This is an edited version of the April 1997 on-line interview. The full version is also available
[LarryN] Hi, Tim. How are you feeling today?
[Phydeaux] o.k.....enjoy! and happy50th birthday (soon!!!!)
[LarryN] Thanks.
[LarryN] Who said that?
[LarryN] My computer just said happy birthday. Whose voice was that,
Tim?
[Phydeaux] Yea, tim here...rushed as usual!
[Vreug] You look good Larry!
[LarryN] Welcome into the room.
[LarryN] Thank you, Ureug.
[LarryN] Ureug, are you saying that you are hooked into CUSeeMe
already
[Vreug] Yes Larry
[Alan_McC] Hi Larry, Happy Birthday from Ireland
[AlanRuss] hello there from Saskatoon Canada
[GLMusic] Happy Birthday Larry. God is good!
[LarryN] Hi, Alan.
[AlanRuss] Hi Larry, great to talk to you
[Alan_McC] How are you feeling today?
[LarryN] I'm feeling alright. How are you feeling, and where are you callling from?
[Alan_McC] I feel good. I'm calling from Carrickfergus near belfast in N Ireland
[GunnarL] Happy birthday Larry from Bergen, Norway
[owen] Hello Larry, happy birthday
[smthazoid] Hi larry...heartfelt happy birthday to you
[LarryN] Top of the morning to ya.
[Alan_McC] So, when is the next Belfast Concert?
[LarryN] I don't know when I'll be in Belfast next.
[LarryN] Vreug, where are you right now?
[Vreug] I'm at my home in Madison, WI
[owen] Can I ask a question which has puzled me for years? Its about
the number / letter sequence on the liner notes of the "Something
New.." album
[owen] What do the numbers above the letters mean? The letters are the
initials of alum titles (Ithink - and possibly planned future ones??)
Was "Island in The Skies" an intended album?
[mjane] HAPPY BIRTHDAY! LARRY
[mjane] Rochester Hills, Michigan here
[Rolf] Happry B day Larry. Rolf in Oshawa, Ont. here
[PjonPjon] I heard rumors saying you are coming to Norway this summer..... Is it true ?!
[LarryN] Yes, I think I am coming to Norway for the Sjaergard (or Seaside Festival)
[PjonPjon] Greeeeeeat !
[PjonPjon] Finally I get a chance to see yuo live !
[LEONR] H'BDay, Larry!
[Starbird] Larry how are you feeling these days? Eugene Oregon here!
[AlanRuss] Larry, are you planning any concerts in Western Canada in the next while?
[LEONR] The question we're all wanting to ask...when will we see something new under the Son from you?
[RPRev] Hi Larry! Happy Birthday from Washington Iowa!!!!
[LarryN] Sorry, I was playing with the Radio Babylon Mix-O-Matic for
a few seconds to get some background music here in the room.
[LarryN] If you want some new music, new songs, then come to the
Real Audio Gig later today.
[RPRev] Hey Larry.... What ever happened to Q-Stone?
[LarryN] Q-Stone live in Finland. They had their own television show for a couple of years. Then Mikko did one solo album which went gold and then the band released another album.
[GLMusic] What time is the real audio gig Larry?
[Jzak] how many hours till that gig?
[LarryN] I don't know what time the real audio gig is today. We'll announce it later when we get ready for it.
[LEONR] great! but what about a CD this year?
[LarryN] Yes, there will be CDs this year but you have to contact Street Level and get on the mailing list to know what and when music is coming out.
[JollyMon] Larry, will you be at the Dove Awards this year?
[LarryN] Yes, I think I will be at the Dove Awards this year. I'm
sitting with my friends at that t.v. show thing.
[LarryN] I will be sitting in the Forefront Records section next to
Toby or Michael or Geoff or somebody like that. I only know that I'm
going for now but that depends on my health of course. Isn't it like
that with all of us?
[JollyMon] I'll be at the awards. I'll try and spot you in the crowd.
* Jzak has a question that is about something that happened about 20 years ago.
[LarryN] What happened 20 years ago?
[Jzak] the theif in the night how did you get your song wish wed all been ready on it
[LarryN] "Thief In The Night" used the song and I found out about it years later. But they didn't need to ask me for permission. Capitol published the song and the filmmakers asked Capitol.
[Jzak] but the version theif in the night used i didnt think was that great
[Rolf] Larry, are you releasing a video from you Canadian tour last fall?
[LarryN] Yes, Toronto was really special. But at the time I was there a few people e-mailed me saying that if I was going to associate with people at the Toronto church then they would like their names removed from our mailing list.
[Rolf] Trying again. Larry, will you release a videofrom your Canadian tour last fall?
[LarryN] There are several videos which were made in Canada. Please write to Street Level and tell them that you asked me about it and that I'm open to having them release a video of there is interest in it.
[AlanRuss] Larry, any chance for a CD release of "Upon This Rock" any time soon?
[skotty] I 2nd the upon this rock question.
[LarryN] Upon This Rock might be available if we can get copies from the countries outside of America that have it. So far there are no plans to make it inside America.
[mufasa] Larry, are you still friends with Stonehill?
[RPRev] Larry... Do you still maintain contact with Randy Stonehill?
[LarryN] Maintaining contact with somebody and loving them does not always make it a mutually responsive relationship. When Randy broke his arm I sent him money because I know what it's like to be physically incapable of doing concerts and I knew from a mutual friend that he needed the money so I felt God was telling me to help him. So I did.
[NitroZ] Hi Larry, this is just a comment, so you don't need to respond. Just wanted to say that I saw you at the Toronto Airport in November and was tremendously touched by your ministry. My life hasn't been the same since. Thanks.
