In the first award show since the demise of the Writers Strike, The Academy Awards came back to display tinsel town’s finest. I am very pleased with many of the winners, Daniel Day Lewis, The Coen Brothers and all of the accolades for No Country For Old Men, and Marion Cotillard. However, I am most excited and pleased with the little artists that could—Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova aka The Swell Season, or simply know as the band from Once. I have been obsessed with the music of Glen’s other band, The Frames and his songwriting style since I discovered them a little over two years ago. The Frames are a post grunge rock band from Ireland who have been kicking around the scene for almost 20 years. Yet it is Glen’s side project, The Swell Season and a little film called Once that just changed all that last night. I could not have been happier for two musicians and people who are just so content on making art and getting noticed. For the couple that is Glen and Marketa it is about making good music, vibes and creating emotion. Hansard is the Irish Cat Stevens, and she is the Czech voice of an angel. There speeches and performance last night at the Oscars were unforgettable. The Orchestra cut off Marketa right before she was about to say her speech. After the commercial break, host Jon Stewart brought her back on stage and she delivered words right from here heart. Here is what they had to say:
Glen Hansard:Thanks! This is amazing. What are we doing here? This is mad. We made this film two years ago. We shot on two Handycams. It took us three weeks to make. We made it for a hundred grand. We never thought we would come into a room like this and be in front of you people. It's been an amazing thing. Thanks for taking this film seriously, all of you. It means a lot to us. Thanks to the Academy, thanks to all the people who've helped us, they know who they are, we don't need to say them. This is amazing. Make art. Make art. Thanks.
Marketa Irglova:Hi everyone. I just want to thank you so much. This is such a big deal, not only for us, but for all other independent musicians and artists that spend most of their time struggling, and this, the fact that we're standing here tonight, the fact that we're able to hold this, it's just to prove no matter how far out your dreams are, it's possible. And, you know, fair play to those who dare to dream and don't give up. And this song was written from a perspective of hope, and hope at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are. And so thank you so much those who helped us along way. Thank you.
Here are the band performing there Oscar winning song "Falling Slowly" at the Awards last night:
