Doug Van Pelt

Joey Knight & Stryken

Boy, that headline gets your attention, doesn't it?
Joey's on the phone with me now. His baby twins are about to turn one year old.

But on another subject,
we are sitting here at HM waiting on photos from T&N for the cover story and cover. It's a drag having to wait for someone else.
Sigh.
We're just sitting here...
and waiting...
and waiting...

Oh well, I hope those photos are worth the wait!

The Rifleman

"...he always knew how to settle the score
I always wanted a shirt like Mark wore..."
("The Rifleman," by The Choir)

Whew! It's two days left of deadline.
This time we're actually a little hung out to dry,
as a label hasn't supplied us with photos for some of our articles.
Talk about last minute!

Anyway, it's neat to see common threads spreading through this issue. It makes us feel like God is at work. I hope so. That is a wonderful honor that we hope happens with every issue.

It's a little unnerving, because one of the themes is personal holiness. Just as the subject of grace can be controversial or offensive, so is holiness. We'll see how it turns out.

New Policy

Had an interesting dilemma yesterday. We still have an open page available for advertising, and a proposal from an ad agency dropped into my inbox. It was an urgent and fairly exclusive proposal for a new energy drink that had one ingredient we've never advertised in HM Magazine before - alcohol.

Believe it or not, I wasn't exactly sure what to do. The allure of energy drinks is fun and all. Alcohol is controversial and has been used to destroy lives and families, but in and of itself is probably nothing more than a potentially dangerous amoral thing. I needed wisdom, so I asked God for it. I also reached out to some (very precious) friends for advice and prayer. No sooner had I sent the email did I have a thought/question drop into my head: "If this were a proposal that was from Budweiser for a beer ad, would I even consider it?" The obvious answer is no. So, the wisdom I asked for came -- in record time!
So, now we have a policy at the magazine: No alcoholic beverage ads accepted.

This pic sure looked great in my digital camera preview pane immediately after I took it, but it really looks all grainy now. Russ Cogdell does these amazing splits in a stance that probably covers seven feet. It was fun to capture it. I just wish it was a better photograph.

I've Been Ripped Off!

Nobody told me how rotten the latest album by The Darkness was! Not even a clue. I had some cash, so I picked up their album on a whim. I'd laughed and had so much fun with their video that I'm sure I'd enjoy their album.
Not even close. Can't stand it. I have to admit, I'm only about 7 or 8 songs into it, but the thing is awful. As far as old school 80s metal/rock goes, I'm enjoying the new Scorpions album, Unbreakable, a LOT more. The fun-time retro schtick album by Nineteen88 is better than The Darkness. Take away that lame "Metal Pokey" song and you've got a solid album of AC/DC riffage with actual good hooks. This Darkness album? Sigh. It's a chore just to get through it.

Am enjoying the new Lost Dogs album right now. Hearing a new, slower take on the classic song, "The Lust, the Flesh, the Eyes & the Pride of Life" is pretty fun. Such a super song. There's something about authentic words when they're approached in a slowed-down, take-a-moment-to-think-about-it pace like a good country song. It's unassuming. There's not the pressure of a speeded delivery or bombastic power chords to shove a message down your throat. It's a gentle invitation to listen and hear. It always seems to work. It seems only veteran musicians catch on to this, but it's also a genre thing. Rock and rollers don't listen to country, or blues, or folk, or any number of world music genres. The good thing with the current musical landscape is that a lot of rockers (and fans of other genres, too) are listening outside their comfort zones and learning by exposure.

That beautiful Choir song, "Like A Cloud," is also on this album (Mutt). These talented individuals finally dug into their catalog to spice things up. I think the Lost Dogs should tour 20-25 dates opening up for Pedro the Lion this fall, culminating in a CMJ appearance. Then they should headline those exact same venues in the spring, culminating in a SXSW appearance. Is anyone listening? Would Pedro's people do it? I think this is the sort of thing Lost Dogs should do. But that's just my opinion.

Hey, Dear Ephesus is recording a new EP. That's right! How cool is that?

