Nothing but laser printed copies and fictitious recordings.... in the suitcase that is!!
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Beatles Treasure 'Farce'
Beatles treasure 'farce' smh.com.au August 19, 2004
It sounded too good to be true. Turns out it probably was.
A long-sought trove of rare Beatles material reportedly found last month by a British tourist remained lost, a leading Beatles expert said.
Last month, The Times newspaper reported that a suitcase bought by Fraser Claughton, 41, at an Australian flea market for about $35 was packed with Beatles memorabilia, including photos, concert programs and unreleased recordings.
But Pete Nash, a memorabilia expert from the British Beatles Fan Club who examined the contents of the suitcase on behalf of a British television channel, said he saw photocopied ticket stubs, laser-scanned pictures from the 1990s - and no rare reel-to-reel recordings.
"It's farcical, really," Nash said.
Neither The Times nor the reporter who wrote the original story wished to comment today.
Claughton does not have a listed telephone number and could not be reached for comment.
John Read, a friend and pop memorabilia dealer who has spoken for him on the issue, did not return calls.
The story of Claughton's alleged discovery was picked up by media outlets around the world.
The Times reported that among the contents of the suitcase was a reel-to-reel tape that included John Lennon and Paul McCartney experimenting with alternative versions of previously unrecorded tracks.
The newspaper quoted an expert with Christie's auction house as saying the find "sounds very exciting indeed," but a spokeswoman stressed that the auction house had not been contacted about evaluating the find and none of its experts had seen it.
The Times had said some experts believed the collection was the lost "Mal Evans archive," originally belonging to the Beatles' roadie and sound recordist.
Evans was killed by police in Los Angeles in 1976 after brandishing a fake gun. His belongings were lost during the police investigation and have never been recovered.
Nash said many of the items in the suitcase appeared to be copies, including laser-scanned photos dating from the mid-1990s and ticket stubs for The Beatles' appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and the premiere of A Hard Day's Night that were reproductions of images from Lennon Legend, a book published last year.
"There was nothing to tie it to Mal Evans whatsoever," Nash said.
He said he asked to see the reel-to-reel tapes but was told "they were locked away in a bank vault".
"They said the tapes were still housed in their metal canisters," Nash said.
"Audio tape is magnetic. One thing you do not do is store it in metal canisters."
Nash said he was played some tracks on CD that were "very common (bootleg) tracks that most Beatles collectors would own".
Geoff Baker, spokesman for The Beatles' label, Apple Corps, also said he believed the find was a fake.
The Evans archive remains a grail for Beatles collectors. Evans travelled with the band from the early 1960s and amassed a collection that would be worth millions if it turned up, Nash said.
"He used to pick up the rubbish in the studio, including The Beatles' handwritten notes and lyrics," Nash said.
In 1998, a notebook compiled by Evans, containing draft lyrics for Hey Jude and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, sold for $US185,000 ($A259,012) at a London auction.
A year earlier, McCartney obtained an injunction to prevent Evans' widow from selling a scrap of paper bearing the original lyrics to With a Little Help From My Friends.
Evans also completed a book about his time with the band. The manuscript is among the items lost after his death.
"All his personal effects were sent back to the UK, including his ashes, but none of it arrived," Nash said. "I think it's still lost in the mail."
Brilliant... laser printed duds spotted in 2 minutes... how did the story get that far?
It sounded too good to be true. Turns out it probably was.
A long-sought trove of rare Beatles material reportedly found last month by a British tourist remained lost, a leading Beatles expert said.
Last month, The Times newspaper reported that a suitcase bought by Fraser Claughton, 41, at an Australian flea market for about $35 was packed with Beatles memorabilia, including photos, concert programs and unreleased recordings.
But Pete Nash, a memorabilia expert from the British Beatles Fan Club who examined the contents of the suitcase on behalf of a British television channel, said he saw photocopied ticket stubs, laser-scanned pictures from the 1990s - and no rare reel-to-reel recordings.
"It's farcical, really," Nash said.
Neither The Times nor the reporter who wrote the original story wished to comment today.
Claughton does not have a listed telephone number and could not be reached for comment.
John Read, a friend and pop memorabilia dealer who has spoken for him on the issue, did not return calls.
The story of Claughton's alleged discovery was picked up by media outlets around the world.
The Times reported that among the contents of the suitcase was a reel-to-reel tape that included John Lennon and Paul McCartney experimenting with alternative versions of previously unrecorded tracks.
The newspaper quoted an expert with Christie's auction house as saying the find "sounds very exciting indeed," but a spokeswoman stressed that the auction house had not been contacted about evaluating the find and none of its experts had seen it.
The Times had said some experts believed the collection was the lost "Mal Evans archive," originally belonging to the Beatles' roadie and sound recordist.
Evans was killed by police in Los Angeles in 1976 after brandishing a fake gun. His belongings were lost during the police investigation and have never been recovered.
