I wish I could make real music.
Not to say that what I write is not veritably real, but when compared to other works of actual genius, the candle shines not quite the same as the lantern. When Ralph Vaughan Williams busted this piece out, nearly one hundred years ago, I was doomed to forever try to compose something as great. Using Reason, a couple of string sections, a brass section, and some timpani, I have endeavored many times to recapture some of the magic Vaughan Williams seemed to inherently and easily endow into his orchestrations. Not to copy him, but quantify the seemingly mystical properties of his works.
And maybe I'm one of the few to feel this way about Vaughan Williams. Yet, I think most people have this feeling about something, if not another musical artist. To call what some of these people have done just "music" is almost an insult. The works go beyond the general perception of "art", and become something more personal and meaningful. Beethoven is as much of an idea as he is a composer now. The Beatles are almost a concept, the personification of musical sensibilities and nearly the connotation of success and quality. Very "Batman Begins"-esque, their music, by it's virtue, have become something even more, greater than art. It's said that for something to be "art", it can have no other purpose than that of being art; a car, by that logic, cannot be art (though I disagree), nor can a building or appliance or video game.
I'm not so sure that necessarily true. I think that art is anything that, by it's sheer virtue, quality, or attributes, stirs the soul, and by touching the soul, transcends the base word of "art" to become something indescribable.
A Saturn V rocket can be "art".
A baby crib, first used, can be "art".
Even an execution device can be "art".
So, often during the nights I'm laying in bed, sleepless, I wonder, "Am I making art?" I hope I do. But, that's not for me to decide, because another natural trait of art is that it's expository. Michelangelo was not going to keep this or this to himself. They were meant to be seen. Meant to stir souls, and touch hearts. That can't be done alone.
I sincerely hope what we do as a band is to move people. Maybe not as in grandiose, or obviously powerful, masterful ways, but something earnest, and close. The world needs more beautiful things, things that are esemplastic, and haunting, and just plain touching. And maybe we five college-age guys can bring a small portion of that to those around us who need it.
***Shameless Plug Warning***
This Saturday, we have the great pleasure of opening for our good friend, Ben Campbell. We arranged and practiced our acoustic set yesterday (Sunday), and from where I sat, things were sounding good. So come out to the Young Life Building at 8 (directions will be posted on our facebook page) to hear some good music, and get a copy of Ben's c.d. Trust me, you will want one.
Random S.P. Fact:
Super Fans, now is the time to distinguish yourselves from, and above, other "mere fans". So, if you are what is known as a Super Fan, take note.
Here is each band members (currently) favorite artist/band:
Lee: Shane and Shane
Luke: The Rocketboys
Phillip: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Jake: The Arcade Fire
KK: Matt Pond PA
As always,
JPP
Monday, April 26, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
A Not Quite Short Enough Meditation on the Relevance of Christian Rock n’ Roll
this is not phillip. he asked me if i’d like to write this entry of the blog, and i said, “yeah.” so i feel that my first duty as not phillip is to say, “hi. this is jake. i normally handle between 1/2 and 1/3 of the guitar work that takes place in s.p. it’s nice to meet you. i commend you if you read this whole thing, but i won’t hold it against you if you don’t.”
phillip suggested that i talk about what we’re doing as a band. we’re working on new songs. i like them, and i think that once you hear them, you will like them, too. gosh! i hope you do. we also have the pleasure of opening for our good friend, ben campbell, who also happens to be an exceptional songwriter in my opinion, at his cd release party on may 1. you should come. even if not for us, ben’s music is fun. it’s at 8:30 at the young life building in nacogdoches.
i’m listening to go, by jonsi right now, and am very excited about it.
phillip also suggested that i tell you what it is like to be the lead guitarist of a band. it’s fun. however, i think it is more challenging than some people think. not playing the guitar in general; that is simple if you dedicate yourself, but playing as part of a band. the first time (vocalist) luke lengl and i played together, i was resolved that i would never play with him again. he was playing all this worship-y sounding stuff, and i would have none of it: “blues riffs or death!” we’ve both grown musically since then. he is much more open to different ideas, and i have learned that being a guitarist isn’t about always being flashy, but doing what’s best for the song and the band. the edge (u2 guitarist, and a personal hero of mine) once said that there are two kinds of guitarists. one, he calls the gunslinger – someone who just blazes away through a song. these are people like joe satriani or jimmy page. the other, he calls the side-man: this is the kind of player that does his best to blend into the band, be tasteful, and enhance what the singer is saying. these are people like the edge and johnny marr (the smiths, modest mouse, the cribs, and another personal hero). i’d rather be a side-man any day.
