The Thom Yorke School of Leading Worship

Newest Podcast Episode: Radiohead Fan Expectations With Ryan Hansen

This past week Radiohead released their ninth studio album, A Moon Shaped Pool. I still have not figured out how I will inevitably purchase the album (there are so many choices!), but all the mystery and hype surrounding the album's release got me thinking about the season in my life where I pretended to be Thom Yorke when I led the worship music in the church I grew up in. 

I am a little embarrassed to admit it, but yes, in the early 2000's I used to evoke the mannerisms of Radiohead's evasive, effusive, and nearly always disgruntled (as well devoutly non-religious, except for a smattering of Buddhism and Gnosticism) lead singer while I led God's people in worship on Sunday mornings. I wanted to be Thom Yorke and the church sanctuary was my "stage", and it thus became my outlet for sycophantic mimicry. I do not believe I have given this (rather absurd and nearly sacrilegious) confession before, so consider this essay my apologetic and nostalgic explanation.

Summer To-Do List Part 1: My (hopeful) Summer Reading List

Since I am a school teacher and headmaster, summertime basically means one thing: I finally get to do all the things I have not had time for throughout the year.  So far, I have done a lot of around the house type things, like installing some built in bookshelves but also some fun things like competing in a tennis tournament and stringing my first tennis racquet.  One of my big projects this summer is releasing some of the music I have recorded online as well as recording some new music for another project I am starting (more on this in a future post).  But one "project" equally important as my music is my summer reading list.  During the school year I simply have no time to read the books I want to read.  Nearly all of my evenings are caught up in lesson planning and reading ahead for my Literature/History/Bible class (which we assign the fancy-schmancy term of “Omnibus”).