A Fluffy Post

Since I am doing talking about the songs on RE:boot, I thought I would share some ideas about the next Midiboy project coming down the pipes.  I am hoping there won't be as long of a wait for the next project as there was between Rejuvenate and RE:boot.

First, my goal is to get the one:nine album out before I work full force on the next Midiboy project, but we'll see how that goes.  Most of the songs are written, they just need polished and perhaps some new vocals or vocalists.

Anyway, back to the next Midiboy project...

I am planning on calling the album, "Fluffy."

I envision the artwork to be as such...

A Las Vegas like downtown strip.  You might see people in the shadows doing drugs, or perhaps a few prostitutes on the side of the street, maybe one leaning into a car. You'll see casino signs.  You'll see shops with Adult neon signs.  I want it to be shocking, without being sexually explicit though.

In the middle of the road, being ignored by everyone except perhaps a little kid that is looking upon it with wonder...will be a pure white lamb.  While the rest of the picture will have a darkness over it, the lamb will almost be in a spotlight, cast from an unseen source from above, yet for the most part, nobody sees it.

See where I'm going with this?

Perhaps in the background on the horizon, we'll see a hillside with three crosses on it as well. I haven't decided on that yet.

The word Fluffy will be written across the top in letters made out of thorns with blood dripping from them. Perhaps written in small print within one of the arms of the "F" will be "Jn 1:36"  (Look it up)

What do you think?  Any artists out there up for the challenge?

So...why call it Fluffy?  That's such a ... silly name.

The inspiration came from our pastor's last sermon that really struck me.  Imagine being a little boy back in the days before Jesus. Imagine raising a lamb up.  It's become a pet to you.  Then you turn 12 years old, and your dad tells you that it's time to go somewhere...and make sure you bring Fluffy.  You just love Fluffy so much and are horrified...devastated that Fluffy has to give up his life as a sacrifice for your sins.

Today...we take it for granted that the true Lamb of God gave up His life for our sins.

So, the song Fluffy will be about that.  Calling this album Fluffy may make you smile, or even giggle to yourself, but the seriousness of it is very real.

That's all.
Gregg

The Wall

I am going to skip One Child as it only has a few words and they speak for themselves.  If you want to see the words, you can go here: http://midiboy.com/lyrics/reboot/onechild.htm  If you have any questions, let me know.

This song was the result of my Kickstarter campaign. As I was creating the different tiers of donation amounts, almost as a joke, I decided to make a $500 level.  I didn't actually expect anyone to do that.  The reward for that level included all from previous levels, as well as the opportunity to pick a cover song that I could do as well as be named as the executive producer of the album. 

Much to my surprise, and delight, someone did that level.  They also asked me if it were possible if they could play guitar on the song.  I figured, "Sure, why not, after all, you pretty much funded 75% of the project!"

Originally he had picked a Dream Theater song, which, to be honest scared me.  That's not easy stuff.  Fortunately, he called me and said he was also having trouble with that song and asked if it would be ok if we picked a different song.  I was like, "Oh man...really?  I guess...if you must."  No, not really.  I was relieved also.  He picked this song by Kansas.  After reading the lyrics and really seeing what they had to say, I knew this was the song we had to do, and it fit the theme of the album so well.  Here are the lyrics.

The Wall

Kansas

I'm woven in a fantasy, I can't believe the things I see

The path that I have chosen now has led me to a wall

And with each passing day I feel a little

more like something dear was lost

It rises now before me, a dark and silent barrier between,

All I am, and all that I would ever want be

It's just a travesty, towering, marking

off the boundaries my spirit would erase

To pass beyond is what I seek, I fear that I may be too weak

And those are few who've seen it through to glimpse the other side,

The promised land is waiting like a maiden that is soon to be a bride

The moment is a masterpiece, the weight of indecision's in the air

It's standing there, the symbol and the sum of all that's me

It's just a travesty, towering, blocking out the light and blinding me

I want to see

Gold and diamonds cast a spell, it's not for me I know it well

The riches that I seek are waiting on the other side

There's more that I can measure in the treasure of the love that I can find

And though it's always been with me, I must tear down the Wall and let it be

All I am, and all that I was ever meant to be, in harmony

Shining true and smiling back at all who wait to cross

There is no loss.

-=-=-=-

This song was written by Kerry Livgren while he was searching for God and it pretty much tells the story of salvation in word pictures.

The first verse describes his situation that he was in at the time.  He made a bunch of wrong choices, and one choice that he made left him so lost that he felt he had nowhere to turn to at all.  Nowhere to go. He literally felt backed up against a wall (Hence the title of the song).

The second verse describes the process we have all gone through at one time or another.  "Do I believe or do I not believe...that is the question."  He obviously wants to believe.  He wants to see, but he is still struggling with some choices and perhaps some indecision. (The moment is a masterpiece, the weight of indecision's in the air...)  There is also what seems to be a reference to Mathew 25:1 prior to that. (The promised land is waiting like a maiden that's soon to be a bride). 

