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Friday, June 17, 2005

Remember when?

I was thinking about the first time that I heard the songs of certain bands that were later to become my favourites. Many times, especially when I was younger, I was introduced to different bands by my friends. It's only just in the past few years that I've been actively searching out new music, and defining my own personal musical preferences.

I'd heard DC Talk's "Free At Last" on a TV Commercial. The CD "Free At Last" was one of the first three CD's my family purchased. (The other two were Hillsong's "The Stone's Been Rolled Away", and Youth Alive NSW's "The Flock Still Rocks".) Dad read all the lyrics to make sure that there was nothing "untoward" in there, and then approved it for our listening. I loved that CD.

Then one day, a friend called me and invited me over to listen to her new CD (or possibly even cassette!). As soon as I arrived, we went into her lounge room, shut all the blinds, turned off the lights, and layed on the couch. She then turned on DC Talk's "Jesus Freak". I remember hearing the song "What If I Stumble?" and connecting with the song immediately - it was like it was written for me.

That same friend, on another occasion, placed me in the centre of her bedroom (so I'd get the full impact of her stereo speakers set up all around the room), and put on Third Day's first album - the one with the bus on the cover. I was blown away by the sound! It was incredible.

I think for the next few years, all I listened to was DC Talk, Third Day, and Jars of Clay. The perfect trifecta for any 90's christian teenager :) (oh, and I'm still a fan!)

More recent musical discoveries that I've made include Shawn McDonald (I loved his stuff before any of my friends had heard of him - they're now addicted too!); Tim Hughes - I was into his stuff before his first album came out; TobyMac - Ok, not technically a discovery, but his stuff continues to amaze me; Shaun Groves - incredibly, I can remember some of his first songs, songs that I heard on a sampler tape from the local Christian bookstore!

I'm also discovering some great local (ie Australian!) bands, and also your Indie bands from the US. Good Australian music is hard to find (in large quantities). Of course, there's your well known groups such as Hillsong, Planetshakers, Hillsong United, the various Youth Alives, and CCC Oxford Falls. But there's a lot of "lesser-known" groups - groups that often only put out 1 or two albums, then go their separate ways. One of my faves is/was Blind, from Wollongong. I've followed their stuff since their "Long Walk Home" album. I also like "Sons of Korah" from Melbourne. Their albums are great - their songs are straight from the Psalms. I'm loving "Lukas" at the moment (Luke Munns' band), and I love the only CD put out (so far) by Revolution - the youth band of Lakes CLC.

It's exciting to discover new music and new bands. I still get excited when my favourite artists release new albums :)

Comments:
The DC Talk TV commercial was probably one that a friend of mine put together in the 90s. It was around the time that he was producing a show called Solid Rock that aired on the 7 Network. I was a consultant on the show.
 
You know what the scary thing is? The TV spot is still being played on Central TV - the regional version of 7 in rural SA. Extremely dated, but the Christian Television Network are still pluggin' it!

...and together, we're rap rock and soul...
 
Jesus is still alright with me...... where would we be without Central TV and Cash Classifieds! New stuff is always good it reminds me of my first ever album that i bought in Jan 2000 (a little late for someone my age i guess) Five Iron Frenzy LIVE from Cornerstone 1999 still my all time favourite. Heres some bands and the song that took my money for the rest of their careers.

Third Day- All the Heavens
Audio Adrenaline- Big House
Delirious- History Maker/See the Star
FIF- Every New Day
Supertones- Supertones Strike Back
Big Tent Revival- Choose Life
Paul Colman Trio- Killing Tree
Seraphs Coal- No Hero
Antiskeptic- 1:40
Jars of Clay- Flood
The W's- Devil is Bad
DC Talk (my sister bought all their stuff)- Jesus Freak

My first taste of Christian music was Michael W Smith's Go West Young Man and Audio A Big House on a sampler cassette my older sister had when I was 7 (1993)
 
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