Did the beat in this VIDEO

Quick post: Check out my little cousin' BEN catchin' wreck whilst WRESTLING!!! He's killin' it pretty much everywhere he goes! Seriously, he's a wrestling prodigy and I wouldn't doubt that he'll go SUPER far! GO GET EM BEN!!! I'm a HUGE fan!!!

The album this beat is on is called "Good For You" and is available on iTunes, Spotify & Bandcamp!

Justified Prodigal Sons CONCERT

Click here for all the details!

Justified Prodigal Sons are: Jackson "Nickels Hawkeye" Johnson, Prawphit on Point & Soul the Interrogator

If you're free tomorrow night, come out to our first performance of 2013! Have you heard our previous material? If not, click here! We've got 5 entirely new songs and a whole lot of energy and encouragement to bring. If you want to see these before they're ever released, this is the place! Call up all your people, load up your parents mini-van, and make your way up to Marysville! While you're at it, shoe polish your window with "J.P.S. OR BUST!!" and we'll give you a special gift AND our sincerest amazement! 

We look forward to hanging out with you tomorrow night and can't wait to share this music, our testimonies, and our friendship with you! So make sure to make sure to make sure to make it there!!!

AS a little token of our appreciation, here is a page that features our latest song: CHANGE

The business of the day...

Find Justified Prodigal Sons on facebook & twitter!

I always find it hard to come up with interesting titles for blogs. Just an FYI, I'd post these thoughts on facebook, but they only accept a certain amount of words!!! Kind of like twitter, but more than 140 characters. Not as many as I need though. This blog is the place to be! I'm lovin' this!

I've got three friends coming over today. Soul the Interrogator, Prawphit on Point and Rachel Donnell! Elovi and I will be hosting these fine humans and will hopefully have a wonderful time! We're going to be practicing the set for the January 30th J.P.S. show, and the February 8th Soul the Interrogator show. Also, we're going to be talking about a game plan for working with Rachel Donnell's singing and stuff! Wish you guys could all watch while we brainstorm... It's usually pretty entertaining. I really enjoy hanging with my friends.

Online Sword Storm

If you haven't noticed, Soundmind Artists is a Christ centered record label. This morning I got a message from my half brother. It was a pretty intense message. I gave him the best advice I could, but I must say, there was less impact in what I said than what the Holy Spirit guided me to share with him in the scriptures. Here is a pretty detailed list of scriptures about salvation. I've always needed this list and I thought there may be those, either now or someday, that may need them as well. Reuben AP and I used to call songs that we made with only scripture, Sword Storms. This could be called a SWORD STORM BLOG then eh??? ANYWAY, here it goes....


1. All Men Are Sinners:

Rom.3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God

Eccl.7:20 Not a just man on earth, that...sinneth not

Isa.64:6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags

Rom.3:10 There is none righteous, no not one

James 2:10 Whoever shall offend in one point (of law), guilty of all

1Jn.1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves


2. Salvation By Grace (Undeserved Mercy), Not Works:

Eph.2:8,9 For by grace are ye saved through faith, not of yourselves...not of works

Mk.10:25-27 Who can be saved? With men it is impossible

Rom.3:20a By deeds of law shall no flesh be justified in His sight

Rom.11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works

Gal.2:16 Justified by the faith of Christ and not by works of the law

2Tim.1:9 Saved us, not according to our works, but according to His grace

Tit.3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done


3. Salvation Only Through Jesus:

Acts 4:12 None other name...whereby we must be saved

1Tim.2:5 One mediator between God and men...Christ Jesus

Jn.3:16 God...gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should...have everlasting life

Jn.3:36b He that believeth not the Son shall not see life

Jn.8:24 If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins

Jn.10:1 He that entereth not by the door...but climbeth up some other way...is a thief and a robber

Jn.10:9 I am the door: by Me if any man enter in...be saved

Jn.14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me

1Cor.3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than... Jesus Christ

1Jn.5:12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not life


4. Believe On Jesus:

Jn.3:16 Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life

Jn.11:25,26 I am the resurrection and the life...whosoever believeth in Me shall never die

Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved

Rom.10:9,10 If thou shalt...believe in thine heart...thou shalt be saved

1Jn.5:1a Whosoever believeth Jesus is the Christ is born of God


5. Receive Jesus:

Rev.3:20 If any man...open the door, I will come in to him

Jn.1:12 But as many as received Him...power to become sons

Gal.4:6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your heart

Eph.3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith


6. Eternal Salvation:


A. You can never lose it, even if you make mistakes and fall:

Psa.37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand

Jn.3:36a He that believeth on the Son...hath everlasting life

Jn.6:37 Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out

Jn.10:28 I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand

Rom.8:38,39 I am persuaded that [nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God...in Christ Jesus

