Old Shoes, New Shoes                          From Marauder #8 - January 2013

It’s a common phrase and these days highly overlooked; To put yourself in someone else’s shoes. This is one of the most important things one can do as they walk the planet searching for their own truth. No matter your position in life, weather still ‘learning’, looking for a job, or engulfed in a busy ‘career’ that is deemed successful and gives you the happiness. Even in a job that you despise that makes you feel like you’re stuck in a rut that you can’t get out of, whether you are in a great relationship, flying solo or running a beautiful family, it’s something that everyone should remember and actively try out!
 
People build their own worlds around their lives, friends, neighbors, routines but they sometimes forget or don’t make time to get out of their comfort zone, out of the ‘bubble’ we’re used to. As the New Year approaches, and we survived yet another teethclenching end-of-the-world scare, I urge you to plan something different. With or without the people closest to you, something you might not have even thought of before. It could be an experience or a destination that wasn’t in any bucket list. Meet people who travel a completely different walk of life, volunteer for something that you might be interested or truly care about. Talk to someone who might not have all that you have and hear their story. Each person has a story to tell and many have had it harder than you. It’s sort of a reality check because it’s someone else’s reality and I promise it will be more rewarding than you think. You can always help someone, as there is always someone who is in a worse position. The term “Why Me” will never be a justified thought and we are all privileged just to exist and lucky that we get choices and opinions!
 
Let’s all appreciate our own existence along with everyone else’s, as life is fragile and special. The world we live in is something unique and exciting that has so much for us to learn and experience. As the planets align and spin in a beautiful unison, don’t forget to be part of the rhythm that life creates.

 
 

I’d like to truly thank everyone we have met on the road, everyone we have seen and communicated even from our past lives. You have made our journey fruitful and as a stranger once told me “You must be rich a man” and he pointed to his head. You’ve made me and us as travelers rich; a unique wealth that nobody can experience unless they were there! Good luck in this next New Year! Always positive always happy, no matter what!

- Photography Courtesy of Philip Al-Hajj

- Written by Philip Al-Hajj

Revisiting – Reconnecting                     From Marauder #7 - December 2012

Sometimes we are LUCKY enough that the road we are on brings us back to places and people that were once new. It’s a sort of affirmation of their significance in our expedition to travel and be present in places that we once never knew existed. Seeing the familiar faces, remembering their names and hearing of the changes that have happened since our first visit gives the traveler the sense of real life reality that we all once had; something that is always present but is easier to get away from when constantly moving to different places. With Round 2 of our European tour one amazing thing that sticks out is the excitement and anticipation in everyone’s energy of us ‘being back’ and playing our music for them once again. It is humbling and something that can sometimes be hard to recognize but it is this that feeds the soul. It is this energy that all people need to learn how to cultivate and use to push the boundaries of comfort and familiarity for the greater picture, for the larger purpose of our existence. Sure some of these luxuries (ie: anything more than what we need to survive as human beings) are hard to rid of, but we can at least lessen their importance in role of the whole purpose. The reason I feel that this subject is something very important to be recognized is that we are starting to be enslaved by these luxuries instead of using them as tools. Many people in the past have predicted a generation of individuals who forget the importance of human interaction and are stuck with an electronic luxury that interacts for you, or gives you it’s own perception of how interaction should be. Plug in, click here, type here, upload here. Where does energy, the energy we have in us that we need to share in order to connect with our own universe come into play here? It’s an obvious decoy that is distracting everyone away from reality and creates the virtual reality that now plays a larger and more important role than the purity of looking in a person’s eyes and exchanging a smile.

Of course these tools we have at our disposal are very good to keep in touch with people far away, just like the hand written letter you used to send once upon a time with a postage stamp and a return address. Or was that a whole different thing? Finding the paper you want to write on, looking for a working pen or a sharpened pencil, physically engraving the paper with individual letters to make up the words that you are thinking and feeling. Licking the stamp and envelope, writing a name and address off the last letter you received. Walking to the mail box and letting the letter disappear; anxiously hoping that it will be sent and received and when the night falls looking up at a star and thinking about what you sent out, feeling the energy that you are receiving back. Yea, I would call this something very different and almost ancient. Much more energy and personality required to do something like that. 
In any case, we accept that things are changed, things are easier now but we have all that left over self-energy. What do we do with it? Maybe this gives us a chance to redirect it to something else, something better? We need to understand that we need to give in order to receive. We now have more energy and knowledge than ever before and a lot of it unfortunately turns into distracting noise. Instead of falling victim to noise, use that energy to clear the mind, clear the body, be as present in the real more than ever before. It could be the cure humanity needs. We all have the remedy within us and after we reach our personal silence and internal peace by recycling this internal power we are given by the universe through real communication with others. Only then will we be able to understand and be understood. Be accepting and become accepted; truly revisit the pure and liberating concept we call life. The eyes hold the truth and connecting them share the truth with the people you encounter, the people you make your family. No words or noise necessary. Like in the silence that exists in space and in the stars. A simultaneous peace, cycle and presence of everything.
Be aware and respectful of the greater picture that you are part of. Don’t waste, learn, connect, and re-connect so that we can all build the world we want it to be. As unique beings created by all these connected random events in a Time we call NOW. That brings us to our next destination; completely planned and left to fate (or chance if you prefer).