Nash said many of the items in the suitcase appeared to be copies, including laser-scanned photos dating from the mid-1990s and ticket stubs for The Beatles' appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and the premiere of A Hard Day's Night that were reproductions of images from Lennon Legend, a book published last year.
"There was nothing to tie it to Mal Evans whatsoever," Nash said.
He said he asked to see the reel-to-reel tapes but was told "they were locked away in a bank vault".
"They said the tapes were still housed in their metal canisters," Nash said.
"Audio tape is magnetic. One thing you do not do is store it in metal canisters."
Nash said he was played some tracks on CD that were "very common (bootleg) tracks that most Beatles collectors would own".
Geoff Baker, spokesman for The Beatles' label, Apple Corps, also said he believed the find was a fake.
The Evans archive remains a grail for Beatles collectors. Evans travelled with the band from the early 1960s and amassed a collection that would be worth millions if it turned up, Nash said.
"He used to pick up the rubbish in the studio, including The Beatles' handwritten notes and lyrics," Nash said.
In 1998, a notebook compiled by Evans, containing draft lyrics for Hey Jude and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, sold for $US185,000 ($A259,012) at a London auction.
A year earlier, McCartney obtained an injunction to prevent Evans' widow from selling a scrap of paper bearing the original lyrics to With a Little Help From My Friends.
Evans also completed a book about his time with the band. The manuscript is among the items lost after his death.
"All his personal effects were sent back to the UK, including his ashes, but none of it arrived," Nash said. "I think it's still lost in the mail."
Brilliant... laser printed duds spotted in 2 minutes... how did the story get that far?
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Unreliable Idea # 18 More Scavenger Hunting
Video and Sound Scavenger Hunts can be quite sophisticated or very simple activities but put together well they can challenge young people, build teams and encourage initiative.
Set Part A as Complusory Items and Part B with Options to allow group choice and interaction
Stipulate min/max group numbers in any video
Stay within the law and safety
Work on 'clever' tasks allowing groups to get creative
Your groups will need to beg/borrow/hire video or sound recording gear and set about the task of gathering the set scenarios or sounds....
For example:
VIDEO
TV Advert take offs
Meeting strangers
Fractured fairytales
Famous movie scene recreations
Famous historical moment recreations
Include shopkeepers in stories
Finish a story with a given one line quote
Murder weapon
SOUND
flushing toilet
eavesdropping
car
McDonalds order
pick up lines
asking the public vox pop questions
kiss
petrol pump
vending machine
Australian Idol auditions
news and weather report
pedestrian indicator at traffic lights
and lots more creative ideas.....
Set Part A as Complusory Items and Part B with Options to allow group choice and interaction
Stipulate min/max group numbers in any video
Stay within the law and safety
Work on 'clever' tasks allowing groups to get creative
Your groups will need to beg/borrow/hire video or sound recording gear and set about the task of gathering the set scenarios or sounds....
For example:
VIDEO
TV Advert take offs
Meeting strangers
Fractured fairytales
Famous movie scene recreations
Famous historical moment recreations
Include shopkeepers in stories
Finish a story with a given one line quote
Murder weapon
SOUND
flushing toilet
eavesdropping
car
McDonalds order
pick up lines
asking the public vox pop questions
kiss
petrol pump
vending machine
Australian Idol auditions
news and weather report
pedestrian indicator at traffic lights
and lots more creative ideas.....
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Worship Unplugged # 20 'Tropfest'
Tropfest is Sydney's annual Short Film Festival run by John Polson which originated as a screening of finalists at the Tropicana Coffee Shop in Darlinghurst and now inhabits The Domain. Each year includes a celebrity judge or two and a high calibre of Films. They are 7mins or less, contain the annual 'specified item' and are released now as a Sydney Morning Herald promotion on DVD a week or so later.
These DVDs make a great resource for occasional short stories for worship or as warm ups... the 2002 winner 'Lamb' was a particularly poignant example and 'How Far From the Beach Can You Get in Your Underpants' is a comedy classic.
SHORTS Short Film Festival we host for Blackstump borrows this highly successful format for the films.... in 2004 the specified item is 'jumper'.... check out details at www.blackstump.org
These DVDs make a great resource for occasional short stories for worship or as warm ups... the 2002 winner 'Lamb' was a particularly poignant example and 'How Far From the Beach Can You Get in Your Underpants' is a comedy classic.
SHORTS Short Film Festival we host for Blackstump borrows this highly successful format for the films.... in 2004 the specified item is 'jumper'.... check out details at www.blackstump.org
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Unreliable Idea # 17 Heywire
While on Triple J and ABC Radio... entries for Heywire close 3rd September!!
