On June 17, 2003, Derek Webb sat down for an IRC chat with the good folks of [derekwebb.net]. Bryan moderated the chat with help from Nicole and Geof. Geof: Hey Derek! Derek: sorry i'm late Geof: It happens. Derek: levi didn't want to get out of the creek... Geof: -chuckle- Derek: how is everyone? Geof: Silent. Derek: yes Geof: Probably cursing at us for not letting them talk. Derek: yeah... Geof: Ahhhh, the fun of moderated chats. Geof: Your ball, Bryan. Bryan: ok, kids are down for the count...sorry Derek: cool. that's not easy Bryan: do y'all have willing question askers lined up? Geof: Nope, not yet. Bryan: ok, derek let's start with a question that someone emailed to me Derek: fire away Bryan: lisa asks "Derek, can you please clear the air about the song 'nothing is ever enough'. is it about the band and do you still share the same frustrations you expressed in the song? Derek: yeah, um... Derek: :) Derek: that song was written partly about my experience with the band Bryan: (you open with at at alot of shows...so why not open the chat with it?) Derek: a fine idea... Derek: however, i was as much a part of the problem as anyone... Geof: What was the problem? Or is that something you can talk about? Derek: there is certainly more to it than just that (the band), but that's how the song started Derek: it kind of took off from there Geof: Are you going to record it? Geof: Or just play it at shows and leave people to wonder. ;) Derek: every band and family have problems. i had just never written about my feelings about that before and it seemed about time. it was unfortunate timing with my leaving the band, because whatever issues that song was written about had nothing to do with my leaving Derek: i may record it eventually, but no plans right now Derek: maybe i'll record it here in the house and we'll put it up on derekwebb.net. Nicole: yah! Bryan: that would rock my face off (.net) * Geof groans Bryan: we will hold you to that Geof: With duct tape, if necessary. Bryan: are we ready for the next question? Derek: yeah Geof: Go, Joe. Howdy Derek, sillyjoe here. I've heard you say in the past that you write what you are feeling. With this in mind, how do you go about the writing process? Is it a "I'm going to write a song now" thing, or is it more of a journaling thing where the songs just sort of come? Derek: songs definitely just sort of come... Derek: i write whenever i write. Derek: up until recently i hadn't written anything since the last record's songs were finished Derek: more recently i've been writing a lot but no songs yet. just 3 pages of random lines and ideas. Bryan: we'll put scans of those up on the dotnet too Bryan: or not Derek: yeah, except they're in my palm pilot, not on actual paper Bryan: ok nicole who's next Nicole: go ahead mjr Derek - Did you teach yourself how to play guitar or did you take lessons? Derek: i took one lesson when i was about 10, but i'd been playing for 3-4 years already by then. i basically got a chord book my first day, and decided that i could teach myself chords from the book (and without the expense of a teacher...) so i quit the next week. Derek: from that point, i basically joined a band as early as i could and started having to learn songs (cover songs). that helped a lot. after a while i determined what i liked about the covers that i was learning and started trying to write based on what i had figured out about those songs. i suppose i still do that... Bryan: ok geof, next caller Geof: Go Jeremy. Hi Derek, thanks for chatting with us again. Look forward to seeing you at the KTLY thing in Dallas/Southfork. You happen to know when you will play during that day? Derek: wow. let me check... (hold please) Bryan: cue jeopardy music Derek: well my daysheets don't have that info yet Derek: i would imagine that i'm playing sometime in the afternoon... Bryan: derek, with respect to these shows you'll be playing over the next 2 weeks, have you added anything different to the setlists or will it be similar to recent bootlegs we've heard? any surprises? Derek: well, i never really know what i'm going to play. not really making set lists these days, but what that generally means is that i gravitate toward certain songs that i enjoy playing right now. that's why a lot of the set lists have been similar. Derek: i actually played bus driver again the other night in south carolina (jammin' java), on a request. even i was surprised... Derek: incidentally, it went a lot better than last time. sorry bryan... Bryan: remember the words this time ;) ? Geof: It probably helped to not have Bryan staring you