I was talking to a friend who was feeling smothered in his relationship. It made me think of someone who is being buried alive; awful, suffocating and dying. He was afraid his friends would forget about him.

Buried Alive

This song came out when a dear friend’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. How sad to have to say goodbye to a husband and young daughter.


Going Away (Song for Paula)

The road we all are on. Sometimes things change subtly, sometimes drastically but things ALWAYS change. (Ask St. Paul)

Damascus

When you find the right person, they bring out things in you that you didn’t know you had. You become, not through coercion or work, a better person. You become what you want to be. Something that could never happen without that person.

Sanctuary

My dad passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly. We were very close as a family and are trying to figure out how to get along without him. At every family gathering, I still expect to see him somewhere in the room.

Be Here Soon

Yes, sometimes relationships are like this, too. Too much attention to the physical, not enough toward the more important things.

Inside and In Between

Check it out on the web: a tragic moment in our history. Hopefully, this song portrayed a sense of great sadness (the inhumanity) and great pride (the Cherokee people).

Trail of Tears

Relationships, again. What’s that old saying about ‘building your house’? Bad news if it’s built on suspicion.

House of Suspicion

My father’s family was sent to Poston during WWII when Executive Order 9066 was signed. They were told that it was for their protection and security. His family lost their land, their belongings, and their sense of place--“…for their protection.” Right.

Comfort and Prosperity

Too bad that most people who find Jesus find Him when they have hit rock bottom. How many see Him when things are the best? Still, there IS hope.

Bring Your Worries to Jesus

here’s really not that much to know about ‘loaf’. Nine members in all, six are siblings. Mary, Ellen, Tim, Peter, Ann & Dominic are six of eight Hirota brothers and sisters. They, along with Brian, Rick and Jeff (the others in the band) act as one big family: working together, goofing off, fighting and performing.  

Through the years, many projects evolved: “The Johnsons”, “Tita’s One-Night-Stand Band”, “Witness”, “Flyer” and dozens of other limited-edition variations.  Dominic had an original band, “Unleded”, where he explored grunge, alternative, post-punk and a range of similar styles.

When playing ‘cover’ gigs, they call themselves “Cheap Date”, the name that has been their longest-surviving incarnation.  Then came “loaf”.  This is the name of the original project.  Their first project, “Damascus”, has its roots in folk, blues and straight-forward classic rock. There is no shock here. That is not the intention, rather, the emulsion of strong lyrics, ethereal harmonies, musical hooks and pure musicianship form a very strong inaugural effort.

TheBandLoaf