I wonder what the top 25 most played songs on my iPod say about me...
Here they are:
25: Rain in the Summertime: the Alarm
24: Hot for Teacher: Van Halen
23: Beautiful Scandalous Night: Robbie Seay Band
22: Blitzkrieg Bop: the Ramones
21: Hungry: Kathryn Scott
20: Under the Milky Way: the Church
19: How Great Thou Art: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
18: Can't Go Back: Robbie Seay Band
17: Eternal One: Robbie Seay Band
16: (don't go back to) Rockville: R.E.M.
15: Unfailing Love: Chris Tomlin/Steven Curtis Chapman
14: Soon and Very Soon: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
13: Be Glad: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
12: Ring of Fire: Social Distortion
11: Love Wins: Robbie Seay Band
10: Head On: the Jesus and Mary Chain
9: Darklands: the Jesus and Mary Chain
8: Rainbow in the Dark: Dio
7: The Hallelujah Chorus: Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
6: Lick it Up: Kiss
5: Pretty in Pink: the Psychedelic Furs
4: Been Caught Stealing: Jane's Addiction
3: Bring on the Dancing Horses: Echo and the Bunnymen
2: Take the Skinheads Bowling: Camper van Beethoven
1: Living After Midnight: Judas Priest
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Monday, March 08, 2010
Musical Authenticity
I've stood in the midst of worship wars (generally between so-called "traditional" and so-called "contemporary" music, the former often being led by a choir and/or a worship leader and accompanied by piano and/or organ, and the latter being led by a praise team and accompanied by some combination of guitar, drum, keyboard, and bass), and I've come to a conclusion.
Actually several conclusions.
One is that sometimes we can get distracted by the accompaniment to the extent that we don't remember that the worship songs are for us to sing! This can happen with a great band that puts on a great show (complete with strobe lights and smoke machines) or with a fantastically polished orchestra or choir. Sometimes it seems like we church people have missed the point of the music in our corporate worship. In the preface to our hymnal, there is a page reprinted from John Wesley's Select Hymns, 1761, in which we are directed to "Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength." and "Above all, sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature."
[as an aside, I remember when a former church was going through the process of hiring a new organist, and as I was on staff, I got several comments and questions about the potential organist - would he play as loudly as he did when he subbed for us?]
Sometimes we let the "professionals" do worship for us. I've been in churches that don't sing, and it's pitiful. I love being in churches that sing, and it's not so much about the style of music that's being sung or the decade (or century) in which the songs were written; it's about how they're being sung. My first Sunday that I was "in charge" having been appointed to my first church (as associate), the music director asked me if I wanted to pick songs. I picked (among others) And Can It Be that I Should Gain, a Charles Wesley hymn that was an Asbury Theological Seminary favorite. (Though I honestly didn't attend chapel all that devoutly), I was used to hearing the (full) Estes Chapel reverberate with the joyful sound of seminarians belting out Charles Wesley's words. But this song wasn't a familiar one at Stonybrook in Gahanna (and it hasn't been familiar in New Knoxville or in Millersport, either) and the congregation barely mumbled its powerful words. I was so discouraged. Truth was, architecture had a lot to do with the problem; Stonybrook's sanctuary sucked the sound out, while the New Knoxville sanctuary's acoustics amplified the sound of singing.
But this wasn't where I was going. So let me get back to my point.
Another conclusion I've drawn from the worship wars is that I'll take authenticity over about anything else when it comes to worship leadership. I don't mean I want someone who can't sing a lick to lead singing, just because he's heartfelt. So let me explain what I do mean.
Yesterday in our first ("traditional") service, we had special music sung by two really dear women of the church. One has become a personal friend of our family, and the other I have gotten to know through the new member class. They apparently have gotten to know each other better through the choir and through the women's retreat. Anyway, before they sang, one of them told us that this song would be sung in honor of her father; it was his 80th birthday, and it is his favorite song. They proceeded to sing "In the Garden." They blended nicely, and the song is a favorite, but that wasn't what made it so good. What made it so good was that it was heartfelt and the interaction between the two singers. They looked like they were completely enjoying each other's encouragement and the opportunity to sing God's praises.
This was in the back of my mind as I was reading an article my sister-in-law posted on Facebook (about Come Down and Meet the Folks, "a twice monthly gathering that has become the epicentre of a scene with, as yet, no name. Some call it country, others roots or Americana; many have settled on the oxymoronic UK Americana") - one of the points of the article (and of the whole (yet unnamed) movement) is that typical Nashville popular country music is overproduced (even described as "sanitized") and, thus, inauthentic.
When I worship, I want to be led by authentic worship leaders. But what I want them to be authentic about is the LORD. I don't just want someone to "lead singing" - I want to see that they mean what they are singing, that it means something to them, that it's more than just "what we do." This goes for the best-produced church band/orchestra/choir as well as the little country church singer.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Worship Leader/Lead Worshiper
When I was growing up in church we always had a song leader - someone who would stand in front of the congregation and direct (usually musically trained well enough to actually direct) the singing. Sometimes they would add some wrinkles into the singing, like saying "power" sixteen times instead of two in the line "There is power, power, wonder-working power in the blood (in the blood) of the Lamb (of the Lamb)." Usually they would stand in the pulpit to lead.
As churches adapted to having worship bands, a specific person was the "worship leader" - assuming the same role, just with a band behind him/her instead of piano and organ, with a hand-held mic instead of the pulpit mic. But as worship bands became more common, there came some backlash against the typical worship leader. Some began to think that the worship leader was too visible, that the "worship" was becoming a "show" and instead of glorifying God, it was glorifying gifted singers/musicians (especially the one person who was most visible).
And so we began to see the rise of the "lead worshiper" - check out your praise and worship CDs or this article by Jeff Deyo - the idea is that the only difference between the person in front and the person in the pews is position (and microphone and/or instrument). That what the "lead worshiper" is doing is simply worshiping. certainly not putting on a show. It's all about God, and the congregation is simply invited to worship along with the lead worshiper, who is "really" just worshiping.
