Thoughts on new Porcupine Tree and Megadeth

Here are some of my initial thoughts on the new releases from Porcupine Tree and Megadeth:










Porcupine Tree - The Incident

I'd give this 8.5 out of 10

I have been a fan of this band since hearing their 2002 release "In Absentia". I've had the pleasure of seeing the band twice, and they are amazing. Main songwriter and frontman Steven Wilson has not only released a fantastic solo album in 2008, but also continue to work with numerous other bands and projects. I was a bit skeptical about how good this new Porcupine Tree would turn out, considering how busy Steven has been.

The first time through the disc was a bit of a disappointment. I had read it was going to be a concept album, but they have been doing some of that lately anyway. However, "The Incident" is much more of a layered piece, compared to past releases. The version I bought has two discs. Disc one is a continuous piece that is framed as "The Incident". This entire disc lacks a typical "song" structure that I expected, but has more of a "story" flow to it. Sections flow together, and some tracks are just over a minute, while others are over 11 minutes. Their previous "Fear of A Blank Planet" featured longer songs, but they seemed more structured. So, this has taken me some time to get comfortable with, but after a few days, I can now say it's very good and fits with their past work. Disc 2 features a selection of individual songs from the same recording sessions. However, these supposedly did not fit within the "Incident" story. These tracks are good, but do need to be taken separately. The entire disc 1 comes across a tad more "down tempo" than I expected, but they mix up things pretty good during the 50 minutes.

I would say this is a release that simply takes a few listens and time to get familiar with it. Steven and the band have created a project that both catches me off guard, while also finding enough familiar ground to keep me connected. I like that they were able to find that middle ground, and challenge my expectations. It's an impressive release, and will probably continue to grow on me.











Megadeth - Endgame

I'd give it 9.75 out of 10

For most of us, Megadeth hit their peak with "Rust In Peace". The couple following releases were good, but the band continued to lose momentum. In recent years, band founder Dave Mustaine has marketed each new release as a return to the "Rust In Peace" sound. However, in my opinion, he fell short. Until now.

This is the Megadeth release most of us have been waiting for. With almost an entirely new band (nobody left from the "Rust In Peace" days), Mustaine and company finally correct the recent past shortcomings. "Endgame" opens up with a brief instrumental piece called "Dialectic Chaos". This is basically a 2 minute old school thrash piece, with some great solos. This certainly takes you back to the early days with Marty Friedman. Finally, I don't find myself missing Marty. Afterward, we get into ten more classic Megadeth compositions.

Mustaine has managed to recapture his snarling vocals, and also brought back all the elements that fans have been looking for. Few ballads and no more of the "modern" sounds, help lift this new release to almost classic status. The drums are pummeling, the guitars are crunchy, the solos are amazing, and the songs are fantastic.

My only reasons for not giving it a 10 rating is that Vic Rattlehead is missing from the cover, AND I still wish Marty Friedman was still around. I realize those are minor issues, when compared against how well this release delivers on the expectations. Oh, and this is WAY better than the latest Metallica, as good as that one is.

If you've been waiting for the proper follow-up to "Rust In Peace"/"Countdown To Extinction" era Megadeth, this is for you.

U2 - Soldier Field, Chicago, Sept 13, 2009

U2 - Soldier Field, Chicago, September 13, 2009











As many of my friends will tell you, I have often sworn off of going to concerts at football stadiums. Not only are the venues beyond huge for a musical performance, but the huge crowds also tend to lend themselves to various frustrations. So, when I first heard about U2 kicking off their North American 2009 "360" tour at Chicago's Soldier Field, I said "no thanks".

However, my wife was being sent to McCormick Place for a trade show that her employer was having a booth displayed. She was going to be working at the booth from Friday thru Monday. She was looking for something to do for the weekend, and came up with the idea of trying to see U2 on Sunday night. It turns out that Soldier Field is within walking distance of McCormick Place, so I said maybe I'd come along. She asked if I could find some tickets. We found a guy on CraigsList who was in Grand Rapids, but had two spare tickets for Sunday night. He had bought four, and could only use two. He was letting me have the other two at face value. So, we took the chance, got the tickets, and had a surprisingly good time.

