Sunday, October 26, 2008

Saturday Song Stories - "Deal Justly"

Michelle and I used to live in Kelowna BC. On Canada Day 2002, we were walking downtown, simply because we enjoyed the busyness and the people, not to mention the fireworks on the crowded lake shore. While on one of the less crowded streets, we heard some yelling. When we took notice of what was going on, we were shocked to see a group of three or four young white girls verbally harassing a young native lady. I won't tell you what sort of names they were calling her. Why were they doing it? No reason. Just because she was there.

She obviously felt threatened, and in an effort to find some security, (I guess we looked harmless enough) she came over to us. She was visibly shaken by the ordeal, and as we talked, she admitted that that sort of thing had happened before. She made a statement that stopped my heart...she said, "I don't trust white people." We talked for nearly 20 minutes, before we offered to walk her to where she was going. While on the way there, a friend of hers rode by on his bicycle and stopped. "Are these whiteys giving you a hard time?" "No, they're okay." She said.

That is the first time I had seen blatant racism at play. I had seen other minority groups on job sites do more work for less pay. I had heard jokes told by people who would not consider themselves to be racist. I had always known that some people groups get labelled and are often trapped within oppressive systems. But this is the first time that I had seen someone threatened, and verbally attacked because of their nationality.

I went home with too many emotions to count, and this is the song that came out. God called us to "Deal Justly, Love mercy, and walk humbly with our God." The line about how I would "rather not place myself in history's hands" is a reference to what I see as a strong need for God's people to make amends for past injustice, and work hard at bringing about a kingdom where the oppression that exists in our flawed system is done away with.

When I was in college I worked on a tree farm with a half dozen or so men who were from other countries. In conversation with a gentleman from India, he asked what I was studying in College. I told him Theology. I guess he thought I said Geology, because he got very excited. With his hand on my shoulder, he told me of how in India he was a university science professor who specialized in Geology. "Good, good, good" He said. Here is an academic professional, hoeing weeds on a dusty tree farm in Canada for much less than minimum wage. Justice? No.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Saturday Song Stories - "Struggling"

After a week-long absence, the Song Stories are back. I know, you've been losing sleep ;)

When I first started to develop a style of guitar playing, using my fingers rather than a pick, I wrote a chord progression that I thought was pretty catchy. The lyrics that went along with it were a bit of an anti-war protest thing, that focused on the Israeli-Palestinian struggle. I know, pretty light stuff...

But it was one of those songs that I liked but I didn't want to put on "Hope".

During the time I was recording the album, I remember sitting on the couch with my daughter. All I really wanted to do was hold her, but she kept getting up and down, up and down. I wanted to sit with her for a while, but she wanted to use me as a piece of playground equipment.

Then it sort of dawned on me; I do that to God. Why can't I just sit with him? Why do I get up and get down, up and down? Often I am not good at abiding in Him. I am much too restless for my own good. Anyway, I wrote the lyrics to "Struggling" and coupled it with the chord progression that I spoke of earlier. "Struggling" was born.

Tripping Larry Norman...

I know this is a long post, but I thought that in light of last weeks close encounter with Leeland, I'd tell you about another encounter that I had with a famous musician. It is also a bit of a tribute...Hope you enjoy.


When I was a teenager, I bought a couple of tapes from an older friend of mine who was selling off his cassette collection to buy CDs. For 5 bucks each I got a couple of Larry Norman albums, "Something New Under the Sun", and "In Another Land". Those albums, although they had been out for decades, changed the way that I viewed Christian music. At the time, I was cutting my teeth on the polished, overproduced sounds of Petra and Whiteheart, but when I heard the raw, honest lyrics, and the creativity that seemed to come from a heart that loved Jesus but was wrestling with real issues, I was floored. I'm even now struggling to find words that can explain how I felt. Here was a man with a perspective that I had never been exposed to. I felt as though this man had real issues, had lived in a real world, and had experienced a real Jesus, and now was bringing a real message to real people. I've only had that feeling once or twice since, the feeling of honor that you get when you know that you are listening to something that is more simple, yet so such more profound than anything you've heard before.

