I recently read an editorial in Paste that struck a chord with me. The editor said that the purpose of his magazine was to review a variety of entertainment and media so that life could be enriched not replaced.
I was thinking about that comment tonight while I was perusing row after row of video games, trying to select the perfect birthday gift for my son. It is a challenging balance to use media wisely. It is so easy to use it to escape life..... watching a movie, playing a video game, or blogging on the internet (ouch). It becomes easy to substitute watching life for living life. On the other hand, to be relevant to today's culture, it is important to stay up on current trends and be technologically savvy.
So the battle wages on....how much time is too much time on the internet, or in front of the T.V., or even reading a book? Does it count if it's related to ministry and God? Just pondering.
Showing posts with label Paste. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paste. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Bloody Sabbath
New issue of Paste! Yeah! This is a highlight of my month!
This one's focus is on violence in music and media. One of the first articles that I've had time to read is "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath." This article certainly took a genre of music - gospel - that I am very familiar with and looked at it through new eyes. It is really interesting to look at religion through the eyes of others. This author proposed that gospel music is arguably one of the most violent forms of music, if the lyrics are contemplated at length and by an unchurched, literal audience. For example:
"Are you washed in the blood." "There's power in the blood." "Nothing but the blood" "Alas, and did my Savior bleed." etc.
Now as believers, we understand the symbolic implications involved. I had never honestly, deeply considered how an unchurched audience could interpret our "blood songs." How's this for an answer, "Obviously, it's symbolism, but there's something kinda creepy about hundreds of people singing about blood and suffering." Or how about, "it's a trip to see these words."
This article spends time comparing gospel music to heavy metal's violent words and tries to draw some parallels between the two as far as the symbolism involved. I'm not sure that I can agree that heavy metal bands with really violent lyrics are trying to symbolically move people to a better place in their lives in quite the same way that gospel music does.
One heavy metal band, when interviewed, said they were considering turning to the Bible for inspiration for more violent songs. I somehow don't think that God's intention of including violence in the Bible, especially in some of those Old Testament stories that are so gory, was so that violence would be glorified. I think the difference in the bloody lyrics of gospel music and the bloody lyrics of other music is in the purpose of the music. Who is being glorified?
However, it was very interesting to read this perspective on gospel music. It is certainly food for thought as we consider what songs to use to reach an unchurched population. I don't know that we should give up all the "bloody" songs, but maybe we should think about how they can be interpreted and make sure that our audience understands the symbolism.
Very interesting lyrical comparisons in this article as well.... In some instances trying to distinguish between gospel and metal was impossible for me until I saw the name of the band.
Food for thought.....
This one's focus is on violence in music and media. One of the first articles that I've had time to read is "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath." This article certainly took a genre of music - gospel - that I am very familiar with and looked at it through new eyes. It is really interesting to look at religion through the eyes of others. This author proposed that gospel music is arguably one of the most violent forms of music, if the lyrics are contemplated at length and by an unchurched, literal audience. For example:
"Are you washed in the blood." "There's power in the blood." "Nothing but the blood" "Alas, and did my Savior bleed." etc.
Now as believers, we understand the symbolic implications involved. I had never honestly, deeply considered how an unchurched audience could interpret our "blood songs." How's this for an answer, "Obviously, it's symbolism, but there's something kinda creepy about hundreds of people singing about blood and suffering." Or how about, "it's a trip to see these words."
This article spends time comparing gospel music to heavy metal's violent words and tries to draw some parallels between the two as far as the symbolism involved. I'm not sure that I can agree that heavy metal bands with really violent lyrics are trying to symbolically move people to a better place in their lives in quite the same way that gospel music does.
One heavy metal band, when interviewed, said they were considering turning to the Bible for inspiration for more violent songs. I somehow don't think that God's intention of including violence in the Bible, especially in some of those Old Testament stories that are so gory, was so that violence would be glorified. I think the difference in the bloody lyrics of gospel music and the bloody lyrics of other music is in the purpose of the music. Who is being glorified?
However, it was very interesting to read this perspective on gospel music. It is certainly food for thought as we consider what songs to use to reach an unchurched population. I don't know that we should give up all the "bloody" songs, but maybe we should think about how they can be interpreted and make sure that our audience understands the symbolism.
Very interesting lyrical comparisons in this article as well.... In some instances trying to distinguish between gospel and metal was impossible for me until I saw the name of the band.
Food for thought.....
