Guest
The Video: Unlike their other music videos, where the songs practically story-boarded themselves, Flew Away, proved tough to conceptualize. The soft tempo and contemplative melody and lyric offered a challenge. Shot in two locations in Hampton, Virginia - Victorian Station ‘The Big Pink’ and Fort Monroe National Monument. We set out to create something meaningful and at the same time positive, turning grief into a lighter message. Victorian Station ‘The Big Pink’ was an old tea house, prior to becoming a music venue and it is FULL of antiques. Fort Monroe, by contrast, is full of old Civil War installations, buildings, walls etc., set amongst a beautifully peaceful, very old grove of oak trees. The challenge here was to capture the beauty and mystique of the setting. Shooting took about ten hours, was filled with laughter and amazingly no mishaps! Paul Steward, 316 Productions, had a vision and was able to efficiently capture all the elements needed to see it through. The Song: At its simplest, Flew Away is about saying goodbye and thank you to a parent who passed. The influence was the passing of David Crosby. The catalyst was a songwriting session with Mike Aiken and co-writer, Chris P James. Mike and Chris had both lost their fathers recently and were musing on the influence and lessons they each had imparted. The conversation turned to the recent passing of David Crosby of which they had both been influenced by big time. Mike started playing alternate tuning/big Crosby-type chords on guitar and off they went! Mike also shares, with Crosby, a life as a sailor and captain. His father introduced him to sailing on a wooden sailboat at a young age and that sparked a lifetime of crossing oceans on his own. Mike was looking for a way to express in song, watching his father come to terms with dying and moving on. The reflection grew to include other life lessons he was taught and that he hopes to teach his daughter. Videographer: Paul Steward, 316 Productions Songwriters: Mike Aiken, Chris P James Label: Northwind Records ISRC: QMVBW2400101