[smthazoid] another comment, no reply needed...I was astonished to hear about you and your brother in USSR
[MarieM] Larry Just popped on to say Hi before going to work
[JollyMon] Larry, I was able to minister not long ago to someone who had just lost a child. I started quoting to them "I Hope I'll See You in Heaven" and they said hearing those words helped more than anything.
[LoveJC] Larry, thanks again for all the great music... I was able to share some of it with a dying friend a few months back and I think it helped him a lot. He loved great music but didn't know Jesus; through your albums he received both. :-)
[LarryN] That's encouraging to hear that you shared Christian music with a dying friend. That is part of the ministry which Christ has commended to us: to visit those who are suffering and to reach out, or reach in, to them.
[owen] Larry, can I ask a (possibly pedantic) question about the linear notes to "Something New..." please, which has been puzzling me since I bought the ruff mix album when it frist came out?
[LarryN] Which part of the linear notes are you referring to?
[owen] The list of letters and numbers, which seem to make up album titles. What are the numbers, and was Island in the Sky intended as the next album ("Island in the Sky is number eight"...)?
[smthazoid] Larry...which is your favorite guitar...both electric and acoustic?(not a very spiritual question, but I'll make up for it later).
[LarryN] I like acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, marimbas, steel drums, harmonica, vibraphone, flute, and other instruments too.
[mjane] Someone pass the dip, please :)
[Jzak] hehehehe
[LarryN] Jzak, what are you laughing about?
[Jzak] passing the dip
[JollyMon] Did anyone bring the birthday cake?
[icu2--] Happy Birth Day Larry, from Brian the pizza guy in Salem!!!
[owen] Guacamole, anyone?
[JollyMon] Guacamole will go great with my doritos.
[smthazoid] Canadian Bacon and Pineapple here
[owen] Make way for the Dr Peppers
[PjonPjon] What do you think of the new U2 album ?
[LarryN] The new U2 album is what it is. I like a lot of the lyrics and admire the subtext. Bono has really grown a lot, don't you think. About the music, it has interesting textures. I've only listened to it maybe five times and it usually takes awhile for songs to pop out. Right now, I'm still absorbing the textures and examining the lyrics.
[PjonPjon] I agree. I need more time to get into the album. I really like it.
[NealM] I think that Bono is angry at God for leaving Him.
[Jorn] and maybe Bono didn't leave God either?
[PjonPjon] I don't think he is angry at God. He longs for God just as we long for God.
[Meliss] God didn't leave Bono
[Jzak] what Instruments do you play?
[LarryN] I play all of the instruments I just mentioned, plus a few
others. But I can't really play any of them well, in my opinion. I
played saxophone for the first time the day I took it into the studio
and played all the part on "Something New Under the Son." I
thought it came out alright because it emotionally expressed what I
wanted to communicate, but I would never say that I really know what
I'm doing. I played vibraphone on "Venezuela" just fo
[LarryN] and then never played it again. I love music. That's
basically it. I can play the cello and violin and usually play
something like that on an album and then I don't play them again for
years. I like painting sounds with different instruments but I'm not
really a musician. In my mind. I just can squeeze out the notes I want
on my songs, but I would never, never, never volunteer to play on
somebody else's album unless they just wanted piano or
[Starbird] Larry have you ever played a hammered dulcimer?
[LarryN] I played a hammered dulcimer in a store which sold instruments. It has a beautiful sound. I will probably never use it on an album, unless I could borrow one and it fit the music I heard in my head.
[Starbird] Larry - well you could borrow mine if you ever want it :-)
[PjonPjon] Have you seen a movie called "Dead man walking" ? I really recommend it ! It's VERY good
[LarryN] If Dead Man Walking is the movie that Tim Robbins directed and wrote the screenplay for then, yeah, I totally agree with you. That was an incredibly, spiritual movie.
[Rolf] Larry, any comments on the Heavens Gate cult suicides?
[LarryN] I haven't really been following the Heaven's Gate tragedy close enough to make any valuable observation about it, except that I've had passing knowledge about a lot of different people who lived in cults and they are all very confusing, as political bodies of misinformation and deception.
[Alan_McC] Larry, have you ever considered a movie about your lifestory?
[LarryN] Alan, I haven't even considered a book about my life story.
[Parisi] Happy Birthday Larry, I am very glad God made you!
[LarryN] Parisi, Thank you.
[LEONR] Larry, many of us love some of your newer songs. When will a new CD be released? Your web site mentions you are busy working on it. Can you give us a sneak preview?
[LarryN] LEONR: O.K. I will let you hear some of the new songs today.
[HowardR] Larry, my 13 year old is here with me in my office, he wants to know if you listen to "modern" christian music, like Newsboys, Plankeye, or Supertones?
[LarryN] HowardR: Yes, I listen to modern Christian music. Newsboys, dcTalk, even Christian rap music, grungy stuff. I love the bands who have a strong message, and I feel sorry that other musicians are kind of hiding the message in exchange for a more worldly commercial ambience.
[Jzak] what did you think about Grammatrain?
[LarryN] Grammatrain is cool. I love those guys. I even sang one song with them onstage in Nashville a year ago.
[whitten] Adding a question to the Queue, Larry how do you write teh words to the music you sing?
[LarryN] I write the words to the songs by sitting down and just starting with a first word. The rest of the words will follow. I know the emotional feeling I want the song to have. That is what I start with. What do I want to say and how do I want the feeling to come across.
[whitten] Larry, how did you get the words for 666 ?
[LarryN] I wrote 666 at a time when few people were talking about the particulars of the end times. I wanted to imply that it would seem like a natural thing for the world to encounter this moment in time and that the narrator, not a Christian, would be pulled toward a "voluntary" death without really understanding the pernicious domain within which the beast would operate.
[mufasa] Re:666, did you know that the 6 is represented as "w" in Greek (the language revelation was written in?
[nugg] 666 is a bar code
[PjonPjon] What do you think of Steve Taylor ? (Personally I L-O-V-E his music !)
