A Special Day For Music

 Today's a special personal day for music, as it is both Billy Ray Cyrus and Rob Halford's birthday.  Halford was born in 1950 on this day, BRC was born in 1961.  Other important people whose birthday is today include Sean Connery, Regis Philbin, Tim Burton and my late Uncle on my Mother's side.  In honor of the fantastic music of Billy Ray Cyrus and the projects of Rob Halford, this year, I made a 50-song playlist in Spotify:

1.)    Achy Breaky Heart-Billy Ray Cyrus

2.)    Folsom Prison Blues-Billy Ray Cyrus

3.)    Hey Elvis-Billy Ray Cyrus, Bryan Adams, Glenn Hughes

4.)    Ready, Set, Don’t Go-Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus

5.)    Stand-Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus

6.)    Tulsa Time-Billy Ray Cyrus and Joe Perry

7.)    You’ve Got A Friend-Billy Ray Cyrus and Emily Osment

8.)    Brown Eyed Girl-Billy Ray Cyrus

9.)    Over the Rainbow-Billy Ray Cyrus

10.) I Love You This Much-Billy Ray Cyrus

11.) Enough is Enough-Billy Ray Cyrus

12.) The Past-Billy Ray Cyrus

13.) Some Gave All-Billy Ray Cyrus

14.) Never Thought I’d Fall In Love With You-Billy Ray Cyrus

15.) The Freebird Fell-Billy Ray Cyrus

16.) Thrillbilly-Billy Ray Cyrus

17.) Somebody Said A Prayer-Billy Ray Cyrus

18.) Face of God-Billy Ray Cyrus

19.) I’m American-Billy Ray Cyrus

20.) Nineteen-Billy Ray Cyrus

21.) Chevys and Fords-Billy Ray Cyrus and Johnny McGuire

22.) Old Town Road-Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus

23.) Climb to Glory-Billy Ray Cyrus, Eddie Raven, Mark Plummer, Lee Roy Parnell

24.) Killing The Blues-Billy Ray Cyrus and Shooter Jennings

25.) We The People-Billy Ray Cyrus, Montgomery Gentry, Waylon Jennings and Others

26.) Starbreaker-Judas Priest

27.) Diamonds and Rust-Judas Priest

28.) The Green Manalishi with the Two Pronged Crown (Live)-Judas Priest

29.) Living After Midnight-Judas Priest

30.) Never The Heroes-Judas Priest

31.) Breaking the Law (Live)-Judas Priest

32.) Halls of Valhalla (Live)-Judas Priest

33.) Victim of Changes (Live 2015)-Judas Priest

34.) March of the Damned-Judas Priest

35.) Love Bites-Judas Priest

36.) Jawbreaker-Judas Priest

37.) Hell Bent For Leather (Live 1979)-Judas Priest

38.) Victim of Changes (Live 1979)-Judas Priest

39.) Running Wild (Live)-Judas Priest

40.) Breaking the Law-Judas Priest

41.) Hell Bent For Leather (Live 2015)-Judas Priest

42.) Black Wedding-In This Moment, Rob Halford

43.) Man on the Silver Mountain-Rob Halford, Doug Aldrich, Scott Warren, Jeff Pilson and Vinny Appice

44.) Breaking the Law (Live)-Halford

45.) Blackout (Live)-Halford

46.) Straight Up-Phil Campbell, Rob Halford

47.) Protected By The Light-Rob Halford

48.) Joy To The World-Rob Halford

49.) Hark!  The Herald Angels Sing-Rob Halford

50.) Away In A Manger-Rob Halford

I hope you can listen to some enjoyable music today and do some community outreach.  Sunday night sadly saw another senseless Police Brutality Murder, this time in Wisconsin.  I was encouraged by the words of Brewers Manager Craig Counsell (he was a player for the Marlins among other teams when I was a kid) that it was a needless violent act and he would be checking with his players to make sure they were okay.  I'm already doing the best I feel I can do at this point, but if I ever falter, I would like someone to point out my shortcomings.

