XPIGX.COM

Today I said bye to my beautiful wife whom I love more than...

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:53:00 +1300

Today I said bye to my beautiful wife whom I love more than anyone could ever understand.

She begins a six month placement down in Wellington working on a huge project at her employers’ national office.

I miss her terribly… we have never been apart for any longer than a few weeks, so needless to say this is terrifying and extremely hard, because we are so, so close.

The love I have for my wife is beyond words and spending nights apart is so tough, but I know that the Lord has ordained this and will get us through it.

I feel that this is going to be a hugely awesome time in our lives, to be able to refocus on God and each other in a whole new way.

Her work treat her extremely well and aside from this job coming with a big pay raise, a fancy apartment in downtown Wellington and fortnightly flights back home to see me for a few days, this is also a massive opportunity for her to be involved in influencing and changing some big things behind the scenes of what goes on in our country and I could not be more proud of her.

I will be flying down to Wellington to spend the weekend with her this Friday and to celebrate our birthdays by going to see Immortal Technique live! So excited.

For now… I am off to sleep alone in a huge bed that feels empty :(

Follow / Lurk my wife's blog: http://www.xhellsx.com

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:25:24 +1300

Follow / Lurk my wife's blog: http://www.xhellsx.com

New Year Hangs - 2011, a set on Flickr.This year has been...

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:33:43 +1300

New Year Hangs - 2011, a set on Flickr.

This year has been amazing.

So many awesome memories and amazing opportunities that I have been blessed with.
I hope that tonight will be a great night for all of my friends and family across the globe and a time to re-focus and seek God’s will for all of our lives.

No doubt 2012 is going to be a crazy year given the times that we are in, but as far as the world coming to an end? We all have a lot more livin’ left to do yet.

Tonight I celebrate NYE with my beautiful wife and our great friends Hayden and Janel along with their 2 and a half year old son Raimi.

We celebrated New Year’s Eve together 3 years ago at Lake Waikaeremoana when Janel was pregnant with Raimi so it’s great to be all together again and have a nerdy straightedge NYE filled with amazing food (Hayden is an amazing chef and is the right hand man of world famous Al Brown) , lots of laughter, swimming and great company.

So here’s to an awesome year past, of course not without it’s struggles and hardships, but one that we endured and hopefully all enjoyed… and to another upon us and all that it brings with it.

Happy New Year everybody.

Merry Christmas to all of my friends across the globe. Today was...

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 23:31:53 +1300

Merry Christmas to all of my friends across the globe.

Today was spent with my wife, my little brothers and both of our sets of parents at our new home.

It was a great time with far too much awesome food as always.

A chilled relaxing day with lots of amazing gifts… photos and details will follow tomorrow.

Thank you Christ for my salvation. The most amazing gift of all.

Happy Birthday!

So we just posted the brand new music video for...

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:31:00 +1300

So we just posted the brand new music video for ‘Shekinah’ that we had the privilege of shooting with Hollywood director Scott Hansen (A Day To Remember, Bury Your Dead, The Ghost Inside, Whitechapel) on location in our beautiful hometown of Gisborne, New Zealand.

It was great having Scott and his D.O.P. Rick Craft make their first visit over to this side of the world and hang out with us for a few days to shoot, sight see and get to know New Zealand.

We are really stoked with how the music video came out and many thanks go out to the talented Michael Burt and Hannah Stehlin for acting out such intense roles so incredibly well.

The video was shot using the incredible new RED Epic video camera and we were honored to be the first NZ band to shoot with one (the camera body and lenses were over $100,000 USD… crazy!)

Peter Jackson is the only other person in the country with these cameras according to Scott (he says Peter Jackson bought 40 for the filming of The Hobbit).

You can check it out in HD on the official Facedown Records YouTube channel here or below.

We hope you are as stoked on the new video as we are and enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed working on it.

So I just got back from working with one of my all time...

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:33:00 +1200

So I just got back from working with one of my all time favourite bands.

Cleveland, Ohio’s RINGWORM are undoubtedly one of the most influential metal/hardcore bands to ever come on to the scene in the early nineties and their sound and style has been a primary influence on some of the best bands of our time.

Not only an incredible live band with a huge legacy behind them, but one of the most awesome genuine and fun groups of people I have ever had the chance of touring with.

It was an honor to spend this week with Ringworm and make some rad new friends.

They had an amazing time in our country and can’t wait to get back to New Zealand.

Check out their brand new record ‘Scars’ out now on Victory Records.

I am happy to finally announce that after an extremely long...

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:09:31 +1200

I am happy to finally announce that after an extremely long wait… our split 7” with One x Choice is available for pre-order from Seventh Dagger!

Seventh Dagger have been putting out incredible records for a number of years now from amazing bands such as Earth Crisis, xTyrantx, The World We Knew, Awaken Demons and xRepresentx just to name a few.

I got to know Danny Sober from Seventh Dagger over a year ago when he got in touch about sponsoring myself and Nick from Saving Grace with awesome straight edge clothing.
We had known about xSDx for years and were honored to find out that Danny was a fan of the band and wanted to work with us.

