I have seen it, but for now let’s stick to what we actually know to be true.
The official song for London 2102 is called Survival, by a group called Muse. On the face of it, the lyrics are not so bad, but I have deep reservations. Here they are (bold pieces highlighted by me).
Muse – Survival Lyrics
Race, life’s a race
And I am gonna win
Yes, I am gonna win
And i’ll light the fuse
And i’ll never lose
And I choose to survive
Whatever it takes
You won’t pull ahead
I’ll keep up the pace
And i’ll reveal my strength
To the whole human race
Yes I am prepared
To stay alive
I won’t forgive, the vengeance is mine
And I won’t give in
Because I choose to thrive
I’m gonna win
Race, it’s a race
But i’m gonna win
Yes i’m gonna win
And will light the fuse
I’ll never lose
And i choose to survive
Whatever it takes
You won’t ṗull ahead
I’ll keep up the pace
And i’ll reveal my strength
To the whole human race
Yes I’m gonna win
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Win! Win! Win! Win!
Yes i’m gonna win
[Lyrics to Survival performed by Muse]
First seen on LyricsPremiere.com
Just to repeat myself: this is the OFFICIAL Olympic song. I don’t suggest you listen to it, but if you do, you may well be struck by the fact that it doesn’t really make you feel great. There’s a reason for this. After a melodious beginning, it becomes increasingly discordant.
My take on this is:
1)     The theme of violence/bombs that we have noted continues with the phrase “I light the fuse” and the instruction to “Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”
2)Â Â Â Â Â “Vengeance is mine” is something you’d expect to hear in a Jacobean Tragedy, rather than during a celebration of sporting prowess!
3)     “Whatever it takes” implies that rules of fair play do not apply.
4)     As to the words “I won’t forgive” – my personal view is that a culture improves in equal measure with its ability to show forgiveness and compassion.
You might be interested to know that the album (to be released in September) that this song comes from is called The Second Law. The law it refers to is the second law of thermodynamics, which according to Wikipedia “is an expression of the tendency that over time, differences in temperature, pressure, and chemical potential equilibrate in an isolated physical system so as to result in the natural entropic dissolution of the system itself.”
In other words: it is the law that states that order will break down into chaos, unity into separation.
And there we go again…that underlying message of chaos and destruction which seems wholly inappropriate to the Olympic Games, but which has been chosen to represent/be associated with them.
One thing is for sure: along with the visual extravaganza, there will be a lot of subliminal messages pouring out to the billions of viewers from the poly-pyramided Olympic stadium tonight. Let’s hope that those messages, contrary to some of the music choices that we’ve seen so far, are filled with love, fun and hope, containing a vision of humanity that makes us all happy to be part of it.
For that is what I see the Olympics as. It’s a chance for individuals to excel, to celebrate extra-ordinary personal achievement whilst representing closely-knit teams. As such, it is a microcosm of our world, each of us being uniquely special, yet all of us inextricably linked by the same magical breath of life which continues, day in day out, whether we are awake or deep in dreamland, wherever we are in the world.
That’s the sort of message I’d like tonight’s Opening Ceremony broadcast: a message of light and hope for a brighter future in which the wonder of life fills our hearts with shared magic.
Let’s hope it does!
With best wishes,
Essi.
In a recent post I talked about how a fan contacted me to say that a scene from my book Watchers (where a tree grows from the peak of Glastonbury Tor) was uncannily similar to alleged leaked scenes from the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games in London, which takes place in a week’s time.
In my world there is no such thing as coincidence, so this strange synchronicity brought the Olympics to my attention and prompted me to take a closer look at the whole thing. What I’ve discovered is quite unnerving.
Children read this blog, so I shall leave out the most disturbing parts, but I do wish to draw attention to some of the things that are going on surrounding the Olympics – and our society in general – especially when it comes to the words that are in a lot of the music that finds favour these days.
Looking for resonances between the Tor and the Olympics, I discovered that a rap-group called Labrinth were invited to be the main act at the first of 66 musical “events” that are accompanying the Olympic Torch on its tour around Great Britain. Every day since then, the sounds of this group have been blared out from the bus that accompanies the Torch and are being listened to by children up and down the land.
What is the connection? Well, Glastonbury Tor is well-known for featuring a centuries-old real labyrinth that is cut into the side of the hill and which forms a spiral pathway that used to be processed as part of a spiritual ceremony.
Glastonbury Tor with the Labyrinth clearly visible
Looking up Labrinth, I discovered that one of the songs they performed is called “Earthquake”. By the way, this song also featured at London’s New Years Eve Firework Display that ushered in 2012, where a part of it was played loudly to the celebrating crowds (and the millions watching on television).
So, what is the big deal about Labrinth singing a song called “Earthquake” at the first Olympic Torch event and music from the same band subsequently being played from the Olympic coach?
Well, let’s have a look at the lyrics – if that is what they can be called – to “Earthquake”. I haven’t included a link to the video that goes with them because I want you to focus on the words themselves. I apologise in advance if they cause offence, but please bear in mind that by quoting them in full, I’m hoping to bring to light something that is hidden. The asterisks, by the way, are mine.
Words to Earthquake by Labrinth
Labrinth! come in!
