TIME TRAVEL: Destination Precambrian
New music from Sverre Knut Johansen with Robert Rich PRECAMBRIAN
now on Spotted Peccary Music SPM 3004
now on Spotted Peccary Music SPM 3004
Let's start with the origin of all existence on Earth. There are many theories about how this all came about.
Once upon a time, a popular theory of how we got here was the Big Bang Theory, which says that there
was an event, the bang, and everything happened after that event. One thing lead to another and here we
are. Another popular belief is that there is an intentional design. Long ago people had wars about such
beliefs. Maybe this is all wrong and something else is unfolding. For the sake of my own personal art, I
am willing to consider a blended version with something like a designer setting it off, and one thing leads
to another, and here we are. The miracle is that we are here at all. Luckily, at the moment, all I really want
to talk about is some music written and performed by Sverre Knut Johansen with Robert Rich, so hopefully
we are done with wars about the origin of life.
Once upon a time, a popular theory of how we got here was the Big Bang Theory, which says that there
was an event, the bang, and everything happened after that event. One thing lead to another and here we
are. Another popular belief is that there is an intentional design. Long ago people had wars about such
beliefs. Maybe this is all wrong and something else is unfolding. For the sake of my own personal art, I
am willing to consider a blended version with something like a designer setting it off, and one thing leads
to another, and here we are. The miracle is that we are here at all. Luckily, at the moment, all I really want
to talk about is some music written and performed by Sverre Knut Johansen with Robert Rich, so hopefully
we are done with wars about the origin of life.
An eon or era or epoch is a very long period of time that ends when there is a major change leading to a
new era or epoch. An eon or era or epoch usually lasts millions of years. The specific quantity of time is
less important than the major change, for example when meteors rained down, or volcanoes erupted and
caused lots of smoke which blocked out the sun and things became frozen. Perhaps a new period of time
began after the majority of all life perished in the cold. Time went by. Slowly everything thawed out and the
smoke or dust settled and life once again flourished in various forms. And then for the next cataclysm
maybe there was a change in the oxygen, so life almost all died out again. Sometimes the land would shift
and huge continents would drop into the ocean or rise from the ocean. These things have always
happened. There are lots of possibilities for explaining how we got here, and it can be hard to prove any
of it. So how about if we just listen to the music and enjoy simply considering the possibilities.
new era or epoch. An eon or era or epoch usually lasts millions of years. The specific quantity of time is
less important than the major change, for example when meteors rained down, or volcanoes erupted and
caused lots of smoke which blocked out the sun and things became frozen. Perhaps a new period of time
began after the majority of all life perished in the cold. Time went by. Slowly everything thawed out and the
smoke or dust settled and life once again flourished in various forms. And then for the next cataclysm
maybe there was a change in the oxygen, so life almost all died out again. Sometimes the land would shift
and huge continents would drop into the ocean or rise from the ocean. These things have always
happened. There are lots of possibilities for explaining how we got here, and it can be hard to prove any
of it. So how about if we just listen to the music and enjoy simply considering the possibilities.
A minute can be a long time. There are many hours in a day, and many days make up a year. A year is a
long time. It has been estimated that on the Earth, so many millions of years ago, on this same place
where we are standing (if you are reading this on Earth) dinosaurs were everywhere, and they left their
bones to prove it. Can you imagine the look on the faces of the ones who made the first discovery of the
skeletons of gigantic monsters! The dinosaurs once had it all, and ruled the earth for many thousands of
years. Then one day everything changed.
long time. It has been estimated that on the Earth, so many millions of years ago, on this same place
where we are standing (if you are reading this on Earth) dinosaurs were everywhere, and they left their
bones to prove it. Can you imagine the look on the faces of the ones who made the first discovery of the
skeletons of gigantic monsters! The dinosaurs once had it all, and ruled the earth for many thousands of
years. Then one day everything changed.
Hours become days, years go by.
