Music to my ears

Okay, first thing to do is apologize for taking so long in updating my blog, sorry!

Probably the best place to pick things up from is the Parachute music festival (check out http://websites.parachutemusic.com/festival/2006/index2.html). Music has always been a big feature in my life. From my early days performing in Orchestra's as a teenager to my near financial undoing working in the music an video sectioon of a store. So it was great (if very hot) to be able to spend the weekend listening to various (Christian) bands from NZ and wider.

I think it is a fair thing to say that a lot of the music has a countryfied feel to it. But bands similar to the group madness in the UK are quite popular too.

I was given the album Available Light by Dave Dobyn (see http://www.davedobbyn.co.nz/) as a welcome to NZ present by TSCF and the song welcome home was played as a welcome at staff conference. The opening verse:

Tonight I am feeling for you under the state of a strange land
you have sacrificed much to be here ‘there but for grace…’ as I offer my hand
welcome home, i bid you welcome, i bid you welcome
welcome home from the bottom of my heart

struck a chord (so to speak) after my first few weeks here.

Dobyn is a famous musician (he is good friends with the Finn brothers of Crowded House fame) here in new Zealand who became a Christian. His music makes good and interesting listening.

Then we have the lads (check out http://www.theladsband.com/). They are a brilliant, funny and thoughtful band. The song cannibalism is great comment on whether there are moral absolutes, the chorus goes:

Cannibalism's wrong. You must fight, it don't deny
Cannibalism's wrong. Come on people, can't you see
Cannibalism's wrong. Don't be tempted, to eat them
Cannibalism's wrong. Don't deny it you must fight
Cannibalism's wrong. Don't eat your best friend's thigh you know why
Cannibalism's wrong. Even if they deserve it, you can't eat them ‘cos it’s wrong

and the song ends with the good advice:

If you do don't eat the skin, it's fattening.

Another CD on my list to buy is She Will Have Her Way which is an album of cover versions of songs from the band crowded house that are sung by various female artists from New Zealand and Australia.