The Official Monthly Jars of Clay Email News Digest
6/25/97
5,357 Subscribers
web site: http://www.jarsofclay.com
CONTENTS:
*Much Afraid Update
*Tour Dates
*Concert Review #1: 5/19/97 Chilliwack, BC Canada
*Concert Review #2: 4/26/97 ICHTHUS Festival, Wilmore, KY
*Jars Trivia Answers
*Prayer Requests
*Article: The Greenville College Record: The Boys are Back in Town
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*Much Afraid Update
We are lacking details on the new album besides what was written in EV #23. However, we can reveal that the first release will definitely be "Crazy Times" as performed at the Dove Awards and a video will be produced for it sometime in July. Also, this album promises to be even better than the last! This is evident from a number of sources - jars will definitely not get hit by the "sophomore slump". Their hard work on this album adequately explains why you and I have to wait until September, over two years since their debut disc, to enjoy the new songs. Until then, they are performing four new songs on their current tour. Check them out at a festival near you!
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*Tour Update:
June:
26- Shirleysburg, PA Creation
July:
5- Marietta, Il Cornerstone
10- Wilmar, MN Sonshine
11- Rockford, Il Midway Theater
12- Cincinnati, OH King's Island
13- Ft. Wayne, IN Three River Festival
16- Washington, DC DC/LA
17- VanCouver, WA Jesus Northwest
21- Costa Mesa, CA Orange Co. Fair
23- Santa Rosa, CA Theater
27- Denton, TX Youth Show
30- Estes Park, CO Arts Seminar
August:
1- Monterey, CA Monterey Festival
8- Family Bookstore Convention TBA, Tentative
9- Ames, IA Festival X
15- Adrian, MI Lewanee Fair
16- Clio, MI Amphitheater
20- Buffalo, NY Darien Lake
September:
5- York Fair Tentative
6- Toronto, Canada Kingswood Amp
11- Grand Rapids, MI Fair
12- Orlando, FL Disney World, Night of Joy
13- Orlando, FL Disney World, Night of Joy
16- Atlanta, GA Roxy
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From: cjowong@istar.ca
May 19, 1997 Jars of Clay in Chilliwack
It was in July of last year when I bought their self-titled album Jars of Clay. I remember hearing about this group, but I have never listened to their music, except for "Flood". So one day when I was in a Christian music store I listened to their demo CD. The first song I listened to was "Liquid". I was absolutely amazed as to how good they sound. Usually it would take a while for me to like the music of an artist, but Jars of Clay took no time for me to make them my favorite band.
And now after almost a year of listening to their self-titled CD, hoping desperately to get my hands on a Jars of Clay T-shirt, and patiently waiting for them to come back a second time around the province of British Columbia., Canada (I missed their first time in Vancouver last year) I finally had the opportunity of going to Chilliwack Alliance Church to see and hear them in front of me, live.
The opening song was a new one to all of us. Right after the new song, they began to play one of the more familiar songs: "Like a Child". Everyone in the church began to sing along. After warming the crowd up with "Like a Child", Jars went straight into "Boy on a string". Even though the song lacked the violin part, it still sounded pretty good.
After opening with a few fast songs, it was time for the acoustic part of the concert. They started off talking about the recording of their next album in London. They then performed a couple of their slower new songs, which sounded nice, especially the love song. (I'm sorry I don't know the names of the new songs) Once the new songs were finished, I had the opportunity of listening to the much talked about "Coffee song". First it was Matt who performed the sound-effect of a cappuccino machine. Matt did a fine job of it too. Then they began to perform the "Good coffee, strong coffee" song. It's a great song for those who love coffee, but unfortunately I am not one of them.
Dan began to talk about where the name Jars of Clay comes from. Of course Jars of Clay is from II Cor. 4:7. Then he talked about how people try to work their way towards heaven ...and that was when the song "Worlds Apart" came in. This song definitely gave a new meaning after hearing the little talk Dan gave in the beginning. At the end of the song, Dan got the congregation to sing "Hallelujah" again and again, which was a good addition to the song.
