The Holy Ghost Notes Podcast

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

On episode one hundred and ten of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt compliments Tim a couple times and that dovetails into talking about being cheap, or rather, “value conscious” when purchasing razors and coffee. Matt shares about his time at the UK Drum Show with Mike Johnston and they “hit on” the topic; when math becomes magic within the realm of drumming. Tim has trouble articulating his case study and the guys find humor in all of the mispronunciations throughout the episode. Finally, the guys have an in-depth discussion around prioritizing, setting goals, and how to be creative with your limitations.

On episode one hundred and nine of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt shares some exciting news and the guys are surprised by a couple unexpected guests which serves as a nice set-up for the topics. Matt kicks off the drum topic of "Teaching" and shares his experience, his approach, and a number of important tips to help both experienced drum teachers, and aspiring drum teachers be the best they can be. Then the guys switch gears and hit on the topic of "fatherhood". Matt approaches the topic from the perspective of a new dad and talks about the feelings and thoughts he's been experiencing since the birth of his daughter. Tim comes at it from a spiritual point of view and relates it to his understanding of God as a Father, after having a few years to process and reminisce. They both share the same sentiment; that being a dad is the most rewarding experience.

On episode one hundred and eight or Holy Ghost Notes, Matt is only days away from having a new baby girl as Tim wraps up “back to school week” and shares some exciting news. The guys talk about using earplugs for sleeping and talk a little about the IEM company, Ultimate Ears, and their experience with both the products and the company. After a longer than average intro, they head into their drum topic; touching on the importance of spending time watching (or observing) how other drummers play and how it can benefit your own drumming in many ways. Matt talks about staying home from August Burns Red’s Australian tour which inspires the topic of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Through many a divergence from the root topic, in typical fashion, they uncover many parallels that round out the discussion.

On episode one hundred and seven of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim rant briefly about Tim's studio progress, what we may picture someone looking like without seeing them based on their voices, size small deep v-neck tees that they never should've worn, a worship song Tim's been writing, and realizing their flaws and pride, prior to getting into their topics. After many a joke and tangent, they head into their drum topic on "taking your time" when learning and perfecting drum parts and/or rudiments. They also discuss being open to learning and staying humble, despite how long you've been playing or how popular you've become for your playing. Finally, they approach the topic of "The Main Character Syndrome", as Tim coins it. They hit on the idea of consistently (and incorrectly) associating yourself with the main character in the stories of the Bible, rather than perhaps a secondary character who actually teach you something about yourself.

On episode one hundred and six (not five) of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim discuss their worst hair styles and chuckle about how brutal some of the Old Testament stories are.  The gents approach the topic of ‘pressure’ with force and they illustrate it as a necessity when it comes to truly perfecting your craft. They proceed to take on the topic of ‘finances’ and realize quickly that it’s a more faith-based topic than they had initially thought.