Here are some lyrics I have thought of over the past year or so.  I had this draft sitting there so I figured I may as well publish it.

You will be there when my last tree falls
Down on these broken leaning walls

All my deeds are grains of sand
Blown across some deserted land

All my thoughts are like an oil spill
On top your vast deep ocean

But I can't go back

You were there when my grandfather was rolled out in his carriage
You will be there when my posterity is gone

You keep pulling me
And I can't go back

I try to forget you; I just do what I want when I want to
You keep coming back

What do you want from me?
What have I got for you?

Cobwebs hang on the stuff I started
The spark in my mind has long departed
blah blah blah



Give you my ghost
Fill his frame
Unroll the map
Light the flame
Of life that was dead
Of light that was darkness
I'll have no more

Death by a single blow
Life living in your shadow

I recently bought a new toy.  I've been thinking lately that I want to simplify my pedal board setup.  Enter the Line 6 M9.  I love the fact that I can just throw it into my "gig bag" - a euphemism for a free green duffle bag with the Menards logo emblazoned on the side (Thanks to my Mother in law, Beate).  And I no longer have to carry around the cumbersome home-made pedalboard that I used to have.  I'm now down to just the M9 and my Boss TU2 tuner.  The M9 has a tuner built in, but I prefer the nice bright sparkly tuner lights that the TU2 has.  Much more readable.

Now that I've used it for a few months, I'm finding that I really like the tones it has.  And I'm also finding that it requires time spent to really unlock the full potential.  I have yet to take the time to really sit down with it, but I've been pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to find good sounding patches.  I've been able to just shoot from the hip during practice on Sunday mornings and get it to sound good.

A Continuation

I'm just going to jump right in and start writing (even though it's been probably a year since I've written anything here).

Since last time I wrote, my involvement with music has definitely changed.  I still play at Westbridge almost every week.  I think Westbridge has probably been the biggest reason I have been able to improve at my guitar playing.  I've learned over the years that unless I have something new forced on me (e.g. a new worship song or having to learn a new song for a special occasion) I will tend to play just the same stuff I have played over and over before.  So thank you WCC for the opportunity to grow as a musician.  Also, hopefully it goes without saying that I'm always thankful to the Lord for giving me the ability and the opportunity to play.

One music outlet that's relatively new in my life is the Wednesday night Music Group that I help lead.  That has also been a good experience and has challenged me to connect with some of the youth at our church and it's so fun making music together with these kids and watching their talents grow.

I spent some time playing and singing (gulp!) at the middle school service on Sundays.  That really got me out of my comfort zone because I actually sang in front of people, something that I never thought I would have the guts to do. (Not because I don't like singing, I love singing, I just don't have a very good range and was scared to death to sing in front of people.)  Now I'm not as scared, so that's a good thing :)

I want to start writing in here with the hope that writing will compel me to continue my musical journey.  I have spoken with some of my friends about wanting to write songs.  I have long wanted to write music, and am now also somewhat disillusioned with the current state of church songs.  I even am tired of John Mark McMillan and the hipster music that is coming out of the studios these days.

I find myself going back and listening to a lot of the old stuff I listened to when I was in high school and college.  If (not if, when!) I start writing I'm sure MWS, Dann Huff, Kings X, The 77s, The Choir (and many others) will influence what I write. (I have eclectic tastes, what can I say?)

I went to see Switchfoot last night with Angie, Alec and Zach.  It was one of the best concerts I have been to as far as production and sound and just overall fun.  The boys loved it and that made it rock even more!

Sometimes I will think of songs and lyrics and imagine a band playing/singing it.  Just thought of a lyric:

It's taken me so long,
To get my head up off this ground
And into the clouds.

Joe Bonamassa

I have been listening to some of Joe Bonamassa's stuff on You Tube lately. He's a smoking good blues player and a great blues voice, too. I found a really good video on youtube that showcases his talent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz9m0tn99AQ&feature=player_embedded

Backroad Traffic Jam

I was driving into work this morning on my usual back route when I ran into a major delay. There was a work crew blocking a lane of traffic. I texted sam and said "Traffic jams on my backroads" and he texted back that it sounded like a country song. And then texted me a lyric:

Traffic jams on my backroads and redlights in my lovelife.

Now I've had this melody and lyric going through my head all morning:

Traffic jams on my backroads and redlights in my lovelife are gettin' me nowhere fast, ...

And then I'm thinking of a lyric about an 18-wheeler rear-ending the singer while he sits in his Chevrolet (or Chevy, or pickup truck, or whatever other vehicle a country singer might drive in)...

First Post

Just to get things rolling. I was listening to a couple of songs we might be playing in the near future - Burning Ones by Jesus Culture and Hear the Sound by Planetshakers.

Burning Ones - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pesNP_-qsE
Hear the Sound - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K-6Gs9ny9k