From the beginning I was always a 'word lover' ...the way the song lyrics started to have meaning and finally made the music worth thinking about. For most it all began with Elvis when I was about 13 years old. Trust me, before Elvis, Bob Dylan & Brian Wilson there was little happening in the music business until the Summer of Love in 1967 when the Beatle's "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album was released on June 2, 1967 which really changed my life! Those were the words and musical images that awakened my dreams and creative juices and 'revolutionized the world' as we knew it then. Having graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing in 1965 ~ it was the song lyrics that elevated my mind and motivated me into a 13 year career in the music business. I designed album covers and music books; preparing the graphic images and packaging for the original Superstars of rock music. My major art, design, photography and assembly credits included multiple record album covers for Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, The Beatle's 'Hey Jude' ~ plus music & picture book anthologies for Screen Gems / Columbia Pictures for Leon Russell, Carole King, Santana, Phoebe Snow, etc.

Yes, a very nice circle to play in during the Woodstock Generation ...both for the then ultimate 'Fast Lane' and for just how wonderful it was to touch what is now sadly becoming Rock & Roll Heaven!    

Back in those early days of my rock graphic art career I also secretly wrote words to songs. Lyrics of course that in those years I would never show to anyone famous. Actually the poem "Life is a Circle" was originally started in 1969 from seven 'Aquarian' words that struck a chord within me. Those words were "It Only Takes A Song To Understand" from the song 'Smile' and written by my late friend & singer Bert Sommer (who was cast as 'Woof' in the Broadway show 'Hair'). Bert's first 3 solo albums for Capitol, Eleuthera and Buddah Records were produced by Artie Kornfeld who created the Woodstock Festival at which Bert performed on August 15, 1969. Hear Bert's first single "Hold the Light" that started this journey. Additionally, if you are at all interested in the real story behind Woodstock; you may want to take a visit to Artie's personal website that I designed for him at www.artiekornfeld-woodstock.com as well as the memorial website for Bert at www.bertsommer.com

  

...us backstage before the Woodstock Festival

These lyrics, poems and the spiritual growth that you have been reading about here was written and developed over a period of 38 years. Its original roots began with its first official copyrighted version of 1987. It has taken quite an effort to develop 'The Great Illusion' to this 2008 point. I would like to thank my personal friend and visionary artist Jim Warren for collaborating with his immense artistic talent to this surreal metaphysical adventure. Jim's career also began in the music business realizing its ultimate achievement; A Grammy Award in 1980 for his painting of Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band's 'Against the Wind' album cover. At your leisure you may visit Jim's personal website <www.jimwarren.com> to view over 37 years of his incredible visionary art.

What it seems that we all understood in those simpler times was the meaning behind the music; not the political rhetoric. As in a true paradox it has taken us through assassination, conspiracy and war ~ to the doors of perception of the Truth. It has brought me personally on a path of spiritual realization to my awakening.

Now, all these years later, I am finally able to put all of this into a gift that can be shared and understood by everyone. All of these metaphysical thoughts and surreal images spread the meaning of life to you the readers. It now goes beyond politics, music & art and touches on fate and destiny that this view of "THE GREAT ILLUSION" is being presented here for your intellectual understanding and spiritual evolution.

The Missing Link
(the concept of purpose)

The Great Illusion opens you to 'see' ~ it takes you beyond lifestyle, religion and philosophy and into an area where the subconscious mind actually recognizes the Universal concepts of spirit, life force and manifestation. And now, with all the knowledge that has been exposed to us here, we shall create a better next chapter!

 

"I have to wonder as I go back into my past,
writing this lifetime has been quite a task.
I can hardly believe it as I think back on my life,
living the 'Fast Lane' ...always under the knife.

It's quite a collection of fabulous deeds,
fun to have been there and a credit to read.
But as I get older ~ I'd just like to remember,
did it feel just as good as it looks on this paper!"