“To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater” – Bono

“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?”  1 Cor.12: 18-19

It’s interesting how “cookie cutter” much of what is branded as Gospel Music has become. There are very few bands that have an edge now days. Once a band becomes popular it seems like everyone else out there makes every effort to get on the bandwagon with their particular ’sound’. When ironically, the reason a band becomes popular is usually that they have left the herd and become unique. For a while a harder edge music such as heavy metal was hitting main stream Gospel, then it was praise music. Bands like Casting Crowns & Mercy Me came out making praise music popular to the masses.  These are two stellar groups which I find to be a breath of fresh air. But once again, so many others groups imitating their worship style have become redundant.  I think it is an understatement to say new groups coming into the market would be much better off focusing on their own uniqueness than trying to fit in with what is popular at the time.  Main stream music seems to be in the same boat. Every so often a song slips through that is actually original. The reunion of Petra is one of the bright spots out there right now that is guaranteed to add something fresh to the mix of  unique and original artists. They will bring a bit of flavor back into the mix. http://www.classicpetra.com

“This will be our reply to violence: to make music more devotedly, more passionately, more beautifully than ever before.”"music comes from God.” – Johnny Cash

The original members of Petra have reformed under the banner of “Classic Petra”. They are currently making plans for a new record and 2010 tour revisiting the songs that made Petra pioneers in the realm of Christian music.

The band:
Greg Volz as lead vocalist
Bob Hartman on guitar and vocals
John Lawry on keyboards and vocals
Mark Kelly on bass and vocals
Louie Weaver on drums

The band will be back in the studio this summer to re-record a CD of previous hits from the records: Never Say Die, More Power to Ya, Not of this World, and Beat the System. Classic songs like More Power to Ya, Judas Kiss, Grave Robber, Adonai, and Beat the System will be revamped with a modern production edge. In addition, the band will craft some new songs to add to the classic hits on each record, with production scheduled to be completed August 10th, 2010.

Petra Legacy
- Released 24 albums
- Selling nearly 10 million copies
- They have won 4 Grammys
- #1 position on 5 CCM Update radio and retail charts simultaneously
- Gospel Music Hall of Fame Members
- First Christian band to be inducted into the Hard Rock Cafe
- Toured Europe, Asia, Africa,, America and Australia
- First band to win more than 20 CCM Magazine Reader’s Poll Awards in every category

As their manager and tour mgr, I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to work with. We are basically picking up where the band left off in 1985.

Oct. 15, the band will launch a world tour, starting first with 35 cities in the US.

“I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind…………… Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.”   Eccl. 1:14 & Eccl. 12:14

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”  – Albert Schweitzer

Since I was 15 years old, I spent my life chasing the elusive dreams of show business.  I started out as a guitar player and then moved up (or down depending on your perspective) to a Front of House sound mixer, and later to a Production mgr and Tour mgr.  I have a very strong resume that includes handling some of the most popular music acts in the business.  I was one of the lucky ones out there, I realized early in my career, through a series of failures and some wins, that real success was being content in the state I was in (no pun intended) and that is a lesson I am still learning.   It’s an understatement, but bears repeating, show business is just a job, and no more or no less important then any other career out there.  If you are a shoe salesman, be at the top of your field.  If you are a musician or actor, fine tune your craft until you hit “substantial” perfection.  I am convinced we are all born with a calling that is unique, and until we understand that, we will always be chasing the wind.  I had a friend, Ken Marquis, that was a very successful bloke, who went to India to work w/ Sister Teresa back in the day.  He told me what I have heard since then from countless others, that he had never met anyone happier and more content than Sister Teresa, who was working in one of the darkest and, from the outside, most depressing corners in the world. 

What has always amazed me is the arrogance and power tripping that goes on in the entertainment industry.  Malcomb Muggeridge, the famous commentator, referred to it as the “roots of power itself, and the fearful passion men have to dominate other men”.  After spending most of my life in this business, I have a very clear understanding of what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said so well “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”   What’s interesting to me is that the amateurs are the people who I typically have difficulty with, those who have the least talent or skill.  These people often come hand in hand with monster egos and bad attitudes, while those at the top of their game, (usually), have a healthy sense of humility.  Funny how it turns out that the very people I would have over for Sunday brunch are the likes of Garth Brooks, Donny Osmond, Lionel Richie, Jon and Tim Foreman (Switchfoot), Barry McGuire, Cliff Richards, Linda Ronstadt, ,…………………

“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. Jn. 9-1-3

“You are to be found in the lowest, darkest depths, and that all who find you are thereby transported to the loftiest, birghtest heights.” – Malcomb Muggeridge

“In a time of natural disaster, bad theology always makes an appearance,” said the Rev. Douglas Brouwer, who discussed the earthquake Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale. “It’s time to face up to the mystery. There are parts of God that we don’t understand. His intentions are not always clear to us.”

