The progenitors of this work are a couple of brothers from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, Chad and Reggie Rueffer.
I followed their creating ramblings years ago, when I lived in that area.
They kicked it off with a fusion/rock ensemble called Mildred, which turned out (after I was able to read the lyrics in their first CD) to be a Christian band.
I don't know for sure what the deal was, but they just didn't take off. I think it had something to do with the fact that they produced a very musically sophisticated, high quality product. I suppose that in the low-flying world of "Christian Rock", that dog just plain don't hunt. I remember going to see them, for free, in a fantastic arena venue, which could seat 1000 or so. The show appeared to have been hosted by some kind soul for free. I took my eldest daughter and danced in the aisles. I seem to recall that maybe about 10 people showed up. Discount friends and family, and maybe my daughter and I were perhaps the only actually musically interested parties to make that scene. Sad, if not tragic, outright.
After that, the band broke up. Reggie dropped the amped and processed fiddle for a bass, Chad seemed to assume a larger share of the songwriting input, and they procured a head-banging drummer. Thus was born "Spot".
I loved, and still love, that album. Their style took more a tone of serious reflection and reevaluation of spiritual values, perhaps more direct and angry, with a Dostoyevskian darkness kicked up a notch.
The songs ranged from anger over systemic corruption, personal growth out of blindness, the redemption of the doubters.
And it also included this tune which, to me, seems to be a sterling anthem to human consciousness and a universe spinning on an axis, held on one end by human weakness and on the other by a hapless conduiting of direct perception of the ultimate truth.
This is a new creation myth, which is really the retelling of the oldest myth in the book: That we're here to struggle through the Tao's "1000 things" back to something quite a bit more elemental, perhaps even pure.
More specifically, it regales us with the tale of the primal artist; the one who finds his or herself creating utterly in spite of his or herself; it's the universe as divine play.
Interesting side note: I saw a video on YouTube of a "Spot" reunion, in 2007. I was very, very pleased to see Reggie looking happy and back in a better place: I fancy to think it's roughly the place where he was in his Mildred days. He's a great musician--both brothers are gifted, actually, and I look forward to hearing from them in the future.
May their path be straightly crooked and strewn with rose petals of musical joy.
I should give you some background.
The progenitors of this work are a couple of brothers from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, Chad and Reggie Rueffer.
I followed their creating ramblings years ago, when I lived in that area.
They kicked it off with a fusion/rock ensemble called Mildred, which turned out (after I was able to read the lyrics in their first CD) to be a Christian band.
I don't know for sure what the deal was, but they just didn't take off. I think it had something to do with the fact that they produced a very musically sophisticated, high quality product. I suppose that in the low-flying world of "Christian Rock", that dog just plain don't hunt. I remember going to see them, for free, in a fantastic arena venue, which could seat 1000 or so. The show appeared to have been hosted by some kind soul for free. I took my eldest daughter and danced in the aisles. I seem to recall that maybe about 10 people showed up. Discount friends and family, and maybe my daughter and I were perhaps the only actually musically interested parties to make that scene. Sad, if not tragic, outright.
After that, the band broke up. Reggie dropped the amped and processed fiddle for a bass, Chad seemed to assume a larger share of the songwriting input, and they procured a head-banging drummer. Thus was born "Spot".
I loved, and still love, that album. Their style took more a tone of serious reflection and reevaluation of spiritual values, perhaps more direct and angry, with a Dostoyevskian darkness kicked up a notch.
The songs ranged from anger over systemic corruption, personal growth out of blindness, the redemption of the doubters.
And it also included this tune which, to me, seems to be a sterling anthem to human consciousness and a universe spinning on an axis, held on one end by human weakness and on the other by a hapless conduiting of direct perception of the ultimate truth.
This is a new creation myth, which is really the retelling of the oldest myth in the book: That we're here to struggle through the Tao's "1000 things" back to something quite a bit more elemental, perhaps even pure.
More specifically, it regales us with the tale of the primal artist; the one who finds his or herself creating utterly in spite of his or herself; it's the universe as divine play.
Interesting side note: I saw a video on YouTube of a "Spot" reunion, in 2007. I was very, very pleased to see Reggie looking happy and back in a better place: I fancy to think it's roughly the place where he was in his Mildred days. He's a great musician--both brothers are gifted, actually, and I look forward to hearing from them in the future.
May their path be straightly crooked and strewn with rose petals of musical joy.