[LarryN] Steve Taylor has been a close friend for years. His parents became friends with my parents. He sent me a cassette of his songs years before he recorded. He's a very special person. Very loving. Very straight-ahead. And God has given him so much.
[litter] What about Van Morrison Larry?... Can someone write such intimate words about Jesus and not know him?
[Starbird] VanMorrison does know Jesus
[LarryN] I just spoke with Steve Turner last week. Steve worked closesly with Van for several years in preparation for the book which Steve wrote about Van. You should pray for Van. And think of it this way, Van is exploring reality and Jesus is one of his touchstones. Pray that he will come face to face with the soleness of God.
[Rebel4God] Well, gotta go. Love ya Brother!
[LarryN] Farewell, Rebel4God.
[JollyMon] Larry, happy birthday. i've got to go check on my sick two year old. God bless you brother.
[LarryN] Jollymon, I hope your two year old will be well soon. Aren't children the real deal? The perfect gift from God.
[JollyMon] Thanks Larry. God bless.
[JollyMon] They are the greatest.
[Starbird] Larry was your 666 near the time that DeGarmo and Key did 666?
[LarryN] I wrote 666 a long time ago. I don't know when D+G wrote theirs. Does anybody else out there know the answer to this?
[nugg] D&K 1984
[LarryN] Thanks, Nugg.
[CRB] larry's 666 was way before D&K. I mean way before, and WAY better a classic!!!!!
[LarryN] CRB, music is objective. No one can ever say one is better than another. I mean you CAN say Picasso is better than Dali, but I know painters that I respect who say Dali is better than Picasso. It's just art. it's just music. D+K have reached people who have never heard of me. They've reached people who've never heard a Billy Graham sermon. We are all needed to help advance God's kingdom. Right.
[CRB] Didn't mena to be..... I am a big D&HK fan as well, I love dem guys and their music
[Alan_McC] Larry, Of all your live albums, I like Roll away the stone best as it has it has a 'real' live sound to it. Any chance of a CD release?
[LarryN] You would have to write to Phydeaux Records in California and tell them you're interested in Roll Away The Stone. That album is from the Phydeaux realm.
[Hismusica] how's the health and do you ever get to festivals like Jesus Northwest in Vancouver Wash. not to far away
[LarryN] My health is good, today. Last week I was in bed a lot. What can I say? Sometimes I'm well enough to sing. Sometimes I'm in the hospital. Sometimes I'm over at my Mom's in the guest room sleeping while she's making vegetable soup for me and adding cayenne pepper powder so it will help me get better. I don't like cayenne, but my heart sure loves it.
[GLMusic] Larry, I've heard you say something like "keep your eyes on Palestine"
[LarryN] Yes, keep your eyes on Palestine because that is the epicenter of the coming intervention between this earth and Christ and the armies of heaven.
[Phydeaux] Umm..I think he's drowning in questions! ;-)
[LarryN] Yes, I am drowning in questions. It's hard to keep up with all of you.
[skotty] Right here in America was a shocking song. What were the circumstances surrounding your inspiration to write this song. ("It happened to me.", you wrote.)
[LarryN] Right Here in America was written at a time when my sister, Nancy, and her friends were being persecuted by the L.A. police for witnessing on Sunset Boulevard outside of strip clubs. They were arrested and put in jail for disturbing the flow of business.
[whitten] are you writing any End Times music now, Larry?
[LarryN] Yes, I'm writing "End Times" music still. I write
a lot of songs, all the time. They don't always end up on albums. It's
hard to make albums.
[LarryN] It even takes me longer these days than it did years ago,
to make a recording. But it takes very little time to write a song.
Sometimes ten minutes. Sometimes three days of rewrites. I love writing
songs. It is part of my meditations upon the good things of God and his
mercy upon man. I love God so much. He's more awesome all the time.
[S-i-S] [S - i -S ] Larry, What would you say to a person who thinks he has failed too much, and temptet God too much, a person that thinks he´s too bad to b able to come back to God again?
[LarryN] I don't think a person can be doomed because they have "failed" too much. They can run so far away from God that they don't have the courage to come back.
[S-i-S] [S - i -S ]I think Peter in the NewTtestament is a good example of being accepted by the Lord after you have failed, but this person I think off is somehow blocked - reject himself so badly. What can I do for him?
[WOGGIE] Are you only writing guitar-based songs?
[LarryN] No, I also write songs on piano. But actually, probably 80% of the songs I've written during my life were composed in my head, without an instrument. I wrote many songs on the airplane. In hotel rooms. In a a restaurant. On the trains in Europe.
[Hismusica] Larry, is "Shot Down" still relevent? from the church, from the industry?
[LarryN] Well, I'm still getting shot down, if that's what you mean? But I usually only get shot down by Christians. The cons and dirtheads and street people usually are open to hearing the gospel. We have several prisons here in town and mental institutions and I love ministering here in this town. I want to do more. Much more. But the experiences I've had have been
[LEONR] On the ONE WAY CD, which songs of yours, would you have liked to have seen recorded?
[LEONR] Of the ONE WAY CD, which of your songs would you have liked to have seen recorded that weren't?
[LarryN] Going back a bit. I like the Remix album. Especially since it's lightweight enough to be accessible to people who aren't into heavy remix modes. Yes, and I like the One Way album. I think the artists did a good job on the songs. Especially the artists who went totally into their own direction and didn't stay too close to my versions.
[LarryN] Going back, again. About falling away from God, there is a
powerful tension working between obedience and playing on the edge of
sin. Like Ted Bundy, on the day before his execution, talking to James
Dobson, admitting that Christ is the only way, God is who He is, God
can forgive all sins...Ted understood Christianity, but in the end he
could only keep saying that God couldn't forgive him. Because what he
had done was too terrible. Of course,
[LarryN] But maybe Ted Bundy had come to a place in his sin where he
was unable to ask God for forgiveness because he was so heavily
condemned by Satan and accused for his shortcomings that he believed
more in the lies of Satan than he could believe in the promises of God.
