Sters    1  

Joy  Sters  (Weale)  

Sean  Abel  

Music  1234  

25  July  2013  

Where  have  all  the  Flowers  Gone  …    Daniel  Blue?  

 (Fig.  1)  

   

Three  years  ago,   at  Great  Spiritual  Teacher’s   recommended   listening   to  a  band  he  

had   recently   heard   and  He   put   on   a   video   and   the   band   “Motopony”   started   playing   the  

song   “King  of  Diamonds.”    This   is  not  something  He  does  casually,   so  when  He  does,  you  

know  to  pay  attention.    The  song  was  catchy,  but  there  was  more  to  it,  there  was  a  sound  

that  had  not  been  heard  before,  it  wasn’t  a  sound  that  you  hear  on  the  radio;  there  was  an  

authenticity  and  ethnicity  to   it,  one  that  you  would  not  easily   forget,   though  would  easily  

recognized  when  you  hear  it.      

Daniel   Blue   is   the   lead   singer   of   the   group   and   is   one   of   the   next   generations   of  

“Flower   Children.”     Flower   Children   are   a   cultural   group,   which   sort   of   temporarily  

Sters    2  

vanished   from  the  mainstream  public   for  sometime,  quite  possibly  going  underground  to  

cultivate  and  germinate  the  next  generation  in  a  setting  that  isn’t  ridiculed  or  trampled  on.    

Flower  Children  are  sensitive  by  nature,  do  not  always  fit  in  with  mainstream  culture  and  

sometimes  struggle  to  grow  and  flourish  in  a  society  that  is  very  rigid  and  structured.    So  

although   they   disappeared   from   the   mainstream,   they   did   not   go   extinct   and   were  

sometimes   found  hiding   in  oak  groves  or   forests,   near   the  ocean  or   sandy  deserts,   those  

that  you  find  in  cities  are  often  medicated  to  fit  in  and  keep  in  line.  

  The  following  is  from  an  interview  by  Jessica  Black  from  the  Oregon  Music  New  on  

August  24,  2011,  she  asks  “No,  but  your  songs  and  lyrics  are  a  little  deeper  than  just  songs,  

right?”    Daniel  responds,  “Yeah,  I  mean  it’s  me  attempting  to  tell  the  truth  personally,  as  a  

human  being.    Using  metaphors  and  word  pictures.    Trying  to  relate  the  human  experience.    

I  think  there’s  something  really  healing  about  telling  the  truth.    Even  if  it’s  ugly  or  sappy  or  

whatever…  so  I  try  to  tell  the  truth.    In  a  beautiful  way.”      

This   is   how   it   is   for   this   culture   of   Flower   Children,   each   with   a   seed   of   Truth  

planted  in  their  Heart(s)  they  go  out  in  the  world  and  spread  the  good  news  that  we  are  all  

children  and  all  connected  and  not  only  connect  but  the  SAME  at  the  core  of  ourSelf.  

 

Sters    3  

Time  seemingly  went  by,  and  the  song  “King  of  Diamonds”  continued  to  show  up  in  

consciousness.    The  band  Motopony  was  added  as  a  station  on  Pandora,  and  more  of  their  

songs   were   brought   to   the   forefront   of   attention.     Daniel   has   a   very   interesting   way   of  

singing  lyrics,  which  you  can  hear  in  “God  Damn  Girl.”    He  takes  his  time  and  draws  one  into  

the   sounds,   taking   pauses   and   creating   a   story   through   sound,   and   out   of   the   words;  

painting  you  a  picture  that  has  one  listen  a  bit  closer.    He  takes  the  time  to  be  different,  to  

experiment  and  creates  songs  with  music  and  with  words  that  is  rare  to  find  in  the  music  

industry  of  today.    He  plays  a  three-­‐string  guitar,  that  at  times,  you  might  even  confuse  it  as  

if  it  were  a  sitar.  

 

  His  songs  continued  being  played  through  Pandora  although  it  was  the  only  way  for  

one  to  hear  him,  at  the  time,  since  no  radio  stations  were  playing  their  music.    Then  out  of  

the   Blue   (pun   intended),   he   appeared   on   Facebook   and   a   request   to   be   his   friend   was  

granted.    There  then  began  a  following  of  him  in  a  different  and  slightly  more  personal  way.    

Getting  to  know  him  not  just  as  a  musician  playing  on  a  handheld  device,  but  interactively  

as  a  person  on  a  handheld  device,  which  gave  a  slightly  broader  view  of  the  world  he  sees.      