Ladies and gentlemen
This is something they call
A ground breaker
So let me first apologise
To shirts and the ties
For your make up
Cause I’ll make you ugly
As soon as it drops
We’re on a rampage
Bottles popping off
Before you know it
There’s rubble and dust
Cause we be f**king it up
Somebody say… (you better run)
Yeah
I predict an earthquake
Didn’t happen
Say yeah
I predict an earthquake
Up in here
Cause we throw bombs on it
Throw bombs on it
Just smash something
Yeah mosh for me
Yeah
We can make an earthquake up in here
So here we go we go
Ladies and gentlemen
What you’re about to witness
Is no illusion
And now we got the bass banging
From here to Buckingham palace
They’re all moving
Hey Simon
We’re f**king them up
Turning em psycho
Everybody rock
We bring the house down
To rubble dust
Cause we be f**king it up
Somebody say… (you better run)
Yeah
I predict an earthquake
Up in here
Say yeah
I predict an earthquake
Up in here
Throw bombs on it (yeah)
Throw bombs on it (yeah)
Just smash something
Just mosh for me (aha)
Yeah (let’s go)
We can make an earthquake up in here
So here we go we go
I predict an earthquake up in here
Cause we throw bombs on it
Throw bombs on it
Just smash something
Just smash for me
Yeah
We can make an earthquake up in here
So here we go we go
Hey yo Labrinth
This one’s feeling like a straight ten on the richter scale, ya know…
Yeah!
Fire fire! We about to set this place on fire!
With out a match or lighter
Don’t do girlfriends
One nighters make them c’minor
if I want Christian
Or Kurt Geiger I just phone up the designer
Doing all nighters no days off grey hairs and a little
Bit of weight loss
I predict (riots)
I predict (chaos)
I predict (people)
I predict (AAHHH)
Disturbing London got the whole city panicking
I’ll be Nostradamus this my ni ni neighbour(Labrinth)
Yeah
I predict an earthquake up in here
Say yeah
I predict an earthquake up in here
Cause we throw bombs on it (yeah)
Throw bombs on it (yeah)
Just smash something
Yeah mosh for me
Yeah
We can make an earthquake up in here
So here we go we go
Labrinth come in
Labrinth come in
Labrinth come in
Labrinth come in
***********
I was shocked when I read these words for the first time. I still am.
In a world where society has become so volatile that something as joyful/peaceful as a global games event has to be protected by a small army (during the Olympics armed troops will walk the streets of London for the first time since 1945), why, I ask, would ANYONE pump such violent and discordant words and music into the mix?
Every day we are seeing more and more focus on the security at the Games; with ground-to-air missiles, thousands of soldiers being drafted in and the Americans sending 1,000 of their own security forces, reportedly including 500 members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
So, who in their right mind would choose a song that includes the words “throw bombs on it” – repeated again and again – to be part of the Olympic celebrations?? And why would they even consider using a song that includes such foul language and abusive attitudes to women when the main intent of the Olympics is to engender global unification and positive feelings?
The words appear to be an incitement to violence. They also claim to make a series of predictions about “riots, chaos, people and the whole of London panicking” (the reference to Nostradamus is probably because one of his predictions was that a dire event would happen at “the Games around the time of the Great Millennial”).
I was so amazed at this that I asked my youngest daughter whether this song is popular with her friends. “Oh yes, Daddy,” she told me, “It’s on the radio all the time.” Apparently one of her teachers even played it during a class.
Now, this has got me quite hot under the collar, the reason being that the power of words cannot be underestimated, especially when they are combined with SOUNDS and IMAGES. Even if we cannot hear words (because of the music accompanying them), they still enter our subconscious minds where they are soaked up, never to be forgotten.
It’s also a fact that the more something is repeated the more it acts as an instruction. Take a look at the most-repeated phrases in the song above and ask yourself what instructions are being given?
What gets my hackles up more than anything is that children – and in this case, the adults who attend such public events (or watch them on TV) – cannot choose what they listen to. They/we rely on those who are in positions of authority to be caring, considerate guides who have our best interests at heart.
In this case those people have not lived up to their responsibilities. At best, the airing of this song is crassly inconsiderate. At worst, it suggests an endorsement of violence, casual sex and abusive language.
Someone somewhere has chosen to promote a song that focuses on a nightmare-scenario (London in panic/flames), rather than giving us a vision of unity, beauty and light – which would have been just as easy – alongside both the Olympic Games.
I say this is an outrage. But what do you think?
Am I just being an old fuddy-duddy who is way out of touch with the modern world (I admit this is quite possible, especially when it comes to the lyrics in many modern songs) or do you think I have a point here?
Do you think it is acceptable for such words to be broadcast to thousands of people lining the streets, or to the millions who tuned in to enjoy the New Years Celebrations?
If you think it’s just fine, please write to me. I’d like to know your side of the story.
If you think it’s not acceptable, I’d like to hear from you too.
Kids – what do you think?
Parents – what do you think?
At very least I think it’s time to start a public debate about this…so perhaps you might pass this article around on your blogs, twitter and facebook pages and we’ll see what other people make of it?
Until next time, I leave you with my best wishes – and with this beautiful photograph of the Tor.
Resources and Credits.
Earthquake Songwriters: OKOGWU, PATRICK / MCKENZIE, TIMOTHY / WILLIAMS, MARC [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/labrinth/earthquake.html ]
Related Stories.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/athletics/london-2012-olympics-opening-ceremony-1144728
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/harrymount/100064839/olympic-thugs-are-ruining-londons-parks/
Essi Tolling - Author 