A New Year and a trip to Gatlinburg

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here, but I figured I would start it up again. This year has had some ups and downs but I’m blessed that God has given another year to walk his beautiful earth and enjoy each and everyday that he gives me. But I’m making this post short. I’m not gonna give a summary of what happened this year. Instead I’m gonna post a few pics of my recent trip to Gatlinburg. But, I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years. I’m looking forward to 2014 and I hope you are too.

Stick around and read my best of the year albums if your interested.

It’s Been a Week and a Few

It’s been a week since I walked across the stage at Flowers Hall in Florence, Alabama at the University of North Alabama and entered the real world. I graduated UNA with a degree in Entertainment Industry with a focus in technology. I also have two minors, One in Digital Media and another in History. I’ve had a hand full of people ask me how it feels to be  a graduate, and honestly  I can never tell them because honestly it hasn’t set in. There is a feeling that I never have to take another test ever if I don’t want to. I never have to turn in another paper. I never have to listen to the drunk frat guys crappy music or the “aspiring” white rapper that lived next door again. I’m looking forward to that. I’m also looking forward to finding a job. I’m currently working part time at my church as a video technician but I’m looking for something that  can be full time and begin my career.

So I guess I need to catch up anyone who reads my ramblings on what has been going on in my life rather than graduation. Well here we go.

I Got A Mac Book 

Finally! I’m so glad I got this. I love this thing. I worked for 4 1/2 long years on a Dell. The Dell was a great computer for the first 3 years but this last year and half has been torture. I worked on iMac’s all day long working with audio and video editing, and then I would come home to the Dell… Needless to say it’s dying. But, my this past Monday my dad came in and said we’re going to the Apple Store and next thing I know we’re walking out with a 15 in. Mac Book Pro with Retina Display. I also put Adobe Premiere on here to work on some videos on the side.

I’m “Writing” an Album 

Ok, I’m big into post-rock, ambient sounding, instrumental music. My friend has been asking me when I was gonna sit down and pen some music down, and I kept saying when I finally got some time. Well I have time now. I’m gonna name the project Weary Saints and it’s going to be all instrumental. I’m thinking about throwing in some MIDI stuff as well. I’m gonna be pulling some influences from Explosions in the Sky, All The Bright Lights, Radiohead, & The Jezabels. I currently have three demo/working songs right now and have a few ideas in the works.

Other than those two things nothing really major has been going on other than looking for a job. I have a couple of leads on some and hoping to hear back from one after the 1st of the year. I won’t go into much detail just yet because nothing is set in stone.

I’m hoping to get back into blogging now that I have a little more time. Props to those who can do this with their busy schedules on a daily basis. (Grace I’m talking about you) Well anyways I’m gonna end this post like I do every post. Here’s what been in my rotation of music.

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals-Cold Roses

Two Door Cinema Club-Tourist History

Chromatics-Kill for Love

The Antlers-Burst Apart

The Lumineers-The Lumineers

TV on the Radio-Return to Cookie Mountain

The Wallflowers-Glad All Over

Tom Waits-Frank’s Wild Years

The Glorious Unseen-Lovesick

The Modern Post-Grace Alone E.P.

I Can’t Play Secular Music…

Okay let me explain before you guitar snobs start making fun of me and posting jerk-ish comments. I can play secular music, but it takes me a long time to learn the song. See ever since I picked up a guitar I always been forced to learn Christian music. I’ll be honest I hated it. 11 year old Jeremy learning MercyMe songs. Nothing against MercyMe their just not my cup of tea. I still remember my first song I learned on acoustic. “I Can Only Imagine,” I still won’t listen to that song willingly. My joke to people when they ask how long I’ve been playing is this. “Well I started when I was 11. My mom wanted me to learn Christian music. However, my dad gave me Darkside of the Moon for Christmas and shown me the “darkside.” I usually get a kick out of this but it leaves people confused. I’m weird like that.

But anyways back to what I was saying about secular music. I have never been able to play it well. I love some secular music. Most of my favorite bands are secular bands. I’m not a fan of the bands or artist who swear a lot in every song however. But worship music and Christian music has always come easy to me when learning a part for the band or group. (except Your Grace is Enough [Chad & Grace know what I’m talking about]) Take tonight for example, I was listening to this indie band called Local Natives, their a cool band, cool sound everything. I was listening to their song Wide Eyes and was like I want to learn that. So I sat down and tried to learn it. Eventually I got frustrated and moved on to another song. My churches worship leader is on a Phil Wickham kick and wanted me to learn the lead to “All I Am.” I listened to the song twice maybe and had the lead down perfectly. After that I played through Hillsong United’s Aftermath album with little to no stopping.

