I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

Small Percussionist (Male)

I was raised on Keith Green and other Christian artists of the 70's and 80's with a few exceptions (Noel Paul Stookey and John Denver). As young kids we were only allowed to listen to Christian music- but at this point I wasn't buying music yet and my brither and I just listened to the cassettes Dad would bring home for us. We listened to a lot of Keith Green. 

Keith's is one of those voices that you either love or hate. My wife is not a fan. 

He has a flair for the dramatic, emotional and theatrical. But at times he can also be disarmingly vulnerable. He lays it all out on the line and isn't worried about ruffling feathers. I have a soft spot for much of his music and was very inspired by his life. He was a lot of things that are not cool in these post modern times - extremely earnest and unapologetic in his bold proclamations about faith and what it means to be really a Christian and to care for those on the margins of society(and not just buy into an appearance of religiosity).

This is a song that still resonates. 

"So what can be done for an old heart like mine?'

It's been a challenging and hard year in a lot of ways and it was comforting to revisit Keith's songs and the simplicity of his devotion. 

Performed and recorded by J; Anderson @ protection island, Spring 2016. 
(www.protectionis.land)

My Eyes Are Dry (Keith Green)

Happy Birthday KG. I wonder what they are doing in heaven today.

Trials Turned To Gold (Keith Green Cover)

In The Bleak Midwinter

i met mike o'neill on the stairs in the main building in halifax where they were hosting the halifax pop explosion the year i was there with radiogram. i think i nervously mumbled something stupid about being a big fan but he was cool. i'll always remember seeing them open for the rheostatics at the vogue - they ended their set with Cinnamon Girl. 

i recorded this a bunch of years back for the INBREDS tribute album (wanna be your friend). this song is a personal fave of mine and i still like this recording a lot. 

i played all the instruments and michelle sung it with me. might have even been back as far as the old studio in white rock, basement winter (rip).

Drag Us Down

when i was in about grade 10, i went for the first time with my high school jazz band to Moscow, Idaho for the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. it was a great time. i learned how to smoke cigars and do bill cosby impressions, i goofed off with friends on the bustrip, and although i was playing trombone still in the school band, i bought my first guitar amp (actually split it with Rob), a fender squire solid state practice amp. i still have it. i hung out in the local music shop and checked out a whole new and strange music world. (remember this is pre pitchfork and hypemachine etc.) i bought an album by phish (bag it, tag it, anyone?) and this one cassette really caught my eye with it's weird cover art of snail like shapes. i bought it before hearing a note. still an all time favorite. reading writing and arithmetic. beautiful.


Here's Where The Story Ends (the sundays)

i first met mike feuerstack over the phone i think when i made a very unsuccessful attempt to interview him for discorder. i believe i was trying to record it on cassette and had to call him back and do the interview twice. he was pretty understanding and cool about it. i was a pretty huge fan of the Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars album and got really into his solo stuff as snailhouse. over the years i have had the privilege of getting to know mike and play some shows with and even in snailhouse. 

this is a cover of his song i was hoping to submit to a tribute comp somebody made a few years back. for whatever reason i didn't get it finished, i think i started it and then found out someone else already had dibs on this song. in my recent bout of recording covers i dug it up, dusted it off and added drums, bass, percussion, pedalsteel, keys, vocals and bgs. 

mike feuerstack is a fantastic songwriter and a true gent. i have all his albums and many other records that he has contributed to as well from his old band The Wooden Stars, kepler, Julie Doiron, Belle Orchestre, Angela Desveaux and more. 

check him out: snailhousemusic.com

Witches And Snowmen

music maker. recording nerd. family man. lover of tacos. lake swimmer. 

jonathaninc

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