They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. I never really experienced that until tonight, October 31st, Halloween night. You know, when all the crazy people get the chance to flaunt their insanity as if they’ve been penned up waiting all year for this one night. Every Halloween our church hosts a community outreach called trunk or treat. Hundreds of kids and parents from the glenwood community come out and enjoy the decorated car trunks, costumes, games and free candy. During this event our church also adds a little incentive to those decorating their vehicles with a trunk decorating contest. First prize; a gift card to Chili’s. Well, this year a few of our college students, armed with a brilliant idea, teamed up to create the greatest decorated trunk in the history of trunk or treat! These three girls became the Sean Gallagher Band. It was brilliant! They made t-shirts, set up drums and guitars inside a trailer, played our music through loud speakers they rigged and each one of them dressed like us too with wigs that matched each one of our hair styles! It was hilarious! Oh, and they won first place too. Not only did they pull that off but somehow they attained our business cards and handed them out in addition to the candy to all the kids and parents during the event. I couldn’t have paid for better advertising. It was really cool! I even got to keep one of the t-shirts they made. I want to say thank you to Brittny, Lyndsay and Susan- the girls who became the Sean Gallagher Band. They did an awesome job and I loved it! Check out the slide show and enjoy!
The other day the staff at Enid First Assembly had an impromptu discussion about how many christians aren’t very honest and the fact that we have trained people to think of the altar as the place you go if there are problems in your life. People don’t want to respond to an altar call at the end of a service because of the stigma that’s attached. The “church” in the past has beaten people into submission thinking that we have to be done with all our problems or issues, not giving any leeway for continued growth as a follower of Christ. I have been video taping “life change” videos for our church and I have found that people really are not comfortable being who they are with the issues they face everyday. It seems that when people get in front of a camera, knowing that the video will be played in front of the congregation they become religiously censored. Not by me or anyone in the room but by their training in the church. We’ve learned to pretend really well. I say this not to gripe or complain about the church, because we are trying to change that stigma here at Enid First Assembly. So what does this have to do with rock band? I’m glad you asked! I was thinking about all of this while a bunch of the college students were playing rock band in my living room. Understand, I’m a guitar player, so I’m not keen on playing a fake instrument when I could just go play the real thing. All of this triggered a thought. What if Jesus was a musician, a guitar player, mind you. Would he like rock band? The reason I pose this question is, Jesus told the pharisees that they looked good on the outside but were dead on the inside. He said they weren’t real, they had no substance. I believe we have become experts at rock band in the church. What I mean by that is we are great at faking a lot of things, going through the motions and pretending we are musicians when really we are only good at following things we see from others and doing what we are told to do instead of taking the time to develop the discipline of learning the real thing and becoming a real artist who shows uniqueness and creativity in the way they play. We, as followers of Christ, need to live the way God told us to live. Search the scriptures, be honest about who we are and what God has truly asked of us. We need to quit following what everyone and everything around us is saying we should live. We are ultimately accountable to God, not to brother and sister so & so. I know this is a bit of a stretch, and no I’m not against playing rock band, it was a quick thought that I wanted to write out. Let me know what you think about this quick analogy. By the way, I’m not against playing rock band. However, I will admit that I’m not very good at any video games but rock band doesn’t appeal to my sense of wanting to play the real thing.
So Busy!