Does God control natural disasters such as the devastating tsunami that may have killed as many as a quarter of a million people in South Asia and most recently the earthquake in Haiti ?  If God is not in control of such things, what is the faithful person to think in the face of such tragedy?  There are plenty of Biblical passages that would suggest God does micromanage the forces of nature such as earthquakes, or the resulting waves that have caused such havoc lately.

The Majority View
From the perspective of a majority of people living in biblical times there was little doubt that God was responsible for every turn of events in the natural world, whether it be drought or flood, earthquake, wind or fire. Perhaps the ultimate example of how this “majority view” found itself even into the pages of the Bible is the story of the great flood in which every living creature on earth was annihilated, save those who were gathered by Noah onto the ark. From this perspective, storms and natural disasters are thought of as punishment for bad behavior.  For an interesting perspective on the parallels between the compromises being made in Israel and the timing of natural disasters I recommend reading http://www.nightingaledesign.org/blog/

The Science View
Since Biblical times we have come to see that there are other explanations for why a hurricane arises and other names for the forces that direct it. Hurricanes arrive, not because God has a habit of punishing “left-leaning East Coast liberals” every September, but because the prevailing winds, ocean currents and frontal zones combine in ways that make tropical storms more likely in late summer or early fall. The same is true of earthquakes, tornadoes, or floods. Likewise, Asia’s tsumani was caused, not because God wanted to punish people in that region of the world, but because of shifts in tectonic plates beneath the surface of the sea. The same forces could also cause devastating earthquakes in locations such as San Francisco or Seattle. This will have nothing to do with the changing mood of God. All such events are directed by the forces of nature and can be explained by science. This is so in good times and bad and without respect to the moral climate or condition of the people who happen to be living in a region where disaster strikes.

The Minority View.
Even within the pages of the Bible, there were those who challenged the majority opinion that every adverse condition of nature was an “act of God” targeted at people who had done wrong. Job, for example, was a good man who suffered greatly. And he argued with those who suggested that he had done something to deserve the wrath of God.  As one reads through the Bible one begins to see emerging a minority opinion that suggests one cannot draw a cause and effect relationship between the circumstances a person faces and whether that person has done evil or good. (With the resulting view that if a person suffers from misfortune, the suffering must be deserved.) For example the prophet Isaiah comforts the people of his day and time with the assurance that far from seeing the hand of God in every misfortune, they could be assured of God’s presence to guide them through the eye of any storm. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” (Isaiah 43:2)
Likewise, Jesus urged people to look beyond the surface of circumstance to find God even in the depths of suffering or pain. Here Jesus suggests not only that God does not target storm or rain as a punishment for evil, rather God “sends rain on the just and the unjust.” But, even more remarkable, he uses the fact that natural events happen to the “just and the unjust” equally. Moreover, Jesus went out of his way to identify with lepers, the lame, the blind and other victims of tragic circumstance, insisting that far from deserving punishment, such persons were deserving of love and respect. It is probably more expedient not to wonder what tsunami or earthquake victims may have done to bring the wrath of God upon themselves, but instead to join with others in bringing comfort and relief to the afflicted.

The Bible says that there WILL be trials and, specifically, an increase in earthquakes just before the Lord’s return. Nothing happens without God allowing it so I guess on that point you can hold God responsible, but the bottom line is that God uses all things for the good of those who trust in Him. So which view is correct ?  All three, the majority, the minority, & the science views.

On a side note, It seems odd that those who give Him no credit for the good times blame Him most for the bad times. If it is foolishness to thank God for blessings, is it not foolishness to be angry when he allows struggles and strife?

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jn. 16:33

“The only ultimate disaster that can befall us, I have come to realize, is to feel ouselves to be at home here on earth. As long as we are aliens, we cannot forget our true homeland, which is that other kingdom You proclaimed”. – Malcomb Muggeridge

“Is it happening again?” That is the very disturbing question that many Americans are nervously asking on this, the eightieth anniversary of “Black Tuesday,” the date of the Stock Market Crash, October 28 & 29 1929.  We are beyond discussions of whether we are in a recession and there are enough parallels between then and now to induce sleeplessness in many of us.