The difficulty with this is that some of us need some help worshiping. No, I'm not talking about those who are clap-impaired and don't know which beat is proper to put the hands together. I'm talking about those who don't necessarily realize or recognize that our physical posture actually impacts our spiritual openness. A lead worshiper wouldn't necessarily tell a congregation to "raise holy hands" but would just raise his/her hands in worship. And most in a congregation (who aren't used to raising hands) would never think of raising their hands just because a lead worshiper was doing so. Simply put, a lead worshiper isn't a worship teacher - and that's one thing that most congregations need.
Even at the National Pastors Conference a couple years ago, one of the neatest worship experiences was led by a professor of worship who taught us (pastors) about posture (think about it; are you going to be more open to the Holy Spirit if your arms are crossed against you or if your hands are open in front of you?) about the Temple and the Presence of God, and other things. Though the music "wasn't my favorite style" (an easy excuse not to worship fully), I felt more freed to worship with all of me...
This past Sunday, Chad led worship for us - not just as a lead worshiper (which he has usually been), but by instructing us in worship, how to worship, to give our whole selves in worship. It was fantastic.
That said, (from his standpoint) it wasn't all about him teaching us - he was worshiping with his whole heart and was also teaching us and leading us in worship. Sort of a lead worshiper worship leader.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Singing God's Praises
This morning I woke up early enough to feed the baby and to go for a run before I needed to be at the church to prepare for worship. It was a fantastic morning for a run - 43 degrees (cold enough to wear tights & gloves, warm enough to not feel frozen) - and the sun was just beginning to rise. As it hovered just below the horizon, the sky began to change color, first subtly, then dramatically.
I was listening to praise music on my iPod: Robby Seay Band, to be specific, and the song Beautiful Scandalous Night.
I have to admit that I'm already very much in the swing of Christmas preparation - my prayer has been that Christmas will be a fantastic time of worship, of celebrating Jesus' birthday, both for me and for my church.
But the very thought of Jesus willingly giving his life on the cross, in the context of His birth in the manger, when in the beautiful colors of the morning, the rising sun in the background...
...it was almost overwhelming.
I am continuing to worship God and to sing His praises - O for 1000 tongues to sing my great redeemer's praise! Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty!!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Peter Mayer Group Concert
When our worship chair asked my permission to book the Peter Mayer Group in concert, I had never heard of them. I didn't know that Peter Mayer's main gig was playing with Jimmy Buffett. I didn't know that he was a fantastic guitar player and songwriter.
All I knew is that he (along with the rest of his band) is a Christian and our worship chair wanted him to play at our church. And soon I found out that the leader of our worship band has a man-crush on him.
I scooted over to his myspace page and gave him a listen and I really liked what I heard.
So we booked him to come and play at the Millersport UMC. He has apparently played at nearby Buckeye Lake in his other gig, and though we had a decent turn-out, it was slightly less than Jimmy Buffett might draw.
I hadn't been to a good concert in a while - I can't remember one since the Violet Burning played in Ohio a couple years back. Other than that (and a rare double showing of the Violets at Ichthus the year I took Stonybrook youth there), it would probably date back to college.
Anyway, I took my place in the front row, center seat (yes, I was that guy), hoping I wouldn't be disappointed. Everyone else had slipped down from the office to "help out" (read: listen to them warm up), but I hadn't (was a little embarrassed that I'd showed up late to help them unload their gear). From the first note, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed at all.
I was reminded heavily of the Freddy Jones Band (one of my college favs - if you go to their site, make sure to listen to In a Daydream - great song), but there was something about Peter Mayer that reminded me of my late friend Chad Miller. Reminded me enough of Chad to bring tears to my eyes.
The music was a mix of upbeat, acoustic, electric, funny (the Onion, anyone?), contemplative, Christian, and secular tunes with jazz, acoustic, folksy, and rock roots - all with a great sense of humor and good rapport with the audience. At one point early on, they had us (the audience) simulating a rain storm. It sounded cool. At another later point, we had a fantastic conga line stretching all around the entire church. Now that had to have been a first!
I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Fantastic concert!
When our worship chair asked my permission to book the Peter Mayer Group in concert, I had never heard of them. I didn't know that Peter Mayer's main gig was playing with Jimmy Buffett. I didn't know that he was a fantastic guitar player and songwriter.
All I knew is that he (along with the rest of his band) is a Christian and our worship chair wanted him to play at our church. And soon I found out that the leader of our worship band has a man-crush on him.
I scooted over to his myspace page and gave him a listen and I really liked what I heard.
So we booked him to come and play at the Millersport UMC. He has apparently played at nearby Buckeye Lake in his other gig, and though we had a decent turn-out, it was slightly less than Jimmy Buffett might draw.
I hadn't been to a good concert in a while - I can't remember one since the Violet Burning played in Ohio a couple years back. Other than that (and a rare double showing of the Violets at Ichthus the year I took Stonybrook youth there), it would probably date back to college.
Anyway, I took my place in the front row, center seat (yes, I was that guy), hoping I wouldn't be disappointed. Everyone else had slipped down from the office to "help out" (read: listen to them warm up), but I hadn't (was a little embarrassed that I'd showed up late to help them unload their gear). From the first note, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed at all.
I was reminded heavily of the Freddy Jones Band (one of my college favs - if you go to their site, make sure to listen to In a Daydream - great song), but there was something about Peter Mayer that reminded me of my late friend Chad Miller. Reminded me enough of Chad to bring tears to my eyes.
The music was a mix of upbeat, acoustic, electric, funny (the Onion, anyone?), contemplative, Christian, and secular tunes with jazz, acoustic, folksy, and rock roots - all with a great sense of humor and good rapport with the audience. At one point early on, they had us (the audience) simulating a rain storm. It sounded cool. At another later point, we had a fantastic conga line stretching all around the entire church. Now that had to have been a first!
I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Fantastic concert!
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
A Comedy of Errors
... but it all worked out ok.
It all started with a phone call on Sunday - between soccer games. Apparently the musical entertainment for the preschool Mothers' Day party (which is a pretty big deal) canceled. They had a good reason, having to do with a death in their director's family.
