A couple of weekends ago, I led the music at a weekend long conference led by Jackie Pullinger in Tauranga. If you haven't heard of Jackie, like I hadn't, she has spent the last 47 years working with the drug addicts and prostitutes in Hong Kong, helping them to live the life of a beloved child of God. It's a powerful story. She wrote a book called, 'Chasing the Dragon' if you want to learn...
Read MoreRead MoreIf you've heard me speak anytime in the last couple of months, no doubt you heard me banging on about Lazarus and his sister Mary, and her recklessly inappropriate gift to Jesus. You can read about it in John 12 if you want. I have stayed with this passage because every time I have made to move on, it has said something new to captivate and capture my attention.For a long time I have been...
Read MoreRead MoreOn Friday night, I headed to the famous York St Studio to film the music video for the first single from the new album. It was a chance to get some of the musicians together again, with a totally different brief: this time we didn't have to worry about sounding good, just looking good. This was a bit of challenge! Just ask Rowan or Matt how many times it takes to pick up your guitar...
Read MoreRead MoreIt’s all about context.There seems to be so many mega churches putting out albums full of generic worship songs that talk about Gods grace and goodness but miss the heart of it all… sometimes it just seems like they are just putting words to paper, and do ‘Worship by numbers’ – now please hear me I’m not saying that these songs aren’t authentic or can’t be used… I just sometimes think they lose their organic-ness...
Read MoreRead MoreSuccess does a funny thing to you. Our of nowhere springs this desire for more, of the same kind.Yesterday we had another amazing album release gig. This time in Tauranga. I played to my adopted 'home crowd', and a big one it was too. It was a truly wonderful afternoon, with many old friends from Katikati coming to share in the celebration. It was also very special, because Ness (my wife) sang with me. This hasn't...
Read MoreRead MoreHere's a chance to meet the people behind the songs. These are a few images from our rehearsals before the album release.The joy of having Sophie play cello is offset a touch by the manner in which we have to travel! Thanks to my last remnants of chivalry, I insisted on having the 'big fat butt' end. In reality, she beat me in a 'best of 7' series of paper, scissors rock.This was the first...
Read MoreRead MoreOver the last couple of months, I've been watching Eden Finlay, the Dunedin artist (and genius), create artwork to compliment the new album. Its time you got to see a little of his handiwork.It was a truly humbling and inspiring experience to give the songs and ideas over to Eden and watch the inspiration take over. Eden has a gift, and it was exciting to see him turn that gift towards enhancing my songs.As you...
Read MoreRead MoreAs many of you will know, I've been running a funding campaign on Social Backing. Its been going phenomenally well - so well its about to become the quickest-funded project in the site's history! I'm learning something about generosity from the inside ;)This money is going to mean we can get someone awesome to mix and master the album, once Matt and I (and Sophie and Evan and Michael and Kirstin and John and Tony...
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