Kung Fu Cowboy shot the footage for “Flintridge Fire” at Los Angeles Lake which is 2,500 feet above sea level. This high desert is the new home of Richard Del Connor “Kung Fu Cowboy” who was known as “The Hippy Coyote” from 1984 to 2014 when he completed the final album of the 8-LEVEL spiritual journey of American Zen. Although most of the albums were rooted in Shaolin Kung Fu and his development as a Mr. Mom; the LEVEL 5 = Vision Quest and LEVEL 6 = Pipe Carrier albums were written when Coyote was a ‘Medicine Man’ of the Lakota Sioux for a few years. The final album by American Zen, LEVEL 8 = End of the Line, was released on July 4, 2014 in a half-finished state.
This song, “Flintridge Fire,” was written and recorded in 2010 as the “Station Fire” burned down the hillside above his home in Montrose, California. Watching the fire burn for an entire week as he recorded this song added something unintended but intense… to the song.
No electric instruments were used in the making of this song, “Flintridge Fire.” Two acoustic guitars, hand claps, finger snaps, and a small tambourine create the audience-backup band of this song.
AMERICAN ZEN
- The Hippy Coyote: acoustic guitar lead & finger snaps
- Rory G: acoustic guitar rhythm
- Tom Calder: hand claps
- Steve Hixon: tambourine