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Thoughts from Brooke Waggoner
I just love Paste magazine. It's my favorite read. Mostly because I realize that I am not totally insane and other people have the strong emotions about music that I do. It's a great relief to know that it consumes other people as well. I loved this quote from an interview with up and coming artist Brooke Waggoner about her songs, "They're in my sleep. My dreams. My midnights. My mornings and afternoons. My weekends. My errands. Songs." She went on to talk about the responsibility of a songwriter. "They're now in the world and no longer contained in the privacy of my living room. I feel a sense of responsibility with that. Don't wanna waste people's time. What used to be written strictly for me is now meant for others..."
I thought she said it all so well. Better than me. I have to fight the music really hard to keep it from totally engulfing me. The music in my head literally becomes so loud that it is complicated for me to have rational thoughts and expressing those thoughts at times becomes impossible. I find myself stumbling and stuttering over simple sentences. I am glad that I am not the only weird chick on the planet. That's a pretty self-absorbed reason to enjoy a magazine, don't ya think?
I thought she said it all so well. Better than me. I have to fight the music really hard to keep it from totally engulfing me. The music in my head literally becomes so loud that it is complicated for me to have rational thoughts and expressing those thoughts at times becomes impossible. I find myself stumbling and stuttering over simple sentences. I am glad that I am not the only weird chick on the planet. That's a pretty self-absorbed reason to enjoy a magazine, don't ya think?
Friday, July 25, 2008
Random thoughts from "Touch Me, I'm going to scream"
For those of you who are not music nuts and are not interested in my random thoughts about life from music and are sick and tired of me discussing the Paste articles I'm currently reading, this is not your lucky day! Do not attempt to buy a lottery ticket today!
For everybody else, here's the scoop. Last night I was reading the July issue of Paste. I was impressed with an article entitled, "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream", by Jay Sweet about a band called My Morning Jacket.
Sweet had several aha moments in this article. If you are short on time you may want to skip this post as I discuss this article at great length. I do tend to ramble, you know.
Sweet was challenged by My Morning Jacket to try to categorize them after their latest album, and this article is his attempt to say that they cannot be categorized by current genres as they continually push the limits and include a variety of music in their albums. I was reading along without much interest last night while I was simultaneously watching a bio about ABBA. I made it to the second paragraph before I started hunting my pen and making notes. Most of these quotes generated more questions for me than answers. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
"We live in fractured times. Never before in our history have we shared fewer unifying commonalities. Niche is king , and being friends on Facebook or texting each other - sometimes from across the room - passes for human interaction. Some of us find ourselves aching for connection, perhaps to even share some generally accepted cultural touchstones. From the earliest primitive drum circles and fireside chants to The Beatles and Gnarls Barkley, music has been a vehicle for this connection. But as music becomes a more solitary endeavor, experienced on computers in our cubicles, on headphones and in cars, something is lost." OUCH!! Who wastes tons of time on facebook? But, I spent a long while pondering this truth and its application to the church. People are disconnected, they are aching for connection, music was a past vehicle for connection - think back to tribes gathered around the fire, banging on the drum and telling stories. Is this not the role and importance of music in worship? To unite us as people and connect us with God? How can we capitalize on this need?
Now, the next quote that spoke to me - an aha about musical chemistry in a band - I'm not crazy after all. I've seen the way some of you look at me when I try to explain about the energy that exists between some musicians! "I tell ya, it's really magical to be playing with these guys," drummer Patrick Hallahan says. "Something about the energy - we don't mean to create it, and I don't know what the hell it is, but it's so human you can feel it." My question is - why do I have this energy with some musicians and not others? How do we create this energy with a worship band to push to higher levels of musical performance? Can the energy be generated or does it simply exist or not exist?
Then there's the lyrics in My Morning Jacket's new song, "If you touch me well, I just think I'll scream, cuz it's been so long since someone challenged me and made me think about the way things are, made me think about the way they could be." No Kidding! We get up, go to work, come home, bathe the kids, go to bed, get up, go to work.... With very little time for thinking or contemplating the big questions in life.
Here's another quote that really applies to my blog about "sit and soak", "You can only get comfortable for so long before you become stagnant." This is definitely true in music. I have to be pushed past the limits of what I am able to do in order for true musical growth to occur. Growing musically is rarely comfortable and safe. It tends to be risky and unsettling. "Once music stops being surprising to you, or stops being weird enough and becomes obvious, then it loses its purpose. If the music doesn't have the tension-and-release or doesn't have a common thread of connectivity, then it's ultimately disposable."
The other interesting thing that I've noticed now about several bands is the talk of going on retreats to the middle of nowhere together. Just hanging out. "It's important, as a band, that we all feel vested in each other," Koster says as he watches a zookeeper play with a cougar. "So if Jim's mind is opened up to some new music, or Tommy discovers some new tone, then organically it will find its way into all our playing. We are still developing our friendship, which is important for a band." Maybe we should make a bigger effort as worship bands to hang out - maybe that helps create that unexplainable musical energy that makes good music great?
