OVERHANG

Joel and Grant both turned 29 recently. Some of the most celebrated rock stars were already dead by this age. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Curt Cobain. It's not anything to worry about, though. As rock stars, Joel and Grant haven't even been born yet. And we don't have enough money to go all out on the booze and/or heroin. yet.

The big question continues to be whether or not we are using this moment in the best way possible? Are we obeying this moment? It's a question that actors have to ask themselves as they make their decisions about each scene they're playing. Every movement must be intentional, right? Every act must have its reason so the play is meaningful and communicates to the audience. Much of our moments often seem wasted. Maybe even most of them.

Last week, Grant, Joel and Jeff came very close to going to Latvia to work with Janis in a town on the Baltic Sea but Janis will not be able to finish the studio in time for it to be worth our while. He is having difficulty getting the money for the building materials. He is frustrated that his Christian friends in Latvia are not willing to give money to such projects. Though we are tempted to get another loan to help him through this patch, it is far beyond our means, of course. We are slowly replacing equipment lost during the fire. And Joel is saving as much money as he can for future recording costs.This summer, Grant and his wife are living in Evanston which means the commute to band practice in Lansing is around 2 hours. So Grant and Joel drive to Lansing and sleep over to get two good practices in before heading home. It's a good time of bonding. Musically, we are now ready for a bass player. Since we have three Dutch reformed guys in the band, two south side Chicagoans and one Canadian, the type of bass player that will work seems narrower. But you never know. Joel's visiting other churches looking for bassists again.

Kanye West was on the Ellen Degeneres show this week, talking sincerely about being a tool for God and about speaking his life without fear. He seems like a kindred spirit, much more than the folks who claim to make "Christian" music in Nashville, though I trust they have a part in this whole thing too. By "whole thing", I mean this movement of believers who are reclaiming the music industry. Even though OVERHANG is not visibly contributing anything more to the movement right now than a few practice sessions in a basement in Lansing and unreleased recorded material, we pledge our support and offer these good words of Thomas Merton from NO MAN IS AN ISLAND:

"My successes are not my own. The way to them was prepared by others. The fruit of my labors is not my own; for I am preparing the way for the achievements of another. Nor are my failures my own. They may spring from the failure of another, but they are also compensated for by another's achievement. Therefore the meaning of my life is not to be looked for merely in the sum total of my own achievements. It is seen only in the complete integration of my achievements and failures with the achievements and failures of my own generation, and society, and time. It is seen, above all, in my integration in the mystery of Christ."