Hot off the press!! CROWDER News – new guitarist!

Before you can say “Taylor ‘the Kid’ Johnson” we’re on to someone new! Unfortunately, for many Crowder fans, it was a sad day when Jason Solley bowed out and took some personal time over his position in the DC*B. Solley was an insane guitarist that provided witty banter and fun dialog with Mr. Crowder. Kind of under the radar and at the same time of the announcement of his exit was news of ‘the Kid’ joining the Crowder Band. I was particularly interested to see how Solley’s shoes would be filled. I’m glad I got to see them at least once with Taylor Johnson because it appears he too is passing through and we have a new member to the DC*B!

Mark Waldrop appears to be the new axe slinging right hand man to Mr. Crowder. I suppose we’ll see him on the Club Tour this fall and I am again extremely anxious to see how this works out. I actually have half a mind to move to Waco and set up a lil space on the corner out front of UBC Waco so the next time a guitarist is needed and they turn to the locals, I’ll at least be in the vicinity

For the full scoop head over to Crowder’s Xanga site. I’m also sure Bwack’s forum is going to explode with buzz as it did when news of Taylor’s arrival, if it hasn’t already. I still can’t fathom what would be better than stage right of the DC*B?!?! I don’t know?

Could that also be a white shirt with perhaps a green cross on the front?!?! I so totally dig these guys art work as well. They’re the inspiration for the tattoos I’ll probably never get but always talk about getting

Any suggestions…

I’m gotten myself into a terrible bind, if you couldn’t tell from the lack of posts lately. There is much to talk about but I’ve been stressed to the max regarding worship this weekend. (Last week’s was incredible and can’t wait to talk about it but this week’s is cramping my style.) Here’s the dilemma:
I have no drummer!

I have no drummer, nor do I have my regular guitar player. I’ve asked every drummer in every remote circle I know of (which is 4 others) and none is working out. So what have you done w/o drums? Broken your music way down? I have bass, keys, and background vocals. Any song suggestions? Any arrangements? This is not my comfort zone so ANY suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

OH and I have 2 winners from my Race to 10,000 that will be uploaded in video format hopefully tonight! WOOHOO!

What’s wrong with me?

Rae and I watch very little TV. Seriously. I gloat about my best friend, TiVo and how wonderful this lil invention is and how he reads my mind and eliminates all the crap that I normally get caught up in. It’s been great…so far.

Not since The Ultimate Fighter 2, has sheer curiosity compelled me to watch a TV show. For whatever reason Rae actually loves the UFC now as well so its something we enjoy together. Unfortunately, I think I just got dumber after tonight.

We had like 3 episodes of Flavor of Love: Charm School on TiVo and ran down 2 tonight killing time. What is wrong with me! Why is this train wreck garbage on television in the 1st place and why did we put up with it for nearly 2 hours while we vegged out on the sofas after an excruciatingly long Memorial Day weekend? It’s awful! The most vile, trashy, disgusting, illiterate women trying to learn class and charm from who!?!?! MO’NIQUE! And her 2 swashbuckling idiot sidekicks! Sweet Jesus, we need a new euphemism besides “throwing them to the wolves!” There’s no worse psychobabble and double-standard gibberish on a self help show than whats coming out of the mouths of these people! AND insult to injury, they’re using this 10 Commandments theme and verbiage to communicate their rules of ‘Charm School.’

Then it all came home like a ton of bricks. After the credits role, I suppose this is their publishing monikor or maybe the production company? I’m not sure b/c I’m sure this is another reality show churned out by VH1 so I really don’t know who this is, regardless, the last logo/name you see as the show ends: “Mindless Entertainment.” That says it all. And I caved in to it.

I need to go read C.S. Lewis or take an S.A.T. test or something! I definitely goin’ take a showr, shoo. Kick rocks, deuces!

Your Grace is Enough -> Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)

Took longer than I thought to get this together. I hate the recording but I think you’ll get the idea. I can only take short videos with my camera so I had to redo it a couple of times and basically kept just the parts important to the transitions. By all means, if and when you do this with your congregation make sure you feel out the lengths that you find appropriate.

Let me know how it comes out if you choose to use it.

Get LOST – Season Finale Spoiler Discussion

So, I received some excitement around LOST’s season finale. What’d you think?!?! I think 24 needs to take some notes from how a season finale should look like…oh that’s going to hurt HAHAHAHA.

I loved it. 2 hours seemed to drag on not because of the show but it seemed there were more commercials this time around? Maybe because this was one intense sitting of television or because I was rocking at one of the coolest parties since college thrown by Scoots! I need to get some pics up b/c she had her house ‘Dharma-ed’ out! It was greatness!