Well, like the title says, I have been really busy! I think that technically I have the responsibilities of three full-time employees at church; worship pastor, college pastor and now media coordinator. Now that in itself keeps me busy but then on top of that, for the last three weeks or so, I’ve been clearing the forrest that was on my property. I am on my eighth trailer load and will be nine by the end of tomorrow. My yard is starting to shape up finally but it’s definitely taken hard physical labor to get it done. I say all of this because between forrest annihilation and my new responsibilities at work I feel like I haven’t been able to really focus on writing music. I really need to get into the studio to finish recording the last 4 songs. I have three that are written and one that continues to elude me. It’s as if I’m captain Ahab and this song is my Moby Dick, although I don’t think this song will bite off my leg. Still, I’m trying to get this song done but it’s tough to find the time. Hopefully I will finish this before October so I can get in the studio soon. It’s getting a little ridiculous; just ask my band. So if you’re someone that follows my blog and actually would like for me to get this cd out please pray that I would have a burst of creativity, more time and maybe some inspiration too. I do want to say that I had a nice time at the CRAM Night for 24Seven youth group. Jason Warnock, the youth pastor, brought in a couple, Chris and Kelly, that had led worship for him in the past and they needed a guitar player so they asked if I would play. They didn’t know me really but Jason, being the trusting, naive person he is, gave me rave reviews (thanks btw). Well, the night came, they showed up with their band and I did the ever-so-awkward pleasantries. Anyway, we rehearsed for about an hour and I was unsure of what they wanted from me and whether or not they would like my style. I ended up having the most fun I have had in a worship set in a long time. I didn’t have to sing or lead worship. I didn’t have to do anything but play my guitar, which I don’t get to do very often. You know, if I could change one thing about worship in the church it would be this; more instrumentals. I think it’s funny when people can sit and listen to music being played instrumentally when it’s a secular song but when it comes to worship people freak out and seem to think that it’s “of the flesh”! What a bunch of CRAP!!! Sorry for the soap box (I may do a blog specifically about that topic). Anyway, as I was saying, things went well during the worship set and I had a great time! Afterwards, Chris paid me a high compliment, and I want to say thank you again to him and his wife, Kelly and his band; he said, “You sounded awesome! It’s rare to find a guitar player that you’ve only rehearsed with for an hour be able to play everything and fit in as well as you did.” That felt good and I was excited that they enjoyed the experience as much as I did. I was really happy to be able to meet them and play with them and not have to lead worship or carry everything by myself. It was a great experience! Well, I don’t want to bore you anymore by my lame stories and whining about my schedule so I will do that again next week! Talk at ya later!!
In Desperate Need!!
Wow!! It’s been two months since my last post. I apologize to my many fans; all ten of you. That was a joke. It’s really more like five or six. Anyway, I’m updating now and re-committing to blogging every week. Since my last post I have done a couple of gigs with the Sean Gallagher Band. One of the performances we did was for a talent contest; Oklahoma’s Got Talent, sponsored by the March of Dimes. Well, I’m happy to announce that we won! I’ve had a chance to see it on the local Pegasys channel in Enid. If you live in Enid you might be able to catch it on some time during this next week. The program re-airs ever so often. We’ve been able to make some money with our latest gigs and now we can invest in our own sound equipment, which is actually exciting to me. This will really help us in the near future; having the ability to provide our own sound. My drummer, Hector Mancha, is speculating that we won’t make it back into the studio by the end of the year. I’m a little disappointed in his “half-empty” outlook but admittedly, it’s been tough to finish this last song. I just have no inspiration whatsoever. I don’t know why but I have a slight case of writer’s block. Whether or not this helps, I’ve decided to pick up some books from some classic authors. Books of poetry and short stories by the greats; Dylan Thomas, Thoreau, Shelley, Keats, etc. I’m hoping that it helps me with my writing and communication skills but also to inspire me. I’m in desperate need of inspiration!! If you are reading this, please, stop for a second and just whisper a short prayer for me. I’m really struggling with this and I feel the pressure to get this project done and I’m caving. I don’t want to bore you or start complaining by any means, so I will end my short, over-due and hopefully awaited blog. I will leave you with a statement I heard this week that I really liked. Jimmy Webb said, “Not all lyrics are poetry but all lyrics are poetic”. And with that, you’ll hear from me next week!