I really don’t know what it is. I’ve explained it to a few people and none of them have been able to give me an explanation to me. I really think its a gift from God. I’ve really only played in worship band’s seriously since I picked up the guitar. Maybe a garage band here and there that didn’t go anywhere. But I’ve always been drawn to worship music and love the sound of it. But when it comes to worship music I live by this verse:

“Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” – Psalm 150:4-6

Hopefully this isn’t some rambling. I was just sitting at home playing guitar and thought about it, so I decided to blog it.

But anyways here’s what I’ve been listening to:

Kye Kye: Young Love

I saw these guys open up for John Mark McMillian in Birmingham a few months ago and they put on a great show. Check them out. Their remix album is really good as well. 

John Mark McMillian: The Song Inside the Sounds of Breaking Down Rerelease 

This is the rerelease of his second album. Great stuff with two new songs on it, “Hold On & Dancing on the Doors.” BTW the guitar solo at the end of “Dancing on the Doors is ridiculous. James Freakin’ Duke ’nuff said on that subject. 

Pretty much anything Ryan Adams

I’ve been on a Ryan Adams kick lately. 

Jude Moses: Self Titled

These guys also played with JMM in Birmingham. Really good harmonies and story telling. Plus who cannot like a guy who comes out on stage with a big ‘ole longhorn belt buckle, trucker hat, sleeveless shirt and handlebar mustache? 

Jonathan David & Melissa Helser: On the Shores

Stop reading this right now and go buy this album. This man writes some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. He has this song called “Abba” that will give you goosebumps every time you listen to it. It’s been on repeat on my drives back to Florence from Madison this week. Beautiful, beautiful music.

Well that’s about it for me. Oh I forgot to mention. My big news that I said that I had but wasn’t going to say yet until the paper work had been finalized. Well the paper work has been finalized and I am now the new video tech at my home church. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity and have been really been blessed by God with this job. This was a big prayer that was answered. The only downside is that I will be living out of a suitcase most of the week. But its a great resume builder and I’m doing something that I feel that I’m being called to do which is serve in the church through media.

but anyways have a great weekend

Jeremy

FullTone Full-Drive Mosfet 2

New gear! I love getting new gear. I’m a pedal addict. I honestly think I rely on pedals way to much in my playing. But honestly I don’t care or care what people think. Everyone has their own style. But anyways enough rambling.

On Tuesday I ventured down to my local Guitar Center, a place that I don’t really care for, for the most part. But anyways I walked in and was greeted by a sales staff. He asked what I was looking for and I told him expecting a blank stare and being clueless. He wasn’t which was a nice change. He actually knew exactly what I wanted and took me right to it.

I ended up buying a Fulltone Full-Drive 2 Mosfet. I had done a lot of research on the pedal and was really looking forward to it. I used it for the first time this past Wednesday night for Capshaw Connect. I loved it. Its clear, smooth, and it has some crazy sustain to it.

For those who don’t know what a Fulltone Full-Drive 2 Mosfet is, I’ll explain. It’s an overdrive pedal, it’s also classified as a boutique pedal. (you wouldn’t know that from the price) But it has four knobs. Volume, Tone, Overdrive, and Boost. Also there are two switches between the knobs. These switches give you a variety of options to tweak your tone. For example you can get that standard overdrive or flip it to mosfet setting for a bit of crunch. Also you can pick vintage, FM, or CompCut setting. I honestly can’t tell you which I like the best because I’m still messing around with it. But so far I love this pedal. I took my tube screamer and boost pedal off the board. I kept the blues driver and turned the gain down to where it’s like a tube screamer. I’m really looking forward to what this pedal has to bring.

It’s been a week or so….

It’s been a week or so since my last post. I told myself I was gonna at least update what I’ve been listening to for the past week but never got around to doing it. But for those of you who are interested, (I know you all are) this is what has been happening in my life. I moved back to Madison, I think I mentioned that in my last post. I started playing again at my church, Capshaw Baptist. And I’ve been getting fatter, but I can still fit into my skinny jeans so we’re good. (that kinda sounds like a double negative, fat kid skinny jeans)

But anyways, probably the most exciting thing that has happened to me lately is that I went on an Emmaus Walk. For those of you who have never heard of an Emmaus Walk this is what it is. It’s kinda hard to explain what it is because I don’t want to call it a retreat. Basically you spend 72 hours without a phone or watch. (This was very hard for me because I like having a schedule and knowing when and where) But anyways you sit through 15 talks given by different people whether that be lay people or pastors of various churches from North Alabama. You also partake in communion every day which I really enjoyed. There is also a lot of worship. That took some getting use to because I’m use to pretty contemporary worship and they were singing old hymns and songs that I hadn’t sang since I was a kid.  The weekend was overall great. There was a lot more stuff that went on but I’m going to leave that out because there very special moments and there meant to be special. They say try not to be secretive about it but do. (its hard to explain you just have to go and see what I’m talking about)

