Stereoreel

The Precisely Reborn: Your Passion in Demand

Seth Dean — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:34:39 +0000

Two years ago, Stereoreel made an attempt at creating a monthly newsletter that would bend the preconceptions of what a monthly update actually is. Instead of emailing a long list of everything that we had done and were planning to do, we thought it best to put such information in a magazine format surrounded by relevant articles on the sort of things that we’re interested in, fun visuals, and bright colors. Then, we posted a link on our website, and emailed a PDF to everyone on our mailing list for their delight and edification. It was an exercise in creativity, informative reading, pop culture, existentialism, and just plain fun. This publication was dubbed The Precisely.

I, Seth Dean, Knight of the Precisely, am here to tell you that The Precisely is being reborn, and we need your help! Not only will this publication feature the personal writings of Stereoreel with information on shows past and future, but it will also feature YOU. I am asking anyone out there, with a desire to let their creativity be known, to submit their work each month to us for possible publication in new issues of The Precisely. We are accepting:

Original photographs you find beautiful, creative, inspiring, unique, or just good.
Photos of Stereoreel
Your personal opinion or reviews on art, music, movies, books, concerts, fashion, websites, restaurants, etc…
Original poetry
Original short stories or serials
Original artwork
Original comics (single and multi-frame)
Anything that you do that is original and creative that you want others to experience

The deadline for submissions for the August 2010 issue of The Precisely is August 3rd at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Please submit all works via email to: stereoreel at gmail dot com. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us.

Please only submit your own work, and do not plagiarize. Not everything submitted each month will be (or even can be) published. We are looking forward to seeing what great things you are all capable of!

New Dates for Living Room Concerts!

Seth Dean — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:47:54 +0000

Because our own vacations were interfering with booking Sunday evening Living Room Concerts, we have opened up BRAND NEW days to play for you! From now till the end of August, all Tuesdays after 5 PM and Saturdays after 2 PM are free for you to book us. We’re free to play living rooms concerts, deck concerts, cookouts, and even pool parties! Check the dates below, and send us an email or contact us on Facebook to book your own FREE Stereoreel concert!

OPEN DATES
July 10, 11, 13, 17, 20, 24, 25, 27
August 8, 10, 15, 17, 21, 28, 29, 31

Stereoreel Living Room Concerts!!!

Seth Dean — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:43:42 +0000

Tell all your friends! We’re offering to play at YOUR house for free at our Summer Living Room Concert Events! After this happy July 4th weekend, you can book Stereoreel to come play at your house on any Sunday evening from July 11th-August 29th. We’ll bring our instruments, but we won’t be bringing any sound system to blow your roof off. Just an ear pleasing night of worship between us, you, and your family and friends. Throw a house party! Have a cookout! Hold a night of prayer! It’s up to you! Invite everyone you know because it’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’re looking forward to getting to know you and your crew. Shoot us an email and reserve a Sunday night for your very own Stereoreel Living Room Concert! stereoreel at gmail dot com

There are a few conditions that we shall stipulate forthwith:

Bookings are on a first come, first serve basis. We can only play one Living Room Concert an evening, so jump on the offer fast.
You must get at least 20 people to attend in order for us to play. We’ll play for as many people as can fit in your house, but there needs to be a minimum of 20 guests in the first place. So, go bug your friend with the biggest house.
All Living Room Concerts will be performed on Sundays after 5:00 PM. No other nights are good for us.
The location must be within an hour and a half drive of Winchester, VA for us to come play. Remember, we’re doing this for free. If you desperately want us to play for you and your friends, but you live 2 or more hours away, and you’re willing to pay, then get in contact with us, and we’ll see…
We reserve the right to add more stipulations as the band members get back from Creationfest and double-check my posting, but the aforementioned conditions are pretty much the gist of things.

The clock is ticking. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us: stereoreel at gmail dot com

HAVE A HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Hello and Goodbye

Seth Dean — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:41:45 +0000

Dear Friends and Fans,

We are writing this long overdue blog today to inform you of some major changes that have occurred within Stereoreel over the last few months. Our good friend, Dustin Martin, has decided to relinquish his role as drummer in the band in order to better provide for and focus on his family (but not with Dr. James Dobson). Dustin was the first to begin playing with Caleb, and he has been integral in helping to conceptually and musically develop Stereoreel over the past several years from a drum and keys duo to the 4 man band that exists now.