More uncertainty courtesy of the number 1 music family

I’m going crazy since Miley Cyrus put up a Twitter image of some guy saying a statement about stars being responsible for existence, ending with “forget Jesus, the stars died so you could be born,” and calling it beautiful.  It is widely unreported, except by an atheist group that debated if she was just a non-fundamentalist Christian, a Buddhist, an agnostic or an atheist, with no clear answer, except they naturally favored the idea of her being an atheist.  The only other articles condemned her for what she’s been wearing and supporting gays, with one condemning rock music in general.  Most unfortunate, I dislike reading those websites, they make me feel crazy and want to punish myself.  I know you don’t care, I just want to let this out.  I worry about salvation and fear my prayers aren't doing enough.

Don't Think it can't happen

Looking around at this big old Internet of ours, and through my personal experiences, I am convinced the end of the world will take place before the decade is out.  Don't tell me I'm wrong, I know I'm not.  And it will start here, in the land of the free and home of the brave.  This nation has become very liberal, and its entertainment industry loves to make fun of Jesus.  The percentage of atheists is growing daily, and these aren't nice atheists, they're atheists who hate Jesus and all His followers because they think they're anti-gay.  I have met hardcore Republican Christians who are anti-gay, but that isn't the majority.  Of course, soon, this nation, if it doesn't already, will believe that the majority of Christians are Republican, anti-gay zealots who are holding the nation back by believing in a Creator and a Savior.  Then, they will deem us useless and throw us in prison, just like Hitler did with the Jews.  For seven long years, we will be tortured, beaten, and asked to convert to Hinduism, Buddhism, Neo-paganism, scientology, Baha'ism, atheism and satanism.  At the end of those seven years, Jesus will come again.  It is imperative we worship Him and love our gay brothers and sisters so to stall the torture. Believe me now, or believe me later.

Ten years ago

I'll never forget what happened ten years ago today, the day the terrorists stole America's security and fear zoomed in.  I was asleep, thinking about the day that lay ahead, going to school then going to practice Muay Thai martial arts.  Dad called so I could let him in, the divorce had happened, but he still took me to school.  Instantly, he walked over to the television set, that's when I knew something was wrong.  I saw the World Trade Center, the tallest buildings in New York City, with smoke pouring out of gaping holes.  I wondered if this was it for the structure, Dad assured me the buildings were too strong for airplane impacts to destroy them.  However, the burning fuel dramatically weakened the steel, and before I went to school, two of our nation's landmarks were gone.  Dad told me someone from the Middle East was most likely responsible.  I agreed, knowing of how Saddam Hussein hated America.  At school, the others blamed Japan for their history of Pearl Harbor and Kamikaze attacks, oblivious of the metamorphosis the nation had undergone in the last 60 years (now 70 years).  I told them to be quiet, stop slandering Godzilla's homeland, my statements fell on deaf ears.  Only the teacher could convince them otherwise from their "destroy Japan" sentiment.  I was nervous to do anything that day, but I was forced to do so by my parents.  In the years that came, the incident would prove to be the thing that robbed me, robbed my of my innocence and put me at odds with so many people.  As George W. Bush turned the fight to Iraq, a movement not unlike the Hippie movement arose, demanding peace at any cost.  I got swept up in this, stating that Bush was the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler through black magic and that he planned the horrible day, that the pilots of death were members of the Secret Service.  Hate fueled me, I despised the military, the Republican Party, this country and the one I called the antichrist, George W. Bush.  However, around 2007, that hate got burned out, tired and worn out from despising so much.  I had a new enemy then, the mass media, and how they portrayed Christians.  With that, I found the most vocal Christians in Hollywood, the Cyrus family, and began adoring them, especially since an episode of Hannah Montana dealt with surgery, which I had just received three months before the episode aired.  With that, there came a new call.  "Some Gave All."  Billy Ray Cyrus is very much a patriotic American Christian and has written and sung that many times, we need to fight for freedom.  My hate and paranoia slipped away, replaced with obsession, needing them to know such a perspective, which had been living deep within me the whole time, was okay, not an easy task when you live in a liberal town like Bellingham.  For that, I've given myself a one-day reprieve from the ban to listen to Billy Ray Cyrus' most patriotic songs.  I have also learned that his daughter is considering following Eastern Philosophy, however, I still feel like I need her and that the world needs her to be a Christian who supports gays.  Today I said a prayer in Church in the hopes that her paths would be made clear and that she wouldn't forget the beautiful sacrifice of Jesus.  I hate Hollywood less, though I do feel they treat people like garbage, and hope that my prayers are answered, and if she does convert, that God will be able to rescue her from any condemnation.
When Bin Laden was killed, it was amazingly refreshing, I no longer had to be angry over the events, it was over to an extent in my mind.  I've heard many differing opinions about the attack, one that really saddens me is the opinion that God let the attack happen so we would trust in him, rather than money and military.  I find it hard to believe that the God who led the children of Israel to the Promised Land, who willingly died for us, would support a man who hates Christianity, Israel and America and believes suicidal murder is not only justifiable, but supported by the divine.  Let's pray for all affected by war and remember, freedom isn't free.