God spoke to me this weekend. I’ve been praying for brokenness for a long time and I finally broke this weekend. I’ve never been a crier but this weekend I defiantly had my share of tears. Tears of brokenness and tears of happiness. He showed me that I need to be more selfless and humble especially in my worship. I had become the guy trying to look cool playing guitar. Also, that I’m loved. Christ’s love was defiantly shown this weekend with everyone. People you don’t even know giving you a hug and telling you that they love you. I may never see them people again till heaven but it’s amazing feeling when a complete stranger tell you they love you and shows you Christ’s love.

There is one moment that I’m going to mention because it was my favorite part of the walk. I received 12 letters on the last day of the walk from various people that I didn’t know, my friends, my family, and some kids from the youth group that I lead worship at. This was another crier for me (haha) when I read letters from my parents, sister, grandfather, and friends. But the one that really brought me to tears was the letters I got from two of the youth guys. When a kid that in high school tells you that your his hero or role model it does something to you. I broke down and cried. That’s when I realized how selfish I had been and non-humbled for the blessing that God has given me. God shown me a lot through this weekend and I feel as if I’m rediscovering myself. I looking forward to my growing relationship with HIM and I have a thirst for the word and just digging deeper. I bought a few books while I was there, two John Piper books The Roots of Endurance and Future Grace. Also, I bought and Oswald Chambers book, My Utmost For His Highest. I started The Roots of Endurance and used My Utmost for His Highest tonight during my quiet time. So far I’m enjoying both.

One thing that that they told us during Emmaus was our Fourth Day. See Emmaus can be that camp experience that you get. That spiritual high that you get when you leave from having an awesome time at a camp or retreat and your looking to take on the world. Right now I’m still on that high and I just made it through my first Fourth day. But they say right now your flame is on fire because your still on the mountain but what about when you hit the valley. Those Fourth Day’s are going to be your hardest. Just trust in the Lord and you will get through anything. Don’t lose the faith, anything is possible with Christ.

I’m going to end this post with a verse that I read tonight that really stuck out to me. It’s from Hebrews,

“My Son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him.” -Hebrews 12:5

This verse stuck out to me tonight. I have been praying a lot about my future and what God wants from me. For those who don’t know what I want to do with my future, I’m looking to work in a church full time mixing FOH audio and editing video’s, sermons, and audio. I’ve been getting discouraged because every where I was researching was looking for experience and I have had very little. But I some news today that I’m not going to talk about just yet cause nothing is set in stone. But it’s defiantly been an answered prayer. I’m learning to be patient and let God work instead of trying to do everything in my timing.

But that is what has been going on in my life. I’ll post a tunes list as well so if you want some new tunes to check out. Also look up a good friend of mines blog. This guy is one of the most theological guys I know and has a heart for missions and church planting. He is about to move to Chicago at the end of this month to work with a church up there and do urban mission work. His name is Jacob Fowler. Here is the link to his blog:http://sjacobfowler.wordpress.com/

Decolores!

-Jeremy

Finished

So Thursday was my last day of interning. I’m going to miss it. I loved every minute of it and was getting use to the daily routine of editing and mixing. But, it was only for my summer class. However, when I was leaving Thursday the worship pastor offered me spot in the FOH mixing rotation on Sunday’s because he thought someone might be stepping down here in a few weeks. I told him that I was very interested and that we would be in contact. I’m amazed of how God has opened up doors for me even in a small town like Florence. For those who don’t know, I feel like I’m being called into the ministry doing media for churches. I thought about being a worship pastor but I can’t sing and I hear that’s a pretty important thing. (bad joke I know) The part of the internship was to network with people. I never really had a chance to network with many people but being offered that opportunity to be put in the rotation is pretty awesome. (well to me at least) Also it gives me experience that is needed.

Now that I’m done interning and moved back home for the rest of the summer I hope to blog a little more than I have. Also, I want to start to work out again and get back into decent shape. (I’m a fat kid in skinny jeans) Also, get back into a normal diet instead of eating out so much. I’m hoping living back at home will do that with my mom’s cooking.

Also I want to give a shout out and thanks to my friend Grace for giving me a shout out on her blog. She’s big into working out, running, and dieting. Check out her blog http://eatsweatsing.wordpress.com/ It’s different than mine but if you want some healthy recipes or just see some tips to get healthy check it out.