Sters    4  

                       

He   is   not   extremely   forthcoming   in   revealing   things   about   himself,   most   flowers  

aren’t,  you  sort  of  have  to  sit  around  them  and  see  if  they  need  water,  you  smell  them  and  

talk   to   them   and   then   you   get   to   see   them   grow   and   how   they   smell   or   sometimes   like  

Daniel  you  get  to  hear  them  sing  back.    These  things  take  an  investment  of  one’s  time.    You  

have  to  watch  your  flowers  grow  and  this  can  start  by  following  what  they  do,  look  at  the  

pictures   they   send,   listen   to   the  music   they   sing  and   the  words   they  write   and   soon  you  

have  a  better  understanding  of  what  kind  of  flower  is  growing  in  the  garden.        

With  Daniel,  you  begin  to  know  him  as  you  listen;  you  can  hear  it,  as  you  watch;  you  

can  see  it,  as  you  intuit;  you  can  feel  it  and  then  you  begin  to  know  him  (which  you  can  do  

with  all  Flower  Children,  just  pick  one  and  watch  it  grow).    We  have  become  so  busy  that  

often  we  forget  to  take  the  time  to  watch  each  other  grow,  but  it  is  the  simple  things  that  

reveal   it   like  Daniel;   the  way   he   sings,   lives   his   life,   reveals   himself   slowly,   thoughtfully,  

symbolically,  one  gets  to  watch  a  flower  bloom.    

   

Sters    5  

 

 

  Some   people   boisterously   tell   you   everything   about   who   they   think   they   are   the  

moment  you  cross  paths;  this  most  times  comes  from  the  fear  of  one  not  actually  knowing  

who  they  are.    Yet,  you  will  find  that  when  one  spends  time  with  one  that  reveals  much,  but  

says  very  little,  you  not  only  watch  a  flower  unfurl,  but  begin  to  see  yourself  the  same  way.    

If  you  are  willing,  the  way  will  appear.  

And   so   it   did…and   an   announcement   was   made   on   Daniel’s   Facebook   page   that  

there  would  be  a  Writers  Workshop  and  he  would  be  one  of  the  facilitator’s…  

 

Sters    6  

April 19 – 21, 2013 :: Twenty-five lucky writers will spend an inspiration-filled weekend on Orcas Island immersed in creativity, community and storytelling. Matthew Logelin, New York Times bestseller of Two Kisses for Maddy, Stephanie Walker, playwright and author of Love in the Time of Foreclosure and Daniel Blue, lead singer and songwriter of Seattle’s own Motopony, will lead writers through memoir, poetry, lyrical and narrative writing. Photographer Jesse Michener and San Juan Island poet/writer Jennifer Furber will facilitate the weekend. Participants will be housed at Doe Bay’s Retreat House and Harbor House, located on over thirty-eight acres of pristine waterfront property on Orcas Island. In a rustic, down-to-earth environment, participants will explore storytelling and workshop current pieces of writing through guided free writes and solo time to soak in the beauty that is Doe Bay. With a focus on and attention to craft of the written word, the weekend will include an intimate dinner at Doe Bay Cafe and a fireside open mic for the performance, celebration and readings of works. The weekend will conclude with a breakfast and closing activity on Sunday morning.

An  entry  was  placed  and  notification  was  received  and  a  trip  was  planned  to  attend  

the  writer’s  workshop.    Upon  arrival,  he  was  performing  at  the  small  family  restaurant/bar  

they  had  on  the  island  and  was  jamming  with  a  few  great  local  musicians.    He  sang  like  he  

was   performing   on   stage   for   thousands,   not   a   restaurant   of   possibly   50   people.     Flower  

Children   tend   to  perform   for   the  performance  not   for   the  numbers,   they  perform   for   the  

ones   that   show  up  and  perform  even   if  no  one  does.     It   is  not  usually  about  dollar   signs,  

though  this  doesn’t  mean  that  they  don’t  accept  and  use  money,  however,  most  know  that  

money   is   only   energy  which   gets   passed   around,   so   as   long   as   there   is   enough,   there   is  

enough  and  it  keeps  cycling  through.    Have  you  ever  heard  the  saying  “money  doesn’t  grow  

on  trees?”    Flower  Children  know  that  it  does,  literally.  

Flower   children   work   inside   of   time,   but   usually   know   that   it   is   made   up.    

Sometimes  you  find  that   it   is  challenging  to  work  with  them,  especially   if  you  are  used  to  

being  on  a  clock-­‐like  schedule.    However,  you  may  learn  a  lot  about  what  is  real  and  what  

isn’t,  if  you  take  some  time,  to  step  out  of  time,  with  one.  

Daniel Blue

Sters    7  

February 21, 2012 im giving up facebook for lent. and im falling in love with my Anima. Her name is Cecilla. don't get mad when i don't respond till easter, im just reformatting my psyche's operating system, no big deal.  

