Interview 2: Flex

Earlier this month, I interviewed my good friend Jeremy. Today I’m writing about a mutual friend of ours, another influence of mine, and a fellow member of Random Receipts, Fidelis. I’ve most often seen Fidelis making music on a piano, djembe or goblet drum, but he’s also a talented writer, painter, and singer. 

-So how did you get involved doing creative work, and how long have you been writing?
I've been creating ever since I can remember. I recall when I was a small boy, my older brother would draw comic book super heroes and cut them out, and we would play with them. I was maybe 4 or 5 years young at the time. So since then, creativity has been in my life. That been said, I only just started to write music on the Piano Forte since the 3rd week of November, 2010. Aside from that sort of writing, I wrote my first poem in 2009 and since then I've been forming quotes and writing spoken word pieces. Before writing though, my primary means of expression is painting. I started to paint in the early half of 2007. And so I guess you could say that, I really began to take art as a whole, more seriously, since I was 17.

-So far, what has been your best memory doing creative work?
I have lots of great memories, but honestly as I write this, it is the day after I performed at 'Honey' [a lounge] in Minneapolis, and it was pretty awesome!! I also really enjoy working with my group members from Random Receipts, everyone involved, including the interviewer on this blog [aw, shucks] - is talented in their own unique way and so working alongside Random Receipts is always a great time for me.

-What piece that you’ve written do you feel best expresses you?
I'd say that my piece titled 'The Catalyst' is the one piece of spoken word that truly captures my inner truth, i.e. my inner most fear. Otherwise all of my pieces, poetry, painting, piano compositions, short stories, best express me.

-What has been your biggest influence in your writing?
Life and its experiences influence me the most in creating; as broad as that sounds.

-Any advice for people who want to get into the creative scene?
Yes. Enjoy yourself in your art, whichever it may be. Have passion for it. Dedicate your time in practice. And, share it!

-A quote that inspires you?

"In all forms of it. Our art, in years to come, will define our time. And so therefore we must create!!"

- Fidelis Odozi.

THE EYE WITNESS

My thoughts are naked as I sit amidst very relaxed trees that surround a body of water where two lovers stroll together from one end of the lake to the other.
I suspect the lagging lover to be the male because of the way in which he tails her with admiration and drinks the flow of water behind her glide every now and then.
She turns abruptly to him at the loud sound of an awaking fish.
He moves closer to her as though to say, 'I am here, do not fear.'
Far off into the distance a lonely bird stalks the two lovers and does a brilliant job staying out of sight. He or she might have been an ex boyfriend, a very protective parent, or perhaps an ex girlfriend, hell, how should I know?
Suddenly though, an even louder sound enters the air, its a human being smacking his floating device on the water.
I Shout at him. I say "Hey! You over there, you're disturbing the love birds!"
I then realize that I too am adding to the noise but it is too late, the birds by now have panicked and so they changed course and hurried down a different direction.
I felt terrible about this.
I felt as tho I played a huge role in the destruction of a lovely stroll down the stream.
But things turned out for the better, it seems, because due to them changing directions they were able to spot the stalker and so they swam even closer together
And were on a new path, one that was far off into the distance with no stalker and no human beings.
It was beautiful.
I got up and walked back home with a smile that slowly turned into laughter.
I might have looked crazy to the people driving by, but hell, I had just witnessed love on water.
I had absolutely no care at all.

--Fidelis Odozi

Fidelis is an old soul, the first Nigerian man I ever met, and shows me that he truly lives up to his name which means "Faithful". His eye for art and affinity for phrases puts a smile on my face.

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Thank you for reading.  

Hair

This evening, I was quite fortunate to be able to see a musical. Now, I normally hate musicals because they lack plot and I usually find the lyrics to be more hindering than beneficial, but I saw one of the most classic (and controversial) musicals of the decade I wish I was a part of.

Because who doesn't like love, hair, America, tribes, and rock music?

"Hair" is a musical set in 1967 New York, during the peak of the Hippie Movement. I won't go into too much depth about the details of the story, because I believe it's something to be experienced rather than informed of, but I want to talk about how fantastic the show was.

The show was fantastic. Strong music, an energetic cast, the audience was into it... It was entertaining on so many levels. It dealt with really strong themes such as astrology, religion, transcendentalism, politics, war, drugs, and sex. Lots and lots and lots of sex. It was glorious.

One of the main characters, Claude, gets drafted for the Vietnam war. Now, I understand this is 2011 and not 1967, but I was (and still am, sometimes) very worried when I filled out my draft registration. I am quite scared of being drafted. During one of the scenes, they go to a Be-In and many men begin to burn their draft cards. Low, strong drums and deep red hues from the lights filled the stage. There was whooping and hollering and ululation loud enough to hurt my ears. It was the most intense feeling I have ever been given by a theatrical performance in my life. It brought out something primal! It was so strong.

It was a perfect mirror of what that movement was. It was powerful, it was peaceful, but it was strong. It was free, it was energetic, but it was serene. It was controversial, it was symbolic, but it was straightforward. It had all of the attributes that the late 60s had, all the way down to the tragic ending.

"Untitled"
The cold black metal of a gun barrel glares in the sunlight.
As the soldier's finger traces the trigger
As uncertainly as a lover caresses his partner for the first time.
Sweat drops from the bridge of his nose as his bright, mature blue eyes
Meet the warm, brown irises of a young girl.
Her bright green dress is the grass itself
And her dark skin is the soil from which it reaches.
She smiles as she meets the barrel of the gun.
No fear.
She take a single, simple, white flower from her hair
And slips it into the vicious maw of the weapon that stares her down.
The soldier hesitates for but a moment, until he hears the command.
The furious word still echoes in his ears.
"Fire."
The soldier hears a bell ring as the smile of the woman twitches once
As she drops to the ground.
The grass is stained with the deep red of life, now lost.
White petals fly through the air,
Over the metal.
Over the soil.
Covering the soldier.
Covering the mouth of War
Covering the woman.