down, Derek. Geof: LOL Geof: Go for it, Mr. Agreeable. :) Hey Derek! Are you getting the sort of radio play you had hoped for with this record? If not, do you think it's because stations are uncomfortable with the clear reformed message in your lyrics? Derek: not sure. we haven't gotten quite the response that we hoped for, but we're just getting started. we're just getting a radio thing established, so sometimes you have to put a song on the front lines and sacrifice it, so to speak. Derek: i think the next single (take to the world) will do much better. that was actually part of the plan. we wanted to wedge in with 'she must and shall go free' so that we could drive it on through (hopefully) with 'take to the world.' Derek: it should get to stations within a week or so. not sure the official add day... Bryan: btw, we'll be debuting a "radio attack" service on the site to help your songs get more airplay. Bryan: more on that in the coming weeks Derek: oh my. that would really help Derek: folks calling in would certainly do a lot of damage (service...) Derek: :) hey derek, looking forward to seeing you on sunday... since the cd has been out for a while, what has been the overall reaction to it... positive, negative, what you expected? Derek: um, i think i expected that there would be more negative response. Derek: there has been some. mardel not carrying it, some radio not playing it (for similar reasons, so i've heard), stories of parents returning the record after kids bought it... Derek: on the whole, it's been very positive though Bryan: btw, joe will be setting the table for you on sunday night, so be warned. a hostile crowd will be his fault. Derek: understood... Geof: Hopefully they'll be out of rotten tomatoes by the end of his set. Derek: i'll remember that Geof: If not, make him play another few songs. Bryan: (poor joe can't defend himself now) Geof: Nicole has someone. :) Nicole: ok we have another from mjr How do you feel about recording and photography during the shows? Is that cool with you? Derek: yeah, well my official position must be that i don't encourage it. Derek: having said that, i definitely encourage it. Derek: i'd love to find a way to make that easier for folks * CCTyrant whispers "What Derek doesn't know can't hurt him." Derek: i know that waterdeep has info somewhere that helps folks with ideas on bootlegging, which i think is a good idea; better recordings. Bryan: i can officially clarify derek's unofficial position on bootlegs via email, but you get the idea Geof: We need the Iraqi information minister ... Bryan: "the americans are not in Iraq" Derek: for now, we're hoping that we get as many recordings of the shows as possible (every show if possible...) so that we can archive that stuff @ dw.net Hey Derek, what would you say is the greatest challenge the church is facing today? Also, could you give my friend Rick Luong a shout-out thurs. nite? Derek: well, as i've said before, i think the church's greatest problem is unbelief. we must learn to believe the Gospel. we can't do that until we understand the Gospel. and we can't do that until we're hearing it. so i suppose it starts with our pulpits. but our pews are a close second... Geof: Go, Tony. :) HEy Derek - I was wondering if you have come up with any new themes with all the different churches you have visited lately? Different denominations. Also what is Sandra doing right now? Derek: i'm actually trying not to think about it, a theme that is. i'm just trying to write whatever right now. i am certainly hovering around some ideas though. Geof: Anything specific that you can share? Derek: i'm writing a lot about community actually. mostly in the context of the church right now, but also about community in general. Derek: not much more to tell until some songs start fleshing out Derek: sandra is about to start another record actually. Derek: looks like peter collins will produce (indigo girls, etc.) Bryan: heres an email question Bryan: 'balcliyou' asks "derek, do you plan on recording any more aaron tate songs? and have you heard from him at all lately?" Derek: aaron and i actually spent some time together when i was in houston a little over a week ago. Derek: we're probably as close as we've ever been Derek: i have been thinking about recording another song of his. there are still some songs left over from the ones that the band didn't record for the last record. there are a few in particular that i think would be great on my next record. Derek: we'll see Bryan: that would rock Geof: Next up is Brandon Cozart. howdy derek! what's currently in rotation on