In the first installment of this series, we're talking about WoodLore: the man who made some of the most tear-jerking MLP songs, only to disappear without a trace.
The pony fandom is known for its boundless creativity, not in the least when it comes to music. According to the Pony Archive, there are no less than 50 000 pony songs—and that's just on YouTube! With this series, I'm going to pick out some of the best (though not necessarily most well-known) artists, talk about their music and their history as pony musicians as a whole. I hope you'll find it interesting, and maybe you'll discover some new, great music along the way. Enjoy!
WoodLore was part of the generation of pony artists that came after the golden era of 2011–2013. He made his first upload on January 5th, 2014, with Fluttershy’s Lullaby, an instrumental cover of Hush Now, Quiet Now. He followed up with another song on the next day with A Tale Of Two Sisters.
His next song was a little different. One Day You’ll Remember Me is the first song on which he sings, and it’s immediately clear that WoodLore’s voice is unique in the fandom. Its smoky and melancholic timbre perfectly work together with his talent for writing lyrics. Though he previously had some experience in a jazz band, all his other musical skills—vocals, guitar, producing—were self-taught.
After his first six songs (of which he wasn’t too proud in hindsight), he produced a series of time-tested classics: Let The Magic Fill Your Soul, Shining Star, On Your Own, and My Sweet Peace are pony music at its best, and each has been covered and/or remixed by other well-known artists.
With the uncharacteristically silly Quills & Sofas, he beats Bill Wurtz to the punch by a few years. A Little Love, a rock song about Diamond Tiara’s struggles, was sent as a submission for the charity album Seeds Of Kindness 4: Shine Together.
He also made a few appearances in real life. In 2015 he was at BronyCon where he performed on the Renegade Stage, and the next year he would take the main stage at Everfree Northwest where he performed a selection of his best songs, as well as a cover of I Am Octavia.
Outside of his main channel, he did a a couple of notable collaborations: together with Jyc Row and others he would record the orchestral Warriors Of Griffinstone and Flamethrone Legacy.
On April Fools’ 2017, WoodLore posted a tongue-in-cheek video announcing his departure from the fandom. Taking on the attitude of an incredibly stuck-up, condescending artist, he smugly ditches his fans for the sake of success outside of pony and insults them for caring about him in the first place.
This video would have probably stayed just that—a satire of the inflated egotism of musicians who “grew out of MLP” and subsequently failed to build a career—if it weren't for the fact that, exactly a year later, he would erase his presence off the internet. His Twitter, Bandcamp, and YouTube were quietly deleted, though his music survives thanks to archival efforts.
That’s the end of WoodLore’s story. Celestia knows where he is at now. If he has been producing music under a different name, it’s still undiscovered.
Songs you should check out:
This calm acoustic song is probably the best WoodLore song lyrics-wise. Swaying between tranquil and wistful, every verse is deeply touching and deserves to be reflected on while on a quiet walk. The theme is Zecora, but the allusions are so obscure it perfectly fits in a non-pony playlist.
WoodLore sings from the point of view of Applejack about life on Sweet Apple Acres. His voice is as broken and tender as can be as she reflects on the passing of time, the aging of her family members, and how she is missing her parents. 4EverfreeBrony did a cover that has a more sanguine feel and is also worth checking out.
If you want something lighthearted and with more power then check out this song. We’re reminded to sometimes let our worries drop for a moment and just enjoy the joy of friendship and the beauty of the world around us. “We’re telling all the stories of our past that makes us laugh until we cry / ‘Cause we know / That our legs could for for miles but our hearts they need a little time to grow”
These are just a few personal picks. All of his music is worth listening to.
- DuxTape
WoodLore is such a talented musician! "Let The Magic Fill Your Soul" is still one of my all time favorite brony songs :) I hope he's gone on to even greater success in whatever he's doing now.
ReplyDeleteI very much like the premise of this series. There's so much good, sometimes even exceptional music, that is severely underrated and could use a spotlight. Like WoodLore here, who I heard very little about until now. I'm curious as to what other less-known musicians you'll dig up next.
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