The Modesty Writers Guild

this is so out of my element at points. i forget that im not restricted by a record label or pop formula. this is definitely a growing point in my musical life, i feel as an artist i am exploring into the depths of music without getting arty for art's sake. we came up with an idea on the song 'sheet music' to set the mic up right on the piano so i in essence sing right into the piano. we put books on the pedal so that the piano would hold every note i sang. the outcome is lush and noticeable. when you hear the song you will pick up on it. i really enjoy working with aaron, he has an ear for music and knows where i want to take this music. i have had a lot of cool people hanging out around me during this process. john bucklew, franc, lamar grey, travis mitchels, racheal and racheal, jack, drew, nichole, etc. thanks guys for the support and free coffee. -estaban

good news everyone. aaron is now officially mayor of space. we haven't started yet today because he had to purchase a sad happy tree day. no big deal. we have started on the vocals already, and i couldn't be happier. we are going to leave a lot of 'mistakes' because i want the recording to sound real, like your actually in the studio or listening to us live. i have some acoustic shows coming up and will give you more info on them when i get it (including fordham university, nyc in december). -estaban *if you want me to play at your university/coffee shop just fly me out and ill do it! email: kyle@arsonmediagroup.com

the second day of recording, and it feels as though it is going to become everything i hoped it was going to be. yesterday we knocked out all the piano parts, and finished guitars. there are going to be some amazing moments on this EP. alot of these songs are inspired by future memories. on several songs i pretended as though i was 70 years old and was writing songs about life lived. recently there have been alot of people i have come in contact with that have taught me about the different stages of life. jack and racheal, just starting out. angela and kyle, having first child. ken and michelle, in the heart of life. paul and bonnie arnold, in the winter of life but still in love. fascinating. fascinating that im going to experience all the stages in time to come. we all will. who will we be then? when looking back on life what would we wish we could tell ourselfs at this very moment. i wish you all wiser than your age. -estaban

the machine that writes the music. tracking guitar. yesterday went amazing. after 2 stops at starbucks and lunch at crispers we ended up working 13 hours. i wish all the producers i worked with were this much of a workaholic. i could be like wayne newton (that guy has come out with more than 134 records!!!). im off to track piano, will write more when i get good pictures.

one wish of mine has always been to record a solo record. please don't spread rumors that we are breaking up because that is not my heart, and that is not happening. tomorrow i start recording here in central florida with aaron marsh (copeland) as my producer. to distance myself a little from anberlin i am using louis (gasoline heart/the kick) on bass, john bucklew (copeland) on drums, and i'll play guitar and piano. the stuff i have up online (purevolume.com/stephenchristian) is not an accurate portrayal of what is going to occur when you get the four of us in a studio together. i am debating whether or not it is going to be an EP or an LP. 6 songs are on guitar where 4 are on piano, including a song that i fell in love with by my favorite band and popularized in the book "perks of being a wallflower." but me and aaron will discuss such topics tomorrow morning. so far the song i am looking forward to playing the most is called 'calm yourself'. ill try to kee...

Nothing average ever stood as a monument to progress. When progress is looking for a partner it doesn't turn to those who believe they are only average. It turns instead to those who are forever searching and striving to become the best they possibly can. If we seek the average level we cannot hope to achieve a high level of success. -A. Lou Vickery

friends, i am speaking on dating relationships this sunday in orlando, florida. for more info check out whatsyourstatus.com -esteban

two weekends ago a young pastor from waco texas, kyle lake, was killed in an unfortunate accident at his church. kyle never got a chance to share his message with his congregation that night at university baptist. his notes were on the pulpit, ready for him to speak in the evening meeting, but he never got to share what was on his heart. below is the conclusion of his message, may his last written words inspire your life today. -esteban 'Live. And Live Well. BREATHE. Breathe in and Breathe deeply. Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now. On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun. If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool Autumn day to FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE. Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time. If you bike, pedal HARD… and if you crash then crash well. Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done—a paper well-written, a project t...

in a recent interview i was asked about how i felt about burning cd's bur who ever thought that burning CD's would turn into such a moral debate? this issue is simply one of the considerations those who download CD's illegally must consider when doing so. Here is why it hurts artists when you burn CD's: Much like any other business or financial institution the music business is simply out to make money. If a product is not making money, then that product is discontinued. If a particular product such as a children's toy has waned in popularity and young kids stop buying that toy, then the makers cease to invest in that particular model and a new and different product is introduced. But if the product is in high demand the company will pour more money into marketing and development, and future toys of that nature will be expounded upon and developed. It is the same with the music business. If a band is selling records then the company is willing to pour money into tha...