So there are my thoughts on this article - questions mostly. How can we apply the things that are working for secular bands into the worship world to improve our playing and performance?
For everybody else, here's the scoop. Last night I was reading the July issue of Paste. I was impressed with an article entitled, "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream", by Jay Sweet about a band called My Morning Jacket.
Sweet had several aha moments in this article. If you are short on time you may want to skip this post as I discuss this article at great length. I do tend to ramble, you know.
Sweet was challenged by My Morning Jacket to try to categorize them after their latest album, and this article is his attempt to say that they cannot be categorized by current genres as they continually push the limits and include a variety of music in their albums. I was reading along without much interest last night while I was simultaneously watching a bio about ABBA. I made it to the second paragraph before I started hunting my pen and making notes. Most of these quotes generated more questions for me than answers. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
"We live in fractured times. Never before in our history have we shared fewer unifying commonalities. Niche is king , and being friends on Facebook or texting each other - sometimes from across the room - passes for human interaction. Some of us find ourselves aching for connection, perhaps to even share some generally accepted cultural touchstones. From the earliest primitive drum circles and fireside chants to The Beatles and Gnarls Barkley, music has been a vehicle for this connection. But as music becomes a more solitary endeavor, experienced on computers in our cubicles, on headphones and in cars, something is lost." OUCH!! Who wastes tons of time on facebook? But, I spent a long while pondering this truth and its application to the church. People are disconnected, they are aching for connection, music was a past vehicle for connection - think back to tribes gathered around the fire, banging on the drum and telling stories. Is this not the role and importance of music in worship? To unite us as people and connect us with God? How can we capitalize on this need?
Now, the next quote that spoke to me - an aha about musical chemistry in a band - I'm not crazy after all. I've seen the way some of you look at me when I try to explain about the energy that exists between some musicians! "I tell ya, it's really magical to be playing with these guys," drummer Patrick Hallahan says. "Something about the energy - we don't mean to create it, and I don't know what the hell it is, but it's so human you can feel it." My question is - why do I have this energy with some musicians and not others? How do we create this energy with a worship band to push to higher levels of musical performance? Can the energy be generated or does it simply exist or not exist?
Then there's the lyrics in My Morning Jacket's new song, "If you touch me well, I just think I'll scream, cuz it's been so long since someone challenged me and made me think about the way things are, made me think about the way they could be." No Kidding! We get up, go to work, come home, bathe the kids, go to bed, get up, go to work.... With very little time for thinking or contemplating the big questions in life.
Here's another quote that really applies to my blog about "sit and soak", "You can only get comfortable for so long before you become stagnant." This is definitely true in music. I have to be pushed past the limits of what I am able to do in order for true musical growth to occur. Growing musically is rarely comfortable and safe. It tends to be risky and unsettling. "Once music stops being surprising to you, or stops being weird enough and becomes obvious, then it loses its purpose. If the music doesn't have the tension-and-release or doesn't have a common thread of connectivity, then it's ultimately disposable."
The other interesting thing that I've noticed now about several bands is the talk of going on retreats to the middle of nowhere together. Just hanging out. "It's important, as a band, that we all feel vested in each other," Koster says as he watches a zookeeper play with a cougar. "So if Jim's mind is opened up to some new music, or Tommy discovers some new tone, then organically it will find its way into all our playing. We are still developing our friendship, which is important for a band." Maybe we should make a bigger effort as worship bands to hang out - maybe that helps create that unexplainable musical energy that makes good music great?
So there are my thoughts on this article - questions mostly. How can we apply the things that are working for secular bands into the worship world to improve our playing and performance?
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Katie Herzig - Hologram - God's voice in a song about a screwed up relationship
Before we left town for Aunt Bea's funeral, my new edition of Paste arrived. It was from July - which apparently comes after August in the music magazine world - since I've had the August issue for several weeks? Anyway, I hurriedly downloaded the CD onto my IPOD so I could check out the new stuff on the long trip. Overall, I was pretty disappointed. It was quite a let down for me after the international issue, much less diverse and fresh and more predictable.
However, one song in particular really captivated me. Katie Herzig's "Hologram" was vocally intriguing. It is rare for a vocal to really grab my attention since I tend to pay more attention to instrumentation. The last female vocal to really snare me as a fan was Norah Jones - honestly - how sexy can a voice be? Katie Herzig was intriguing and interesting, but not in the sexy Norah Jones style.