[Mikeyboy] I like most styles of music.R&B and rock are my favorite.Christian radio stations dont play much of this.Do you think politics is responsibe?
[LarryN] Regarding what Christian radio stations will play: I went
to the NRB conference in Washington D.C. back when Reagan came to speak
to the National Radio Broadcasters or whatever NRB stands for. I found
out by talking to people that many of the station owners weren't
Christians. That many of them considered themselves businessmen. Some
owners were Mormons, which was a surprise, because they are playing
songs they definitely don't agree with, bu
[LarryN] each of the different markets in America, upon which their
shows are heard,...well, now I'm losing my paragraph. Do you want me to
say more, or do you get the idea.
[owen] Well its a good job Jesus didn't adopt the approach of Christian radio station owners, or there would be nothing for the owners to make money out of!
[canuck100] I think Christian Music stations are missing a whole generation of listeners.
[Mikeyboy] thanks..enough said about christian radio.
[Jzak] is there a Story Behinf "6 O'clock news"?
[WOGGIE] It's *NOT* a political point of view of the Vietnam war, isn't it?
[LarryN] Woggie, "I Am The Six O'Clock News" is not so
directly about the Vietnam War as it is about the indifference of the
news commentators to take a personal stand about anything they are
reporting. If you watch t.v. the newsmen are just giving out
information, but not opinion. I feel uncomfortable watching t.v. news
shows which report a murder and relate the gruesome details and then
shake their heads with momentary manufactured sorrow, and then
[LarryN] smile and then start talking about more "upbeat"
news.
[LarryN] I can't keep up with all of your questions, sorry. It's taking me time to answer some of the questions and then I find that I'm way behind again.
[LarryN] Let me ask you a question. IF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, THEN WHY DO THE CHURCHES WANT SO MUCH OF IT?
[mjane] Good one, Larry
[Hismusica] to build bigger churches to tell more people? just a guess
[AlanRuss] The churches have forgotten their true reason - to make disciples for Jesus
[LoveJC] Mammon is the god of New Babylon, Nothing ever changes.
[MaariCat] good question... although it's "the love of money"... as long as they love the works they can do for god with the money more than the money itself... it should be ok...
[LarryN] OK, If the LOVE of money is the root of all evil, I left out that part. But still, why can't the churches rely in faith more and then when they do get more money, why do they build more extravagent buildings? Why don't they help feed the poor, like Jesus wants them to?
[Rolf] RE: Money?churches, because they run them as businessess
[Hismusica] churches and money, I thought you wanted to start on a happier topic otehr th[en news :-)
[WOGGIE] They don't know the poor?
[Dlog] money, just like the net can be put to good use though, to bring people into the kingdom of God.
[Hismusica] Holy Spirit vs man's plan
[MaariCat] i agree with that... hold meetings in a shack, but feed and house your neighbors
[owen] And why is "the church" so often described as a career option?
[Hismusica] career option vs calling
[HowardR] Jesus and his disciples had a treasurer to take care of their money, just don't turn your back on him!
[WOGGIE] Read what money did to Judas...
[LoveJC] Because many "churches" follow the "wisdom" of this world instead of God.... very sad.
[canuck100] What about Aninias and Saphirah? (pardon spelling)
[Dlog] They withheld from God
[MaariCat] do you suppose Jesus realized that he was "maximizing his earning potential" by "optimizing his career options" and "broadening his consumer base"?
[litter] Hey Larry how about giving us your email address..:]]]
[LarryN] My e-mail address is larry@larrynorman.com
[smuir] larry, i like your song feed the poor, will we hear it tonight
[Alan_McC] I like 'Feed the poor' a lot. I was thinking about it the other day. How are we going to face the chidren who died of hunger onthe day of judgement?
[LarryN] I'm still working on "Feed the Poor" so if you hear it today it will have more lyrics. It's a work in progress, just like some of the songs I've already recorded. I know that my concert versions of songs are sometimes different than the album versions of that same song, but sometimes I have more feelings about a subject than when I first attempted to encapsulate it into a song.
[icu2-] Larry are you planning any shows in Salem, or Oregon for that matter, in the future?
[smuir] and what about northern ireland
[LarryN] Yes, I am planning to do some concerts in the next few
months. I will give the information to Street Level to include with
their next newsletter and also, remember to tell them about that
Canadian video, whichever concert you are thinking about. My concerts
will be in America, Canada, and in Norway, and Sweden. I
[LarryN] I am not presently planning on doing very many concerts,
but these are the countries in which I have agreed to do at least one
concert each.
[WOGGIE] and in the Netherlands? (hope, hope, hope)
[LarryN] Yes, I think I'll be singing in Norway at the Sjaersgard Festival in June. I think I am.
[Rolf] Tormod Eikill, aha, kommer kanskje tilbake senere.. God Bless
[LarryN] Rolf, ha det....
[LEONR] PHYDEAUX, do you need a camera for CUSEEME?
[LarryN] Yes, you can do CUSeeMe without a camera.
[andrewg] sorry, that was my rat
[LarryN] My mouse says hello to your rat.
[Daisyflwr] Larry - which is the smallest place you have ever played in?? (as in city)
[LarryN] The smallest place I have played in was a women's prison. They only allowed half the prisoners into the concert at a time so that there wouldn't be gang fights. The smallest city I've played in was Kandor. Does that ring any bells.
[Daisyflwr] nope - just wondered becasue I am in Guernsey (remeber that wee little island in the English channel??)
