The Holy Ghost Notes Podcast

120: Are You Not Entertained? (5 Friendly Reminders + Lead By Example)

On episode one hundred and twenty of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt talks about his recent experience on the Emo’s Not Dead cruise and tells some tales from the voyage. Tim talks about life in limbo, as he and his wife await the arrival of their third child. Next, the guys hit on five “friendly reminders” for drummers (though many apply to musicians in general). Then Tim kicks off the topic of "leading by example" after recent instances (brought on by parenting) got him thinking. Matt references Gladiator (which is something he’s never done before) and sheds a different light on the conversation.

119: Dude, We Got Deep (Play For Yourself + 8 Minutes)

On episode one hundred and nineteen of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim chuckle about a funny moment Matt had with a friend/drum student and Matt inadvertently tees up one of their topics by talking about enjoying some time with his wife instead of focusing on some important tasks. Matt talks a little about the Emo’s Not Dead cruise that August Burns Red is about to embark on, then transitions into the drum topic about playing drums for yourself first, before playing for anyone else’s approval. Tim chimes in with a recent thought about what “the dream” is for himself as an artist/musician in 2024. Then, Tim gets deep and talks about an idea that someone in distress only needs 8 minutes of undivided attention from a friend to feel a little better. Tim opens up about a difficult situation he’s been struggling with and Matt lends some great perspective.

118: Hoobastank (Good Old Days + What's Your Reason?)

On episode one hundred and eighteen of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim randomly talk about how being more “disagreeable” or “strong-willed” can benefit you in many cases, and Matt shares a lesson on double bass that he learned. Tim gives Matt a hard time for not watching a video he sent and tees up the drum topic by talking about a recent drum cover he did for his friend’s birthday. The guys talk about finding the reason for playing (and continuing to play) drums. They round out the episode by exploring the rather deep topic of the “Good Old Days”. What made those days good? Would it be the same if you knew they were the good old days when you were living them?

117: Laps (You Are the Instrument + Calling)

On episode one hundred and seventeen of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt throws out a challenging hypothetical scenario and Tim shares his thoughts about seasons and how quickly life can change. The guys swiftly transition into their drum topic focused around the idea of the most important part of the drums being YOU, the drummer, and how that translates to the approach. Finally, Matt shares about a men’s retreat he attended recently and the topic of identifying your calling through three simple indicators- Talent, Opportunity, and Passion.

116: Carried Away In Dance (Starting Drumming + Resolutions)

On episode one hundred and sixteen of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt kicks off the first episode of the new year with a story about getting booed on stage during his drum solo. After a brief tangent about Tim’s new IEMs, the guys proceed to address new drummers (and/or drummers who would like to get back into drumming this year) with advice on how to succeed and stick with it. Tim transitions topics by sharing his New Years resolution while in the same breath, expressing his disdain for the idea of waiting for the first of the year to “start fresh”. Then Matt opens up about a bad habit he worked to break.

115: Something Bigger (Thank You Drummers + Christmas Memories)

On episode one hundred and fifteen of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt gets excited about Christmas and starts drinking olive juice straight from the jar and shares a magical moment that happened while recapping the most recent tour. The guys talk about the many, many Christmas services that happen at churches in the area and refocus on what's important during the holiday. Then they spend some time applauding the drummers who have volunteered or devoted their time to preparing and leading at church Christmas services. This turns into a motivational conversation around taking a step forward and being bold. Tim asks what Matt's least favorite Christmas song to play is, and they head into their next topic of "Christmas memories". Matt challenges Tim to share an awkward Christmas memory then proceeds to carry (and drop) the weight of the conversation. The episode finishes out with a couple messages from HGN listeners. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Matt and Tim!

114: Rhythms (Go Big + Get In the Word)

On episode one hundred and fourteen of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt catches us up on the Rescue and Restore anniversary tour and the upcoming (now recent) Christmas Burns Red shows preceding his homecoming. The guys talk about “giving it your all” or “going big” when it comes to drumming. This idea, being rooted in caring less about what other people might think, is perhaps contrary to what many teach. Tim interludes their next topic by confessing his shortfalls in being consistent with reading the Bible. Matt and Tim discuss the importance and benefits of instilling Bible reading as a frequent habit.

113: Emo Tools (5 Mistakes + Thankfulness)

On episode one hundred and thirteen of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim talk about the upcoming Emo’s Not Dead cruise that August Burns Red will be playing on. This leads them to question whether or not ABR is an “emo band”. Matt updates us on the Rescue and Restore tour thus far and tells a little about his experience being away from his family. After catching up, the guys each share 5 mistakes that drummers make and talk about what to do to avoid making them. As per usual, they round it out with a second topic, this time, inspired by the Thanksgiving season. Despite discussing it in the past, they approach the topic of “thankfulness” from a slightly different angle.

112: Aaron Spears (Remembering + Inspiring)

On episode one hundred and twelve of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim remember drumming legend and friend, Aaron Spears, after his unexpected passing. They reminisce about their first time hearing Aaron play drums and what made him stand out as a drummer, then talk about who he was as a person and how his character far outshined his success as a musician. Matt shares some stories of moments with Aaron, and the guys share some laughs and shed some tears in his honor. They finish out with a clip from Aaron’s episode (32) on the podcast.

111: Kinda Like Wallpaper (Strengths & Weaknesses + Family First)

On episode one hundred and eleven of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim joke about recording in the “Eleventh Hour” and elude to a comical video that they posted about it a while back. Matt talks about rehearsing for the Rescue and Restore anniversary tour in the old barn, which serves as a segue into their topics. They start by talking about the importance of focusing on both your drumming strengths and weaknesses, and how the only way to truly grow and improve as a drummer is to work on those weak points. Matt equates drumming to wallpaper removal, prompting Tim to assuage his guilty conscience. Next, the gents talk about putting family first and what that means to each of them. They land on the provoking idea of truly being present and getting rid of the distractions.