Archive - November, 2006

Number of Times Played in iTunes

November 30, 2006 in Music, Useless Data with Comments Off

U2- 3,528
David Crowder Band- 960
Coldplay- 759
Passion (Worship Artists include David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Charlie Hall, etc.)- 712
Dave Matthews Band- 450
Third Day- 386
Matisyahu- 340
Johnny Cash- 289
David Gray- 270
The Beatles- 263

Recorded at 3:50pm CST November 30, 2006

I would have thought that Johnny was closer to the top. I would be lying if I said that I was surprised that U2 topped the list but I was blown away at the number 3,528. That is over 3 and 1/2 more times than the David Crowder Band at number 2. I am too predictable.

It’s Begining to Look A Lot Like…

November 30, 2006 in Christmas with Comments Off

winter.tiff

I Think I’ve Worked With This Guy

November 30, 2006 in General with Comments Off

Your tax dollars at “work.” This kinda stuff drive me crazy. Thanks to Seth Godin for posting it.

Adventures in The Christian Calendar

November 30, 2006 in Church of Christ, Ministry, The Word, Theology with Comments Off

As a good member of a Resoration brotherhood, I have never celebrated the Chistian year. The reason always given to me for this fact was becuse we don’t see Peter or Paul or Barnabus or John celebrating the Christian year in the New Testament. It wasn’t until a few years ago that it occured to me that a good half of first century New Testament Christians (the Jewish half including the men I mentioned above) were busy celebrating the Jewish calendar. Imagine that.

This year I intend to celebrate the Christian calendar which begin this Sunday.

To assist me on this journey I will be reading through Robert Webber’s Ancient-Future Time. I already read through A-FT back in 2004 but I am now working through the text at a Berean pace so as to fully understand each of the cycles that I will experience throughout the year.

I will also be using the daily readings found in the lectionary Book of Common Worship: Daily Prayer to guide me each day.

I am extremely excited about having my daily devotional walk me through the entire year in a new yet well worn path. I look forward to blogging my way through this experience.

Anyone out there want to join me? Drop me an email at

kickingatthedarkness (at) gmail (dot) com

First Look

November 29, 2006 in Cinema, Guilty Pleasure, Popular Culture with 1 Comment

venom.tiff
Yeah, that’s Venom alright.

See more here and ENJOY!!!

Second movie of 2007 that I’m looking forward to.

We all know the first.

Hit Shuffle and Go

November 29, 2006 in Music with Comments Off

Here is a section of a shuffle session I’ve been enjoying this morning.

Possession… Sarah McLachlan
Wayfaring Stranger… Johnny Cash
Hurt… Johnny Cash
Daughter… Pearl Jam
What’s Goin’ Down… TobyMac
The Purest… Watermark
Elevation (Influx Remix)… U2
Desire… U2
Even Better Than the Real Thing (The Perfecto Mix)… U2
Stop! In The Name Of… The Supremes
Eight Days A Week… The Beatles
Defying Gravity… Wicked Original Cast Recording
Just Like a Pill… P!nk
What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?… R.E.M.
When The Levee Breaks… Led Zeppelin
Up Where We Belong… Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
Jesus Christ… Woody Guthrie
You’re Everything… David Crowder* Band
Nervous In The Light Of Dawn… Leigh Nash
Immigrant Song… Led Zeppelin
Gone (Live From Boston)… U2
To You God on High (Psalm 92)… Venus Hum with Ginny Owens
Grace Is Gone (Live at Fenway Park)… Dave Matthews Band
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)… Jimi Hendrix

I Wasn’t Offended By the Post But…

November 29, 2006 in Leadership, Life Draining Schlock, Ministry, Resources with Comments Off

I know people who gripe and complain that would be.

Scott Adams has a great post today over at the Dilbert Blog about fault-finders that commonly write to say that a particular post/strip might, possibly, even the slightest, perhaps, very likely, could offend someone. Of course the ones writing the angry letter wasn’t offended but they know someone who would be.

The post points out how frustrating and potentially damaging random, inconsistant criticism can be. Like, Adams sometimes the disparaging comments and emails that ministers recieve fall into this same catagory.

The post is worth a read if you get the time today. Check it out.

link

Will the Music Gods Smile Upon Us?

November 27, 2006 in Music, Technology with Comments Off

According to Fortune:

While details remain to be worked out, Fortune has learned that iTunes is close to a deal to bring the Beatles catalog online. Apple Computer is said to be angling to become the exclusive online music store for the Beatles for a limited window of time. Other music stores, such as Microsoft’s MSN and Rhapsody, have courted the Beatles over the years to no avail, but it appears Apple is close to getting first dibs on the band’s hits.

