spur58

Aaron Ivey, frontman for Indelible band SPUR58

MY STORY

We all have a story. When Christ spoke, He often used stories to make His point. He was always interested in people’s lives and their stories. Where they came from and what they were a part of was really important to the heart of Christ. The Bible is full of stories. Stories that point us to a loving, compassionate God. I really believe that the stories of our lives, although complex and sometimes painful, can illuminate God’s beauty and mercy in the world around us.

I grew up in a fairly conservative, Christian home. My dad is a pastor, so I have always been in the church. We went to church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. Although I gladly went to church, it was just something that I did. I was the nice guy in school. I did and said all the right things…but inwardly, I really didn’t have a clue what it meant to “know Christ.” It wasn’t until I got to college that I started to understand that God wanted to have personal interaction with me. The first book I really got into was “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers. A friend gave it to me and said I should start reading it. I read it once and could not put it down for an entire year. I remember just feasting on God’s Word every morning for an entire year. It was one of the most phenomenal seasons of my life. It was then that I got a sense of God’s moving in my own life. From that point on, I really understood that life was about more than just going to church, just saying and doing the right things. There had to be more to Christianity than just being a good, moral person.

In our culture, there are thousands of really good and decent people with high morals. But this cannot be the end aim of life. Ephesians 5:1 says it this way: “Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly beloved children.” This verse has been a passage that fuels who I am.

I have two beautiful boys, Cayden and Deacon. Cayden was born in January of 2004, so he is two and a half years old. He understands what it means to be an imitator. He sees his father (me) do something, and he copies it verbatim. Among his favorite things to do is sit in front of the TV and shout, “Daddy sing! Daddy sing!” He’s demanding that Jamie put in a SPUR58 video so he can watch and sing along with Daddy. He goes to the toy box, grabs his little blue keyboard and microphone, and sets it up front row for the concert that’s about to take place in our living room. As he watches his dad play piano and sing on TV, he sits at his keyboard and mimicks me to a tee. He’s got the complete package going on…head bobs, feet moving, banging away on the piano, and singing into the microphone. He doesn’t know all the intricate details of music, he’s never been trained as a vocalist. But he sees what his father does, and he desperately wants to be just like me.

Cayden is far from being numb…he is actively living his two-year-old life. He doesn’t have a clue of the meaning of spirituality…he just knows one thing…“I want to be like my daddy.”

So my story is this: I’m not a perfect person, and I don’t have all my little boxes checked on the Christian “to-do” list…but I desperately want to live by Ephesians 5:1. I want to be an imitator of Christ in all that I do.
- CMSpin.com

It all started in Houston where frontman Aaron Ivey was involved in student ministry. Guitarist Chad Martin was in his group of students, and their connection sparked the desire for music that ministered in power. The next step was recruiting bass player Steven Bush, who brought in guitarist Jimmy Ingrim. Sounds simple on paper, but the process actually involved some patience, some waiting, and even a move to Tennessee, where they led a college Bible study, and incidentally, met drummer Guy Roberts. Together, they connected with students though the gateway of music. To this day, they will tell you that music is only 10% of their ministry; it is the building of community through the music that has their fullest focus.

These beginnings and this center show up clearly on "Sleepwalkers," its cohesiveness giving it almost a prog rock opera feel. The album builds throughout, moving from one melodic gem to the next. It's like a driving modern rock wake-up call, stirring your spirit slowly at first, then its thundering guitars pushing you forward to snap out of it, and actually look at your life and your relationship with God. High-energy opener "Always Been There" reminds us of God's constancy, a la the funkiest of bass lines and some Jeff Deyo-like rock rhythms. The driving guitars of "Starting to See" celebrate our intimacy with Him. The title track asks us to check our pulse, make sure we're alive. Its ripping guitars and pounding rhythm section echo Ivey's soaring wake-up vocals. The bright keyboards of "The Wonderful" move the album into the realm of heartfelt worship, Ivey's passionate vocals leading the way into a series of vertically-oriented tracks which build to a fervent crescendo. Standout track "Sustaining Me" is five minutes of howling, whistling worship, its note-bending guitar riffs supported powerfully by Roberts' muscle drums. The full sound of "Kyle's Lament" is high drama synth work under Ivey's expressive vocals, Roberts again shouldering the load. The momentum continues with the explosive celebration of "All to My God," and the melodic closer "Start Over" is simply the trippiest encourager I've heard in a while. This beauteous piano-ballad wanders through a full soundscape of buzzy guitars, sparkling keys and sky-scraping vocals to remind us that it is never too late to start over with the Lord. Come October 10, Spur58's "Sleepwalkers" will tell you what time it is. - suite 101