In Daniel 9:20 Daniel has a vision while he's praying. What was he praying? Oh, only confessing his sin and the sin of his people Israel and making his request to the Lord. How often do I confess my sin before the Lord? Not often. How often do I confess the sin of God's people around me? Rarer still. I should take note of this.

God is called the Morning Star.
Revelation 22:16 states:

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

Like many of His Names (the Door, the Truth, Lamb of God), this one is interesting.

Back to rating albums. David Allen and I give each album in the Album Reviews section a rating from 1 to 5. 5 is a classic, and I've only given one of those in the last 3 years. This is as it should be, unless, of course, there was a flood of excellent output all of a sudden, but that is very rare. A 1 is "amiss," meaning it's just bad. A 3, which may surprise some, is actually quite good. 3 means "solid," and solid is good. The reason it's in the middle is that there is a lot of competition around and the level of art is good. 3 is what you'd hear on the radio. A 4 is "fabulous," which means it stands out from the pack. It's the song on the radio, for instance, that goes high on the charts. It's that album you can recommend and not feel even a tinge of regret or guilt or 'I hope they don't listen to track 3 first. It's bad. A 2 or 2.5 means there is something "suspect." It means it would be a solid album if it wasn't for a track or a few tracks that bring the whole album down. The Switchfoot album, The Beautiful Letdown, for me received a 2.5, because while some of the material is outstanding (especially "Meant to Live"), there are a few songs that just make me sick -- typical CCM radio dribble. A "filler" song or two exists on an album like that. Tracks that keep the album from being a solid listen from beginning to end. Now, sometimes a hit can be so powerful that the album gets a higher rating even though there may be some "throwaway" tracks on it. That's where the whole rating system gets a little subjective and a judgement call is simply made.
There, that's enough text for one day.

"Old Man, Look At My Life..."

I took my oldest daughter to the Skatepark of Austin over the weekend. Only I wasn't one of those parents who were taking their kids to drop them off or watch them ride. I brought her so she could watch me ride. That's right, this old man was skating and chatting with 11 year olds in a beautiful wooden skate park. I took the flowboard with me to test drive, but found the old sled to be a little heavy for skatepark action without lots of speed. I'm so out of shape that getting to that speed stage will require getting more into the groove of being used to this stuff. My ankles were the first thing to scream, 'Hey, we're not used to this stuff!' Fortunately, I didn't get hurt. It was a real fun time. I plan on going back soon.

I had a phone message from Josh of Day of Fire, hoping that I'd have a cool encounter with Jesus today. And another encouraging email or two from some other friends. It's always so good to get encouragement. It's really appreciated during deadline week, cause the work is long and hard. One great thing about eternity will be having the time -- the time to thank the people that prayed for you (and the One Who acted on your behalf, too, of course!).

I'll post some of the blurry pictures that Kaela took of me at the park...soon.

We've Never Had To Fire An Intern Before...

Today is Dave Stagg's last day.
We are so done with him.
:?)
Actually, we'll miss him very much. He and James Wetz were great guys to have working for us this summer. You'll see their writing all over the Sep/Oct issue.

I am surprised, though, at how much Dave likes progrock like Glass Hammer.
"What is this, Rush?" He asked when he arrived. I think he's going to buy the entire Glass Hammer catalog in the next week.
not.

There's a big fest in Mexico City this November -- Revolution Metal Fest. Saviour Machine, Mortification, and Narnia are on the bill. There are talks with other bands.

Is it God's will that every sick person gets healed? Was Jesus a Model for us as well as a Savior? If so, would that mean that we should treat prayer/healing/miracle requests like He did? Did He spend time with His Father, getting an idea of what His Father wanted Him to do, and then do it? Asking Him what to do, and then doing it? Sounds good to me.

Sonshine Festival was fun.
Someone just commented on an earlier blog this week that a Sonshine person apologized from the stage about an act that played there that day. I don't know who it was. Maybe they passed gas into the microphone? Speculation is dumb.

