Tuesday night’s rehearsal was really good! It feels like the songs I wrote for BMS World Mission (during my visit to Bangkok earlier this year) are coming together. The arrangements are falling into place and dates to be in the studio look set for early November. I’m really excited to be recording these songs with Dan Bowater at DB Studios in Lincoln.
God Are You There? is gritty and edgy and in contrast Mr Free Man is musically very uplifting but awkwardly challenging in its lyric content.
I’m praying that these songs will make a difference in some way, not sure how, but am aware of God smiling on this project…will keep you posted.
Below are a few pictures from Tuesday night’s rehearsal…
The band...
Jamie Parker adding up how many effects his Nord has...
Ceeds (Chris) disecting his guitar parts...awesome!
Steve and Wadey - the rhythm section hard at work...
We’ve all been through challenging times but we often don’t have the songs to interpret these moments. It can almost feel wrong to recognise the struggles and we certainly shouldn’t sing about them! This song was written in this context, when I realised decisions I had made in pursuing God and music had led me to a place that had implications for my future.
The title and opening line was based around the imagery of the parable of the wise and the foolish men. I became a Christian when I was young and had orientated my life and decisions on seeking God, but now found myself praying the words of the chorus “Don’t let me down, don’t let me fall. You are the one I chose to follow”. I had been faith filled through the journey but now was confused and uncertain as to what to do next. The lyrics of verse 2, “Give me courage, give me grace. To fight when all my faith is in retreat” was my heart on my sleeve, and probably some of the most honest lyrics that I have written. They still impact me each time I sing them.
Here’s a video that BMS World Mission made to a song I wrote a few years ago. The video was presented at the 2009 Baptist Annual Assembly in Bournemouth International Arena while I performed the song live over the top of it. The song is called Messin’ With The System and looks at the way we have taken God’s advice for living and looking after His world and diluted it.
Here’s more chat from the radio interview I did while in the States this February, with a live performance of Standing at the Cross (another track from The Blue EP).
I played at some events in Omaha, USA in February this year. While I was there I did a radio interview with September Turner on a show called Embracing the Heartland on KCRO – Omaha’s Christian Talk radio station.
Here’s a short video of the song “I Built My House Upon This Rock”, a song about Christ the rock through difficult times. Feel free to learn it and use it.
These are the photos from Glory Revolution that we (me and my band) played at in “The Plug” venue in Sheffield . We’re gearing up for the next one in December, make sure you don’t miss it! (Photos taken by Lex Peets)
I was asked by BMS World Mission if I would consider going to Bangkok to write some songs based on what I saw there. Plans quickly fell into place for me to join a film crew making a documentary about the sex industry there and film the song writing process as it unfolded. In the run up to the trip I was deeply impacted by documentaries on TV about the atrocities in Bangkok, but I also had a moment where God took me on a imaginary path where I met a prostitute and in that moment I physically engaged with the heartache of what life was like for this girl. That is where the song idea came from.