He has devoted untold hours to the creation of our initial website; designed and built entire drum sets, helped reinvent the piano case, and crafted together finely made monitor stands. He has labored intensively on working out song structures, recorded drum tracks for fun and recreation, and found time to discuss the merits of fine Sy-Fy shows like Stargate SG-1, while maintaining a serious desire to lead people in worship. A solid drummer and a great friend, a lover of Steelers football and Chipotle burritos, his decision to bow out comes with absolutely no strife or enmity between us, and we wish him the very best for him and his wife as they continue to follow God’s leading in their lives. And if they ever invite you over for a chicken dinner, do not hesitate to answer yes. If you have any words of encouragement for Dustin, please post them below.

Along with that change comes a few other swaps in the Stereoreel band lineup. Ethan has now discarded his Fender Jazz Bass and taken over drumming duties. Drums are his first love and passion, and he has been working diligently on utilizing some new gadgets behind the kick drum to go along with his finely honed skillz.

For many months after that move, there was a remaining vacuum of low end in the band that had been occasionally filled by friends as we needed, but never fully plugged. We’re excited to inform you of our new friend and bassist, NathanVencil. Nate is a solid bassist with a background steeped in the rumbly instrument, and he graciously agreed to play with us throughout our upcoming Teen Week gig. So far, we’ve had a blast getting to know him while playing as a group. We already appreciate his uncanny ability to pick out every single disgusting truffle in the chocolate box. All of us are looking forward to the impending barrage of Teen Week performances at Independent Bible Church in Martinsburg, WV.

The Teen Week Kickoff starts this Sunday morning at 10:45 AM, June 13th at IBC. Then, from Monday, June 14th – Friday, June 18th, Teen Week will be starting at 7:00 PM. Stereoreel will play a new worship set every night during the week, culminating in one BIG concert on Friday night. We hope to see you and all of your teenagers there! IT’S FREE! And we have new t-shirts. Those are not free. Bring money and cameras.

In regards to 52 Weeks, we have taken a hiatus since Easter in order to learn the new songs we wrote, and to work them up for live concerts. Why? Because it would be really stupid to write 52 songs that people liked, but never play them live for anyone to hear. So, in the spirit of the advice given by the great Dr. Leo Marvin, “Baby steps write 52 songs. Baby steps write 52 songs.” We hope to reengage 52 weeks as soon as we untie our emotional and musical knots, but before we explode.

Think you for your support and understanding!
♥,
Seth, Caleb, Ethan, and Nate

Photo taken by Flickr user “Eisenheim” and used under the creative commons attribution agreement. Use of this photo does not suggest the photographer endorses Stereoreel in any way.

52 Weeks-Episode 16: Look Now

Caleb Nei — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:06:16 +0000

We are a bit behind, we know. But better late than dead.

Our Palm Sunday song tries to capture the crazy wonder of Jesus entry into Jerusalem, the shouting children before and behind, the crowds waving palm branches and crying “Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Meanwhile, Jesus still goes into the temple, drives out the money changers, and heals the blind and lame. All this while he know he’s going to die within the week!

One meaning of Hosanna is “save us.” It’s in this spirit we sing.

Here’s the mp3.
Here’s the chord chart.

Live Music on Our Website!

Seth Dean — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:56:29 +0000

Hey everybody!

Today we updated our website to include a Music Page where you can find some new live tracks from the Winter Thaw Retreat we recently played at! There are 8 songs, and all of them are free to download! You’ll find a healthy combination of original Stereoreel songs balanced with some of our favorite worship standards, and there is also a raw track from one of the ice breakers that we played with the youth before one of the sessions. Here’s the artwork to “Live Thaw 2010“:

If you’ve been considering booking us, but have never heard us live, then take note of the Music Page! You can hear our music and begin to get a feel for our ability to perform while sincerely leading people in worship. Plus, it will be your portal to future studio releases and our best live shows, so be sure to sing extra loud at our next gig! Spread the word!

Winter Thaw Retreat and God’s Band Aid

Seth Dean — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:33:56 +0000

A couple weekends ago we got to play for the District United Methodist Youth Retreat here in Winchester. Of the many fond memories we’ve taken away from that experience, one was getting to run a sort of impromptu worship clinic during their “Break-Out” times. During this event, 5 very eager youths approached us and inquired about using our instruments to learn a worship song. Apparently, none of them had played together before, and a few of them had just met the day before. We gladly obliged and spent an hour teaching them the song “Mighty to Save.” Then calling themselves “God’s Band Aid” they played it that evening before our worship set with the help of Caleb on the piano. It was quite a raucous evening, and we’re all really proud of Emily, Josh, Brian, Matt, and Jacob! They impressed us with their desire to perform, and what they accomplished in such a short amount of time was impressive!

