August 24, 2008

Molding and Klyd Watkins continue to rehearse and record continuously and rapper Big 6ix Five (aka Eric Johnson) and David Adkins are jamming with Klyd, producing tracks which Brodie Hutcheson, Steve Burgess, Cinjun Tate and Bob Watkins are enhancing. David Adkins has also taken a track from these jams, one called "Paper Wait," into his home studio and is adding tracks there; bass and guitar by Brian Pitts for example. Some of these recordings will be part of Klyd Watkins "Country Boy" project and together they may grow into a CD release by the unit which is as yet unnamed, with "Steel Cheeries" and "The Secret Nation" among suggested names for this band, should it come to need a name. However. big changes going on with the other important band which Thundershack is home to. STACK has had a number of life and band changing developments this summer. The good news is that Garrison has wed the lovely Elizabeth Evans. This took place a week ago last night.

"And that's the difference between God and me," a great line from a Lyle Lovett song (he sings it, as does Patty Loveless, and I think he wrote it, anyone know?) . Anyway God knows that Terry Thomas' decision to join the national guard was a good one, for he did it prayerfully, but we at Thundershack do not see it that way. We miss Terry Thomas so much! In Terry and Michelle's words,

 

"Hi to all!  We just wanted to send a quick note to inform you that Terry signed a contract with the National Guard today, took “The Oath”, and will be shipped out tomorrow for training.  He will be gone for approximately 17 weeks 2 days.  Some of you may know but Terry received a calling to become a Chaplain which is his reason for enlisting into the National Guard.  He will be going to college for the next two years to finish his B.A. then enter into Seminary.  Once he enters into Seminary he can apply to be a Chaplain.  Please keep us in your prayers as we begin another chapter in our lives.  I know this may come as a shock to some of you. It is a shock to us as well. We feel that God is guiding our steps and will work all things together for the good of those who are called according to His purpose. I realize the risks and am willing to get out there and get dirty in order to bring about His Kingdom. Everything we have been reading, hearing and realizing in the spirit lately has been pointing us in the direction of total reliance on The Lord. Despite the imminent danger in today's world we have peace about this decision. We're not comfortable with it, but we're convinced that  God is not  too concerned about our comfort level but instead wants obedience and selfless serving. This is just a small piece of some of the things that we have been reading and hearing from the Lord. We realize that we have been apathetic for too long.The process that I went through today was quite an experience. My waiver from Virginia had not come through. So, in addition to getting that signed and returned today they had a very hard time finding a job with all the benefits that had previously been talked about. To complicate things I am almost completely color blind and most jobs in the military require color vision.  The waiver was stuck in a pile of stuff on someone desk in DC so they had been making calls for weeks and half of today to get it going. Finally, I turn 42 on Aug 10th.  42 is the cutoff so they had to find something open for me to ship on Friday. It looked as though it would not happen several times and I was fully prepared to walk out and not compromise what I am going in for (Guaranteed college for 2 yrs , the enlistment bonus, and a pretty safe job with little or no  exposure to combat. We'll see about that.) After hours of listening to these guys call around, things finally fell into place. I had just put it in God's hands. I kept saying, If it was meant to be it would happen.  God worked it out. See you all soon and take care

 Check out this selection taken from German theologian,  Dietrich Bonheoffer's book "Costly Grace" :

 The Call to Discipleship"The call goes forth, and is at once followed by the response of obedience. …. It displays not the slightest interest in the psychological reason for a man’s religious decisions. And why? For the simple reason that the cause behind the immediate following of call by response is Jesus Christ Himself." 61 "Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. It remains an abstract idea, a myth which has a place for the Fatherhood of God, but omits Christ as the living Son. … There is trust in God, but no following of Christ." 64 "He wants to follow, but feels obliged to insist on his own terms to the level of human understanding. The disciple places himself at the Master’s disposal, but at the same time retains the right to dictate his own terms. But then discipleship is no longer discipleship, but a program of our own to be arranged to suit ourselves, and to be judged in accordance with the standards of rational ethic." 66 "If we would follow Jesus we must take certain definite steps. The first step, which follows the call, cuts the disciple off from his previous existence. … The first step places the disciple in the situation where faith is possible. If he refuses to follow and stays behind, he does not learn how to believe." 66-67

Blessings,

Michelle and Terry"

Among the differences between God and Thundershack is that we didn't want him to go. But STACK continues to record and has auditioned two fine drummers and will audition a third tomorrow. And we have tracks on which we already have Terry's drum tracks and we move ahead on these. For example, last Tuesday Brodie recorded Keith White adding guitar to "Man Down."

 

 

July 11, 2008 STACK and MOLDING play Music City Bar and Grill. A night of wonderful music among friends.

 

not just because of the all the pretty girls hanging around either and
not just because Steve played triumphantly thru. I'm saying, I haven't had time to keep the journal current but the current ain't off.

Suddenly, without noticing it, we are as busy as we've every been.

March 26 2008

 

 on March 27 three different projects went forward with Cinjun Tate and Brodie Hutcheson beginning to track several tunes including [working titles] "Drunk" and "Epic" for the Cinjun Tate solo project. Garrison re-did some vocals on Stack's "Mighty Omega," Terry Thomas added drums to "Drunk." Then on March 28th 2008 Brodie and Cenjun began tracking "India" and that evening the the first jam toward developing a live version of Molding (Molding has always been a "studio" band, with various personnel groupings presenting live shows over the years--they always include brothers Eric Watkins and Bob Watkins and on this night Cinjun Tate played bass and David Adkins played drums.

March 13 Stack   

 

                              March 12

Klyd Watkins and Cinjun Tate working on Keith Peace and "Nobody's as lucky as they seem," etc.

March 10th and 11th Bob Watkins and Brodie Hutcheson working of live Rufus Huff tracks.

March 7 2008

Look here, February's gone and the jornal has been quite quiet. Thundershack itself has been quieter than usual. Stack still goes strong. Molding gathers to promote "Buddha Tormented by Pol Pot.", Klyd Watkins, ya humble servant, sees that

the snow slipped up on my back yard tonight

The snow snuck up on my back yard tonight is a line from "Keith Peace"—Klyd Watkins working over a Keith White guitar track. Only the guitar track is working at this point. I am getting over a long case of the flu and getting ready to make it right.

Bob Watkins and Brodie Hutcherson working on the live Rufus Huff tracks tonight.

January 27 2008

thundershack January 27 2008

Klyd Watkins grills tenderloin. After eating the meat Klyd tracks some vocals on "Keith Peace"and Bob Watkins edits then and Brodie Hutcheson mixes on the piece.

 

January 25 Stack played Music City Bar and Grill
to the best crowd they have had in Nashville since the first show. The band was tight and the crowd was ready to whoop and holler. Stack is beginning to build a Nashville following and this venue is a good place to see them live.  The only problem--no one took a camera.

January 23 2008 Klyd Watkins tracking on "Keith Peace."

January 21 2008 Cinjun Tate
came by and he and Eric and Klyd worked on song structures--one of which fell into place enough that a click track was made and a basic layer of three acoustic guitars was tracked (Bob came in time to track guitars). "Bearded Magic" is the working title of this tune.                                           

January 20 2008 Brodie records Rufus Huff live at The Rutledge.
Jimmy Hall joined the band lending vocals and harmonica. We're moving the mutitracks into Crankenstein and beginning to mix.

 

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