A sort of familiar song was next, as some of us watched the Dove Awards would know their performance of the song "Crazy times". Of course Steve did that little Jimi Hendrix mouth guitar playing in the middle. An acoustic version of "Liquid" started right after, but then it became jamming like the way we know it. By this time, everyone was up on their feet, and what better song to come right after than "Flood". The church was absolutely rocking, especially when the part : "but if I can't swim after 40 days..." started, everyone was jumping up and down. Unfortunately one of my friends got a bruised knee from jumping too close to the pews.
After a brief exit, Jars started off with another crowd favorite song: "Love Song for a Savior". It became a worshipful song as people sang the chorus to the Lord. Finally, with their last song of the night, it was their bonus track "4:7" that was played, and the crowd was up on their feet again. Jars gave their final bow and that was it for the night.
The concert did not last for more than an hour and a half. The concert was a bit shorter than what I hoped it to be. Maybe it was because of the absent performance of Sarah Jahn (which I was looking forward to), or because of this Up Close and Personal meeting with Jars of Clay after the concert. Other than that, I certainly recommend for everyone to see Jars of Clay LIVE. They sure sound great on record, but they are even better on stage. By the way, I did finally get my Jars of Clay T-shirt.
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From: Petua@reborn.com
I don't want to sound like a party-pooper, but I can't agree with the concert review given regarding the Jars performance at Ichthus 97 (in EV #23). Overall, Ichthus was quite an experience and I loved most every artist that I heard--even the few that I wasn't familiar with. But I thought the crowning event of the weekend was going to be Jars' performance as the last band of the festival Saturday night. Now, maybe I just had a bad seat (I was probably 400 feet from the stage) but I was thoroughly disappointed with their performance for the following reasons:
1) The rest of the artists who performed expressed how happy they were to be invited to Ichthus 97 and they showed great enthusiasm to be there. I believe Jars' DID in fact mention that they were also happy to be there, but it wasn't very convincing. They seemed tired and a bit on the depressed side. Perhaps it was because they had just concluded an appearance at the Dove Awards. But for whatever reason, they depressed me as well.
2) I can't agree with the feeling that "14,000 people" were singing "Flood" or "Love Song for a Savior." There might have been more people singing up near the stage but not where I was sitting.
I went to Ichthus with five of my friends and the six of us all admitted that we were pretty disappointed with Jars' performance. Especially since three of us saw them perform on tour with Michael W. Smith and the sound quality was pretty lousy that night. However, Jars will continue to be one of my favorite bands and I can't wait for the next opportunity to see them in concert again and I'll be one of the first to buy their next album!
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*Jars Trivia Answers:
Here are the answers to the trivia section from EV #23. Enjoy and hope you had fun! As of now it is too late to send in your entry for the prize, which ended up being an autographed platinum cd and various other items. Thanks to Libbyp3@aol.com for organizing all of this and providing a prize! The "grand prize winner" was S1cowD1bug@aol.com and the runners up were LOVmyHAZEL@aol.com and adelpha@hotmail.com. Congratulations!
1. (1) Liquid (2) Boy on a String (3) Blind (4) Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows (5) Good Coffee, Strong Coffee (6) Like a Child (7) Art in Me (8) Sinking (9) Sinking (10) Fade to Grey (11) Like a Child (12) Worlds Apart (13) Flood (14) He (15) Love Song for a Savior (16) Fade to Grey (17) Boy on a String...... whew!!
