John Renbourn had a great instrumental album around '78 named ( get this John..) "Sir John a Lot of" or, it may have been contracted as: "Sir John Alotof". I still have it lost somewhere in the garage
It had a Medieval etching image on the album front of a Knight in full armor, holding a sword as I recall. It has some interesting guitar work on it that one might expect to hear somewhere at a Renaissance festival. Captivating and full of imagery; Arthurian dreams.
This album, and GL's Don Quixote were the tighly clutched pair of albums a friend of mine listened to at Purdue that was quite a Renaissance man. He was one of the most eggregious womanizers I knew at an age when I thought that was cool, too.
As a lifelong friend of his, it is interesting to note that when he finally settled on a very wonderful lady named Ivy, he proposed to her; she declined, citing his hedonistic lifestyle.
He went home, listened to both albums (Renbourn's and DQ), thought a long while, and decided to pursue theology and, ultimately, is now Father Sergius at the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Massachusets. He is resident iconographer and metals/ceramics maker of crosses, etc.
He has been there for almost 23 years now, and when he and I speak sometimes of our carousing youth when we did not really respect women yet, he remembers very well that day playing Don Quixote and pondering Cervantes, and Gord's lyrics, it was his epiphone on life (for him). Watched him go through it all.
Amazing how Gord's musical tapestry weaves its way into the lives of thoughtful listeners who REALLY listen to his lyrics. Can be life changing at times. Certainly has seen me through a lot.
Sorry for the non-sequitor from Renbourn's great album; but the memory it brought back for me was ( I hope ) of interest to some of you because of the DQ tie-in.
Gord's music has been there at so many points in my life, and I know from reading of so many of yours as well.
I wonder what Renbourn and Gord would think if they knew that their work had a part in leading a (rather excessive) loverman into a monastic life full of philosophy, quiet contemplation, and hard work. My friend is also responsible for the extensive gardens on the Russian Orthodox Monastery's grounds.
An anecdote I hope of interest.
- geo Steve
Geo Steve
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