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ApologetiX in Green Bay -- New CD Update
Thu., Oct. 19. 2000 2:24am EDT
Howdy!
This is J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) here!
Our new CD, "Spoofernatural," is almost ready to go the duplicators, and we're getting great response as we introduce the new songs at concerts. Those of you in the Wisconsin area can get a sneak preview of a bunch of those songs this weekend, when we'll play two concerts (like we did last time) at the Cup O' Joy. Last time, both concerts were basically standing room only. We've made many friends in Wisconsin, so we're eager to go back.
RADIO INTERVIEW - GREEN BAY
I'll be doing an interview with Kid Raider (no relation to Kid Rock, although both have a connection to ApologetiX) on WORQ in Green Bay. All interested cheeseheads (I told Kid once before that he should change his last name from Raider to Packer if he's going to stay in the Bay) can tune it at 8:15 a.m. CST.
ATTENTION DJs
Speaking of radio, I do have a mailing list for DJs to receive the advance copies of "Spoofernatural," but I want to make sure every DJ is on it, because we've added so many of you since "Biblical Graffiti" came out. If you're a DJ (no fakes, please) and want your advance copy of "Spoofernatural," please e-mail me your request along with your station call letters, number of the AM/FM dial, and your address. Thanks!
CONCERT THIS WEEKEND - GREEN BAY
Here's some more info on this weekend's concert plus the progress on "Spoofernatural": (For the rest of the October/November schedule, see the bottom of this email.)
Sat., Oct. 21 (Two Shows)
6:30-8:00 p.m. 8:45-10:15 p.m.
Cup O' Joy Coffee House
232 South Broadway
Green Bay, WI
Contact: Jan Oettinger Cup Phone
(open hours only): 920-435-3269
Jan's phone: 920-437-6694 jocoj@aol.com www.cupojoy.com
NOTE:
We'll also have special $2 Off coupons for people who plan to purchase the Spoofernatural CD at Lighthouse Christian Bookstore in Green Bay.
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CD RELEASE PARTY
We are tentatively scheduling our Pittsburgh CD release party for "Spoofernatural" on Saturday, November 25, two days after Thanksgiving. It'll be held at the brand new Family Christian Store in Robinson Town Centre in Pittsburgh, PA, and the band will be on hand to sign the CDs and chat. The CD will be available several days earlier, on Tuesday, November 21, but we want to make it easier for more of our friends to come to the party, and a big shopping weekend day seemed like a better bet than a school/work night. However, we value your input. If you're planning on coming to the "Spoofernatural" release party in Pittsburgh, let us know if Tuesday, November 21, Friday, November 24, or Saturday, November 25, is a better day for you, and let us know if the afternoon or the evening is better. We will take all the input we get into consideration.
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WHAT'S ON THE NEW CD?
"Spoofernatural," is scheduled to be available in stores on Tuesday,
November 21. Many stores have already pre-ordered, and we seem to get a bunch a more each day. The CD contains 19 parodies. Like "Biblical Graffiti," it's a mix of parodies of classic rock and songs from the past year or so. There's plenty of variety for everybody -- 50's, 60's, 70's, and a LOT of 80's, which is our main focus on this CD.
If you've perused our previous four newsletters, you know that instead of giving you a complete song list, we're giving you the scoop on two new songs per week (the theme of the song plus hints as to what it's a parody of), to add to the mystery and the excitement. Here are the two tracks featured this week:
Track #10
Song Title: "Choirboy"
This song is based on a true story. OK, all of our songs are based on true stories (from the Bible), but this is based on the true story of my life, growing up. Yes, I was indeed a choirboy, and the stereotypical image of a choirboy as a goody-goody would probably apply to yours truly -- although my three older sisters, who are all on this e-mailing list, might have their own comments. But the Bible says that no matter how righteous we may appear to be on the inside, we all have a big-time sin problem. As Romans 3:10 and Romans 3:23 say, respectively, "There is no one righteous, not even one" and "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." And Jeremiah in the Old Testament says (Jeremiah 17:9-10), "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." Of course, I was no exception to those rules, even as I sang in choirs, became a cantor, led the worship team at folk group and starred in Christian shows and plays. This song tracks my biography (in a little rap-and-roll) before I became a born-again Christian in 1988 and what's happened since. As the closing words of this song sum it up, "I'd always heard that Christians were radical idiots. I make it my biz to dispel that notion, and keep on trusting Him with all my devotion." The guy who sang the original says he once was lost, but now he's just blind. Personally, I once was lost AND blind, and this song talks about how I found my way and my sight. Only God Knows Why we ended up picking this song to spoof, but maybe now you have a clue as to who did the original.
