Today, a pastor was preaching and he said that when a nightingale is dying, it sings it's most beautiful song. I know what he was implying, but, still, I couldn't contain the overwhelming desire to get my digital recorder out and find a nightingale and kill it. I'm sorry. [7.13.03]

Win the crowd. [2003]

For every one person who doesn't like what you've got, there is always a handful of people who do. [2001]

Do what is in your heart to do while you are young. At worst, when you're older, you can always blame it on your youth and immaturity. [4-8-02]

[on improvising] So I watched the public television interview with some acclaimed piano improviser and he started talking about how he flows, and I thought "we do that every Sunday--and that's between like 7 of us and vocalists". [7-10-03]

[concerning what's on the radio] Oh yeah--another song cleverly constructed of four bar phrases.  [5-11-01]

It seems like wherever I go, "strange" people are drawn to me; people who just start talking to me about their problems or their life story, or people who think I remind them of someone they'd like to start a fight with. Don't get me wrong--I like it (not the fighting one), but I'm afraid to know why they feel comfortable talking to me. [01-05-03]

[concerning popular music] If you live for more than 25 years or so, you'll notice that the contemporary styles just keep repeating themselves. It's futile in a sense--it's also kind of silly. Though, critics will still refer to "this" rock star or pop star or rap star (whatever) as "groundbreaking", and it's true that occasionally you get a few gems, but the progressive nature is subtle and is hardly groundbreaking. What is groundbreaking isn't always what's popular. What was popular then will get a face lift and be popular again, after a while, you notice the cycle. [01-19-02]

Selective Amnesia - the ability to recall pertinent and precise detail of a given event or thing, while disregarding any recollection of other information others would deem valuable. [1996]

(on "Happy Birthday") It's the longest song when people are singing it to you, and no one really knows what to do while they're singing it to you. If you watch, some people try to sing along and replace the word "you" with "me" and they giggle a lot. Some people try to laugh through it, or they just smile at everyone. That doesn't work either. Finally, some people just stare into the flame of the candles on the cake as if they're being reflective and are lost in the moment, when, in actuality, it just looks like they got a lobotomy as a birthday gift. [12-05-02]

I'm alright now, but this is going to hurt tomorrow. [05-14-02]

(on selling out) If you sell out once to God then you don't have to keep doing it over and over again to people. I decided a while ago that I was going to leave my music untainted. It meant that I wouldn't play certain things and, also, in certain places under other people's terms. I won't just play out in a place for the sake of doing it or trying to "make it". If we have a purpose (like ministering) then I'll play in bar or pub, but I don't like to jam...I'd like to know, for myself that it matters, and if we are to make it--it's going to be on my terms. [12-30-02]

[on wearing a lot of black clothes] I'm just trying to offset my unpredictability. [10-11-02]

(more on selling out) ...in the same regard: I'm a Christian first, then a musician, and then I guess a performer. So if getting up on stage and playing music that sounds contemporary and popular in order to attract people, so that we can talk to them--I'll do that. I don't like to market or commercialize anything--especially God. Our band is pretty "anti" that whole scene and "trendy-ness", but we'd do what it takes to reach people in that situation--besides, we have plenty of opportunities to play how we're supposed to and how we want. It's a small price to pay, and most people end up paying a lot more. [1-15-02]

Sleep is the oil of the voice. [2001]

All of the words I wrote--I believe those. [5-7-02]

At one point in time, people, who wrote music to be played in Church, took pride in their music. They thought that they were writing for the Highest audience that a person could write for. One problem that Martin Luther addressed, was that the music was too difficult for people to sing along congregationally, and there was not a part for the common person in the worship service. So while the emotional level rose in the congregation, the technical aspect of the music succumbed to what is common in many Churches today: a bunch of guys on guitars singing popular tunes set top religious text. It's time that we start raising the level of quality music in the Church. Many people are, and while I know that I, myself, have a long place to go before I am satisfied with the quality of what I am writing for Church, each effort I make is a step in the right direction. It won't change overnight. [02-03-2003]

Don't waste the life God gave you, 'cause you'll never have it back again.

Guitar players are a-dime-a-dozen--anointed one's are not.[1996]

Sometimes when I meet new people, I pretend I'm somebody else, just for fun.  Fictitious Identities

Demand more from your music. [03-05-03]

[concerning strange hobbies] I collect things: baseball cards, comic books and cards, toys, stuffed animals, software (like AOL Version 1 and the program my dentist uses), music (all formats), guitar picks, hotel room keycards, small turtle statues and I used to collect bottle caps when I was like 7. Those things, in turn, collect dust. I spend a lot of time on EBAY--call it VBAY. [1-19-02]