- Pictures courtesy of Chris Evans Photography, Philip Al-Hajj, Freddie Al-Hajj
- Written by Philip Al-Hajj

Affirmations (An Entry written in July 2012)                                     From Marauder # 6 - Fall 2012

I find myself in a familiar situation, in a familiar home, a situation that can only be arranged by the universe. We are in London and have been traveling and playing our music in England for almost a month now and at this moment the cosmos has given us time. Something mentioned in a past article with accusations of time moving too fast.

It was in my first or second Marauder newsletter write-up, where I recall talking about how to avoid this exact dilemma. It was something like ‘stop and smell the flowers’. Well in the early stages of this big move we called European Money Shot 2012, an offer to stop and take a breather was given to us and it was something of a necessity.

In this merciless non-stop world we all find ourselves in, I realized that it is not a negative thing to say ‘hold on, I am not moving forward any longer until I’m done with what I was working on”. We all pile more than we can handle on our plates, that’s a known fact, and most of the time it's not even our choice. We have to be able to multi-task and take on projects upon projects just to make one ideal come to life.

If you’re an artist, you have to create your art, find a place to display it or perform it, practice, set up and run your online media for people to see, create fliers and cards to give to people that you meet that MIGHT be of help, make connections, book future events, create more art and realistically have a day job and inevitably a family. Let’s not forget the bills, and rent that are swiftly delivered to your front door every month!

You all know that we live for our music and for our music to live and be successful we take on all projects and do it all ourselves. It’s a philosophy that reflects the ‘I can’t rely on others to do it’ and in many cases this is true. Just like in personal matters, if you want something done, if YOU WANT something done, it is YOU that will make it happen. Why would someone else want to help you? Usually it’s because they want something out of it, if not monetarily then in other ways would say the pessimist.

Of course we live for our art, we don’t live for the money and you may know that I’m not the pessimistic type. There are people and friends that genuinely want to help but you need to be genuine with yourself first; with your art with your ACTIONS.

We were in Forward Motion Studios near central London for a week and there we made a new brother. Someone who genuinely has offered to help us in any and every way so that we can be as ready as possible for the rest of our travels in this European tour and there was no chance that I or any of us in the Clepto tribe would have ever considered the fact that a help like this was possible.

We decided to extend our stay in the UK for more England shows but also to more correctly organize and ‘catch up’ with ourselves and with your help making it over the Atlantic and getting our new gear and new van (interestingly license plated EO02UHR; sounds like “Europe Tour”) we were again given yet another opportunity to REALLY catch up with a full on studio to our disposal. It felt like the London version of our Olystis LA studio! Another home!

Ironically, in the name of slowing down and taking a breather we started doing more! That’s the funny thing of this all, do less to do more sounds contradicting but it IS the way to do it. You have this long list of things to do, and the long list of what you want to do, and the long list you have to and many times hate to do. In any case, it’s one step at a time, one action at a time one meditation at a time will get things done. It might even lead making the lists shorter and we all want that!

Speaking of lists, mine’s getting longer and longer as I write this article so until next Marauder newsletter, good luck, breathe deep, live and love. Always keep positive and real as the Universe hears and sees all and DOES give back so long as you are true to yourself and true to your cause.

Written by Philip Al-Hajj

Photos Courtesy of Chris Evans Photography, Seb and Albert's Photography

Right Time at the Right Place, Money is Time 

From Marauder # 5 - Spring 2012

Dear friends, old and new!

The past few months have been some of the most interesting and chaotic days for us on the road as we made our way through the US back to Canada in preparation for our upcoming Europe tour which starts in less than a month!

As we drove off further and further away from our beloved California we did manage to run into many more new friends who helped us along our way back to Canada.

Connections and art lovers who we will meet again upon our return!

It feels like we have come full circle from when we first left the Great North in search of the famous and dreamy Hotel California. Something we did manage to find and be part of; something that changed us but reaffirmed our beliefs and our music! Driving back into Ottawa and seeing the first bars that we ever played in after leaving Saudi back in 2002 ; it's a weird feeling. We've made this our stepping stone between transitions as we finish old chapters and turn to a new blank page, starting a new phase in our lives and careers.

