Bye-Bye, Miss American Pie...

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of rock legends Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. 50 years later the music is not dead but lives on... read more here.

Photo CC: The Daily Iowan

In, but not of

Brad showed this during Mars Hill this morning and it I thought it was so awesome that I had to share:



Do you ever do this? If so, when? Where? Maybe in your car, while you are doing yard work, or even walking down the busy streets? Do you care what people think?

Noise Trade

Well Derek Webb has done it again....He is revolutionizing the music industry... This time with Noisetrade.com. A website where you can get "Fair Trade Music" - that is, download music for free (or what they call "pay what you want") & it looks like anyone can put music up there. So not only can you get some new good music - you can distribute yours if you would like. Have a look. What do you think? Do you like this? Does it make sense?

Hat tip to Brody.

What is in my iPod and on my bedside table

Stop what your doing and go and get both of these...then come back here and lets talk about them...

Before the Amplifiers

Sister Hazel has a new album coming out on June 17 and this makes me very happy. If you have never given this band a shot past their hit "All for you," I suggest you head over to iTunes and have a listen to "Champagne High", "Strange Cup of Tea", "Feel it", & "Mandolin Moon". You will not be disappointed. All of these songs will be featured on this new album in acoustic form. If you like what you hear you can pre-order "Before the Amplifiers" HERE.

The Things We Miss

He emerged from the Metro at the L'enfant Plaza Station and Position himself against a wall beside a trash basket. By most measures, he was nondescript: a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he shrewdly threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money, swiveled it to face pedestrian traffic, and began to play.

It was 7:51 a.m. on Friday, January 12, [2007] the middle of the morning rush hour. In the next 43 minutes, as the violinist performed six classical pieces, 1,097 people passed by. Almost all of them were on the way to work, which meant, for almost all of them, a government job. L'Enfant Plaza is at the nucleus of federal Washington, and these were mostly mid-level bureaucrats with those indeterminate, oddly fungible titles: policy analyst, project manager, budget officer, specialist, facilitator, consultant.

Each passerby had a quick choice to make, one familiar to commuters in any urban area where the occasional street performer is part of the cityscape: Do you stop and listen? Do you hurry past with a blend of guilt and irritation, aware of your cupidity but annoyed by the unbidden demand on your time and your wallet? Do you throw in a buck, just to be polite? Does your decision change if he's really bad? What if he's really good? Do you have time for beauty? Shouldn't you? What's the moral mathematics of the moment?

Gene Weingarten - The Washington Post

Now, what if this simple musician was not so simple but the world renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, who many of these passersby had paid a minimum of $100 to see play just 3 nights before. What if the violin was not just any violin but a rare Stradivari called the Gibson ex Huberman that was handcrafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari during the Italian master's "golden period?" Approximate worth: $3,500,000.

People would recognize him right? I mean this IS Washington DC - one of the cultural centers of the US and Joshua Bell is a big deal - right? Wrong. Roughly 30 people out of the thousands that passed by stopped to listen and donated a whopping $32.17 during Bell's 43 minutes of playing (some leaving only pennies).

This brings up the questions - what do we miss because of our busy schedules? Our fast paced lives? Our go, go, go society? Would we recognize such greatness if we passed it on the street? For me, probably not. Cool Dad brought up the point of ignoring the people that we pass on the sidewalk. What else do we ignore? What are we missing? How about Christ? I think that we miss Him all the time in the people and situations we pass each and every day - because we don't have time to stop - listen to the music - and recognize the greatness that is in front of us.

It's funny. As I write this I remember that I have a Joshua Bell CD sitting right next to me here at my desk. It has probably been a year since I have listened to it - I will fix that today.

You can read the rest of the Washington Post Article Here

The (W)Right Stuff

...After more than a decade, the platinum-selling group has reunited for a new album and world tour.

Seriously, who's in?

Photo CC: AP

Top 5 To the Extreme!

Inspired by Amy's Post on her "Top 5 reasons why I will never be musically relevant" I've decided to post my own top 5 concerts that I have attended. So without further ado - I give you

Just Matt's Top 5 Concerts that you wish you had gone to!

In no particular order

1. Vanilla Ice / Boys II Men / MC Hammer (Yes all in ONE show - you know you are jealous!)

2. Boys II Men / Shai / Another Bad Creation (ABC) -(Need I say more?)

3. Kris Kross (come on you know you liked to wear your close backwards and JUMP! JUMP!)

4. James Brown (gotta give him more than honorable mention here - I mean he IS the Godfather of SOUL!)

5. Did I mention I saw VANILLA FREAKN' ICE?!

That list was so good - I think we need another!

Top 5 Best Concerts Ever!

1. Counting Crows (x 2 or 3 I can't remember) - I don't care if you think they are whiny - Adam Duriz is a great songwriter and performer.

2. Toad the Wet Sprocket / Rusted Root - One word - AWESOME..OK two - ENERGETIC

3. Sister Hazel (x 74 - really - I have been going to their shows since they were playing the patios at Nappy's and Friday's)

4. Third Day (x10 or 12) - I haven't caught up to Amy's numbers - but these guys put on a great show every time.

5. Harry Connick Jr. (x 2) - All around great show

Well there you have it folks. Two for the price of one! Check out these other list inspired by Amy's blog:

Cool Mum

Autumn

And now - it's your turn!

I TOLD you it was GREAT!

Congrats to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova for winning the Oscar for Best Music (Song) last night for their song "Falling Slowly" from the movie 'Once.' You heard it here first folks - now if you haven't already - go get the 'Once' Soundtrack - or at least download this song! You can check out the acceptance speech and all the other highlights here.

Once

If you have not seen the movie 'Once' - go right now and rent it, netflix it, buy it, whatever - just get it - you will be very glad you did. Oh, and when you are done - buy the soundtrack - it is top notch. Then when you are done with that buy Glen Hansard's The Swell Season & anything by The Frames - as these are the guys and gals who made and star in the movie and they are amazing. I knew nothing about them before this movie and now I cannot get enough of them.

I am your brother, your best friend forever....

If you missed this guy last night on American Idol - you missed the best performance since William Hung!

[UPDATE: You're Welcome]


Photo: Copyright 2008 American Idol

Lord have Mercy

Brody has been hard at work getting blogs up for some different artist. He just finished one for Mercy Me. Check it out if you'd like.

The 2nd Best Christmas Song EVER

I can't find the first Best anywhere (It's Thistle Hair the Christmas Bear by Alabama - if you were wondering) Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from 1987!