Æther Feature: How Amelia Chain Brings the Punk

These features as a way for the Ministry to highlight artists, musicians, writers, and makers of all variety. With so many talented individuals to choose from, we know it is a challenge to feature every clever creative worthy of note, but perhaps we might endeavour to introduce to you a new name in our community of steam and cog, or perhaps remind you of one artisan’s successful efforts to bring the past that never was to the here and now.
 This week’s Æther Feature by the XII for August 21st, 2014, is now submitted for your pleasure…

We, the XII, would like to thank the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, for giving us the opportunity to declare to you, dear readers, the glory of the merciful and wonderous spirit that manifests itself via the Collective ….. Amelia Chain.

The XII, or “Collective”, comprises performers, author, composers, producers, film maker and a couture designer that have coalesced into the one, brought together with one singular aim, the elevation and veneration of the benevolent glory of Amelia Chain herself.

Indeed it would be remiss to squander the opportunity provided by the Ministry, to inform, and exhibit, to those with an open and accommodating mind, to the power of artistic endeavour and freedom that is created by anonymously, free from the ties and expectations created from previous plaudits and achievements.

The embryonic soul of Amelia Chain is based in the heartland of Great Britain, Shropshire.

Shropshire, the Mother Lode county, has given birth to one of the greatest developments in human civilisation, The Industrial Revolution, along with the Godfather of Evolution, Charles Darwin and the renowned “Great War” poet, Wilfred Owen.

The XII have all previously enjoyed success in their own respective fields, under their given birth name, however as part of the XII and to assure anonymity, the entire collective is represented by “antiquo numero”.

The collective have been posed the question by the Ministry: “Is Amelia Chain Steampunk?”

In order to answer the conundrum, the word or phrase, “Steampunk” needs to be defined. Ask one hundred people and you will likely get one hundred different definitions. If anyone describes it it as “top hats, goggles and airships” then are they then guilty of “Steampunkism”?

To those guilty of Steampunkism the XII would retort, “is Punk a leather jacket, bondage trousers with a green Mohican, smoking a cigarette down the Kings Road?” That image is of course a caricature of “punk”. An easily identifiable image for the tourists and the  easily influenced, worn by someone lacking the individuality to be anything other than a clothes horse for yet another corporate driven, high street retailers unknowing attempt to administer the kiss of death to a movement that  already lay motionless, on the cold, marble slab, of irrelevance.

The same fate befell the “grunge” movement, that wheezed it’s last asthmatic breath once the multi-national fashion chains assimilated its essence, and sanitised it for mass consumption to sell to the gullible.

So, what is Punk if it not the above and is it still dead? The XII believe it is simply the confidence, brought about by experience, or conversely, youthful belligerence. It is the belief that your statement and artistic endeavour is completely valid, and justified, irrespective of what mass media or a mainstream view on your endeavours may be, irrespective of the financial impact, positive or negative, that results from following your muse.

In that respect Amelia Chain, in the form of the XII, is the epitome of Punk.

As for “Steam”….this power source drove the industrial revolution, and even in these days of advanced power systems, the majority of the world’s civilisations  energy requirements are still provided by steam. Steam is beauty, steam is raw power, but steam needs to draw in latent energy to produce this power. Amelia Chain sublimates this energy from the Collective, the XII.

So to the question “Is Amelia Chain Steampunk”? We the collective think the answer is discernible from the above for those likeminded to the XII.

The first release worthy of Amelia Chain’s talents is Piano Concerto No 1 (Earhart).

The essence of this music has already been recognized and was requested to accompany a stunning “from the pilots seat” view of an aircrafts approach at 2000mph through the clouds to landing.

For more information and to register for regular free downloads and advance notice of  Amelia Chains works and deeds please visit www.ameliachain.com and download a free Orchestral version of Piano Concerto No 1 (Earhart).