We all love some music from time to time to sit back and relax to, but even more than that, we love to sit back and listen to music with our animals! Daniel Antopolsky, however, went further. His new album, Acoustic Outlaw, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2, is filled with influences from nature and love for animals. LeoYummypets wanted to find out more, and here is what we found out!

You’ve lead an exciting and varied life, but could you give us a brief history of events leading up to your life on the farm?


 My father was born on Delancey St. in NYC. That time was hungry, no air, no nature, no trees, mostly rats.

The family moved to Waynesboro, Georgia… it was a small, rural town near Briar Creek next to huge forest, with a massive amount of vegetation and wildlife. We got a dairy cow and chickens, and I became interested in agriculture.

I was raised on 4 acres outside of Augusta, Georgia... My father made a vegetable garden. He grew soybeans for the table in the early 40's. My father and uncles bought an old farm 10 miles out of town with pond and woods.  We went often, fished, played in the woods.

After college I travelled and avoided all big cities across America and then across Asia.  I liked only what was between the cities. I lost interest in cities.  I fell in love with rivers and fauna and wildlife. Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian mountains, Anna Ruby Falls, Amicolola Falls, sitting under any big tree, Southeast Asia, Mekong River, Himalayas.  I am most happy in very small towns and rural settings. I love growing my own veggies, writing songs in the countryside… tranquility. There are good folks in the country, city, and towns.  That is a PC thing to say, but give me the countryside any time. I admire farmers. It's not easy to grow good, healthy food. That is good music also. I like butterflies and ants.

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So how did the new albums come about?


I met a city boy from NYC named Jason Ressler. He saw something in my songs. We're great friends but still argue just like we should.

I thought someone would discover or at least appreciate my music but it is not really music… my music is the music other people play even if they don't play any music at all.  Life is a song… and just about some of my life experiences which are the same as what so many other folks feel. Yet, at the same time I feel it may still never happen… and what will the results be?  I have no idea, but hope the Good L-rd helps me to help the songs bring something decent and meaningful to the grand scheme of things.

Can you describe your style of music?


My style of music is… no style.  Human feelings and nature type of music rolled up into a Southern accent.

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How much of your music is inspired by your love of animals?


People are animals trying to be animals and animals are animals without having to try.  Animals are much more honest.  People can be worse than any animal or better than any angel. All of my music is inspired by those two types of animals plus the beautiful flora and waterways the Earth has to offer.

Much of my music is inspired by animals of all sorts.  I rarely write about people without writing about animals.

WILD GEESE FLEW OVER MY HEAD TODAY

SKIRTING THE HEAVENS ON A FAR-FLUNG HIGHWAY

SO, I SAID A PRAYER RIGHT ON THE SPOT

TIED A RIBBON AND NOT A KNOT

THANKED THE LORD AND BLESSED THE LOT

(refrain)

I HEARD THEM BANTER AND I SAW THEM PLAY

FLYING IN A PERFECT "V"

THE HIGHEST FORM OF SYMMETRY

HEADING SOUTH IT WILL SOON FREEZE

(refrain)

BUT FIRST ONE MUST GAZE UP TO SEE THEIR PARADE

THE SKY FOR THEM IS A WELCOMED FRIEND

THEY KNOW THE SECRETS OF THE WIND

WE FLY PLANES BUT NOT LIKE THEM

(refrain)

THEY SPOKE NO GOSSIP OR WORDS OF DISMAY

AND WHEN THEY CUT ACROSS THE MOON AND SPLIT THE SKY AS A HARPOON

IT TOUCHED ME SO I NEARLY SWOONED

(refrain)

I admire the wild deer, the hanging swallows.  I speak most evenings to the emerging bats who pass to say "hello". I feed the ants sugar and leftovers and love to see them politely eat abreast of one another.  An old French dictum states: "where there are enough ants, there will be very little termites". Another good one describing the difficulty in growing food is "the land is low, the land is hard"... I sing with my cat, to the turtle doves, to the bees. I’m always putting sunflower seeds in the bird feeders for the chickadees, migrant birds, and turtle doves. I love animal life. New moon, quarter moon, full moons, shooting stars......good cinema!

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We at Yummypets love to hear about animal families - could you introduce us to yours?


I sing to my chickens and about my chickens. I have given so many chicken names, many are in a song.  I'd share 'em all with you if I knew how to scan.

Do you care for any animals outside of your family circle? (Animal welfare groups etc.)


Many years ago I hand fed an "old bachelor" "ragondin"  (capybera) almost everyday.  That animal has a face like a beaver and a tail like a rat and is vegetarian. I think they were introduced to France in the 1930's for fur production. With no natural predators like alligators and less interest in fur coats, they have re-populated in the waterways of France. One day old "Capy" disappeared. I was sure he had gone on to his great reward. About 3 months later he returned with 8 new babies following him!  It turned out that that old bachelor was not a 'he' after all, but the proud mama of 8 young uns!

Even to this day I have a family of beautiful masked creatures living in my tool shed cabinet.  I do not know what they are, but they have been living there for over 15 years.  They have beautiful grey fur like a kitty and wonderful black and white masks around their eyes.  Their tail is blunt.  I have only seen them in their cabinet.  Maybe they go to the compost pile for food in the night, however, the cat has never caught one.

In the words of Forrest Gump: “I wish you all good luck, but I don't think I can write anymore for now.”

You can listen to Wild Geese here and the Chicken song here. Find out more about Daniel Antopolsky's music here!

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