Well, it’s definitely been awhile since my last blog post. Not sure anyone really missed it but I got busy with work and other things that I put it off way too long. That’s actually what I’m blogging about, really; what I’ve been up to the last month. I’m in the process of looking for a bass player and I think I might have found one. It looks promising, just keep your fingers crossed for me. I’m excited to say, I signed a distribution and marketing deal with Tate Music Group recently. I really believe this will open doors that I wouldn’t be able to open on my own and that’s a huge motivation me and the band. I also spoke to my pastor about this opportunity and quite surprisingly, he was very supportive about it. He said that he would help me develop a fan-base within the church and start promoting my name and as you can see from the picture I was the head-liner for Enid First Assembly’s “Night of Praise”. That was cool but a little awkward too. It’s weird when your name is up on the marquee and people are kinda teasing you about it. I’m not complaining by any means. I am extremely thrilled that my pastor is behind my efforts and wants to see me succeed. That’s really cool. He’s actually been talking to me about marketing myself to different demographics so that the more people I can connect with the more success I will have. I totally agree and say, “Thanks” to him and his support. My wife and I really appreciate it and it means a lot to both of us. Well, that’s what’s been happening on the music front and on the job front it’s been hectic as well. We are on the downhill slide of a staff over-haul and our annual “Dad-Fest” is finally behind us and now we work on rebuilding our Saturday Night Service and getting ready for our annual community block party. It’s definitely been busy but I think by the end of the year I will be able to look back and see that it was a turning point and a profitable year in terms of accomplishment. Not many people can say that. Can you? Until next time….
Dilemma!!
No joke: Eric Castillo, one of the guitar players in my band, works for a company here in Enid. He’s had the job for a few months now and has made some friends which happen to be homosexual. Now, some church folk, dare I say christians, would be offended or disgusted by their lifestyle. Jesus loves them and so should we. Enough said. So here’s the kicker; they asked Eric if the Sean Gallagher Band would want to play during Enid’s Gay Pride Event in July of 2009. When he told me that I was thinking, “Are you serious”? I texted him back and asked him if they knew that we are christians and that our music is worship oriented and lifts up God. He said that he told them, but I wanted to make sure of that fact so there wouldn’t be any misunderstandings. Here’s the dilemma. I personally wouldn’t mind doing it. I think it is a rare opportunity to build a bridge between the two communities. The dilemma comes in when other people think, by performing at such an event, you are supporting a homosexual lifestyle. Really, the decision comes down to what my pastor says about the event. If he disapproves then I won’t consider it out of respect for him and our church. However, if I get the green light then I have two options: Play the event and not worry about the church people, protestors and whomever else won’t like it and lift up the name of Jesus and be a light anyway which is what we are called to do or choose not to play the event due to the likelihood of people thinking that I am supporting gay pride. I would love to see your comments and know what your opinions are about this little dilemma. Can’t wait!
Gospel Explosion!!
Ok, so last night was a little nerve racking for me, to say the least. Not only was I performing songs that I’ve written and never performed in Enid before but I was about to unveil them for the first time at Enid’s first annual Gospel Explosion at the Gaslight theatre to benefit the Booker T. Washington Community Center. Just by seeing the name of the event you should understand why I was a little on edge. It was a “gospel music” event. Now, if you’ve heard my music you would know that you can’t classify what I’ve written as gospel. I may have some R&B, blues and jazz influences but they’re not always apparent at first. Anyway, we didn’t really get a good sound check before the show but we had practiced enough that I didn’t think that would be a major issue. We were in the first half of the show, sixth on the list. When it’s our turn, my mind is only thinking, “I hope they like it and it doesn’t turn into a bad episode of Night at the Apollo”. I just didn’t want to get boo-ed off the stage. I was a little paranoid about being the only white guy there to perform that night. Anyway, we did our two songs and to my surprise people were clapping and genuinely enjoying it! When we were done Leona Mitchell, famous opera singer, came out of her dressing room to tell us that she “really enjoyed our music and that we sounded really great”! That was cool because I didn’t know her at all but she had been watching from her dressing room and made it a point to compliment our performance. Once we put away our guitars we made our way to the lobby to listen and hang out in front. Many people complimented us and our music and asked what church we were from, how to book us for future events and even asked for our website. I have to say I was extremely happy that we were apart of that benefit. Not only did it help the community but also taught me a lesson. I learned that I shouldn’t worry about what people think. If your music is good and you’ve spent the time in preparation needed to perform it well, people will like it. We were asked to do the event next year and told that they’re going to bring in some big names and make sure that all the participants are paid! It’s just nice to know that we did an event outside of our comfort zone for a group demographic we didn’t know if they would like us and it turned out to be a success for everyone! Great night!
