Here’s a lil story all about how…

This story begins at age twelve. I was at a Billy Graham crusade at the Lane County fairgrounds in Eugene, Oregon sitting next to the girl of my dreams. She was cute and we talked a lot. When they asked if anyone would like to come forward to make a decision in their faith she did. I stayed behind tentatively watching still sitting legs crossed on the floor. Then I saw her hugging people that also came up so I stood to my feet rubbing my eyes making sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me. When I realized it was really real I did a sprint walk straight towards her and got a hug. It was middle school so she was taller than me and had to reach down. I sill remember that awkward but beautiful moment. I know a hug is pretty silly but so is a twelve year old in love. What I didn’t know is God was walking a fast sprint towards me at the same time writing out his love story for me.

Later that week I was up all night and I couldn’t sleep. I just kept envisioning myself hugging her. Jk. What I did see was myself on stage in front of thousands singing, which was weird because I was too timid to sing. Once again I stood up pacing in my room at the wee hours of the morning rubbing my eyes making sure I wasn’t seeing things. My sister and mom were always singing and very good at it so I let them do the singing in the house. I played sports. 

However, I was really inspired by my newfound faith and the music I was listening to. One of those ‘tapes’ was DC Talk and I took their lyrics to heart and started writing rap songs. Fast forward several years, schools, notebooks of raps and bands later and I’m a college graduate without a job living at my moms house recording a demo with Christopher Stevens in Springfield, Oregon. 

I was fortunate enough to know someone that worked at a record company in Nashville (thanks Jeff Jackson) and he gave my demo to Toby Mac - the lead singer of DC Talk. I got to meet up with Toby while I was in Nashville recording on a project that my buddy Mat Kearney had help hook up. I was pretty excited to recite some old school DC Talk lyrics to Toby since he was the one who inspired me back when I was 12! He offered me a record deal that night.

I feel very blessed and fortunate to have been able to do this for a living since 2003. I’ve learned a lot and I’ve traveled a tons playing in every state in the U.S. I’ve gotten a chance to meet so many people (maybe even you) and try so much good food all over the country. Mmm so much good food.

I am grateful for my experience writing and recording Christian music. The Church has been and continues to be so supportive. There’s another part of me that feels like there are a lot of people who aren’t necessarily “Christian” who would enjoy the songs if they heard them.

In 2007 I moved “home” from San Diego and started a band called ROOTDOWN. We didn’t know what we were doing when we first started but it was fun to be on a team again and travel with my buddies. It reminded me of my time in college playing basketball. 

We played a lot of dive places when we first started and made just enough to at least eat dinner that night. Eventually we wrote better songs and got better gigs. I still feel like we are a small boat in a large ocean but I’m grateful for the impact we are having. Right now I’m in a season of waiting as our band presses forward hoping for a bigger break. I’m writing a lot both with the band and myself. I’m considering doing another solo record. It’s been four or five years since my last one. I got a chance to play some acoustic shows while I was in Hawaii and I really enjoyed them. I’ve missed that connection as a songwriter. 

I don’t really have an end to this story and I hope that’s because there’s a lot more to be written. So to wrap things up for now I guess I’m just grateful someone listened… so thank you! Hugs.

To be continued… 

- Paul 

19 hours ago  /  0 notes

How Gold Rush and Being in a band are alike

“Hopes and dreams is what gold mining is all about.” Greg Remsburg, Gold Rush.

I love this show.  I look forward to a new episode every week.  For those who haven’t watched it you should.  It’s on Discovery Friday nights, the best channel other than ESPN.  I met the lead character Todd before season 1 at a basketball banquet (he graduated from Northwest Christian as well) and he was telling me about this show coming out and needing some theme music.  I never made that theme song (DUH!) but I love the show.  It is pretty awesome stuff.  As I watch the show it reminds me a lot of playing in a band.  

Here’s how:

• They set a goal.  100 ounces of gold by seasons end.  What’s yours?  A new record?  A new song?  A gold record?!
• They have a deadline.  Their mining season ends when the snow comes. What’s your deadline?  When is the release date of the single or record?  That will set in motion the writing, rehearsing and studio time.
• They work as a team.  They all work to accomplish their goal together and have talents that make the team better as a whole.  Some know how to run the wash plant and others drive the equipment.  And if someone doesn’t pull their weight the team suffers.  What’s your talent and role and how do you contribute to reaching the goal?   
• There are a lot of obstacles.  Equipment goes out, lack of funding to operate, personality differences, stress from working around the clock, etc. Just like gold mining music is not for the faint of heart.  In Season 2 every mining operation has had inner turmoil and conflicts.  The team constantly questions Todd’s leadership when they aren’t seeing the results they want, young Parker went off on his Grandpa for telling the crew to stop running the wash plant and Dakota Fred’s son in law keeps threatening to leave.  In the same way band members come and go.  Some of you only see your favorite bands in the spotlight rockin on stage or on TV but being on the road grinding it out night after night is hard work.  For some it takes 15 years to become an overnight success. 
• They work and track their results (counting the ounces of gold out loud together) and then make changes where needed.  Do you track your album sales?  Radio play?  What songs connect live the most?  Do you record your live show and think of ways to make it better?
• There are Dakota Fred’s everywhere. It’s a doggy dog world in gold mining and it is very competitive.  So is the music industry and there are sharks in these waters.
• “Sitting around looking at the mine doesn’t do it for me,” said Dakota Fred’s son last episode.  We either progress or digress. Same is true with a band.  You either are writing, practicing, performing and recording or you are… well doing nothing.
• Every team needs a leader and so does every band.  Todd often challenges his crew to what they are capable of so they can reach their goals.  He makes mistakes but he has the vision and personality that motivates the team to make it through the hard times.  He sticks his neck out there and lays it all on the line.
• Songwriting - it takes one ton of paydirt to produce $300 worth of gold.  If gold is hit songs then paydirt is writing songs and the nuggets in the paydirt are the good ones. Write, rewrite, write again.  Work hard.  I hear Jon Foreman of Switchfoot writes a song a day.  That’s putting in work.
• Miracles happen.  Whether it’s a piece of equipment they need to keep running or funding Todd and his crew somehow find a way to keep going.  My band has almost called it quits several times but God provides just at the right time every time.  
• Todd and his crew did something different season 2.  They went to someone actually making a profit and asked for advice.  The advice was to drill before you dig.  Drilling costs a lot but it’s the only way to know for sure gold is in the dirt before they dig.  I’m still figuring out what that means in the music industry.

There are probably more parallels between the show and being in a band but these were the ones that came to my mind.  Can you think of others?

Check out the show here.

3 days ago  /  1 note