Mark Hansen Music - LDS Rock Music - Free Downloads

Mark Hansen Music - LDS Rock Music - Free Downloads
Get the new CD, "The Third Time" HERE




WARNING: Listening to this music doesn't require parental approval. It's a bit of clean rebellion. It keeps your outlook up and your hope alive. It's got strong drums and screaming guitars. It pumps you up and drives your life. It's a hunger for exploration. It chooses the right and returns with honor. It's music you don't have to confess to your bishop.

It's not your parents' "Saturday’s Warrior".

It's "A Joyful Noise"

Friday, April 30, 2010

Jammin' With Brendon

Last night was kind of a landmark night for me.  A wonderful father-son bonding time.  Let me set it up for you.

About six months ago, Brendon started taking drum lessons.  He had a really lame kit that was barely better than a toy, but he practiced some, and learned a lot at his lessons.  Around Christmas time, we got a good deal on a moderate electronic drum kit.  He kept playing and practicing, and taking lessons.

Finally, he got to the point where he can keep a basic steady beat with the kick, a hi-hat or a ride, and the snare. 

Last night, I was supposed to have the guys come over and practice a few more of my tunes, but they all had conflicts, so I was understanding, but still a little disappointed. So, I got Brendon over to the drums, and he and I jammed for just a little bit.  I admire him, because I can't play with both feet and both hands.  It was too much fun.  We decided that we were going to try to get him into the elementary school end-of-year talent show and I would play along.  It'll be fun.

As a musician, it was a real thrill to finally be able to play music with my son on this level.  We've played at various things before, but never before where he was so steady and connected to it.  Lots of fun.

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Come back often to hear about new songs and shows. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including his Dutch Oven blog: Mark's Black Pot and his LDS pop culture blog: MoBoy blog.
Mark's Other Blog Posts: name post, name post, name post,

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Dancin' Life Away

Listen and download the song, free, here.

I wrote this one a long, long, time ago.  It bounced around my mind for a long time, and finally settled in.  A few years ago, I was in a band, Random Tangent, and we did a version of it. 

It's kinda about how people get wrapped up in their own way of living their lives without the gospel, and they're just dancing along in that groove and never realizing the joy they could find.


Dancin’  Life Away
By Mark Hansen 


She's a young girl
The streets took their toll
Tryin' to sell her body
she's already sold her soul
She's dancin'--dancin' her life away

He's a young man
a rag on his head
somebody doesn't like the color
now he's sure he'll end up dead
he's dancin--dancin his life away
dancin--dancin his life away

All the people dancing in the street
All the people trying to find a beat
All the people lost along the way
All the people dancing their lives away

There's a businessman
lonely at the top
tried so hard to make it
doesn't know where it will stop
he's dancin--dancin his life away

There’s a lady
tipsy on her toes
her hands are tight around the bottle
not so steady as she goes
she's dancin--dancin her life away
dancin--dancin her life away

Chorus

Tryin’ to make it
tryin’ so hard to please
but If you want to stand
You’ve got to get down on your knees

It’s a busy day
To and fro and fro and to
Some how I dance on by
and I don’t reach out to you
I’m dancin--dancin my life away
dancin--dancin my life away

Drums: Steve Hill

Thursday, April 22, 2010

It's Been a Long Lonely, Lonely, Lonely, Lonely, Lonely.... Time...

Seriously.  I can't remember how long it's been since I jammed with other musicians, other than just a whim here and there.  I finally decided that I'd like to get some guys together to learn some of my songs.  My initial goal is to see if we can get a gig at the Utah State Fair.

I called a couple of friends of mine.  Z, a guitarist, and Greg, both live out here in Eagle Mountain.  I had contacted another EM drummer, but he wasn't available to do it, so Z's in contact with one of his friends. 

It was really just a thrill to get together with these guys and play.  We worked up "Turn it Up".  It came together quite nicely, considering we're all just learning it.  Well, I'm re-learning it.