Before the dinosaurs, for billions of years everything was in the ocean, and before that was the time we
now call Hadean. The music begins during the Hadean Eon.
now call Hadean. The music begins during the Hadean Eon.
HADEAN EON
Hadean refers to something like the traditional fire and brimstone hell. Hot rocks and lava are everywhere.
Maybe there was no water, just dust in the wind, and lumps of fire, and bubbling rocks. There were some
pretty big lumps and some of the smaller lumps were drawn in. One new lump started cooling off, and on
the surface changes kept happening. There is a mild rumbling and tumbling in space, some spooky
synthesizers, echo, swirling in blackness. In the story this is before there was life. The sound is dry. The
sound is calm and expansive, poetic in nature, but orderly. Certainly not chaotic as one might imagine these
primal times to sound with terrible storms and exploding volcanoes. It grooves.
Maybe there was no water, just dust in the wind, and lumps of fire, and bubbling rocks. There were some
pretty big lumps and some of the smaller lumps were drawn in. One new lump started cooling off, and on
the surface changes kept happening. There is a mild rumbling and tumbling in space, some spooky
synthesizers, echo, swirling in blackness. In the story this is before there was life. The sound is dry. The
sound is calm and expansive, poetic in nature, but orderly. Certainly not chaotic as one might imagine these
primal times to sound with terrible storms and exploding volcanoes. It grooves.
ARCHEAN EON
Archean means "beginning" or "origin." There possibly came to be water vapor on the now cooler lump.
Eventually that water vapor probably changed and it started to rain, and it rained a long time, forming the
oceans. So now on the Earth there were rocks and there was the ocean, and the wind.
Eventually that water vapor probably changed and it started to rain, and it rained a long time, forming the
oceans. So now on the Earth there were rocks and there was the ocean, and the wind.
After a long time there might have been some bits of blue-green scum growing in the water, which was like
a little playground and maybe there were all kinds of little happy dots who gathered and tried new things. At
first they had no oxygen, then as time went by, there was oxygen and that changed things in a big way.
Some of the dots might have became Anaerobic Microbes, which could eventually lead to Aerobic Microbes.
a little playground and maybe there were all kinds of little happy dots who gathered and tried new things. At
first they had no oxygen, then as time went by, there was oxygen and that changed things in a big way.
Some of the dots might have became Anaerobic Microbes, which could eventually lead to Aerobic Microbes.
Photosynthesis flourished, somehow using light and water to make oxygen. That probably took a long time,
but eventually there was plenty of oxygen. And carbon dioxide. And water.
but eventually there was plenty of oxygen. And carbon dioxide. And water.
Maybe it started getting cold, and some of the water froze and there was snow. The music introduces trickling
and bubbling sounds and quiet synthesizer horns, the opening develops into a funky pulse. There is not yet
much life on the Earth, but the music sounds to me like electronic frogs who boogie have arrived. I have no
way to prove any of this.
and bubbling sounds and quiet synthesizer horns, the opening develops into a funky pulse. There is not yet
much life on the Earth, but the music sounds to me like electronic frogs who boogie have arrived. I have no
way to prove any of this.
PROTEROZOIC EON
Some of the little one celled critters got together and formed something new, later to be called Eukaryotes.
So there might have been dots and scum, and now these new Eukaryotes to eat them. Everyone might
have started to make specialized new features, eventually forming organs and specialized life systems.
They would try something and if it worked, they stayed around and ate some more, if it did not work they
went away.
So there might have been dots and scum, and now these new Eukaryotes to eat them. Everyone might
have started to make specialized new features, eventually forming organs and specialized life systems.
They would try something and if it worked, they stayed around and ate some more, if it did not work they
went away.