We walked over to the stadium, from the Hyatt hotel. I waited until we got into the actual venue before pursuing some souvenirs. In 2005, we remembered getting U2 tour shirts that ended up being "form fitting". So, I had my wife help me come up with a choice that hopefully is a bit more "loose' fitting. They had a nice "Soldier Field" specific shirt, but those were mostly sold out by the time I got to a vendor (I checked about 4 different tables). So, I settled on a shirt and a program. I chose to use a credit card, and their "wireless" systems were running very slow. Turns out that some of the stage technical gear was causing problems with other systems around the stadium. I'm sure it had something to do with BlackBerry sponsoring the showing - LOL.

The "360" tour features a custom "spaceship" stage, with a 360 degree minimally obstructed view of the band. There is also a 360 degree video screen that would descend and ascend as needed. Check around the internet for details, but the story we see says this contraption takes 2 days to put up. To say massive is an understatement. Yup, it's a bit much for 4 guys playing music on stage.

Opening band "Snow Patrol" kicked things off right around 7:15pm (local time). They played about 40 minutes of very U2 influenced pop (think a more bouncy Coldplay). They were OK.

Around 8:30 local time, the lights went down, and David Bowie's "Space Oddity" started playing. After the first verse, a separate ambient track came in, and the band emerged from a back stage entrance. They individually walked up some stage stairs, with drummer Larry Mullen being the first on stage. Edge, Bono, and Adam followed, and the band kicked into songs from their new CD. Sorry, I can't remember the song titles. Check here for setlists

The band played a little over 2 hours. There were plenty of songs off the new CD, and they seemed to be picking other "obscure" tunes. We still got staples like "With or Without You", "Where the Street Have No Name", "Vertigo", "Beautiful Day", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", etc. But we also got treated to "Until The End Of The World", and a nice acoustic version of "Amazing Grace". What we didn't get was "Pride (In The Name of Love)".

Edge seemed a bit more animated that I remember him being in 2005. Bono seemed to get the most enjoyment out of being close to the audience around the stage perimeter. Adam is adequate, and does what he is supposed to (the luckiest average bass player on the planet). Larry actually impressed with his consistent drumming all night long. All four worked well as a single unit.

The stage is amazing, and they must have an entire I/T department to keep the thing running. It's a technical marvel, not unlike some of the best ideas Genesis has had in the past. And each band member did make at least one complete trip around the entire outer circle.

In general, I'd say the show wasn't quite as "energetic" as the 2005 show we saw in Detroit. This year's setlist didn't seem to pack the same punch, but the band was more interactive.

The attendance numbers have indicated there were around 65,000 people there. For that huge of a crowd, U2 still managed to make it feel like a much smaller venue. Bono truly tried to connect with the audience.

I'd say it was worth the trip, but I'm not sure I'll be endorsing the football stadium concert idea yet. It's still something very few bands can pull off. U2 is a rare group in the regard.

Keep in mind that U2 is coming up on 30 years since their first CD, and it still is the same four guys. Not bad, if you ask me. They seem to continue to evolve and yet maintain their own style. I don't mind calling myself a fan.

One point of note: This is the second time my wife and I have gone to Chicago to see a band that was not making a stop in Detroit. Chicago is becoming the town to see the "special" shows. Sorry Detroit.

Thanks to Scott for setting us up with the tickets.

It's been awhile - What's new? Well...

Check my website www.timhamm.com for more details on performances

Updated information has been added to www.hammsterwheel.com Coming soon will be an online store with only music that has some direct connection to Hammster Wheel. I hope this will help promote these artists, and make it easier for people to get some great indie music.

Got some various performances coming up. One of note is the August 23 date with my friend "dete tilma". This promises to be an evening of great music down in Marcellus, Michigan. We are also planning on having former Sojourn drummer Dennis Jeltema join us. Also, dete's new project "Glass of Water" is at the manufacturers, so actual CDs will be available soon. I plan on having online ordering available at my Hammster Wheel site.

Desperate Measures has some dates coming up, and we are also adding more songs with our female vocalist. There are other possible changes coming up with this band, so I'll keep you posted.