1Cor.3:11-15 [If works are] wood, hay and stubble...shall be burned, yet he himself shall be saved

1Cor.5:5 Destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved

Heb.13:5b I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee

2Tim.2:13 Though we believe not, yet He abideth faithful

1Jn.5:13 Ye may know that ye have eternal life


B. But the Lord will chasten you for wrongdoing:

Psa.89:30-34 If they break My statutes...I will visit with the rod...(but) My lovingkindness will I not utterly take away

Heb.12:5-8 Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth

Rev.3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten


7. Receiving Jesus Guarantees Eternal Life In Heaven:

Rom.6:23b The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ

Jn.11:26 Whosoever...believeth in Me shall never die

Jn.14:2-3 In My Father's house are many mansions

1Pet.1:3,4 Incorruptible inheritance reserved in Heaven for you

1Jn.5:11 God hath given to us eternal life...in His Son

(See Rev.21:1-27 and 22:1-5 for a description of Heaven)


8. The Results Of Being Born Again:


A. Spiritual rebirth makes you a new creature:

Jn.3:3b Except a man be born again, he cannot see Kingdom

Mat.18:3 Be converted and become as little children

Jn.1:13 Born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God

Rom.12:2a Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind

2Cor.5:17 If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature

1Pet.1:23 Born again, not of corruptible seed, but...by the Word of God


B. You will desire to work for Jesus:

Eph.2:10 We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works

Tit.2:14 (Jesus) gave Himself for us (to) purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works

(See also Eph.4:21-24; Col.3:8-10; Tit.3:8; Jam.2:18.)


9. Sin Brings About Spiritual Death; But Jesus Died In Our Place, Taking Our Punishment:

Isa.59:1 Your iniquities have separated you and your God

Rom.6:23 The wages of (penalty for) sin is death

Rom.5:8 While we were sinners, Christ died for us

2Cor.5:21 He hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for (in place of) us

1Jn.1:9 If we confess our sins, He [will] forgive and cleanse us

1Jn.2:1,2 We have an advocate...Jesus Christ. He is the propitiation for...the sins of the whole world


10. In The Mosaic Law, Blood Is Payment For Sin; Jesus' Death Paid That Price InFull:

Lev.17:11 It is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul

Heb.9:22 Without shedding of blood is no remission [of sin]

Mat.26:28 My blood...shed for the remission of sins

1Jn.1:7 The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin

Jn.1:29 The Lamb of God, which taketh away sin of the world

Eph.1:7 We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (See also 1Jn.2:12)

1Pet.1:18,19 Ye were redeemed...with the precious blood of Christ


11. All Men Are Not Saved Sons Of God In Their Natural State:

Eph.2:2,3,12 Ye were children of disobedience, children of wrath, aliens and strangers without Christ

Mat.7:13 Wide is the gate...that leadeth to destruction, and many... go in thereat

Jn.3:19 Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light

Jn.8:44 Ye are of your father the devil

Jn.8:47 Ye hear (God's Words) not, because ye are not of God


12. The Self-Righteous Refuse Jesus' Salvation:

(See Mat.5:20; 9:10-13; 21:31b; Lk.18:9-14; Jn.5:39-44; Rom.10:3; 1Jn.1:9,10.)


13. New Testament Examples Of Salvation:

Lk.19:1-10 [Conversion of the corrupt tax-collector, Zaccheus]

Acts 9:1-22 [Conversion of apostle Paul] (See also Acts 6:8-14; 7:57-60; 8:1-4; 26:9-11.)

Acts 10:1-8 [Conversion of Roman centurion Cornelius]

Acts 13:1-12 [Conversion of governor of Cyprus, Sergius Paulus]

Acts 16:13-34 [Conversion of the merchant Lydia and Roman jailor]

NH Logo 2013 & Show Wednesday

Nickels Hawkeye official logo (2013)

Every so often, being an artist on Soundmind, I try and keep my image fresh and new. I've attempted changing my name 3 times in the last month alone. Maybe that was a little extreme. I know that "Nickels Hawkeye"  has been in my followers minds for years now, and I believe I may have forgotten how important that is.  So, by popular demand, ironically, I've changed my name back. Although I've gotten some pretty good responses from each name, people were used to Nickels Hawkeye. So, to mark the return of my trusty name, HERE is the new "Nickels Hawkeye' logo for this year! Feel free to do what you like with it.

I've got a show this Wednesday with my group, Justified Prodigal Sons. It starts at 7pm and is actually in a church called Turning Point in Marysville, Washington. It's been some time since I've done a show in a church. The last time was with Lojique (another one of my groups) and it was a good experience, but I believe we screwed up their sound system. That wasn't the first time though. Once, we blew out the system at a 3,000+ population show in Tulsa, Oklahoma! Right before the headlining band went on! We felt terrible. We did rock the spot though... pretty dad burned hard too if I may say so myself... So YOU should come through and check this show out just for the pure historical value of it! It's free too... Here's the facebook event page for it with all the details in it...

