Accompanying each episode is a “bonus features” blog entry of fun randomnimity (whatever that is.) Click here for Mike’s Episode.

A little more about the Friend…

I call him Mike, but a lot of people call him Michael. And like the archangel, Mike’s postivity while drumming has defended my songs time and again from the “snares of the devil,” as the old prayer reads. Instead are snare drum hits of careful choosing. I mention in the interview how we knew Mike for a school year before we knew he was a drummer, let a lone a stellar drummer. At our first practice, I felt like the guy Wayne’s World who hears Garth’s fantasy solo in the shopping scene.

Mike grew up a PK (pastor’s kid) in the Friend’s church (popularly known as Quaker) in the greater New Castle/Richmond, Indiana region. (The childhood home turf of Chrisitian music pioneer/ prophet Rich Mullins. see blog for pt. 2) Mike’s Dad, Bill Bruneau was involved in Christian rock in the 80s and early 90s. He was a concert promoter and radio show host. The exposure to the show biz side of things gave Mike a lot of formative experiences in how to present your band. More than I did, of course, who before age 18 could count on one hand the number of live rock performances I saw – and I also grew up in a house without MTV, without popular music in the car, and a general censure of all things modern. I remember how at many early shows, Mike knew what was normal and what wasn’t.

Pastor Bill was a great balance of kindness and principle. His enthusiasm for Christ was evident in all he did. He believed hospitality to the gateway to better realtionships. He invited M.Cotu to promote concerts at his church, use the building and the parsonage for band practices. Since we were Mike’s friends, we were one of the family – often going to Sunday mornings after Saturdays of crashing at the house with a gaggle of bandmates and friends. Bill is someone I think of an good influence on how I want to pastor now that I’m in my middle years and a parish priest myself.

Whenever my college age kids invite half a dozen friends over and even when they claim couches and cots, staying up late and hanging out in my parsonage,  I think to myself: How did Bill and Bobbi do it? Can I show the same welcome? What lasting influence will it have?

A little more about the song…

The idea for the lyric came from a scene from Indiana Jones 2: Temple of Doom: (Note the falling star)

Why do you it Dr. Jones?…I asked myself, why do you write songs Tom, why strive to play music? I wanted to write on heavier themes and I wanted my performances to awaken the conscience of the listener ask big questions.

I think I was trying to express what I thought were Chrisitan Ideals of poverty and self-denial. I saw so many people in my life wish for more money, I thought, I was above or outside ambition for “fotune and glory” as Jones said in the scene. Falling stars are the short lived pleasures of consumerism.

In the summer of 1999 I was reading C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy – and more specifically – That Hideous Strength, the 3rd part, which is an apocolyptic vision of evil forces trying to corrupt the world, and the humble with the strength of God upsetting their schemes – when I was working on the song.

I sound a little too earnest in the delivery, but I wanted some of Steve Taylor’s playful, parodying wit about society in general. Certainly, it was always performed with a lot of animated stage antics. During the coda, I had two telephone head sets and I’d improvise conversations from one ear to the other.

I’m trying to sing like Michael Stipe. When I was getting started, R.E.M. was one of my biggest influences. I’ve often been told I’ve never shaken the influence. But in the late 90s I wasn’t alone in imitating Stipe. There were a lot of singers on top 40 radio who wanted to do the same – eg. Our Lady Peace, Vertical Horizon – some would even say that Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins went in a Stipe direction.

Lyrics to Falling Star by M.Cotu

1 – A little girl opens her window at night, marks a chalkline mark on the blackboard night sky, one moment, one moment of glory – now gone

Falling Star, I learned my lessons well from you

2 – A falling star went in to the dining room, set up some impressive graphs and charts and displays. He suckered everyone in but not me, not me.

Falling Star, I learned my lessons well from you

-Gathers up our wishes – you never make them come true; unanswered prayers and piling up problems

3 – Fortune and glory, search for fortune glory if you must search for fortune and glory, ‘cos I aint.

Falling Star, I learned my lessons well from you.

Keep your eye on the sky.