[LarryN] MaariCat had a good point. Regarding the multimillion dollar edifices we call "church." Why shouldn't we meed it a shack, and house and clothe the poor.
[OBLIO] Do we really need a building our bodies are the Temple
[owen] Why should churches have hierarchies, which we get ambitious about climbing?
[Bonesboy] LarryN:If we had to meet in sewers,then maybe we would see the seperation of the wheat and the tares.
[owen] A shack and a group of people - isn't anything else idolatry?
[LarryN] Exactly, WE are the church. It's not the building that sits empty five days a week.
[LarryN] Maaricat, are you still on the line. Owen agrees with you.
[MaariCat] yup, still here
[Alan_McC] Nice church buildings are 'nice', but when there is no social felowship outside of the meetings it is very difficult to stay in touch with God - other influences can tempt you away
[LarryN] Christians used to meet in caves. Christians in Russia met in apartments. And sometimes in wooded forests. Christians in China are still being killed. Every year, of the executions which are official, all over the world, half of the people executed are in China. And that does not include unofficial murders of Christians.
[owen] I'm not sure nice church buildings are 'nice' - they may be a distraction from the real purpose of bringing people together to commune with God.
[smuir] larry - what are you views on Hinduism - do you think that there "gods" can be real
[LarryN] When I was in India, I talked to people about their gods. They have more than three million gods. They don't even know who all the gods are. They live in fear. They make sacrifices to the gods they do know about. But it is such a bondage to them. If God is loving and good, then the Hindu gods can't be real can they? If they are sex crazed gods, and gods who will kill your children, and gods who venerate cows more than babies, what kind of god
[LarryN] to talk more about this. I don't have a negative attitude toward the Hindus. I love them. They are a very gentle people. At least the ones I met. They are very childlike and maybe confused, like children, because of their fear and hope placed in reincarnation, and other beliefs.
[smuir] I agree Larry - I think the Hindus are so messed up,
[andrewg] larry & all, shouldn't we be careful with how we talk about other religions. while WE may believe ours is the way, it is, we often come across as being arrogant and usually go in with the sword of truth without any love....
[LEONR] Larry, we would love for you to return to Opelika. Many of us in the south do not get to see in concert. Give us a few dates and we would live to work something out.
[LarryN] If anybody is interested in having me come to their city
and sing, you don'
[LarryN] you don't have to be a promoter or even have organized a
concert before. You can call (503) 391-1175 and talk to Kerry. Most of
the concerts I've been doing in America for the last, what, ten years
have been with people who do not do concerts to make money but do
concerts to reach out to people in their community. That's what I'm
interested in. I always was. I am not part of the gospel circuit. I am
part of something else.
[owen] Larry, to take what we were talking about before a bit further,
is there not a powerful argument that the very idea of the
"professional priest" is contradictory to what Jesus taught
[owen] There is a difference between witnessing and exploring and
teaching and "hAving a job" and "wanting promotion"
[owen] and even worse "expecting promotion"
[LarryN] Yes, owen. We are all called to minister. We are all called to preach. I don't think there is enough interaction at churches today. It shouldn't be one man speaking to the congregation, exclusively. The congregation should also speak. Also, why don't meetings last all day like they used to?
[Alan_McC] Owen, I believe God trusts each of us with different 'Talents' (Money/Conditions/jobs/abilities, etc, and it is up to us to earn as the Lord makes us able and give accordingly. Those in the ministry have to live - and judging fro experience, no-one believes in tithing anymore.
[OBLIO] Larry if you came to Maine I will buy the Lobster and cook it for you LOL
[LarryN] Thanks but I don't eat lobster. What else do you have?
[OBLIO] Blue berries
[OBLIO] WE also have loving hearts and spirit filled worshippers
[LarryN] I once was in Boston, walking down the halls of the airport
and passed a tank full of lobsters. I thought one was looking at me. I
walked on. I turned around and went back. He seemed to looking at me. I
looked at all the other lobsters and they seemed indifferent. But this
one lobster looked so helpless. So I bought him and took him, in the
concert organizer's car, down to the ocean and let him go. Later, I
wondered if he made it back to safe
[LarryN] pollution kill him.
[OBLIO] Lucky Lobster hehehehehehe
[smuir] are you a veggie Larry?
[LarryN] No, I'm not a veggie. But I have gotten a lot more slow, mentally, as the years have passed.
[smuir] very funny!!!!! your as sharp as ever
[andrewg] is that possible larry? i mean, i've heard walking backwards.....
[OBLIO] Larry we would love to have you come to the east coast
[OBLIO] any chance??
[LarryN] Oblio, call Kerry at (503) 391-1175 about the possibility of a future concert. That's the only way I find out about people who want to do concerts.
[OBLIO] Praise God brother i'll do that
[LarryN] Going back to an earlier discussion. Maybe, no one is keen to go to church for hours because they find it so boring to be in church for one hour. But if people would go to church for hours, and after the sermon was over they stayed there to see what God might do, then the Spirit would have elbow room to come in and start moving. I used to go to a church which went for five hours on Friday and eight hours on Sunday. It was wonderful. I wasn't [LarryN] asleep and they weren't hit on the head or tickled under the nose with a feather like in early American churches. I fell asleep several times and when I woke up I was still in God's presence and it was such a great feeling to just be living in the center of worship and nobody watching you to make sure you were performing. You were free. Sometimes we read the Bible for three hours. Sometimes we prayed for three or four hours.
[smuir] personally i do not attend church, i feel that people go there just to catch up on gossip and see who can wear the smartest outfits etc
[LarryN] I think it's important to go to church, no always for what
you can get out of it but also for what you can give. I've gone to
churches in the past where I didn't feel I was getting fed anything,
but I developed relationships with families at the church and tried to
encourage their children to love Jesus beyond their church experience.
