Joining the Band
I've been playing in a number of bands since I started playing the bass about 8 years ago. I started off playing in a little praise band in Presbyterian Church. Then moved on to play in a ministry called ‘Worship Ireland’… we just wanted to spread the gospel around Ireland through music. We played youth events and street corners, to shopping centres to parties in parks around Ireland. Great times!
Then the journey with the Johnny Parks Band began in January 2008. First of all I met with Hambo and Matt, we chatted through some of the bands main values and their vision to challenge injustice through song and deed. Hambo's desire to have the biggest beard known to man; to help aid and equip the local church to worship, (alongside Matt's inability to wear his jeans at waist level…); this vision really struck a chord with me. I knew that I could commit to this. After a short ‘audition’ I was invited to a rehearsal.
Joining the Johnny parks band was a big deal for me… I had been influenced by Johnnys songs for many years at mannafest as I first came to know Jesus and to be on the ‘other side’ as such, playing these songs made me nervous but very excited.
I remember that first night I showed up at rehearsal… nervous wouldn’t be the word... but after the first few songs and plenty of rehearsal ‘craic’ my palms dried up and this was the start of a great wee adventure of learning, community, new experiences and friendship.
There is this expectation within the band that we each should push ourselves to become the best we can be at whatever we do, whether work, hobbys, or band. This would mean I would need to practice, practice… practice, just to keep up with the rest of the guys! This didn’t come easy but being surrounded by a really talented bunch of musicians drove me to push myself.
The initial months of being in the Johnny Parks Band were filled with many ‘firsts’ and many emotions, which made them some of the most memorable experiences to date! Playing with a band that are at the international recording level has been a real joy and I have loved it!
With love
Paul
Then the journey with the Johnny Parks Band began in January 2008. First of all I met with Hambo and Matt, we chatted through some of the bands main values and their vision to challenge injustice through song and deed. Hambo's desire to have the biggest beard known to man; to help aid and equip the local church to worship, (alongside Matt's inability to wear his jeans at waist level…); this vision really struck a chord with me. I knew that I could commit to this. After a short ‘audition’ I was invited to a rehearsal.
Joining the Johnny parks band was a big deal for me… I had been influenced by Johnnys songs for many years at mannafest as I first came to know Jesus and to be on the ‘other side’ as such, playing these songs made me nervous but very excited.
I remember that first night I showed up at rehearsal… nervous wouldn’t be the word... but after the first few songs and plenty of rehearsal ‘craic’ my palms dried up and this was the start of a great wee adventure of learning, community, new experiences and friendship.
There is this expectation within the band that we each should push ourselves to become the best we can be at whatever we do, whether work, hobbys, or band. This would mean I would need to practice, practice… practice, just to keep up with the rest of the guys! This didn’t come easy but being surrounded by a really talented bunch of musicians drove me to push myself.
The initial months of being in the Johnny Parks Band were filled with many ‘firsts’ and many emotions, which made them some of the most memorable experiences to date! Playing with a band that are at the international recording level has been a real joy and I have loved it!
With love
Paul
posted by Claire at 5:37:00 p.m.
2 Comments:
I love this site! Thank you sooo much for all your posts!
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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