I apologize to everyone for taking five days off since my last entry. We have been emmersed in the writing process this past week and things have finally started to settle down a bit. We believe that we wrote the last song on this next record (the last trrack, that is) this past week and things are eally starting to come together. Now the creative juice has been drained from us for the week and Zach is driving down to Florida to retreve his things and move into the new house that he and Jacob and Benj just purchased. Congrats dudes! I hung out over there tonight for the first time and you better believe that I will be crashing their pad more often than not! I will be driving up to Richmond for the weekend to visit one of my best friends in the entire world and in my alone time, I will make time for a more interesting post. Thank you for all of your comments. I will be bringing more interesting information to this blog very soon.

Dave

Music is the escape from reality. It is the comfort of a best friend...one who won't ever leave you. Music is the memories that you keep. Music provides the words for the feelings that you don't know how to express. It is catalyst for a shift in thinking. Music sheds the weight and burden of the old and revitalizes you anew. Music has saved my life countless times. When I was in college failing a class per semester music took me to LA to play for Kenna and give my first taste of the music industry. Music provided hope for me when I thought all hope was lost. Music put me in a van and let me see the country and eventually the world. For the love of music I slept on floors and ate off of the dollar menu for over a year. And I would do it all over again for this opportunity. Thank you all for letting me live my dream and continue to play and write music. I will not let you down on this next record. Expect nothing but the very best from our band as we craft these songs for ourselves and ultimately for you as well. These conversations are uplifting and encouraging and we are only beginning. From one music lover to another, be thankful for the power of music!

Dave

Happy Sunday to everyone.

Sometimes life comes at you so fast. Maybe even too fast. It seems like last week that we were all getting in the van for the first time with food our parents sent with us, no money in our pockets waiting for our turns to drive. Over three years and two and a half records later, I feel like I am constantly playing catch up. I love my life and I would encourage everyone who feels wired to play music to pursue it at all costs before settling on something else for a career. In many ways I still feel like the same naive kid who was twenty with not even a dollar in my wallet. Sometimes I feel old and grey as these last three years have brought me more memories and bags under my eyes than the previous twenty. I don't have a clue what I am trying to say here. Our band takes sundays off for family and friends and personal rest. But I feel exhausted on this day. I want this next record to make people stop in their tracks and decide if what they believe, what they think, and how they live are exactly how they want to do all three. Right now in my personal life I am looking for answers everywhere. It sounds exciting and adventerous. But sometimes it is just downright torturous. We all pour ourselves dry when we create music together and through the lyrics I really get the opportunity to be transparent and vulnerable with you. It is very therapeutic for me as I am taking advantage of being transparent and vulnerable with myself. It isn't easy to do however. Being this way means you must first admit that you haven't got it all together. The more answers you have the more questions come back to you. Before too long you realize that you don't know too much of anything. Here is what I would like to do:

I want my blog to be a place where MAE fans can talk openly, as you should also on our message board, about life as it relates to you. I don't need any buttering up of any kind. This is not what my blog is for. I want to hear opinions, beliefs, moral stances, etc. And I want to moderate debates as well as participate. I would love to learn from you all and also share very openly my views. You have the opportunity to influence lyrical content on our next record if you join on here. Please be respectful of everyone's opinions and no disruptions. So here we go...

First topic: What is the most important thing music can do for a person? Why do we place such a strong importance, priority on music? What has music done for you personally that has changed our saved your life?

My answer will come soon. For now, think on this and let's start talking.

Dave

I know that many people have become disappointed in our statement of not being a christian band. I understand where you are coming from. I partly grew up in a household where christian music was only allowed. But my parents divorced before I was two years old and the family I lived with, enforced many ground and moral rules, but I was free to listen to whatever music I wanted. That is partly how the internal conflict began. As soon as I realized that music was such a huge part of me that was dying to get out, I began researching and pursuing music at any cost. This led to me fiinding out how much great music out there that isn't "christian". Unfortunately, christian music as a whole is solely a market and speaking honestly, I find that christian music is both watered down, and insincere. I believe that as soon as you approach music with any agenda other that complete transparency and a passion for the artform, you are incapable of creating the best art possible. You see, the reason that MAE is here right now, is to provide as many musical moments over time that people can relate to. Life is for living to the fullest extent and I believe that sometimes nothing can bring your heart so closely to that realization like music can. Sometimes this does have to do with God directly, and sometimes it doesn't. But most importantly it doesn't make our band a "christian" band if we mention God, or a "secular" band if we do not. We love music collectively more than anything else I think. We are all searching for answers and our current goal with writing this record is to encourage our listeners to do the same. Truth is out there. Sometimes it is completely evident. Sometimes ultimate truth is a mystery. But we are all searching. And the wonderful thing is that we are doing it together. That is what I believe seperates our band from many others out there. We are all searching together to find the answers that will continue to drive this band forward. So, yes, one of my favorite books is the Bible. But you will most likely find other books on my favorites list in the future. Always seek truth and do not be lazy in your pursuit. This is a challenge that I am giving myself more than I am giving the readers of this blog. Don't be afraid to question what youhave been told and to test it.

Thank you for comment,

Dave

Hello friends,

I am brand new to these blogs, as this is the first one I have ever started, and aside from my band members', I have never been one to read blogs. But this is a very exciting time for me personally and I would love to share as much of myself as possible while we sit in the studio six days a week, eight hours a day. My posts come straight from my heart and although there isn't a group of people I can agree with more than my own band, these opinions are strictly my own and do not represent a unified front on behalf of MAE. I will be posting on here as often as possible, but please take my comments with a grain of salt. I am going through a time in my life where I am searching for answers more so than giving them. I look forward relaying with all of you as we can all use this blog to discuss, debate, analyze, and simply share. Thank you for taking the time and interest in our band and in our personalities. This summer will most likely be the most inspirational season of my life. Hopefully, we will share this endeavor together.

You will hear from me soon,

Dave