And also the parents need to know that God is way more expansive than
they have perhaps experienced at that t
[LarryN] It may not be easy to go to church, but I've been in
terrible meetings where I couldn't even stand what was being said, and
some of it was so wacko unscripturally sound, and yet at the end of the
meeting I felt blessed because I had spent time with God's people. We
may be a really screwed up church, but God loves us, his children, as
ignorant as we might be, and he is not ignoring our needs because we're
not hip enough to hold church properly
[Bud_B] Larry, do you prefer performing in churches, or would you rather be reaching the unchurched by performing in secular venues if you had the opportunity?
[LarryN] I don't usually sing in churches. I might sing in a church. But more often it's in a neutral building like a civic center. I don't really think that I would want to perform in an all secular situation, because I am also counting on some Christians to be present. Like where two or more are gathered...I wouldn't want to be the opening act for Marilyn Manson unless there were a lot of Christians there also, helping my pray my way through the con
[smuir] Larry - can you speak any other languages fluently?
[LarryN] I studied Spanish, smuir. But my real hope is that someday I will be able to speak English fluently.
[LarryN] SO DID ANYBODY HEAR ABOUT MY PERFORMANCE IN KANDOR?
[LarryN] YOU KNOW, THE SMALLEST CONCERT LOCATION ONE CAN PERFORM IN?
[PBS] no-where is that?
[AlanR] no please tell
[smuir] where is kandor
[MaariCat] in all candor, no
[LarryN] Spotman might know where Kandor is. Spotman, do you know Superman?
[LarryN] Kandor is in the fortress of solitude in a large bottle.
[Spotman] Happy Birthday Larry, sorry, don't know (grin)
[owen] Larry, how big IS the bottle exactly? And how did they get you in there?
[LarryN] I only brought up Kandor in the first place because a few of you jumped right onto the Will Eisner moment so I figured there are comic people out there. No, I've never performed in Kandor, although I try, consistently, to perform in candor.
[Alan_McC] Did you know they once asked Elvis to sing at Wembley stadium in England in a large glodfish bowl so that everyone could see him better. Needless to say, he declined!
[LarryN] I don't know about Elvis and the goldfish bowl, but I know that Elvis never played outside of the U S A because Colonel Tom wasn't sure what his immigration status would be, since he was a dutchman who hadn't exactly told the truth on his entrance papers. He went everywhere with Elvis, but he didn't dare go outside of America. Otherwise, Elvis might have traveled around the world doing concerts.
[LarryN] MaariCat, are you a woman or man?
[MaariCat] larry... this is my wife's name, but a man is typing, she's here too
[LarryN] Well, hello Mr. MaariCat. Is this your first time on the net?
[MaariCat] no, we are America Online members usually.... some experience with IRC
[motmot] do you think you will ever work with randy again. I must say
he is a nice guy and so are you
[motmot] do you think you would ever work with randy again you were the
best match since the beatles
[LarryN] I have tour tapes of Randy and I doing solo and duet sections of the evening.
[HowardR] Larry, what do you think about cloning? Can there be more than 1 of you? Any advice for the President and his commision discussing cloning.
[LarryN] I have a friend in Norway is started working in genetics in the Eighties and at that time we were talking extensively about cloning. About the possible evils of cloning. Yes, it's a subject for which there is a lot of room for musing. I've been thinking about it for years. And it's worrisome.
[Spotman] Larry, did Bob Dylan ever comment on the similarity between "Something.." and his album?
[AlanR] Larry, Loved your Dylan impression on Roll away the Stone
[LarryN] Dylan told my brother that he was a fan of my music. The Dylan satire artwork never was released, you know.
[Spotman] Larry, were there any other releases of bARCHEOLOGY other than the original 3 album set? I really love to listen to those!
[LarryN] Well, I released bARCHAEOLOGY 2 first, because I had just
finished recording "Labor of Love" and "Letter of the
Law." I was planning on releasing Part 1 which would have included
Rough Mix and Ose Enco, and then I was going to release Part 3, but
during that time records were becoming phased out and CDs were coming
in, and also, the reduction I made of Part 2, to the Quiet Night album,
met with pretty much universal disfavor. People didn't li
[LarryN] and I got onto recording other new songs of my own and I
kept touring different countries, so a lot of the albums which were
being planned didn't end up coming out.
[LarryN] Really, it's my fault for even announcing the albums which
were in the can because it put a lot of pressure on my father, who was
running Phydeaux all by himself. He was getting requests for albums
that he didn't have on hand and I was over in Europe doing concerts and
even recording new songs in different countries. So what i've ended up
with is
[LarryN] a lot of unreleased albums which are now ten and fifteen
and twenty years old and I'm working on new songs and I doubt if some
of the albums will ever be released.
[PjonPjon] Looks like you could need some massage Larry :-)
[LarryN] Did you see me rubbing my shoulder on the CUSeeMee, PjonPjon? Yes, I need some massage because I'm getting computer tunnel syndrome.
[GaryG] Larry, we've now been joined by Dave N., who did the sound for your Fredericton show last Sept. 19th.
[LarryN] Yes, I remember Fredricton, New Brunswick. And it was very kind of Lisa to cook spaghetti for all of us. We weren't hungry for two days. My sister enjoyed the landscape of Prince Edward Island as much as I did and we took photos of the whole trip. We even video'd every concert. It was a real memory.
[Spotman] any chance of the People albums being re-released on CD?
[LarryN] I had a meeting with five of the PEOPLE band last year and for three days we talked about what we did thirty years ago and talked about maybe recording another song or maybe even an album. But it takes so long to make an album. A couple of them wanted to record I Love You over again. Well, that would be fun and would probably only take two days. The last night we were together we sat in a circle and did a lot of the old songs and it was surpr
[TomasG] I can see you on CuSeeMee Larry, I look forward to meet you in Sweden this summer!
