If NRT Had A Superbowl Ad Category:Music Views:
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Hey Everyone!
While watching the Super Bowl each year, I always pay attention to the commercials. The fact that companies drop $100,000 per SECOND to push their brand requires my attention. It's fun to see what they will do with that space and what buzz it generates.
This year, I was thinking about what I would do if I had a Super Bowl commercial for NRT. I think I have the perfect idea that would provide just the right combination of controversy and curiosity that would introduce a Christian music community to a worldwide audience.
First of all, my idea has the potential to offend some, and I know that, but know I would approach it with as much taste as the subject matter required.
My biggest pet peeve in mainstream music is the pure debauchery and blatent sexual themes everywhere you turn. So I would use that as a base to make my point in my ad. I would collect 15-20 "worst moments" in music history (over the top videos, Janet's half time show incident, lots of clips of Britney Spears, Kayne West's "Jesus" cover from Rolling Stones, Fifty Cent gyrating around 20 woman in one of his videos, etc.) and just flash them back to back. 1-2 seconds max and the clip would be decent enough but back to back the point would be music is dirty and filthy.
Then at the end, I'd have a blank screen with one question. "Want More Out Of Your Music?" Then our NRT logo.
I realize I'd be toeing the line here. I also realize I wouldn't get permission from any one of these artists to use their "work", even for a second, but hey, it's my vision so whatever.
But I think the point would be extreamly powerful and it would get people's attention. It also talks about an alternative without shoving it down anyone's throat.
I don't know. I like it, but what do you think? Don't be afraid to disagree with me here, but pitch me a better idea in the process. :)
And if you could make a Super Bowl commercial (think unlimited budgets, over the top ideas - not your standard marketing), what would it be?
"Healer" Author Michael Guglielmucci Wrote Song In Deception Category:Music Views:
237
Earlier this month, Hillsong released their latest live album titled This Is Our God. I've been addicted to the title track as well as the upbeat "Run". There's a song on the album titled "Healer" which is also incredible and many in my own church have embraced the song as well.
Some distributing news has come out this week about the Pastor who wrote the song, and the "inspiration" that helped him pen the lyrics. Check out this new article, which has been verified many times over by various print:
About two years ago, Pastor Michael Guglielmucci announced to his congregation that he had terminal cancer. Today, he is cancer-free.
To the shock of many church members and fellow pastors, at a recent Australian Christian Churches (ACC) – formerly named The Assemblies of God – national executive meeting, the pastor admitted to having a lied about his battle with cancer. The Advertiser stated that the ACC was going to audit Mr. Guglielmucci's bank accounts, which were filled with donations he willingly accepted from people who prayed for his plight.
After inventing his cancer story, the pastor wrote a hit song titled Healer, which – according to the newspaper account – became "an anthem of faith for believers, many of whom are suffering illnesses and were praying for Mr. Guglielmucci." While performing it live at his church called Planetshakers – a subset of the church Guglielmucci's parents founded called Edge Church International – he wore an oxygen tube in his nose. The song, which is on Hillsong's latest album, appeared at No. 2 on the ARIA charts.
In the Healer video, Guglielmucci talks about his feelings after he found out about his so-called "aggressive form of cancer."
"I just went home," he said. "I knew I had to go home and needed to get alone with God."
And his followers were not the only one surprised by the deception. Among them also were his wife and family. Guglielmucci's parents are with him while he seeks professional help. Sources in the church community report that he attended his medical appointments alone.
Jonathan Fontanarosa, Edge Church's executive pastor, says everyone is waiting on a better explanation pending further investigation.
Wow. Talk about shocking. The video that is referenced in the article is found on the This Is Our God DVD. It used to be available to watch everywhere but it's quickly being removed. I'm sure Integrity is working overtime to remove any online reference to the testimony and song, but there's not much they can do about the video and CD now that it's out.
I did find it here though. We'll see how long this stays up.
The live performance is one thing, but it's the 8 minute testimonial from the Pastor's own lips that brought me to tears when I originally viewed this before the story broke. This is being taken down left and right so we'll see how long this stays up as well.
The story is pretty shocking and the depth of deception that this man went to is even more surprising. For him to allow his story to reach a national audience, I don't know. Talk about playing with fire.
This is yet another example of a high profile Christian falling in front of his fellow man, and the ignorant comments that are going to follow, from both Christians and non-Christians, will irritate me to no end.
I hope the Christian community does not harpoon this guy on their pitchforks and swords. At the same time, I hope those around him hold him accountable for the deception he caused and certainly, there should be consequences for what he did.
