John Kay and Michael Blake
SPEAKING CLIENT
Michael Blake, Author of Novel and Film “Dances With Wolves” and
John Kay, Lead singer and Songwriter of Steppenwolf
Title: “Use Your Time”
“I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in a magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of humanity is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” - Jack London
Written by a man who occupies a throne in literary history, the hundred-year-old words still apply. Using time on earth has always been a primary motivation in the lives of John Kay (lead singer and songwriter of Steppenwolf) and Michael Blake (author of the novel and film Dances with Wolves). They met forty years ago and, despite the different creative routes both men have taken, their efforts and achievements have maintained a strong, connection in spirit. Now they have joined forces to take a program entitled “Use Your Time” to the public.
They will share the history of their lives, the pinnacles of their success and the ongoing effort to promote life on earth for all generations.
The internationally known writer and musician’s presentation will not be limited to speech but will include visuals with music. The “Use Your Time” experience is designed to stimulate, uplift and inspire audiences… but also to provoke thought and laughter.
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About: Michael Blake
Michael Blake’s professional writing life began in the American military at age nineteen and continued in college where he worked as an editor and investigative reporter for several university newspapers.
In 1971, his career in journalism ended when he left an editorial position at the legendary underground weekly, the Los Angeles Free Press, to pursue fiction in both movies and books.
In the early eighties, a screenplay made it to the screen in the form of a low-budget, independent film originally titled Double Down, starring an unknown actor named Kevin Costner, in his first featured role.
Blake’s first novel, Dances With Wolves, was published as a mass-market paperback in 1988, receiving no attention until the film version was released to worldwide acclaim in the late 1990s.
The phenomenal success of the movie ended more than twenty years of impoverished struggle to make a living out of literature and resulted in a downpour of awards, including the Oscar®. Equally prestigious awards were produced by protracted efforts at public service, among them the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for work with minorities and the environment: the Animal Protection Institute’s Humanitarian of the Year; the U.S. Air Force’s Americanism Award; the American Library Association’s Hero of the Year; and Cancervive’s Survivor of the Year.
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About John Kay:
John Kay is singer, songwriter and guitarist known as the front man of Steppenwolf.
In the Evacuation of East Prussia in early 1945, in harsh Winter conditions, his mother first had to flee with the baby boy from the advancing Soviet troops. In 1948, the two also fled from Arnstadt in the East German Soviet occupation zone to resettle in Hanover, West Germany (as recounted in his song "Renegade" on the album Steppenwolf Seven). Located in the British occupation zone, teen aged Joachim, suffering from eyesight problems, listened to music broadcast by the British Forces Broadcasting Service before his family moved to Canada in 1958.
He joined a blues rock and folk music group known as The Sparrows in 1965, which had moderate success in Canada before moving to California, augmenting its line-up and changing its name to Steppenwolf in 1967. With music that pioneered hard rock and heavy metal, Kay's Steppenwolf had international success with songs such as "Born to Be Wild", "Magic Carpet Ride", "Monster", "The Pusher", and "Rock Me". This was multiplied by the use of "Born to Be Wild" and "The Pusher" in the 1969 movie Easy Rider.
Kay recorded both as a solo artist and with Steppenwolf during the late 1970s, and wrapped up Steppenwolf's 40th year of touring with a final gig in October 2007.
In 2004 he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame, in recognition of his early years as a Canadian citizen and the beginnings of his musical career in Toronto. Whereas any celebrity that meets criteria can finance their way into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, inductees to Canada's Walk of Fame are only selected via a supervising committee. John Kay was present at the induction ceremony in Toronto, and reiterated his strong affection for Canada.
Kay suffers from increased sensitivity to light, so he wears his trademark sunglasses. He also has congenital achromatopsia, complete colorblindness, a defect of the eyes which causes legal blindness. Despite this condition, he is an avid videographer.
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