I finished Ephesians last night and actually started Philippians this morning. I read a verse that really stuck out to me especially right now in my life.

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” Philippians 1:21-23 

 

This really stuck out to me because me and like millions of others have lived in the flesh and at times I still do. But I’m glad that I can cry out to God for forgiveness when I fail. 

Lastly I usually end my blogs with what I have been listening to for the past few days but I’m gonna change that up. I’m gonna start a post that I’ll do weekly of what I’ve been listening to. So if y’all want y’all can check that out. 

 

Thanks for reading and have a great day/night and also USA!!! #LONDON2012

 

-Jeremy

Fly or Die…

These past two months and half months have been nothing short of amazing. I love my internship. Like seriously love it. It has been really eye opening to another side of church ministry. The side people don’t see. I love working at a church and really hope to find a job doing it come December.

But the reason I said Fly or Die is because today was the last day that I get to work and shadow with my mentor. He left for vacation tonight and that leaves me in my final week by myself to run “the show.” I’m actually been looking forward to it because it gives me an opportunity to see if I can run things. I think I can do it. We will see come Thursday afternoon around 5ish.

But other than that this week has been really good as well. I’ve been reading through Galatians and that just a fantastic book. Every book of the Bible has something amazing about it but Galatians has been really speaking to me this week. Especially tonight’s passage that I read for my quiet time. Here it is:

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” -Galatians 6:1&2 

This verse really stuck out to me. I’ve been meeting with a group of guys every week and we discuss things in our life and we pray for each other. This stuck out to me because that’s what this group is, we listen to each other and lift each other up in love. Pretty cool stuff.

I’m gonna wrap things up like I usually do. The tunes that I’ve been listening to this week.

I’ve been listening to The Gaslight Anthem all week getting ready for the greatness to come out on the 24th. Handwritten. I’m super pumped for this album.

Also while at work today I came across this beauty. Enjoy.

Have a great rest of the week guys.

A Month and Half of Photo’s (June/July)

Everything that I have taken…From Interning, Shows, Vinyl, Gear, Trips and Etc….

It’s Been Little Over A Month….

It’s been a little over a month since I posted last cause I’ve been a little busy with interning for school and all. But here’s what’s been going on. I’ve been interning since May at a church with their media technician. I’ve been loving every minute of it. I’m looking forward to finding a church to work in when I graduate in December. But this is what we’ve been doing over at the church.

We took out the analog board and installed a digital board. It was an Allen & Heath

 board. Really nice board. Heavy Board. That thing weighed a ton and we had to carry it down stair and move it to another building on the campus. We installed a SAC digital console with Behringer controllers. I have never heard of a SAC console but it’s actually some pretty cool software once you sit down and play with it for a little while.

Besides interning I paid a visit to my neighbors to the

east. Georgia. My friend Josh got hitched this past June and it was pretty awesome and a honor to be apart of his wedding. It was small outside wedding that was really laid back. Met some cool guys to that were also his groomsmen. One which was about to get get hitched later this year and the other is moving to Japan. It was in Athens, which by the way is one of the coolest towns I have ever visited. It was really cool laid back. It also had the one of the coolest record store’s I have ever been in. Wuxtry Records. I spent a little to much money in that store because they had everything. But I bought four records. Radiohead’s The Bends, The Postal Services Give Up, Bon Iver’s Bon Iver, & The National’s Alligator. 

I played a show back in June with the band I’m in, Selfless Praise. We played a show down in Spring Park in Tuscumbia, Alabama. It was for a VBS for the church that we are based out of. Their them for the week was backstage with the Bible and we were the closing theme. I usually hate playing outdoor gigs because I can never see my pedal’s lights. But this one was a good gig. I still couldn’t see anything but it was still fun. back vibe to it.

I also got some new gear. New delay pedal. I’m a delay freak and I’ve been really interested in analog delay so I bought a Deluxe Memory Boy. It’s an analog delay with a tap feature. Yeah an analog with a tap feature. I tried using analog with a tap feature with an analog setting on my DL4 but the sound was way to muddy. So I bought that and so far I love it. Right now on my board I’m running 3 delay pedal’s. DL4 DD3 and the DMB.

