To all at About Time,
I’ve been reading your newsletters for a while now, all the way back to issue one and I suppose like some people, I had my doubts about the longevity as I’ve seen many things that can be informative and beneficial to us all just fade into nothing in a short period of time.
So far, so good, and I do enjoy reading peoples’ letters with meaningful dialogue so I hope and pray that through all our interests and contributions, you’re in it for the long haul.
I came into the system at the age of 27, now I’m almost 70. It doesn’t hurt as much if one says it quickly, lol. (Still looking for the Yellow Brick Road but I do see a lot of Wicked Witches and Scarecrows around).
I read in one of the articles about a music program (Songs Inside) being run in Adelaide’s Women’s Prison in the South of Oz (Issue 13) where those participants are encouraged to write their own stories and put them to song.
To all those who participated, congratulations as I hope that you got something out of your efforts as I’m sure that others in their own way, some are able to relate to your story where they may see parts of themselves in there.
It’s a positive and strange feeling hearing your own story through the words of another and here was me thinking I was alone in my travels as many of us do.
At my prison, we have music and a hip hop program that is mentored by a few professional musicians (one is an ARIA award winning musician no less) who (all) I can only describe as simply absolutely beautiful and talented people!
Our program has been running since 2019 and we too are encouraged to write and perform. I’ve been able to express what’s inside in a meaningful and constructive way that others have been able to relate to.
Throughout my years, I’ve done a lot of courses including some intensive behavioural ones which went on for several months where I, like others, are seeking answers or solutions to my own problems, keeping journals and what-not.
But in this format of writing a song, I wrote about my own journey, my feelings and expressions like I’ve never been able to do before and I’m proud of the end result.
The words are all mine (nothing’s embellished) but I’ve had help with the musical arrangement and delivery (can’t sing to save myself but I keep on trying) and when it’s done right, and on more than one occasion, it evokes emotion that many try to hide – tears!
On a personal level, I’ve even had to choke back the feelings and I wrote the bloody song!
We do get the opportunity to record (isn’t that an overwhelming experience?) and get them placed in the Gaol Podcast that will be available to us here.
At present, that’s as far as it goes but we are hopeful that those recordings are put into a format where we can share them with our family and friends in some way, maybe even video?
It would be great if programs like this or others were permitted to communicate in real time via AVL or something along those lines where we are able to share and / or exchange. So if you’re sitting there somewhere and the opportunity is there, get involved in some way, you might just surprise yourself.
Here is my song with the chord arrangement – we play it with an electronic piano, lead electric guitar, bass electric guitar, acoustic guitars, vocals including back-ups. There’s no percussion in this song, we have drums but the delivery of this song is better without them.
I must say that we’re spoiled here as we have two people (lead singers) who can deliver this in their own style in such an impassioned way.
Sincerely and with thanks for all that you’re doing for all and sundry.
To all at About Time,
I’ve been reading your newsletters for a while now, all the way back to issue one and I suppose like some people, I had my doubts about the longevity as I’ve seen many things that can be informative and beneficial to us all just fade into nothing in a short period of time.
So far, so good, and I do enjoy reading peoples’ letters with meaningful dialogue so I hope and pray that through all our interests and contributions, you’re in it for the long haul.
I came into the system at the age of 27, now I’m almost 70. It doesn’t hurt as much if one says it quickly, lol. (Still looking for the Yellow Brick Road but I do see a lot of Wicked Witches and Scarecrows around).
I read in one of the articles about a music program (Songs Inside) being run in Adelaide’s Women’s Prison in the South of Oz (Issue 13) where those participants are encouraged to write their own stories and put them to song.
To all those who participated, congratulations as I hope that you got something out of your efforts as I’m sure that others in their own way, some are able to relate to your story where they may see parts of themselves in there.
It’s a positive and strange feeling hearing your own story through the words of another and here was me thinking I was alone in my travels as many of us do.
At my prison, we have music and a hip hop program that is mentored by a few professional musicians (one is an ARIA award winning musician no less) who (all) I can only describe as simply absolutely beautiful and talented people!
Our program has been running since 2019 and we too are encouraged to write and perform. I’ve been able to express what’s inside in a meaningful and constructive way that others have been able to relate to.
Throughout my years, I’ve done a lot of courses including some intensive behavioural ones which went on for several months where I, like others, are seeking answers or solutions to my own problems, keeping journals and what-not.
But in this format of writing a song, I wrote about my own journey, my feelings and expressions like I’ve never been able to do before and I’m proud of the end result.
The words are all mine (nothing’s embellished) but I’ve had help with the musical arrangement and delivery (can’t sing to save myself but I keep on trying) and when it’s done right, and on more than one occasion, it evokes emotion that many try to hide – tears!
On a personal level, I’ve even had to choke back the feelings and I wrote the bloody song!
We do get the opportunity to record (isn’t that an overwhelming experience?) and get them placed in the Gaol Podcast that will be available to us here.
At present, that’s as far as it goes but we are hopeful that those recordings are put into a format where we can share them with our family and friends in some way, maybe even video?
It would be great if programs like this or others were permitted to communicate in real time via AVL or something along those lines where we are able to share and / or exchange. So if you’re sitting there somewhere and the opportunity is there, get involved in some way, you might just surprise yourself.
Here is my song with the chord arrangement – we play it with an electronic piano, lead electric guitar, bass electric guitar, acoustic guitars, vocals including back-ups. There’s no percussion in this song, we have drums but the delivery of this song is better without them.
I must say that we’re spoiled here as we have two people (lead singers) who can deliver this in their own style in such an impassioned way.
Sincerely and with thanks for all that you’re doing for all and sundry.
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While being incarcerated, I have learnt how many members of the community are Deaf and have a lot of trouble communicating as very few people know how to use sign language.
When I get out I’m going to be hitting the gym but not sure if I’ll be taking steroids.
I just wanted to give a big shout out to the amazing people at the Salvation Army for everything that they do for us in prison and outside in the community over the Christmas period.
One of the hardest lessons, from being part of the drug scene then going to prison, is the feeling of loneliness, withdrawing and coming down, you miss your mates.
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