 

Daniel  presents  and  offers  himself  as  someone  to  pay  attention  to,  not  as  a  demand,  

but  as  a  natural  way  of  being.    He  is  shy  like  many  flower  children  and  yet  has  a  welcoming  

disposition  like  most  flowers  do.    It  is  not  always  easy  being  in  a  world  that  doesn’t  always  

look  down  to  see  what  they  are  stepping  on  and  often  many  flowers  get  trampled  by  those  

rushing  by.    When  one  wrote  the  saying  “take  time  to  stop  and  smell  the  roses,”  they  may  

have  been  speaking  about  people  as  well.    Take  time  to  stop  and  smell  your  neighbor,  you  

don’t  have  to  actually  go  sniff  them;  however  you  might  ask  them  how  they  are.    We  have  

been  led  to  believe  that  there  isn’t  enough  time  for  everything,  but  as  you  become  more  in  

Sters    8  

tune  with  the  child  within  you,  you  begin  to  see  that  there  is  enough  and  always  has  been  

enough.    Pick  your   flowers  wisely,  and  water   them  well…not   too  much,  but  not   too   little,  

and  you  will  get  to  see  your  garden  grow.      

 

Daniel Blue December 25, 2011

The most beautiful thing you can do is believe.  

Daniel  openly   reveals  both   the  pain  and   the   innocence  of  being  him,   it  makes  you  

want  to  give  him  a  raincoat  like  you  put  on  your  child  when  they  go  out  to  play  in  a  summer  

storm   so   they  don’t   get   sick,   yet   you  know   that  much  of   this   pain   is  what  makes   one   so  

bright.    This   is  how  it   is  with   flowers  children,   they  cannot  hide  pain,  nor   innocence,  and  

just   like   a   flower   they   wilt,   at   times,   when   it   rains   too   hard   or   too   much.     Eventually,  

however,  the  sun  returns  and  dries  them  off  and  they  sparkle;  usually  even  brighter  than  

before.     You   can   see   this   reflected   in  Daniel’s   relationship  with,   and   Love   of   his  Mother,  

which  comes  through  in  his  speaking,  his  writing  and  the  tenderness  he  exudes  with  those  

that  are  close  to  him.  

 

 

Sters    9  

Daniel Blue June 30, 2012 near Seattle, WA

“Ten Years ago today, I held my mother as she left. I bummed a smoke from my grandma and went outside to try and figgure out why I wasnt able to heal her with all my purest magic, faith and love. I promised her I would be an artist, and live up to the life she encouraged in me. Today, as I write this, I'm sitting on a leather couch in the controll room of Bear Creek studios, listening to my songwriting pardner dial in the tone on his Rhodes. Hes recording the key parts for a song called "get down" for our second album. The lyrics are apt and hillarious, if you care...(copied and pasted from my notes, please excuse the vocal mouth sound ques)

Get Down

the more we do this the better we get the more we do this the better we get

my mamma told me practice makes perfect so we'll keep on comming cause we aint hit perfect yet

would you walk with me would you take some time

can we talk about love can we talk about dying would you listen if i choose to speak below

where the network says its ok to go

get down get down get down get down

but come up

the harder we push the deeper we get the harder we pull the higher we get

could you smell it burning at the end of your ciggarette got your cherry gl-glowing but you aint seen nothing yet

would you walk with me would you take some time

can we talk about love can we talk about dying would you listen if i choose to speak below

where the network says its ok to go

Sters    10  

get down get down get down get down

but come up

come up

would you walk with me would you take some time

oh....you know sometimes life gets up on your back and makes you get down

but i say get down babies. get down oh...you got to let it take you low baby

cause either way you go baby its gonna hurt you know its gonna hurt you know

oh...get low get down

let it take you down

but once you been down baby, you cant forget to come back up again baby come up

come up come up

come uh uh uhp. ahhhhhhh

brother sister mother father friend

come up agian come up again

come up

Sters    11  

 

Daniel   put   on   many   small   impromptu   performances   for   those   that   attended   the  

workshop  and  participated  in  all  the  writing  workshops  that  went  on  during  the  four  days  

that  people  from  all  walks  of  life  came  to  share  together.    He  has  a  vivid  imagination  and  is  

quick   to  come  up  with  a  story   that  uses   it  creatively.    He  can  paint  a  picture  with  words,  

though  poetry,  and  through  song  and  has  the  ability  to  be  silly  and  serious  and  everything  

in  between.      