My tunes I’ve been listening to:

Hillsong United, Bethel Live, Lecrae, & Explosions in the Sky

Quiet Times and Bible Studying:

Just finished James & right now I’ve been going through Galatians:

“Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”                

-James 4:7

“As you know, we are considered blessed those who are persecuted.” -James 5:11

“You, my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve on another in love” -Galatians 5:13

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” -Galatians 5:1

My Summer So Far…

So it’s been a little while since I’ve posted saying it’s been awhile since I posted. (haha) But anyway’s my summer has been pretty hectic so far. I started my internship over at Highland Baptist here in Florence. So far I’m loving every minute of it. I’m learning a lot, especially editing video and images. Photoshop is the greatest thing ever invented. I’ve been learning and working with Photoshop a lot these past couple of day’s getting images ready for VBS that is coming up. I worked my first Sunday this past weekend as well. I was shadowing the audio tech for the service but it was looking like the light tech wasn’t going to make it so I was moved to lights for the time being, however, he ended up showing up and I went back to shadowing.

I turned 22 Wednesday (“Bless my heart, Bless my soul. Didn’t think I’d make it to 22 years old” Sorry I thought the an Alabama Shakes lyric was appropriate there). Nothing really special, I went to breakfast with some friends and then I worked. I went to intern and then I went to church to help lead worship for the youth group. Afterwards I broke my Ray Ban’s. I cried (on the inside) Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t go anywhere without my Ray Ban’s, anywhere. So pretty much all day Thursday I would get a headache every time I was outside for a long period time. But today after work I went and purchased me some new ones. Yes there legit.

But other than turning another year older and working on my internship nothing really exciting has happened. I’ve been running trying to lose weight or at least get back into shape. I’m playing a show this coming Thursday night in Spring Park in downtown Tuscumbia with the praise band that I’m in, Selfless Praise. Also the next week me and my friend Chad are headed over to Athens, GA to see our friend Josh get hitched.

I’ve been reading in Romans for the past couple of weeks because my home church has been going through Romans. It’s awesome book of the Bible. A book showing how much we are sinners and deserve death but Jesus stepped in and took our place. Here is a great passage from Romans

“What then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?     – Romans 8:31

I’m gonna try to make some time to post more than. I’ve said this before but it hasn’t gone so well. (haha) But I’m gonna leave with ya’ll with some band’s that I’ve been listening to lately.

The Jezabels-Prisoner

This is a band out of Austrilla. Their really amazing and they don’t use a bass player but the layperson would never know that unless they researched the band. The band is fronted by a woman who has an amazing voice. The guitarist is delay and reverb heavy. I think that is why I latched on to them and haven’t stopped listening to them yet. Check out the track’s Endless Summer, Try Colour, Long Highway, City Girl, & Horsehead. 

mewithoutYou-Ten Stories

This album came out a couple of weeks back and I’ve had it on repeat on the iPod between the other tunes I’ve been listening to. I really like this album it’s back to the Brother Sister/Catch for Us the Foxes album era. But there is still some All Crazy etc…. elements there. The track’s that I’m really digging so far are Febuary 1878, Grist for the Malady Mill, Cardiff Giant, and Fox’s Dream of the Log Flume. 

Passion Pit-Manners

This band took me a little while to get use to because the guy sings in falsetto the entire time. Everyone has probably heard one of their songs, probably Sleepyhead because it was used on a car commercial a couple years back. But their a cool indie pop dance electronic band. So if your big into synth’s, midi beats, and catch lyrics I would defiantly check them out. Check out The Reeling, Little Secret, To Kingdom Come, Let Your Love Grow, and of course Sleepyhead 

The Antlers-Burst Apart

I don’t know how I found out about this band. I think I might had been researching something on The National and stumbled upon them. I’m glad I did. Burst Apart is a beautiful album. It’s drenched in a lot of low’s and reverb, especially the singer. Their another band that doesn’t use a bass player. Tracks to check out are, I Don’t Want Love, French Exit, No Widows, & Every Night My Teeth are Falling Out. 

Robbie Seay Band-Miracle

Great worship band out of Texas. This band has one of the best guitarist in Christian music right now. Matthew “Frodo” Kidd. He also tours with Ben Rector when he’s not with RSB. However, this is a great worship band like I said, a little different from the Hillsong. They take a much more personal approach to worship. I would recommend picking up this album if your wanting to change up your worship band mix. But defiantly check out; Crazy Love, Awaken My Soul, Kingdom and the King, and Let Our Faith be not Alone. 

David Crowder*Band-Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass In C [The Happiest of All Keys])

This is the last album from the David Crowder*Band and it’s an album to go out on. A long album to go out on. But it’s what the title say’s it is a requiem. The album is really good from start to finish and defiantly is an album to end a career on. Be sure to check out the new project The Digital Age. But besides picking up this album check out these tracks; Come Find me, Let Me Feel You Shine, Oh My God, I Am A Seed, After All (Holy).

Well I hope you have a great day or night.- Jeremy