Thanks for reading again!

Nickels
Soundmind
WON

General Update: Soundmind Artists (2013)

A lot of really cool things have been happening for Soundmind Artists lately! Looks like 2013 is going to be a banner year! We've already got twenty-two releases available online and most of those are available physically as well! If you're interested in getting a hold of a compact disc of the most popular releases available on Soundmind Artists, go ahead and give this link a good ol' click: Soundmind Artists|Compact Discs Or if you'd like to, meet up with any of us at a show for one of our artists, and we'll be able to sell you what you want from there! Square Up App for iphone is amazing! Check it out if you want.

If you know any great musicians that you think could use a shot at helping them get to the BIG TIME, use the widget above to give me, Nickels Hawkeye of Soundmind Artists, a call and tell me all about em! Or just call to say hi! Thanks guys!

Nickels
Soundmind
WON

PS: Be on the look out for a second album from Justified Prodigal Sons (aka J.P.S.) as well as brand new music from Brass Decibel (formerly 'The Shake Down'.)

Nickels: HAWKEYE (album notes and credits)

Artist: Nickels (Nickels Hawkeye)
Album title: Hawkeye
Label: Mysterium Media Group
Release date: August 9th 2011

Track List:
1. The Emperor's New Clothes
2. Perpetual Motion
3. The Shattered Vile of 10,000 Souls
4. If found, please return to the Pied Piper
5. American Idols - feat. Mark Driscol
6. Between Dark Havens
7. Cidade Maravilhosa
8. Fascinans
9. Go the Distance
10. Rosewood
11. Colossus of Rhodes
12. The Human Condition
13. Project Mayhem: Obliteration
14. The Five Boroughs
15. Woolgathering
16. Seattle City Light

First, let me begin by thanking you in advance for your support! Each album that is purchased is greatly appreciated! Mysterium Media Group has been growing and flourishing lately. Hopefully, you will enjoy watching how it continues in the future!

This album is essentially a collection of instrumentals I've made with the intention of a vocalist accompanying it. These were never intended to "stand alone" as a composition piece. Please bare that in mind when listening. The process of releasing finished projects can take a very long time and I grow restless at times, so I decided to release these as an attempt to let my listeners hear what I've been doing over the last few years. I hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I enjoyed making them!

I will be reflecting upon the details of each track as I listen to them.

1. The Emperor's New Clothes
The intro snipit is one that's I've saved for this release. It pretty much explains itself. The reason for naming this came from a line of thinking I had while in the car. The idea of trying to persuade one to purchase an album without words is comparable to a tailor persuading a king to purchase clothes that he can't see. That's quite a feat if you ask me! This style is an experimental one. Its fueled by my recent interest in Dub-Step. It isn't Dub-Step, but definately has some influences that derive from it. This instrumental may be used on Grayskul's (RSE) next album... who knows, thus, here it is!

2. Perpetual Motion
My wife and I had a conversation about how this made her feel. She described being on a long, seemingly endless, road trip. I could relate to that. Endless, lethargic driving spells late at night... touring. This was originally created for Azrael of Oldominion and my project "Az the Crow Flies", however at this rate, I have a hard time imagining this instrumental seeing the light of day anytime soon... so, here it is!

3. The Shattered Vile of 10,000 Souls
I've always loved these kind of titles. This one has a more humorous background though. Remember on KungFu Panda when the panda breaks that vase carrying "souls" and each time the vase was bumped there were the sounds of wailing souls? That's what this background sample reminds me of. This was supposed to be used by Onry Ozzborn of Oldominion/Grayskul and featuring Candidt of The Th3rd, but never made the final cut evidently.

4. If found, please return to the Pied Piper
This was titled because someone said it sounded like the chorus, and parts of the verse, resembled their image of a "piper" playing a pan flute. I thought about the idea of using, or rather finding, this pan flute and putting its sounds in my music. Maybe there would be a label with the used title written on it somewhere... I just let my mind unfold from there. The snipit is of an artist on MMG named @ransomnightfall this was a real outtake from a studio session we had a while back.

5. American Idols - feat. Mark Driscol
This instrumental was made without a sequencer or any quantizing. (Tech terms producers understand) Surprise! This one has words! This is an idea I got from Reuben AP of Comunalien & Oldominion. He called reading (not rapping) the scriptures over beats "Sword Storms." I took that and expanded it to contain sermons too! This was intended to be a Black Lemmings track, but again, this never came to be for various reasons. The little snipit at the end is a rearranging of some of the samples used previously. Just to give a different twist.

