Antony And The Johnsons|Antony Hegarty

I sing to the music of Antony and the Johnsons while I paint or sculpt. I adore the song 'Bird Gehrl' From the album 'I Am A Bird Now'. It has the most haunting quality about it and as I delve into my own world of art I am intrigued by the world of Antony and the Johnsons, most especially Antony's of course. Beautiful soul is he!

There is some torment in his voice and lyrics. I often think that without tragedy art is kind of limp...

I suspect Antony knows tragedy.

There is something remarkably haunting about Antony. You hear it in his music and interviews. His heart seems to be bleeding. It is not always possible for me to listen to his music and pain can be contagious and add to your own. In the right mood though I fill my rooms with his glorious voice and spirit.

Antony and the Johnsons current members include:

Julia Kent (previously of Rasputina) - first chair cello

Parker Kindred - drummer

Jeff Langston - bassist

Doug Wieselman - horns

Maxim Moston - violin, arrangement

Rob Moose - guitar, violin

Albums: I Am a Bird Now, Hope There's Someone [EP], Antony and the Johnsons, and more...

Songs: Fistful of Love, For Today I Am a Bouy, You Are My Sister, etc.

Official site:

http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/

Antony's Journal August 28th 2007

Birth name Antony Hegarty

Born Chichester, West Sussex, England, 1971

Genre(s) Chamber pop

Dark Cabaret

Label(s) Secretly Canadian

Rough Trade

From THE CRYING LIGHT ... oh this song is soo moving and I just have to say that Antony is just the most precious soul... to write the music he does and to perform it with such eloquence... it makes me feel like sobbing it is so touching.

Songs from their new release The Crying Light:

1. Her Eyes Are Underneath The Ground

2.Epilepsy is Dancing

3. One Dove

4. Kiss My Name

5. The Crying Light

6. Another World

7.,Daylight and the Sun

8. Aeon

9. Dust and Water

10. Everglade

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Four reasons to love Antony And The Johnsons?

Style

Music

Creativity

THE CRYING LIGHT Their NEW CD

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I PLAY THIS SONG OVER AND OVER AS I PAINT.. CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF IT!

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"You Are My Sister"

You are my sister, we were born

So innocent, so full of need

There were times we were friends but times I was so cruel

Each night I'd ask for you to watch me as I sleep

I was so afraid of the night

You seemed to move through the places that I feared

You lived inside my world so softly

Protected only by the kindness of your nature

You are my sister

And I love you

May all of your dreams come true

We felt so differently then

So similar over the years

The way we laugh the way we experience pain

So many memories

But theres nothing left to gain from remembering

Faces and worlds that no one else will ever know

You are my sister

And I love you

May all of your dreams come true

I want this for you

They're gonna come true (gonna come true)

Anthony talks about his january 2009 release "The Crying Light" in Stockholm/Sweden November 2008.

NOTE: it's backdrop of the pitch black colors of winter Sweden in the background.

This could be like 3 pm in the afternoon.. strange huh?

I must add about this interview that watching him was a lovely experience.. he makes you feel like you are not alone in any kind of sadness or possibly a feeling of not being accepted in some ways. We all feel that from time to time. How generous of him to let his insecurities show on his dear face. Thank you Antony.... thank you.

Such a sensitive soul... no wonder his music is so touching.... no wonder.

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Antony And The Johnsons

"The Lake"

In youth's spring, it was my lot

To haunt of the wide earth a spot

To which I could not love the less

So lovely was the loneliness

Of a wild lake, with black rock bound

And the tall trees that towered around

But when the night had thrown her pall

Upon that spot as upon all

And the wind would pass me by

In its stilly melody

My infant spirit would awake

To the terror of the lone lake

My infant spirit would awake

To the terror of the lone lake

Yet that terror was not fright

But a tremulous delight

And a feeling undefined

Springing from a darkened mind

Death was in that poisoned wave

And in its gulf a fitting grave

For him who thence could solace bring

To his dark imagining

Whose wildering thought could even make

An Eden of that dim lake

But when the night had thrown her pall

Upon that spot as upon all

And the wind would pass me by

In its stilly melody

My infant spirit would awake

To the terror of the lone lake

My infant spirit would awake

To the terror of the lone lake

Springing from a darkened mind

So lovely was the loneliness

In youth's spring, it was my lot

In its stilly melody

An Eden of that dim lake

An Eden of that dim lake

Lone, lone, lonely...

by Kathy Ostman-Magnusen

I write.. poems, songs, articles. I relate to Antony in so many ways as I sense the same sadness that is mended through creativity. I post my poems on all of my lenses as they tell the rest of MY personal story that relates to the subject or people I choose to do lenses about.

"There Are Children in the Grave Who Used to Laugh and Sing"

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There are children in the grave

who used to laugh

and sing

and go to school

like normal children do.

But now

there are children in the grave.

Patriotic songs ring out

for men play games of war

and power.

Hiding under the covers

alone time

trying not to hear their cries

that no longer make a sound

and yet

screaming

continually

if you pause long enough

to hear.

Like the saddest symphony

a thousand instruments

objecting to the end

heard

silent.

I listen for it still

as reluctantly as you

and wear those colors

blue

keeping them tightly clutched

inside my hand.

Passers by

sometimes forget

that kind of emptiness

but we won't

right?

Right to count the storms

yet oh

I wish this one

was over.

Take even steps

mark the time

number our falls

stand still in those permanent spaces

ready

courage to speak out

against a young child's rival.

The intensions of the determined

crush against such memories

demanding muteness.

But oh

we should always hesitate

before moving on.

