I know that I have so much to be thankful for.  I really don't need a single holiday to remember...I have reminders of those things everyday in my life.  My beautiful wife and wonderful kids, a loving family who supports what I do and who I do it for, unbelievable friends...My brother from another mother... JT, my road fam...PW, Trick, Stephen, GW, Alan, Josh, Dan, Ross, Bonnie, Pip, Jono...My ladies...Olivia, Becka, Jenn, Amy, Allison, Nikki, Crista, Janice...so many things and people I have been blessed to know.  

I am going to give birth! To a NEW CD!!! I will be in the studio with my long-time friend and fanfreakintastic producer Stephen Gause to record my new Solo project in early Jan. Stephen produced and helped write and engineer my song Hypnotized that many of you have heard and expressed it to be a Fan Favorite! That was 5 years ago if you can believe it! Finally, Stephen and I will have a chance to do a full record together. It will be a sweet acoustic flavored project with some nice instrumetation to chew on and enjoy. The CD will be avail in Feb! Stephen produced many of the tracks on the new Downhere record which is receiving unbelievable reviews and stellar radio play. Please check that record out when you have chance.

Many of you have asked if I am feeling ok...I am great! I simply have lost a bunch of weight (31 pounds to be exact:) as I prepare to go out and hit the road and try to stay healthy. Nothing to worry about. Just cut out my affair with Little Debbie...oh the temptress that she and her snack cakes are!

I am looking forward to this new chapter in my life and hope that all of you will be a part of it.
BIG LOVE and lots of heart felt blessings to you all!

BCM

Hey folks. I will be using Blogger as my new website and journal from the road for 09! I suppose I need to catch you up on several things...

1) Fort Pastor is on hiatus. I am not going to say we are completely done, but we are going to be pursuing other projects for the time being. Jono is back in Oz and attending University there while getting a chance to be with his girl, JT has moved to north Florida and is writing unbelievable songs like a madman and performing some solo shows as well. We had a great run of over 3 years together and it was time for us to shift gears and refocus to more personal efforts. I love those guys like brothers and we will forever be Fort Pastor to the throngs (more than 2) of fans we have made over the years.

2) I have been appointed the Artist-in-Residence for the Not For Sale Campaign. Not For Sale is an organization that fights human trafficking around the world. There are 27 million slaves in the world today, including over 200,000 in the US, and my new partnership will take me all over the world next year with author/founder David Batstone for the "BackYard Abolitionist Tour".

The Not For Sale “Backyard Abolitionist” Tour is a multimedia event that brings together lecture, film and music to expose the human trafficking epidemic. Not For Sale founder, Dave Batstone and myself perform together weaving songs into stories while being supported by riveting video; all in an effort to emotionally connect the audience with the global slave trade. It is a gripping night of heart breaking truth and inspirational victories.

About Dave Batstone:

Bono refers to David Batstone as a “heroic character”. A professor of ethics at the University of San Francisco who started his “career” guarding Salvadorans and literacy teachers from death squads, Batstone was a member of the founding team of Business 2.0 magazine and is the founder of the social venture firm, Right Reality. He writes regularly in USA Weekend edition as “America’s Ethics Guru.” He traveled around the world investigating the slave trade before writing Not For Sale, the book associated with this campaign. Winner of numerous national journalist awards, Batstone's first book "Saving the Corporate Soul" was named the 2004 Business Book of the Year at the Nautilus Awards. Batstone was named National Endowment for the Humanities Chair at the University of San Francisco for his work in the technology field.

Batstone served as Executive Editor for the social justice publication Sojourner’s Magazine and has appeared on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams as well as CNN, ABC, FOX, BBC, NPR, Australian Broadcast Company, and German Public Television.

Exciting times to say the least and I couldn't be more moved to help David and his team bring awareness on this invisible epidemic.

3) I am finishing up writing for my next Solo Project and should have something for you all to listen to in a few months. I am hoping to get it done by Feb. New songs...new sound...new vision...old me:)

I am looking forward to sharing stories from Dave and I's travel and hope to see you all on the road next year for the BackYard Abolitionist tour!

Peace,Love,Light,
BCM