In the popular imagination, the Stock Market Crash eight decades ago caused, or at least started, the Great Depression. In fact, though, the downward spiral of the Depression was already underway a few months before “Black Tuesday.” The market crash reflected the economic problems; it did not cause them. The same is true today. Contrary to what Herbert Hoover said then, the economy was not “fundamentally sound”; contrary to what John McCain said at the beginning of the current crisis, the economy is not “fundamentally strong.”  While people focus on a couple of terrible days in 1929, in fact the market collapse leading into the Depression was a long downward slide, punctuated by days of drastic drops and occasional gains–much like what has been going on for the last few weeks.

In both the 20s and the 00s, the economic effects of the misdistribution of income were masked and postponed by the extension of credit where credit wasn’t due, although the credit bubble on the current decade was far larger than that of eight decades ago. The market collapse in 1929 accelerated the downward spiral of the economy because it signaled to consumers that they needed to cut back on spending and to lenders that they needed to be much more cautious in extending credit. The current collapse is having similar effects.*

*Robert S. McElvaine, The Huffington Post, Internet newspaper, Oct, 2009

Since I started touring in the late seventies, the touring industry always seemed to be recession proof, there were always plenty of tours to choose from. Last year and this year, I think everyone will agree with me, that our trade is no longer exempt from the current recession that seems to be affecting not only our country, but the world as well.  I have never seen so many tour people out of work, including myself.  I know it is traditionally the slow season in the winter here in America, but there has always been international tours that kept us all working in other countries during this time.  I am not writing this to discourage anyone, just want to assure you, I feel the same pain.  I am fresh out of rhetoric and my answers are a little more thought out these days, all I can say is stand strong, you are not alone.

Just to end on a positive note, it is not all  doom and gloom out there in the touring world, U-2 has no problem filling the seats on their current world stadium tour.  Bon Jovi starts his world tour in Feb of next year and I expect him to do well.

“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” – 1 Pt. 4:7-8

“There comes a moment when the children who have been playing at burglars hush suddenly: was that a real footstep in the hall ? There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion suddenly draw back.  Supposing we really found Him ?  We never meant it to come to that !  Worse still, supposing He had found us ?” – CS Lewis

I follow the news like everyone else, and like everyone else, I have a filter in my attention span that captures certain stories.  I saw a headline yesterday that caught my eye:  “An apocalyptic storm is forming over the Middle East” – Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began his speech to the U.N. last week by praying for Allah to hasten the coming of the Islamic Messiah, which according to his theology requires the destruction of Judeo-Christian civilization as we know it. Iran has just spent the weekend testing its most advanced missiles capable of reaching Israel. Being in the entertainment business, one cannot ignore the fact that a very large percentage of the people that control this industry are Jewish, any news coming out of the Mideast seems to dominate any serious conversation when it comes to world events.

I remember touring in the mid sixties and just wanting to play music and have a good time.  I picked up the paper one morning and the headlines read “Israel at war, are we entering the apocalypse ?”  It was 1967 and I was 19 years old just at the beginning of my career in the rock industry, the last thing I wanted to hear is that the world might end, the news put a crimp in my very vain and self-absorbed life style that I had grown accustomed to.  At  the time, I had no idea of what the six day war really meant, but I intuitively had a hunch that my rock ‘n’ roll world had just become a little smaller and less significant in the scheme of things.  Today and over a million miles later I finally get it, the Mideast thing is a time piece that is constantly ticking and reminding us all that this world is winding down.  Should we all run to a cave and wait for the world to end ? I don’t think so, unless we are suppose to go to Hawaii or some tropical paradise where Macadamia nuts are in abundance……….  What it does mean to me is that it would be wise to open our eyes to the big picture of what is going on in the world. I think the underlying message is simply to know who we are, and live more passionately, realizing our purpose whether we are a rock star or a shoe maker.

“where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.- 1 Cor. 15:55-56

“The only ultimate disaster that can befall us, I have come to realize, is to feel ourselves to be at home here on earth. As long as we are aliens, we cannot forget our true homeland, which is that other kingdom You proclaimed”. – Malcomb Muggeridge

A number of years ago, I sat next to my grandfather who was dying at the age of 92, one of the things he said to me that I will never forget was “I remember being in the 2nd grade like it was yesterday, how could my life pass by so quickly ?”

I tuned in yesterday to an interview that Glenn Beck was having with Dr. Kovorkian (the death doctor). Dr. Kovorkian stated that he did not believe in a life after this one, and that there was no real purpose to live this life if a person was sad or in any type of pain.  It was a real uplifting interview…….  If his premise was brought to a logical conclusion, he is professing our existence to be a conjuring trick.  It seems that he is just following a faulty road map that will not end up in never-never-land but in Gary, Indiana………….

