Session Drummer | Studio Drummer | Touring and Worship Drummer for Hire | Dale Baker | Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC

The IRS goes to Church?

This is bit much...I almost thought this article was a joke story from The Onion. 

Basically, a church in California might lose their tax-exempt status for making statements about the candidates in the 2004 election.  Read the full story here or click the link above.

I mean, come on...really now!  If they can single out that church, I'm sure there are alot more churches that would lose their tax exempt status based on comments that were made or rallys that were held in conjunction with the run-up to the election last year.

Surely our federal government has bigger fish to fry.  And especially the IRS...surely there is some musician out there who is delinquent in paying their taxes?  Right? (For the record, I'm a law abiding, tax paying individual.)

To read the sermon related to this matter, click this link (it should open as a PDF)...

From Martin Niemoeller (this quote is also mentioned in the sermon above):

“First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists  and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out.  Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out.  And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.”

From the mouth of Teddy:

So I probably have no business commenting on this, but my dad sent me a quote the other day with the subject line:  "This is what made America what it is/ was...":

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

So this quote naturally disturbed me in so many ways, as I'm sure it does you.  But because I had recently played (Listen to the Podcast here) at Emmaus Way (a new church here in town) and had heard their Pastor talk about how offensive Christianity was to the Roman Empire, I immediately thought about how Christianity and Patriotism are so strongly linked together in our present day. 

Yet, it seems with this quote, Teddy is telling us you can't be an American and a Christian.  You must choose your loyalty.  And so, for Christians (who profess to be loyal only to Christ) I suppose it follows that they must therefore not be loyal to America. 

So does this mean Teddy would consider those of us who call ourselves Christians, "enemies of the state?" And if our current President still considers himself to be closely linked with Roosevelt (as this 2001 Inaugural button seems to suggest), do we as Christians need to fear our leader(s) and distrust his(their) so called embrace of Christianity?  Btw, some people say (have you seen Outfoxed yet?) that TR "fathered" the Bush Doctrine...

Anyway...the quote and it's suppostions sort of struck me as odd and potentially divisive and I thought I'd at least mention it here.  I realize that I'm in no way intellectually fit to carry on this argument, but felt I had to bring it up, perhaps to get someone to better enlighten me.  Those of you scrolling the internet, any thoughts?

 

Blast from the past...

Why do I keep bringing up Sixpence related stuff?  Well frankly I had a blast touring, traveling and learning about the music business when I was with the band.  It was amazing to be with the band in their early days and experience their transition from "no-name" indie favorites to full on pop star (and some would say celebrity) status.  I can honestly say it was worth what ever grief and personal trauma that it might have caused me at the time (which wasn't near as bad as some of the grief and trauma it caused others...)  I still am blown away at some of the cool stuff we were able to participate in. Which brings me to today's post. 

I found this Sixpence video through a link from Jerome's blog which led me to a sort of video version of Flickr, called You Tube.  So though searching their database, I found the following Sixpence video for "Kiss Me."  This video was originally made to promote the movie She's All That, starring Rachel Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze Jr..  But once Sixpence was included in the Dawson's Creek soundtrack, they recut the video footage to include scenes from Dawson's Creek. Anyway, I don't think I ever saw the Dawson's Creek version of the video, so when I saw this the other day I immediately wanted to post the link.  Watch the Dawson's Creek version of Sixpence's Kiss Me video here (courtesy of You Tube).

One of my favorite memories of shooting this video:  We shot the video on the Universal Studios Lot in Hollywood and during our dinner break, I made friends with one of the electricians on the video shoot and he and I sneaked into to the Universal Studios Theme Park, (which is located next door to the soundstages) and rode the Jurassic Park water ride...I was able to keep somewhat dry and get back without anyone wondering where I'd gone. 

If you'd like to view and hear more Sixpence related stuff (from "back in the day")...the place to go would be Jaime's site.  He is the master at keeping up with all Sixpence related info on the net.  His website is here if you'd like to know more.  (Though I believe you have to sign up for a free account in order to gain access.)

Yes, I like the Muppets.

Okay, I admit I love the muppets.  I'm not ashamed.  I grew up just fascinated with all the creatures that Jim Henson and his team of designers and performers created.  Fozzie Bear, Rowlf, Kermit - all of them - are all dear to my heart. 

At various points in my life, I considered studying to become a puppet designer and performer but never took the plunge.  I find that I'm still fascinated witht the art of making foam, hot glue and fake fur come alive.  The first time I toured England with Sixpence I made it a mission to find the original location of Jim Henson's Creature Shop and that adventure alone increased my fascination with all things muppet related.

Today, I just found out about this contest being put on by Avenue Q, the Broadway Musical that features Muppets alongside human performers.  I've wanted to see this show since it first landed on Broadway.  Just touring their website makes me laugh outloud.  Anyway, they're sponsoring a contest that I'm going to try and win...

Here's the deal:  I have to make a puppet, take a photo of it, answer some questions and based on my repsonses and the quality of my design, my puppet may be chosen to appear on their website, at which point it'll be voted on (along with 9 other puppets) and the puppet that garners the most votes will win, allowing its owner to travel with one quest to NYC, see the show, meet the performers backstage and stay in a really nice hotel.  I really want to win this contest.  Seriously.  (Plus, it'd be nice to take a vacation to New York with my wife, we've been wanting to go for some time now...)

So, I've got until the end of the month to put my puppet together and submit my photo and questionaire online.  Please wish me luck in my quest.  Any suggestions or tips on how to build a better muppet would be appreciated! 

Steven Colbert is the new Steve Coogan

My favorite part of the Colbert Report are the intros he gives...like tonight I was watching and he said something like, "shave your legs, put on your bicycle shorts and your yellow jersey 'cause your getting ready to ride in the Tour De Truth!" You really have to hear him say it to get the humor.  (And of course, I probably butchered the re-telling of the line...).

His delivery, the great writing, and his mock, self important stylings remind me of Steve Coogan's series, "Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge" which ran on the BBC (radio and TV) for a short while.

I think it's amazing how consistent and freakishly good the writing is for both the Daily Show and the Colbert Report.  At least once per show I find myself laughing outloud...either due to a great piece of writing or the amazing delivery and timing of the actors. Pretty awesome stuff.

Let's just hope that Steven Colbert doesn't make a lame movie with Jackie Chan.  One thing is for certain:  Steven Colbert is NOT the new Hugh Grant.

"Kiss Me" track #2 on Worst Mixtape Ever...

Over on College Humor.com, there is a movie of the following:

"Aziz challenged his roommate to see who could come up with the worst mixtape"

"Each contestant choose 5 songs and the loser had to walk around the city blasting all ten songs from a boombox."

The cool part of this (or the uncool part, I guess) is that "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer is the second song featured on the mix tape (right after Miami Sound Machine's "Conga.").

Share in Aziz's shame and chuckle as he walks the streets of New York.  Watch the video of the world's worst mixtape (featuring my drumming!) at College Humor or view it over at Aziz's website.