And courage, too. Courage to keep going, staying true even against the most terrible odds. That’s what all the heroes do. And heroines! I’m very drawn to stories with resourceful heroines who manage to take charge of their own lives rather than being just being a prize for a boy who has all the fun. There’s plenty of these stories about gutsy little heroines, but because they were all collected in the nineteenth century they were considered unsuitable for girls, so they’re stuck to the back of the anthropology section in libraries as curiosities! I do feel that they need to come out into the open…
What is next? How are you going to develop this even further?
My end dream is to produce a body of work of films of British fairy tales that will sell on DVD and generate an income that can be used for work with young people, arts projects, and conservation, these sorts of issues. I would hope that I can get a fair few in, and they will never go out of date. There will always be children, and there will always be parents who want their children to see things that are homegrown.
For more information, visit www.fairytalefilms.co.uk.
S. J. Tucker
S. J. Tucker is a modern-day troubador, part Faery, part pirate, part gypsy, and all talent! Her music has a distinctive folk rock style, sometimes catchy, often bardic, and is much loved around the world. She has produced a number of albums, both as a solo artist and with the band Tricky Pixie, and she often performs in both capacities at the most popular Faery events in the United States. I caught her in the midst of her usual whirlwind schedule to gain an insight into her wild and creative life.
S. J. Tucker
What does Faery mean to you?
Since I perform often at events like the Faerieworlds festival in the Pacific Northwest, Faery often means community to me. When I think of Faery, I think of a field full of dancing revelers, kicking up joy and magick with their every step, rain or shine, as I sing my heart out for them. Faery is what we find when we allow the wild and feral energies within us come out to play. Faery is the side of the unknown, of magick and potential, that gives me a feeling of positive excitement. Faery is a cue to watch my step, to move in the world with a smile but with my eyes open, because I never know whom, or what, I will meet around the next shadowed corner. Faery is a word that promises a good story, regardless of whether the players in it are all silly or flat-out sinister.
There are as many sides to Faery as there are to folklore and to our own world. Not all aspects of what we call Faery are kind, but I’ve been lucky in my dealings and experiences thus far. When you move with awareness and respect in the world, even someplace as tricky as Faery is said to be, I find that you generally make it through without making too many blunders.
What are you trying to express in your music?
Music is the source, to me. Anytime I open my mouth to sing, I am tapping into something that exists in everyone and everything. Music gives me joy and generally makes everything better, no matter where I am or what I’m doing. When I sing, write, and play, my highest goal is to give everyone who hears me some safe ground to stand on, somewhere solid to be and to experience whatever emotions or impressions come to them. Music has the power to speak to all of us, whether it includes words in our own language, words in another language, or no words at all. I’m just another channel for it, but my hope is that the music I bring into the world brings more magick into the world when it comes and puts that magick somewhere others can find it if and when they need it.
How important are musicians within the Faery community?
Hugely important; that’s certainly how the Faery community has made me feel. It’s difficult not to keep coming back when one is so well-treated. The Faery festivals I work with make a conscious effort to create a temporary world and an immersive experience—for performers as well as for participants—and they bring musicians in from all over the globe to add to the magick. I’m so grateful to be part of this community, not least because I have musician friends from many other countries as a result of being adopted by and singing for Faery-friendly folk. For some, time spent at Faery festivals is the only time they can cut loose. I’m honored to provide part of the soundtrack for that. To see people spread their wings and shine—both literally and figuratively—is a great gift.
What is it like to be a pirate queen?
A girl couldn’t ask for more. Since I started writing pirate songs, such as the ones I’ve written about Wendy taking over the pirate ship in Neverland instead of going home, I’ve