This is the chance to sketch out and tell your story of life in a rural and regional setting through some issue or perspective you want to share... It'd be interesting after 4 years of promoting this competition, to see someone put together a piece about spirituality or faith in a 21st C rural and regional setting!!
www.abc.net.au/triplej and follow the Heywire links
This is the chance to sketch out and tell your story of life in a rural and regional setting through some issue or perspective you want to share... It'd be interesting after 4 years of promoting this competition, to see someone put together a piece about spirituality or faith in a 21st C rural and regional setting!!
www.abc.net.au/triplej and follow the Heywire links
Triple J 'Beat the Drum'
Youth radio network Triple J runs a brilliant competition [which has coincided with the Olympics for a few years now] called 'Beat the Drum'!! Basically you can win some prizes for being the most creative and gaining the greatest exposure for the Triple J Drum logo... somewhere in public view. Past highlights include:
- Keiren Perkins epic 1500m swim
- Bledisloe Cup Rugby
- At the Opera House for the cross to the next Olympic host city of Sydney
- Perhaps the best effort was on the backs of the Tap Dog Grinders evident when they removed their flanno's during the Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony
But the latest controversy probably seemed like a good idea at the time... including some sample shots with the promotional blurb on the Triple J website... maybe a fictitious flag strung between the former twin towers of the World Trade Centres was worth a rethink?
Its one thing to be edgy, radical and humorous... what do you think?
Monday, August 09, 2004
Unreliable Idea # 16 REVOLVE
Interesting article over the weekend about two US based translations and repackagings of the New Testament... Revolve for girls and Refuel for boys!!
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/US/christianpopculture030826.html
Way too US oriented and fundamentalist in its opinions and answers to questions for me, but an interesting concept which may or may not be making an impact here?
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/US/christianpopculture030826.html
Way too US oriented and fundamentalist in its opinions and answers to questions for me, but an interesting concept which may or may not be making an impact here?
Wallabies Skills Show Obvious Improvement
Wallaby stew is the right mix
By PETER JENKINS
August 9, 2004
THE Wallabies secured a shot at the Tri-Nations title on Saturday week with a victory over the All Blacks arguably better than last year's World Cup boilover. When the Australians felled the tournament favourites in Sydney nine months ago, it was the triumph of a tactical ambush. They starved the All Blacks back three strike force and, buoyed by an intercept try to Stirling Mortlock, won 22-10.
But when the two sides returned to the Olympic venue on Saturday night there would be no surprises. Only question marks to clear.
Could the Australian tight forwards match up to an All Black pack returning to its roots of grit and hard graft?
Could they secure enough possession after the disastrous rations of Wellington last month? Could they continue to contain a Kiwi backline identical, with minor alterations at centre, to the one that caused such havoc at international level last season?
On all scores the Wallabies succeeded in their 23-18, one try to nil, Tri-Nations reviving result. The All Blacks are a more rounded side than the one which relied on regular backline blitzes in 2003. So it stands to reason coach Eddie Jones has this Wallabies side at a level above where they were in reaching the global decider against England last November. And a payoff might be just 12 days away.
Regardless of the result in Johannesburg on Saturday, where the All Blacks take on the Springboks, the Wallabies will have a chance to seal the southern hemisphere crown for the first time since 2001 when they take on South Africa in Durban seven days later.
Australia and New Zealand share top billing on the table with nine points apiece and one game to play. The Wallabies also hold a slightly better for and against record. The Boks have two points with two matches left, leaving all three sides remaining in the hunt.
But Jones says the prospect of a last game showdown appeals as the Wallabies, without the Bledisloe Cup for another year, seek a piece of silverware.
"We've got ourselves in the best position possible after losing the first Tri-Nations game [to the All Blacks]," Jones said yesterday. "And we can go to Durban with confidence that whatever happens next weekend we'll have a chance of winning the Tri-Nations. That's a good position to be in."
While the first four matches have gone with home ground advantage – New Zealand opened the series with two wins, followed by dual success for the Wallabies – Jones suspects the Boks will struggle to emulate their rivals.
"South Africa will be very hard to beat at home," he said.
"The only thing is, in Johannesburg, New Zealand traditionally play well. They have a good record there and tend to play well at altitude. For us too. If we've got any positive history, it's been in Durban."
The Wallabies have only ever played four Tests there, winning in 1933 and 2000, and losing in 1953 and 1969.
Jones is confident they can move ahead in the head-to-head count. But the variable will be the pack. In any side on the rise, but not yet at its peak, inconsistency is a frequent friend. The Wallabies of 1990 had mixed results before flourishing the next season.
In the current pack, Al Baxter has been a Test regular just this year. Second-rower Nathan Sharpe, outstanding on Saturday night with seven damaging ball carries, was on the bench at the same time last season. And the Smith, Waugh, Lyons backrow combination has only been reunited the past fortnight.
"I think we've still got some progress to go in the forwards and the team generally," Jones said. "Whenever you're developing a particular area of your game, sometimes it is one step forward and two steps back. Last night we certainly took some steps forward."