We had planned for quite some time to record an Earth Crisis cover and release it digitally and when I mentioned the idea of potentially getting Seventh Dagger involved with it to Danny he immediately said “let’s do a 7”.
We had always wanted to do a vinyl release with the band, so of course we said yes.

Danny is the ultimate example of a straight edge hardcore lifer, who dedicates all of his time and finances into promoting the message of hardcore and the straightedge by supporting important bands, putting out incredible records and releasing an awesome line of Straight Edge clothing season after season and year after year.

Earth Crisis to me has always been more than ‘just a band’.
They are THE reason why I am straightedge, the driving force behind myself and most of my friends making decisions to adopt vegan and vegetarian lifestyles years back and also a massive influence on Saving Grace as a band.

To find out that Karl and the dudes from EC were stoked with this release and are into my band and the idea of touring together one day made me feel like a little kid to say the absolute least!

In my opinon, Earth Crisis always have been and always will be the most important band in hardcore… bar none.

This new 7” contains two previously unreleased track plus an Earth Crisis cover from each band with One x Choice covering the old school track ‘No Allegiance’ from 1992’s All Out War and with Saving Grace we covered ‘End Begins’ from Breed The Killers.

One of our original tracks ‘Declaration’ features our good friend and long time road dog Drug Free Mike and the music video for that song can be viewed here.

The artwork for the 7” was handled by the legendary Dave Quiggle and perfectly represents everything that this release is about.

A huge thanks to Danny and Seventh Dagger, Earth Crisis, the boys in One x Choice and everyone who supports our bands and this release as well as the Facedown Records family for being so supportive and letting us do something so cool!

This release is a limited pressing of 200 Gold, 200 Red and 100 Red and Gold swirl vinyl.

There are some awesome pre-order deals online now with some new tee shirt options, make sure to order yours now before they all sell out (unlike Earth Crisis).

http://seventhdagger.bigcartel.com

"14) Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same..."

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:20:58 +1200

“14) Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15) and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

- Hebrews 2:14-15

Today my boys Creations released their brand new video for...

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:25:00 +1200

Today my boys Creations released their brand new video for “The Wolf, The Clothes” from their upcoming album entitled ‘The Gospel’.

It’s been a pleasure working with the band since the beginning of their career and watching them develop into the fierce live act and successful band that they have become.

Their first show was opening up an all ages venue in Newcastle, Australia when we were there on tour with For Today in 2009, we stayed at Jonny’s house for a few days and got to know the guys.

I became friends with the guys and ended up taking them on as a management client when I was representing a handful of bands and was able to help them out with touring the USA and finding a good record label.

I eventually sold them off to a bigger and better management firm, which was always the goal.

I’m proud of what we achieved together and stoked that everything has worked out well with Mediaskare (great label and great dudes) and their relocation to California.

Since then Saving Grace have toured with Creations twice, taking them out on our headliner run in NZ last summer and most recently on the INRI Clothing Young Bloods tour in the US this April… great times!

Make sure to catch Creations on tour all over the USA this summer and definitely pick up a copy of ‘The Gospel’ when it drops on Rite of Passage/Mediaskare Records August 16th.

www.riteofpassagerecords.com
www.mediaskare.com
www.facebook.com/creationsHC

If I could go back in time ten years ago and tell the teenage me...

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 21:15:00 +1200

If I could go back in time ten years ago and tell the teenage me that today my band would be signed to Facedown Records there is no way I would have believed it…

When we started Saving Grace close to seven years ago we were just kids who had no idea about who we were, we were just trying to start something new and we wanted to make it about God.

This was a strange concept for both Nick and I as we both grew up completely outside of Christian circles and both had a troubled and dark history, far removed from church, Christian spirituality and we were both deeply rooted in the darker side of hard secular music.

Two misunderstood kids who met through a mutual love for heavy music, who didn’t fit in at high school; pissed off at the world and dreaming of doing nothing, but performing music in front of whoever would listen.

God is so gracious and so loving, that His heart is to see His kids grow up and do what their heart desires, whilst bringing glory to His name and doing work for His kingdom.

Years down the track we have travelled all over the world, playing to thousands of people proclaiming the truth of the gospel, performing the heaviest music we could have ever imagined writing, filled with anointing and favour… that we do not deserve.

We have headlined many tours, played countless festivals, played with pretty much every band we ever dreamed of even seeing live and are about to put out our third album with the dream record label.

I could ramble on for hours about the ups and downs, trials, travels, terrors, blessings and blunders of being in a touring band, but all in all I am just so thankful to be playing music with my best friends and doing it for Christ, growing in faith and experience with every new day.

The teenage me would have lost his mind over and over during the course of the last few years.

We often find ourselves saying “If it all ends today, I would be more than content because this has been so much more than we could have ever dreamt” and then God opens another door…

What’s next? only He knows.

‘The King is Coming’ available Winter 2011 on Facedown Records

So as you can see my site has just received a big makeover! I...