2. Worlds Apart (Oct 95 CCM Magazine cover story)
3. Steve (Jars' Gold Party Website: www.vision3.com/jarsgold)
4. Around age 13 (Jars Interactive Chat on Prodigy--- www.jarsofclay.com)
5. Rock Gospel Album of the Year (Brentwood Music Press Release Feb 22 1996)
6. The Chair (Long Kiss Goodnight Soundtrack)
7. "Etude" magazines dating back to the 20's (FAQ Pt. 1--www.jarsofclay.com)
8. Belmont College in Nashville, TN (Light 99 FM Online April 1996)
9. John Fischer (Aug. 96 CCM Magazine article: Only a World to Reach)
10. 4-5 months (Jars Interactive Chat on Prodigy)
11. Brent Bourgeois (Never Say Dinosaur CD)
12. Steve--because he's the youngest (Lighthouse Electronic Magazine-Jan 1995)
13. Saxophone (FAQ Pt. 1 www.jarsofclay.com/ Jan 97 YOU! Magazine article)
14. Michael W. Smith! (Earthen Vessels Vol. 12)
15. The Stone Was Rolled Away (Three Crosses---Jefferson Street)
16. Plumb (Debut Album by the new Alternative band Plumb)
17. A banana split (Oct 95 CCM Magazine Cover Story)
18. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (Jan 97 YOU! Magazine article)
(actually, we believe this to be a small error - Matt's first album was Thriller and Charlie's was Police's Synchronicity.)
19. "The heart made of stone turned from clay" (Fade to Grey lyrics-- E.V. Vol.2)
20. Gary Chapman's (Earthen Vessels Vol. 12)
21. Blind (Earthen Vessels Vol. 2)
22. Steve (CD-Rom) and Dan (Fall 96 Tour on a Stick Poster)
23. Garth Brooks (CD-Rom Video Extras)
24. The Child Abuse Prevention Center of Middle Tennessee (Drummer Boy CD and Christmas Benefit shows)
25. Steve (CD-Rom On the Air segment)
26. Ren and Stimpy (Lighthouse Electronic Magazine-Jan 1995)
27. Like a Child Video Extra--1994 GMA Spotlight Competition (Light 99 FM Online)
28. Love Song for a Savior (FAQ Part 1--www.jarsofclay.com)
29. Dan's Uncle (Earthen Vessels Vol. 1)
30. Walt Disney World (Crook and Chase appearance)
31. Best New Artist of the Year and Best Short Form Video for Flood (Birmingham Post Herald June 14, 1996--www.jarsofclay.com)
32. Jeff Savage (Scott Savage's brother) Vibe Central Remixes of Liquid, Flood, Blind (Essential's Vibe Central CD)
33. Dan and Steve (Earthen Vessels Vol.16)
34. Jars of Clay's Debut Album achieved Platinum Status (Conan O'Brien segment)
35. Art In Me (Oct 95 CCM Magazine)
36. His Grandparents (Jars Interactive Chat on Prodigy)
37. All My Children and Days of our Lives (Earthen Vessels Vol. 12 and Vol. 19)
38. Charlie (Light 99 FM On-Line)
39. Play Golf (Jars' Gold Website--www.vision3.com/jarsgold)
40. Steve (Earthen Vessels Vol. 6)
41. Like a Child (Earthen Vessels Vol. 4)
42. New York City and Ken Fox (Jars Interactive Chat on Prodigy and Jars in-store Platinum Celebration)
43. Dan (Much Music Interview--Earthen Vessels Vol. 14)
44. Steve (CD-Rom Video Extras and Oct 95 CCM Magazine)
45. "Looking through Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows" (Music/Lyrics/website)
46. Worlds Apart (Earthen Vessels Vol. 2)
47. Brennan Manning, John Piper, Max Lucado, John Fischer, C.S. Lewis, etc. (Human Vessels Jars of Clay Syndicated Mag Oct 1995 and FAQ on website)
48. Steve (Earthen Vessels Vol. 2)
49. Matt (Campus Life Interview Feb 96)
50. "I'm To Blame" (Lyrics to Blame---http://sdcc17.ucsd.edu/~kcli/jars.html)
51. Flood (ok, so it wasn't a challenge!)
52. Good question, still a mystery to us! :)
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*Prayer Requests:
From: msholt@falcon.cc.ukans.edu
I don't want to take up much time or space, but this has been weighing on my heart heavily. A couple that I babysit for is considering separating. It's hard on me because I'm sort of caught in the middle. But I'm more concerned about the children. They are all too young to fully understand the situation (7, 6, and 3 years). I don't know if they are believers, but I do know they go to church and the wife listens to some Christian music. I just ask that they would be kept in prayer, that somehow things could be worked out without a separation.