6. Between Dark Havens
The samples in this one were found by Matt "Doulos the Verbose" Ober. He is the co-host of the Mysterium Media Group Update Podcast (MMGUP) and a long time friend. Stream our shows from www.mmgup.blogspot.com or find it in the podcast section of itunes! This title came from considering the battle between flesh and spirit and how hard it can get sometimes. No one is perfect and we all fail. Our hope of salvation from our sin is Jesus! The hard part is actually trusting Him like we should. That internal struggle is what I hopefully captured in this song.

7. Cidade Maravilhosa
Which translates "Marvelous City" which is a nickname for Rio De Janeiro which is the city from which the musical style of Samba came from. The live drum sample in this piece is from a television production I had the priviledge of running sound for produced by my family's good friend Kumari Suraj in Portland Oregon while my wife and I were dating. (Run-on anyone?) During this period, I was listening to Keane (a popular rock group from the U.K.) a lot. This influenced the lead synth in the chorus. I tried to fuse some of the pop & trance synth sounds into the verses. Always liked this one.

8. Fascinans
Which translates to "fascination" in Greek. I've always liked the sound of the Greecian phrase "Mysterium Tremendum" which is not only the inspiration for my record label's name, but also it translates as "The Great (or tremendous) Mystery" which is corelated with the "presence of the devine." However, Tremendum equates itself with the "fear" or "frightening" characteristics of God; while Fascinans refers to the "fascinating" or "wonderous" things of God. Instrumentally, I was trying to return to the basis of break-beats and a rock and roll sample. Also, I used an interesting drum roll here which I had noticed some of my favorite producers including as well. The reverb heavy piano in the chorus was inspired by Coldplay and Keane as well. I love how the piano part ends the song with a huge, long lasting extention into the clip of Rick Morranis.

9. Go the Distance
This is a song that has been locally released through twitter as a free download. It featured Kay Bee (MMG), Jazz Digga (MMG), & Soul the Interrogator (MMG). The song was an impromptu piece created and finished within the same day. I will make the completed song available to you directly upon receipt of an email requesting it. Please email me at nickelshawkeye@gmail.com This piano sample was originally intended for a song with Comunalien (my group from 1993-1999 with Reuben AP), but it was never made until now. I hope to see your email soon because it truly is a gorgeous song!

10. Rosewood
The beginning piano sample was taken from a CD that was created by Church of the Beloved. Church of the Beloved has an "intentional Christian Community" in Edmonds, Washington that my family and I used to reside in. This was made during our time there. My favorite part of this instrumental is the drum rolls. This was intended for use by the MMG group J.P.S. for their second release. The group is in hiatus, but has an EP available on itunes etc. which is called "Weaponry EP" if you happen to search for it.

11. Colossus of Rhodes
Rhodes is a philosopher, a song by Portishead and a legendary electronic piano. Most of this was sampled from several phone messages I received when I was a teenager. The use od the Rhodes piano is mostly why I named is this. Also, I believe "colossus" is Greek for something abnormally large or grandios. You have probably noticed the fast paced, jumbled break-beat in the background. This is an attempt of mine incorporate the subgenre of "jungle." The bass is nice too; no?

12. The Human Condition
I was up late one night watching the movie where Robin Williams plays a robot with the ambition to become human. When his character finally does, and starts to die, his partner in science said a very impacting sentense that I've never forgotten. He said "Welcome to the human condition." My mind flooded with scenario after scenario of situations surrounding that truth. We are frail as a human race and we don't last forever. "Life is short" is a popular phrase, but one that is almost more true, but less popular is "life is long." The choices we make today last and effect tomorrow. It seems like this principle is slowly being forgotten about by the younger generations. A plea of rememberance is how this song feels to me. Musically speaking, this one has no samples. I learned this progression when I was a youngster, playing around on my uncle Jon Johnson's keyboard and have since refined it to this point. I hope it moves you!

13. Project Mayhem: Obliteration
As many of you know, Project Mayhem is directly attributed to the movie Fight Club. This is my favorite movie. The reason for the additional word, obliteration, is because I've always thought they should make a video game about Project Mayhem and their "tasks." One version could be called Obliteration as somewhat of a sequel to the first game. I'm a hardcore nerd. #NERDCORE The snipit between this song and the next is intentionally quieter than the others for comedic effect. You may have to rewind it.

14. The Five Boroughs
Simply put, this song reminds me of New York City and my family's vacation there. It was a truly relaxing and life changing trip!

15. Woolgathering
This is another word for "Day Dreaming", which is what I catch myself doing to this song all too often. This song was supposed to be used in a project featuring Malachi Perez (or currently known as Avery Davis), which also never transpired. The vocals to this song were supposed to be the main thing separating the chorus and the verses, which is now only defined by a slight key change.

16. Seattle City Light
This is the sounds of downtown Seattle during peak traffic and commute. Check out the two guys trying to sell me newspapers and watches toward the end of it. This was recorded using my cell phone.