Category: Music

This might be one of my favorite worship songs of all time:

I bought a CD on September 11th, 2001.  I remember hearing about the attack on the World Trade Center early that morning, and hardly being able to believe it.  How could something like that happen?  And at the time, I remember listening to the Howard Stern radio show on the way into my office, and it made sense–he was in New York, and would be able to give it a New Yorker’s perspective.

All day long that day, my boss let us listen to the radio, and the things that were happening seemed almost beyond belief.  People were jumping from windows to avoid the fires.  Buildings were falling, and planes were crashing all over the place, it seemed. 

We listened to the news all day.  A woman in my office who was a believer, was permitted to have a prayer time in her office, and anyone who wanted to could join.  I thought it was awesome that my boss allowed this, considering how politcally and “religiously” sensitive it seemed like you had to be at the time.  I had become a believer less than a year before, and was already struggling in my walk.  That was a great opportunity to reaffirm my new faith, and to pray.  It was in Lucy’s office, behind closed doors, with no one but a couple other believers.

But I didn’t go.  I chickened out.

Instead, I listened to the news, and I tried to make sense of what was happening in the country.   Obviously, it wasn’t exactly a rousing success.

 That night, I had to go to my part time job–I was a projectionist at an 18 plex movie theater inside Parkway Plaza.  I didn’t really know what to expect.  On the way in, I stopped at a Target, and got a couple snacks and a CD–Satellite, by P.O.D. (Payable on Death–a San Diego Metal, Rap, punk, reggae band, that would finally hit it big with that record).

I entered the mall through the food court, and found all the businesses closed, and the theater closed as well.  No one knew of any further attacks, but law enforcement had been closing places where large groups of people would normally gather all across the county, because nobody knew anything, and it seemed better to be safe and alive, than sorry and dead.

So I went to Claim Jumper with a coworker, and everyone was talking about what would happen to the country, to gas prices, to the military.  It was obvious someone would be getting a return call from the United States Armed Forces in very short order.

After that, I went back to my apartment and listened to the CD I’d purchased earlier that afternoon.  It was just in March of the previous year that I’d first began to seek Christ, and had recognized Him as Lord.  The struggles began immediately, and on September 11th, doubt joined the fight as well.

But that CD, strange as it sounds, got me to turn to God about it, and to begin to get some of the answers I sought.  It talked about appreciating God.  It talked about loss, and love, and hope.  It was awesome.  I’d know that P.O.D. was a Christian band (or at least did not not seem to hide their hearts for God), but I had never really listened to them before, other than the one or two songs on the radio.

That CD, like Born in the USA had done when I was a teenager, helped me through a pretty difficult time, and also helped me to seek out other believers to fellowship with.

Here’s a couple Youtube videos.  If you have a chance, pick up the CD.  It’s worth it.

1.  Alive.  Just listen to the lyrics (and try to ignore the video–very cheesy).

2.  The Messenjah.  Someone thought it was a good idea to crib images from The Passion of the Christ. Still, the song is good:

3. Thinking about Forever:  great song…great imagery

4. Satellite:  just rocks…

OK, not really a challenge, but I thought it would be interesting.  I have a lot of weird stuff on my Ipod, and I figured everyone else probably did, too.  So if, like me,  you listen at work, hit shuffle songs, and then list the first 5 songs you hear….

1. Fly to the Angels–Slaughter

2. Give/Turn Your Eyes–Third Day

3. I’ll Be There for You–Bon Jovi

4. Link Sausage Lady–Tapwater

5. Be Thou My Vision–Selah

I’ve always loved the band Rush, since I was a teenager.  Always thought they had great songs, and were awesome instrumentalists.  I think I saw them four or five times in concert and they were always really good shows.  But I noticed something at each concert, something that never changed–no chicks.  I could not escape the truth–women do not like Rush.  I could not really understand why at first.  They play well, Geddy Lee has a great rock voice.  What’s not to like?

On the other hand, there’s this:

The singer looks like a cross between Ichabod Crane from the headless horseman story and Olive Oyl from the old Popeye cartoons.  And the other guys look like yahoos you’d meet down at some dive bar, making piles of peanut shells next to their barstools.

So I guess I can understand. 

….sigh…good music, though……

I  saw an article on Yahoo music today about the top 20 albums of all time.  The criteria was pretty inclusive–critical acclaim, sales, time on the charts, etc.  Certain types of albums were excluded, namely compilations and live albums. I actually agreed with many of the album choices, and even owned several of them myself.

But I thought it would be fun to see what my top 20 albums of all time would be, based solely upon my own criteria, which is my opinion of their awesomeness.  I’ll start at 20, and count down to 1:

20.  Van Halen–Van Halen .  It introduced to world to Eddie Van Halen, and “shredding.”  And it’s awesome.  Just listen to “Eruption.”

19.  Rush–2112.  The first concept album I ever heard.  Rush in their heyday, while Geddy Lee could still shriek like a banshee.  Listen to side 1, or better yet, play the entire thing.

18.  The Who–Tommy.  Come on.  Pinball Wizard?  Tommy was the first real “rock opera,” and kicked ass before “Rent” was even a twinkle in anyone’s eye.  Listen to Pinball Wizard.

17.  Bruce Springsteen–The River.  Epic double album–and before Bruce began his liberal soapboxing in earnest.  Listen to the title track.

16.  System of a Down–Toxicity.  Brought hardcore weirdness to the masses.  Maybe one of the most ass-kicking albums of the past decade.  Listen to Prison Song or Chop Suey!

