The Jester... Thinks...

The Jester thinks… usually while he is being beaten or has at last managed to crawl away from the scrutiny of his so-called betters for a few minutes of ‘Fool Time’. His thoughts invariably return to the human condition, but mainly his own condition and experience… This collection explores some of The Jester's thoughts, through the feelings he has stored up during his all-too-brief time. There are his thoughts of loss, betrayal and his desire for revenge against a power wielding audience of inferiors. Thoughts of consolation never had or offered, but always wanted and then eventually passed on from an older self to a younger self. Thoughts of joy at the sight of another, even if that sight was not noticed and so not reflected. Thoughts return of entrapment in a destructive relationship that leaves him vibrating with righteous anger, tempered with longing for what could never be. Thoughts of loss and unrequited yearning brought about by displacement in place and time. There are dark thoughts of dependency on outside support and the addictive and destructive nature of such a prop. Of course behind them all, there are the generalised feelings of the common breed who stumble on from innocence through obstacles to the bitter realisation that no-one owes them a living… and that life can hurt unless you take hold of your own path and act intelligently about it... but as The Jester knows, few people do and so they inevitably blame their environment and end up in a mental wilderness. The trick has always been to take comfort in what is available and where possible see the beauty disguised in something else. And then enjoy it on the way out… Pig’n’aif is a music project working in conjunction with the Rising Records independent label based in Sheffield (UK). The band name is pronounced - in a typical Yorkshire accent - as Pig’an’Ayf. (Please feel free to use it as a surreptitious curse - we do...). The name was originally born out of frustration and reflects the fact that it has often been a pig (and an ’aif) to bring these projects to fruition; or indeed to get the musicians together to play the material, but it also reflects a lighter side to things. This project release is a prog-rock album. It has varied tracks from the medievally influenced title track ‘The Jester’, through the blues rock ‘Gotta Be Jokin’ ‘ to the out-and-out prog rock suite of ‘Genus Holbytla’. The album deals with a number of the typical emotions we all face at sometime or other in our complex lives and is definitely a retrospective look through the life of the composer Pete Bangert. All of the instruments, the lead vocal on The Jester, and the backing vocals were played, performed or perpetrated by Pete, but no flutes were harmed in the making of this album as they were all played on guitar. The lead vocals on the remainder of the tracks were performed by our good friend Mick Shedd. Album Artwork and Designs were produced by Pete Bangert, who also Produced and Engineered it at Rising Records in 2009. This album was a long time in the production, delayed by many other projects with (at the time) higher priorities. It has not been the easiest birthing but it has been worth it. Thanks go out to all of those who have helped the process in some way. You know who you are.