I had a chance to see Larry Norman live in concert in November of 1996. He spent two hours with a nylon stringed guitar in a packed church in Peterborough.
After the concert, he signed autographs in the foyer of the church. There were scores of people crowded around him, and I had worked my way up to him, to the point where he was standing directly in front of me, with his back to me. I remember being so close that I had no other choice but to closely examine the back of his head. I remember thinking that his hair was so light that I wanted to confirm that it was actually blond and not grey. As I was staring at the back of Larry Norman's scalp, he took a step backwards and stepped on my foot. He lost his balance and almost fell to the floor. Luckily he caught himself. I will never forget the glare that he turned and gave me. And I remember thinking, I almost killed the grandfather of contemporary Christian music.

In February, when I heard that Larry died, I felt a deep sense of loss. His music had shaped such a large part of me that I felt like I had lost someone who was close. I remember reading tributes to him and others said that same thing. I was genuinely mourning for him. I know that Larry Norman was a man who had problems in his personal life, but we all are incomplete in some way. We are all people that need God's provisions for us. I see his shortcomings as proof that God uses us not because we are perfect, but because we let him.

Monday, October 13, 2008

YC 2008

I'm sorry that the Saturday Song Story didn't happen this week. Michelle and I spent the whole weekend in Gander at YC 2008 with our youth group. And how's this for a big honor...I got to open for Leeland!

Someone asked me if I got to meet them. The closest that I got to actually meeting anyone famous was when I went on stage for my soundcheck. Leeland spent about 45 minutes of the hour slot doing their soundcheck, which was alright with me, because when it's just me and a guitar I only need 5 minutes. The lead singer was on stage talking with a sound guy, and he came up form behind and told me he was sorry for taking so long. I thought it was someone from the tech crew so I said something that was little more than a grunt...something to the effect of "No worries." I then turned around and realized who I had grunted at. Some artists get pictures with the bands that they open for. Not me...I grunt at them.

Later, to one of the tech crew, I jokingly pretended to be excited that my guitar was on Leeland's guitar stand. I don't think he knew I was joking, because He looked at me blankly and said..."It's a rental."

Anyway, we had a good weekend. I got to catch up with some old friends and meet some new ones.

Here's some pictures from the weekend. The first one is a great shot of my baldspot :)










Saturday, October 4, 2008

Saturday Song Stories - "Restless Wanderer"

Restless wanderer is a song for my family. I love them. I wanted to write a song about them. I almost didn't include it because that sounds so cliche. So, I decided to write a song that admits my shortcomings, but also my good-intentions and desire to live up to the task at hand.

The line, "Lately I've been forming in myself the character of Cain", is reference to his disregard for his family members, and how when he had killed his brother, he lamented the fact that he would now be a restless wanderer on the earth (Genesis 4:12,14). This is how many men live their lives; wandering. Not by having affairs, maybe, but by not giving the spiritual care to their families that is required of them. To me, wandering is a metaphor for not living up to the high calling of fatherhood, and husbandhood (if that is a word) and giving more care to other things. Not settling down, I guess, or realizing just how much our actions affect our families.

In my opinion, this verse sums up the point of the song. "Little Ones with innocent eyes, reminding me to hope that the seeds I've sown in you will bear some fruit. If I've scattered weeds, I pray they're choked out by my love, both for my Savior and the love I have for you."

I really like this song because it is the most real one on the album. First of all, the false start in the intro (which my mother totally hated) is completely real. The other guy talking ("Any time.")is Dean Stairs, my producer. Secondly, as you may have noticed, there are some "accidental variations" in the chord progression at a couple of points, which I love. And thirdly, the whole song has a Blue-Rodeo doing a rough practice in a smoky room sort of vibe to it, almost like you shouldn't be there.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Good News...

I just wanted to let all of you know some good news that I found out earlier this week. It turns out that I've been nominated for Gospel Artist of the Year at this years MusicNL awards in Gander. The awards will be handed out in November, so I'll keep you posted.