The Day The Music Died

R.I.P.
Oink

Bacon

Then Again....

These guys just might release the best album of '08. Can't wait for Mercy to come out!!!

Do Yourself A Favor

The best album of the year, maybe next year too, has come out and you can get it for whatever you think is a fair amount. Get it now.

I can't stop listening to this one. This album is so good. So much has been said about radiohead I can't add anything to it. They are really good and I am glad that they make music. Me happy.

Always Breaking The Rules

I know that I am way behind the curve. But I just found out about Radiohead's 7th album being sold for download for whatever you want to pay. I'm sure everyone has already discussed and digested this but it's news to me since I haven't had Internet access in a long time.

This band has constantly challenged itself, it's fans and the music industry to new heights. I remember the first time I heard "The Bends" and I thought it was so different and weird but so brilliant. I remember sharing it with my friends and telling them that this was a weird band but they were good and they should give them a chance. By comparison when you look at Kid A or some of their other more recent stuff, The Bends seems so mainstream now.

Now they are taking on not only the music industry, but the very idea of paying for music. The best band in the world says you can pay them whatever you think is fair for their new album. While so many artist continue to sit around pouting about the reality of the digital download, Radiohead embraces it and changes the music industry.

This is not only a GENIUS publicity stunt, but a revolution of some sort as well. How many people will check out the band now because they want to hear what all the fuss is about? And also, how can people go on with the same mindset about art and music as commerce?

This move is the dawn of a new music era. Because of the low cost of studio gear ($50,000 will get you the equipment you need to record million dollar sounding albums) and the power of the Internet, the era of music coming directly from the artist to the listener has begun. How this will all pan out in the long run I don't know. But the idea of not having music and art filtered through what some business man in a suit thinks is very exciting to me.

GO ROCKS!!!!

YEAH BABY!!

I was supposed to be in Brisbane all week this week for a conference but I ended up needing to do some graphic design (my little freelance, on the side income since I've been down here). I was a little bummed to have to come all the way down but I am so happy now.

Once I got to the office I remembered the rockies game and I went online to see how the game turned out. It was the top of the 11th and I quickly registered for an account on MLB.com so i could listen in on the game. So here I am on the other side of the world listening to the baseball game. What a world we live in.

When the Padres hit that homer in the 13th I thought it was over. I even told everyone around me (who I was explaining the rules of baseball to) that one of the greatest closers of all time would definitely close the door on the win.

I am glad that I was wrong.

When that sac fly happened, I felt so happy. Like a part of me was here and a part of me was home. I knew that my family and friends were listening too/watching the same thing and cheering at the same time. It was like we were together. The internet is a cool thing.

Go Rockies! Beat the Phillies!!!

Naked Icky Thump

I am sitting butt naked at my computer listening to my just oinked copy of Icky Thump by the white stripes. I can't say how happy this makes me. It's funny what you get used to and what you start to need in your life. I need new music. Without it I just start to go stale and boring.

It's Saturday and I am looking forward to just chilling most of the day. Going over to Johnn-o's house for lunch and gonna kick back a bit. Work has been so hectic lately since we don't have a church building at the moment. I thought my days of setting up and tearing down church every weekend were over but I guess not. For the next 6 months or so we'll be setting up on saturday nights until our new venue gets fit out inside. It's a lot of work but a lot of fun at the same time.

ODD THINGS ABOUT OZ
I want to start a little series of strange things I notice here in the land down-unda.

Part 1: The way they say Aluminum.
Say it with me my american friends, aluminum. Down here they say: "AL - LOO - MIN -EE - UM That's right. AL-LOO-MIN-EE-UM I laugh everytime it gets said. Who's right, who's wrong? Who cares, it's just strange.

Back In Black

After 6 long months, I am finally back online. I have not had internet access since I got here in Australia and it's been rough. In honor of my American way of thinking, my first post back on line is of a Kangaroo that I shot on my hunting trip here. Look how happy I am.

For the first time in 6 months I logged in to oink today. Those of you who know what that is and what it means to me will observe a moment of silence with me now . . . . . . . .

Can't wait to catch up with every one. I'm going to try and let all of you know that I am back online and we can swap emails and messenger info.

Cheers!!

Our Current Decor

This is the current decoration scheme we have chosen for our living room. It's called "Minimalist Musician." Perfect for writing angry, self-indulgent "Stained" stuff. Because we live in a nice place, it's just empty. So you don't really have anything to complain about, but you choose to anyway. And the kids just eat it up.

Container is set to arrive in Brisbane on April 20th and should be at our house around the first of May. Until then, we will keep living like musician squatters. Ha ha ha.

My New Sin

"Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?"
- Homer Simpson

These happy little fella's are donut king donuts. Are they that different from anything in America? No. But that's the point. When I close my eyes I think I'm eating a Dunkin Donut. A little round, fried sugary piece of home. Mmmmm.

Get Your Head Around It

Hello everyone! It's me, the blogger who doesn't blog! Ha ha. It's been so long since I've posted anything. To be honest, my head has been spinning a little bit. All in a good way though. It's just been such a big transition. To start off, we basically took over the creative arts department the day we got here. The first weekend we were at the church, we both were singing. The guy who was running it wasn't around because his wife was having a baby so we jumped straight in. Looking back it was a perfect way for things to go down. I didn't have time to be nervous or worry about it, we just had to jump straight in. 3 services a weekend, a music team of 50+ people and all that goes with it. I said all that to say this, I haven't even thought about my blog.

