I've felt it bubbling for some time now. That feeling that there's something missing in my life; that whale sized hole in my soul that tells me somethings wrong. And then I saw the light. I've realised that it's time to write my blog again! Time to return to the fray. Time to embrace the mind numbing twitterings of a million would-be poets.
I do realise that I haven't written for ages. If you were an avid Matt reader (for all 6 episodes!) then I do apologise - but most probably I'm writing to myself so no worries there then.
The last few months have been absolutely manic. Manic for the band: we've done loads of gigs and events; we've signed a record deal with ICC records; we've nearly sold out of CDs; and we're recording a new album in Oct/Nov. Manic for me: I've moved house (to the beautiful Essex countryside...no...really!); I've started a new job (At London NE DHQ of the Salvation Army); I've had my car written off again and I celebrated my 26th yesterday. Old man Matt!
I'll leave it there and come back with something a bit more in depth one day soon. Have fun!
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Monday, April 11, 2005
Tomorrow never comes
Sooo, I'm not very good at keeping the old blog updated then? If there's anything the past few months have taught me then it would be that! Ha! It's now April and I haven't posted since January - I will really try to improve my posting frequency...
Thanks for all your lovely comments on my previous (now ancient) post - lots has happened since then but not much to make me change my mind on that subject (yet).
Today I had a really interesting discussion with some friends about my personality. Those of you who know me will understand this more than those of you who don't. I was trying to suss myself out as a few of my close friends have described me as quite an unusual chap. I really like this description although I couldn't say why!? I hope it is a 'positive unusual' rather than the opposite. With that in mind I reflected on my life as a Christian
I try to live a life as a Christian, but within that I am not prepared to put on a big show for my non-Christian friends pretending I am something I am not. Paul (as in the bible - important guy - lots of new testament - used to be Saul? You got him) speaks about pressing on towards the goal and running the race. It's always this 'pushing forward' imagery - as if he realises that he will never quite be there but will always push as close as he can towards Jesus. His hope is based in constantly aiming to be a better man tomorrow than he is today.
My prayer is that whilst I am always pushing onwards towards worshipping God from a deeper place within me, loving my neighbour more truely and walking closer to Jesus that I will always stay true to who I am currently. That I will continue to show my weaknesses as well as my strengths - that I will continue to communicate my struggles as well as my victories. The last thing I want is for people, Christian or otherwise, to see me acting out an unattainable life, putting on the 'performance of my career' everyday and never quite facing up to who I am once I come off stage.
Lots of tired thoughts there - what do you think?
Thanks for all your lovely comments on my previous (now ancient) post - lots has happened since then but not much to make me change my mind on that subject (yet).
Today I had a really interesting discussion with some friends about my personality. Those of you who know me will understand this more than those of you who don't. I was trying to suss myself out as a few of my close friends have described me as quite an unusual chap. I really like this description although I couldn't say why!? I hope it is a 'positive unusual' rather than the opposite. With that in mind I reflected on my life as a Christian
I try to live a life as a Christian, but within that I am not prepared to put on a big show for my non-Christian friends pretending I am something I am not. Paul (as in the bible - important guy - lots of new testament - used to be Saul? You got him) speaks about pressing on towards the goal and running the race. It's always this 'pushing forward' imagery - as if he realises that he will never quite be there but will always push as close as he can towards Jesus. His hope is based in constantly aiming to be a better man tomorrow than he is today.
My prayer is that whilst I am always pushing onwards towards worshipping God from a deeper place within me, loving my neighbour more truely and walking closer to Jesus that I will always stay true to who I am currently. That I will continue to show my weaknesses as well as my strengths - that I will continue to communicate my struggles as well as my victories. The last thing I want is for people, Christian or otherwise, to see me acting out an unattainable life, putting on the 'performance of my career' everyday and never quite facing up to who I am once I come off stage.
Lots of tired thoughts there - what do you think?
Monday, January 31, 2005
Music makes the people get together
Just a short one for last thing at night... I'm quite tired out but I feel it is important to blog some thoughts from the past little while:
Firstly, today I came up with a great idea at work. For those of you who don't know I actually work in a prison when I'm not barking and squarking rock at the world. I came up with a really good method of recording our madatory training records using Excel (which is a Microsoft product - dunno if they're good or bad anymore...? There's a question for another day)
Secondly, think I'm gonna buy a laptop. Haven't quite gone into taking the plunge just yet but...should do in the next couple of days
Thirdly, been thinking about worshipping God. I mean, it's a big subject to think about (if you believe in Him or not even) but I'm thinking that music might just be quite important in helping us to commune with Him. Think about it - it seems that most of the Psalms of praise talk about music being an aid to the festivals of praise that the people joined in with. Obviously David wrote most of them and, being a musician, was quite biased...but it's not just the bible...
