Tammy and the Wolverines will be performing their final gig tonight (monday 7 jan) at eleven50. The band has decided that they will be breaking up to pursue other artistic interests. If you’re in year10-12 in 2008… DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!!!

Come dressed in your choicest 80s gear.

7-10pm @ Erina Youth Centre

$4 entry.

Bring ya friends!

Martin Luther had a heart for Youth group music ministry. He wanted to make great songs relevant to the kids… check it out in his intro to his mate Johann Walters hymnal, the Wittenberg Geistliche Gesangbuchlein.

‘Therefore, I too, with the help of others, have brought together some sacred songs in order to make a good beginning and to give an incentive to those who can better carry on the Gospel and bring it to the people… And these songs were arranged in four parts for no other reason than I wanted to attract youth (who should be trained in music and other fine arts) away from love songs and carnal pieces and to give them something wholesome to learn instead… It is unfortunate that everyone else forgets to teach and train the poor young people; we must not be responsible for this too.’

I find Youth group music ministry really hard. In our context it is difficult to practice and get a team of youth and leaders together to do a good job. We generally run our music in a rock band format with a guitarist, bass player and the guitarist usually sings. This is partly because the sound we produce can be heavier and more fluid, but it is also because I’m always pushed for time. Unfortunately, I end up spending lots more time on Night church music than youth.

I think however that these two ministries are inextricably linked. Our night church singing culture has shifted dramatically over the last two years from being stiff and non-expressive to being more vibrant and joyful. This is mainly because of youth group guys coming to night church and shaping the culture to match what they loved about music at youth. This shift showed me how important the youth group is to church ministry. I had a chat with a mate of mine, Tim, about this phenomenon. He saw the same thing happen at his old church. He said that the youth became ‘a dominant minority who were intentional in the way that they shaped night church culture.’

Last year I spoke to the senior youth group about their impact on church. They wanted to see it’s singing culture change from the way it was to the way they saw Senior Youth music (alive). There were three main ways that they helped to change culture and these were the same three ways that stuff changed at Tim’s church.

1) Don’t hang in the ghetto. Too often Youth group guys who come to church choose a group of seats at the back or to the side of church and they all sit there. They don’t mix with other guys and they end up becoming a ghetto. I asked the youth to move away from ghetto mode and to sit at the front and in the middle. The reason being that everyone else can then see them and the way they are singing and it will be infectious.

2) Sing loud, sing proud. For some reason Youth were singing their hearts out at youth group but were shy and timid when it came to church because they felt intimidated by the older guys. This had to change if they were going to have an impact.

3) Get involved in church ministries. We are blessed to have a youth group that is committed to seeing its members hook in to ministry at church. At youth, we have taught the guys to be passionate about having a life of ministry. We have youth group kids involved in teaching Sunday School, sound, music and the ministry of looking out for those younger than them at youth group. It was through the kids being involved in music ministry and being up the front that helped to shape the culture the most.

Youth group music ministry is strategic because the kids who are singing there may well shape the culture of church for the next ten years. While the situation our youth is in makes it hard to give youth music a good go, it is well worth investing the time and effort into making youth music the best it can be.

In light of all this we have decided to get a new dude in charge of music at youth. Max Burke will be looking after this side of things at our youth meetings. If you wish to be involved in some way in youth group music ministry you could speak to Max.

Another way to be involved is to stop sitting in an isolated area in morning church. This way we can be a positive impact on the church culture around us. Love Jesus and Rock on.

Recorded on my phone tonight at church. Pretty good quality! What an awesome song. What an awesome Saviour!

Each month we have a ‘J-walk Poll’. This month: My fav song on PHAT007… It’s been interesting to watch the votes come in. Blessed be your name (16) took a long time to get off the ground… but is clearly in second place. Crown him with many crowns (21) is obviously the favourite at the moment (that’s where my vote went). Shout it out has about 8 votes more than it should. Marvellous (6) is a great song… but it’s not as new as others so it may be understandable why it’s not a little bit higher. How great is our God (6) is the surprise packet. It’s a new song to our youth group. It seemed to be well loved. Well sung. It was out as one of the contenders in the first week (ie it had its 6 votes before Blessed be your name had any!) but is sitting at the bottom now in the final week. Why?

Which one did you vote for? Is yours not on here? What would it be?

Stay tuned for a new poll and a new j-walk very soon…

Latest videos: Jeremy, PHAT007

By Alex Hartley

The lights were dimmed the stage was set and I’m already running out of clichéd band references, however that’s anything but what Tammy and the Wolverines were, derivative yes, clichéd and unoriginal, definitely not. Flashbacks from the 80’s were unavoidable looking around the crowded hall. Everyone it seemed had traveled back in time for one night only. It was a mass of big hair, fluro attire and leg warms, all in all some very questionable fashion choices. Anticipation mounted as Tammy was expected to begin, many staked out places at the front trying to get the best view or be the closest to the band all the while twitching with excitement.

Through coloured lights and a cloud of smoke came the beginning bars of ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’, the music becoming almost indistinguishable over the sounds of screaming. The set was classically 80’s with each member adopting a different instrument for every song. Thus demonstrating their suburb and eclectic talents for which they are known. According to Vincent “The band and all the instruments are like a piece of bread, and we just spread ourselves over it”, and well they did spread.

The interesting thing about U.K band Tammy and the Wolverines is their commitment to their craft. Their manner and way of life shows their dedication to remaining true to 80’s rock. “We’re in the 80’s, we pretty much stopped at 1985, that was the pinnacle of human existence and that’s where we choose to stop.” Vincent stated confidently in the bands interview with Poddy host Dave Miers after the event. The band consists of Billy Fury, Sledge, Vincent, Danny all who hail from England and Lucius the only Welsh member. Painfully aware of their own talents and not by any means shy at showing it Billy Fury stated “I didn’t choose to be a musician, musicianship choose me” and this according to Sledge has become a proverb for the whole band. The group has been playing together for centuries since almost the beginning of time it may seem, “in the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth and the 80’s” which is the gospel according to Billy. Their long standing as a band unquestionably shows by their refined sound and sophisticated act. That’s not to say that the boys don’t have fun with stories surrounding their name including random shouting out Tammy all at the same time, and the trial of a wolverine band member, who just couldn’t let go of Billy’s belly, it’s safe to assume that it’s been an interesting ride for these lads.

It was a new experience for Tammy as they were told about God by Dave accepting they often try to be God every night on stage, with Billy admitting, “sometimes I do things I probably shouldn’t do I guess.” It was the explanation of God’s love prompting him to send his son so that we might have a relationship with him that really provoked a response from the boys. Sledge said ‘sounds like Jesus rocks”, and Vincent seemed to agree with his statement, “if we’re going to be a supporting act for anybody aye It may as well be him.”

The live act came to a close with “Living on a Prayer” and while it was obvious the crowd wanted more a broken string meant the night must end. Tammy and the Wolverines strutted from the stage to the same reception that they walked onto, shouting parting words to all the dedicated fans and really what could be more exciting that a cute boy from a band saying you had been a part of the hottest crowd he had ever seen? According to the girl next to me who collapsed into her friends arms at this notion

– well nothing

5 j-walkies

Dan takes the 2005 PHAT song to over 2000 people at Katoomba Easter Convention!

REGO CLOSES THIS SUNDAY

Luke 12:13-21