But that's not a good thing. I had a revelation this week (and when I say revelation I mean my wife talked to me about it). I've still gotta do things for me and that means blogging and talking to my friends. I've seen first hand what "ministry" can do to your marriage and relationships when you let things get out of whack. So, I will be blogging much more regularly. I'm even gonna put up some pics tomorrow.

SO MUCH has happened since we got here but I'll just stick with some personal stuff. We've got a home. It's a 3 bedroom townhouse in Merrimac (a Gold Coast Suburb). It's got a/c and a dishwasher which are not "standard" like they are in America. It's also only about 7-8 minutes from the church which is nice. The best thing is we can be at the beach in about 12 minutes. I LOVE the ocean and the beaches here are the most beautiful I've ever seen (including Maui). Its just so relaxing.

We also got a car! A '93 Ford Laser with 220k. Ha ha. It's nice though. It's got a/c, great gas mileage and we only paid $2k for it. It's really cool to have a car and not debt. I've never had that before so it's exciting.

I miss you all and I miss chipotle. God how I miss chipotle. Ha ha. All is well though and I can't wait to put some pics up and tell you the story that way. Talk again soon.

My Guitar Has Arrived

Thank God. My guitar is safe at last.

Liv and I waited on hold with the airlines customer service number for 45 minutes yesterday only to be told they didn't have it and they didn't know where it was. When we said, "so it's lost" they corrected us and said it was just "misplaced." We didn't really get into what the difference was between the two with them but it was upsetting.

So then Phil came over and said we should all pray and agree that the guitar would be returned to us. I had a big "why didn't I think of that moment" and we all prayed together. It really eased my mind and I just felt like it would all be OK then. Well only about 45 minutes went by and then the airline called and said they had it and they would be delivering it between 7-10 last night.

Ten o'clock came and still no guitar. I didn't freak out though cause at least it was no longer "misplaced." About 1:30 in the morning last night the knocked on the door and Caleb heard them. He walked it right up and put it in the room with me and Liv. We were tired so we didn't hear him. I woke up this morning and went to swing my legs out of the bed and I ran into the box with my guitar in it. It was like a Santa moment when you were a kid. I'm just glad that I don't have to be distracted by this drama anymore and I can just play my guitar.

We Made It, But Not Taylor

We made it. I am sitting here in my in-laws house in Sydney writ ting this. It is such a long journey here but I am so excited. I feel like anything is possible right now. I guess it's just the feeling you get when you know you are obeying God.

The flight here was uneventful but I must say, Qantas is a very nice airline. Laugh at me if you must all you Australia detractors, but 60 on demand movies, 50 on demand albums and 25 channels of tv, plus better food, service and accommodation make it way better than United.

Except for one little thing. They lost my guitar. As it stands right now my Taylor is somewhere else in the world. I am not freaking out though. Everyone on our flight that had any baggage with "special handling" instructions lost their bag. So it's not just me, there's about fifty of us. Liv talked to the airline today and they said they think they have it and it should be here tomorrow. We will see.

Jet lag was pretty bad last night but I feel refreshed this morning. It will take a week or so before I feel completely normal but that's alright. It's all part of traveling 8,000 miles to a completely different day and time.

If I could describe my life in one word right now it would be anticipation. There are so many new things to discover and experience and I have just begun.

We Be Thuggin', They Be Movin'

Last Beer At The Cherry Cricket

The Sushi Den

This Made Me Laugh

Just read this over at Best Week Ever and I laughed out loud.

Carlos Santana is opening a chain of Mexican restaurants. Instead of a Mariachi band, some hippie will come up to your table and d*ck around on his guitar for 30 minutes while Rob Thomas sings, then serves your chimichanga.

I Will Miss This

I will miss the sunrises and sunsets we get in Colorado. The mountain range is so beautiful. Nothing like seeing this when you walk to your car in the morning.

I said good bye to my Grandparents over the weekend so I am feeling very melon collie. I can't wait to begin the next chapter of my life but right now I am just letting go of this one.

Valentines Day - Brooks Steak House

New Stuff

The best movie of 2006, "The Departed" comes out on DVD today. Luckily I have to head over to get an eye exam at Wal-mart after work so I will conveniently be able to pick up a copy.

I can't wait to take it home and rip it to my iPod so I can watch it on the long flight to Sydney (14.5 hours). If Martin Scorsese doesn't win best director for this one, he's never gonna win.

Then when I cam into work this morning I got a little surprise. The new Ted Leo & The Pharmacist record, "Living with the Living" has leaked. I downloaded it right away and have it all set up to be transferred to my iPod as soon as I get home. (A lot of my life seems to revolve around my iPod these days, lol).

Ted is an extremist left wing vegan weenie, but I love the music. They aren't the greatest band in the world or the most innovative, they just make good indie rock tunes. That's what it's about right? Rock and roll? Getting moved by the music? No? It's about the Dixie Chicks winning effing Grammies? Oh well, I can't wait to listen to Ted.