We're Back :)

This is Levi.. It's been a while since we last connected. I've been doing the school thing this year, learning a tonne about music, but forgetting what it's like to actually play it. I want to play shows, I want to practise with my boys, I wanna tour, I wanna eat ice cream (actually I've been doing quite a bit of that here, to the tune of ten extra pounds..) I just hate sitting in a room and learning about something that I was already happily doing before-hand.
So I was reading about the Christian music industry and, like the rest of the music industry, it's dying. Go down-loaders! Ah, it's the world we live in.. But I stumbled across a quote that I really loved and that shed some light into the whole dreary situation. John J. Thompson in Christianity Today said, "The lack of monetary benefit has filtered out some of the people who should not have been doing this in the first place. If the people who are in it for the money are gone, it leaves more turf for those who had something a little bit loftier in mind."
So there you have it. Us guys who are willing to lose money playing shows are faced with a market that's got a little more room. I'll keep losing money till the day I die. This is what I'm made to do (the music part. Not the losing money part. ... I hope..)

I'm thinking about album two these days, and it's caused me to put album one into perspective. Would You Go is my testimony. It wasn't built for radio hits, rock-ability, background music or any of that stuff. It's my story, written by a beginner guitarist with four chords and the honest truth.

Enter album two. I've got the gents back on board and we even have a new guy potentially joining the gang. This album will be a team project with everyone providing their input. It's not about my story anymore, but the stories of others. We're in a fun situation because we have no label telling us what we can or cannot do. Nobody's worried about how much money this thing makes because I fund it and I don't really give a hoot about money. We want to make good music, we want to please God with what we've been given, we want to be proud of this album and we want ice cream. I'm going to go to my freezer and solve one of those wants right now.

So there you have it. We're back into this, and we're happy you're with us. We have a concert this Saturday night at a little church in Orillia. The info is on our events page. We're bringing in the professional gear and we're going to blow that church away. We really want to see you there if you're in the neighborhood. It's for a really good cause, and I'd love to see their expectations get blown away. I missed you guys :)

-Levi

Hey Folks,

So I have been immersing myself in some pretty interesting music lately. I downloaded the Beatles Love album about a 2 weeks ago and I have not been able to stop listening to it. It's incredible what they did to music, and I know we all say that loosely, but its sooo true. As a drummer I have been studying Ringo Starr's techniques and he did some pretty cool things during his career... believe it or not.

I think most people can at least say that they like or respect the Beatles for what they did to music. I personally love them and think that music would be music worse without them. But I am interested in what Beatles songs people like the most. Because to those who know the Beatles well, the responses seem to be different from one another. Personally, I love their songs "Something", "Within you, without you", "Blackbird", "Lady Madonna", "Come Together" and "Back in the U.S.S.R."... oh and of course "Hey Jude"

I guess what I am trying to say is... dust off your parents old records (or you're if you're old enough) and listen to some classics, it'll teach you a few things modern music can't and also show you how modern music came to be. Thank you Beatles,

Trevor

Hallelujah Radio Play!

Hey, it’s Drew here.

I just wanted to post an update regarding the radio play of “Hallelujah”. I know most of you are aware that we are being played on life 100.3 in Barrie because many of you are from that area, but I have a lot of family and friends that live outside their listening area.

If you are one of these people than this post is for you. The following is a list of all the radio stations currently playing our single. It’s a growing list so check back and I’ll try and update as the single becomes more popular.

Life 100.3
100.3 (Barrie, ON)
90.1 (Owen Sound, ON)
89.3 (Peterborough, ON)
98.9 (Huntsville ON)
Joy 1250 (Toronto, ON)
CHRI 99.1 (Ottawa, ON)
KFM 95.5
95.5 (Sudbury, ON)
102.1 (Little Current, ON)
102.5 (Elliot Lake, ON)
103.5 (North Bay, ON)
Power 93.7 (Medicine Hat, AB)
KAOS 91.1 (Fort McMurray, AB)
Life Radio 107.5 (Blackville, NB)
CHVN 95.1 (Manitoba)
Free 100.3 (Manitoba)

So, If you’re a fan of the single (and I’m assuming you are since your on our website) and you live in one of these areas, hopefully you’re listening to one of these stations and will be able to hear our single from time to time. Maybe you can even call in and request it!!!

We really appreciate the support of all these radio stations spreading our single and their willingness to support local music, and local worship leaders. Also keep listening because we will be release our second single from ‘Would You Go’ in the near future.