From Saudi Arabia, to Canada, to California and back to Canada now we take the biggest leap as a full fledged, full time band and company.

Armed with our experiences, music, our good friend and photographer Chris Evans, the backing of our own Olystis "On The run Studios" in LA run by our very own John Langford and Yianni, as well as the hoards of great wishes, energy and love from all our friends and family I would call Clepto in Europe unstoppable. We will only rest when we cannot walk any further, until we have made it to the top of the mountain, until we have won and you've only made us stronger and more relevant. I feel humbled and proud that we've done so much and gone so far. Some people say you have to be at the right place at the right time but I say the right place is here, the right time is now. Sure, sometimes luck and fate smile upon you but there is no logic in sitting cross legged to wait for that to happen. After all, they also say 'Time is Money!' Aint it?

It feels great to know that no matter how much we have, even if we have nothing, we can rely on you, our friends, fans and family to give us the extra push,

the extra confidence and courage to continue on this journey and this life that we chose.

Thank you for everything, literally EVERYTHING you've given us! Now we cross our fingers take a deep breath and dive into the beautiful unknown! See you there!

Love to all! - Philip

Olystis Music and Productions

www.clepto.net

Happy New Year!                                      From Marauder # 4 - January 2012

 A New Year marks yet another revolution of the Earth around our sun! It is a universal time of celebration bringing a sense of change, hope and optimism.
For some it is a time to change bad habits, start new habits, and reset goals that were not accomplished in the last year. Sometimes it is just another day in life for those content with who they are, where they are and what they have. In any case, I feel that this year needs to be a celebration of the people that surround us and are part of our daily lives. Personally, professionally and in all aspects of life. Appreciating the existence of everyone and everything with every new breath that is a gift given to us by a much larger force that unifies the universe. It is a time to let friends and family know that they are treasured because of their presence in our lives. Sometimes they do not follow the right direction or do not seem  supportive but they are part of what shapes ours lives, characters and personalities.
Personally, and I think I can speak for the whole of Clepto, cannot even express the undeniable gratitude we have towards the many friends and family that have helped us out throughout our travels. They are the reason for our ultimate survival and success. We can list the things we do to make our music our life but without people who listen to it, people who love it, and people who support it we are nothing.
 Much love and respect to whoever is doing what they love, living the life they want to lead and appreciate the small and larger things in life. To the friends who have passed, to the new friends that we encounter I thank you for being. For shaping our world with laughter and happiness as this is what we want to send out to the world to hear.
I’d like to also mention the people who change on a daily basis. Not only themselves but the ones that sacrifice their egos to change the world so it is a better place. Protesters, environmentalists, social workers, artists, poets, musicians, photographers, firemen, small business owners the whole heap! It’s about taking charge of your own life, empowering yourself from the inside out and taking action!
 Do not be afraid! If it is not leading to your death then I would say you are fine! It’s been our motto from day one! As long as we are not dieing on a sidewalk in a foreign street and we are playing our music then things are good! Something like being content from the ground up. We do not need many things in order to be happy. Which is how everyone needs to be! Strong roots, the right intentions and the self-power to drive our lives the direction WE want it to go!
 Thank you friends for being you! Wishing yet another successful revolution and the best of luck and courage in any undertaking, as none is too large!

- Philip Al-Hajj

Contemplations, Considerations                                From Marauder #3: Dec 2011

This month I've decided to focus on the self. The 'in the moment' short term memory machine self that wakes up in the morning brushes your teeth and immediately begins making instantaneous decisions that you aren't even conscious of, that make up your waking unique self. It's like a factory that needs to deal with all senses and emotions. It remembers what we prefer, what we don't prefer, it remembers what you have to do next and how to react at any moment to any possible situation. It is something that we often cannot but take for granted. This translates to stress or feeling 'tired' or not being able to sleep. It makes you unmotivated and sometimes just makes you lose the sense of balance that we all need to simply be happy. Even if things in the larger picture seem to be going well! This is why this is a part of ourselves that we need to, while awake, acknowledge, give creative freedom to, and more importantly rest from the external forces of
the rest of the world, planet, and inevitably universe.

"White Noise or Any Noise"

I say take a moment every day, at some point of the day to quieten the voices and noises in your mind, in order to hear your voice. To re-group from either the stimulation it has just gone through or prepare for the next set of stimuli. I'm not talking about sitting cross legged and trying to find the truth and reach enlightenment (although a recommended practice). I'm talking about while you are in a transition stage of the day or a moment, moving from one task to the other, make sure you are still aware of your surroundings and your current state of mind and body. We need to be self aware as much as possible and understand what we are being told by our own bodies and our own energy. Only then will our self be able to completely understand what the universe is truly telling us. There are so many messages that are flowing through that we don't even know where to look. But to be able to see, we need to find our eye that connects to our core. It's a little hard to read these words and not be turned off, who has the time? The problem with that method of thinking is that it fails to
acknowledge the fact that time is always running - we are in time and need to be part of it.