[LarryN] TomasG, it will be nice to see you again.
[tormod] larry, have you seen the picture of yourself on http://www.lcvnet.no/combo/engbio.html ?
[LarryN] tormod, no I haven't seen my picture you talked about.
[tormod] you should
[tormod] how many different people have you used in concerts?
[LarryN] tormod, I've used a lot of people in my concerts. I enjoy
playing with a lot of different musicians. There are so many talented
musicians in the world. There was a time when I started out back in the
fifties, when the only Christian musicians I knew played trumpet and
accordion. Then in the sixties, there were a few Christian musicians I
met who played hootenanny style guitar. So when I started making albums
for Capitol I only played with non
[LarryN] It wasn't until the mid-seventies when I was able to pound
out an album with all Christian musicians in the studio, and although
it was as "professional" as playing with the guitarists,
bassists, and drummers who played on Simon and Garfunkel's albums, and
the Beach Boys albums, the music had a different quality to it that I
would like to attribute to spiritual things.
[LarryN] Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, some of the Christian
musicians I let play on the sessions were taking drugs, and had been
for a long time, but lived a double life at that time, so the music
wasn't really righteous from that perspective...but then, we all
struggle with sin on different levels and drugs is a sin, like
insecurity is a sin, like ego is a sin, like fear is a sin, like pride
is a sin, and so on. I think that God made it possible
[LarryN] with a message no matter who was playing on the sessions.
[Phydeaux] Larry...this is Tim....Hopefully I'll convince Trevor King to invite you to Ireland this year!!!! BTW. Gail is here and says "Hello & Happy Birthday!!"
[LarryN] Hi, Gail. Thank you for your birthday greetings. What are you doing up so late. Is Tim dictating and making you do the typing?
[Bonesboy] Igave away the tape with" Living in the 20th century"will I ever be able to buy it again?
[LarryN] Bonesboy, yes you can get "Living in the 20th Century" from Street Level.
[PjonPjon] How come Street Level doesn't do Online order like most of
the other record companies ?
[PjonPjon] With an online oreder function everybody who wants could
easily order whatever they want ....
[PjonPjon] Snail mail order is ok but not exactely convinient if yuo
live in Norway :-)
[LarryN] You cannot order online from Street Level because they don't deal with credit cards. I don't know if they want to discourage the beast or what.No I really don't have the answer. I just know that you you build it they will come...I mean if you write to them they will send you a Newsletter.
[PjonPjon] I have already received a newsletter.....
[PjonPjon] I really want to order a lot but then I have to go to the
bank and get a check, then I have to send it to Street Level....
[LarryN] Leif and Soelvi, you look like you're getting a little tired.
[PjonPjon] No wonder :-) The time is 2:19 in the morning :-)
[^^Leif^^] Well, we have the kids wake up call every mornin
[LarryN] Leif and Soelvi it looks like you got my message, from the expression on your faces.
[motmot] hi i am back did i mise anything larry did you give out the secreit of life
[LarryN] Yes, I did give out the secret of life but I can only say it once so I'm sorry.
[slymer] motmot, we all know the secret....it's in the BOOK!!!
[LarryN] Slymer can say the secret more than once.
[slymer] Thanks, Larry, but you have always been more eloquent than I...
[LarryN] What kind of name is Slimer?
[slymer] Well, I was stuck for a nick when I first started with IRC,
and that was the first thing that came to mind...
[slymer] It's after my friend's snake (a 4 meter long albino python)...
[LarryN] Tomas, I can see your movie on CUSeeMe.
[LarryN] Tomas, what is the building you are showing me now?
[TomasG] It's the Vatican in Rome, Mattias and me in front of it :-)
[slymer] Larry, do you do this IRC thing often, or just special occasions?
[LarryN] So, far I'm doing this IRC thing just once a year, around
my birthday, but I will probably do it more often in the future if we
can make the technology pleasant enough for everyone. I know that some
of you are frustrated with your computers right now and I know that
some of you haven't been able to figure out CUSeeMe. This happened last
year, too.
[LarryN] But Dr. Tim will post the whole transmission up so you can
read it from the beginning no matter when you got on line, and we will
put the music up so anyone can listen to it at a more convenient time,
or a more technologically possible juncture.
INTERMISSION FOR THE REALAUDIO BROADCAST
[GaryG] Larry...Tell the people about Stompin Tom Conners
[LarryNorm] Stompin Tom is the legendary killer of Prince Edward Island, if I remember correctly. He is the one who killed Anne of Green Gables.
[GaryG] Close enough on Stompin' ....Bud the spud from the bright red mud, rollin down the highway smil'in. The spuds are big on the back of Buds rig and their from Prince Edward Island!!!
[MaariCat] that was the first time i had heard Rock the Flock... is it on an album?
[LarryNorm] Rock The Flock and Feed The Poor are not on any albums
yet.
[LarryNorm] But I have sung abbreviated versions of them
occasionally during a few concerts.
[MaariCat] well, let's hope they find their way onto vinyl.... er, plastic.... soon!
[LarryNorm] Phydeaux, are you Tim?
[Phydeaux] Larry, yes, this is Dr. T.
[LarryNorm] Did anybody vote for me???
[slymer] I did.. I do every 4 years....
[MaariCat] sorry... i don't vote
[LarryNorm] Did you know I made a new Presidetial shirt for this election? You can see my eyes, as opposed to the other, older t-shirt, but I'm still not too happy about the state of the nation.
[LarryNorm] John, do live in Virginia?
[John_II] Yes, from the Roanoke are.
[LarryNorm] John, it's good to hear from you. Teeny from India is right here holding the unsteadicam.
[GaryG] Hello Tina from Fredericton....How was India??? ...Any Video tapes (of our daughters) from the Fredericton Concert??? FR: Andy, Dave
[LarryNorm] GaryG, Miss India says she got the tape but it will be awhile before it is sent. Please call 503-391-1175 with your address so the Fredricton tape can get to you.