It was a great game of tough rugby on Saturday night as the Wallabies showed a clear improvement in their skills [testament to the coaching strategies of Eddie Jones]... Its not an easy task to recast the playing style and match plans of entire side at the elite level, but I agreed with Eddie when he said two years ago or more that some in this squad couldn't catch, pass and kick as well as possible and certainly were hamstrung by their inability to shift the ball wide when required under extreme pressure.... they can now!
The Wellington weather and the 'form' of the Wallabies were against them in Bledisloe One, but last Saturday was a great victory for their perseverance!! Anything could happen in Durban....
I love watching an All Black side wilt under pressure and fall apart at the seams slowly throughout a match... they were cluelessly running one out by the end of the match with no conviction that any plan would work and it showed!! Great to watch!!
By PETER JENKINS
August 9, 2004
THE Wallabies secured a shot at the Tri-Nations title on Saturday week with a victory over the All Blacks arguably better than last year's World Cup boilover. When the Australians felled the tournament favourites in Sydney nine months ago, it was the triumph of a tactical ambush. They starved the All Blacks back three strike force and, buoyed by an intercept try to Stirling Mortlock, won 22-10.
But when the two sides returned to the Olympic venue on Saturday night there would be no surprises. Only question marks to clear.
Could the Australian tight forwards match up to an All Black pack returning to its roots of grit and hard graft?
Could they secure enough possession after the disastrous rations of Wellington last month? Could they continue to contain a Kiwi backline identical, with minor alterations at centre, to the one that caused such havoc at international level last season?
On all scores the Wallabies succeeded in their 23-18, one try to nil, Tri-Nations reviving result. The All Blacks are a more rounded side than the one which relied on regular backline blitzes in 2003. So it stands to reason coach Eddie Jones has this Wallabies side at a level above where they were in reaching the global decider against England last November. And a payoff might be just 12 days away.
Regardless of the result in Johannesburg on Saturday, where the All Blacks take on the Springboks, the Wallabies will have a chance to seal the southern hemisphere crown for the first time since 2001 when they take on South Africa in Durban seven days later.
Australia and New Zealand share top billing on the table with nine points apiece and one game to play. The Wallabies also hold a slightly better for and against record. The Boks have two points with two matches left, leaving all three sides remaining in the hunt.
But Jones says the prospect of a last game showdown appeals as the Wallabies, without the Bledisloe Cup for another year, seek a piece of silverware.
"We've got ourselves in the best position possible after losing the first Tri-Nations game [to the All Blacks]," Jones said yesterday. "And we can go to Durban with confidence that whatever happens next weekend we'll have a chance of winning the Tri-Nations. That's a good position to be in."
While the first four matches have gone with home ground advantage – New Zealand opened the series with two wins, followed by dual success for the Wallabies – Jones suspects the Boks will struggle to emulate their rivals.
"South Africa will be very hard to beat at home," he said.
"The only thing is, in Johannesburg, New Zealand traditionally play well. They have a good record there and tend to play well at altitude. For us too. If we've got any positive history, it's been in Durban."
The Wallabies have only ever played four Tests there, winning in 1933 and 2000, and losing in 1953 and 1969.
Jones is confident they can move ahead in the head-to-head count. But the variable will be the pack. In any side on the rise, but not yet at its peak, inconsistency is a frequent friend. The Wallabies of 1990 had mixed results before flourishing the next season.
In the current pack, Al Baxter has been a Test regular just this year. Second-rower Nathan Sharpe, outstanding on Saturday night with seven damaging ball carries, was on the bench at the same time last season. And the Smith, Waugh, Lyons backrow combination has only been reunited the past fortnight.
"I think we've still got some progress to go in the forwards and the team generally," Jones said. "Whenever you're developing a particular area of your game, sometimes it is one step forward and two steps back. Last night we certainly took some steps forward."
It was a great game of tough rugby on Saturday night as the Wallabies showed a clear improvement in their skills [testament to the coaching strategies of Eddie Jones]... Its not an easy task to recast the playing style and match plans of entire side at the elite level, but I agreed with Eddie when he said two years ago or more that some in this squad couldn't catch, pass and kick as well as possible and certainly were hamstrung by their inability to shift the ball wide when required under extreme pressure.... they can now!
The Wellington weather and the 'form' of the Wallabies were against them in Bledisloe One, but last Saturday was a great victory for their perseverance!! Anything could happen in Durban....
I love watching an All Black side wilt under pressure and fall apart at the seams slowly throughout a match... they were cluelessly running one out by the end of the match with no conviction that any plan would work and it showed!! Great to watch!!
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Musicians vote for change
Larry Mcshane, Associated PressNew York, August 5
Members of the group will perform in a series of fund-raising concerts in nine swing states before the presidential election in an effort to unseat President Bush. A collection of more than 20 prominent musicians from John Fogerty to Bruce Springsteen to Pearl Jam joined forces calling for President George W Bush's ouster, announcing an unprecedented series of fund-raising concerts across nine swing states.