My answers to the previous questions

1.) I was born and raised as a Christian, and though God was always important to me and I loved Touched By An Angel, I started really getting involved in my Faith in 2000, when my Mom brought the soundtrack to Touched By An Angel and WOW the 90s on our road trip to San Francisco.  Before that, God and Jesus were either figures from my Beginners’ Bible, or people in hymns I didn’t understand.  Still, it was mainly a Church thing, and I didn’t bring it into my personal life until 2005, when I attended the Western States Youth Gathering. I guess those two events had the most influence on me theologically.

2.) Every day, I try to do what I can on the Internet to try to spread God’s Love.  I pray nightly and go to Church every Sunday.  Some days, I’ll read passages from the Bible, though my anxiety distorts God’s words, I tend to either not do that or read about the miracles.

4.) There have been a lot of times when God seems very distant, like when I read about animals eating their young and people gleefully using Charles Darwin as ammunition.  God doesn’t seem distant when I pray, and usually, something good will happen, like someone I like will contact me on the Internet or I’ll get to go to an event like a ballgame or a rock concert.

6.) Honestly, I don’t think so.  Sure, I was raised Lutheran and we sing all the time, but I think listening to The Beatles, Bob Seger’s Old-Time Rock and Roll, Billy Ray Cyrus’ Achy Breaky Heart and knowing the Beatles’ drummer was Ringo Starr, aka Mr. Conductor made music more important to me than Hymns did, save possibly Christmas songs.  The Cyrus family made the world of music even more important later on by performing great songs and pointing to artists like Demi Lovato, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.

7.) No, but my family does pray for me to find employment quickly, and they’ve also prayed similarly for my brother.

9.) Hard to say.  These days, I listen to Addison Road’s “Won’t Let Me Go” and “Don’t Wait” a lot, they sound like Gospel versions of Miley and Demi songs.  I also love Casting Crowns, especially their “Lifesong” album, with great songs like “Lifesong,” “Praise You In This Storm,” “Stained Glass Masquerade,” “Love Them Like Jesus,” “Set Me Free,” and “And Now My Lifesong Sings.”  I used to not like DC Talk’s “Jesus Freak,” but as I get older and angrier at a world that doesn’t understand, it’s become a kind of anthem for me.

10.) This year, I stopped going to certain Internet sites.  Next year, I’ll probably stop going to either the same or others.  I sometimes wash off the ashes, since we have to go to the supermarket and don’t want people staring at us, but if we have nowhere to go, I keep them on.

11.) Yes, I am a current member of the Covenant Denomination, which was founded by Swedish immigrants.  Since the story of Santa Lucia ends with her appearing to Swedes, she means a lot to them.  I love the song, I have three versions of it, sung by Elvis Presley, Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli.  I couldn’t sing it correctly for you off the top of my head, I don’t know the exact words.  I could hum it, if you want.

