Shizz of the week (22 Feb -> )

I’m so excited to share this video with you:

– I like how Jon Foreman seems a little nervous when speaking. Here is this big rock star – who in that moment – is nervous – but still brings a great inspiring message.
– I like how he adds songs to his TEDtalk. Because after all, to quote my friend “his music is basically messages in verse and song.”
– And I like the fact that we all have a melody to offer. What is yours?

Next up for this week, some quotes and posts I came across:

THIS article is such a brilliant read.  It’s what I needed to discover this week.  And take heart from.  The article is To Anyone Who Thinks They’re Falling Behind .  May you find encouragement from it – like I did.

Random weekend thought:
My wife and I went to a social on Saturday. (Hmm, to be honest, it felt a little awkward.) What’s with church based gatherings? Weirdly, there always feels like there is some sort of hidden “behind the scenes” agenda. Maybe it was just my wife and I who felt that way…;)

I discovered this Chinese proverb:

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

So another week is upon us… be inspired. Live well. 🙂

The ABC’s of good ROCK music!

As all children need to learn their ABC’s… so do those who are introduced to the wide world of (rock) music.  Maybe you have heard of these bands and maybe you haven’t.

For the ones you haven’t – do yourself a favour and go and check them out. Rock on!

(Feel free to click on some of the links and see where they lead you…either a video, song or a band bio)

A – Anberlin – does this song make you feel good?
B – Biffy Clyro – “I pronounce it aluminium, ‘Cause there’s an I next to the U and M”
C – Counting Crows

D – Dave Matthews Band – one of the best live acts I have ever seen.
E – Enter Shikari – this is the first video of theirs I ever saw and fell in love with them 🙂
F – Funeral for a Friend – this song always takes me into oblivion
G – Gaslight Anthem
H – Hugh Masekela
I – Incubus – you may just DIG this video  (they have a way with lyrics )
J – Jon Foreman (He writes very well.  Profound thoughts)
K – Kings of Leon
L – Lifehouse
M – Mat Kearney

 

One Black Sheep – fun video here

N – New Volume (a new band on the scene. Friends of mine)
O – Of Monsters and Men – this song of theirs was in this Film
P – P.O.D & (People live here)
Rise against have the ability to both push out hardcore rock songs that have you screaming along and then they can offer these breath taking ballads that make you feel so connected to your humanity.

Q – Queensryche
I discovered this band back in 1993 on the Last Action Hero soundtrack which is actually pretty cool. (The world seemed a lot more innocent back then)

R – Relient K
S – Switchfoot & (Sound of Silence)
My wife showed me this video recently.  (A brilliant cover from the band, Disturbed – who we would not expect to do such great justice to the original song.  Captivating!)
T – Twin Forks
I am sure a lot of you haven’t discovered these guys yet. The lead singer is originally from Dashboard Confessional. Folk music at its best.
U – (The) Used – they have always had clever artwork
V – Vocal Few
W – Weezer
X – X – I had to throw on these South African Rock Legends.  I believe to be named after the Springbok Hit Parade compilations.
Y – Yellow Card
Z – Zooropa = – an album from U2.  I really like their song NUMB – one of their better songs!  (Bizarre video too.)

What would your ABC of rock music look like?

The 15 Best Album Covers (and songs you need to…)

Listen to…
Sometimes, you can’t “judge a book (or album) by it’s cover” but I really do appreciate when a band puts a lot of effort into their album cover. Here are my 15 favourite (In No particular order). I’ve also added a song from each album that you should listen to:

1) POD – The Awakening

-You can sense the “storm” the man in the picture is going through.
– First Music Video of the album.

2) POD – The Fundamental Elements of Southtown

-Probably my favourite album cover of all time. There is just so much going on in this picture. Hope, love, freedom, redemption, struggle, faith. What do you get of this cover?
– Remember where you come from? remember your roots. SOUTHTOWN

3) Underoath – Define the Great Line

-This man has an internal war going on. This cover depicts that well.
– My favourite Underoath SONG – You’re ever so inviting

4) The Used – In love and death

-Love is a beautiful thing. Love is tough.
– All that I’ve got

5) Incubus – Light Grenades

-Very arty this cover. Interesting concept here.
– An interesting type love song. “we all have someone who digs at us”

6) Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King

-In honour of the late Leroi Moore. The picture celebrates his life. And seems to ask questions of life and death.
– Their LIVE SHOWS are one of the best in the world.

