Category Archives: Music

Where’s My Horse?

There are seasons in my life where I’ve privately journaled about my life experiences. Most of it is so wretchedly written that a drunken monkey wouldn’t want to read it; however, that’s not exactly the point. For me the point is to simply record the event so I can remember a comedic circumstance, an inaudible word from above, or a lesson I should have learned by now.

(As a side note, my journaling tool of choice is Google Docs, but I read this article earlier today – OhLife: A Personal Journal You Might Actually Keep Updating – about a site built for the sole purpose of private journaling).

Today I’ll share a quick comedic moment that happened almost a year ago to the day. I’d taken a trip with my Uncle to northern California so we (well, mostly he) could attend the Healdsburg Guitar Festival. Here’s my summary of an informal jam session that happened one night:

We went to a McKnight owners jam held at the hotel, but I didn’t stay there very long either. The one humorous moment came when I was talking to some guy about wanting to play out more in Austin. He asked, “What kind of music do you play?” I hemmed and hawed. “You don’t look like the rock type. Country?”

Well, crap, was all I could think.

Reimagined Hymn and Song Titles That Might Better Reflect Reality

I visited my cousin this past weekend. We got to talking. It got late. We came up with some of the following. If you’re offended by any of them, those were probably his ideas…

  • I Surrender Some
  • Mediocre Grace
  • Blessed Insurance
  • I Sit in Bemusement
  • Above Most
  • All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Political Clout
  • Be Still My Soul
    (but not so still I fall asleep… again)
  • Blessed Be Your Name
    (when the Cowboys win)
  • Fiend of God
  • Great is My Faithfulness
  • Look at Me! Here I Am To Worship!
  • How Can I Keep from Sinning
    (tomorrow)
  • Oh Crappy Day
  • It’s All About Me
  • Your Grace is Almost Nearly Enough Most of the Time
  • I Need Thee Every Few Years or So
  • Come Just As You Are
    (as long as you’re not too messed up)
  • Come Just As We Hope You Become
  • Today is the Day
    (for a short sermon)
  • My Redeemer Lives
    (in a land far, far away)
  • Shout to the Lord
    (because He certainly hasn’t heard me lately)

This is all, of course, meant in jest.

Feel free to add your own in the comments, now newly renovated so you can login with your Facebook, Twitter, or OpenID credentials.

A Glimpse Inside My Head

The Muppets Cover Bohemian Rhapsody

The first time I ever heard Bohemian Rhapsody was in the classic scene from Wayne’s World. I thought it was the best rock song ever. I may still think that, and this video only helps to solidify its rank. Special shout-out to my mom at 57 seconds into it.

When was the first time you heard Bohemian Rhapsody?

Top 10 Influential Drummers

In thinking more about pursuing drumming in a way I haven’t done before, I’ve given more thought to those players that I admire. Should any of these guys run across this post, please don’t take offense at your placement. I’ll have no qualms bumping you up the list should you contact me.

  • 10. Darren King, MuteMath
    darrenking

    Have yet to see him live, but any drummer that has to duct tape headphones to his head has to either have serious chops or a muscle control problem. It’s most of the former, as far as I know. Wikipedia says he’s “well known for intense drum beats that showcase a vast amount of energy.”

  • 9. Will Champion, Coldplay
    willchampion

    Steady. Deceptively simple yet evocative. As with all those in this list, he’s a perfect fit for the band he’s in.

  • 8. Keith Moon, The Who
    keithmoon

    Some might think, “Really, Moon is this low?” Well, I’m not well aquainted with The Who oeuvre, but I know he had the chops. And have you heard about the Keith Moon biopic staring Mike Myers?

  • 7. Larry Mullen, Jr., U2
    larrymullenjr

    A working-man’s drummer. Steady as a rock. Never overplays. Does exactly what is necessary. In some respects, he reminds me of Ringo Starr: the bedrock player for the world’s biggest band.

  • 6. Taylor Hawkins, Foo Fighters
    taylorhawkins

    A quintessential rock drummer. A perfect blend of simple complexity. Aggressive without being overbearing. Just knows how to rock.

  • 5. Stewart Copeland, The Police
    stewartcopeland

    A musician, then a drummer; a rare breed indeed. Purposefully and tastefully plays nearly anything that isn’t four-on-the-floor, snare-on-two-and-four kinds of beats. Inimitable.

  • 4. John Bonham, Led Zeppelin
    johnbonham

    Because no respectable drummer can make a list like this and not include Bonzo. A drummer to be emulated (at least stylistically).

  • 3. Dominic Howard, Muse
    domhoward

    Fat. Powerful. Heavy. Orchestral. Emotive. Impressive. The more I listen, the more I want to be that kind of drummer. And possibly placed so high in the list because he’s a recent influence.

  • 2. Carter Beauford, Dave Matthews Band
    carterbeauford

    Carter was one of my early drumming heroes. One of the most technically skilled drummers in the business. He plays busy, but it works perfectly as part of DMB. I always have and always will marvel at his abilities.

  • 1. Brandon Graves, Waterdeep
    waterdeep

    [Upper left in photo] You probably haven’t heard of Brandon. The first time I ever heard him play a solo, on Waterdeep’s Live at the New Earth, I was sure I was going to quit playing drums because I couldn’t imagine ever being that good. Alternately, I thought he might have been a multi-armed Hindu deity, until seeing him perform live. (He’s not). To me, his style, technical proficiency, and flat-out ability to rock are what I aspire to.