Basically, this second verse is him wanting to make it to Heaven, but his view of Heaven is tarnished by sin and other things in his life at the time.

Then comes the beautiful third verse.  One might say it is his epiphany.  He finally realizes that all the money that he desires and all the possessions he may have mean nothing more than a hill of beans in the grand scheme of things. His true riches are waiting for him in Heaven. True riches come from the love of God. He also realizes that he has always had this Wall with him and that it is the thing that needs to be removed so he can truly let God into his life and experience true riches and true happiness and all that God meant him to be. Jesus is standing there, waiting for us to accept His love at no cost to ourselves. (There is no loss). 

To me, this is one of the most beautiful word picture songs I have ever heard and it was truly an amazing thing for me to record this song with both Tom (guitar) and Taylor (vocals). 

And this song concludes the series on RE:boot.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.  

That is all.

Gregg

NuSkool Has Spelling Issues

The next song I am going to discuss from RE:boot is NuSkool.  This song has generated the most questions of any of my songs.  "What does it mean?" being the main question.

Basically, this song talks about technology, change and feeling "Out of the loop."  It's really just a fun song.

Many people have asked me what the line "Who told you that green is blue?"  That line is actually an ode to the movie Legally Blonde where the line "Whoever said orange was the new pink is seriously disturbed" was used. Basically, in this song, the line is used to indicate that I will not let someone tell me that what I believe is wrong is now right and vice-versa.

Here are the lyrics:


NuSkool
(c)2012 - Midiboy Music

Things are moving so fast I just cannot keep up
When I figure it out, it's yesterday's news.
I'm having trouble keeping up with staying behind
So you just look back at me and you bid me adieu

I guess that's just how it will be
You might say my ship has sunk
You say I'm blind but I can see
That it looks like I'm gunna flunk NuSkool
That's just how it will be
You might say my ship has sunk
You say I'm blind but I can see
That it looks like I'm gunna flunk NuSkool

Well it looks like I'm a loner cuz I just don't belong
The world moved on and left me here by myself
Everything I think is right, I'm told it is wrong
Now I know what it must be like to collect dust on the shelf

Out with the old, in with the new
Don't you know that green is the brand new blue?
You can't keep up so out with you
We are the one that make all-a-the rules

Hey what happened here my clothes are back in style
Everything that once was old has been made new once more
New movies that we see, I remember as a child
Retro is the new right now, once was hated...now adored

Yesterday. Today. Forever
Only One remains the same

I guess that's just how it will be
You might say my ship has sunk
You say I'm blind, but can't you see
I just don't care if I flunk NuSkool
That's just how it will be
You might say my ship has sunk
You say I'm blind, but can't you see
I just don't care if I flunk NuSkool

In with the old, the old is new
Well who told you that green is blue?
In with the old, the old is new
I'm here to tell you green is certainly not blue!

-=-=-=-

The key line in the song is: Yesterday.  Today.  Forever
Only One remains the same.

While things change every day before our very eyes, we can be assured that the One who created everything has never changed and will never change.

That is all.
Gregg

Restore Me

The next song I am going to discuss is "Restore Me."  This is among my favorite songs that I have ever written.  This song also includes an intro song that is kind of silly that involves my entire family.  It starts off with the chord pattern with a drum beat that slowly builds.  Eventually, the drum beat starts to lose sync with the song and you hear Zoe say "Daddy?  Something doesn't sound right." (By the way, for those of you that have heard this, there is no such software that I know of called "PC Super Drummer and if there is, I am sure it would work properly).

I reply telling her that I am going to have to call Tech Support to which she says I am pulling out "The Big Guns."

That's where my other daughter Elizabeth comes in.  She plays the role of Technical Support and tells me that I am going to have to do a System Restore.

In disbelief of the simple (standard) tech support solution, I hang up, frustrated because obviously, she was just giving me the standard answer to get me off the phone...and also, she sounded like she was just a kid. (At least she spoke my language, unlike MOST tech support centers these days).

Then you hear my wife's voice as she is playing "The Computer" and says "System Restore Initiated." Yeah, I know...computers don't REALLY say that when you do a system restore...but...they should.

Here are the lyrics, then I'll share more about the song:


Restore Me
(c)2012 - Midiboy Music

I've been on this road for far too long. 
I've lost the melody to Your song
Trying to do this on my own
It's no wonder I'm alone
I remember how it used to be
When I was young and first believed
I trusted You in all I did
But somewhere along the way I slid

Can You restore my first love?
Can You revive me again?
Show me Your unfailing love
Restore the joy of Your salvation

You've shown Your love to me again
You're more faithful then all my friends
You give me only that what's good
Instead of giving me what You should

You restored to me my first love
You revived me again
You show me Your unfailing love
You restored the joy of Your salvation

Restore me. Restore me. Restore me.

