Why “Goodbye Yellow Butterfly”?
In many cultures, the yellow butterfly is a symbol of hope and transformation. Some people believe that the spirit of the deceased returns as a yellow butterfly.
“Goodbye Yellow Butterfly” is a collection of original songs I wrote after Nik died. My world as I had known it collapsed. It was like the ground beneath my feet disappeared; a part of me had been amputated.
It was music that brought me back into life. A fan of Blue Murder, the band that included Nik and John Sykes (of Whitesnake fame)—sent me a playlist that included Mindy Smith’s song “Come to Jesus.” For some reason, that song resonated. I played it over and over again until one day I got up, went to the piano, and played and sang the song myself. After that, I began to write again.
The first song that came to me was “Little Blue Lights.” When Nik passed, I literally saw little blue lights around his body. About a month later, I began to notice lots of yellow butterflies… everywhere—maybe it was because it was spring, maybe it was my longing. I wrote several more songs over the next few weeks, including “Yellow Butterfly.” The process of writing these songs helped me lay down my burden of grief, allowing me to fully experience the loss, and transform it so I could take the next baby steps into life.
In 2015, Nik had played two full keyboard cello takes on my song “Never Wanna Hurt You.” I decided to incorporate a different part of those takes in each song of “Goodbye Yellow Butterfly.” That year, we had been in the process of recording several songs for our next album. Two of these songs will also be on this album.
A Little History: Nik and I met 25 years ago. At the time he was in John Syke's band, Blue Murder. I had just left White Feather, a signed band with Warner Brothers. Together, Nik and I formed The Away Team. We performed all over the US and released two albums. Our Unconventional Tour in 2008 was a mash-up of music, media, and spoken word. Nik helped me become a better sound engineer and producer. And we built Black Cat Studios, producing numerous projects for other creatives. Nik always loved my Little Savage™ cartoons. And when I engaged in documentary filmmaking, he became my assistant producer. We made several full length documentaries, including “Electile Dysfunction” and “9/11 Dust.” Between 2002 and 2012, we documented the political landscape on People to People TV.
My personal mission statement is to inspire and incite creativity in others. Even though the focus of the album is “goodbye,” the songs are all about love. We all experience loss. Goodbye and letting go are not easy, but they are powerful. It is my desire that “Goodbye Yellow Butterfly” is a profound inspiration to you.
I hope this music will impart to you the beauty, depth and the raw feelings of goodbye, life and death--—the transitions that require us all to reflect and go deeper…
What I need & What you get
You can help make completing my album and get it out to the audiences who will appreciate and benefit from it. The recording is about 75% complete. I need the time in the studio to finish recording; to produce, mix and master this album; and to pay musicians such as Ben Hurley, a fellow White Feather former band member, who produced wonderful guitar work on The Away Team’s “Topsy Turvy World” album. Money will also go to replicating the CDs, graphics, completing the book, marketing materials, and preparation, logistics and marketing of CD release house parties.
Money will also go to replicating the CDs, graphics, additional studio time, paying additional musicians, mastering, completing the book, marketing materials, and preparation, logistics and marketing of CD release house parties.
There are a bunch of perks including:
- You can have a choice of digital download or physical CD of the album, signed copies of the CD
- A signed copy of the "Goodbye Yellow Butterfly" Book which has lots of pictures of Nik Green, the lyrics to the songs, stories, and inspirational thoughts on grief and love.
- Several pre-release tracks from Nik's album "Now and Ever Shall Be" which I am currently mixing.
- Some very interesting Nik Green paraphernalia, pictures.
- A thank you mention in the accompanying book for supporting this project
- Because I am an artist and author, as a perk you can also get signed Little Savage™ prints, framed and unframed, and one of my books, "This is NOT a Datebook,"
- Another perk is Jackie Schuld's wonderful illustrated book on grief, "Grief is a Mess."
- I am offering live appearances in the form of CD release house parties, and live performance workshops - if you live in the US. This will include a mini workshop before the performance, tailored to participants, engaging local musicians and/or dancers to participate in an original piece or two as part of the performance. The workshop performances will be fun, interactive, collaborative performances, in intimate settings, living rooms, yoga studios, art galleries, churches, small halls.
If don't reach my entire goal, the money will go first to pay the guitarist Ben Hurley, and secondly to pay for replication. The biggest part of marketing plan includes house parties, workshop performances -- so I'm hoping that there will be at least a few people who want to go full tilt with house party performance workshops.
The impact of your contribution
Your contribution will make a big difference:
- Besides supporting original music, this project is an invocation for you to step into your own feelings of loss, love, goodbye, return.
- This expression of the love I have for Nik will live on in this album. It's been a difficult year for me, losing my partner and musical collaborator of 25 years. Music has been one of the nutrients for my Soul that helped me on that journey. Being connected to community and friends and family helped me on that journey. Being able to share this with you is a way for me to give back to my friends, family and community. The workshop performances are collaborative, as part off my marketing plan, expand upon reaching out to help others on their own healing journeys.
- This is not my first leap into the world of crowd funding. The Memorial which I produced for Nik was funded by a successful GoFundMe campaign. I also had a successful campaign to help put the studio back together. To push this album to completion, I need a little extra help right now. I continue to work on completing Nik's album "Now and Ever Shall Be". I promised him on his deathbed I would mix his music. His orchestral journeys are much more complex than my quirky pop songs. Nik's music requires a few extra technical hurdles in the studio to be overcome. I mixed this piece "Tarantula on a Wedding Cake" for the Memorial, choreographed with dancers, amateur and professional in a single workshop.
Other Ways You Can Help
Even if you cannot afford to contribute right now, you can still help with this project:
- You can get the word out and make some noise about this campaign, using the Indiegogo share tools.
- You can send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas, share your personal journey of loss, letting go, things that helped you get through. I am working on the accompanying book, which will be done in March, along with the CD. I am looking for additional good stories, thoughts and inspirations to share in that book.
- You can reach out to me about how to host a local house party or performance workshop in your region, your church, or your home. We can talk. There are lots of possibilities beyond those mentioned—for example, in the perks.