Oh What a Night

Just a short note about our rehearsal last night...

Let me start by saying that when X-ALT! put together the "Rhythm & Praise" CD, we collected songs that each of us had written over the last million years and recorded them as a group. In a way that is a good thing because it makes for a very diverse CD with at least one song that will appeal to just about any musical taste. On the other hand, in some cases the CD sounds kinda like one of the K-TEL "Hit's" records, the ones that all of us old enough to remember when CD's were 12 inches wide and made of vinyl, had in our collection. I'm not putting down the CD, I love it and all that it has to offer and I am more proud of the work on that CD than anything I have ever been a part of. I just say that, as a lead in to this...

Last night at rehearsal we wrote 2 new X-ALT! songs, this time as a group. Mark Pierce and I had the basics of a song called "Lift Me Up" written by the time Mark Mills, Tommy and Eddie arrived, but it did not become a complete work until they threw their two cents worth in, and without bragging - this songs kicks! We will be testing it out on the congregation at New Beginnings this Sunday but I'm willing to bet they will really dig it! The ladies were all busy doing other things last night so it will be a suprise to them as well!

Just as we finished putting the final touches on "Lift Me Up" Tommy brought out his newest magnum opus. (That's A Good Thing) Anyone that has listened to "Piggy Back Ride" knows that Tommy is a master of creative lyrics and his new song is no exception. The yet-to-be-named song is a throw back to the old Stax Records days with one of the coolest vibes of any X-ALT! song yet. Not to mention a bass line that will have my fingers in knots for days! But it will be worth it. It needs another night of work to pull it all together but once it's ready to go I'm sure - Like "Piggy Back Ride" - it is going to be another staple of our live sets.

That said, the next CD should be a bit of a departure from the first because it is setting up to be a true group effort. After a year of playing together outside of the old church gig I think we have all come to know each other better and that unique musician's experience of knowing what the other players are thinking is starting to sink in. Needless to say- I'm Stoked!

V