"I feel this is one of the most critical elections in my lifetime," Springsteen said. "This wasn't one that a concerned citizen felt comfortable sitting out." Springsteen was joined by a collection of performers that spanned generations and genres: country act the Dixie Chicks, hip-hoppers Jurassic 5, bluesman Keb' Mo' and classic rockers John Mellencamp and Jackson Browne. The artists, touring under the "Vote for Change" banner, will play 34 shows in 28 cities between October 1-8. Springsteen's concerns and commitment were shared by other performers, including Dave Matthews and his band. "It's the first time Bruce and the E Street Band ever stood up and made a clear political statement," Matthews said. "This is the first time we've ever stood as a band, unified, and said we want a change."
The shows, which launch Oct 1 in Pennsylvania, will take an unusual approach: as many as six concerts on a single day in cities across the states expected to decide the November presidential race. Other stops on the tour are North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin and the key state in 2000, Florida. The money generated will go to America Coming Together, which promises on its Web site to "derail the right-wing Republican agenda by defeating George W Bush." The anticipated millions of dollars will be spent in the swing states before the presidential election, said ACT president Ellen Malcolm.
The shows will be presented by MoveOn Pac, the electoral arm of the liberal interest group MoveOn org.
There was no immediate word on prices for tickets, which go on sale Aug. 21 for all the shows. The concerts will pair artists, such as Springsteen and REM, the Dixie Chicks and James Taylor, or Mellencamp and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds.
Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, who memorably told a London audience last year that she was ashamed to share her home state of Texas with Bush, echoed Springsteen's comment about the importance of the November 2 election.
"A change is in order," Maines said. "There's never been a political climate like this, which is so the polar opposite of me as a person and what I believe in." The idea was hatched by several of the acts' managers, and quickly expanded. "Once we started talking to each other, ideas started percolating and other artists started reaching out to us," said Jon Landau, Springsteen's manager.
Many of the acts had a history of social activism, from Browne's anti-nuclear concerts to Mellencamp's Farm Aid shows. Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder was a Ralph Nader backer in 2000, but he feels Democratic nominee John Kerry is the choice this time around. "There's a vote coming up, and a chance to have a regime change at home," Vedder said. "I'm feeling the same way, there's a need for change."
Its fascinating that critics have tried to suggest that musicians and artists are not qualified to make socio-political comments and are wrong to try to influence voters with their views... a bit like suggesting the church stick to morals and spirituality and stay out of politics and social issues!!
Larry Mcshane, Associated PressNew York, August 5
Members of the group will perform in a series of fund-raising concerts in nine swing states before the presidential election in an effort to unseat President Bush. A collection of more than 20 prominent musicians from John Fogerty to Bruce Springsteen to Pearl Jam joined forces calling for President George W Bush's ouster, announcing an unprecedented series of fund-raising concerts across nine swing states.
"I feel this is one of the most critical elections in my lifetime," Springsteen said. "This wasn't one that a concerned citizen felt comfortable sitting out." Springsteen was joined by a collection of performers that spanned generations and genres: country act the Dixie Chicks, hip-hoppers Jurassic 5, bluesman Keb' Mo' and classic rockers John Mellencamp and Jackson Browne. The artists, touring under the "Vote for Change" banner, will play 34 shows in 28 cities between October 1-8. Springsteen's concerns and commitment were shared by other performers, including Dave Matthews and his band. "It's the first time Bruce and the E Street Band ever stood up and made a clear political statement," Matthews said. "This is the first time we've ever stood as a band, unified, and said we want a change."
The shows, which launch Oct 1 in Pennsylvania, will take an unusual approach: as many as six concerts on a single day in cities across the states expected to decide the November presidential race. Other stops on the tour are North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin and the key state in 2000, Florida. The money generated will go to America Coming Together, which promises on its Web site to "derail the right-wing Republican agenda by defeating George W Bush." The anticipated millions of dollars will be spent in the swing states before the presidential election, said ACT president Ellen Malcolm.
The shows will be presented by MoveOn Pac, the electoral arm of the liberal interest group MoveOn org.
There was no immediate word on prices for tickets, which go on sale Aug. 21 for all the shows. The concerts will pair artists, such as Springsteen and REM, the Dixie Chicks and James Taylor, or Mellencamp and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds.
Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, who memorably told a London audience last year that she was ashamed to share her home state of Texas with Bush, echoed Springsteen's comment about the importance of the November 2 election.
"A change is in order," Maines said. "There's never been a political climate like this, which is so the polar opposite of me as a person and what I believe in." The idea was hatched by several of the acts' managers, and quickly expanded. "Once we started talking to each other, ideas started percolating and other artists started reaching out to us," said Jon Landau, Springsteen's manager.
