On The Down Low

REVELATION live in Louisville, KY

Wild at Heart Summer Camp Style!

This video shows the different ways parents look at things. I was encouraging Cole to jump on "the Blob." Shannon, was audibly fretting the whole ordeal.

This is one of those situations where I said, "Cole, you need to jump." "I don't want to." "Yes you do. You just don't know it yet."

Anyway, Cole had a blast..... literally!

nothing to do with anything

Last week, I saw a nest with some eggs in it in a tree in my front yard. I went to show the kids yesterday, and I saw that the birds had hatched. The mother was off looking for worms. This is my first direct export to youtube from imovie. I'll be curious to see how the quality holds up. I shot it with a camera that does 1080i/24p filming. I should have switched it to 60 fps for this nature shot. I'm kind of addicted to the 24p look as it brings the film magic to anything you do.

If this is totally lame, I'm sorry. But, it's pretty amazing to see a bird in the same developmental stage that humans are probably at at 4 months in the womb. You can also hear the ambient noise of my life in the background.

summer goal: Do nothing

6 more days of getting up at 6:15 to get the older kids ready for the bus at 7:00. Last baseball game on Saturday. Kids final performance of music machine on Sunday. What are we going to do when all the activities are done? Nothing, but intentional nothing. We're making concrete plans to do nothing. We are determined not to over commit ourselves this summer. We don't want to take too many trips. We don't want to have too many events. We want to just enjoy each other. Our main family goals are eating well and exercise.

Things we want to do: swim a LOT! jog a lot. Have neighborhood kickball games. Practice football and baseball. No kids will be allowed to disturb the parents prior to 8:00 A.M.

Switchfoot on Tonight Show....Tonight

From Swithcfoot's website....

And don't forget, tomorrow (May 13th) on the Tonight Show (NBC), the guys will be performing their new song, This Is Home. 11:34 pm Eastern and Pacific time, 10:34 pm Central and Mountain time. (How's that for precision, eh?)

figuring out new iMovie

I'm trying to go through my hard drive and sort through some stuff. Apple changed iMovie around, and it's a bit more difficult to navigate. But, anyway, I'm starting to figure it out.

Here is a video from Duluth, MN. This was the first day we got the band video camera. We had one of our lighting techs film. It has a great, from the audience, perspective.

Question/Answer # 10

Okay final question for now.

I asked this of Mark also ....

What's the best piece of wisdom you've ever heard from your kids?

Posted by: Sharon (Queen Clown Gomer) | May 09, 2008 at 05:42 PM

My son, Cole, had a big project for black history month this year. For his project, he chose the Tuskegee Airmen. He loves anything camouflage or having to do with the military or planes. He's an eight your old boy. So, to prepare, we rented a documentary from the public library. About half way through the movie. Cole said to me, "Daddy, stop the movie." I looked over at him and he had tears in his eyes. "What is it son?" I asked. "It's so stupid, dad!" "What?" I asked, thinking he was bored with the slower documentary pace. "It's just skin. It's just skin. It's so dumb that they wouldn't let black people fly just because their skin is different."

Growing up in Georgia, I've encountered racism and prejudice first hand my whole life. I often drive by houses with rebel flags flying high. We've purposed in our family to raise our children to live by MLK's famous phrase that a man should be judged by the content of his character, not the color of his skin. It's something we talk about a lot sitting around the table especially when I've returned from some of my trips to Africa. A lot of times as a parent, you sew seeds, but don't see the harvest. That day, sitting on the couch, I got to enjoy the harvest.

With tears in my eyes, I held my boy and told him that he didn't realize that there were a whole lot of people a whole lot older than him who hadn't figured that out yet.

It's one of my proudest moments as a dad so far.

Question/Answer # 9

I know you've been with the band, like forever, but how long have you been playing your bass? Do you play any other instruments?

Posted by: Elby | May 09, 2008 at 02:53 PM

I've been with the band since I was 16. So, 15 years now. When I was in high school, I started off playing guitar and then switched to bass when no one else wanted it. I used to consider myself a jack of all trades because I could hold my own on piano or drums, guitar or bass. But, these days, I'm just a bass player. I can't really hold it down on keys or drums anymore. Hopefully, one of my kids will take it up and it will give me a reason to practice again.

Question/Answer # 8

Hey Tai,

What would you consider the most important thing for a new band to do to get their name and sound out there? Obviously gigs are key, but is there anything that you see a lot of new bands doing right or wrong as they try to catch a break in the constantly evolving music industry?

Posted by: Jake | May 09, 2008 at 01:02 PM

Great question. I could talk about this all day. I've been thinking about this a lot lately as we've been pouring in some energy to try and help REVIVE get off the ground here in the states.

I think that playing live is absolutely key. But, more than just playing your music, you have to be connecting with the audience. I've seen a lot of great bands through the years with great music that have just not made it in Christian music. Sometimes, that's too bad, and a lot of people get very frustrated with the Christian audience. They want and should be appreciated just on their musical merits. But, you have to keep in mind that there are a ton of musical options out there. If a Christian band doesn't minister to the audience, I think the audience finds itself asking , "Why not just go to DMB?" They want to feel encouragement and a spiritual connection at a Christian show.

The ones that make it not only have great music but great front men or women that can really communicate and minister to the audience. Think Peter Furler, Mac Powell, Toby Mac, Barlow Girl, Rebecah St. James, Mark Stuart, Mark Hall, SCC. It's kind of hard to think of too many successful Christian acts that don't have an engaging front person.

With that in mind, many bands should probably spend more time focusing on that aspect of their presentation. As much as practicing music, they should be studying affective communicators. That doesn't have to just be preachers. There is plenty to be learned from Bono, Barack Obama, Billy Graham, Anderson Cooper, Oprah, etc.

I think if that is happening at your concerts, the word will spread and you'll find your sphere increasing. With that in mind, as I alluded to in another answer, you have to find contentment where you are. If you're always looking at the next career milestone, you'll never enjoy where you are right now.

A lot of bands these days are doing a lot of things very right. I think the internet has allowed bands to let their fans have better access than they used to. I remember for years having to lick stamps and sort out mailing lists and newsletters as the only way to communicate with fans. It was expensive and time consuming. With the internet, so many bands are doing a great job of taking their fans along for the ride.

What are they doing wrong? Well, I think that too many artists, too quickly, adopt an entitlement attitude. We, by and large, don't sign autographs in the lobby any more at shows because, honestly, it presents a lot of logistical problems for the venue, security, crew, etc. (Look closely, and you'll see us discreetly wandering around before the show!) However, if you're a new band, and you're not willing to make yourself available to the people you're asking to buy your product, you might as well pack it up right now.

Question/Answer # 7

Hey, Tai! I told my son last year at Creation that Third Day really seems to enjoy playing music together. All of you play well together and there's just a cool camaraderie between you. Also, your individual enjoyment of the performance is always obvious. Have you, personally always been pretty outgoing in performance, or have you developed that stage presence over time?

It has definitely developed over time.  I used to get very nervous during performances.  One time, early on, my mom came to a show, and I was doing my patented stand in place and leg kick for the show.  (See the Chronology 2 DVD My mom wasn't having it.  She chewed me out after the show.  Telling me things like, "You're supposed to be a Christian, why aren't you letting your light shine?"  "Why didn't you smile on stage?  Are you upset about something?" etc, etc. 

Anyway, that week, I bought a wireless unit for my bass and I've been giving it my all ever since. 

I've kind of changed my definition of what "cool" is over the years.  For me, now, being cool is not worrying about being cool.