In case the backstory here is a bit muddy, let me give you a bit of my history.

When I was a teenager, growing up in a church, and a Christian school, this was my favorite record:

Not of This World had everything: writing, soaring guitars, soaring vocals, soaring background vocals.  I’ve seen this band in many incarnations over the years, for a grand total of nine times.  Many of my guitar chops were first former trying to emulate Bob Hartman’s Stratocaster on those early records.

What’s amazing is this.  Somewhere in Brazil, a few guys from the band Oficina G3 apparently felt the same way.  And while their band sounds nothing like Petra, their attention to detail, harmonies, and at-times pyrotechnic musicianship–shines through.

I can’t tell you how many people think KISS was the one to first record God Gave Rock and Roll To You, but they were not. And they certainly weren’t the first ones to put that song on the map.  Petra did.  And if anyone doubts this, listen to the live DDG Experience recording,and se what they close with; straight up pain to their inspiration.

As a teenager, I managed to meet Petra a number of times. One of those times was in 1985, on the Beat The System tour, in which I got all their autographs.

All these years later, I accidentally ran into John Lawry at NAMM. In the lobby.  I was–STOKED!

So it’s a weird arc to how I found out about Official G3, but a friend of mine in Brazil told me about them–having no idea that there was a Petra connection. He’d never heard of them.  The odd thing was, I had just finished sending him a clip of Petra.  This is what started that whole ball rolling.

So Oficina G3 bases out of Brazil.  They sing in Portuguese.  I don’t know Portuguese.  But I learned real quickly that I could love the meaning and spirit behind something.  They do manage to cover People Get Ready in english, and they have double-recorded one of my favorites, Unconditional–an original.

So I started listening to them, and this whole synaptic thing in me goes crazy–like it did when I was a kid; I wanted to play and sing their stuff.  The message is wonderful, and the vocals–wow . . . I can’t say enough about Mauro Henrique . . . he is a beast–soulful, powerful, gritty when it counts and soft when it REALLY counts.

So I’ve been gliding along, talking about them occasionally to my friends, who look at me and say “yeah, but I can’t understand what they’re saying.”

“Okay,” I said to one. “I’ll leave you to navigate the clear vocal channels of Slayer.” It’s funny how understanding the lyrics matter when you realize they’re not singing in your own language. Especially from those who will immediately dismiss the lyrics as “inconsequential” when I say “I don’t like the filthy lyrics in a song.”

The picture that started it all . . .

So the other day, I posted the video about running into the wrong cabin in McCloud–because I was excited that one of my favorite bands noticed me on Instagram. And all THIS started because I posted a picture of my kid wearing a 28-year-old shirt from the  tour. (It doesn’t fit me anymore)

Right after that, I grabbed my ukulele, and recorded the chorus to their song “Eu Sou” (I AM) and posted it to say thanks.

Imagine your favorite singer–telling YOU you sound “amazing.”

Okay, I’m 48 years old.  I get it.  But I still thought it was cool.  What I didn’t know was, the band would REPOST it on their FaceBook and Instagram, and tell people to follow me.

Now my phone’s preview screen looks like the screen ticker recording the national debt.

To the whole band–Oficina G3, and ALL my new friends: OBRIGADO!

NOTA

Para meus leitores no Brasil : Obrigado! Este artigo é uma explicação de como eu descobri Oficina G3 . Todos os meus amigos pensam que eu sou um pouco estranho 🙂

Mas todos nós sabemos que Ogicina G3 é incrível! Quero mais dos meus amigos para ouvi-los !