The Story of Craven Arrest
Today is a great treat for you. The music is so existential, yet so accessible, that you'll be hitting repeat all day. I bring you the music of Craven Arrest, a band so legendary that no one even feels the need to talk about them. That's just how legendary they are.
So the story goes that someone I don't even know was mistakenly arrested for crowd surfing at the then Craven Valley rock concert at Craven Valley, SK. I'm told the band playing at the time was my favourite, Collective Soul. Anyway, this dude was arrested, but released, and therefore the name of a band was born. I mean, you can't make this stuff up.
The band began late in the year of 2003 at a rental house near the University of Saskatchewan. Musical chemistry was almost instant. A guy. A brother. A cousin. A couple of other guys. Practices were a mix between discussing cool things to say on stage, writing songs while trying to look super cool, and occasionally even playing some music. Some band members were even known to go to the gym and do certain back exercises in order execute the perfect bow. Creativity was never an issue for Craven Arrest. Young minds. So many ideas. So many dreams. It's been said that one person could play a single note, and everyone else in the band would know exactly what song to join in on. What a golden age for music.
The band practiced and got better. In fact, they got pretty good. As I said, there was chemistry. One night they played, as part of a battle of the bands competition, at the famous Louis' Pub on the U of S campus. The pub had several hundred people in attendance. The band sat in a back room in anticipation of the upcoming moment. Other musicians, evidently, had also once waited in this same room. There were pictures and autographs from such musicians as Neil Young, the Dave Matthews Band, and Finger Eleven. These soon to be legends finally appeared on stage. Overcoming some technical difficulties, Craven Arrest put on a performance for the ages. These boys, the ones who practiced so hard and worked so well together, finally became rock stars! Never has Louis' Pub seen such a performance. Sadly, never will Louie's Pub ever again see such a performance.
The story goes that the next morning the drummer went to the an early Mass in Latin. Apparently the choir began singing Adoro Te Devote. But the drummer couldn't hear the beautiful hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas! There was an incessant ringing in his ears from the concert the night before. At that moment, as if God Himself spoke directly to him, the drummer realized he would not be able to be both a rock star and devote himself to God and the Church as he so wished to. The drummer quit the band. Better to forfeit rock music for the Rock who is Christ.
Craven Arrest more or less fizzled out, though not entirely. They got back together a few months later and, despite a great financial cost, had four songs professionally recorded. The songs recorded will forever cement Craven Arrest's legacy to music. The songs themselves picked up some local air time on CJNE 94.7 Storm FM radio. But there was no need to push it further. The story of Craven Arrest was to be one of hope, glory, and ultimately letting go. The boys in the band are doing well. They've acquired real jobs, and have growing families. Their story lives on through their music. Their story will be passed on to their children. Craven Arrest will, in a way, always be.
As for that drummer who quit the band? He's doing well. He has a wonderful wife and four beautiful children. He still has his drum kit, though he plays mainly guitar, piano, and organ these days. He loves to perform for children at the school he teaches at. And yes, he still loves the Church, and the Latin Mass. You could say that his life still rocks.
Here is Faceless:
Bonus! Here is Without You:
So the story goes that someone I don't even know was mistakenly arrested for crowd surfing at the then Craven Valley rock concert at Craven Valley, SK. I'm told the band playing at the time was my favourite, Collective Soul. Anyway, this dude was arrested, but released, and therefore the name of a band was born. I mean, you can't make this stuff up.
The band began late in the year of 2003 at a rental house near the University of Saskatchewan. Musical chemistry was almost instant. A guy. A brother. A cousin. A couple of other guys. Practices were a mix between discussing cool things to say on stage, writing songs while trying to look super cool, and occasionally even playing some music. Some band members were even known to go to the gym and do certain back exercises in order execute the perfect bow. Creativity was never an issue for Craven Arrest. Young minds. So many ideas. So many dreams. It's been said that one person could play a single note, and everyone else in the band would know exactly what song to join in on. What a golden age for music.
The band practiced and got better. In fact, they got pretty good. As I said, there was chemistry. One night they played, as part of a battle of the bands competition, at the famous Louis' Pub on the U of S campus. The pub had several hundred people in attendance. The band sat in a back room in anticipation of the upcoming moment. Other musicians, evidently, had also once waited in this same room. There were pictures and autographs from such musicians as Neil Young, the Dave Matthews Band, and Finger Eleven. These soon to be legends finally appeared on stage. Overcoming some technical difficulties, Craven Arrest put on a performance for the ages. These boys, the ones who practiced so hard and worked so well together, finally became rock stars! Never has Louis' Pub seen such a performance. Sadly, never will Louie's Pub ever again see such a performance.
The story goes that the next morning the drummer went to the an early Mass in Latin. Apparently the choir began singing Adoro Te Devote. But the drummer couldn't hear the beautiful hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas! There was an incessant ringing in his ears from the concert the night before. At that moment, as if God Himself spoke directly to him, the drummer realized he would not be able to be both a rock star and devote himself to God and the Church as he so wished to. The drummer quit the band. Better to forfeit rock music for the Rock who is Christ.
Craven Arrest more or less fizzled out, though not entirely. They got back together a few months later and, despite a great financial cost, had four songs professionally recorded. The songs recorded will forever cement Craven Arrest's legacy to music. The songs themselves picked up some local air time on CJNE 94.7 Storm FM radio. But there was no need to push it further. The story of Craven Arrest was to be one of hope, glory, and ultimately letting go. The boys in the band are doing well. They've acquired real jobs, and have growing families. Their story lives on through their music. Their story will be passed on to their children. Craven Arrest will, in a way, always be.
As for that drummer who quit the band? He's doing well. He has a wonderful wife and four beautiful children. He still has his drum kit, though he plays mainly guitar, piano, and organ these days. He loves to perform for children at the school he teaches at. And yes, he still loves the Church, and the Latin Mass. You could say that his life still rocks.
Here is Faceless:
Bonus! Here is Without You:
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