"Hologram" is a song about an absolutely screwed up relationship. Some of the lyrics go like this, "I'm gonna let you down, toss you around.... Oh, if you don't want me, though, I fall in love with you more....I fall in love with hard to get... It's a virtual reality....I'm in a love affair without a love song....I'm in the habit of having what I don't want....I'm just a hologram."
So I'm listening to this the second time when God showed up - talking in my head like a music critic hanging out over a cup of coffee at the local coffeehouse show. "Don't you identify with that?" My incredulous response, "Are you serious? I've been faithfully married my entire adult life." God, the music critic, "No, that's not the truth that's in her words that I want you to hear." So I replayed the song a second and a third time before I heard the truth that God was talking about. Katie Herzig is singing about a messed up love relationship - but her words are easily a very apt description of our pursuit of the American dream. (Yes, I know it's a leap, but that's the way God and I work. - that's why the blog is called "my random thoughts".)
Follow me here - "I'm gonna let you down, toss you around".....sound familiar to anybody? Does life ever do this to you? "If you don't want me though, I only want you more" - Does this not describe our constant quest for the approval of the people around us? "A virtual reality" - that's what we chase after - the "Good Life" ....The next line is where God broke my heart, "I'm in a love affair without a love song." Millions of people are loving things and people and are totally empty and dissatisfied because they do not know the only Love Song, the Savior. "I'm in the habit of having what I don't want." We get new stuff, then want something else. "I'm just a hologram." empty - needing the Love Song to fill us up - to overflow out of our life.
Now, I am aware that Katie Herzig probably had no intention of any of this, but God certainly used her words to convict me of the emptiness that fills our world and the desperate need to live a life filled with the Love Song and to share Him with our friends, family, and neighbors.
For you other music fans, and those of you who also subscribe to Paste, some artists I was also interested in on this CD:
*The Boxmasters - yes, I do not like country - AT ALL - And really - Billy Bob Thornton - please... put me out of my misery...but the song, "The Poor House" made me laugh - the whole working on a plan to pay the bills - and screwing it up every step of the way - absolutely!
*My morning jacket - "I'm Amazed" - worth a second listen.
*My Brightest Diamond - "Inside a boy" - unique
*Hayden - "Where and When" - a nice horn interlude
*Priscilla Ahn - "Dream" - my 2nd favorite on this CD - I really liked this one.
*Daniella Cotton - "Bang My Drum" - I did listen to this one the 3rd time awhile ago.
However, one song in particular really captivated me. Katie Herzig's "Hologram" was vocally intriguing. It is rare for a vocal to really grab my attention since I tend to pay more attention to instrumentation. The last female vocal to really snare me as a fan was Norah Jones - honestly - how sexy can a voice be? Katie Herzig was intriguing and interesting, but not in the sexy Norah Jones style.
"Hologram" is a song about an absolutely screwed up relationship. Some of the lyrics go like this, "I'm gonna let you down, toss you around.... Oh, if you don't want me, though, I fall in love with you more....I fall in love with hard to get... It's a virtual reality....I'm in a love affair without a love song....I'm in the habit of having what I don't want....I'm just a hologram."
So I'm listening to this the second time when God showed up - talking in my head like a music critic hanging out over a cup of coffee at the local coffeehouse show. "Don't you identify with that?" My incredulous response, "Are you serious? I've been faithfully married my entire adult life." God, the music critic, "No, that's not the truth that's in her words that I want you to hear." So I replayed the song a second and a third time before I heard the truth that God was talking about. Katie Herzig is singing about a messed up love relationship - but her words are easily a very apt description of our pursuit of the American dream. (Yes, I know it's a leap, but that's the way God and I work. - that's why the blog is called "my random thoughts".)
Follow me here - "I'm gonna let you down, toss you around".....sound familiar to anybody? Does life ever do this to you? "If you don't want me though, I only want you more" - Does this not describe our constant quest for the approval of the people around us? "A virtual reality" - that's what we chase after - the "Good Life" ....The next line is where God broke my heart, "I'm in a love affair without a love song." Millions of people are loving things and people and are totally empty and dissatisfied because they do not know the only Love Song, the Savior. "I'm in the habit of having what I don't want." We get new stuff, then want something else. "I'm just a hologram." empty - needing the Love Song to fill us up - to overflow out of our life.
Now, I am aware that Katie Herzig probably had no intention of any of this, but God certainly used her words to convict me of the emptiness that fills our world and the desperate need to live a life filled with the Love Song and to share Him with our friends, family, and neighbors.