By the way, Where are you from?
(post in comment section below... it's easy, give it a try)

Recovery....

It is funny how many things we take for granted.

This last week I was sick with the influenza, the actual kind... not the one we call in and tell our boss we have just to get out of work. I am talking the real thing. And while I was sick and watching discovery channel I quickly realized how lucky I am to actually be healthy (Aside from the symptoms I was feeling). The whole week I could barely talk and barely eat anything. This gave me a great appreciate for my esophageal peristalsis (swallowing food).

We often don't realize the gift we have... not just that we can swallow food, but the gift of mobility and the gift of thought and speech. Some of us out there are not as lucky. Recovery is long but it is certain and I am thankful for those of you who prayed for me but lets all be thankful for the health we have and pray for those who don't have it.

Thinking like this puts things into perspective and sometimes we need to get sick and lose simple privileges in order to see it. Jesus went through more crap than I could even imagine... not eating in a desert for 40 days while being annoyed by the devil... thats gotta suck. But he still lived a life that never stopped serving others and he never complained. I have a lot to learn.

So I have been listening to a lot of mellow acoustic music lately, I guess the emergence of spring is slow going and my energy and momentum is slowing down as winter lingers on... So my music reflects. I am really into some of the folk-acoutic stuff out there. So here is something I am listening to right now... Kings of Convenience From Norway... and yes the one lead singer does look like Napoleon dynamite... I know.

Trev

Hello :)

Hello :)

This past sunday we had the honour of leading the worship at Connexus Orillia. It's always fun playing with the group we got, whether leading worship or in performance, but it is especially fun when we are doing so in a movie theatre! Due to the great acoustics, i was allowed to keep my bass amp at a tasty level. Drew had the same privilege (with his AC15) as i did and i believe he was pretty enthused about it as well, and Trevor beat the snot out of the drum kit as usual along with Levi rockin' the vocals/acoustic guitar :)

The church was very welcoming and responded well to the call to worship. A really encouraging morning.

That is all for now. Back to studying :(

Matt.

P.S. I've really been digging Bedouin Soundclash lately! Most have heard their old single 'Walls Fall Down' but they got some other beauties as well! Night!

Heyo!

What is up?

So I finally got all my drum pieces I ordered... it feels incredible getting new stuff for your instrument... its like Christmas all over again. Anyways, I thought I would give a review on my new-found stuff for you musicians/drummers, and people just interested in knowing whats the best stuff to get.

Personaly I have been drumming for the better part of 12 years or so and I have used a very wide variety of drums... Pearl, Ludwig, Tama, Yamaha, Sonor, Gretsch and U-Drum. Each of these companies have great stuff, but the Bar (for me) has been set incredibly high by Gretsch. Seriously.... these guys have been making drums before we were making cars... 125 years ago! When I bought my Gretsch set about a year ago, it was love at first sight and I can honestly say I will probably never buy anything but Gretsch (with the exception of endorsements ofcourse... lol). The tone quality from the Ash wood projects very clearly and has a crisp quality to them. They have the sound quality of a $2,000+ drumset at a fraction of the price. 10/10

I also recently bought the Gibraltar stealth racking system. It is hard to explain what exactly it is but I basically eliminates cymbal stands and the clutter that comes with setting up mic stands. Example -------->

It is a brilliant innovation for drummers and ESPECIALLY for churches because it removes the clutter from cymbals and mic stands (especially when your using a shield) and it makes setup and tear down much faster. Cymbals and other stands like snare stands can attach right into it eliminating the tri-pod stands for each, giving more room and faster set up times... and for me thats GREAT NEWS.

I know this post might not be useful or everyone, but I wanted to give some advice to musicians out there and also to worship leaders who might need some ideas for new merch to purchase. I like to pretend I know what I am talking about... so thanks for listening.

Like always, here is what I am listening to right now... Fleet Foxes new debut song for their album "Helplessness blues" which comes out May 3rd and is also the title of the song. It is amazing and I strongly suggest you check out the link.

-Trev

Gotta' love the Edge!

A good friend of mine and I were watching some U2 the other night. I had never seen or heard a live version of 'Bullet the Blue Sky' so i was just thankful to see one, but then the Edge busts into this bluesy solo that i thought was unheard of in U2's music!!Anyways, this is just an awesome video showcasing the different solos the Edge has performed in 'Bullet the Blue Sky.'
Enjoy :)

Matt...