My Facebook Steampunk Group

Anyone interested in joining my Facebook group dedicated to the sporadic steampunk populace of Central Arkansas can join may click on the enclosed link.Thank you.

Fantastic Steampunkish Music Video by The Church

The Church - Metropolis (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: The Church

New and Improved Website!

For several months now I have used my presence here at Blogger as my base of operations. The reason for this is because I felt that my previous website was a bit stagnant, and I figured it was time for an overhaul. Unfortunately I do not have enough hours in my day to do this. The new site will be more geared towards myself as both a professional artist and musician and videographer, but will also focus heavily on my renegade artistic side as well. I will keep my blog here for a more personal look into my world, for those who may be interested. Thank you and take care.

Sean

Free Steampunk MP3..Hee. Hee.

Hey there everyone. So, I am working on a collection of new steampunk inspired songs for you all to enjoy. Since I am in the spirits of the new year, I would like to offer you all a FREE mp3 of my song "Naive Introduction," which is an instrumental that offers clues to the vocal steampunk goodness that I will release later in 2011. Please enjoy.

Todger.

Steampunk Music Project

Okay, so I would like to inform you all that Mr. Sean C. Cook has been a songwriter, as well as a visual artist for quite sometime.It started out with me emulating my New Wave heroes in the Eighties, then evolved into my love for gothic, synthpop and industrial music in the Nineties. Then, I grew up and realized my fat old behind is not destined for rock stardom, but artistic individuality.

I am in love with the visual aesthetic of steampunk, you see. I won't go into a definition of steampunk for you, but I will remark on the genre's hands-on approach to art, creativity, tinkering, and do-it-yourself ethic, which allows an old bean, such as myself, the opportunity to create great works within this realm and still be a relevant artist.

Although there have been countless visual artists that have forged this brave new world into existence, there have been very few music artists to do the same. Here is the very short list of artists to have accomplished the musical side to steampunk admirably...

1. Thomas Dolby: Remember "She Blinded Me With Science" in the Eighties? Yeah, that guy. Only that song was not even his greatest song. Mr. Dolby has many songs that take the best of electronic music and blends it with folk instruments, and multiple eras from the past. Don't believe me? Then Google "I Love You, Goodbye," or the podcast of his live performance of "I Live In a Suitcase." Hell, even his album covers are steampunk. Thomas Dolby was steampunk before anyone else even knew what it was. AND...Mr. Dolby lives by the steampunk principal of hands-on creativity, because he has built himself a self-sufficient music studio from an old boat that is completely powered by wind and solar energy. Oh, and he invented the technology for the ring tones on your cell phone.

2. Doctor Steel: This madman has brilliantly created a persona that embodies steampunk, both visually and musically. His character is a mad toy inventor turned musician that is bent on world domination through the medium of FUN! His music merges Vaudeville with Industrial, and his live shows are full of puppets and mayhem. Take a look at his Doctor Steel Show online.

3. Abney Park: These good folks are down to earth and also embody the steampunk vibe.Imagine the cast of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen performing movie soundtrack inspired pirate music and you would be close to Abney Park. This band is not only one of the nicest bands you'll ever meet, but one of the most visionary.

Now that I've written you all a nice little (little, my butt!) essay I will say what I meant to say an hour ago...I, myself, am on a musical journey to create something decidedly steampunk. I call my musical alter-ego Artful Todger, which is a tasteless name playing on both era and British slang. Artful Todger is synthpop married to classical and folk intruments. Lost? Okay, maybe this will clear things up...Imagine Depeche Mode songs created with mostly banjo, sitar, and violin.

At any rate, I welcome you all to download a free mp3 of my song "Snowblind" from my Soundlick page http://www.soundclick.com/artfultodger on Wednesday, December 8, 2010.Consider it my gift to you this holiday season.

In Dark Dreams by A Necropolitan Opera

In Dark Dreams (Hi Q Edit) from Sean Cook on Vimeo.

Forthcoming Projects

Adrian James is the former violinist for the goth-rock band Evanescence. I am currently in pre-production for the music video for his song Das Gift. Unfortunately it has been a very slow process because life has caught up to me and held me in stasis for a time. However, this is slowly changing. I have switched gears in order to finish this music video by December.

The video is a steampunk science-fiction hybrid of stop animation and live action. Imagine the early films of science-fiction with a steampunk aesthetic.

Mr. James has been very gracious in bearing with my dilemma of time constraints. My goal is to create a brilliant 4.5 minute short film set to the music of Adrian James that will gain some recognition from the film festival circuit. My particular goal is to enter the film into the 4th Annual Arkansas Shorts film festival. Wish me luck!