touching on the topic of inherent right and wrong in the last post , the question now is posed; are we born with a moral law (or natural law) and why? as far as we know civilizations on average, and as a whole, have all kept the same basic principles (or if i dare say) ‘morals’ in their society. though knowledge and information have excelled, and evolved, human nature has not. i believe we are born with these natural law’s intact, and have acknowledged them from the earliest cultures to the modern day world. example of what i am referring to are extensive but here are a few: do not murder do not eat others of your own kind do not run from battle bravery is honorable, betrayal is not protect yourself (self survival) protect your family (survival of genetics) etc. (i understand that there are exceptions *cannibalism, etc. but even these are under certain rules and regulations established within the give community.) on these principle’s can we concretely say that we have established as...

recently i have been thinking a lot about the legislation of morality. meaning: how can any government (all inclusive) tell a human what he or she cannot do. i understand that laws are set up so that the society as a whole will survive. for a survival instance: if the law of that particular government said that murder was not a crime and was socially acceptable, i question how long that society would last. not murdering could be understood to some as innate, in the sense that when you do something wrong no matter what upbringing, or culture, you were raised in one would feel 'guilty' or some sense of wrongdoing. here is where i have the problem; because china's government is set up around an atheistic principled governmental system called communism it does not allow the free pursuit of a higher being or any other religious beliefs. now i am not saying religion is moral, but religion usually connotes a pursuit of morality in most case's. but this is not simply an...

so. here i sit at my little coffee shop in winter haven, florida. the hurricane completely missed us except for a couple rainstorms, a little wind, and a lackluster sunset. needless to say as i was sitting here re-reading wendy shalit's "a return to modesty," (which i will dedicate an entire post to later) i received an email from my friends from in ohio. this is one of the highest compliments and something i am very proud of. this is cadence, named after anberlin's song on blueprints for the blackmarket. his father runs shield and buckler skateboards, and i have had the privlidge of meeting him once before. i feel very honored to vicariously be apart of their lives for many many years to come.

Stephen Christian acoustic w/ Louis DeFabrizio (the kick) and Anna Becker 10:30pm Christian Study Center Thursday, October 27th www.christianstudycenter.org for directions www.purevolume.com/stephenchristian

lorreta lux, from germany, is by far my favorite photographer of all time. i first discovered her on a haphazard trip to the chicago museum of art. her pictures were in the far right corner, and could have easily been looked over. but the mint green and dark amber red's was burned on my brain forever. the children could either be from a fantasy make believe world, or your darkest nightmare. either way, lorreta lux is a photographer everyone needs to know about.

i will be speaking @ an FCA meeting Wednesday October 26, 2005. Wednesday night at 8:30pm, in Gainsville, FL. For more information about UF FCA visit their website at www.uffca.org. direction's: once you are @ the University of Florida campus: You will come to the corner of campus at Gale-Lemerand Drive (formerly North-South). Turn right – Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will be on your left now, and the O’Connell Center on your right. You can park in the O’Connell center parking lot on the right. UF FCA is located in Touchdown Terrace in the north endzone of the Stadium. Walk to the front of the stadium facing University Ave. Take the large winding ramp to the left of the main entrance – this will lead you up to Touchdown Terrace. There will be signs about to direct you.

"It is the Law that any difficulties that can come to you at any time, no matter what they are, must be exactly what you need most at the moment, to enable you to take the next step forward by overcoming them. The only real misfortune, the only real tragedy, comes when we suffer without learning the lesson." -- Emmet Fox

Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny. - Ralph Waldo Emerson,

Hey Stephen. I, myself, somewhat fall under the same category as you. I don't believe in organized religion at all. I don't think you should put "one day" of the week aside for church/praise/etc. ?'s -Are you completely against using "curse" words altogether? People (Christians) say it's a sin, and that I'll go to hell for dropping some occasional f-bombs, but I disagree. They are just words, yes? They're not even universal...like, if I went to Spain and started dropping f-bombs, they wouldn't know what I was saying. It's just the English language that says these are "bad" words. I don't think God changes the definition of "sin" from country to country. -Do you think that Christians are the most hypocritical of all religions? Just a simple "yes" or "no" answer would be fine with me. I'm just asking, because, a lot of them (most of the ones I hang out with, anyway) ...

over australia 7.28.05