15.  Iron Maiden–Live After Death.  Recorded in Long Beach, back when I still had hair.  Maybe my favorite live album of all time.  Bruce Dickinson sounds like an opera singer.  Listen to Running Free, or Hallowed be thy Name.

14. Barren Cross–Rock for the King.  Horrible cover, without a doubt.  Probably the first legit Christian Heavy Metal band I ever heard.  Got me thinking a little, too.  Listen to Give your Life.

13.  Jeff Healey Band–See the Light.  So good.  Blues rock, heavy on the blues.  Jeff is blind as the proverbial bat, and plays with the guitar on his lap.  I think I listened to this album at least once a week back in the early 90’s.  Listen to See the Light, or Confidence Man.

12. Beastie Boys–Licensed to Ill.  I didn’t listen to it much in the 80’s, but have since grown quite fond of it.  It makes me want to drink beer, for some reason.  Maybe it’s good I haven’t listened to it in a little while.  Anyway, the Beastie’s mixed rock and rap way before Limp Bizkit were defiling eardrums.  Listen to “No Sleep ’til Brooklyn.”  Guitar by Kerry King from Slayer.

11.  Judas Priest– Screaming for Vengeance.  I remember listening to this for the first time when I was in high school and feeling like someone set my hair on fire.  These guys really gave metal its image, and signature look, what with enough leather and spikes to have their own S & M convention.  Who knew Rob Halford wasn’t all about the ladies?  Listen to the title track.

10. Petra–Captured in time and Space.  This was literally the first Christian band I ever heard, even before Stryper.  Prior to that, I thought Christian music was all played on the organ, and sung by people in robes.  I was surprised by two things:  Petra was really good live, and they actually rocked.  Not that hard, but they could both play and sing.  Listen to God Pleaser.

9.  Dio- Last in Line.  I sort of had to ignore the psuedo-satanic imagery, and just listen to the music, which, well, really kicked ass.  Dio is a cartoon, almost, but I love his voice. Listen to the title track.

8.  Todd Agnew– Grace Like Rain.  I had no idea this guy existed until 2007.  But this CD (oops, album) gave me so much to think about, I might even have to bump it up a notch or two next time.  Listen to This Fragile Breath

7.  My Chemical Romance– The Black Parade.  I make a lousy emo guy (I hate tight pants), but I love this album.  I love stories, and this tells an awesome one–great concept album.  Listen to the entire thing.

6.  Matisyahu– Live at Stubbs.  Hasidic reggae.  Chew on that for a while.  Listen to Warrior, or King without a Crown.

5.  Aaron Shust- Anything Worth Saying.  Discovered him the same day as Todd Agnew.  Equally awesome.  Listen to My Savior, My God

4.  Todd Agnew– Reflection of Something.  Blues/rock.  And Jesus.  Listen to New Name.

3. Metallica– Master of Puppets.  I hardly play this at all anymore, but if you do, and you turn it up loud enough, your head will literally explode.  Listen to Battery, or the title track.  Classic Metal.

2.  Todd Agnew–Better Questions.  Have you guessed yet I’m a Todd Agnew Fan?  Listen to Our Great God, or War Inside.

1.  Bruce Springsteen–Born in the USA.  Not because it has a flag on the cover (though I love my county), and not because Bruce Springsteen is unequivocally number one in my book (he isn’t).  This is just simply a great album, and a perfect snapshot of the country’s social and political working class climate during the time it was released.  And it got me through one of the most trying times of my adolescence (my dad’s death).  Listen to No Surrender.

First up, the boys from San Francisco, Metallica:

And the challenger, TV’s fake pop star, Hannah Montana:

I just had to sit here for darn near 5 minutes and listen to two of my coworkers debate who the original artist was for the song Angel of the Morning.  I could live to be 113 and never understand what would prompt such a discussion.

Angel of the damn morning, for Pete’s sake.

Surely, I must have done great evil to someone….

Heard a snippet of this song on an episode of In Plain Sight last night, and forgot how much I liked it.  Man, the clothes in the video are really something, though.  And I won’t even start on the hair…

OK, I’ll get back to the serious stuff later.  The following is, to the best of my recollection, my top 10 albums/CD’s from my high school years:

10.  Screaming for Vengeance– Judas Priest

9.  Reign in Blood– Slayer

8.  Marching Out– Yngwie Malmsteen

7.  Kill ’em All– Metallica

6.  Ride the Lightning–Metallica

5. Number of the Beast– Iron Maiden

4. The River– Bruce Springsteen

3. Born in the USA– Bruce Springsteen

2. Piece of Mind–Iron Maiden

1. Pyromania–Def Leppard

I think.  Although Maiden and Def Leppard were pretty close to even.  And I also probably missed a few…it’s been a while.  Bet most of you never even heard of some of those….

Scary Band pictures: check

Old movie clips to reinforce song point (war is terrible, and war injuries can be even worse): check

Kick ass song: Check

U2 Version:

Scary Band Pics: Check (U2 wins the Gold for ugliest Irish band–since Dexy’s Midnight Runners has gone the way of the Dodo bird)

Old movie clips to reinforce song point (not sure.  We’re one, but we’re not the same?  No war scenes.  Instead, Bono smoking in a restaurant.  Woman smoking somewhere else. Band walking around): negative

Kick ass video: Negative.  Nice song. Nonsense lyrics.  Bono needs to get over himself.

Advantage: Metallica