Many of the acts had a history of social activism, from Browne's anti-nuclear concerts to Mellencamp's Farm Aid shows. Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder was a Ralph Nader backer in 2000, but he feels Democratic nominee John Kerry is the choice this time around. "There's a vote coming up, and a chance to have a regime change at home," Vedder said. "I'm feeling the same way, there's a need for change."
Its fascinating that critics have tried to suggest that musicians and artists are not qualified to make socio-political comments and are wrong to try to influence voters with their views... a bit like suggesting the church stick to morals and spirituality and stay out of politics and social issues!!
Music # 14 'Building a Mystery' Sarah McLachlan
This track as Sarah explains is about our fears and our view of ourselves and always hiding and wanting to be something we're not because of fragile self esteem.... to me it speaks of our need to know ourselves, to recognise that we are loved and valued by God and can build a different kind of mystery in the energy and spark that discipleship can foster...
Building a Mystery
You come out at night
That's when the energy comes
And the dark side's light
And the vampires roam
You strut your rasta wear
And your suicide poem
And a cross from a faith that died
Before Jesus came
You're building a mystery
You live in a church
Where you sleep with voodoo dolls
And you won't give up the search
For the ghosts in the halls
You wear sandals in the snow
And a smile that won't wash away
Can you look out the window
Without your shadow getting in the way?
You're so beautiful
With an edge and charm but so careful
When I'm in your arms
Cause you're working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
You woke up screaming aloud
A prayer from your secret god
You feed off our fears
And hold back your tears, oh
Give us a tantrum
And a know it all grin
Just when we need one
When the evening's thin
You're a beautiful
A beautiful f#@$%d up man
You're setting up your Razor wire shrine
Cause you're working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
Ooh you're working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
You're building a mystery
Building a Mystery
You come out at night
That's when the energy comes
And the dark side's light
And the vampires roam
You strut your rasta wear
And your suicide poem
And a cross from a faith that died
Before Jesus came
You're building a mystery
You live in a church
Where you sleep with voodoo dolls
And you won't give up the search
For the ghosts in the halls
You wear sandals in the snow
And a smile that won't wash away
Can you look out the window
Without your shadow getting in the way?
You're so beautiful
With an edge and charm but so careful
When I'm in your arms
Cause you're working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
You woke up screaming aloud
A prayer from your secret god
You feed off our fears
And hold back your tears, oh
Give us a tantrum
And a know it all grin
Just when we need one
When the evening's thin
You're a beautiful
A beautiful f#@$%d up man
You're setting up your Razor wire shrine
Cause you're working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
Ooh you're working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
Holding on and holding it in
Yeah you're working
Building a mystery
And choosing so carefully
You're building a mystery
Worship Unplugged # 19 STORYTELLERS
For sometime I have been playing around with ideas of how to create space for a wide variety of gifted people to share their inspiration, spirituality and perspective in a time where questions could be asked and faith explored.... then along comes Sarah McLachlan's new DVD 'Storytellers'. Its basically an intimate unplugged type performance where Sarah shares more than normal about the inspiration behind a limited number of her songs as she performs them. At different points they time opens up for questions from the small audience. SNAP!!
Whether you choose a community venue like a cafe or transform a worship space into an informal setting... the idea is to invite individuals to prepare some input based around their INSPIRATION, SPIRITUALITY AND PERSPECTIVE... make space for Q&A as part of the presentation and ideally include hospitality as part of the event!!
For example:
1. Invite a musician to perform their own tunes and those of their influences, explain how the songs inspire, shape their faith or what perspective they have on the issues it raises.
2. Invite an artist to curate an exhibition of their own works or significant ones [display stills or video by big screen]
3. Invite someone who is into alt.worship high tech multi-media experiences to put together some 'best of' stuff an lead people through some experiences
4. Invite someone like myself to share stories, movie scenes and songs that inspire and shape faith and explain why
AND so on....
This could be done as part of an existing alternative or contemporary worship program, four times per year focused on being 'out there' in the community, at significant times like Lent and Advent and/or as a way of connecting to schools or particular communities of people in your local setting...
I'll be on the lookout for places to trial these events in the next 12 months!!
Whether you choose a community venue like a cafe or transform a worship space into an informal setting... the idea is to invite individuals to prepare some input based around their INSPIRATION, SPIRITUALITY AND PERSPECTIVE... make space for Q&A as part of the presentation and ideally include hospitality as part of the event!!
For example:
1. Invite a musician to perform their own tunes and those of their influences, explain how the songs inspire, shape their faith or what perspective they have on the issues it raises.
2. Invite an artist to curate an exhibition of their own works or significant ones [display stills or video by big screen]
3. Invite someone who is into alt.worship high tech multi-media experiences to put together some 'best of' stuff an lead people through some experiences
4. Invite someone like myself to share stories, movie scenes and songs that inspire and shape faith and explain why
AND so on....