The year 2009 so far is just another reminder that time is moving much faster than we anticipated and the final curtain is really not that far away.  It seems the key in life is to enjoy the journey and take advantage of the “all access” pass that is available to anyone who asks for it.

January 02 – Jet Travolta, Son of John Travolta & Kelly Preston, age 16

January 04 – Martin Patterson ‘Pat’ Hingle, Actor(portrayed the Commissioner in Batman movies) age 84

January 06 – Cheryl Holdridge, Actress(a very popular “Mouseketeer” on The Mickey Mouse Club) age 64

January 8 – Claude Jeeter, Musician (with the 50s gospel group Swan Silvertones) age 94

January 8 – Don Galloway,Actor (Raymond Burr’s protégé on Ironside) age 71

January 13 – Patrick McGoohan,Actor (Danger Man/Secret Agent & The Prisoner) age 80

January 14 – Ricardo Montalban,Actor (Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island) age 88

January 27 – John Updike Novelist (won 2 Pulizers for his Rabbit series)age 76

February 6 – James Whitmore Actor (portrayed Will Rogers on stage) age 87

February 11 – Estelle Bennett Singer ( the girl group The Ronettes) age 67

February 28 – Paul Harvey (Aurandt) Newsman & Radio Broadcaster (The Rest of the Story segments) age 91

March 7 – Jimmy Boyd Singer & actor (recorded original “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”) age 70

March 13 -Betsy Blair Actress (Oscar nominated for “Marty”) age 85

March 15 -Ron Silver Actor & politcal activist (best known recently for recurring role on West Wing) age 65

March 18 -Natasha Richardson Tony award winning Actress (daughter of Vanesa Redgrave and married to Liam Neeson) age 45

March 19 -Ken Cook, manager of national promotions for EMI Gospel age 37

March 27 -Irving R Levine NBC on air newsman for 45 years age 86

March 29 -Andrew (Andy) Hallet played Lorne on tv series “Angel” age 33

April 25 -Beatrice (Bea) Arthur Emmy award winning actress-comedienne, star of Maude and Golden Girls tv shows age 86

May 2 – Jack Kemp Pro Football quarterback and politician, 9 term Congressman and Secretary of HUD age 73

May 4 – Dom DeLuise Actor / Comedian, best known for his movies with Burt Reynolds age 75

June 3 – Koko Taylor Singer, was known as the “Queen of the Blues” age 80

June 3 – David Carradine Actor, best known for role in “Kung Fu” tv series and “Kill Bill” movies age 72

June 10 – Huey Long Guitarist, original member of the Ink Spots age 105

June 23 – Ed McMahon Announcer, TV Personality, side kick to Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show from 1962 – 1992 age 86

June 25 – Farrah Fawcett Actress, best known for her role in Charlie’s Angels age 62

June 25 – Michael Jackson Singer, songwriter, dancer, entertainer, legitimately referred to as “The King of Pop”, was a pioneer in music video’s, pop music, and pop culture age 50

June 27 – Gale Storm Actress/ Singer, tv shows “My Little Marjie and The Gale Storm Show” age 87

June 28 – Billy Mays Actor / Pitchman, promoted “as seen on tv” products, was spokesperson for oxi-clean age 50

July 01 – Karl Malden Actor, best known for playing Lt. Mike Stone on The Streets of San Francisco age 97

July 01 – Anna Karen Morrow Actress, best known for playing Mrs. Chernak on “Peyton Place” age 93

July 06 – Robert McNamara Defense Secretary under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson during the Vietnam War age 93

July 17 – Walter Cronkite Broadcast Journalist, was the anchorman for the CBS Nightly News for 19 years and possibly the most trusted man in America age 92

August 6 – John Hughes Film director, producer and writer, films include Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and more age 59

August 11 – Eunice Kennedy Shriver Philanthropist and champion for the mentally disabled , founded the Special Olympics, sister of John Kennedy (JFK) age 88

August 13 – Les Paul inventor, muscian and song writer credited with inventing the electric guitar which made rock music possible age 94

August 19 – Don Hewitt television news producer, created the news show “60 Minutes” age 86

August 25 – “Ted” Kennedy 9 term US Senator from Mass. was the youngest of seven including John (JFK) and Bobby Kennedy age 77

August 26  – Graham Wade Pioneering Christian cartoonist, filmmaker and creative designer, who created the illustrations for the popular Jungle Doctor series,  age 78