Avant-garde (French pronunciation: [avɑ̃ɡaʁd]); from French, "advance guard" or "vanguard") is a French term used in English as a noun or adjective to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics.
Avant-garde represents a pushing of the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo, primarily in the cultural realm. The notion of the existence of the avant-garde is considered by some to be a hallmark of modernism, as distinct from postmodernism. Many artists have aligned themselves with the avant-garde movement and still continue to do so, tracing a history from Dada through the Situationists to postmodern artists such as the Language poets around 1981.
The term was originally used to describe the foremost part of an army advancing into battle (also called the vanguard or literally the advance guard) and now applied to any group, particularly of artists, that considers itself innovative and ahead of the majority.
Jon Anderson (born John Roy Anderson on 25 October 1944) is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes. He is also an accomplished solo artist and has collaborated with artists such as the Greek musician Vangelis, among others.
Jon Anderson was born John Roy Anderson in Accrington, Lancashire, England, to Albert and Kathleen Anderson. His father was from Scotland whilst his mother was of Irish ancestry. Anderson dropped the "h" from his first name in 1970.
Anderson attended St. John's Infants School in Baxenden, Accrington. There he made a tentative start to a musical career playing the washboard in "Little John's Skiffle Group", which played songs by Lonnie Donegan, among others. Anderson left school at the age of fifteen and went through a series of jobs including farm hand, lorry driver and milkman. Anderson tried to pursue a football career at Accrington Stanley F.C., but at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) tall, Anderson was turned down because of his frail constitution. He remains a fan of the club.
Manuel Valls (French: [manyɛl vals], Catalan: [mənuˈɛɫ ˈβaʎs], born August 13, 1962) is a French Socialist Party (PS) politician, deputy since 2002 and mayor of Évry. On May 16, 2012 he was appointed Minister of the Interior (Homeland security) in the French government of Jean-Marc Ayrault.
Valls was born in Barcelona, Spain, and became a naturalized French citizen in 1982. He is a prominent supporter of F.C. Barcelona, the famous club whose anthem was composed by a namesake of his, the cousin of his father. As reported on the Swiss Newspapers last week he is the son of a Spanish citizen, while his mother is a Ticinese, Swiss-Italian from Valle di Blenio, Canton Ticino.
After serving as an advisor on youth issues for Prime Minister Michel Rocard from 1988 to 1991, he was communications advisor to Prime Minister Lionel Jospin from 1997 to 2001.
He sought the PS nomination for President of France in the 2012 election. Finally ranked 5th of the first round of the PS primary, he called for a François Hollande vote in the second round. Valls is often considered in France as a representative of the social-liberal wing of the French Socialist Party, sharing common orientations with Scandinavian style Social Democracy and Blairism.
Esther Hicks (born Esther Weaver) is an American inspirational speaker and best-selling author. She has co-authored nine books with her husband Jerry Hicks, presented workshops on the Law of Attraction and appeared in the first release of the film The Secret. The Hicks' books, including the best-selling series The Law of Attraction, are — according to Esther Hicks — "translated from a group of non-physical entities called Abraham." (Hicks describes what she is doing as tapping into "infinite intelligence").
Esther Hicks was born 1948 in Coalville, Utah. In 1980, she married Jerry Hicks, then a successful Amway distributor and former acrobat at a circus in Cuba, musician, MC and comedian. She has one daughter, Tracy, by her former marriage. Jerry Hicks died on 18 November 2011.
According to Esther and Jerry Hicks, Abraham is a group of entities that are "interpreted" by Esther Hicks. Abraham has described themselves as “a group consciousness from the non-physical dimension.” They have also said, “We are that which you are. You are the leading edge of that which we are. We are that which is at the heart of all religions.” Abraham has said through Esther that whenever one feels moments of great love, exhilaration, or pure joy, that is the energy of Source, and that is who Abraham “is”.
I remember the times, when things didn't seem to be so hard.
When we could stay up late all night,
and we would wish upon the stars to make things right.
Now things are seen to be a little different in my eyes,
I seem to want this a little more, but I'll need you by my side.
Caution! Caution! Here's our option! Don't look back.
Let's give it all we've got. Lets make our sound.
Let's scream it at the top of our lungs.
Let's do it right this time around.
and Let's make our mark and never fall apart.
Never say die unless its meant.
I swear these things we wont regret.
I know its tough, but try to stick it out for few more days,
Can you ever imagine, when we make this happen, what they all will say.
Go for the gold, try to not settle for the worst.
and It's times like these, that we'll never forget,
and that will make us finish first!
Caution! Caution! Here's our option! Never look back.
Let's give it all we've got. Lets make our sound.
Let's scream it at the top of our lungs.
Let's do it right this time around.
and Let's make our mark and never fall apart.
(Never say die!) unless its meant.
I swear these things we wont regret.
Caution! Caution! Here's our option! Never look back.
Let's give it all we've got. Lets make our sound.
Let's scream it at the top of our lungs.
Let's do it right this time around.
and Let's make our mark and never fall apart.
(Never say die!) unless its meant.
Sophisticated enchantments
Of impressive abhorrence
Created not for human ears
Joyful eulogize annihilation
And continuous ordeal
Verbalized in deepest odium
By a psyche beyond any idol
From the end of the vortex
A place devoid of concern
The absurdist's elation
Creeping keen on your deliberation
Skulking in circles for the impiousness
Assassinating all divine virtues
With alluring somber momentum
To relieve its voracious hunger for sin
But though it feeds on beautiful souls
The fatalities become enriched
By sipping the potion of clarity
From the unambiguous chalice of scorn
Whenever their spirits get spoiled
And as now the grave canopy unfolds
Over your mental magnificence
Imbibe the fiery draft from this goblet
To amalgamate with the avant-garde