There was some programme on TV the other day about the 'Congo' - about a tribe that live there and have done for ages. It struck me - as they played away on their instruments - that rhythm and music was a massive part of life for them - and 10,000 other 'tribes' around the globe. It is the same for us - be it in our stuffy concert halls or grubby clubs. God gave us music as an advanced form of communication. One that can be used for good or evil - but certainly we can use it to worship Him. It's a unique art form. Why? Because it is the only art form that doesn't make sense without the added dimension of time. Music lives and moves and allows us to do so too. It is emotive and provocative and inspirational...don't all those words easily fit our common understanding of who God is too? Wierd huh?
I think as a musician and a worship leader I often genuinely feel like an extra on he movie set. Like one of the guys on the deck of the titanic who play as it goes down but are nonetheless just a part of the scenery. The musicians of the church are really important. I believe that some of the problems we're facing are not that the musicians have been elevated to too high a position but that when they are there they start to suffer from vertigo. We need to train musicians and worship leaders who can handle a lot of exposure - both in God's eyes and man's eyes. I believe musicians hold a vital security code to picking up on God's presence in our lives. Don't turn your nose up at it...have a think...
Firstly, today I came up with a great idea at work. For those of you who don't know I actually work in a prison when I'm not barking and squarking rock at the world. I came up with a really good method of recording our madatory training records using Excel (which is a Microsoft product - dunno if they're good or bad anymore...? There's a question for another day)
Secondly, think I'm gonna buy a laptop. Haven't quite gone into taking the plunge just yet but...should do in the next couple of days
Thirdly, been thinking about worshipping God. I mean, it's a big subject to think about (if you believe in Him or not even) but I'm thinking that music might just be quite important in helping us to commune with Him. Think about it - it seems that most of the Psalms of praise talk about music being an aid to the festivals of praise that the people joined in with. Obviously David wrote most of them and, being a musician, was quite biased...but it's not just the bible...
There was some programme on TV the other day about the 'Congo' - about a tribe that live there and have done for ages. It struck me - as they played away on their instruments - that rhythm and music was a massive part of life for them - and 10,000 other 'tribes' around the globe. It is the same for us - be it in our stuffy concert halls or grubby clubs. God gave us music as an advanced form of communication. One that can be used for good or evil - but certainly we can use it to worship Him. It's a unique art form. Why? Because it is the only art form that doesn't make sense without the added dimension of time. Music lives and moves and allows us to do so too. It is emotive and provocative and inspirational...don't all those words easily fit our common understanding of who God is too? Wierd huh?
I think as a musician and a worship leader I often genuinely feel like an extra on he movie set. Like one of the guys on the deck of the titanic who play as it goes down but are nonetheless just a part of the scenery. The musicians of the church are really important. I believe that some of the problems we're facing are not that the musicians have been elevated to too high a position but that when they are there they start to suffer from vertigo. We need to train musicians and worship leaders who can handle a lot of exposure - both in God's eyes and man's eyes. I believe musicians hold a vital security code to picking up on God's presence in our lives. Don't turn your nose up at it...have a think...
Monday, January 24, 2005
Diss is de place
I was wondering how people think of new stuff to write on here so regularly but I just worked something out...it's better to write the title last and then you don't have to stick to any kind of pattern.
We've had a really busy weekend - had a youth event to do and on the Saturday night we played our first ever gig! We rocked loud and hard - it was great. We were playing in my home town of Diss, Norfolk - which is kind of weird because that's where everything started and now I've just started afresh with the band again. Where would be a better place to launch the whole thing...but Diss place! Ho ho ho - the old ones are the best!
There's no place like home to be re-energised and encouraged to ROCK UP (nice term Mel) into the next part of the unknown. My Mum even came to the afternoon session yesterday - it was great to see her there. Even though we were a bit too loud for her and a bit too rocky I loved having her there.
Any way - might as well sign off. Good to blog - albeit briefly. The EP arrives next week - v exciting
Matt
We've had a really busy weekend - had a youth event to do and on the Saturday night we played our first ever gig! We rocked loud and hard - it was great. We were playing in my home town of Diss, Norfolk - which is kind of weird because that's where everything started and now I've just started afresh with the band again. Where would be a better place to launch the whole thing...but Diss place! Ho ho ho - the old ones are the best!
There's no place like home to be re-energised and encouraged to ROCK UP (nice term Mel) into the next part of the unknown. My Mum even came to the afternoon session yesterday - it was great to see her there. Even though we were a bit too loud for her and a bit too rocky I loved having her there.