"Stereotypes & Consumer Time"

In any given minute of the day we are capable of so many tasks and decisions, constantly stimulated from all directions, why not take a moment to breathe? Don't say 'I always wanted to' say I want to! It is never too late for anything; It's our willingness to change for it that's different. We've accepted, from what people tell us and what people have decided is the 'norm', that once time has passed it's exponentially more difficult to do something 'new' - learn an instrument, start painting, learn a new language. But what is really the difference? Have we not learned more during our lives that will enable us to learn quicker? To understand more clearly? We turn thick headed, with too many obstacles that others have put in front of us and tell us 'you can't go around, just over'.

"There is always a way"

There's a way to change every moment of your day if you choose to do so, if you need to do so, to be Happy. Out of the non-stop Economically, Politically, Religiously unstable world we have created. The holidays don't have to be but are a good marking point to do what you never got the chance to do or more never had the guts to do. Step up to the edge, look down, JUMP! (figuratively or with a parachute only please!) Connect with yourself, make yourself happy and in turn naturally you will make people and your environment positive and flowing with the cycles that are happening in and around us. Tie up loose ends, end feuds, loose an enemy, give to someone who needs it and truly make the world a better place. Change but don't be changed. It's up to you; it's up to all of us.
Nothing is Impossible, Everything is Possible.
'LISTEN to the Music!'

- Written by Philip Al-Hajj

Contemplations, Considerations         From Marauder #2 - Nov 2011

Consider for a moment that the planet we live on is not just a big blue ball of material suspended in the cosmic jello that is space. The planet we live on is, like a puzzle with a trillion pieces, incredibly complex, and ever changing. Everything from the insects that roam the ground unseen, to the trees that provide us with oxygen, while filtering the sky's Co2 to allow us fresh air, to humanity's very perception of the planet itself, the energy that feeds it, and our role in it. November 2011 marks the 7 billion mark of the world population (doubled in the last 50 years). 7 billion humans roam the earth, making hundreds of decisions each day, some small and insignificant, others perhaps, will one day lead to monumental effects on the planet, on humanity. It is constant energy that ever feeds and bends the direction of the future. As this energy flows on a global scale, individuals interact physically as well as unconsciously; impacting and influencing one another positively or negatively. Every thought and decision the mind makes is a small but important part of the evolution of our species. When a painter sees a landscape in their mind and completes the final brushstroke on their canvas, an energy is released. An idea, a point of view is realized, and a feeling is expressed. When this art is shown at a gallery, people stand in front of it, and wonder, what was the artist trying to say, what emotions went into their art, what were they feeling, what am I feeling when I see this? In creating, the artist has inspired insight, self exploration and empathy. The emotions that come out of the viewer are released and absorbed by the people around them as well as the painting and room they stand in. Creation and Evolution working together; not at all two different views after all!

Interesting fact; 2010 Carbon Dioxide output exceeds worst-case scenario said one study.  Another interesting fact is that US corporations have recorded record high profits, the highest ever officially documented. 1 Billion people can’t feed themselves today. How do we make sense of it all and decide. Decide on what is truly right and wrong. Have an evolution of collective thought to determine the balance we as humans must reach between need and luxury to make us feel true happiness. We should explore our need to connect and become one with our home, our Earth and everyone in it. Most people never explore this part of themselves, truly looking inward, to better understand who they are. Others have striven a lifetime for a true understanding of themselves. How can you strive to understand the people, the world around you, if you do not understand who you are? How can you truly understand yourself, if you do not strive to understand others. Their environment, climate, culture. We are all part of each other. We were all born from one seed on this planet no matter what back story you want to use to explain its existence.

This world, humanity itself, is still very young. Cultures have always been thriving, and are now melding together through the spread of information and ease of travel. Borders and walls cannot stop the energies that pass through us every second of our living days; always absorbed and filtered by our minds, bodies, and hearts. In order for an evolution of thought to take place we must completely connect with ourselves, which means completely connecting with everything around you. We need to learn how to communicate with our surroundings the same way we communicate with ourselves everyday while absorbing information, energy, creating, and evolving. 7 billion! We all know that change is inevitable but never easy, especially when you have no complete control over it. Life always finds a way to make it through for the better. Why not be aware of it? Be happy, appreciate, respect. Embrace change, evolve! Believe, express, and connect. Go for a walk, grow a vegetable, say hello.. say goodbye!
Suggested album to check out: Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra album "Security"
- Philip Al-Hajj