Thank you for your time.
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From: drnewb@MO.NET
Hey, I just got word that a good friend of mine from college was killed in a car accident last night. He was engaged to be married in Nov. Please pray for his fiance, family and friends and stuff.
Thanks.
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From: kmcall@uwimona.edu.jm
My name is Keera and I am Jamaican. I dance with a group called Praise Academy of Dance. One of my dreams is to go to Africa with them in July. We should be going to an International Dance Conference in South Africa. I really want to go but the funds are not coming in. I have prayed but I am uncertain still as to God's will. Please pray that the Lord will reveal his will and if it is his will that he will provide the money. It will cost about $3,000 US.
Please pray. Thanks.
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From: Ink Well31@aol.com
I'm planning a missions trip for next summer to Trinidad and Tobago (7 miles off the coast of Venezuela). I'm trying to get a team together, and financed. So if anyone is interested in joining, or feel lead to help, e-mail me at "paulydanger@geocities.com". I'm 19, and go to college, I've been to Trinidad once before on a 2 week mission. I need prayer to just let go of my concern about the finances, and let God take care of it, and pray that God's will be done next summer in my life.
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From: eric.nyberg@resnet.ucsb.edu
In t-minus 27 days (today is May 27th), myself and a team of 5 others from the University of California, Santa Barbara will be leaving the country to go to Buenos Aires, Argentina on a mission trip to help reach out to the college students there. We would ask for your prayers for safety and for God to do an awesome work in the hearts of the students we come in contact with, as well as in our own day to day lives. We will return on July 23 and hope that we will all be different because of what God has done in each of our lives. Please pray for us and for the Argentinians.
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From: Steenkk@aol.com
Hi, just a quick prayer request.....
I am at a difficult point of my life, at one end things seem to be at an all time high, and at others, I am rock bottom. I ask that you all pray for me to deal with my financial problems, I am in debt, and on my income, that is rather significant. I also ask that you pray that I can keep up my relationship with my girlfriend kelly, and that we can both walk the walk together...thank you all.
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From: Anonymous
my husband and i have decided that we wish to continue our individual educations but we need to succeed in acquiring student loans and in being accepted into a program here in Canada that offers to pay 66% of your past wages as you attend university, community college, etc... (you are required not to work). It is important that we are blessed with the right amount of financing from our individual student loans because we are not permitted to work while involved in this program. We were hoping to be able to begin this program in september of this year or in january of 1998.
I would greatly appreciate any prayer requests and I will continue to prayer for my fellow brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus.
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Sarahb76@aol.com
I would like to ask you all to pray for my aunt and uncle and their boys. They are about to go through a divorce and those of you that have been through a divorce know how hard it is. Jordan and David (their boys) are both in a teenage rebellious stage(which has been heightened by the pending divorce) and now lack any parental supervision to speak of. I ask that you all pray that God will work in this situation and heal the hurt that it has caused. I know from experience how painful a divorce is and it breaks my heart to see Satan get his destructive hands on yet another family. Thank you all and may God bless and keep each of you!
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From: dfn2654@anubis.westmoreland.cc.pa.us
Hi everyone--I really need some prayer and encouragement. During a Spiritual Conflicts seminar at my church, I came forward and made a commitment (answered a calling) to go into the ministry. I have felt this calling from nearly the first day I accepted Christ to be my Savior four years ago. I would like to be a youth pastor some day, but if God's really calling me into the ministry of spiritual warfare...I would do anything for Jesus. Ever since, I feel like I have been attacked spiritually. Some things in my personal life have got me down-I have been feeling lonely lately--for a true friend that would understand me and treat me as I would treat them. I know God wants to use me, but I am still not sure exactly where and how. Pray for guidance, please. And though life has been difficult for me lately, I will stand for Jesus, and not back down or give up, until my dying day.
I just want all of you to know I think this newsletter is great-especially this prayer section. Keep each other in prayer, and always stay close to the Lord. No matter what you are going through, Jesus knows what you are going through, he's there with you, and he will help you. It may be difficult at times, but all you have to do is call on his name for help...and trust him.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!