I have been helping out a Rockford, Michigan based group named "Sol Tap" (pronounced like "soul tap"). These are some friends who have a somewhat different take on the "cover band" concept, and their setlist is a bit different from most. They also have some good original music. More info coming soon, and I'll keep you posted on performances.

I've got my laptop all updated with the latest version of Cakewalk's Sonar Producer Edition, and I also have loaded up some additional soft synths. It's pretty much the way I want it, and now am able to get some multi-track recording done. Now, to just carve out the time to get going on the original ideas.

With any luck, I'll be updating more frequently (I know, I've said that before)

Until next time...

Does the church need bylaws?

So, I'm sitting around a dinner table with my mom and extended family. My step father (a retired pastor) and his daughter are talking about a recent church meeting where there was a debate about the church constitution and bylaws. The debate was at a "general council" meeting (which includes churches from around an entire region), but these type of debates also go on within individual churches.

After hearing them talk about the issues that were discussed and the debates, I asked if they could answer a question. My question was:

"If the Bible is the the final word from God and all we need, why do all the various denominations need additional constitutions or bylaws? And how can they sometimes be so radically different on specific issues, if they are all said to be bible based churches?"

We all agreed that it was simply man-made church government issues, and frequently does lead to individual pursuits of political power within the church.

Is this the way we want the world to see the church? I'm not so sure I like the impression this leaves with those who may be watching.

Thoughts?

Hammster

For God's Glory, or your own?

Bear with me, as I ponder out loud a topic of interest:

Over the past few years, I have read quite a few books that contemplate the validity of what American's recently call "Christian Church". Authors like John Fischer, Donald Miller, Charlie Peacock, and (more recently) Larry Crabb all seem to point some light on a trend away from conviction or true repentance. Churches getting more wrapped up in how we serve each other for our own glory, rather than for God's glory.

Has the Americanized version of "Christian Church" become more about "feel good" music and sermons, rather than challenging believers? We've got the right building, sound system, lighting, suits/ties, choir, programs, etc., etc. Have we gotten to the point where we know all the right "phrases" and "songs", in order to conform to the image of the "good Christian? (by our own definition). When was the last time you heard a pastor offer a sermon about his own challenges with sin, and how none of us will become perfect in this life? Was the intended message of Jesus Christ based around our own feelings, or was it more about action (loving your brother) and helping bring hope to the lost, for God's glory?

I began watching Steve Taylor's movie "Second Chance", last night. I'm only about half way through the film, but I can see he has already tried to balance challenging problems with both the "suburban mega church" and the "inner city street church". He clearly points a finger at the "mega-church" crowd looking to support the "street church" purely with dollars, rather than actions. He also maintains the alternate perspective of the "street church" feeling the "mega-church" crowd is simply pandering to the street people (no real intention to get connected or "dirty").

The whole issue brings up the question of whether the American Christian Church has gotten too wrapped up in their own "ministries", and have gotten disconnected from what Christ truly taught. Perhaps we are so concerned with having the right "look", that we lose sight of serving God.

In Larry Crabb's book, he mentions a recent lack of interest in attending any Sunday morning church service. He comments on how he gets more out of a good discussion at a local coffee shop, rather than sitting through a prepared "worship" service and lecture (sermon). I can see his point, and don't completely disagree.

For decades, there has been the debate of Christians creating their own subcultures and separating themselves from society. Could it be that this has finally gotten to the point where many Christians see themselves as "reaching out to the lost", when in fact they are only doing what is expected to earn that next "scout badge"? Possibly church has become the new "country club", where you get your membership card, pay your dues, and earn the respect of your neighbors based upon your church affiliation. Nothing else. Just image and public appearance.

I know there are millions of people who simply like a "pep rally" and "motivational speaker". They come to church to get their uplifting message, put on a friendly face, and present themselves as "model Christians", while feeling a certain sense of pride that they are better than the "lost" who didn't make it to church. It all makes sense, and certainly is rewarded. However, is this what the bible teaches, or are we simply using the bible as the "justification" for our misguided pursuits? Are we supposed to come together as Christians to simply make each other feel better about themselves?