This could be done as part of an existing alternative or contemporary worship program, four times per year focused on being 'out there' in the community, at significant times like Lent and Advent and/or as a way of connecting to schools or particular communities of people in your local setting...
I'll be on the lookout for places to trial these events in the next 12 months!!
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Ellie Louise Hanks
Wow!! So Lucy has a little sister!
Ellie Louise Hanks
Born 11.39am Friday 6th August 2004
3680grams [8lbs 2oz] 50cm long
Happy, healthy and pretty quiet!!
Pictures coming soon!!
Ellie Louise Hanks
Born 11.39am Friday 6th August 2004
3680grams [8lbs 2oz] 50cm long
Happy, healthy and pretty quiet!!
Pictures coming soon!!
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Music # 13 Scar EP Missy Higgins
Great follow up to Missy Higgins first EP with album to follow in September. This Victorian Triple J Unearthed winner has an amazing voice... I've previously compared her to Tiddas and also Frente!!
'Scar' is the single on the charts with Missy playing a Piano thats falling apart! She will soon be touring and playing with a band to follow up the recording sessions in LA which were part of her Unearthed prize.
Scar
He left a card, a bar of soap and a scrubbing brush
next to a note That said "use these down to your bones"
And before I knew I had shiny skin
and it felt easy being clean like him
I thought "this one knows better than I do"
A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle
He tried to cut me so I'd fit
And doesn't that sound familiar?
Doesn't that hit too close to home?
Doesn't that make you shiver; the way things could've gone?
And doesn't it feel peculiar when everyone wants a little more?
And so that I do remember to never go that far,
Could you leave me with a scar?
So the next one came with a bag of treats,
she smelled like sugar and spoke like the sea
And she told me don't trust them, trust me
Then she pulled at my stitches one by one,
looked at my insides clicking her tongue and said
"This will all have to come undone"
A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle
She tried to cut me so I'd fit
And doesn't that sound familiar?
Doesn't that hit too close to home?
Doesn't that make you shiver; the way things could have gone?
And doesn't it feel peculiar when everyone wants a little more?
And so that I do remember to never go that far,
Could you leave me with a scar?
I think I realized just in time,
although my old self was hard to find
You bathe me in your finest wine but I'll never give you mine
'Cos I'm a little bit tired of feeling like I'll be the bad fruit nobody buys
Tell me, did you think we'd all dream the same?
And doesn't that sound familiar?
Doesn't that hit too close to home?
Doesn't that make you shiver; the way things could have gone?
And doesn't it feel peculiar when everyone wants a little more?
And so that I do remember to never go that far,
Could you leave me with a scar?
Could you leave me with a scar?
The pain and learning of relationships, of hopes and of self discovery.
'Scar' is the single on the charts with Missy playing a Piano thats falling apart! She will soon be touring and playing with a band to follow up the recording sessions in LA which were part of her Unearthed prize.
Scar
He left a card, a bar of soap and a scrubbing brush
next to a note That said "use these down to your bones"
And before I knew I had shiny skin
and it felt easy being clean like him
I thought "this one knows better than I do"
A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle
He tried to cut me so I'd fit
And doesn't that sound familiar?
Doesn't that hit too close to home?
Doesn't that make you shiver; the way things could've gone?
And doesn't it feel peculiar when everyone wants a little more?
And so that I do remember to never go that far,
Could you leave me with a scar?
So the next one came with a bag of treats,
she smelled like sugar and spoke like the sea
And she told me don't trust them, trust me
Then she pulled at my stitches one by one,
looked at my insides clicking her tongue and said
"This will all have to come undone"
A triangle trying to squeeze through a circle
She tried to cut me so I'd fit
And doesn't that sound familiar?
Doesn't that hit too close to home?
Doesn't that make you shiver; the way things could have gone?
And doesn't it feel peculiar when everyone wants a little more?
And so that I do remember to never go that far,
Could you leave me with a scar?
I think I realized just in time,
although my old self was hard to find
You bathe me in your finest wine but I'll never give you mine
'Cos I'm a little bit tired of feeling like I'll be the bad fruit nobody buys
Tell me, did you think we'd all dream the same?
And doesn't that sound familiar?
Doesn't that hit too close to home?
Doesn't that make you shiver; the way things could have gone?
And doesn't it feel peculiar when everyone wants a little more?
And so that I do remember to never go that far,
Could you leave me with a scar?
Could you leave me with a scar?
The pain and learning of relationships, of hopes and of self discovery.
Monday, August 02, 2004
Worship Unplugged # 18 DVD Fireplace
Whether on a TV, computer or big screen... here's a way to warm up a room or create an interesting compliment to other elements of an image driven experiental worship!!
Its a DVD of Ambient Embers or a Roaring Log Fire with either natural sound or piano soundtrack!!