Now I am feeling really imaginative. How about some names? I love the old names. There was the ocean,
and there were rocks. Much much later it was decided to name what was the biggest bunch of rocks
Vaalbara. One day Vaalbara broke up and became several piles of rocks in the ocean, later to be named
the supercontinent Kenorland, Nuna, and Rodina. After a really long time Pannotia emerged when Rodina
turned itself inside out probably due to some changes in the depths of the Earth. The ocean was probably
the best place to live but somehow new creatures figured out how to survive out of the water.
and there were rocks. Much much later it was decided to name what was the biggest bunch of rocks
Vaalbara. One day Vaalbara broke up and became several piles of rocks in the ocean, later to be named
the supercontinent Kenorland, Nuna, and Rodina. After a really long time Pannotia emerged when Rodina
turned itself inside out probably due to some changes in the depths of the Earth. The ocean was probably
the best place to live but somehow new creatures figured out how to survive out of the water.
Imagine wind that sounds like whistles and synthesizers, developing into a beat that could be like a heartbeat,
and it just keeps going and changing. Swirling in space, things change and the beat sustains. Hear subtle
drips of water at first, and soon a hand drum sounds in the swirling synthesizer universe. Some strings
emerge. Sometimes I think I hear whales calling, but it is too early for whales so maybe they are not whales
that are calling, but what are they?
and it just keeps going and changing. Swirling in space, things change and the beat sustains. Hear subtle
drips of water at first, and soon a hand drum sounds in the swirling synthesizer universe. Some strings
emerge. Sometimes I think I hear whales calling, but it is too early for whales so maybe they are not whales
that are calling, but what are they?
The eon ends with trickling water as single cells boogie and create oxygen from sunshine and after thousands
of years enough oxygen to bring new life forms, there are thunderstorms and winds, not much else. Then
there was more life. The synthesized strings give the music a classical glow as the earliest forms of life
emerge, skittering and twithering, small creatures calling to each other. They are calling across time to us
now. This might only be possible through imaginative music.
of years enough oxygen to bring new life forms, there are thunderstorms and winds, not much else. Then
there was more life. The synthesized strings give the music a classical glow as the earliest forms of life
emerge, skittering and twithering, small creatures calling to each other. They are calling across time to us
now. This might only be possible through imaginative music.
PALEOZOIC ERA
Paleozoic means "ancient life."
Behold the Cambrian Explosion. The critters in the water were really working hard, and there were all kinds
of new models, one of the first things they developed was a central system to coordinate the way the new
parts worked together. This was the early chordate model, and there would have been critters with simple
versions of what became backbones, but backbones as we know them were yet a long way off. They kept
having problems with being soft and started working on making a hard shell, also feet and jointed knees and
elbows, and those might have been called Arthropods, which became bugs and seafood. This caught on and
eventually on the ocean floor there were trilobites skittering around and prospering. This went on for a really
long time and became the Ordovician period.
of new models, one of the first things they developed was a central system to coordinate the way the new
parts worked together. This was the early chordate model, and there would have been critters with simple
versions of what became backbones, but backbones as we know them were yet a long way off. They kept
having problems with being soft and started working on making a hard shell, also feet and jointed knees and
elbows, and those might have been called Arthropods, which became bugs and seafood. This caught on and
eventually on the ocean floor there were trilobites skittering around and prospering. This went on for a really
long time and became the Ordovician period.
Ordovician is the word for a tribe of humans who lived many many years later in what is now North Wales
in the British Isles. The Ordovician tribe had nothing to do with trilobites but it was a name that stuck when
they were first making up names for this period of time. Who are they? Maybe they are the people who
wrote some of those old books. Besides the trilobites on the bottom of the sea there were lots of new things
swimming around and learning to move around in the water. They worked on those early spinal cords some
more. Lots of time went by, new creatures came about, some did well and prospered, some did not.
in the British Isles. The Ordovician tribe had nothing to do with trilobites but it was a name that stuck when
they were first making up names for this period of time. Who are they? Maybe they are the people who
wrote some of those old books. Besides the trilobites on the bottom of the sea there were lots of new things
swimming around and learning to move around in the water. They worked on those early spinal cords some
more. Lots of time went by, new creatures came about, some did well and prospered, some did not.
