Music for the dance...

Fiskum is the only modern music artist to write meaningful songs for people who long for beauty in an age of over produced, machine-made music.

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Fiskum’s music describes the private struggles of ordinary people who refuse to be oppressed. People who stand up to power and authority. People who know that as long as they stay in the fight they are undefeated.

The title of Fiskum’s new CD, Darkness / Fire / Dancing describes the times when we are surrounded by darkness and uncertainty. In the middle of this darkness there is a spiritual fire which gives enlightenment and warmth. Around this fire, we each move with our friends and adversaries, our families and lovers, in an immense, interconnected cosmic dance. We create the masterpiece of art that is our life. It is Fiskum’s intention that his listeners be inspired to create lives filled with freedom, artistry, and integrity.

CLICK FOR MORE ON HOW DARKNESS / FIRE / DANCING began.....ina shoe box.

The characters who live in Fiskum’s songs find themselves pushed into shimmering moments of significance. The greatest challenge facing each of us is to be true to ourselves in spite of the social gravity that pulls against us. Our greatest challenge – living truthfully and meaningfully – is also our greatest need. Sometimes the search for truth and meaning drives us to achieve great things. Sometimes the search ends on a personal level. Either way, we find truth, and we live meaningful lives without apology, when we follow our inner guide, regardless of what others may say or do.

Fiskum says “Sometimes one follows one’s truth at great cost. I wrote a song called Borderline, which is featured on D/F/D. Borderline is about a woman who comes to terms with an identity that places her on the wrong side of one of society’s unfortunate, imaginary borderlines. The ‘wrong’ side of this borderline is almost always a difficult place to be. To stay there, in spite of what society says, requires integrity and courage.”

Fiskum compares his music to visual art. He says: “If you could see my music, it would look like Zen ink brush painting. I do not compose large orchestral landscapes. I do not write complex stories. Instead, I use a few carefully selected lyrics, melodies and chord progressions. I describe a few consequential moments in a person’s life. These are moments that reveal the core of the individual and the nature of the challenge to come.”

An example of Fiskum’s micro approach to song writing is Tom Waits’ Bar and Grill (When an Old Flame Gets New Ideas), which is also featured on D/F/D. As Fiskum puts it, “The title of this song is obviously a tribute to one of America’s great composers. It’s a mini-drama that takes place in a 4 minute song. The lyrics are really just a conversation, one that can be all too familiar. A man tries to explain to his new girlfriend why he was seen hanging with his old flame. It is a short conversation, but one of great consequence.”

Fiskum tells the stories of people who know that their choices will have a profound impact on themselves and on those they love. Fiskum’s music shows the promise of achievement after overcoming obstacles. He invites the listener into a musical story world where failure is nothing more than an opinion, and where success is getting up off the floor and getting back into the fight. Fiskum writes the music for the dance of the undefeated.


HOW D/F/D BEGAN........in a shoe box.

Fiskum is a music artist from Minneapolis. His creed is simple: he writes songs for people who can’t write songs for themselves. He writes songs about ordinary people who overcome difficulty through fearlessness and perseverance.

Fiskum has his own story about perseverance. He played keyboards for numerous rock bands. He attended New England Conservatory and earned a Master’s degree in music. He performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Las Vegas Hilton, and the Love Boat. While in Boston, his band had significant radio play. Fiskum honed his skills as a song writer, traveling to Nashville to pitch songs to publishers and country artists.

Fiskum then spent several years away from the music business. He had developed tendon problems that made his fingers stiff and numb during performance. While surgery was an option, it posed risks that Fiskum was unwilling to accept. He stuffed his hand-written song manuscripts into an over sized shoe box, put them on the shelf, and got a day job.

About nine years later, Fiskum realized that he wasn’t playing anyway and that he might as well try the surgery. He visited several surgeons, all of whom said the operation posed risks. He then visited a prominent Midwest sports surgeon who said “I can fix it.”

Fiskum had operations on his left hand and his right elbow. He healed and regained his performance ability through the practice of Chi Gung, an ancient Chinese method for restoring and maintaining health by consciously directing the flow of chi, or internal energy, in the body.

Fiskum had a chance encounter with Simon Husbands, a record producer from Nottingham, England. Simon had been producer and keyboard player for Blue Train, a British dance/rock band that scored high on Billboard charts in the 90s. Simon was also drummer and producer for Galactic Symposium, a British punk band with a record that found its way onto John Peel’s top 100 of all time playlist. Since John Peel was the BBC’s most respected disk jockey and musical authority, this was an accomplishment.

When Fiskum met Husbands, he got out his shoe box full of songs. He played a few demos. Husbands said “People need to hear this.” Fiskum and Husbands realized that they shared a common goal--to make an organic modern rock CD that combined significant lyrics and song writing with outstanding musicianship. To accomplish this, they recruited musicians internationally, collaborating with musicians from Sweden, Wales, Germany, England, Fargo, and Los Angeles.

Eighteen months later Darkness / Fire / Dancing is released. Half of the songs came out of Fiskum’s shoe box. Half were written by Fiskum specifically for the CD. All of the songs are meaningful to many different kinds of people. Fiskum says “As long as you stay in the fight you are undefeated.”

Darkness / Fire / Dancing is music for the dance - the dance of the undefeated.