It won't subliminally warm a room but it does create a vivid backdrop and would work really well during winter in a room warmed by other means.
I searched the web for distributors of a Region 1 copy [ezydvd.com.au] but had planned to raid a friends house with a video camera myself [this just saved me the trouble].
Its a DVD of Ambient Embers or a Roaring Log Fire with either natural sound or piano soundtrack!!
It won't subliminally warm a room but it does create a vivid backdrop and would work really well during winter in a room warmed by other means.
I searched the web for distributors of a Region 1 copy [ezydvd.com.au] but had planned to raid a friends house with a video camera myself [this just saved me the trouble].
Kabbalah Spirituality
Is it the latest designer fad or just an expression of peoples search for the mystical and unseen 'other' which might bring some greater meaning, direction and purpose to life? With devotees including Madonna, Demi Moore and Britney Spears we don't seem to hear quite so much of Deepak Chopra these days.
Derived from a Jewish faith history Kabbalah's Centres and spirituality revolves around a writing called the Zohar which is described as wisdom bringing light to darkness. There's a sense that the 'getting of wisdom and insight' is part of a journey of discovery and should be celebrated and embraced!! Not to forget the books and merchandise... A very clever sign of the devotee is a piece of red string tied around the left wrist [preferably tied by a Jewish Rabbi] which is left on until it frays and falls off and is then replaced. This is to ward off the 'Evil Eye' but is just as likely to be a trendy Hollywood fashion accessory in coming months!!
It reminds me of those WWJD wristbands, which if it helps you live as Gods person in your day to day life, then good for you.... but to my mind would be much better replaced by WDJD or 'what did Jesus do?' as a reminder to not just see the life and meaning of all that Jesus stood for through the eyes of Paul, but to read and grapple with the actual stories themselves!! The rule and reign of God is a coherent set of counter cultural values and ideas which change the world where they are lived out! What Jesus stood for goes way beyond any three verse catch cry from Corinthians! The diversity this brings still means lots of individual emphasis or focus, use of different gifts and people seeing different things as being important... but is all about unity around a central goal of understanding what Jesus came to do and be and seeking to be a follower of that...
So, here's a thought.... my friends and I used to waste idle afternoons trying to guess from our experience of the 70s and 80s, what would be the next fashion trend to return [getting it right with Converse Basketball Gym Shoes, the return of the safety glasses sunnies, ugh boots, truckers hats etc] So for a change here's a chance to get ahead of a trend....
As a reminder to us of WDJD I suggest we all start wearing a BLACK piece of string on our wrists [next to your Blackstump wristband for some!!]... symbolising our commitment to be counter cultural, to buck the trend, to march to the beat of a different drum... to say I am a follower of Jesus and it makes a difference to who I am and how I live BUT more importantly for that to be true!!
Stay tuned for BLACK STRING kits from the Uniting Church in Australia NSW Synod Youth Unit!!
Derived from a Jewish faith history Kabbalah's Centres and spirituality revolves around a writing called the Zohar which is described as wisdom bringing light to darkness. There's a sense that the 'getting of wisdom and insight' is part of a journey of discovery and should be celebrated and embraced!! Not to forget the books and merchandise... A very clever sign of the devotee is a piece of red string tied around the left wrist [preferably tied by a Jewish Rabbi] which is left on until it frays and falls off and is then replaced. This is to ward off the 'Evil Eye' but is just as likely to be a trendy Hollywood fashion accessory in coming months!!
It reminds me of those WWJD wristbands, which if it helps you live as Gods person in your day to day life, then good for you.... but to my mind would be much better replaced by WDJD or 'what did Jesus do?' as a reminder to not just see the life and meaning of all that Jesus stood for through the eyes of Paul, but to read and grapple with the actual stories themselves!! The rule and reign of God is a coherent set of counter cultural values and ideas which change the world where they are lived out! What Jesus stood for goes way beyond any three verse catch cry from Corinthians! The diversity this brings still means lots of individual emphasis or focus, use of different gifts and people seeing different things as being important... but is all about unity around a central goal of understanding what Jesus came to do and be and seeking to be a follower of that...
So, here's a thought.... my friends and I used to waste idle afternoons trying to guess from our experience of the 70s and 80s, what would be the next fashion trend to return [getting it right with Converse Basketball Gym Shoes, the return of the safety glasses sunnies, ugh boots, truckers hats etc] So for a change here's a chance to get ahead of a trend....
As a reminder to us of WDJD I suggest we all start wearing a BLACK piece of string on our wrists [next to your Blackstump wristband for some!!]... symbolising our commitment to be counter cultural, to buck the trend, to march to the beat of a different drum... to say I am a follower of Jesus and it makes a difference to who I am and how I live BUT more importantly for that to be true!!
Stay tuned for BLACK STRING kits from the Uniting Church in Australia NSW Synod Youth Unit!!
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