Max Carter on Jon Watts’ Video

Max Carter, Director of Friends Center at Guilford College

I am not adept at most of the modern social networking devices. No Blackberry or cell phone, even. At the insistence of Friends Center staff and students, there is a Facebook account with my name attached – for purposes of getting the word out on campus ministry programs. But I don’t know how to operate it.

Thus, I was unaware of a YouTube video that recently went “viral” – at least in proportion to Quaker numbers – until friends referred me to it. The video shows 2006 QLSP graduate Jon Watts rising in the silence of worship in the Barn at Pendle Hill. His vocal ministry turns into a “rap” about Quaker history and theology, focusing on the diversity…

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‘Dance Party’ Reflections – Two Months Later

Three months ago I traveled to the Sierra Friends Center in California to take a break from the spotlight… I had been traveling in the ministry and performing all over Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for two months.  It was my intention to get some rest and do some discernment about my next steps, including some experimentation with internet outreach.

While on tour in PYM the previous April, I had arranged for a short filming session for what was to be my first music video, set to my most blatantly Quakerism-oriented song, “Friend Speaks My Mind”.  Now, four and a half months after that afternoon filming session, filmmaker Ben Schilling sent the final edit.  Great… we released it on youtube, hoping it would get a bit more attention than the videos already posted, all wavering around 100 views.

I returned from camping with my brother and his family the next day to find the video had 1,500 views overnight.  In a week it would have 8,000.  I had an inbox full of emails from all over the United States and England – from all sorts of folks… Friends missing Pendle Hill and joyful to see it depicted, other artists wanting to introduce themselves, old f/Friends who I hadn’t connected with in years.  One email was from a Pee Wee Herman-esque talk show host in Italy…

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Why I’m Choosing To Let You Name Your Price to Download My Music

When asked about the name-your-price model of selling downloads, Trent Reznor said, “Asking people what they think music is worth devalues music…This is your art! This is your life! It has a value and you the artist are not putting that power in the hands of the audience.”

We’re in rocky territory here.

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“Inhale Exhaust, Exhale Love.”

Have you ever judged someone for being too judgmental?

It’s funny how the obvious irony of it doesn’t prevent me from that attitude. I have to catch myself.

In 2005, I was walking around the streets of Coimbra hating the people around me for destroying our natural world and for not caring for our animal neighbors. Cars’ exhaust, concrete, construction workers, folks in business suits…

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Bringing our Quaker family into dialogue

Six days ago I released this music video, which has been shared widely among Friends.

Some of the lyrics have provoked dialogue, specifically about the relationship between modern Quakerism and Christianity. Here are a few of my own thoughts…

Let’s start with:

“I’m not a Christian
but I’m a Quaker
I’ve got Christ’s Inner Light
But he’s not my savior.”

(the remainder of the lyrics are posted on www.JonWatts.com)

If you visited my website seeking an anti-Christian Quaker manifesto, you were probably disappointed. After a Guilford College education…

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“Quaker Viral”

I just returned from a camping trip with my brother and his wife and baby in the Sierra Nevadas to find that my first music video has been widely shared amongst Quaker circles in it’s first three days in existence! Tons of emails in my inbox, facebook messages and a semi-fiery conversation in the “comments” tab of the video.

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“Friend Speaks My Mind” Music Video!

Greetings, Friends!

TODAY I AM RELEASING MY FIRST EVER MUSIC VIDEO!

Sorry for the “all-caps,” but I have to express my excitement.  This has been a long time in the making and I only get to release my first music video once!

Plus… it is really good!  I promise.  We filmed it in April at Pendle Hill with many familiar resident faces.  The concept of the shoot was “Meeting for Worship turns dance party” and it came out so well!  …thanks to filmmaker Ben Schilling, his helper Allie and all those who graciously came to worship, dance and be filmed.

So, without further ado… watch this!

Watch here

Jon performing last Spring in PYM

Stories from Mixed Vice Work #2: “Faded”

This is the second in a series of five brief essays reflecting on my process of writing my June ’09 release, Mixed Vice Work. In order to help make sense of the project and in an effort to further include listeners in my process, I’ll be sharing three more in the coming months – each in reference to a specific song from the EP.

Here is the story of “Faded”

(as I write on each song, I will post that song online. Please feel free to listen along at www.myspace.com/jonwattsmusic)

“I’m Great”

Back when I was a camp counselor at Shiloh Quaker Camp, we often had to get creative in order to come up with…

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Announcing the Release of Mixed Vice Work!

Peace, Friends!

Against some unlikely odds, I have made my deadline! Today I am officially releasing my newest project: an EP called Mixed Vice Work.

Amongst much ado and hubbub, I can announce that the new EP is now available for you to hear and to own!  I have made ALL OF THE SONGS FREE FOR LISTENING at:

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