The Other Side of Glory

I have been looking for musicians to jam with for a long time. Each time I think about this project I get excited and my excitement is like that of little children waiting expectantly for their birthday or Christmas presents, but everytime I "open the present" I am disappointed because everyone, including me, is busy with family, school, work or ministry. I guess the timing was just not right. Like I always say, "good things comes to them that wait". So I baited my time and now the players have been confirmed and I'll be jamming with these musicians for about 3 months (Dec to Feb). I look forward to listen to the songs I wrote in a band setting and have the chance to work with great musicians on their materials as well.

I have asked Eve to play guitar for a guitar she wrote about 2 years ago, as our chat about the possibility to record the song when she comes back for her break (she is studying in Australia now), I asked her about the possiblity of jamming together while she is in Singapore.

I needed another guitarist and Josh suddenly appeared in my mind. Ok, it's not "suddenly", but I've always admire his guitar work when we were playing in Gloria. So I asked him and he agreed to join me. He is the only member in an active band at the moment.

Josh heard Eve's demo with Arpee and asked me to get her to sing. All I know is that as long as I am not singing, it's ok. Eve in turn thinks that Josh has a good voice and blah blah blah, and I said they can trade vocals. But I always love those girl-fronted bands like Paramore, Evanescense and Walls of Jericho (WOAH!!). It'll be interesting to see how she develope as a singer in this project.

I originally wanted to just jam with the guitarist and if we ever record in February, Josh or me will play bass while I play drums. Then while chatting with Josh I told him I'll get back to him after I ask a friend if he wanted to play with us. Enter Caleb. He is a drum prodigy. He might not be fantastically technical or fast; neither can he play any drum solo (at least I've yet to hear him), but he is the Quartz! The reliable backbeat that everyone musician loves to play with. After he played the intro of Dream Theatre's "Overture 1928" and Further Seems Forever "The Sound", I knew he is one for my future project. Knowing him, I knoe his passion for ministry and I didn't expect him to say yes, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask and I did. When he replied to my facebook message the next day I was surprised by his resounding "yes". Now, I am grateful that Eve and Josh agreed to help me out, but I am most grateful for Caleb because he hasn't said yes to me at all when I asked him to cover me at G2. Wahahahha...

So the line-up for "TOSOG: 2008" is complete. At the moment, it's not a full-flege band yet, but we'll jam in the next three months and see how it goes. I definitely can't commit like I did in Gloria, but if we could keep something constant going somehow I know it might go far. But I am just going to try this out for three months first.

I declare my TOSOG project resurrected and alive today:

"Compare: a bright, almost blinding light flashing through the sky in the shimmering mid-day sun, and in the darkest hour of night which is more magnificent? in good times and in health in jubilee and triumph are all forms of strength belittled all virtues overlooked all faithfulness deemed superficial and all effort non-existent in bad times and in sickness in desperation and apparent defeat is inner resolve magnified and fortified principles rooted firmly to the ground steadfast obedience bearing fruit and unwavering trust in the truth paramount for survival for growth for receiving the crown... a blinding light flashing through the sky in the darkest hour of night what a sight to behold! is that not more magnificent? so why do you still shun the other side of glory?"

-Serene Goh-