I have gotten to the point on this issue where I'm stopping my ad sales push. I've scaled back the mag to 72 pages and moving ahead with writing. Maybe this weekend I'll have a chance to post my Sonshine Festival review. I had such a great time there. I missed my family, though; and my body wished I wasn't going without sleep that much. And I'm told I snored the first night. Now that is a drag.

Len Nash, who was named after Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Lenny Dawson (#16), was there. He loves indie bands.

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

I love that passage. It's so simple and it really helps me not to judge people -- or at least not judge them quickly or rashly or with great quickness. To examine fruit, you've got to wait like a farmer. Fruit is not actions, either. Does this passage say that a believer/follower of Christ will not sin? No, it doesn't. Failure, slip-ups, sin, etc is bound to happen because of our frail human-ness. Fruit is kind of the effect of the things we practice. If we practice sin -- then, yeah -- we will bear bad fruit. This message was delivered in the context of people falsely judging Jesus as some sort of sinner or evil person. It appears He tried to get his critics to think about this a little bit, rather than jump to an erroneous accusation.

I desire to practice more quietness and meditation on God's Word. I believe that is a practice that will bear good fruit.

God is Good

Hey, hey, hey.
Still cranking away.

Am glad to praise God,
even in the midst of a challenge.
The ad sales thing is still way short of where it should be.
I'm looking at whittling down the page count from 80 pages to 72 (they go in increments of 8). We just got in our cover story by Adam Robinson on mewithoutYou, which I hear is an outstanding write. I'll pause in a few from my ad sales duties to check it out.

Keep smiling with me!

[the picture above shows our metal guru, Matt Morrow, at a local hangout in Hutto, TX]

Late Late

Ad sales are improving. Am contacting labels and folks who've run ads in the last few issues to see if they'd like to advertise again.

It's weird to think how we'll have another issue done in just a week and a half. I had fun taking a "Flowboard" with me to the Sonshine Festival. I got lots of looks and comments at the airport and probably over 100 people rode it at the festival. It's real cool. It makes going down to the mailbox fun.

Psalm 34:
I will extol the Lord at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips...
Let us exalt His Name together...

Back from Sonshine

Got back yesterday from Sonshine.
It was fantastic. There were some outstanding performances.
I can't wait to write about them and post a nice review online,
but I'm going to have to -- wait, that is.
I'm in the middle of deadline for our Sep/Oct issue.
I've got to put on my ad sales hat and finalize this issue's ad sales commitments. Any prayers for God's grace and favor in this regard is much appreciated.

Until I have time to post more, I'll see ya around.

Prayer is a wonderful thing. Such a gift, such all access privilege. Much reason for thanksgiving, just for having the ability, right, and offer to pray.

I Forgot

I have a desperate need to take and keep notes. Sometimes (like when I'm driving and can think undistracted and creatively) I come up with ideas I really like. If I don't document them, then I'm likely to "lose" them in my cluttered memory and daily demands.

One idea we are probably going to implement here is bi-monthly magazine release parties (or "new issue parties"). A club in downtown Austin, on Sixth Street, called and offered me their facilities on Monday or Tuesday nights, when they are usually closed, and this party idea sounds great to them. We could possibly get one or two great bands that happen to be travelling through Austin to play, as well as help cultivate a local hard music scene here. So, as early as August 23 we could be doing this. So keep an eye open.

(Also, if you are in a band, let us know. We might love to have you play our next party.)

Taking notes is likened to journalling, too. I love it when I stumble upon old journals I've written in, specifically a devotional/spiritual journal. Seeing what God was teaching me at a certain point in time is precious. It really helps me keep a focus, and usually the practice strengthens my spiritual muscles, so to speak. More ideas start to flow when I take the time to write down the ones that have come. I encourage myself and anyone reading this to do the same. Forget old notions that diaries are stupid things only 11-year old girls keep. They rock.

The Sonshine Festival lineup changed a bit overnight. I'm debating on whether or not to send out another mass email newsletter to point out the changes. They are: East West cancelled. We hope to get Forever Changed in their place (no word as of yet), and April Sixth is out and Angry Atom is in. Go to sonshinefestival.com to check out the schedule, etc. See you there!

