The Handful of Earth Band was started by me in 2006 as a
project band that would involve musicians across the planet that I would play
with in my travels. Not only would it bring together musicians and artists in
areas where they might not otherwise work together (thus building community),
but it also supports financially the Irish traditional (and other music)
community as I hire/invite musicians to perform with me.
The name "Handful of
Earth" comes first from the fact that my name is Andreas...which means "man of
the earth." It also is a homage to Dick Gaughan's wonderful album by the same
name, which features the Ed Pickford song called "The Worker's Song." In this
fantastic ballad, there is the line "you're expected to die for the land of your
birth, though you've never owned one Handful of Earth."
In this time of
war and death when patriotism and identity are supposedly important things, I
find that this line rings very true. In time when "actual physical" community is
under constant threat, a project like the Handful of Earth Band is, I believe, a
damn good idea!
I had the honor to meet with Dick Gaughan and talk about
the Handful of Earth Band idea with him. He was very enthusiastic!
Hooray!