Anyway, it was just a whopping lots of fun.  Thanks guys!

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Come back often to hear about new songs and shows. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including his Dutch Oven blog: Mark's Black Pot and his LDS pop culture blog: MoBoy blog.
Mark's Other Blog Posts: name post, name post, name post,

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Dancin' Life Away

So, this morning, I decided to get cracking on a song that's been sitting for way, way, too long.  I cut some lead guitar tracks and organ keyboards for "Dancin' Life Away".  It's a really fun tune, kinda alt, kinda bluesy... 

All it needs now is the lead vocal and the mix.  It could very well be done by the end of the month!

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Come back often to hear about new songs and shows. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including his Dutch Oven blog: Mark's Black Pot and his LDS pop culture blog: MoBoy blog.


Sunday, April 11, 2010

Making LDS Music - You Don't Have to Be Great

I'm going to step out on a limb here and say something this time that some folks might disagree with.  I'm going to say it anyway, because I believe it to be true.  Here it is:

God doesn't care if you're an incredible singer.


That also applies to any aspect of the LDS music world.  I know that there are a lot of people that will tell you that you stink, that you shouldn't embarrass yourself, etc...  I know that there are a lot of people that hate LDS music because they think the quality of the writing/recording/whatever is lame.  I know because people have told me both of those things.

I also know because as I listen to a lot of my early recordings, I can hear that they're quite lame.  I'm not an incredible singer, and I was even worse back then.  Some of those older songs are pretty badly written, arranged, or recorded.

...But if I hadn't done them then, I wouldn't be as good as I am now (such as it is).  You have to start somewhere, and you have to grow.

Fortunately, I've found some scriptures that helped me through many struggling years.  One is a very famous psalm.  It really impacted me, so much so that when I put out my first cassette compilation of songs (way before even the era of mp3's), I chose the name of that album from this verse in Psalm 100 (verse 1)"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands."

This scripture only says that your noise be joyful.  It doesn't say, "Make a pretty sound", or "Sing only if you've got a beautiful voice".  It says for all lands to make a joyful noise.

Take a look at D&C section 4.  There it lists all of the requirements for being "called to the work".  Never once does it say that you have to be "good at it" first.

Now, I'm not saying you should accept mediocrity, or that sounding bad is a good thing.  As LDS musicians, we should be constantly magnifying our talents and improving.  Take lessons in singing or in your instrument of choice.  Study songwriting and audio production.  Learn and improve.  All I'm saying is to be patient with yourself and don't give up on yourself.  If you carry on, you will become good enough.



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Come back often to hear about new songs and shows. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including his Dutch Oven blog: Mark's Black Pot and his LDS pop culture blog: MoBoy blog.



Mark's Other Blog Posts: Dutch Oven Monkey Bread, LDS Music at a Stake Dance?

Monday, April 05, 2010

Making LDS Music - Some Scriptures

As you make LDS music, it's important to keep your priorities straight, and your goals clear. 

I mean, it's nice to get positive feedback from fans and people who have liked or been touched by your creativity.  But if getting lots of fans and becoming famous is your main driving force for wanting to do LDS music, then you're in the wrong field.

First of all, from a purely practical perspective, the LDS music world is very small, and it can be very tough to build up a big fan base.  Second, over the years, you'll find a certain hollowness to that feeling.  You'll want to search for a deeper reason to do Mormon music.

While I've been making Mormon music and refining my own motivations through the years, I've found a few scriptures that help.  These don't specifically mention music, but they apply.

First, in 2 Nephi 32:9, it says, “But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.”

If you read the context, you can see that it's talking about any kind of action, like home teaching, or even going to work on a particular day.  But, I also applied it to making music, and it's very appropriate.  This is why I'll take a moment and pray before my performances, and often before working on a song in my studio.  I do pray to do well and to be successful, but moreso, I'm consecrating my performance.

