NEW USING GRAY MERCHANDISE

Check it out!  T-SHIRT MERCH STORE:

Studio West

Hello Kids!

Well, we just identified the studio for our project. The guys loved it! We will be using their house engineer to assist and Dan Burdette has agreed to come along side as our lead engineer on the project! Dan is the man! We are excited and thrilled to have such a strong team and force behind the "Using Gray" project. Peter, the studio chief is thrilled about the project. I just need to confirm with Peter and begin our production schedule. The guys start pre-production soon! Derek just penned another awesome song, so we have great material to work with!!

Using Gray - hold on to "your hats and glasses", because here we go!!! America - please be patient, good stuff doesn't come quickly or easily.

V.

CONGRATS "USING GRAY" FOR ENDORSMENT

CONGRATS USING GRAY FOR YOUR FIRST PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT!
Julio will be endorsed by the Battlefield Drum Company. Currently we are finalizing the deal. He will be ordering his custom set soon. He plays on a Battlefield Snare and you can hear this on the Black Out and Cover video. It is huge, huge, huge!!!!

Great job guys, proud of you. Thanks Julio for leading the way. Other endorsements coming soon!!!

V.

Endorsements Coming Soon!

We are very excited that we have a few endorsement deals coming soon! We can't let the cat out of the bag yet, but when they are finalized we will let all of you know. This week I am touring with my studio scout to identify a local studio for our project. This Friday we are touring Studio West. Very nice people over there. Check them out - you can see there link to the left of these posts. Take care kiddos!

- V

"So Near"

Awesome! We finished "So Near" on our pre-production track. We really want to know what you think! Let us know. We will be going into the studio to begin our album project soon. The band is all psyched and pumped up. Thank you to all for your feedback and comments on myspace. See you soon in a city near you!

"Black Out and Cover"

Here you go kids!!! The long awaited live recording of the "new" Using Gray. Remember, this is all live, all live, no tricks and gimmicks. This is not a music video, but raw footage of the guys with a little bit of video editing. Please don't mistake this as a music video that you would see on MTV or VH1. This is live at a bar. The mix you hear is straight from the board, with minor post - re-EQ and compression. There was no tracking done and no pro-tools, no vocal editing or overdubs, zippo. This is the raw talent of Using Gray. And it kicks...! What you hear is what you get!

Thanks guys for the music and passion! Julio - you are a great addition to the band! Derek and John, as always, you guys rock!

What's Up

Things seem to be going well. We should be meeting with the guys on Sunday. We are entering a song writing competition with IMWS. My friend Rob D helped with filming and editing a video of a live show at Hogue's. Thanks Rob!!! Great Job!!! It is raw footage with some cool effects. We only did a two camera shoot - amazing what you can do with two cameras, and the talent to back it up! We did a little bit of post to the recording, just some re-EQing and minor compression, not much so what you see and hear is what you going to get from these guys! Incredible music and a great performance. I am really proud of these guys. They work hard and are hungry. Looking foward to getting the recording project off the ground. Starting the pre-production process! Until next time, different "Bat" time, but same "Bat" channel. Be on the look out for the raw Video of "Black Out and Cover".

Great Show at Friends and Family Night!

Hey Kids! Here's the pix you've been waiting for. Julio's not a bad shot. We thought maybe he was going up for America's next top model, but then we remembered that show is just for women - what's up with that? Anyway, the guys rocked and it was a fun show! We got some great footage and shots. Also Hogue's was nice enough to do a recording for us. Thanks guys! Also thanks to all the friends and family that came buy to check out the band and relive some good memories and make new ones. Video and live recording of this show coming soon!


LIGHTS! ACTION! ROCK!

Using Gray

I am excited!!! My film director friend Rob D. is going to video one of our bands at a Hogue Barmichaels in Newport Beach at 8:00 PM this Friday! I am stoked. He also agreed to edit it as well. We will use this to join the Taxi new artist competition. Derek (lead singer, guitarist), John (bassist and vocalist) and Julio (Drummer) ROCK! and you won't be dissapointed when you see this live video. Our vision for our artists is that we stay organic and are true to the creative process. I don't want to influence too much and want to provide a creative platform for these dudes. AMERICA awaits and needs to hear these guys and they will! You will not be dissapointed. Derek is an incredible songwriter while John provides great collaboration and writes as well. Julio, new to the band, adds the finishing touches on drums. These guys are great, they work hard, they are humble and just want to do music. This is our first process of our journey together. The band is "Using Gray". (SORRY JULIO, didn't have a picture of you). Well stay tuned . . .

click here for details:

Internship Opportunity

Go to this link for an internship opportunity in media.
www.vanguard.edu/VULIFE/forums/thread/10972.aspx

CHRIS PAUL OVERALL live FlashRock music video

Chris performs 3 songs and an interview with Franki doll

I had produced this short text video for a Worship Service during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. This is a timeless message about serving. God created us in his image. He was the greatest servant of all, by sacrificing his Son for us! This is what makes us great - we have the power to serve. Do service. Care for others. Reach out to the needy or the poor or a friend or a family member. Remember - "TO SERVE" is the new definition of Greatness. Everybody can be Great!! But we have "TO SERVE". Some tech notes: used iMovie to text the video, I underscored the video with an orginal segment that I adapted from another loop. Tied the underscore with a drum loop. Downloaded Dr. King's speech from a public site, used Goldwave to sample, compress and edit speech.

My Calling

My name is Andy V. I am a worship arts pastor and administrator at a local church in South OC. I was recently called into full time ministry about a year ago. I serve at a church with wonderful people. This past year has been an incredible journey of growth and learning. God is Good! Our senior pastor recently resigned and received a call to an incredible ministry, and from what I hear he is doing great! This leaves a great opportunity for our church to search for a new leader! But we must remember, a leader can only do so much, we must put our hope and trust in the one above!

I am guitarist, keyboard player, vocalists and do a lot of programming and writing. I also enjoy putting together little shorts (videos) for our messages. I currenlty lead a modern service (which is called our second service) and we recently hired an incredible director, Dr. Don Gray for our first service which is more of our performing arts venue with the Lake Hills Choir, Orchestra and special guest artists. It is amazing to see what God can do when you focus on Him and excellence in worship. Our second service is going very well, its a smaller bunch, but many are anticipiting and waiting on God. I pray daily for those who set foot on our campus and for our community around us. I will post songs from this service soon, but I am working making sure I don't infringe on any copywrite.

Minsitry is very different than being in the corporate world. I used to be in the coffee business and worked for one of those "Good to Great" companies. But God had different plans for me. I have always been into worship and the arts, but had one foot in the corporate deal and another foot in ministry. I had the privelage to serve at great churches and help a church plant in the Inland Empire. I look foward to what God has in store this year! - V

My goal is to journal my ministry and life experience as it pertains to my family, worship and the local church. I also look forward to connecting with others with similar life experiences thru this blog.