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Otr past and present...



I've been on board the Over the Rhine ship since a few months before 
Patience came out the first time -- I've seen them well into at least 
30 times or so, past and present line-ups -- I really don't think 
they're going down-hill at all.  O.K. -- I WAS indeed one of the 
people chearing for Ric to leave the band long before he did (he 
didn't seem to be respecting the songs any longer, and was "wanking" 
too much over songs that had no place for it), and have now found 
that I have TWO bands I REALLY enjoy, Monk AND Over the Rhine, rather 
than one band that sounded like it was trying to be two.  I'm also 
one of the folks that was at Emery Christmas '95 who already had 
thought that Gordon Jack Henderson would make a great addition to the 
band.  I've been to a LOT of GREAT, and poor Otr shows, but the two 
best have been Emery '95, and Cornerstone '98 -- one with the old 
band (and Jack sitting in, too), and one with the newer line-up.  
Let's keep in mind, for one, Terri is still supposedly in the band -- 
why she has not shown up to the past few shows is beyond me, but 
Linford seems to be expecting to begin playing out with her again 
soon, so the lovely backing vocals (which I believe adds a whole 
other dimension to Otr) are not gone.  Secondly, lets keep in mind 
that they just lost one of the most tasteful drummers in music -- I 
will indeed miss Brian with everything in me, but I must say that I 
think once they settle on someone else and get rehearsed, they COULD 
regain momentum -- it may take a while...Linford has been playing 
with Brian since...oh...whenever they joined Servant...was that '86?  
It may take a while to regain that sort of "gel" between musicians, 
but it is possible.  Being a musician, I'm impressed they could even 
pull off such a show without a drummer -- it would be hard.  And, 
lastly -- I've seen moments of great genius with G. Jack, and am 
proud that he's a member -- it would likely make me angriest if he 
left than anything else, but I do realize that many folks disagree 
with me on that one.  So -- I'm excited to see what happens in the 
future -- excited to hear the next Over the Rhine c.d. (and not to 
expect it to sound just like one of the others they've ALREADY 
released), and the next Monk c.d. (we're expecting that soon, too!)
I think we'll all be suprised.

Now, I wonder what Bruce Cockburn's "Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner 
in Timbucktu" will be like when IT comes out in a few DAYS!
Life is cool.

amen,

mr. shannon lee lewis
SLEWIS at libris_libs.uga.edu
"The orthodox Christian has paid a very heavy price, 
 both in the defense and communication of the gospel, 
 for his failure to think and act as an educated
 person understanding, and at war with, the uniformity 
 of our modern culture."
  --Francis A. Schaeffer, The God Who Is There
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/3038
http://www.negia.net/~dorme/
Now Playing;  Julie Miller - "Broken Things", Cactus
Pears - "Snacks for Slacks", & Vigilantes of Love -
"Audible Sigh."

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