Depression

I've been rather depressed lately, since I've been dealing with difficult people.  Ever since High School, I've met anti-Christian bias.  It feels like the entire left side of American politics is slipping into "Imagine"-style anti-Christian hippie/communism.  And the right is no better.  They give all us Christians a bad name by effectively saying "if you're gay, you should die and every last bit of science is made up."  There is no place in this country for Christians who are okay with homosexuality, it feels like.  The only other American Christian who I've found evidence to being like me in this issue is Miley Cyrus, and the right thinks she's "so far secularized that there is no hope for her."  I feel my family has also rejected me sometimes on this issue, and I'm scared and sad.

The Cult of Carlin

Two people on Facebook today shared a video of George Carlin denouncing religion.  I was unaware it was insult us all day.  I tried arguing, but they called me judgmental for saying I wouldn't seek Earthly glory like those who insult us tend to do and unintelligent for believing in the Bible.  This is exactly what I wish to combat, the growing anti-Christian bias in America.  It seems that as days go on, more and more people like to call us stupid, judgmental idiots, saying we're all Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck.  I'm not ashamed of my Faith, but it feels like soon we'll be outlawed and thrown in prison, all for worshiping Jesus.  This is why I want to make the documentary, so the world will see the Moderate side of our Faith, the universal-love-promoting Cyrus, Lovato and Williams families.  But it feels often like it's too late and I'll just end up in prison to be tortured for seven years before the Second Coming.  If anyone has some sort of connections for my ambitious dreams to come true, let them speak and let God be glorified!

Update

Hey guys.
Well, I've got a little anxiety still, Men of Faith on Facebook likes to link to that guy who believes that homosexuality is something to repent or die with.  I'd quit them, but they're pretty great otherwise.  Beyond that, Miley's older sister Brandi kind of shook me up by saying "don't let anyone fool you, every single person in the music business industry is only out for themselves."  Which to me says, the supergroup of Miley, Demi, Brandi and Hayley is unlikely (though Twitter and interviews show them to be pretty much the best of friends), but I really want to see it, even if it means flying to Los Angeles with very little money.  I'd like you guys to pray for my dreams and the Japanese, since God is Almighty and gave me this heart for these things.
The Mariners took Opening Day in Oakland, which makes me happy.  I'm really looking forward to seeing these two teams lock horns in three weeks with my Dad's family.  Hopefully, the Mariners will keep performing this well (knock on wood).  I've got a record six games to see this year, with the M's playing the A's, Phillies, Marlins, Padres, Rangers and Rays.  I'm so excited for it!

Personnel for the new recordings.

Continuing from Yesterday, Here's how I see the personnel for the new songs.

Piano, keyboard, vocals-Codi Carraco

Gibson ES-335 guitar, Gibson Les Paul guitar, Gibson Firebird guitar, Gibson SG guitar, vocals-Brandi Cyrus

Gibson Les Paul guitar, Epiphone Casino guitar, piano, vocals-Miley Cyrus

Gibson SG guitar, Gibson Les Paul guitar, Fender Telecaster guitar, Fender Stratocaster guitar, piano, vocals-Demi Lovato

Gibson Dove Acoustic guitar, vocals-Billy Ray Cyrus

Gibson EB-0 Bass, Fender Precision Bass-Jon Wasleske

Drums, vocals-Hayley Williams

I also made this picture in MS Paint.

I would love it if had the money to fly to LA, go to the Reality LA Church (where Brandi Cyrus attends worship) and through that make this documentary, but real life rarely works that way, plus I'm strapped for cash.

A happier post

Okay guys, trying to get out of the gutter with some music.  Basically, I'm releasing some ideas for my documentary, which I asked help for earlier.
How it could break down;

-Opening, introduces documentary crew.  Song: Awesome God, Rich Mullins, time; 5 mins.

-Going to the Reality LA Church, seeking the cast.  Song: Born Again, Newsboys, time; 7 mins.

-Interviewing Brandi and Miley.  Songs: Forgiveness and Love, Joan Jett Medley, Miley Cyrus. Time; 15 mins.

-Transition showing MRC playing Beatles Rock Band with Demi, Brandi and Hayley playing Yahtzee.  Songs, live Rock and Roll Music/She’s A Woman (Beatles fans, buy Anthology 2 NOW), Day Tripper, And Your Bird Can Sing, Yellow Submarine, I Feel Fine, Dig a Pony, The Beatles.  Time, 7 mins.