Spur 58 is one of those bands that when you listen to them you know what they stand for and why they do what they do. Formed in Houston, TX when frontman Aaron Ivey was a youth pastor leading worship, but he felt as though he wanted to reach outside of “just one church.” The result was teaming up with Chad Martin (guitars), Steven Bush (Bass) and Jimmie Ingram (guitars) to form the modern worship band Spur 58.

Sleepwalkers is the first national release for Spur 58 on Idelible Creative Group. The result is a well-produced passionate “modern rock” CD that is sure to continue in the modern worship movement. I have found that praise and worship has found its voice and niche. This can be good or bad. The negative effect is whenever a genre can be formulized the life seems to get sucked out of it. Fortunately for Spur 58 they were able to develop a CD that has life to it and ventures into some new areas of the genre. Their sound could be described as a mixture of The Swift meets Delirious? meets Chris Tomlin. It is very listener friendly with worshipful lyrics and catchy upbeat melodies. Some of the highlights include the song “Sleepwalkers” (which is a call to wake up call to Christians to stop going through the motions and live your life for Christ), “Sustaining Me” and “Start Over”.

All in all Sleepwalkers is a delightful praise and worship CD. If they can stick around for a while I am sure that Spur 58 will eventually be a band who will be leading the modern praise and worship movement. This CD will certainly appeal to fans of the modern rock praise and worship movement. Check this CD out it’s a great CD to bring you into the presence of God. - 1340 magazine

INDELIBLE CREATIVE GROUP SIGNS SPUR58
Band Planning Fall Release of Its Melodic Rock Debut


(FRANKLIN, Tenn.) June 12, 2006 –In its search for artists who create timely and significant music, Indelible Creative Group introduces spur58, the label’s newest signing, a melodic rock band that explores worship through personal stories. The band is currently in the studio and will release its national debut October 10.

“spur58 has the unique ability to share truth in a remarkable way,” says president and co-founder of Indelible Creative Group, Chris Thomason “Yes, musically they are great, but these guys are about more than just music. Their heartfelt, straightforward lyrics and dedication to face-to-face communication with an audience gives the band’s ministry true validity.”

Taking its name from a road in native state Texas, five-piece rock band spur58 aims to create community among music fans, believers as well as non-believers, by sharing honest thoughts on worship through a powerful, melodic blend of guitars and piano. Believing that every person worships something, spur58 writes music that speaks to its desire to see people worship God intimately, both personally and corporately, using transparent, real life stories which offer a wider view of God.

“Our heart is leading worship. That’s what we love to do and are passionate about,” says frontman Aaron Ivey. “But that doesn’t always mean getting people to sing along. We believe that to lead someone to respond to God, you must show them all aspects of God and life. It’s so easy to instigate the worship ‘thing’ and get everyone hyped up about how great God is, but sometimes we miss the truth that God is great and good even in pain and suffering.”

Frontman Ivey, guitarists Jimmie Ingram and Chad Martin, Steven Bush on bass and drummer Guy Roberts base themselves in Murfreesboro, Tenn., just southeast of Nashville, not for its close proximity to the music scene but for the young adults they lead in worship at their home church. When not at home, the band can be found criss-crossing the United States in a van, playing more than 200 dates a year.

Indelible Creative Group seeks to help build God’s kingdom by creating remarkable experiences through media products that are culturally and spiritually relevant. Among its releases are a self-titled music debut from The Longing, and Velocity, a music experience that connects independent artists with their cause-driven mission to impact the world. Indelible Creative Group is distributed by Word Distribution at CBA retail and WEA Distribution in the general market. For more information, visit www.indelibleonline.com.
- Indelible Creative Group / Mandy Collinger