Dunwoody Music Festival

India - Bass

Matt - Keys

So I'm a little late getting this up, but I wanted to take a second and congratulate a great group of kids that I have the privilege of teaching.  A week ago Matt, Nolan, India, Mary Fransis, and Jack, collectively known as Already Taken, played their first official show at the Dunwoody Music Festival.  I think they had more people at their debut show than I had collectively show in my entire time with a couple bands!  Like true professionals, they played their hearts out and did a great job.  In fact, I think the parents and I were more nervous about the whole thing than they were.  If you would like a copy of their demo, let me know and I will get one to you.  My friends accuse me of being too stoic much of the time, but I would be a liar if I said that I wasn't visibly stoked watching the kids play.  The whole thing was one of those transcendental "this is why I love what I do" moments.  Great job guys. . . keep it up!

Nolan - Drums

Mary Fransis - Guitar

Jack - Vocals

Seeing Things In A New Way. . .

     I never really cease to be amazed at how many great things we experience and totally overlook.  I was sitting in front of my computer the other day (paying student loans, I believe) and listening to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.  This has long been one of my favorite albums, but in spite of my years of hearing it, I never really paid attention.  I had a college professor named Dr. Feller who expressed the importance of taking time to "just listen to music."  Very often, it seems music becomes the soundtrack to our life and just kind of lingers in the background of our daily activities.  I liked what Dr. Feller was saying, and I try to take a little time each week to really listen.  Amazingly, I had, up until a couple days ago, never really paid full attention to the Sgt. Pepper's album.  Anyway, I was hit with this realization as I sat working.  Something about what I was hearing compelled me to stop the album and go to the start.  For 39:42 I sat an just listened to a great work of art. . . WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE!  If you have the chance to sit in front of some stereo speakers and enjoy this album for all it is, you will not be sorry.  The album ended on its famous E chord and a smile came a cross my face.  I guess this all falls under the old "take time to smell the roses" thing.  Try it some time.  If you don't like the Beatles, pick an album by an artist that you do enjoy.  I think you will be amazed at how much thought and detail you never noticed lies in the music you hear everyday.

Some other great albums:

Peter Gabriel - So
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Ben Folds Five - Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

If you hate them, just smile and nod should they be mentioned by yours truly.

Take Time To Listen,

mark

A Few Opening Words

Well first, I would like to give a nod to one of my childhood heroes who was born on this day.  John Lennon and the music he created has been a constant source of inspiration and joy for me.  I was surfing around YouTube and found a video from Matt Scannell (singer/songwriter from Vertical Horizion) who was discussing Lennon as a man instead of the legend.  I guess I was a bit touched by it.  Even now, his death is a tragedy.  Anyway, thanks for all the great music, John.  Happy Birthday.  We miss you.

On another note, I am about done getting this whole website deal up.  For those of you who have fished around, I hope you like what you see.  I will be doing my absolute best to keep the site constantly updated with new music, resources, and instructional videos.  If you have friends or family who are looking for some decent guitar, drum, piano, and bass stuff, let em' know.  Hopefully the material I will be posting can be a help to anybody interested in learning about music!  Of course, I am always open to any ideas and suggestions you may have.

Keep The Rubber Side Down,

Mark