We don't need to see the wind

to understand the light around us

confessions come easiest

when impulsive.

Yes

we should always honor the voices

of those children

who never got a chance to sing

their songs

as loud as we could

if we chose to

before our life

was gone.

There are children in the grave

who used to laugh

and sing

and go to school

like normal children do.

But now

there are children

in the grave.

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ABOUT Kathy Ostman-Magnusen: I am an artist, represented by Monkdogz Urban Art, New York. ORIGINAL ART may be purchased through Monkdogz: http://www.monkdogz.com/chelseagallery/artistart/M...

My newest website: http://www.kathyostman-magnusen.com

The image is of my sculpture "Bleeding Wings 5"

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Hope there's someone

Who'll take care of me

When I die, will I go

Hope there's someone

Who'll set my heart free

Nice to hold when I'm tired

There's a ghost on the horizon

When I go to bed

How can I fall asleep at night

How will I rest my head

Oh I'm scared of the middle place

Between light and nowhere

I don't want to be the one

Left in there, left in there

There's a man on the horizon

Wish that I'd go to bed

If I fall to his feet tonight

Will allow rest my head

So here's hoping I will not drown

Or paralyze in light

And godsend I don't want to go

To the seal's watershed

Hope there's someone

Who'll take care of me

When I die, Will I go

Hope there's someone

Who'll set my heart free

Nice to hold when I'm tired

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The artist is here in this You Tube is not me.. waaa, but...

The music is by Antony And The Johnsons. 'Bird Gehrl' From the album 'I Am A Bird Now'.

The lyrics by Antony:

I am a bird girl now

I've got my heart

Here in my hands now

I've been searching

For my wings some time

I'm gonna be born

Into soon the sky

'Cause I'm a bird girl

And the bird girls go to heaven

I'm a bird girl

And the bird girls can fly

Bird girls can fly

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If you want to know what is happening... the latest about this group, yes here on my lens but of course on their official site:

http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/news/news.html

Latest news - January 27th, 2009: "Youtube has removed the Epilepsy is Dancing video because it is supposedly indecent!"

GADS!

January 20th, 2009: THE CRYING LIGHT IN STORES NOW WORLD WIDE

SEE that banned by YouTube video here: http://pitchfork.tv/videos/antony-the-johnsons-epi...

I FOR ONE THINK IT IS TOTALLY NUTS OF YouTube to not post this BEAUTIFUL VIDEO!! IT IS AMAZING AND SOOO VERY ARTISTIC!!

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by Kathy Ostman-Magnusen

Craving

self indulgent

starving for

immoderate desire

inside motivations

of someone I knew

Lily

with an uncut story

of sexual precision

that was forever

building to another force

beyond her control.

Blindfolds

unknown expectations

in the darkness of Lily's mask

passionate breathing

past any unsaid worry

seeking ultimate

eventful

unbridled

pleasure.

Journey into an unknown

wanting

to be known.

Tips of the very edge

roamed

explored

inhibitions

willingly

yet profusely

ignored.

Tribal tattoos

of evil inclinations

testified clearly

past any parallel to sin

antidote being

to lean back

and just

self

indulgently

without guilt

of any error in judgment

give in.

Lustful

when tied

with satin and ribbons

not too tight mind you

a little beyond her control

exclusively stolen

from a powerful passion

surrendering to

a lady and her

gratification.

Heavy breathing

with an evil minded distinction

of wondrous

pleasure.

Determination

no explanation needed

lascivious glances

melted

to host the art of desire

inspired

lustful

imagination gone wild

nights.

Sacred

the vision she did share

past all understanding

of her own wanting

fiercely declared.

And the color red

was never been more blissful

a feather

never more useful

a glass of wine

never more sublime.

Shivers

quivers

past the moonlight's

starring

a rhythm met

beyond anyone's watching

glaring

wanting it too

eyes spied on Lily

and her open

eyes.

Guilty of lust

touching that line

flames that purge forth

lustful inclinations

realized.

Heavy breathing

whimpering sighs

pulsating

within heightened

attraction

to what might

come...

next.

Culmination of lust

without shame

inextinguishable desire

leaving no trace

of disdain

at all.

Lust satisfied

those claims

bare no other mane

than desire achieved

and a well played

Lily

flame

game.

ABOUT Kathy Ostman-Magnusen: I am an artist, represented by Monkdogz Urban Art, New York. ORIGINAL ART may be purchased through Monkdogz: http://www.monkdogz.com/chelseagallery/artistart/M... My newest website: http://www.kathyostman-magnusen.com

The sculpture is "Bleeding Wings 5" and part of that series I am working on.

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A beautiful new Antony track and video made exclusively for Prada.

Epilepsy is dancing

She’s the Christ now departing

And I’m finding my rhythm

As I twist in the snow

All the metal burned in me

Down the brain of my river

That fire was searching

For a waterway home

I cry “glitter is love!”

My eyes pinned inside

With green jewels

Hanging like Christmas stars

From a golden vein

As I came to a screaming

Hold me while I’m dreaming

For my fingers are curling

[ Antony And The Johnsons Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]

And I cannot breathe

Then I cried in the kitchen

How I’d seen your ghost witching

As a soldering blue line

Between my eyes

I cry “glitter is love!”

My eyes

Pinned inside

Sea green jewels

Hanging like Christmas stars

From a golden vein

Cut me in quadrants

Leave me in the corner

Oh now it’s passing

Oh now I’m dancing

This then is Antony Hegarty controversial song "Epilepsy is Dancing". If it has been removed again then we will just have to stack that up to small minds. This is a BEAUTIFUL video and LOVING presentation.

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