Inspiration!!
So, I’ve been trying really hard the last couple of weeks to finish writing the songs that will somehow bring an end to my recording endeavors and begin a new era in my career and life altogether. That’s why I haven’t posted anything in a couple of weeks; lame excuse, I know. However, I finally have a little glimmer of inspiration but I just can’t seem to find the time to get alone and hammer out some ideas that are imprisoned in my skull. Anyway, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I’m excited about it. Hopefully I will be able to finish soon and get back in the studio and lay down the tracks on the last four tunes. I am so anxious to get it all done and release the album. I’m inspired now to try and find the right distribution and marketing company for me and the situation I’m in now. I wouldn’t even mind signing to a smaller label similar to the one that Starlit Platoon signed with recently. (congratulations, guys!) Another source of inspiration as well; and if you’re interested, I was given a book that I’ve finished reading called, So You Don’t Want To Go To Church Any More. This book has been, yet another, source of inspiration and I will probably blog a little about it soon. I really liked it! The person who gave it to me owns Ruth’s Christian Bookstores. I guess inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. You can never limit it to one thing or think that it comes one way. Inspiration is like oxygen. If there isn’t any you won’t survive!
Exciting News!!!
Listen, I’m pretty excited because I just found out my song, He’s Coming Back, that I entered in a contest on ourstage.com actually made the top ten out of 427 entries. That really means a lot considering I haven’t told anyone that I entered. That means people that I don’t even know, legitimately liked my song! Also, I think we have settled on a title for the new album. That is another weight lifted off of me. Although, I’m sure I’ll go through everything again and make sure that will be the title but for now I’m pretty satisfied with it. You can wait in anticipation for it; don’t want to spoil it for you. My biggest struggle is writer’s block. I need to write two more songs and I’m really gasping for ideas and creativity. I need to go back to the studio to finalize this project. I’m so anxious to get this whole thing done. I think I need to go away or something, get alone and just hammer out some ideas. Well, I’ll try to make this a more frequent occurrence. I know it has been a while but I was so busy that I lost track of time. Go check out the song and vote me to number one!!!
Change Me
Well, I got a lot more response to my last blog than I thought I would. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one that feels the way I do at times. On the other hand, it’s sad to know that others feel that way about “being a christian” too. I don’t regret my decision to follow Christ and to love Him but I think everything apart from that is pointless. The thoughts and feelings that I’ve been having about all of this “stuff” kind of spurred me on to write a song. I’m four songs shy of finishing my CD so I started writing, Change Me. I wanted to write a song that simply talks honestly about our routines that we get into and how things become mundane and end up having no excitement or life to them because of the way we see things around us; stuck in a situation that we feel we can’t get out of or think that we are on the “treadmill of life”, always moving but not getting anywhere. I think the chorus sums it all up by saying, “change me”. It’s usually not the circumstances surrounding us that need to change it’s the way we see those circumstances; whether or not we see the opportunities around us to get off the “treadmill”. If we are the ones that change and get a different perspective, maybe see everything through God’s eyes, we would see the difference we could make in the world around us instead of just going through the motions. That’s what I want to avoid at all costs! This is a “first look” of the song, Change Me. I am getting ready to go in and record it for my publisher (so it isn’t a full blown recorded version; it’s really rough). Check it out and let me know what you think about the song and the commentary behind it as well. I hope it says something to you and anyone else you might share it with. Thanks for the feedback! Talk to you next week!!