But it left the preschool director in a jam: now they didn't have entertainment for the party, and it was already Sunday night (and the party was on Tuesday at noon).
So they wondered: would Tara and I be available?
In case you're a new reader of my blog and/or don't know us very well, Tara is a very good violinist and I play guitar. Maybe we could play something?
So we said we would.
Fast forward (not very far) to Tuesday, when the preschool director was sick and couldn't come.
Tara prepared some pretty well-known children's songs and found chords for them and we decided that I would play and she would sing.
And we would do some bluegrass.
And she would play a song that she had originally prepared to play for Jonathan's class when they were having their "music" week (that particular class day was canceled because of the weather).
And I would do the welcome, greeting, public speaking part.
It all worked really well, and (at least as far as I could tell) everyone had fun.
Except that Jonathan was mad that the other kids didn't really know how a certain song (one of his favorites) went. (That favorite is Down By the Bay. Some of his other favorites are Can-Can and Beethoven's Fifth).
It all started with a phone call on Sunday - between soccer games. Apparently the musical entertainment for the preschool Mothers' Day party (which is a pretty big deal) canceled. They had a good reason, having to do with a death in their director's family.
But it left the preschool director in a jam: now they didn't have entertainment for the party, and it was already Sunday night (and the party was on Tuesday at noon).
So they wondered: would Tara and I be available?
In case you're a new reader of my blog and/or don't know us very well, Tara is a very good violinist and I play guitar. Maybe we could play something?
So we said we would.
Fast forward (not very far) to Tuesday, when the preschool director was sick and couldn't come.
Tara prepared some pretty well-known children's songs and found chords for them and we decided that I would play and she would sing.
And we would do some bluegrass.
And she would play a song that she had originally prepared to play for Jonathan's class when they were having their "music" week (that particular class day was canceled because of the weather).
And I would do the welcome, greeting, public speaking part.
It all worked really well, and (at least as far as I could tell) everyone had fun.
Except that Jonathan was mad that the other kids didn't really know how a certain song (one of his favorites) went. (That favorite is Down By the Bay. Some of his other favorites are Can-Can and Beethoven's Fifth).
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Top 25
I just realized my iPod has a built-in playlist for the 25 most played tracks. I found the list pretty entertaining.
25.Chanson de Matin - Michael Davis
24. Haunted When the Minutes Drag - Love and Rockets
23. Darklands - the Jesus and Mary Chain
22. Upside Down - the Jesus and Mary Chain
21. Just Like Honey - the Jesus and Mary Chain
20. Been Caught Stealing [12' Remix] - Jane's Addiction
19. Psalm 25 - The Bible Experience
18. Psalm 13 - The Bible Experience
17. Route 66 - Chuck Berry
16. King of Glory - Chris Tomlin
15.Indescribable - Chris Tomlin
14.Slice of Life - Bauhaus
13. Never Make Your Move too Soon - B.B. King w/ Roger Daltrey
12. Rock this House [Live] - B.B. King w/ Elton John
11. Midnight Blues - Allman Brothers Band
10. Rising - Paul Baloche
9. The Perfect Kiss - New Order
8. No New Tale to Tell - Love and Rockets
7. Sometimes Always - the Jesus and Mary Chain
6.Slow Ride - Foghat
5. Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin w/ Steven Curtis Chapman
4.She's in Parties - Bauhaus
3.Take the Skinheads Bowling - Camper van Beethoven
2. Lick it Up - Kiss
1. Living After Midnight - Judas Priest
25.Chanson de Matin - Michael Davis
24. Haunted When the Minutes Drag - Love and Rockets
23. Darklands - the Jesus and Mary Chain
22. Upside Down - the Jesus and Mary Chain
21. Just Like Honey - the Jesus and Mary Chain
20. Been Caught Stealing [12' Remix] - Jane's Addiction
19. Psalm 25 - The Bible Experience
18. Psalm 13 - The Bible Experience
17. Route 66 - Chuck Berry
16. King of Glory - Chris Tomlin
15.Indescribable - Chris Tomlin
14.Slice of Life - Bauhaus
13. Never Make Your Move too Soon - B.B. King w/ Roger Daltrey
12. Rock this House [Live] - B.B. King w/ Elton John
11. Midnight Blues - Allman Brothers Band
10. Rising - Paul Baloche
9. The Perfect Kiss - New Order
8. No New Tale to Tell - Love and Rockets
7. Sometimes Always - the Jesus and Mary Chain
6.Slow Ride - Foghat
5. Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin w/ Steven Curtis Chapman
4.She's in Parties - Bauhaus
3.Take the Skinheads Bowling - Camper van Beethoven
2. Lick it Up - Kiss
1. Living After Midnight - Judas Priest
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
David Bailey
This past Sunday, our church hosted David Bailey in concert. I was excited for the concert, as David has a remarkable testimony, and as I had been listening to some of his music in anticipation of the concert. He is a fantastic song writer - one of those guys who paints very real, tangible, accessible word pictures with his lyrics.
On Sunday morning, David brought the special music for church. While his songs were good, he looked about ready to collapse. He explained that he was just exhausted from his travels but that his left hand just wasn't working right (yeah, I know that a left hand never works like a right hand).
Anyway, at his concert, David's guitar was out of tune. Apparently, right before he went on, he told a couple people that he was having a really hard time hearing. I kept hearing one of the strings out of tune and it was pretty distracting to me. But on the other hand, his lyrics and his testimony were extremely powerful and moving, and one thing he said really stuck with me.
This was true of his concert. I know he was disappointed in how he played; you could tell by his demeanor. But there were many in the audience who were really touched by God through him.
It turned out that he was battling a lot more than exhaustion; he scheduled an MRI for when he got home (Tuesday) and is in surgery today (Thursday) to remove a cyst that is causing pressure in his brain. So if you have a chance today, please lift up prayers for David Bailey.
This past Sunday, our church hosted David Bailey in concert. I was excited for the concert, as David has a remarkable testimony, and as I had been listening to some of his music in anticipation of the concert. He is a fantastic song writer - one of those guys who paints very real, tangible, accessible word pictures with his lyrics.