your stereo? Derek: ooh. the new daniel lanois record, 'shine.' it's a MUST own. Derek: lot's of that. also, bob dylan 'time out of mind' has been in quite a bit. Derek: lanois produced that record incidentally. Derek: gillian welch has a new record out as well, which we've been listening to. it's amazing. Bryan: maybe he'd work with you on your next disc? Derek: um, yeah Derek: :) Geof: Go, Ashley. what are your thoughts for your next record..are you planning on keeping the church theme..or something new? ps..hi. Derek: well, like i said, i'm trying not to think about themes right now. just writing and seeing what emerges. there will definitely be something for the church there, just not sure right now. not sure what to be intentional about yet. still processing. Derek: and hi... Hey, Derek, looking forward to seeing you in MA on Saturday. Have you thought about doing a professionally-recorded live album one of these days? Derek: (just a few more... almost dinner time @ the webb's) Derek: i've been thinking about it Geof: That bootleg you don't know about on Ragamuffin from the 4/25 show is awesome. Geof: It sounds like you're there ... in case no one has ever heard it ;) Derek: not sure right now. i think we're going to look more to dw.net for live recordings for now. maybe we can eventually take the best of the bootlegs that we have and put something together 'unofficially.' Derek: i'm definitely thinking about it though Bryan: ok, a couple more questions and we'll be finished Bryan: here's one derek regarding one of your older songs Derek: cool Bryan: we've heard two different stories regarding "what you want". some claim you've said it was written specifically about a specific situation (girl). others swear you've told them it was written because the label asked you for a rock song. Bryan: without being too specific, what's the story behind the song? Bryan: (it happens to be the favorite CC song of alot of people) Derek: both are true. we were working on long line of leavers and the label asked me to think about writing something more along the lines of a 'modern rock' song. so i listened to a lot of foo fighters and vertical horizon for a few days and wrote that song. it was written for a specific situation, but like 'nothing is ever enough,' not altogether. Bryan: thanks Geof: Here's Jeremy G with another. Derek: one more after this maybe? Was listening to Guild 1 today. Any new instrumental songs that might show up like on Guild 1 and Guild 2? ..maybe dw.net or on a future CD? Derek: well, probably not. i haven't written any instrumental stuff since that batch a long time ago (those were both taken from some instrumental demos that i made some years ago). Derek: maybe we can hand a few over to dw.net at some point. there are still a few that i'm kind of proud of out there... Bryan: fine by us Bryan: ok last q Geof: I'll be a bum and take the last one. Geof: ;) Bryan: you were a bum before you took the last one Bryan: ;) Geof: Derek, you've talked a lot about community of late. How do you see the Internet relating with an artist's total expereince? Geof: I mean, between your Webboard and the Rumor Forum, that's a lot of rabid people around all the time. How do you see them connecting and fitting in as time goes by and the music industry [hopefully] changes? Derek: at this point it's crucial. on every level. if it wasn't for communities like this one bands like caedmons and me would have a very hard time. Derek: like you said, there are always folks talking about what's going on. that kind of energy can really sustain a band. and i'm under no illusions about the role that y'all will play. we really need each other. Geof: Yeah. 'Cause we're, uh, nothing (without you). * CCTyrant groans Bryan: where's megan and the large trout? * CCTyrant slaps CCTyrant around a bit with a large trout Derek: and even on an industry level. with the emergence of apple's itunes store and a few other things, i think that internet sales will really become a whole other ball game. Geof: Will INO be getting involved with iTunes? [At this point, Derek was disconnected.] Geof: [Why do I get the feeling that Derek's DSL line died?] Geof: Ah me Geof: Well, okay ... I'll demoderate the chat. Geof: Y'all give Derek a big "goodbye" when he comes back Derek: :) bye Derek bye Derek!!! hey d-rock...thanks :) Geof: Oh, hey, you're still here. HAVE FUN!!!! later big D tell sandra we miss her bye Derek, thanks! Derek! Have a good dinner! Seeya on Saturday! bye derek! see ya soon Derek: alright. take care everyone... Many thanks to Derek for taking time out to chat with us.