For you other music fans, and those of you who also subscribe to Paste, some artists I was also interested in on this CD:
*The Boxmasters - yes, I do not like country - AT ALL - And really - Billy Bob Thornton - please... put me out of my misery...but the song, "The Poor House" made me laugh - the whole working on a plan to pay the bills - and screwing it up every step of the way - absolutely!
*My morning jacket - "I'm Amazed" - worth a second listen.
*My Brightest Diamond - "Inside a boy" - unique
*Hayden - "Where and When" - a nice horn interlude
*Priscilla Ahn - "Dream" - my 2nd favorite on this CD - I really liked this one.
*Daniella Cotton - "Bang My Drum" - I did listen to this one the 3rd time awhile ago.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
How do I find the beauty?
Today I was reading another article in Paste about a DJ named Diplo. I must confess that I really don't understand what he does exactly, something about taking music apart, remixing it with other music and sounds, and playing it at large parties? There were lots of recording terms and technical stuff that I didn't understand. However, the cool part is that this dude travels all over the world searching for new bands, new sounds, and stuff that he can use. The article described it as "he finds beauty in places nobody else is looking."
I was mulling this over and thought "AHHHHH!" That's a great description of Christ - HE finds beauty in places (and people) where nobody else is looking. Obviously I am not Christ, so I seem to have a harder time seeing beauty in everything. Some things are easy - a sunset, my children, my husband. But other things are much harder. I would like to be able to see beauty in places nobody else is looking. So the question I have is, "where is nobody else looking?" I like the idea of challenging myself to ask in hard situations, "what is the beauty of this?" and learning to see and find the treasures that have been overlooked.
I was mulling this over and thought "AHHHHH!" That's a great description of Christ - HE finds beauty in places (and people) where nobody else is looking. Obviously I am not Christ, so I seem to have a harder time seeing beauty in everything. Some things are easy - a sunset, my children, my husband. But other things are much harder. I would like to be able to see beauty in places nobody else is looking. So the question I have is, "where is nobody else looking?" I like the idea of challenging myself to ask in hard situations, "what is the beauty of this?" and learning to see and find the treasures that have been overlooked.
Monday, July 14, 2008
The power of music
For mother's day, Shawn subscribed to a music magazine for me called Paste. I have been anxiously awaiting it in the mailbox and my first issue finally arrived last week. I have been slowly and patiently absorbing the articles, but my favorite thing is the CD that was included. August's issue is a sampling of interesting things happening internationally with music. It has been so refreshing for me to hear something unique and different from the usual Top 40 on the radio. I have absolutely loved hearing the different sounds used in the songs.
That's a long tease into what I am blogging about - the extraordinary power of music. In August's issue of Paste, I read an article about Emmanuel Jal, a musician whose past in Sudan is one of horrorible pain. I love his quote, "Music moves my emotions because music loosens me up, That's where everything starts. Music is the only thing that can speak to your mind and heart without your permission. I don't know what you can compare to music. If there was no music, this world would be mad."
I've thought a lot about that statement today. I am intrigued by the depth of passion that musicians experience world-wide. Music is an international language that closes barriers between races and people groups. Music is definitely the inroad into the soul. Music has extraordinary power to create moods, emotions, and to release whatever is in our soul.
I realized in reading this issue of Paste that I tend to think of music in isolated segments and in terms of how music applies to me. For example, "When am I going to have time to practice the worship set for next week?" It is indeed humbling to contemplate the passion and the level of extraordinary talent around the world. I have to confess that I certainly am relieved that my passion for music is not crazy, while at the same time I certainly feel that my level of expertise is quite inadequate and dissatisfying.
That's a long tease into what I am blogging about - the extraordinary power of music. In August's issue of Paste, I read an article about Emmanuel Jal, a musician whose past in Sudan is one of horrorible pain. I love his quote, "Music moves my emotions because music loosens me up, That's where everything starts. Music is the only thing that can speak to your mind and heart without your permission. I don't know what you can compare to music. If there was no music, this world would be mad."
I've thought a lot about that statement today. I am intrigued by the depth of passion that musicians experience world-wide. Music is an international language that closes barriers between races and people groups. Music is definitely the inroad into the soul. Music has extraordinary power to create moods, emotions, and to release whatever is in our soul.
I realized in reading this issue of Paste that I tend to think of music in isolated segments and in terms of how music applies to me. For example, "When am I going to have time to practice the worship set for next week?" It is indeed humbling to contemplate the passion and the level of extraordinary talent around the world. I have to confess that I certainly am relieved that my passion for music is not crazy, while at the same time I certainly feel that my level of expertise is quite inadequate and dissatisfying.
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