-Interviewing Hayley and Demi, inter-spliced with previous.  Songs, Hallelujah, That’s What You Get, Paramore.  Time, 15 mins.

-Transition to BRC and interview.  Song, Stand Still, Give My Heart to You, Billy Ray Cyrus.  Time, 15 mins.

-Interview with Carrie Underwood, Emily Osment and AnnaSophia Robb.  Songs, Jesus Take the Wheel, Carrie Underwood, You Get Me Through, Emily Osment.  Time, 15 mins.

-Further interview with MRC, Demi and Brandi, show band rehearsal, making the band for this.  Song, When I Look At You, Miley Cyrus.  Time, 7 mins.

-Highlights from Charity Concert.  Song, When I Look At You, Miley Cyrus, Lie to Me, Billy Ray Cyrus, Spotlight, Miley Cyrus, GNO, Miley Cyrus, Jesus Freak, Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato, Party, Demi Lovato, Can’t Be Tamed, Miley Cyrus, Achy Breaky Heart, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Climb, Miley Cyrus.  Time, 33 mins.

Total time, 2 hours.

Soundtrack Track Listing:

Disc 1

1.) Awesome God, Rich Mullins

2.) Born Again, Newsboys

3.) Forgiveness and Love, Miley Cyrus

4.) Joan Jett Medley (I Love Rock and Roll, Cherry Bomb, Bad Reputation) [Live], Miley Cyrus

5.) Rock and Roll Music [Live at the Budokan June 30th, 1966], The Beatles

6.) She's A Woman [Live at the Budokan June 30th, 1966], The Beatles

7.) Day Tripper, The Beatles

8.) And Your Bird Can Sing, The Beatles

9.) I Feel Fine, The Beatles

10.) Yellow Submarine, The Beatles

11.) Dig A Pony, The Beatles

12.) That's What You Get, Paramore

13.) Hallelujah, Paramore

14.) Give My Heart To You, Billy Ray Cyrus

15.) Stand Still, Billy Ray Cyrus

16.) Jesus Take the Wheel, Carrie Underwood

17.) You Get Me Through, Emily Osment

18.) When I Look At You (Rehearsal for concert), Miley Cyrus

Disc 2 (Concert for TWLOHA, order may change) 

1.)    Here We Go Again (Demi Lovato)

4.)    Praise You in this storm (Casting Crowns cover, Miley, Brandi and Hayley) 

5.)    These Four Walls (Miley Cyrus) 

6.)    Lie to me (Billy Ray Cyrus) 

7.)    U Got Nothing on Me (Demi Lovato) 

8.)    Spotlight (Miley Cyrus) 

9.)    GNO (Miley Cyrus)

2.)    We are Broken (Hayley Williams) 

3.)    When I Look At You (Miley Cyrus)

10.) Back and Forth (Frank and Derol) 

11.) While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Beatles cover, Miley) 

12.) Ready Set Don’t Go (BRC and MRC) 

13.) I Want You (She’s So Heavy) (Beatles cover, Demi and Miley) 

14.) Jesus Freak (DC Talk cover, sung by Miley and Demi) 

15.) Party  (Demi Lovato) 

16.) Can’t Be Tamed (Miley Cyrus) 

17.) Face of God (Billy Ray Cyrus) 

18.) Achy Breaky Heart (Billy Ray Cyrus)

19.) The Climb (Miley Cyrus)

Disc 3, Rehearsed covers

1.) I Love Rock and Roll, Miley Cyrus

1.) Working for MCA, Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus

3.) I Ain't the One, Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus

4.) Gimme Back My Bullets, Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus

5.) I Got the Same old Blues, Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus

6.) Double Trouble, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Brandi Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus

7.) That Smell, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Brandi Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus

8.) Simple Man, Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus

9.) Free Bird, Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus

Just seeking some outlet and releasing some data.  Any information or urges for Good luck are encouraged.  It is also hoped that Miley and Billy Ray's relationship will last through their distance (BRC has moved back to Tennessee, MRC is still in California, but might visit her father).