Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Revolution

It's been a number of weeks since the Australian iPad release, and the flow of new apps for the Apple device is still steadily rising. Couple that with the upcoming roll-out of increased broadband speed in Australia and life just keeps looking better and better for tech-heads and geeks, and well as the average school student and business owner.

I've heard it proclaimed numerous times that the iPad is a 'revolution' that will 'change the way the world works'.

Get a grip!

Let's just stop hyperventilating for a minute and look at some cold hard facts....

Only 8% of the world's population even has access to a computer. That makes news of this so-called 'revolution' completely irrelevant to 92% of the world.

If you've thought 'so what? they're not important', then I've got the sad news of telling you that you've been staring at pretty gadgets for so long you've lost sight of humanity. Your love and care for people has evaporated to be replaced by a cold hard heart.

Here's another damning statistic. 33% of people alive right now will DIE OF STARVATION.

That sort of puts our go-go-gadget consumer lifestyle into a bit more perspective.

It's time we pulled our heads out of our arse. Our young people are killing themselves because they see no future and have no hope. And some of you will be more upset that I used crude language than the fact that young people are suicidal.

Are you feeling a bit hard done by 'cos you've got a superseded iPhone? Get a grip. Half of the people in the world can't even write, let alone txt message whenever they want.

Are you ashamed of the age or size of the house you live in? Get a grip. Millions sleep on the streets every night for their whole life, which is also a lot shorter than yours.

Are you worried because there's some people at your work/school who are a bit hard to get along with? Get a grip. Millions live in fear of being shot, enslaved or raped everyday and night, never knowing if they will endure until morning.

Are you still with me? Good. I'm not a charity asking for money, sponsorships or donations. I'm a middle class guy who writes a blog using my nice Apple iMac... but I know how to change your life.

It's not a new thing. The key is thousands of years old, and can't be bought, but it's given away free all the time.

Many words have been arranged in various ways to describe it, but it's all the same message:
'Be the change you want to see'
'Treat others the way you want them to treat you'
'People before profit'
'Love your neighbour'
'Care for the poor, the widow, the dispossessed'
'He who wants to change the world, must first change himself'
'If a man asks you to walk a mile with him, walk two'
'There is faith, hope and love. The greatest is love'

To act on the realisation that others are JUST AS IMPORTANT as yourself is revolutionary. It truly changes society. People are elevated above processes, programs and profit. Circumstances are able to be improved. Self-confidence and hope replaces depression, suicide and crime. The sun shines into lives too long in the dark.

And you can be that change. Don't just 'Think Different', 'Live Different'.

The greatest example of living for others is found 2000 years ago with Jesus. As God's Son, he had a choice to make: 'Do I hang out at the top of the food chain or become someone who suffers and dies?' The only reason Jesus had for becoming a man and living and dieing had four letters - LOVE.

When God takes over your life, His Spirit moves in, and you get an injection of love that will enable you to see others in a liberating way. Learning how to live with and use this love God gives you will take the rest of your life. But
you have to live your life anyway, so why not live it for more than yourself?

Be a revolutionary - have a heart after God.

Do It Yourself

This Thursday on "Roll Over Beethoven" we have two vastly different composers featured.


Firstly is a man who was caught up in one of the world's most horrendous times, and felt trapped and hopeless. Hugo Distler was born in Germany in 1908, and as a young child saw the devastation wrought by a world war that his homeland lost. When World War Two started in 1939, he spiraled into depression from the aerial bombings, job difficulties, the death of friends and the constant threat of being conscripted. He chose instead to kill himself, rather than have the army do it for him! However, he did leave behind him some wonderful sacred choral music.


Our second composer is so hard to categorise, he stands alone in his chosen music field. Harry Partch was an American composer and instrument builder. He made his own instruments, as none existing would play his micro-tonal scales. Instruments were either adapted from conventional classical bodies, or made from scratch using hubcaps, headlamps, bamboo tubes, artillery shells and liquor bottles.

For several years of his life he was a hobo, rattling around America in Box Cars and living off the land, keeping a journal of his experiences which later became the basis for further musical works.

Also, as usual on the show, we will be playing a complete Goon Show, This week - "Ye Bandits of Sherwood Forest".