enough about that. there’s something else i want to talk about.
wow! boy lilioki is a cool song!
that’s not what i want to talk about either though.
if i can be more broad than just writing about our band here, there’s something i’ve been giving a lot of thought to lately. it was brought about by an episode of one of my favorite shows, king of the hill, and that is Christian music in general. there is an episode where bobby joins an “extreme youth group,” with their tattoos, their “satan sucks” t-shirts, and yes, their Christian rock and roll music. hank, who doesn’t want to see bobby treat Jesus as a fad, like most of us do with musical movements (you thought backstreet boys were cool, admit it), asks a Christian rock band, “can’t you see that you’re not making Christianity better? you’re just making rock and roll worse!”
go just ended. if you liked takk…, you’ll probably enjoy it.
but what hank said - and i realize that this is a mike judge penned line, but i’ve been made to think about these things from several odd sources (go read the article “radical love gets a holiday” by the great, although atheist historian sarah vowell and tell me you don’t want to try harder) - gave me pause about what i’m doing. am i treating Christ like He’s some kind of fad? is He nothing more to me than a silly little run through a d-major diatonic, or am i worshiping the best way that i know how? does my love of Christ go beyond my love of indie rock ‘n roll?
that last question, i believe is the most important. sometimes i’m afraid of what people will do when they “outgrow” this kind of music. personally, when i listen to “strong as death” (from our glorious sound ep) the ending gives me chills. there’s a wall of electric guitars and a tape delayed piano surrounding luke and lee’s vocals as they belt out, “the grave can’t hold me down! death can’t hold me down,” and in my opinion it’s quite powerful. but what happens to people when their tastes change? we have to be absolutely certain, that our faith isn’t so tied up in a certain style of preaching or a certain style of music that we’re lost when it goes away. i was somewhat upset when the church i grew up in abandoned the piano/organ/hymn thing in favor of the modern style (i love hymns), but that’s not what’s important.
what is important, if we look at the bigger picture, is that the same God that inspired king david to pick up a harp, the same God that sent the apostle paul on his missionary journeys, the same God that gave beethoven the skill to write the 9th even after he was struck deaf, has allowed something personal, as well as several other contemporary Christian bands to exist. whatever time that we have together, we’re determined to do our best with it.
one evening in corsicana, tx, a teenage boy walked up to us almost in tears, and told us that he had grown closer to God during his d-now weekend, and thanked us for being a part of it… that’s why we do what we do. that’s the only reason.
are we making rock and roll worse?
i hope not, because i do love rock and roll.
are we trying to make Christianity better?
no… saying that would imply that it’s flawed to start with.
we’re just trying to meet people where they are, and point them in the right direction.
sorry if that was long and dull, phillip will probably take back over with something less wordy and more entertaining again next time.
hope to see you on may 1! until then, please listen to our songs and tell us what you think. we’d always love to hear from you!
jake.
matt 5:16
***Shameless Plug Warning***
Back to Phillip now. As Jake stated about, Saturday May 1st, at the Young Life Building in Nacgodoches, at 8:30, Something Personal is opening (and some members backing) for Ben Campbell. He's a good friend of the band, and even appears on the 1st edition of our first E.P., on "I'll Fly Away". He's an outstanding musician and songwriter, and very well capable of making our own songs sound foolish by comparison. Luckily, he's so nice he would never do that...We hope.
phillip suggested that i talk about what we’re doing as a band. we’re working on new songs. i like them, and i think that once you hear them, you will like them, too. gosh! i hope you do. we also have the pleasure of opening for our good friend, ben campbell, who also happens to be an exceptional songwriter in my opinion, at his cd release party on may 1. you should come. even if not for us, ben’s music is fun. it’s at 8:30 at the young life building in nacogdoches.
i’m listening to go, by jonsi right now, and am very excited about it.
phillip also suggested that i tell you what it is like to be the lead guitarist of a band. it’s fun. however, i think it is more challenging than some people think. not playing the guitar in general; that is simple if you dedicate yourself, but playing as part of a band. the first time (vocalist) luke lengl and i played together, i was resolved that i would never play with him again. he was playing all this worship-y sounding stuff, and i would have none of it: “blues riffs or death!” we’ve both grown musically since then. he is much more open to different ideas, and i have learned that being a guitarist isn’t about always being flashy, but doing what’s best for the song and the band. the edge (u2 guitarist, and a personal hero of mine) once said that there are two kinds of guitarists. one, he calls the gunslinger – someone who just blazes away through a song. these are people like joe satriani or jimmy page. the other, he calls the side-man: this is the kind of player that does his best to blend into the band, be tasteful, and enhance what the singer is saying. these are people like the edge and johnny marr (the smiths, modest mouse, the cribs, and another personal hero). i’d rather be a side-man any day.