My gut reaction without having too much time to process it all? It's sad. I'm sad to see a powerful testimony exposed as a lie. I'm discouraged that someone would twist the power of God and distort His true healing power into nothing more than a means to make a buck. I'm also saddened that another example has been given to those who live their lives to destroy everything that Christians stand for. Things like this can do so much damage.
But I also know that when we put our faith in a man, we will be disappointed. Believing God IS a healer and can heal sickness and change lives is a TRUTH. The message of the song "Healer" is still TRUTH. If man wants to attempt to distort that truth for their own personal gain that will be their loss to bear. It will not shake the fact that God is who is. He does not change, He is the same yesterday as He is today and man can not destroy that.
As for the song, it's still powerful; however, I'm not sure I'll be able to sing it in a service without thinking about all the baggage that is now attached to it. That saddens me as well.
Today, I was uploading new banners for the site and got sidetracked after testing the link for the new Casting Crowns "Altar and the Door Live" CD/DVD banner (in stores tomorrow).
I had not got around to watching the "Slow Fade" music video and was very moved. My wife and I pray regularly for God to protect our marriage, knowing full well that sin can overcome either one of us at any time. We don't leave things to chance and with His help, can overcome temptation. This song speaks right to the heart of that, and I got a little choked up watching the video.
The special video page that Provident Label Group put together also has a number of other video clips from the DVD including a teaching video from lead singer Mark Hall for the song "Slow Fade." I encourage everyone reading this to stop what they are doing and go watch this. It's a great 4 minute devotion that will encourage and challenge, straight from one of Christian music's best communicators.
I'm excited to see Provident Label Group give some extra content on their banner link versus pushing you to another sales or MySpace page. It's worth the click, and you'll find the banner in rotation to the right of this post and throughout the site.
Heartbroken - Steven Curtis Chapman & Family On Larry King Live Category:Music Views:
224
Tonight, I watched the Larry King Live interview with Steven Curtis Chapman, his wife Mary Beth and his family in one of the most emotional interviews I've seen in quite a long time.
By now, we're familiar with the news of the tragic accident involving their daughter Maria Sue. This week, Steven and his family have opened up their home, memories and some pretty raw emotion on both Larry King Live and Good Morning America.
When I heard the news initially, my wife was out with our 21 month old daughter. I was pretty shocked and remember shutting down and just being quiet. I knew I should pray, but had nothing to say.
When my wife came home, I told her and we held Kennedy in our hallway, quietly weeping for what we knew would be an incredibly trying time for this family but also bringing the morality of our all, and our own children, to the forefront.
Last week, I blogged about the pride I felt watching Third Day perform on a national platform. Tonight, I know I'm not feeling pride, but I know that God uses tragedies to build his kingdom, and I'm proud (although again, that word doesn't work) to hear Steven, Mary Beth, Will and the rest of the family taking about a sorrow that is REAL (something we can't understand), that has consumed them, but has not overtaken their joy and comfort in a God that is bigger than anything we will ever face.
My heart is absolutely broken right now. As Christian music fans, we memorize songs of artists, see them at concerts, read and watch interviews and we get to know them on a level that's just under a personal relationship. To hear tragic news of this magnitude, from the family of an artist who has impacted so many, it's just tough.
Maybe in the near future, I'll dive into the response from these open and national interviews, because there's certainly enough truth and challenge to keep my occupied for months, but for now, I'm hanging onto an answer from Emily that she gave to the question, "How do you explain this faith?"
"God's mercies are new every morning," she said, "And I woke up the next morning, and He is the same since."
Remember when artists' names were easy to pronounce? No one tripped up recommending Michael W. Smith to a fan. Jeremy Camp is pretty easy to say. Even the basic reader can figure out that "Bebo Norman" is said exactly like it reads.
But as of late, there have been a number of artists who not only have interesting names, but they are so impossible to read they've had to post video blogs, explaining to fans how their names are pronounced.
For example, here is artist Joel Auge, a new worship artist from Integrity, talking about his last name.
A few weeks back, new artist Francesca Battistelli released an impressive debut on Fervent Records. Good luck with that name! Actually, the slower you read it, the better you'll get. In fact, knowing the challenge ahead of them, the Word Records Label Group (who also markets Fervent Records) put together a humorous video that hits a little too close to home. ("Hey, uhhh, Fran!")
There have been many other artists and groups that have come and go with even stranger names. At least, I'm sure of it. Problem is, I can't remember who they are, and there's the issue. Without a name that people can pronounce, it seems to be a tough challenge to get people to talk about them.
I like both of these artists. They are very original in their separate ways and I hope their lack of memorable names does not trip up their potential. Then again, it could always catch on. Whoever though Google was a great name probably got a lot of eyebrow raises as well.
What are some other artists or groups that you enjoy that have unconventional names?
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