This ties in very nicely with this verse, in D&C 62:3: “Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you.”

If I consecrate my performances, and sincerely bear testimony in my songs, then it's for my benefit, and the forgiveness of my many sins.  That's a good thing!


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Come back often to hear about new songs and shows. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including his Dutch Oven blog: Mark's Black Pot and his LDS pop culture blog: MoBoy blog

They're Out There!

I had a fun time happen yesterday that really made me feel great.  Do you remember me mentioning a bunch of guys that performed "He's Out There" at a stake activity?  They're from Idaho, and they were in town to see General Conference.  So, yesterday morning, before heading downtown, the whole family came out to visit me.

The three boys of the family make up their band:  Matt, on guitar, Austin, on Bass, and Ryan, on the drums.  Mom, Dad, and the sister came out as well.  I sure had a great time talking with them.  They brought out a copy of each of the CD's for me to sign, and I played them some of the newer tunes I've been working on.

Matt showed me a YouTube video of one of his songs, called "It's All Good".  I'd put it up as a link, but I couldn't find it a second time.  Matt, post up the link!

After a while, they headed up to the city to go to the final session of conference, and I relaxed and thought about how cool it felt to have people like the tunes I put out.  Sometimes, it can get quiet out here, and I wonder how many people are actually listening.  It's nice to put some faces on the numbers, ya know?

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Come back often to hear about new songs and shows. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including his Dutch Oven blog: Mark's Black Pot and his LDS pop culture blog: MoBoy blog.




Thursday, April 01, 2010

Making LDS Music - The Freedom of Obscurity

Today, I'm going to tell you about a principle that has guided me throughout my "career" in LDS music.  I'm also going to tell you the story of the moment that this epiphany was cemented in my being.

I wish I could tell you that I heard it in General Conference, or read it in the scriptures.  But truth is truth wherever you find it. 

Even in a Dilbert cartoon:

Dilbert.com

One day, I was setting up to do an "unplugged" gig in a mall.  It was some kind of family-oriented special day.  There were craft booths and things.  People were walking by and I regarded them as they did.  I wondered, should I play my more overtly religious songs? 

At first, I thought, this is a public mall, and people don't want to be preached to in a public mall.  Then, I thought about not being embarrassed of my testimony, and declaring the good word of God to the yearning masses who are lost and struggling.  Finally, after a few songs, I thought of Dilbert, and I realized that I might as well please God and myself, because nobody else was paying attention anyway!

In the end, I had a great time playing all of my songs, I got a few smiles, and the only life that was probably changed was mine.  But it was changed for the better.

Years later, as I was preparing my "One United Generation" CD, I thought how cool it would be to include the scripture references next to the song names on the back cover.  My friend advised against it.  "You'll limit your audience," they said.  In the end, I went along with him.

...And because I hid my faith, I'm now rolling in wealth and fame.

Wait.

No?  No wealth?  No fame?

I did manage to sell a few copies, but the world mostly ignored that CD.  So, on my second CD, "Lost and Found", I brazenly included the scripture references.  So far, it has managed to sell about the same number of copies as "Generation" did.  I've learned my lesson.

This motto impacts me in the creating process, too.  Often, in a songwriting critique session, someone will tell me that I have too many choruses, or that my intro is too long, or any of a number of rule-breaking deal-breakers.  They tell me that if I don't fix it, it will be tough to sell my song to a publisher. I accept the advice graciously, but often in my head, a voice is saying, "Right.  Because the publishers and radio programmers are already pounding down my door..."

Critique and improving your craft is good, and it's important to get good feedback.  It's also important to learn which feedback will take you to the place you want to be, and which feedback you can choose to artistically ignore.

In the end, always be true to yourself and to God.  Frankly, nobody else is really paying attention.

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Come back often to hear about new songs and shows. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including his Dutch Oven blog: Mark's Black Pot and his LDS pop culture blog: MoBoy blog.

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