Pictured above is David's "old" office (he's since gotten a new desk that faces away from the wall -- and "feels" completely different, almost as if you're ordering some food, art, or scheduling a dentist appointment).

Home Again (temporarily)

Just got back from Albuquerque NM last night. Took 12 hours straight. It was great to sleep in my own bed again.

On the way to work I got a phone call from a radio station about my interview at 7:45 am this morning. "Are you ready to go?" I was asked. Of course. I didn't forget or anything (yeah, right); so I pulled over to a parking lot by a gas station and fielded the questions. If I had taken the call all the way to the office, we might've gotten cut off, as the reception fades out there by the zebras and deer.

Now I've got to get busy contacting all our ad contacts, doing some last minute interviews, and making sure all my writing for the next issue is done. I want to post a couple new online exclusives, send out a mass email newsletter, and get caught up on my mail, phone messages, and email. And I also need to get ready for the Sonshine festival. That's this weekend (starts Thursday).

Over the weekend last weekend I saw my nephew, Greg, get married to the lovely Marie. It was a cool wedding and all us family members had a great time together. It's so cool to watch my little daughters play with their cousins and build memories that'll last.

I stopped by a gas station on the way here (in Muleshoe TX, I believe) and my wife came back to the car: "They've got 4-packs of Jones Soda on sale, 2 for $1." I hustled in there and quickly gathered two cases of the stuff and sat it on the counter. When the cashier started ringing it up, I discovered that it was "2 bottles for $1" and not 2 4-packs. Ah well.

There's a NEW SHIRT

We just added some new content to the site.
One item is our brand new "THE HARD MUSIC MAGAZINE" shirt.
What do you think of the design?

We also posted our Cornerstone 2004 review.
Please read and, if you attended, leave your own comments / review.
Let's create a "common review" here.

Today the Washington Post ran an article about the Cornerstone Festival. It turned out pretty cool.
Here's the link.

Am finding myself rushing to finish all that I need to do today.
Am going out of town for my nephew's wedding tomorrow morning.
I pray as I go through this day, but my soul yearns for deeper devotion (and then there's the guilty feelings, too). I need God. I need more of Him. And I need to slow down, relax, and enjoy His presence.
Here's to that happening today.

Back from Cstone [+HONESTY]

Made the return trip in record time: 16 hours and 25 minutes.
Whew!
Glad to sleep in my nice familiar bed again.
I'm endeavoring to finish my Cstone review, and hope to put much of it online today, with an invitation for others to add their own comments in order to create a fuller review/recollection of the wonderful (and maybe not-so-wonderful) events of this great festival.

It was another great year at Cornerstone.
Lots of encouragement and one lie.

I was having a nice conversation with this guy outside the HM Magazine Stage tent. We were talking about the current sound emanating from the stage, with its black and death metal hardcore growls. We also talked about football.

And then I told a lie.
Now, it wasn't a big lie. Giving up drugs, promiscuous sex, cussing, and big fat lies -- that stuff is easy (it seems...at least with the delivering power of God transforming your life). It's the subtle things that are harder or perhaps easiest to ignore in growing as a follower of Christ. For instance, I have chosen to try to consistently be honest all the time. When someone asks me, "How's it going?" I don't want to say, "Fine," if I'm not doing fine -- even if it was intended as a rhetorical question. I'll try to respond honestly (which can be difficult to tactfully do if the person doesn't know you too well). In this case, it was a laugh.

That's right: I lied by laughing. This guy is an OU fan (I'm from UT -- we're natural enemies). He finished a joke with a line that was something like, "I told him, 'It was one of Boone's boys...' (or something like that) And, instead of saying, "I don't get it. Who is Boone?" I just assumed that Boone was a coach or something and just laughed with him.
That was a lie.

I'm not going to cry in agony over this slip-up, but I am going to remember it and try to avoid the same mistake again in the future.

Well, please check the website later on today for some updates.
God bless ya'll.

PS For those of you who can get ahold of The Washington Post, check out tomorrow (Wed, July 7) edition (in the "Style" or "Lifestyle" section), cuz there should be a story on Christian music, Cornerstone Festival, and the Christian subculture.