Next came the Silurian period. Silurian is another word from yet another tribe who lived many many years
later in the British Isles and they seem to have had nothing in particular to do with the development of spinal
cords. Rocks and fossils are everywhere on the Earth, but they who wrote about it first got to make up the
words. In Silurian times the swimming creatures developed into fish, but mostly they had no jaws yet, just
hungry holes. Coral reefs were developing on the bottom of the sea, and the really big new thing going on
was crawling out of the water to live on the rocks. Some of these critters became plants. It took a long
time. There were also some animals, still working on developing their backbones.
later in the British Isles and they seem to have had nothing in particular to do with the development of spinal
cords. Rocks and fossils are everywhere on the Earth, but they who wrote about it first got to make up the
words. In Silurian times the swimming creatures developed into fish, but mostly they had no jaws yet, just
hungry holes. Coral reefs were developing on the bottom of the sea, and the really big new thing going on
was crawling out of the water to live on the rocks. Some of these critters became plants. It took a long
time. There were also some animals, still working on developing their backbones.
Time for a new phase, the Devonian period, and you can probably guess by now that the name Devon is
also a city in the British Isles. The animals were getting along with their spinal cord development, and the
new model was later called vertebrates. During the Devonian period a popular trend was the style known as
tetrapods, which means "four feet," and those creatures eventually became lizards. Some were a few
centimeters long, and some were around five meters long. They still enjoyed spending lots of time in the
water, but they were breathing air. The plants figured out how to become ferns and then developed into
something that later became trees. The new land dwelling plants were working together to become forests
and the bugs were developing all kinds of new creatures that eventually became flying insects and spiders.
also a city in the British Isles. The animals were getting along with their spinal cord development, and the
new model was later called vertebrates. During the Devonian period a popular trend was the style known as
tetrapods, which means "four feet," and those creatures eventually became lizards. Some were a few
centimeters long, and some were around five meters long. They still enjoyed spending lots of time in the
water, but they were breathing air. The plants figured out how to become ferns and then developed into
something that later became trees. The new land dwelling plants were working together to become forests
and the bugs were developing all kinds of new creatures that eventually became flying insects and spiders.
After a really long time it was getting really crowded in places, this lead to a new period, called Carboniferous,
which means coal. This is when the forests grew huge and prospered, seasons passed and leaves fell, and
somehow millions of years later became what is now coal. The tetrapods had a new system of reproduction,
they developed eggs that they would lay in their nests. This got them out of the water for reproduction, and
more of them just stayed on the land.
which means coal. This is when the forests grew huge and prospered, seasons passed and leaves fell, and
somehow millions of years later became what is now coal. The tetrapods had a new system of reproduction,
they developed eggs that they would lay in their nests. This got them out of the water for reproduction, and
more of them just stayed on the land.
Meanwhile, on the bottom of the ocean, the trilobites, which were so popular and successful for such a long
time, now were not doing so well. The fishes with jaws were become more popular and the trilobites died off.
The coral reefs were doing really well and life was abundant in the oceans, some of the newest critters
crawling around on the bottom of the ocean were the delicious nautiloids (clams and snails) and swimming
around above the bottom of the ocean came the ammonoids (octopuses and squid). On the surface,
breathing air, the latest critters included dragonflies, and in the forest the new style was cones. The trees
were experimenting with new ways to reproduce themselves and much later they became what now are
called conifers or pine trees.
time, now were not doing so well. The fishes with jaws were become more popular and the trilobites died off.
The coral reefs were doing really well and life was abundant in the oceans, some of the newest critters
crawling around on the bottom of the ocean were the delicious nautiloids (clams and snails) and swimming
around above the bottom of the ocean came the ammonoids (octopuses and squid). On the surface,
breathing air, the latest critters included dragonflies, and in the forest the new style was cones. The trees
were experimenting with new ways to reproduce themselves and much later they became what now are
called conifers or pine trees.