On Sunday morning, David brought the special music for church. While his songs were good, he looked about ready to collapse. He explained that he was just exhausted from his travels but that his left hand just wasn't working right (yeah, I know that a left hand never works like a right hand).
Anyway, at his concert, David's guitar was out of tune. Apparently, right before he went on, he told a couple people that he was having a really hard time hearing. I kept hearing one of the strings out of tune and it was pretty distracting to me. But on the other hand, his lyrics and his testimony were extremely powerful and moving, and one thing he said really stuck with me.
Even when you don't think what you're doing is good enough, God can use you
anyway.
This was true of his concert. I know he was disappointed in how he played; you could tell by his demeanor. But there were many in the audience who were really touched by God through him.
It turned out that he was battling a lot more than exhaustion; he scheduled an MRI for when he got home (Tuesday) and is in surgery today (Thursday) to remove a cyst that is causing pressure in his brain. So if you have a chance today, please lift up prayers for David Bailey.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
...But I don't even listen to the lyrics...
I am still in the process of converting my cassette tapes to digital format, and this afternoon I had a realization. The Boston song "Let Me Take You Home Tonight" which I always thought was a rather sweet (though heathen) love song is really about a freaky stalker.
And I still don't know what to believe about the R.E.M. song my brother convinced me was about circumcision.
I am still in the process of converting my cassette tapes to digital format, and this afternoon I had a realization. The Boston song "Let Me Take You Home Tonight" which I always thought was a rather sweet (though heathen) love song is really about a freaky stalker.
And I still don't know what to believe about the R.E.M. song my brother convinced me was about circumcision.
Friday, April 11, 2008
I Wonder... 
...why nobody ever listened to my radio show. As I mentioned, I am going through my old cassettes and transferring them to a medium that I'll be able to listen to (and getting rid of many dubbed cassettes that are in such bad condition that I can't really even listen to them). As I do so, I have been listening to some of the "mix tapes" (if you're under age 30, just smile and nod your head) and I came across some of the tapes of the "DJ Jazzy Brian and the Fresh Pancake" WNUR radio show. Not only were our shows on between 2 and 4 am, but they were simply awful. You never knew what kind of horrible music we were going to play. Probably because we never knew what kind of horrible music we were going to play.
Set list:
Motorhead
Dead Kennedys (they ranked two songs)
Aztec Camera (on 45 instead of 33, doing a Van Halen cover)
Atilla the Stockbroker
Beastie Boys
Depth Charge
Burl Ives
The Toy Dolls (with an Elvis cover tune)
DJ Quick
Ronald Reagan (spoken word)
Ella Fitzgerald
Sesame Street Theme
Public Enemy/Ice-T "medley"
(+ multiple playing of a short portion of a public service announcement; I think we were supposed to play the whole thing)
That coupled with inane and sleepy-sounding stupid DJ banter... I can't see why people weren't staying up all night to listen to our show. Or why the only calls we got were from drunks or stoners. Doesn't make any sense.
Duh.
Our radio show's advertising policy was something like this: if you happened to tune in between 2-4 on a certain night, you could hear the show. Otherwise, forget about it. Oh, and we didn't have much of a broadcast range anyway.
We played music that we liked and that we wanted to hear, and if you didn't like it, you were free to call in a request that would be ignored.
We bantered in ways that the two of us generally thought was at least somewhat humorous (it was funnier at 3 am than in the day), and if you didn't like it, there were plenty of other stations on the radio. We lampooned characters made "famous" by better radio personalities (if my brother and his friends qualify as "better") in the past - if you hadn't heard their shows, or even the combined show that I did with my brother with "Pancake" as our apprentice, then you missed out on why they were funny. We used insider terminology where we were the only insiders...
Why does this matter? Why does it even merit a blog post?
Because this is often the way Christians deal with their faith and with church. If you happen to show up in their church building at the right time of the day on the right day of the week, you might be able to "tune in."
We play music that is accessible to church people. Only. Besides the obvious point (the instrumentation, which I really don't have as much an issue with as one might think), try reading the lyrics of some favorite hymns - but read them with an outsider's mentality. It can be quite difficult. And try shouting out "FREEBIRD" in a church service sometime and see if the worship band stops and plays it for you.
We use a lot of "Christianese" and insider terminology in the church. I remember once when the Appalachia Service Project was brought up in a former church (great ministry, by the way) - we always used its initials: ASP. So anyway, someone saw it and immediately thought of this.
And all the while, just like "Pancake" and I - as long as we're "on the air" we think we're being successful...
...why nobody ever listened to my radio show. As I mentioned, I am going through my old cassettes and transferring them to a medium that I'll be able to listen to (and getting rid of many dubbed cassettes that are in such bad condition that I can't really even listen to them). As I do so, I have been listening to some of the "mix tapes" (if you're under age 30, just smile and nod your head) and I came across some of the tapes of the "DJ Jazzy Brian and the Fresh Pancake" WNUR radio show. Not only were our shows on between 2 and 4 am, but they were simply awful. You never knew what kind of horrible music we were going to play. Probably because we never knew what kind of horrible music we were going to play.
Set list:
Motorhead
Dead Kennedys (they ranked two songs)
Aztec Camera (on 45 instead of 33, doing a Van Halen cover)
Atilla the Stockbroker
Beastie Boys
Depth Charge
Burl Ives
The Toy Dolls (with an Elvis cover tune)
DJ Quick
Ronald Reagan (spoken word)
Ella Fitzgerald
Sesame Street Theme
Public Enemy/Ice-T "medley"
(+ multiple playing of a short portion of a public service announcement; I think we were supposed to play the whole thing)
That coupled with inane and sleepy-sounding stupid DJ banter... I can't see why people weren't staying up all night to listen to our show. Or why the only calls we got were from drunks or stoners. Doesn't make any sense.
Duh.
Our radio show's advertising policy was something like this: if you happened to tune in between 2-4 on a certain night, you could hear the show. Otherwise, forget about it. Oh, and we didn't have much of a broadcast range anyway.
We played music that we liked and that we wanted to hear, and if you didn't like it, you were free to call in a request that would be ignored.