Any way - might as well sign off. Good to blog - albeit briefly. The EP arrives next week - v exciting
Matt
Monday, January 17, 2005
Work shy
Oops, got up late today and missed work. Nevermind though cos I got to spend lots of time chillin' at home.
I cooked a cottage pie tonight, it tasted really nice (I can post the recipe up here if you want)
Other than those two mundane factoids I have nothing more to say today...
I cooked a cottage pie tonight, it tasted really nice (I can post the recipe up here if you want)
Other than those two mundane factoids I have nothing more to say today...
Friday, January 14, 2005
A confusing few days
I'm bewildered to be honest. The last few days have been really hard to take in and process - and for a champion over-analylist such as myself it's become a stressful time.
Electralyte, my band, is basically what I'm about at this point in my life. As such I'm constantly treading a thin line between a having positive, focused passion and a dangerous, all-encompassing addiction with it all! If anyone's got any advice they can lend then it would be greatly appreciated! I'll try and explain the current low down without giving away too many personal things that I shouldn't...
Basically, we've recorded a few songs and we've got some industry interest because of it. That's essentially the story. But this is the first interest we've had and it begs questions about our existence - why indeed do we exist? In fact it's really helpful to write this stuff down - it helps me to clear my head: my friend told me a cool quote, by Francis Bacon, which is ‘Reading maketh a full man, ... and writing an accurate man’. He really knew what he was talking about! I know there's not much to read about Electralyte, but writing my thoughts down helps me loads.
We're a Christian band - so we exist to give back our talents and our worship to God. That's reason one. The second is that we want to tell others about that through our music. Both very good & wholesome Christian band ethics. The problem is a question of positioning... I'm sure this is something that I won't suss in one Blog.
The band is exciting - it's a great thing and I hope the Salvation Army will be proud to call us their own. It's been a rollercoaster ride - both in terms of vision and purpose but also in practical terms - our friendships with each other in the band, finance issues, and questions that arise from living a real life, practical faith.
I'd better sign off there. In conclusion though I'm not saying 'Stop the rollercoaster - I wanna get off' instead that I wish they'd installed sick bags for the ride!
Thanks for reading!
Electralyte, my band, is basically what I'm about at this point in my life. As such I'm constantly treading a thin line between a having positive, focused passion and a dangerous, all-encompassing addiction with it all! If anyone's got any advice they can lend then it would be greatly appreciated! I'll try and explain the current low down without giving away too many personal things that I shouldn't...
Basically, we've recorded a few songs and we've got some industry interest because of it. That's essentially the story. But this is the first interest we've had and it begs questions about our existence - why indeed do we exist? In fact it's really helpful to write this stuff down - it helps me to clear my head: my friend told me a cool quote, by Francis Bacon, which is ‘Reading maketh a full man, ... and writing an accurate man’. He really knew what he was talking about! I know there's not much to read about Electralyte, but writing my thoughts down helps me loads.
We're a Christian band - so we exist to give back our talents and our worship to God. That's reason one. The second is that we want to tell others about that through our music. Both very good & wholesome Christian band ethics. The problem is a question of positioning... I'm sure this is something that I won't suss in one Blog.
The band is exciting - it's a great thing and I hope the Salvation Army will be proud to call us their own. It's been a rollercoaster ride - both in terms of vision and purpose but also in practical terms - our friendships with each other in the band, finance issues, and questions that arise from living a real life, practical faith.
I'd better sign off there. In conclusion though I'm not saying 'Stop the rollercoaster - I wanna get off' instead that I wish they'd installed sick bags for the ride!
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Life is beautiful
I'm guessing it's natural to experience what I'm experiencing right now...what with it being my first Blog and all. I kinda don't feel I should really say that much of content or context, that should be left for the next post. Well, certainly if not that one then fairly soon anyway.
I've finally been inspired by my friends Marty, Phil, & Des (actual real people - though when you put their names in a line like that it looks like a classic comedy trio - which isn't far from the truth really) - I'm resolved to write a Blog. You see it's important. My life is a constant roller coaster ride: one with sleep and coffee breaks, but nonetheless a fairly frantic affair. I figure that if I write my life down here then I'll have a reference point when I want to change my mind. A lifestyle litmus test. And you can enjoy reading all this rubbish.
Here's to a Blogged life
I've finally been inspired by my friends Marty, Phil, & Des (actual real people - though when you put their names in a line like that it looks like a classic comedy trio - which isn't far from the truth really) - I'm resolved to write a Blog. You see it's important. My life is a constant roller coaster ride: one with sleep and coffee breaks, but nonetheless a fairly frantic affair. I figure that if I write my life down here then I'll have a reference point when I want to change my mind. A lifestyle litmus test. And you can enjoy reading all this rubbish.
Here's to a Blogged life
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