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STEADY CLIMB_M1468 2:460:00/2:46
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WENTWORTH BLUES 2:250:00/2:25
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UKRAINE 22 - M1317 3:580:00/3:58
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WELCOME
I'm Nicholas (Nicky) Slater / NICKSTIR et al, I'm the one MAKING this CRAZY WORK.
VISION
My Vision was, and is, to create an Entertainment Factory for you. A Family Friendly place for Entertainment and Inspiration with music, stories, encouragement. And, to perform for you live, face to face.
25 YEARS
Starting out, a quarter of a century ago on this re-invention quest, I did not envisage a mix of Marvel with music, James Bond and the Office as story behind the scenes. Nor characters that embody different parts of me saying hello and nearly twenty years, living cheap, risking all, a fortune spent to reach starting gate.
REACTION
"Arghhh," cried a friend in frustration seeing this works scope the other night. "For goodness sake, just put your music out… You have it, you're funny, you don't need all this... You're hiding." Good point, well made, heard before. Thank you.
STAND
So how does the sensitive artist stand in a society and online world that can be hatefull - without accountability? Stand in a Country where the Government can bypass the Bill of Rights and the opposition parties seem helpless against it?
This is my journey here. And I stand alone. So much better to be with two or three I've read.
So I'm hoping you might join with me, that we create a DREAMTRYB. A tribe supporting and encouraging each other to stand for the good of our society and our world without shouting or shooting.
It takes courage - I've had to show some of that over here already! Great prompt for songs.
“Revolutions over, nothing changed” a lyric line.
FIAH
Fear's a funny thing ... I've suffered from it. Yet I've faced arena audiences of 10,000 booing me in pantomime fashion on tour in England. We were having a ball. The same on prime time time TV facing 12 million on occassions. Although some simply disagreed with me rather robustly! Seems I can face to face deal with disagreements better than - out of the blue - on the internet? Why...?
Well - recently - seems I have Aspergers a kind of ADHD. Hyper sensitive/creative the positive. A DISORDER - or so they label - but maybe I'm the normal one? Normal life's a challenge...
I do react to (what I perceive) as the Jezebel type shouter, male or female. I much prefer debate that has times to listen to the other and can be passionate but not controlling. I'd love for LID OFF THE BOX to one day promote and support forums of debate to empower this.
And the story behind the scenes here (that has been fuelled in great part by my search for freedom) has DREAMTRYB pitted against F.I.A.H. - FIENDISH INDIVIDUALS THAT ATTACK WITH HATE - over the ages.
Isiah ( a man who stood facing hundreds of warriors, with just his assistant) was quite calm it says in the Bible. But he found Jezebel really scary too. And he did go and face her and tell her how things would turn out. Not good. Maybe he had Aspergers?
There is comedy gold here... 'We're on a Mission from God.' Just like the Blues Brothers. "Do you see the light?" Asks James Brown?...
COURAGE
LOVE LAUGHTER FREEDOM
Around a quarter century ago a very fine composer, pop hit creator, performer and lovely man listened to my hopeful demo I'd sent him. After saying he doesn't normally respond to demos he pleaded with me not to pursue what he heard. Sorry for the trauma...
I spent the price of a small car on a Sound Booth so that wife could not hear me practising singing. She has perfect pitch and ran away as I searched for melody notes for the latest greatest song off key song you've never heard! Maybe I should have bought the car and driven around in it singing...
Around seventeen years ago I launched the seeds of this work tentatively onto the internet. I sat behind my piano playing some tune ideas in my studio in Ipswich, England. I explained I was developing a dream I held deep, I was starting out on the journey... I posted the 'hopeful' video.
"Save us from this, Nicky." Was the first email back. So I turned off email communication and hid away... Hmmm.
Persistence is a virtue said my father. Stupidity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result - said another.
So here I am 25 years after starting to pursue this Crazy Work. And perhaps it's still rubbish?... To some? But - whilst some of my work is not yet perfect - I do love the songs I write and perform and am amazed they find a channel through me to be born. Wow...
This is taking the LID OFF THE BOX...
CONFORM
LID OFF THE BOX calls for me to not be silenced by - WHAT THEY MAY SAY. This has not been my past. Many times I have not stood.Then felt I should have.
I simply seek to give you gifts of music, artwork, fashion, stories and comedic moments.That's it.
And I'm learning as NICKSTIR - his name's NICK and his music will STIR your soul. If it doesn't, what's the point? Sums up getting used to upsetting some folk and that being the norm… So be it.
OPPOSITION
So love, laughter and freedom opposed delivers hate, bitterness and control then. Woah... So expect push back. Darkness hating light...
I may end up in jail! For not complying here in a Canada that is surprisingly becomming (in part) a massively controlling Federal Power in my eyes.
So much great in this country I am now a Citizen of and so much surprisingly awful A Country that seems to be being broken into two - masses of land being given back to native tribes - before our eyes…
OH CANADA
Bill of Rights bypassed. Unbelieveable stuff… Emergency powers invoked - Great Britain probably invoked these when the Nazis were heading for our shores. Not for some truckers parked near the Houses of Parliament.
And apparently my Bank Account can be frozen with no reason at any time by the Government. Hmmm… Oh yes and the kids are being taught they should be gay - or changing their gender. God has disappeared from Education. Maybe he died…? Not relevent? Some things seem bonkers to me…
THE ALAMO
OBSTACLES
Why so difficult? Dream never shared never dies? No bottle? No good. All talk? The internal never ending ferocious battle for my mind. Stubbornly pursuing freedom, hiding out. Fortune spent on Self Help courses. Jesus? All of the above. New continent. Start from scratch. Start what? Bus driving... Qualify to teach ice skating?
INSIGHT
Just uncovered my Aspergers wiring. Translates as? Positives: hyper creativity and sensitivity. Negatives: social, domestic, recreational (i.e. normal life). Ahhh... Great comedy fodder. The drugs! Oh yes and I'm not good with time. As in... it just passes?
THANK GOD
Thank God: the money clock is fast running out and I'm now on Route 66, Bonkers. Pension Plan called 'Keep Working' and I've held off long enough to make it too late to be successful. And the huge stress, pressure and comedic truth and pain embedded into this scenario, I'm finding... quite stimulating... Maybe I need the battle raging to get me to fight? It certainly empowers lyric, song and story. Rock n Roll.
Where ever you are on your life's journey it's great to have your company. God Bless you as you go. Love N