We bantered in ways that the two of us generally thought was at least somewhat humorous (it was funnier at 3 am than in the day), and if you didn't like it, there were plenty of other stations on the radio. We lampooned characters made "famous" by better radio personalities (if my brother and his friends qualify as "better") in the past - if you hadn't heard their shows, or even the combined show that I did with my brother with "Pancake" as our apprentice, then you missed out on why they were funny. We used insider terminology where we were the only insiders...
Why does this matter? Why does it even merit a blog post?
Because this is often the way Christians deal with their faith and with church. If you happen to show up in their church building at the right time of the day on the right day of the week, you might be able to "tune in."
We play music that is accessible to church people. Only. Besides the obvious point (the instrumentation, which I really don't have as much an issue with as one might think), try reading the lyrics of some favorite hymns - but read them with an outsider's mentality. It can be quite difficult. And try shouting out "FREEBIRD" in a church service sometime and see if the worship band stops and plays it for you.
We use a lot of "Christianese" and insider terminology in the church. I remember once when the Appalachia Service Project was brought up in a former church (great ministry, by the way) - we always used its initials: ASP. So anyway, someone saw it and immediately thought of this.
And all the while, just like "Pancake" and I - as long as we're "on the air" we think we're being successful...
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Memory Lane
At the end of last week, I downloaded some freeware that allows me to transfer my cassettes to mp3 files, so I have been taking a walk down memory lane. As I have been doing my work, I've had music playing.
This kind of reminds me of "the Great Vinson Music Purge" in which my mother heard rumor about the nasty, profanity-laden music that I was listening to and demanded to listen to every cassette I owned (to those born after, say, 1985, check out this history lesson). Hour after hour, day after day, my mother listened to our music (I say "our" because my brother gladly threw his cassettes into the pile, too).
Some highlights of the "Purge" included Big Mama actually liking some of our music (I can distinctly remember that she liked Love and Rockets) and walking into the living room to hear the screaming guitars of Quiet Riot (she didn't like them all that much, but can you blame her? I have it on good authority that (the late) Kevin DuBrow couldn't kick butt even with the aid of "butt-seeking boots").
Of course, when it came down to it, she only confiscated one cassette (this doesn't count the Judas Priest cassette she took from the Dunce some years before - it had long since been "returned" via a "seek-and-destroy" mission). We gleefully ripped the tape out of it, much to Big Mama's horror (I'm not sure exactly what she was going to do with it).
So anyway, it's been fun listening to the music of the high-school Thief, from days when my babysitting money bought me a cassette every week from the scanty "alternitive" section at the mall music store while the babysittee was in CCD class. It takes me back to a much more confusing, difficult, and less simple time in my life.
At the end of last week, I downloaded some freeware that allows me to transfer my cassettes to mp3 files, so I have been taking a walk down memory lane. As I have been doing my work, I've had music playing.
This kind of reminds me of "the Great Vinson Music Purge" in which my mother heard rumor about the nasty, profanity-laden music that I was listening to and demanded to listen to every cassette I owned (to those born after, say, 1985, check out this history lesson). Hour after hour, day after day, my mother listened to our music (I say "our" because my brother gladly threw his cassettes into the pile, too).
Some highlights of the "Purge" included Big Mama actually liking some of our music (I can distinctly remember that she liked Love and Rockets) and walking into the living room to hear the screaming guitars of Quiet Riot (she didn't like them all that much, but can you blame her? I have it on good authority that (the late) Kevin DuBrow couldn't kick butt even with the aid of "butt-seeking boots").
Of course, when it came down to it, she only confiscated one cassette (this doesn't count the Judas Priest cassette she took from the Dunce some years before - it had long since been "returned" via a "seek-and-destroy" mission). We gleefully ripped the tape out of it, much to Big Mama's horror (I'm not sure exactly what she was going to do with it).
So anyway, it's been fun listening to the music of the high-school Thief, from days when my babysitting money bought me a cassette every week from the scanty "alternitive" section at the mall music store while the babysittee was in CCD class. It takes me back to a much more confusing, difficult, and less simple time in my life.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Ten Songs That Transport Me to Another Time and Place
1. Boston: More than a Feeling. Yeah, you're probably thinking that's kind of cheesy, but that Boston album (OK, I had it on cassette, copied from my friend Andy) was really my first rock-n-roll album. And it was the first one I really listened to over and over. It's appropriate to this list, because of its lyrics.
2. Metallica: Creeping Death. I can't hear this song and not be transported back to sophomore year of high school, to a classmate's Nova. I was walking to school (the dreaded 50 miles, uphill both ways, with no shoes, in the snow - OK, so it was a 10 minute walk from door to door, but it was bitter cold that particular day), when someone stopped and asked if I'd like a ride. I knew him from the middle school track team, and I was really glad to get a ride because it was so cold out. Creeping Death was playing loudly. He started driving up Pebble Beach Drive toward the school... and pulled out a bong and starting smoking up. I was sure that he was going to crash and we were going to die and I'd be pronounced guilty by association.
3. Violent Femmes: Black Girls. While there are a lot better songs by the Femmes, this one is the one full of memories. I can remember it vividly: my friends John and Tony had come over to my house (maybe John drove in his huge boat of a car, or maybe I picked them up). We were in the basement with my brother, and it was really, really late. Or not so late, to my brother, who was in college at the time. We were listening to music (that was my social life in high school: playing soccer or listening to music), and we spontaneously broke into "dance" to go with the song (appropriate, because the Horns of Dilemma were supposed to improvise that section - "just play whatever you want, but play loud" - I think was the instruction). So any time I hear that song, that's where I am: 17 in the basement with Tony and John and the Dunce.
4. Metallica: One. I am suddenly a senior in high school, and I am sitting with Greg B in calculus class. We rewrote the song in my calculus notebook to reflect our calculus experience... the notebook that was collected weekly to check our work. It was returned with a check mark at the top of that page.