Tune in from 9 pm to midnight, each Thursday night on Yarra Valley FM 99.1, or listen to it streamed live from the website.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

David Bowie

David Bowie, and (below) Bowie with Iggy Pop.


Will the real David Bowie please stand up....

The musician who brought us such hits as rebel rebel, ashes to ashes, changes, heroes, china girl, dancing in the street, diamond dogs and life on mars, has himself gone through many changes.

Join Dom and I Monday evening from 9 pm to midnight to cycle through some of the highs and lows of Bowies' musical odyssey, from Glam to stage to Germany and beyond.

We'll also look at his connections with other musicians such as Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, Mick Ronson, Gail Dorsey, Queen and Syd Barrett. Who influenced who, and what came out of it...

Tune in to Yarra Valley FM 99.1, or get it streamed live from the website. Give us a call during the show for a request - 5961 5991

Monday, June 14, 2010

Like a Rolling Stone


Way back in 1965, Bob Dylan was facing a bit of a crisis... He wasn't sure if he should keep song-writing, or call it a day. He penned 'Like a Rolling Stone', and insisted that it be played in full length (about 6 minutes) on radio, not cut down to the usual 3 minute song length.

Despite the bad reaction to it by records stores and radio, people felt it speak to them, and it sold like hot cakes. Radio shows were compelled to play it full length, and Dylan got inspired to keep writing new songs.

In the 45 years since its release, 'Like a Rolling Stone' has been a staple tune for other singers and groups to cover (along with many other Dylan hits). So to commemorate its anniversary, I've lined up a number of artists covering the tune.

You'll be able to hear it played and sung by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen and the Four Seasons, each with their own unique style. You'll also be able to hear it murdered by such 'artists' as Hugo Montenegro, Mecca Normal, Soup Greens, Zippo and Friends, Ted McKee and the truly awful Sebastian Cabot!

I'll be playing another song by each artist as well as their (per)version of Dylan's number.

Tune in Tuesday June 15 from 3 to 5 pm to hear "All Your Base" with Greg Carrick, only on Yarra Valley FM 99.1, you can also get it streamed live from the website.

Give me a call during my show to let me know you're listening :) 5961 5991

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Thought for the day


"You can't see

the Future

when you're looking

at your Feet"

On a human level, illnesses, both physical and mental, can narrow your world and squeeze out avenues of help, which may include your family, close friends, enjoyment of work and recreation, and even rest.
Being a sufferer of depression, I know first-hand the way the world turns gray, and hope vanishes. The mind thinks only of loss, loathing and despair. It requires a concerted effort to remember that the sun still shines!
As a Christian, there are many examples in the Bible of God's followers who found themselves in that gray pit of hopelessness called depression. As a consequence, there are many verses of hope, help and happiness to counter these experiences. God wants us to exist in His hand and grace.
Our past has been dealt with by the meeting of God's justice and grace. Our present is shepherded in His way, with His care and attention. Our future is secure and already built in His love.
Our reality then, is beyond the reach and taint of circumstantial setbacks, and nothing can take us out of God's hand.
No matter our feelings, when we look UP, our Father God holds us secure.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Fun photoshoots

I've been lucky lately, having to cover a variety of interesting and positive events with my trusty Nikon. I am available to cover commercial, corporate and social events (call me on 9736 2434)

First there was a company in Kilsyth who are producing Australia's longest graphic work, which will be fixed to the side of a new bridge being built in the City of Dandenong. The graphic is being printed at high resolution with dye-sub inks (including white) and mounted section by section on laminated plastic panels.

After that I covered a small business launch, literally a family business, where mum wanted to sell a variety of breeds of chooks, and the kids are helping with feeding (and chasing) the chooks.

The highlight was the weekend launch of the Artist's Alley in Montrose. Now public art can be anything from embarrassingly bad to worthy of the National Trust. The trend lately has been to involve very young primary school kids, and that's the sort of artwork you end up with - something mum might stick on the fridge for a while.
Thankfully, Montrose chose to have a broad range of artists (that's real artists) to do representations of Montrose moments on panels that were then bolted to the walls.


Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Len Cox cuts the ribbon to officially open the Artist's Alley. And here are some of the artists involved in the project, with their work...




A lot of locals turned out to support the project and to check out the artworks.

Well done to all involved, Montrose has some public art that is worthy of the name.