At a recent industry conference, David Munns, head of EMI North America, said the Beatles would be available online “soon.” The parties were hoping to make a splashy announcement to coincide with the Nov. 21 release by EMI’s Capitol Records of “Love,” a mashup of Beatles songs that serves as a soundtrack to a Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil production. That didn’t happen. Apple Corps declined to comment.

As Fortune went to press, numerous deal points were still being hammered out. According to a music industry executive apprised of the talks, the parties were discussing how lengthy a window of exclusivity iTunes might get and how many tens of millions of dollars Jobs – who is said to be personally involved in the discussions – will commit to an advance for the band and marketing costs.

Also being discussed is whether the band would be willing to take two steps at the same time and endorse the iPod by allowing its music to be used in a commercial. Another scenario making the rounds is the prospect of the Beatles following U2′s example with a branded iPod. “If the Beatles were in an iPod ad, that would be humongous,” this executive said.

Humongous indeed. I too thought that it would have been a great coup for the Beatles to make their digital debut last week to coincide with the release of LOVE. When Tuesday came and went without “A Day in the Life” or “Yesterday” or “Strawberry Fields Forever” in the iTunes store I went on about my business of buying the physical copy at Target. Oh well. There is still light at the end of the tunnel.

When the Beatles’ Apple Corps lost their lawsuit to Apple Computers last year I felt that Jobs had a huge advantage at getting the digital rights to the Fab Fours catalogue. Don’t go after lawyer fees or court costs but ask for a meeting to discuss the future.

It looks like that is exactly what happened.

link

Don’t Let Me Out of Here

November 22, 2006 in Firm on the Rock, Music, U2 with Comments Off

The shackles are undone
The bullets quit the gun
The heat that’s in the sun
Will keep us when it’s done
The rule has been disproved
The stone, it has been moved
The grain is now a grove
All debts are removed

Oh, can’t you see what love has done
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
What it’s doing to me

Love makes strange enemies
Makes love where love may please
The soul and its striptease
Hate brought to its knees
The sky over our head
We can reach it from our bed
If you let me in your heart
And out of my head

Oh, can’t you see what love has done
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
What it’s doing to me

Please don’t ever let me out of here
I’ve got no shame
Oh no, oh no

Oh, can’t you see what love has done
Oh, can’t you see
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
What it’s doing to me

Oh, can’t you see what love has done
I know I hurt you and I made you cry
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
Did everything but murder you and I
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
But love left a window in the skies
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
And to love I raphsodize

Oh, can’t you see what love has done
To every broken heart
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
For every heart that cries
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
Love left a window in the skies
Oh, can’t you see what love has done
And to love I raphsodize

Oh, can’t you see

Window in the Skies
U2
U218singles

Looking Forward to Tomorrow

November 20, 2006 in Music with Comments Off

It will be a great New Music Tuesday tomorrow. Two of the big boys have “new” albums coming out.

I am excited about U218singles. While I’m not exactly thrilled with the tracklist (I’ll trade another listen to “I Will Follow” for “Walk On” anyday but where’s “Until the End of the World,” “Bad,” or anything from Pop?), I can’t wait to listen to “Window in the Sky.” I am going to get the deluxe edition for the extras including 10 live track from this past summer in Milan and videos. It should pretty good.

As excited as I am about a new U2 best of I am even more giddy about the “new” Beatles album. I am a bit of a Beatles purist but come on, the 5th Beatle has his hands all over this.

Love is the soundtrack to the new Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas and it is a completly new rendering of Beatles’ classics using the original masters. George Martin and his son Giles, with the blessings of Sir Paul, Ringo, Harrison’s widow and Yoko, reworked the catalog to produce a truly unique piece of work.

t’s a mashup, even though Giles Martin said he hates the word. John Lennon sings “he’s a real nowhere man” in the background of the instrumental track to “Blue Jay Way.” The keyboard of “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” dissolves into the plodding guitar of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).”

“Strawberry Fields Forever” builds from Lennon’s acoustic demo into a psychedelic swirl of sounds that incorporates bits of “Hello Goodbye,” “Baby You’re a Rich Man,” “Penny Lane” and “Piggies.”

The rules were simple: Beatles tracks only, no electronic distortion of what they recorded, and no newly recorded music. The single exception was a string arrangement, written by original Beatles producer George Martin, to accompany an acoustic version of Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

I’m trying to decide if I want the deluxe edition of Love because it comes with a DVD with a 5.1 mix of the entire album. I have yet to set up my surround sound in the new house. Maybe this will help move things along.

link
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