I must add that the first and last two songs on Metallica's Master of Puppets tape were my soccer fire-up songs, and I can't hear any of them without mentally running through my pre-game checklist... (on bus... listen to Ian McCullough and Peter Murphy to calm down... getting near the field... change to Metallica... put on shin guards and socks... at field... put on cleats... get off the bus... warm up, mostly alone... ref calls for captains... take off headphones, run to bench, get game jersey, pull it on while running to center circle for coin toss... GAME ON!)
5. Blues Traveler: But Anyway. I'm back at the Chi Phi house - I think it was Spring Quarter of my freshman year at Northwestern. After classes were done on a Friday, I'd come across the quad (that doesn't exist anymore) and I'd hear Blues Traveler blasting from the front yard (yeah, there's no front yard at the Chi Phi house anymore either). We had the biggest speaker on campus and you could hear it forever. The familiar scent of lighter fluid would hit (Sherman, our cook, would use exactly the correct amount to start the grill - meaning: the whole can), and then the smoke from the grill. Sherman would have a couple of beers going, one for dousing the burgers and flames and another (couple) for drinking. There'd be a couple of Frisbees flying and some guys sitting on the porch, just hanging out. Good, good times.
6. Grateful Dead: Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad. This could have been one of several Grateful Dead songs, but this one stuck out. For pretty much four years, my friend Joe and I were inseparable whenever I was home from college. Maybe he had ESP, or perhaps he could smell the fact that I was home, but whatever the case, as soon as I got home, he'd be there, and he wouldn't leave until I did (or, in some cases, for another week). I was, at that time, used to the "college schedule" which meant that things never even started until after 10 pm, whereas things in Kokomo were pretty much shut down by then. So Joe and I had some night-time hang-out spots, including the Denny's restaurant on highway 31 (where the good waitress would stick us way back in the corner and bring us our Cokes two at a time), the Eastern high school parking lot, where they had basketball hoops and streetlights, and the Highland Park tennis courts, where we would play Hacky-Sack while listening to the Grateful Dead on cassette until 11 pm, when the lights would go off. We had all kinds of fun. One thing we implemented was the "dinner shot." If you could kick the footbag while making a "kung-fu" yell, all the while going into a full splits (no more than 1 inch from the ground - it had to be measured for it to count, and the kick had to be played by the other player after you kicked it), you would recieve a free (all expenses paid) dinner wherever you wanted. We were pretty much in agreement that we'd choose a French restaurant.
In France.
Of course, nobody ever got paid. Because nobody could hit that shot. But it was fun to talk about, and that was what it was all about.
7. Credence Clearwater Revival: Down on the Corner. This is a great song, but it always takes me back to college, sitting in the frat house, playing it in Alan's room. Alan played keyboard and I played bass. We were the backbone of the non-band "Crazed Weasels in Heat" and this was our signature song (this and Green Onions - I didn't include Green Onions in this list because I just don't ever hear it).
8. Allman Brothers Band: You Don't Love Me. Still in college, but now I'm a senior. Sitting in a basement again, but this time it's the basement of Chi Phi (besides the kitchen, the dining room, and the pool room, there was one bedroom down there - more like a suite. It was called "the Pit"). I was experiencing a break-up, and when I was feeling especially down, my buddy Drew and I would just sit and listen to that song - all 19 minutes and 25 seconds.
9. Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir: Order My Steps. It was the first song I sang as a part of a choir (since I was finally allowed to quit the children's choir at church when I was a 5'8" seventh grader with a bass voice). It was the Southland Christian Church choir, and (once I got over how high the bass part was), I loved it. We took it to the Battle of the Choirs at the Lexington Opera House, and that was an amazing experience. The audience was so energetic and the atmosphere was electric. I loved that church - being a part of the exciting stuff that was going on - but I especially loved the choir, the bass section most of all. It was also through the experience with that choir that I got the chance to sing the National Anthem at a Lexington Legends game - that was an awesome experience as well.
10. SonRise Praise Band: One Day. Oh, you don't know the SonRise Praise Band? That was "my" band at my last church (I was the bass player). Though I had a lot of favorite songs, this one always reminds me of playing in the band. It was one (of many) songs that the first time I heard it was when we were playing it. I had a recurring bass lick - I repeated the same four notes for the whole song - and it made the song. I'm not sure what I would have done without the SonRise Praise Band while I was at that church.
Thanks to Bryan for the inspiration for this post.
1. Boston: More than a Feeling. Yeah, you're probably thinking that's kind of cheesy, but that Boston album (OK, I had it on cassette, copied from my friend Andy) was really my first rock-n-roll album. And it was the first one I really listened to over and over. It's appropriate to this list, because of its lyrics.
I looked out this morning and the sun was gone/ Turned on some music to start my
day/ I lost myself in a familiar song/ I closed my eyes and I slipped away
2. Metallica: Creeping Death. I can't hear this song and not be transported back to sophomore year of high school, to a classmate's Nova. I was walking to school (the dreaded 50 miles, uphill both ways, with no shoes, in the snow - OK, so it was a 10 minute walk from door to door, but it was bitter cold that particular day), when someone stopped and asked if I'd like a ride. I knew him from the middle school track team, and I was really glad to get a ride because it was so cold out. Creeping Death was playing loudly. He started driving up Pebble Beach Drive toward the school... and pulled out a bong and starting smoking up. I was sure that he was going to crash and we were going to die and I'd be pronounced guilty by association.
3. Violent Femmes: Black Girls. While there are a lot better songs by the Femmes, this one is the one full of memories. I can remember it vividly: my friends John and Tony had come over to my house (maybe John drove in his huge boat of a car, or maybe I picked them up). We were in the basement with my brother, and it was really, really late. Or not so late, to my brother, who was in college at the time. We were listening to music (that was my social life in high school: playing soccer or listening to music), and we spontaneously broke into "dance" to go with the song (appropriate, because the Horns of Dilemma were supposed to improvise that section - "just play whatever you want, but play loud" - I think was the instruction). So any time I hear that song, that's where I am: 17 in the basement with Tony and John and the Dunce.
4. Metallica: One. I am suddenly a senior in high school, and I am sitting with Greg B in calculus class. We rewrote the song in my calculus notebook to reflect our calculus experience... the notebook that was collected weekly to check our work. It was returned with a check mark at the top of that page.