The animals had a wide range of developments going on, in the sea were lizards and eels, and something
new called archosaurs, which much later became crocodiles. The bugs had some new models that later
became cockroaches, and they always have done really well. Change just kept on coming. The next period
is called the Permian period, which was named after a city, called Perm, in what is now Russia.
new called archosaurs, which much later became crocodiles. The bugs had some new models that later
became cockroaches, and they always have done really well. Change just kept on coming. The next period
is called the Permian period, which was named after a city, called Perm, in what is now Russia.
This was a difficult time, the Permian period did not end well. Life was abundant and there were lots of
different creatures running around, eating each other and growing larger and larger, developing in unique
ways to survive and take advantage of what was plentiful at the time. But the Earth was always changing,
there were volcanoes and changes in the weather, and the supercontinents were shifting. They have always
been slowly moving or drifting. Pangaea had become the newest and largest supercontinent. It was cold
again for a long time. The Permian period ended the Paleozoic era, it was a time of mass extinction and
most of the life on Earth died. Not all life forms died, but it was a rough time for all. The music is much more
upbeat than the story.
different creatures running around, eating each other and growing larger and larger, developing in unique
ways to survive and take advantage of what was plentiful at the time. But the Earth was always changing,
there were volcanoes and changes in the weather, and the supercontinents were shifting. They have always
been slowly moving or drifting. Pangaea had become the newest and largest supercontinent. It was cold
again for a long time. The Permian period ended the Paleozoic era, it was a time of mass extinction and
most of the life on Earth died. Not all life forms died, but it was a rough time for all. The music is much more
upbeat than the story.
I hear some whistling synthesizer sounds, a little trickling water, a piano, slow beautiful moments with a
melodic framework. There is sort of a hint of a jungle sound as the song progresses.
melodic framework. There is sort of a hint of a jungle sound as the song progresses.
MESOZOIC ERA
Mesozoic means "middle animals" and the new main critters were dinosaurs. The word dinosaur means
"terrible lizard." The synthesizer rainforest continues to become more sophisticated, there are more bird
songs. The new plants at the beginning of the Mesozoic time were ferns, cycads, ginkgophytes and
bennettitales. Ferns cover the ground and have no flowers or seeds and are vascular, they move water from
their roots up to their fronds or leaves to do the photosynthesis dance.
"terrible lizard." The synthesizer rainforest continues to become more sophisticated, there are more bird
songs. The new plants at the beginning of the Mesozoic time were ferns, cycads, ginkgophytes and
bennettitales. Ferns cover the ground and have no flowers or seeds and are vascular, they move water from
their roots up to their fronds or leaves to do the photosynthesis dance.
There were three periods in the Mesozoic era, the first was the Triassic period, followed by the Jurassic
period, when the best movies about dinosaurs were made. Everyone was eating everyone else and it was
not a good time to be small. Then came the Cretaceous period.
period, when the best movies about dinosaurs were made. Everyone was eating everyone else and it was
not a good time to be small. Then came the Cretaceous period.
Some say that the Cretaceous period lasted 79 million years and was warm, the ocean level was high and
there were lots of shallow lagoons. Then something happened and once again life almost ended everywhere.
Now we call this the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event.
there were lots of shallow lagoons. Then something happened and once again life almost ended everywhere.
Now we call this the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event.
Pangaea broke up into the northern continent, Laurasia, and the southern continent, Gondwana. Laurasia
became North America and Eurasia; Gondwana split into South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica and
the Indian subcontinent.
became North America and Eurasia; Gondwana split into South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica and
the Indian subcontinent.
CENOZOIC ERA
Cenozoic means "new life," this is the Age of Mammals. The lizard fashion changed, many creatures got
hairy and the females grew breasts. This took a long time. Imagine a processional etude, feeling calm, with
enduring steps repeated. This is once again the story of change, featuring synthesizer melodies and majestic
layers, a melody that is timeless with swirling overhead and there is some fuzzy buzzing going on underfoot.