So thoughts-

• Cyclops needs goggles. But only 1 goggle to cover his good eye! I never want to see that wretched eye again!
• How come some people die and others don’t! What’s up with this? I mean we all kind of knew Locke wasn’t dead. But how come characters like he and Cyclops and parachute girl are jim dandy and we have Mr. Echo getting singled out, the idiot couple that got buried alive, Anna Lucia, Hurley’s girlfriend psych ward mystery, and more that get axed! There has to be something here. I mean you have to be ‘able to die.’ B/c Ben told Cyclops to kill the girls in the hatch. But how come he didn’t die with a flippin’ arrow through the heart? I haven’t figured this out but its the big mystery on my mind right now. Yes I know the island has special healing powers, but can it be selective? I don’t know.
• IS CHARLIE DEAD? Yeah we saw him drown which was lame b/c all he had to do was swim out the blown out hatch. What if he floated out of the hatch up to the surface and b/c of the island’s special healing powers he come back to life!!! BUM BUM BUUUMMM!!
• Jacob – Ben’s alter-ego or truly supernatural mojo? Someone brought up that it’s Ben’s alter-ego and that he might not even ‘know.’ Like he’s got multiple personality disorder? Interesting idea.
• I so totally called Michael and Walt returning on the finale. I didn’t really get it but Walt popping up freaked us all out!
• Jack finally manning up! Leading the group! Not caving in to Ben’s trap, beating the hell out of Ben! standing up to Locke! Sweet Christmas it’s about time. I loved it. His character has taken this arc and his motivation to get off the island should keep him fired up and us excited!
• Juliet still is a double talking witch and I still don’t trust her. Sawyer’s back to himself. HURLEY IS THE MAN! Love me some Hurley, DUDE!! HAHAHAHA.
• It’ll be interesting to see how this whole Penny seeking Desmond/Parachute girl’s boat/Ben’s warning against ‘them’ finding the island will turn out!
• FLASHBACKS – So are they no longer flashBACKS! Are we now seeing flashFORWARDS! What an awesome twist! I think our next contest is going to be “Who’s in the Box!!” or “Who’s with Kate!!” or “How long after ‘off the island’ are we!!”

I’m completely dug in to LOST again. I heard that the season though will pick back up in the Spring of ‘08 instead of Fall of ‘07 so that’s a long way away. I imagine they’ll begin with some more online games and mysteries or competitions of some sort to keep us all engaged. Those are my thoughts, what are yours?!?!

Battle Royale for King of the Jungle

Mad props for Los at finding this. This is insane. One of the wildest things I’ve ever seen. You may think, “8 minutes, wow that’s a long time.” No, it’s not. You’ll want to watch every second of this! Amazing.

Back to painting.

Get ENGAGED – Arms of Sorrow

“So, Killswitch Engage on this dude’s blog about worship?” You might be asking yourself that question but again, I bring you back to The Why section where I’d like us not to get caught up in worship = songs on Sunday morning b/w 9:00 AM and 12:00.

I’m always on the lookout for new bands and/or videos. I love it when bands take a video and actually make it art. That may sound ridiculous to some of you but to others you know exactly what I’m talking about. Killswitch isn’t a new band but I think this is their new video. Every time I see their stuff my knee is tapping in sync and my jaw is typically hanging open. I hear their live shows are insane, incredible, and near perfection. Which blows my mind wide open! My voice is tired after 3 sets on Sunday mornings, this dude is nuts!

So here you go: Arms of Sorrow – weird b/c at times the video actually seems to slow the song down – by Killswitch Engage. Turn it up!

YEAH! So what are you watching lately

Smokey Gets Owned – LOST spoiler kind of

So who else is ready for the 2 hour season finale! WOOHOO!! I’m so excited. I was apparently in the minority who thought last week’s episode was simply ‘all right.’ I thought it was a throw away show and is likened to the complaints I’ve been hearing like: “Nothing ever happens” or “Its all about flashbacks” or “They never go anywhere” and on and on. I remember feeling at the end going WHAT! That’s it! We need like 15 more minutes he didn’t do anything yet! It felt short to me. Ah well. I did get choked up with Charlie pissing off Hurley. Oh man it was awkward and uncomfortable and I was even thinking Charlie you @&&! Then he gives the big lug a hug. I got choked up!

So the whole episode wasn’t a total downer I suppose but it felt like Pirates of the Carribean 2, good and fun perhaps but simply a set up for the next show! Well I am set up! I found this tribute to Smokey on YouTube and thought I’d share it with you. Gets me going!

This finale better be more satisfying than 24!

AND WE ARE DONE! 10,000 FREAKIN’ HITS!

WOOHOO!! 10:56 A.M. ON TUESDAY WE HIT 10,000!

Thanks everyone. I don’t know who the last hit was from but you all rock! Look for a winner to be announced Wed or Thurs!! I was figuring on hitting 10k sometime over the weekend but we hit it at least 3 days early!

HAHA! THANKS EVERYBODY!

10,000 last lap!!

Oh we’re on! Last lap until 10,000 is here so get the word out, check back and after 50 more hits this contest shall be finished! Thanks to everyone who’s contributed and shown some link love. I hope we have a great finish. Looks like I’ll pull a winner tomorrow though. 6 out off 9 hours of work yesterday were spent driving to Mississippi so my schedule is a little whack.