I must add that the first and last two songs on Metallica's Master of Puppets tape were my soccer fire-up songs, and I can't hear any of them without mentally running through my pre-game checklist... (on bus... listen to Ian McCullough and Peter Murphy to calm down... getting near the field... change to Metallica... put on shin guards and socks... at field... put on cleats... get off the bus... warm up, mostly alone... ref calls for captains... take off headphones, run to bench, get game jersey, pull it on while running to center circle for coin toss... GAME ON!)
5. Blues Traveler: But Anyway. I'm back at the Chi Phi house - I think it was Spring Quarter of my freshman year at Northwestern. After classes were done on a Friday, I'd come across the quad (that doesn't exist anymore) and I'd hear Blues Traveler blasting from the front yard (yeah, there's no front yard at the Chi Phi house anymore either). We had the biggest speaker on campus and you could hear it forever. The familiar scent of lighter fluid would hit (Sherman, our cook, would use exactly the correct amount to start the grill - meaning: the whole can), and then the smoke from the grill. Sherman would have a couple of beers going, one for dousing the burgers and flames and another (couple) for drinking. There'd be a couple of Frisbees flying and some guys sitting on the porch, just hanging out. Good, good times.
6. Grateful Dead: Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad. This could have been one of several Grateful Dead songs, but this one stuck out. For pretty much four years, my friend Joe and I were inseparable whenever I was home from college. Maybe he had ESP, or perhaps he could smell the fact that I was home, but whatever the case, as soon as I got home, he'd be there, and he wouldn't leave until I did (or, in some cases, for another week). I was, at that time, used to the "college schedule" which meant that things never even started until after 10 pm, whereas things in Kokomo were pretty much shut down by then. So Joe and I had some night-time hang-out spots, including the Denny's restaurant on highway 31 (where the good waitress would stick us way back in the corner and bring us our Cokes two at a time), the Eastern high school parking lot, where they had basketball hoops and streetlights, and the Highland Park tennis courts, where we would play Hacky-Sack while listening to the Grateful Dead on cassette until 11 pm, when the lights would go off. We had all kinds of fun. One thing we implemented was the "dinner shot." If you could kick the footbag while making a "kung-fu" yell, all the while going into a full splits (no more than 1 inch from the ground - it had to be measured for it to count, and the kick had to be played by the other player after you kicked it), you would recieve a free (all expenses paid) dinner wherever you wanted. We were pretty much in agreement that we'd choose a French restaurant.
In France.
Of course, nobody ever got paid. Because nobody could hit that shot. But it was fun to talk about, and that was what it was all about.
7. Credence Clearwater Revival: Down on the Corner. This is a great song, but it always takes me back to college, sitting in the frat house, playing it in Alan's room. Alan played keyboard and I played bass. We were the backbone of the non-band "Crazed Weasels in Heat" and this was our signature song (this and Green Onions - I didn't include Green Onions in this list because I just don't ever hear it).
8. Allman Brothers Band: You Don't Love Me. Still in college, but now I'm a senior. Sitting in a basement again, but this time it's the basement of Chi Phi (besides the kitchen, the dining room, and the pool room, there was one bedroom down there - more like a suite. It was called "the Pit"). I was experiencing a break-up, and when I was feeling especially down, my buddy Drew and I would just sit and listen to that song - all 19 minutes and 25 seconds.
9. Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir: Order My Steps. It was the first song I sang as a part of a choir (since I was finally allowed to quit the children's choir at church when I was a 5'8" seventh grader with a bass voice). It was the Southland Christian Church choir, and (once I got over how high the bass part was), I loved it. We took it to the Battle of the Choirs at the Lexington Opera House, and that was an amazing experience. The audience was so energetic and the atmosphere was electric. I loved that church - being a part of the exciting stuff that was going on - but I especially loved the choir, the bass section most of all. It was also through the experience with that choir that I got the chance to sing the National Anthem at a Lexington Legends game - that was an awesome experience as well.
10. SonRise Praise Band: One Day. Oh, you don't know the SonRise Praise Band? That was "my" band at my last church (I was the bass player). Though I had a lot of favorite songs, this one always reminds me of playing in the band. It was one (of many) songs that the first time I heard it was when we were playing it. I had a recurring bass lick - I repeated the same four notes for the whole song - and it made the song. I'm not sure what I would have done without the SonRise Praise Band while I was at that church.
Thanks to Bryan for the inspiration for this post.
Friday, December 07, 2007
More Music
I took some more surveys, got some more points, and turned my points into more songs. Because you, dear reader, were interested in my last foray into song choosing (at least as interested as any other blog post I've written), I've decided to let you in on my choices.
I took some more surveys, got some more points, and turned my points into more songs. Because you, dear reader, were interested in my last foray into song choosing (at least as interested as any other blog post I've written), I've decided to let you in on my choices.
- Almost With You (solo acoustic version) - Steve Kilbey (his blog is labeled "genius" in its readability level, partly, I'm convinced, because it's written like poetry)
- Push It - Salt-N-Pepa (will they get back together? Only VH1 will show, apparently)
- Heaven - Los Lonely Boys
- Rock Lobster - The B52's ("officially" proclaimed "World's Greatest Party Band")
- Mrs. Robinson - The Lemonheads
- Blister in the Sun - The Violent Femmes (I really didn't know they fought so much)
- No Depression - Uncle Tupelo (this is a must-have in the arena of alt/country and I realized I didn't have it)
- God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols (yes, I was afraid to type that into a search engine for fear of what it might find, but this site was the first of the list and I didn't look any further!)
- Renegade - Styx. No, wait, how about this Styx...
- White Lines - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (yes, I used to listen to this when it was new)
- In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly (who would think that Iron Butterfly would have their own official website? But I guess they need one do to the fact that they're still touring!)
Monday, December 03, 2007
My Thoughts
1. Yesterday was Mission Sunday at our church. The goal was to make people aware of some of the opportunities that are available - that they can do. There were all levels of mission activity, from hands-on to monthly payment to prayers to writing letters to sending Bibles. I felt spiritually heavy around this issue and this service - like the last thing Satan wanted was for people to catch fire for mission (which I know is true). So he was throwing everything he could against it.