Sters    12  

 

                       Where  do  you  worship?                              (Daniel  Blue,  December  25,  2010)  

 

He  moves  with   patience   and   caring   and   is   attentive   to   his   surroundings   and  was  

readily  available  help  and  even  gave  rides  to  the  airport.    Those  that  know  him,  treat  him  

like   you   would   one   that   has   deeply   touched   your   life,   not   like   how   you   treat   someone  

because  they  are  in  a  band  or  because  they  are  talented.    He  was  treated  by  those  that  know  

him  like  he  is  a  good  man  and  that  is  what  naturally  shines  through.    

 

 

Sters    13  

Daniel  sings  “Hallelujah”

 

  Recently,   he  purchased  a   church   in   Seattle,  Washington  where  he   is   recording  his  

solo  album.      

 

Sters    14  

  One   of   the   songs   that   he   has   made   available   from   the   most   recent   recordings   is  

“Flower  Children”  though  it  is  folky  in  nature,  it  is  the  kind  of  song  that  reminds  one  of  the  

child   nature,   that   the   Flower   Children   are   still   here,   in   fact   everyone   is   a   Flower   Child,  

everyone  has  the  seed  planted,  not  everyone  waters  and  nurtures  it.    He  is  the  reminder  to  

all  not  to  forget,  to  continue  to  remember  and  shine  what  is  naturally  in  your  own  Heart.      

Daniel Blue May 7, 2012 via mobile

The best thing we can do to prep for the end of the world, a natural disaster, another 911 or even just the future of our children is to foster and nurture good relationships with each other. Forgive your friends, don't talk shit, take care of the small griefs that get in the way and work to reconcile broken groups. The best thing you can do if you're afraid of

Sters    15  

2012 is get out there and walk in love. If we don't survive this, at least we will go out with a hug.

Daniel  has  recently  said  he  had  to  move  away  from  Motopony  to  begin  to  play  the  

softer  music  that  he  is  drawn  too,  hopefully  his  energy  will  merge  the  many  sounds  that  so  

brilliantly  make  the  music  that  has  come  from  him  individually  and  collectively  as  a  band.    

Sometimes  we  have   to   step  away   from  what  we  are   in,   to   see  and  experience  and  know,  

before  we  can  come  back   together.    Like  one   flower   that   is   taller   than  another  can  share  

with   ones   below  what   it   looks   like   from  where   they   see,   it   doesn’t  make   them   a   better  

flower  because  they  have  height,  it  only  gives  them  the  ability  to  share  more.  

Like  many   Flower   Children,   Daniel   loves   the   outdoors   and   that   also   seems   to   be  

reflected  in  his  music  with  his  earthy  tones.    He  plays  a  three-­‐string  guitar  and  mixes  in  a  

lot  of  electronic  sounds  to  make  the  unique  style  that  is  Daniel  Blue  and  Motopony.  

 

 

“Smells  like  Green  Spirit”(December  29,  2009)  

   

Sters    16  

 

Daniel Blue January 13, 2012

if you were my ipad, i would be looking down my nose at you disapprovingly, and this is what you would see with the eye on my side of your body.

On July 21, 2013 Daniel Proposed to his Fiancé Rebecca Carlson.

Rebecca writes: Mercury stabilized and four hours later he led me to the top of hill surrounded by a circle of pines. Daniel Blue asked if I'd spend the rest of my life with him. I said yes, with enthusiasm and certainty. One month shy of 3 years since first meeting on a dance floor in the dessert. 11:11

Sters    17  

Daniel   Blue   and  Motopony   are  worth   paying   attention   to.     They   have   the   kind   of  

music  that  lasts;  the  kind  that  you  have  to  dig  a  bit  deep  to  discover,  but  once  you  have,  you  

become  a  lifelong  fan;  music  that  is  timeless  and  won’t  fade…like  all  Flower  Children.  

 

   

Sters    18  

Works  Cited  

 

Jason  Bentley,   NPR  Music,   KCRW  MUSIC  DIRECTOR,   KCRW  Presents:  Motopony,   July   23,  

2013.  

Daniel  Blue,  Facebook,  July  23,  2013.  

Steven  Graham,  HeraldNet,  Motopony's  Daniel  Blue  releases  solo  project,  July  12,  2013.  

Leight  Bezezekoff,  KEPX  Radio,  Song  of  the  Day:    Seer,  January  29,  2010.  

Kristie,  Pyxis  Magazine,  The  Mystery  of  Motopony,  May  1,  2012.  

Oregon  Music  News,  August  24,  2011.  

Motopony,  Facebook,  July  23,  2013.  

Sean  Detore,  My  Northwest,  New  Music:  Daniel  Blue,  July  16,  2013.  

Peter,  Paul  and  Mary,  Where  have  all  the  Flowers  Gone,  Youtube  Video.    July  13,  2012.