-=-=-=-

As someone that works in the IT field, believe it or not, "Reboot your computer" actually does solve a lot of issues.  Not always though.  Sometimes we need to do a System Restore to get the computer back to the same state it was before the errors started to happen.

Same idea for us, really.  We sometimes get stuck in a rut and continue down a path that is not good, or healthy for us as Christians and simply "rebooting" ourselves does not fix this. We sometimes feel like we have lost our "first love" and we think God has abandoned us (Even though it's the other way around).

We need to be restored to how we were before we started going down this wrong path.  With God's grace, we can be restored. Sure, we'll likely have to give up several things that we got used to, but those are likely the things that got us to where we are when we realized we aren't in the right place.

We certainly don't get what we deserve, but because of His mercy, we have received His grace and He gives us what we do NOT deserve instead. Salvation.

That is all.
Gregg

Back In The Box

This song was inspired by one of the best sermons I have heard preached in a long time by a friend of mine named Mark Cryderman.  In his sermon, he basically was comparing life to a (popular unnamed) board game making a point that no matter if you win or lose, when the game is over, it's over.  All the stuff goes right back into the box.  The sermon inspired me so much that this song was born.  This song was originally going to be on the one:nine album, but I felt it fit RE:boot better, and the style fit Midiboy a little better than one:nine.  This song has proven to be my most popular song on my ReverbNation page.


Back In The Box
(c)2012 - Midiboy Music

You're laughin' and a braggin' as you take the lead
Never happy with just playin' the game
You need more money, so you take my deeds
Building hotels, chargin' rent insane
With just a roll of the dice, you could win or lose
Turn over a card, is it bad or good?
Or you could go to jail if you roll a two
Sell off your hotels, cuz you know that you should...

Because it all goes back in the box when you're done
Doesn't matter what you win because it's just a silly game
You can't take it with you when the game is won
Win or lose, it doesn't matter, life goes on just the same

Never satisfied you want more, more, more
Never happy with just being who you are
You need more money so your life can soar
Want a bigger house and a more expensive car
With just a blink of an eye you could win or lose
Because you never know when these things will change
Doesn't take long, just a second or two
Everything that you own will be estranged

Because it all goes back in the box when you're done
Doesn't matter what you have, it doesn't change the game
You can't take it with you when all is said and done
Win or lose, what you've gathered stays behind just the same

You can't take it with you. What will your reward be?
Did you live for the moment? Did you live for the King?
When this life is over, it only just begins
It's not what you live for, but Who lives within.

Because it all goes back in the box when you're done
Doesn't matter what you have, it doesn't change the game
You can't take it with you when all is said and done
Win or lose, it's Who you chose if you want to hear your name.

-=-=-=-

So, just like a board game, our life is much the same.  No matter how much we accrue in this life, we aren't taking it with us to the next life.  So basically, this song is a challenge to not live for things, but live for the King because when this life is over, eternity just begins.  It's not what we live for, but who lives within us that will determine our fate.

That is all.
Gregg

My Children

Sorry it's been a while since my last update.  Just getting back on my feet from being sick for almost a week. Bleh.

Anyway, the next song from RE:boot that I am going to talk about is "My Children."  Lyrically, it's one of my favorite songs because there is a little "twist" in it.  Truth be told, I wrote the song one day when I was very frustrated with my daughters' behavior (I am sure all parents can relate).

Then I started thinking a little more about it and really, no matter how much they frustrate me, I don't love them any less at all.  There is nothing I wouldn't do for either of them.  Here are the words, then I'll comment a little more at the end.

My Children

(c)2012 - Midiboy Music

Why do they disobey me? When will they ever learn?

My children fight against me. Consequences are no concern

I give them second chances more times than they deserve.

They know just what my stance is, they know I'll never swerve

Yet there's nothing I wouldn't do

There's nothing that they could say

To change the way I feel

Because my love will not betray...

...Even when they disobey me. Perhaps they'll never learn.

As they continue fighting me, consequences still no concern.

They love to try my patience, thst my limits all day long

I'm not on a sin crusade, looking for all they do that's wrong.

One day I know they'll cherish just what I did for them

When my Son did perish, in three days He rose again

Because there's nothing I didn't do...

-=-=-=-

So as you can see, there is a little twist in there.  You think the song is talking about my children, but it's really not.  Because when I wrote this, and was feeling very frustrated, I then started thinking about how God must get frustrated with us.  How many times do we make promises to Him and break them?  How many times must He be disappointed in our behavior?  So I decided to take the song from that point of view to put  my own frustrations into a true perspective. 

He proved He would do anything for us.  He gave us His own Son to perish in our place it we only believe in Him.  How amazing is that?  How AWESOME is He?

That is all.

Gregg