Listen to God’s Band Aid playing Mighty to Save

We would like to reiterate that these kids never played together before, and many of them are just learning their instruments, and all of them were just learning the song. Also, Ethan accidentally left his bass tuned in Drop-D before they played. The first minute of the song involves Ethan running onstage to aid in retuning. If you want to comment, please have fun, but don’t be hurtful or disrespectful. We’re mighty proud of them!

Our other fond memory is of Jed sticking his head into our cabin around midnight, and above the howling wind informing us that one of the girls’ cabins no longer had heat. He then humbly asked us to swap cabins. And we did. The girls never would have survived.

More memories: the color green, the hat game, the way Darth Vader snores, Fenguins (fake penguins), pet snowballs, not having 30″ of snow, White Fang (our new favorite book), pork BBQ and cheesy tots.

Mix Tapes and Music From Stereoreel, Oh My!!!

Ethan Dean — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:47:08 +0000

Hello everyone! Stereoreel is proud to present to you a series of mix tapes (or mix iTunes playlists) from the minds of our beautiful members! This first “tape” is from Me, Ethan, and has a wonderful mix of Post Rock, Industrial, Hip-Hop and good old fashioned 90’s rock! Have a song you think should be added to the next “tape”? Email Stereoreel@gmail.com.

Order yours today! While you order your cassette deck...

Here is the Mix Tape

52 Weeks-Episode 15: Pray for Grace

Seth Dean — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:48:16 +0000

A song about struggle. A song about overcoming by God’s gift of grace the lie that we need to be good enough on our own before we can be forgiven.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! -Romans 7:18-25a

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. -Ephesians 2:8-9

Download the mp3 here.

Pray for Grace
You know what I say
You know what I’m really like
I’ve been in a bad way
Stayed there way too long

I battle my mind
I battle my secret life
My spirit is abhorred
My flesh is way too strong

Please hear what I say
I know you’re the only right
But I’m stuck in these bad ways
And all I write is wrong

Please shatter my mind
‘Cause I am worldly wise
Please teach me to love
‘Cause I’m just a clanging gong

I’m tired of trying
I can do no good on my own
Teach me of love; teach me of grace
And please save my soul!

Save my soul!

Once guilty as sin
Now free from its deadly price
My serpentine exploits
all start to come undone

I know you as mine
And I am finally yours
Resplendent redemption
I’m free and death is gone!

I’m tired of trying
I can do no good on my own
Teach me of love; teach me of grace
And please save my soul!

Save my soul!

Don’t know how long I’d spent just scratching at the surface of love
Failing at trying to impress the world to get to my goal
Your grace and mercy taught me that you’d take me with all my flaws
You choose to love my worst disgusting when you save my soul!

Save my soul!

Ethan Dean and Seth Dean

This song is part of an exercise we’re calling 52 Weeks. Check in next Friday for yet another song. Listen and let us know what you think, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes We need you! If like one of these songs, please comment. Your opinions will help us decide what’s on the next album. Copyright 2009-2010 Stereoreel Music, LLC.

52 Weeks-Episode 14: Nothing

Caleb Nei — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:16:40 +0000

…any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. -Jesus, quoted in Luke 14:33

A few lines of a Tolkien poem + the words of Jesus + a dark, distorted piano + a 100-year blizzard + Caleb, Seth and Ethan + a heartfelt desire = Nothing. It’s this week’s song.

Download the mp3, Nothing, here.

Nothing
All that’s gold does not glitter
All who wander aren’t lost
And saints before me endeavored
Even though it cost them

Everything, everything
Though it cost them everything they owned

When I find a true treasure
Worth a significant price
I don’t have much to offer you
So I’m willing giving

Everything, everything
I will give You everything I am
Everything, everything
I will give You everything I am

Crowning thorns may be glorious
A splendor worth every pain
Jesus, you’ve been victorious
Trusting You I will gain

Everything, everything
Surely I’ll gain everything I need
Everything, everything
I know that I’ll gain everything I need
Everything, everything
Jesus you are everything I need

There is nothing I shouldn’t give

Caleb Nei and Seth Dean