Track #11
Song Title: "Every Crown Has Its Thorns"
The opening words of this song sum it up: "We're both like Simon, we still live in a state of denial. Although we'd both like to go to Heaven, we feel surprised about the trial." Simon Peter never expected he'd deny Jesus on that fateful night, but he never expected that Jesus would be on trial, either, or that he himself would face a trial of faith. But Peter turned out all right, and later in life he was able to write: "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." (1 Peter 4:12-13) James adds these words: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2) So you don't think trials or suffering can do you any good? Well, the most perfect (and the only perfect) Person in the world got something great out of suffering, even though He was the only who never deserved any suffering: (Hebrews 5:8-9) "Although he (Jesus) was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ..." Anybody who lived through the second half of the '80's has already figured out what song we're spoofing here, just based on the title. But if you need another hint, the original song Ain't Nothin' but a Good tune, but now the words will give you Something to Believe In ... besides hairspray.
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OUR PLAN FOR THE NEW CD
Our current plan is to make the "Spoofernatural" CD available only to stores for the first two weeks (and after that it'll be available on the website), because we want to encourage people to buy it in the stores, for two main reasons:
1. We want the stores to realize how many of you are out there (If your store doesn't stock us, ask them to order it), and
2. If all of our fans buy the CD when it is released there is a chance that we will hit the national album sales charts, because when you purchase a CD at a Christian bookstore, that sale is recorded and sent to the record-keeping publications that chart records. "Biblical Graffiti" has sold thousands and thousands of copies, but that was over the past nine months. If we sell a large amount in the first week of the CD's release, it will definitely draw the attention of DJs, concert promoters, stores and others in CCM music and the music industry in general.
I've seen some CCM ads lately and I've noticed that we're not alone in this strategy: Carman and the Newsboys are doing the same thing with their greatest hits packages that come out later this month because they'd like to make a splash on the secular charts. I presume that's because they want to make people outside of the church aware of their music, because they want to reach more people with their message. And that's why we're doing it, too.
If "Spoofernatural" hits the CCM or secular charts, it will draw more attention to ApologetiX, even though we are an independent band that is not on a major label. Why would that be good? Well, it would open up the doors for more concerts and more CDs and getting the message in our music into the hands of more people ... both Christians and non-Christians. Our music is specifically designed to reach certain types of people, and we want to get it into their hands. But many of them have to find out about us first. First and foremost, God is in charge of that. But we're also trying to do trying to be faithful servants in getting the message out, because we really believe that God is leading us in this area.
Watch for our full-page color ad on the inside cover of the December issue of CCM Magazine.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
1) Please pray for us -- that we complete the CD on time and that we do all things for the glory of God and to the best of our ability. Please pray for wisdom and strength for us, particularly for Karl.
2) Find the Christian bookstore near you and go see if they have ApologetiX. If they don't, please tip them off that hundreds of stores around the world are carrying ApologetiX. (Maybe find the name of another store in the area from http://www.apologetix.com/stores.html and tell your store that the other store is already stocking us.)
3) Tell your local store that they can order through their major distributors, Ingram/Spring Arbor, Riverside or New Day.
4) Give your local store the phone number of our retail relationship manager, Tim Hetchler. Tim personally takes care of all the stores who carry ApologetiX. He makes sure they have everything they need and they get the best deal. Tim is a great guy and also represents Billy Graham, so they may already know him.
Tim Hetchler Wesscott Marketing 1.800.788.0442
5) Mark your calendar and try to be at your neighborhood store on Tue., Nov. 21, 2000, in your ApologetiX T-shirt (still available at http://www.apologetix.com/cds.html). You can pick up your copy of "Spoofernatural, and help show support for your favorite Christian parody band. (If you're feeling particularly obnoxious and giddy, you can ask out loud, "Excuse me, do you have "Spoofernatural," the new CD from ApologetiX, That Christian Parody Band!?"
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OCTOBER & NOVEMBER SCHEDULE
Sunday, Oct. 29 at 10:45 a.m.
Ladbroke At The Meadows
Racetrack Roads
Meadow Lands, PA
Contact: Pastor Joe Di Donato
Home 412-257-8687
Cell 412-576-9210
Sat., Nov. 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Liberty Christian Center
210 Count St.
Watertown NY 13601
Contact: Ron Whiting 315-786-9957
Sun., Nov. 19, 6:00 p.m.
Life Center Ministries International
951 S. 13th St.
Harrisburg PA 17104
Contact: Donn Polson 717-367-8865 (Home)
717-232-9006 (Church)
Tue., Nov. 21 ApologetiX New CD, "Spoofernatural" is Released!
Please continue to pray for us. Making a CD is stressful (yet ultimately very satisfying) work. The rest of the band is sending Karl and his wife, Debbie, away to a bed and breakfast in Lancaster, PA, as soon as we have a weekend without concerts. As I've said before, please keep us in prayer that we keep the main thing (person) the Main Thing (Person) -- Jesus Christ. Please keep in touch! God bless you all!
Apologetically,
J.
-- J. Jackson ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) www.apologetix.com j@apologetix.com
Isaiah 55:11 (God is speaking in this passage:)
"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
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