7) Damien Rice – My Favourite Faded Fantasy

-I don’t know. I like the “drawn” feeling of this cover.
– His voice will CHANGE YOU…

8) Anberlin – Never take friendship personal

-Just keep looking at the head. It’ll come to you…
– One of the bands first music videos

9) Biffy Clyro – Opposites

-This artwork goes with the ‘opposite’ lyrics this album presents…
– First SINGLE off the album.

10) Chevelle – This type of thinking

-Kinda weird. But kinda cool.
– He looks like Johnny Knoxville I reckon…

11) Emery – I’m only a man

-The whole album looks at man and sin and is against judging others. So the mirror of the cover is so fitting.
– The one of the more straight out rockier songs off the album.

12) Jon Foreman – Spring EP

-I like that this album cover was hand drawn. And there is hope in it.
– Your love is strong “Heavenly Father, you always amaze me”

13) Jamie Cullum – The Pursuit

-Wow! A piano blown into pieces, always looks cool.
– Please don’t stop the music

14) Paramore – All we know is falling

-A random red couch out in the open. Respect!
– This SONG probably drew the world’s attention to Paramore.

15) Muse – The Resistance

-Psychedelic! Busy!
– This band keep releasing brilliant albums and songs. Some call it an Uprising

Now, what album cover would you add to this list?

I am the second man

There is a great song by Switchfoot called: Twenty Four.

I have lyrics from that song that often ring in my head: “I am the second man.”

My guess is that Jon Foreman is using the reference of Scripture where Adam is described as the first man who SINs and the second man is Jesus who brings LIFE/NEWness.

I am that second man.
I hope and aspire to be that.

But so often I tend to settle for “first”
I make mistakes
I have my issues
I repeat the same stupid things over and over
Some habits seem so difficult to kick.

YET I am MORE, right?

I hold a glory
I hold a new identity

And in that I need to STEP into and to STAY there.

Jesus, help me please.
(Not just once, but over and over)

My SWITCHFOOT adventure…

Hey readers, read more about this experience here: SWITCHFOOT in Johannesburg

I can feel my lungs again!

my SWITCHFOOT blog – this is your life, are you who you want to be?

I was blessed to see Switchfoot in London on Tuesday Night.
It was such a moving show.
It felt for me, a place where I could worship God.
His Spirit was there indeed!

Here is what you need to know:

SETLIST

1) Mess of me
2) Stars
3) Oh gravity
4) The war inside
5) This is your life
6) Your love is a song (Jon intro’d with a harmonica)
7) A cover of a Beasties Boys song – Sabotage (really odd choice of song to have in the set?)
8) Restless (Jon walked among the crowd/venue and sang this song) – song was written in London.
9) Thrive (such a heart felt song, this one)
10) We are one tonight…
11) The shadow proves the sunshine… back into We are One tonight
12) Needle and haystack life
13) Dare you to move
14) Vices Verses (Acoustic)
15) Dark Horses
16) Meant to Live
ENCORE
17) Where I belong (Jon started singing this from the balcony, ended off with thoughtfully repeating the words: “Forever Forever, Forever”
18) The Sound (John M Perkin’s Blues)
ANOTHER ENCORE
19) Hello Hurricane (song done in response to crowd requesting it.)

PHOTO FOOTAGE

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VIDEO FOOTAGE

A montage of songs (this vid is 6 mins ish long, with all your favourites):

Then near the end they did “Where I belong”
What a beautiful moment. i felt so content. I felt like the “world was as it should be” in that moment. I looked around, seeing people just embracing a sweet moment.
He ended the show off with thoughfully saying the words: “Forever, forever, forever”
If they ended the show like that, I would have been fine with that:

Then to end off this video footage, here is a song that Switchfoot found many people with:
I dare you to move…