But things went pretty well. The weather cooperated and we had good attendance (so many people could hear the words). One of the speakers spoke from her own experience, how God convinced her to participate in prison ministry, and how she's been affected by it (not to mention how those imprisoned young people have been transformed). She challenged the congregation that every one of them can do something. It was exactly the challenge I wanted to make, but I felt like she made it better than I would have.
Unfortunately, not everyone got it. As I greeted the congregation members following the service, one gentleman said to me, "Nice sermon."
I hadn't preached.
He then backpedaled and said, "You gave us a lot to think about."
I hope he meant it.
2. Every month, we have a county-wide clergy meeting with our Assistant District Superintendent. I have been impressed with the "new guy" (who started last July 1). I admit that I didn't like him at first (before I'd even met him) because of who his friends were and some unpleasant conflicts with some of them and a perception of him being a part of an "Old Boys' Network."
While the "old guy" (who retired) was a good guy who related well to us, his concern, love, and care seemed to be first and foremost aimed at the United Methodist Church, specifically the churches in his district. The "new guy" has demonstrated that his concern, love, and care is first and foremost for the pastors of those churches.
I found out this week that we will not be having our monthly meeting because "new guy" will be with his daughter, who is having some medical tests. I couldn't be more pleased. Not because we won't be having the meeting (I don't mind the meetings - it's a free breakfast; the meetings are a good way to keep in touch with the district and the other clergy of the county; we get a free breakfast; the meetings happen just down the street from my weekly accountability group's meeting place, so it's convenient; did I mention food?), but because "new guy" is putting his family first.
That's a great example of what we as clergy should be doing.
3. Christmas is coming, and all our Christmas gifts have been purchased. Now if we can just figure out a good time to exchange gifts with the rest of the family! (I think we've gotten part of that figured out). The sad thing is Uncle Dunce and Aunt Mrs. Dunce won't be able to get here from across the pond.
4. I just got Chris Tomlin's See The Morning CD. I have loved his previous recordings, so I have high hopes for this one. We'll see how it grows on me.
5. We have made it to 2007 on our scrapbook(s). We are doing a separate one for Andrew's first year (like we did for Jonathan). It's amazing how much they have grown in a year! We completed 14 pages yesterday evening, which has to be something of a productivity record in our house.
6. I really like college football, and this year has been crazy. It's hard to believe that Ohio State and L.S.U. are going to play in the national championship game. I don't have superb insight into college football or anything (I hardly have even watched a game), but this year has been fun with all of the upsets. Mostly I'm talking about the #1 and #2 teams losing (not Duke beating Northwestern), but I loved seeing Notre Dame taking a beating (did you know that a google search for "Notre Dame Sucks" drew some 73,100 hits?).
7. At the Y today, I think it was "flaunt the rules" day. I was jogging on the track, which overlooks the basketball courts, and there were three young kids (obviously siblings) playing down there. The oldest (who was probably 9) was shooting baskets. His younger siblings were climbing on stacks of chairs and gymnastics equipment.
Why were they in there unsupervised? So mom could work out.
Then, as I ran, an older guy came to walk on the track. But he insisted on walking in the opposite direction of traffic. There is a large sign that directs which way traffic should travel (M,W,F, traffic goes counterclockwise, T,TH,SAT,SUN traffic goes clockwise) - it's not too hard to figure out. It's even less difficult when there is already someone on the track.
Yet he insisted on going the wrong way. Sounds like life, doesn't it?
8. I love the Bible study I'm in. Even though sometimes people come up with some wacky ideas (like the Mormonesque one I reported a few weeks ago), it's exciting to delve deeply into the scriptures and find out what they say and what they could mean. It's fun to find a troublesome passage and really get into a deep discussion about why it's so hard to understand.
9. Now I think that's really all I've got to say.
Monday, October 08, 2007
For Those About to Rock
I was sitting in my office doing some work while Andrew wandered around the house. All of a sudden, I heard the familiar strains of "For Those About to Rock"... then I heard it get louder. Obviously Andrew has already changed his taste in music.
Just when I thought he had it set, he changed the station (manually), and now he's listening to the Doors.
I was sitting in my office doing some work while Andrew wandered around the house. All of a sudden, I heard the familiar strains of "For Those About to Rock"... then I heard it get louder. Obviously Andrew has already changed his taste in music.
Just when I thought he had it set, he changed the station (manually), and now he's listening to the Doors.
Friday, July 13, 2007
The Best Recommendations....
I love the suggestions... I categorized them into several groups: the ones I already have on CD or mp3, the ones I have on another medium, those I would like to have, and those I don't know.
I realized that one unspoken criteria I had was that it had to be something I wouldn't go out and buy the whole "album" (yes, I said album - you got a problem with that?), and it had to be something I knew I'd like. For example, I've heard good things about MuteMath, but I've never actually heard them and I'm naturally skeptical about new music.
After some thinking on the great comments (Bryan, I think we're going to have to share music libraries when we get together - legally, of course), I think I'm going to go with "Brick House" by the Commodores (why didn't I think of that one earlier?) and "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J - I had actually been thinking about LL Cool J as it was, and the comment just solidified it for me. If I had another song to download, it probably would have been by Run DMC.
Good stuff!
I love the suggestions... I categorized them into several groups: the ones I already have on CD or mp3, the ones I have on another medium, those I would like to have, and those I don't know.
I realized that one unspoken criteria I had was that it had to be something I wouldn't go out and buy the whole "album" (yes, I said album - you got a problem with that?), and it had to be something I knew I'd like. For example, I've heard good things about MuteMath, but I've never actually heard them and I'm naturally skeptical about new music.
After some thinking on the great comments (Bryan, I think we're going to have to share music libraries when we get together - legally, of course), I think I'm going to go with "Brick House" by the Commodores (why didn't I think of that one earlier?) and "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J - I had actually been thinking about LL Cool J as it was, and the comment just solidified it for me. If I had another song to download, it probably would have been by Run DMC.
Good stuff!
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