The birds sing and cry, a rich piano emerges and proceeds to slowly dance, with an ethereal background
singer. I hear flocks of birds feeding. They sound like birds to me.
hairy and the females grew breasts. This took a long time. Imagine a processional etude, feeling calm, with
enduring steps repeated. This is once again the story of change, featuring synthesizer melodies and majestic
layers, a melody that is timeless with swirling overhead and there is some fuzzy buzzing going on underfoot.
The birds sing and cry, a rich piano emerges and proceeds to slowly dance, with an ethereal background
singer. I hear flocks of birds feeding. They sound like birds to me.
There were seven epochs in the Cenozoic era: the Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene,
Pleistocene, and Holocene. May these words inspire future scholars to learn more.
Pleistocene, and Holocene. May these words inspire future scholars to learn more.
Eventually there might have been the first whales. On land there might have been Entelodonts, and the
early rhinos. Alas, there were no humans for a long time. Once the humans got started they quickly took
over everything and conquered everywhere they could.
early rhinos. Alas, there were no humans for a long time. Once the humans got started they quickly took
over everything and conquered everywhere they could.
ANTHROPOCENE
Now is the time of human influences. Hear supersonic jets or missiles exploding in the background while
the melody plays. I hear birds in the jungle. It gets quiet. I hear surf crashing while once again those jets roar
in the distance overhead, and there are layers of synthesizers; come the drums, like a heartbeat, and at times
the music fades and almost stops but then it slowly rebuilds.
the melody plays. I hear birds in the jungle. It gets quiet. I hear surf crashing while once again those jets roar
in the distance overhead, and there are layers of synthesizers; come the drums, like a heartbeat, and at times
the music fades and almost stops but then it slowly rebuilds.
PRECAMBRIAN
Once more, from the top, telling the whole tale from Hades to Humans again, in a shorter amount of time.
Time travel is an exciting concept, so far nobody can prove that it will not work, but as of this writing, nobody
has patented anything yet. This could be your opportunity. The music on this album might help. The musicians
have done a great job with their work, I have listened to it many times and I highly recommend that you hear
it too. It might be a catalyst for new ideas, new interpretations of the evidence we have found so far, new ways
of finding more evidence, and new lessons to apply for how we move forward. We have been here for what
feels to us to be forever, or a very long time, but things can change quickly and it is important to figure out
how to survive cataclysmic changes again. Do we learn to travel, or do we build new shelters, or something
else? All of the above would probably be best. Whatever works, keep doing it and try to make it even
better. Time goes by anyway.
has patented anything yet. This could be your opportunity. The music on this album might help. The musicians
have done a great job with their work, I have listened to it many times and I highly recommend that you hear
it too. It might be a catalyst for new ideas, new interpretations of the evidence we have found so far, new ways
of finding more evidence, and new lessons to apply for how we move forward. We have been here for what
feels to us to be forever, or a very long time, but things can change quickly and it is important to figure out
how to survive cataclysmic changes again. Do we learn to travel, or do we build new shelters, or something
else? All of the above would probably be best. Whatever works, keep doing it and try to make it even
better. Time goes by anyway.
Tracks
1 HADEAN EON 04.56
2 ARCHEAN EON 06.40
3 PROTEROZOIC EON 11.33
4 PALEOZOIC ERA 07.06
5 MESOZOIC ERA 06.51
6 CENOZOIC ERA 07.47
7 ANTHROPOCENE 05.59
8 PRECAMBRIAN 11.40
Astral Jim wrote this.
Tags
#OriginStories #SverreKnutJohansen #RobertRich #SpottedPeccaryMusic #ElectronicAmbient #ElectronicMusic #AbientMusic #LifeonEarth #Precambrian
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