[GaryG] Larry, Did Ringo Starr record Weight of the World?
[LarryNorm] Gary, yes.
[OBLIO] GaryG do you ever get to Campobello
[GaryG] No Andy Jones here has...And Dave dives for scallops there! :-)
[LarryNorm] I try to get to Campobello occasionally to catch the sunrise.
[OBLIO] Thats where some of my family still lives
[OBLIO] MY GREAT UNCLE USED TO MAN THE LIGHT HOUSE ON cAMPOBELLO
[John_II] Larry, do you feel that Christian music has improved over the years?
[LarryNorm] John is playing angel's advocate now, asking questions he already knows the answers, too. John, if it's true that wine gets better as it ages, which I doubt since it is rotten fruit to begin with, then that might mean that the vinyl in storage might indeed be getting better and improving over the years.
[PjonPjon] Larry, do you think you will make satirical songs on the new album ? Will we ever see another "I'm Only Visiting This Planet" ?
[LarryNorm] If you mean another album similar to "Only Visiting This Planet," then perhaps you can find socio-political comparative observations on "Stranded In babylon."
[^Leif^] Ever thought of making a CD-rom, Larry?
[John_II] I'd be one of the first in line for that Cd-rom!
[LarryNorm] You might even be ahead of the first in line for the CD
Rom.
[LarryNorm] Why don't you make a CD Rom and I'll do something else
at the same time.
[Phydeaux] Larry...have you seen Star Wars Special Edition?
[LarryNorm] Yes, Mr. T, I saw the S.W.T.
[Spotman] I know this is like 20 questions, but Larry, are there any other acting classics to your credit other than "Beware! The Blob/ Son of the Blob"?
[LarryNorm] Well, I haven't really done much overground commercial cinema, but yesterday it occured to me that my life story might possibly be based upon actual events.
[mjane] Larry, Do you remember "Paul Clark" 70's early 80's. Do you know what happened to him. Can't find his music anywhere.
[nugg] mjane, Paul recently played with Phil Keaggy and Kerry Livgren joined for a jam also this was in Kansas City maybe
[LarryNorm] Randy told me that Phil Keaggy played at a wedding and Paul and Linda were there, but I didn't hear about any jam sessions.
[LarryNorm] Phil has seven fingers, and seven is the perfect number, especially when he is playing.
[LarryNorm] Hey, Tim. Have I talked to everybody. Or are there people in another room that have been left out?
[Phydeaux] Larry...everyone has got here (apart from the AOL users) I think.....no one has been left out I think
[nugg] in and out of the hospital
[LarryNorm] mostly out of the hospital I hope.
[slymer] Larry, speaking of the hospital... I arrived late, and I'm sure this question has already been answered, but how are you feeling?
[LarryNorm] I'm alright today. Last week would have been a bad time to try and do this communique. It changes. I pray. I don't worry.
[LarryNorm] It looks like this party has gone on for almost six hours now. Maybe we should do it again another time. What do you think?
[Bud_B] Yes, Larry, but let's not wait until next year!
[PjonPjon] I'd love to do the party again
[^Leif^] We should definitely try a get together more often
[mjane] Yes, Larry I hope so. Maybe you can do it twice a year.
[Spotman] Absolutely, how about monthly?
[OBLIO] More Parties sounds like fun to me
[PjonPjon] Think about it Larry, now you don't need to travel long distances to get in contact with people :-)
[nugg] the new songs were cool
[Bud_B] And how about some more frequent realaudio performances?
[LarryNorm] Yes, I might make a "hard edged" album in the future. I love the way Kenny Bam Boom drums. And I love the sound we all make together. This is the Young Lions basic lineup. Only Bill is missing, and we used to turn his guitar down low anyway. So, this is The Young Lions doing the music you heard today.
[Bud_B] How about re-adding Jon Linn to the lineup?!
[LarryNorm] Yes, that's an idea we were just talking about. We might
have Jon Linn join us for an album. That would be fun.
[LarryNorm] Jon Linn was on The Young Lions tour for some of it, so
that's a good idea.
[GaryG] Larry who was the band on the Moment In Time album?
[LarryNorm] GaryG, were their names in the Moment in Time booklet? For the musicians? Herb Manuputy played lead guitar. We did almost everything live and in one take just like the Young Lions/White Trash Vikings music you heard today.
[mjane] Larry, Mary Jane signing off. I wish you the best. You're in my prayers daily. Please keep me in yours. I hope to see you perform, again, someday. If you don't come to Michigan, I'll have to come to you......................Deal......
[LarryNorm] God bless you, Mary Jane. Sleep well. And thank you so much for your prayers.
[LarryNorm] How many Vietnam veterans does it take to change a light bulb? Oh, you don't know? And do you know why you don't know. BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T THERE, MAN!! YOU WEREN'T THERE!!!!!!!
[LarryNorm] How many lead singers does it take to change a
lightbulb? Only one.
[LarryNorm] And he doesn't screw it in. He just holds the bulb
still, and the universe revolves around him.
[LarryNorm] O.K. Here's the big one. How many of me does it take to turn off my computer because I'm ready to say goodbye.
[LarryNorm] Actually it doesn't take any Microsoft techs to change a lightbulb. Bill Gates just declares that total darkness is the new standard for the future of computers.
[LarryNorm] God bless you, everyone. Thank you for making my birthday party a pleasure. Tomas and Leif you should go to bed because it's very late in Norway right now. And everybody else, remember, the net can be fun, it can be informative, it can even be constructive, but don't let it get in the way of your relationship with you family or with your spiritual life.
[LarryNorm] Happy Birthday, world. You're a day older and closer to being redeemed by Jesus.
**********
 |
 |