Granted, there are some believers who are very sincere in their love for Christ, and have no interest in their own edification. I enjoy it when I meet those folks. However, when the issues mentioned above are brought up to some of my fellow Christians, I generally see looks of confusion. Most Christians don't want to consider that maybe their "church participation" is purely based upon selfish desire for recognition. It's almost an attempt at gaining more power, in that they aren't there to pursue God's glory, but their own. They are more concerned with looking good to man, rather than God.

So, does that mean I give up on the Christian church? Not quite. There are plenty who are truly looking to follow Christ, and want nothing but to live for the glory of God. None of us are perfect, and God still continues to use us. I believe God has truth seeking people in place to help reach out to those who are also truly seeking God. We can pray for the others, in hopes they will join us in this humble pursuit.

What do you think?

Meeting Phil Ehart (from the band Kansas)

Here's an interesting story from this past weekend:

I am playing bass in the backing band for some friends who call themselves "J3" (www.j3girls.com). The group is comprised of three ladies who have names that start with the letter "J". Their style is mostly country.

Anyway, this past weekend we had the pleasure of being one of the opening acts for national country artist Heidi Newfield. The show was at a Grand Rapids venue known as "The Intersection". We were scheduled to go on at 8pm, and was surprised to find we were given 40 minutes to play. Just after sound check, we were told that an extra artist was added to the evening and would perform an "acoustic" set just before J3. The artist was a guy named Nathan Lee Jackson, and he had two backing musicians. He was scheduled to go on at 7:30pm, and was going to get around 30 minutes. No big deal, and we were happy to see the show get started early anyway.

While hanging out backstage before the show, I got into a conversation with one of Nathan's guitar players. The guy was named Keith, and we were talking about various music topics. At one point, Keith mentions that Nathan's manager had shown up and was standing off to the side talking with the other guitar player. Keith casually mentions the manager is also the drummer for the band Kansas. After the initial shock of this comment, I ask "which Kansas are you talking about?". Keith says "you know, the one from 'Carry on my Wayward son'". I say "Phil Ehart?", and Keith says "Yup, that's Phil". After trying to not offend Keith with my excitement over seeing Phil, I ask Keith if he could introduce me. Keith has no problem with this, and takes me over to meet Phil.

Now, I need to mention that Kansas is one of my all time favorite bands. I have been a fan since the late 70s, and got to see them in concert a few times (first back in 1979). Original member Kerry Livgren has continued to be one of my inspirations, but I do know Phil Ehart is a major factor in the band's existence.

Meeting Phil was a true pleasure for me, and was a surprise I did not expect for the day. I told Phil how I didn't want to come off as "gushy", but that I had been a fan for decades. He was kind and polite, and even let me get a photo with him. I had my wife Michelle take the photo, and then Phil said why not get a photo with him and my wife. Note that my wife is familiar with the band, but isn't a big fan of progressive rock. She didn't mind the fun, but certainly wasn't as familiar with Phil and his involvement with the band.

To continue the show story, Nathan Lee Jackson's set was great and he was also a super nice guy. I was VERY impressed with him, and would recommend his music. The J3 performance went off fine (no major problems), and the crowd seemed to enjoy the girls and their music. They had a decent crowd hanging out back at their merchandise table, after our set. A Detroit based band named "Redhill" performed after J3, and they had a solid set of original country rock. Heidi Newfield was very professional, but seemed a bit "generic".

Here's the two photos with Phil Ehart.












Thanks to Phil for being so accomodating and making a memorable night just a bit more special for me.

J3 Video from about a month ago

Last night I spent some time putting final touches on a "compilation" video from one of the groups I'm performing with. The group is called J3, and they performed numerous times at an "Arena Racing" pre-race party at Grand Rapids "Deltaplex". This particular video is from a February 28, 2009 performance. I took some clips from a few songs, as well as a clip of the girls singing the national anthem before the race. Enjoy.



I will be performing next with the band when they have an opening slot for national artist Heidi Newfield. This show is Saturday April 18 at The Intersection, in Grand Rapids.

Over this coming weekend, I hope to also get a similar video compilation completed for the cover band I'm currently playing with. This band has some dates booked, and I need to get the MySpace page filled with some music and video.

Have a great Easter weekend,

Tim