enough about that. there’s something else i want to talk about.
wow! boy lilioki is a cool song!
that’s not what i want to talk about either though.
if i can be more broad than just writing about our band here, there’s something i’ve been giving a lot of thought to lately. it was brought about by an episode of one of my favorite shows, king of the hill, and that is Christian music in general. there is an episode where bobby joins an “extreme youth group,” with their tattoos, their “satan sucks” t-shirts, and yes, their Christian rock and roll music. hank, who doesn’t want to see bobby treat Jesus as a fad, like most of us do with musical movements (you thought backstreet boys were cool, admit it), asks a Christian rock band, “can’t you see that you’re not making Christianity better? you’re just making rock and roll worse!”
go just ended. if you liked takk…, you’ll probably enjoy it.
but what hank said - and i realize that this is a mike judge penned line, but i’ve been made to think about these things from several odd sources (go read the article “radical love gets a holiday” by the great, although atheist historian sarah vowell and tell me you don’t want to try harder) - gave me pause about what i’m doing. am i treating Christ like He’s some kind of fad? is He nothing more to me than a silly little run through a d-major diatonic, or am i worshiping the best way that i know how? does my love of Christ go beyond my love of indie rock ‘n roll?
that last question, i believe is the most important. sometimes i’m afraid of what people will do when they “outgrow” this kind of music. personally, when i listen to “strong as death” (from our glorious sound ep) the ending gives me chills. there’s a wall of electric guitars and a tape delayed piano surrounding luke and lee’s vocals as they belt out, “the grave can’t hold me down! death can’t hold me down,” and in my opinion it’s quite powerful. but what happens to people when their tastes change? we have to be absolutely certain, that our faith isn’t so tied up in a certain style of preaching or a certain style of music that we’re lost when it goes away. i was somewhat upset when the church i grew up in abandoned the piano/organ/hymn thing in favor of the modern style (i love hymns), but that’s not what’s important.
what is important, if we look at the bigger picture, is that the same God that inspired king david to pick up a harp, the same God that sent the apostle paul on his missionary journeys, the same God that gave beethoven the skill to write the 9th even after he was struck deaf, has allowed something personal, as well as several other contemporary Christian bands to exist. whatever time that we have together, we’re determined to do our best with it.
one evening in corsicana, tx, a teenage boy walked up to us almost in tears, and told us that he had grown closer to God during his d-now weekend, and thanked us for being a part of it… that’s why we do what we do. that’s the only reason.
are we making rock and roll worse?
i hope not, because i do love rock and roll.
are we trying to make Christianity better?
no… saying that would imply that it’s flawed to start with.
we’re just trying to meet people where they are, and point them in the right direction.
sorry if that was long and dull, phillip will probably take back over with something less wordy and more entertaining again next time.
hope to see you on may 1! until then, please listen to our songs and tell us what you think. we’d always love to hear from you!
jake.
matt 5:16
***Shameless Plug Warning***
Back to Phillip now. As Jake stated about, Saturday May 1st, at the Young Life Building in Nacgodoches, at 8:30, Something Personal is opening (and some members backing) for Ben Campbell. He's a good friend of the band, and even appears on the 1st edition of our first E.P., on "I'll Fly Away". He's an outstanding musician and songwriter, and very well capable of making our own songs sound foolish by comparison. Luckily, he's so nice he would never do that...We hope.
Random S.P. Fact:
Super Fans, now is the time to distinguish yourselves from, and above, other "mere fans". So, if you are what is known as a Super Fan, take note.
In the first entry of the SPblog, in the "Random Fact" section, I declared that Fallout 3 was the current generation game of Something Personal. But, as you may have noticed, that doesn't cover the other generations of consoles.
The Official Second Generation video game of Something Personal is a little bomb called "King of Dragons". It's a sidescroller/action/fantasy game, that is pretty much impossible to beat. Each band member has been assigned one of the five "classes" or playable characters you can choose from.
Lee-Cleric
Luke-Wizard
Phillip-Elf
Jake-Fighter
KK-Dwarf
As always,
JPP
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