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*Article: The Greenville College Record
Jars of Clay return to their roots: The Boys are Back in Town
Three years and a million CDs and cassettes after leaving Greenville College, their appearance at the 20th Annual Agape Music Festival next month could be considered this band's triumphant return. It was as GC during the 1993-94 school year that Dan Haseltine, Steve Mason, Charlie Lowell, and Matt Bronlewee founded Jars of Clay.
In the spring of 1994, Jars captured the attention of the entire Christian music industry by winning the Gospel Music Association's Spotlight talent competition for unsigned artists, held annually in Nashville, TN. Later that summer they decided to move to Nashville and turn professional. Matt Bronleewe chose to leave the band and was replaced by Matt Odmark (no GC connections), a childhood friend of Charlie's.
The band's self-titled debut album, released by Essential Records, shot to the top of the charts and recently surpassed the 1 million mark in sales. Jars returned to perform at Agape in 1995 but had to cancel their appearance last year.
"Charlie Lowell in Focus":
As hard to believe as it seems now, it all began right here at Greenville College. In late 1993 four guys from Kinney Hall - Charlie Lowell, Dan Haseltine, Steve Mason, and Matt Bronleewe - formed Jars of Clay. Today three of the original members are still with the group (Matt Odmark replaced Matt Bronleewe in 1994).
Winners in April 1994 Gospel Music Assocation's Spotlight talent competition as "the best unsigned band in the country," later that summer Jars of Clay packed up their notable musical style and moved from the CCM program at Greenville to the marketing program at Essential Records/Brentwood Music in Nashville, TN. Their self-titled debut album surpassed 1 million in sales in September 1996. In a recent interview with keyboard player and founding band member Charlie Lowell, fellow Nashville resident and GC alum Robyn Florian asked about the preparation and support Greenville offered them during and since their college years.
Robyn: What initial challenges did you encounter moving from Greenville to Nashville?
Charlie: Nashville was so different from Greenville. The interpersonal relationships between the four of us were challenged, now splitting rent, working, and the band stuff. I still look back on it and am amazed we're still friends. This is only through the grace of God. He protected us and blessed us with people who shared our vision and looked out for us.
Charlie went on to describe a trip Jars of Clay made to Greenville during their first summer in Nashville to use the studio at the college. Through communication breakdowns, directional differences, and the accumulation of stress, Charlie says the band almost broke up. He credits a fellow GC friend, Stephen Lieweke, for encouraging them towards improved communication with each other.
Robyn: What proved to be your greatest life-style changes in going from full-time student to full-time musician?
Charlie: Finding consistency in each day. Stuff constantly changes on the road, and every day is a little different. Finding time to exercise and read on a schedule was difficult. Then recently we had some time off, and I had to look at what was important to me, decide what were going to be my priorities, and get myself on a schedule.
Charlie: Partly through a safe environment, just having come from high school and living at home. I also met many people I could relate to musically and enjoy a shared sense of humor. We were offered a lot of opportunities in the studio, especially free student time, that weren't available at any other school. We also appreciated the way we were encouraged spiritually. The first year at Greenville we came to take our faith more seriously, and the guys helped push each other. Overall, we met our best friends there, and they'll be friends for life. There's a real bond. The environment and atmosphere - There was such freedom, acceptance, and encouragement for what we were doing.
The things (former music professor) Jack Ballard taught us about building songs, playing styles, and music theory we use all the time now when writing songs.
Robyn: Matt Bronlewee, an original member of the band and fellow GC student, chose to leave the group and continue his undergraduate degree elsewhere. Do you still have contact with him?
Charlie: Yes, he lives in Nashville now, and he and Dan Haseltine just co-produced an aggressive, alternative album called Plumb.
Robyn: How do you feel about your upcoming Agape appearance?
Charlie: We're very excited! We had to cancel last year, and to go back now, when the band feels so tight, and not having played there in a while....it'll be a blast!
*Addendum: This just in: 7-Ball's July/August issue will reportedly include a cd containing a new "Lounge mix" of Flood.
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