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:20:00 +1300

So as you can see my site has just received a big makeover!

I hope everyone who lurks here loves the new design as much as I do.

Expect a lot of updates over the next few weeks as I have a bunch of big news to share and lots of exciting adventures, shows and tours to report on.

Thanks to everyone who subscribes/follows me, and to everyone who links back to me.

Jah Bless!

what is someone meant to do when they thought themselves as a christian but drink most weekends and swear quite a bit and wants to be a commited christian and to have feel gods power inside them?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:00:20 +1300

Ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you, read your word and get into fellowship with some Christian friends… iron sharpens iron.

God is not limited by our circumstances, shortcomings or lack of discipline, be responsive to Him and He will take care of the things that could be getting in the way.

The power of God inside of you will become more evident as you learn, grow and mature in your faith!

God Bless you friend.

"If we’re not making much of Christ, then we’re just making noise. And there’s already plenty of..."

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:35:55 +1300

““If we’re not making much of Christ, then we’re just making noise.
And there’s already plenty of noise out there in the world.””

- Jason Dunn - Facedown Records

© 2011 www.vimeo.com/xpigx

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:33:50 +1300

I Instagram. What an awesome app.It has really put the fun back...

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +1300

I Instagram.

What an awesome app.
It has really put the fun back into point and shoot photography for me.

Being able to see a live stream of my friends daily shots in a tweet like format is awesome.

I highly recommend this app for any iPhone user! It’s quick, fun and insanely addictive.

The above collage was put together by another cool App called Diptic which comes with a range of different color effects and shape / slice options.

Have an iPhone? Have Instagram? Follow me: xpigx !

Reggaelution 2011

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 23:10:55 +1300

So tonight I took my wife to REGGAELUTION to see my favourite NZ band HOUSE OF SHEM.

They have a new album out called ‘Island Vibration’ the highly awaited follow up to their debut album ‘Keep Rising’ (one of the best albums to ever come out of this country, or worldwide reggae in general in the last few years, in my opinion).
I recommend you go out and buy it without a second thought.

We had VIP comp tickets with unlimited free drinks and food and side of stage access, needless to say it was awesome and a great way to spend a Saturday evening.

1814 were also incredible… the line up in general was the creme de la creme of Aotearoa roots and reggae (House of Shem, Katchafire, Three Houses Down etc.)

An awesome event, huge vibes and so many beautiful people.

There must have been close to 10,000 people in one place for the same reason and everything from the slew of Tino Rangatiratanga Flags to the sea of Red, Yellow and Green made this an awesome festival of unity and East Coast flavour.

I hope that everyone from the locals to the thousands who travelled had a great time, and here’s to many more in the years to come!

Jah Bless

Here is a Facebook link to a short video I shot on my iPhone 4 of ‘1814’ performing ‘Jah Rastafari’

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150138925404878&comments

GARY MOORE - REST IN PEACE

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:08:27 +1300

Today Marks the death of a very important person in my life.

Gary Moore is single handedly responsible for some of of my most treasured childhood memories and was undoubtedly the biggest musical influence of my entire life.

I was absolutely devastated to hear this news, and admittedly this is the first time in my whole life where I have been so deeply impacted by the death of a musician.

One of the most incredible and influential guitarists and songwriters of our age, his music will live on in the hearts of countless people forever.

Rest in Peace.

3 Years with the lady of my life <3

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:07:06 +1300

Three years ago today I married my best friend and soul mate Helen Sarah Sapunova.

It’s amazing how time flies… It only feels like yesterday that we said our vows, yet it also feels like my love for her has grown so much since that day.

Today we celebrated with a wonderful meal at Bushmere Arms in Gisborne, the very same place where we celebrated our wedding on October 27th 2007.

I couldn’t be happier and more blessed in my marriage.

You are my everything… here is to another 60 years together.

I love you sweet heart.

xxx

On tour this weekend!

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 23:29:00 +1300

It’s been a long time, but we are on the road again as of this weekend playing a few shows up and down New Zealand with our good friends Creations from Australia as well as amazing worship/rock band The Ember Days and our little brothers in Cast Them To Ruin!

Hope to see a bunch of our friends at these shows, especially at Spring Breakdown and Halloween Hardcore 2010 which we are co-headlining each night this Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Party, Chowdown, Mosh, Worship!!

* The Ember Days not appearing
** Creations not appearing

SATURDAY 30 OCTOBER @ ELEVATE YOUTH HALL HAMILTON (AA)*
SUNDAY 31 OCTOBER @ ZEAL WEST AUCKLAND (AA)*
FRIDAY 5 NOVEMBER @ THE LIBERTY CENTER WHAKATANE (AA)
SATURDAY 6 NOVEMBER @ THE SCOUT HALL TAURANGA (AA)
SUNDAY 7 NOVEMBER @ POLYTECH STUDENT CENTER GISBORNE (AA)
SATURDAY 13 NOVEMBER @ BAR MEDUSA WELLINGTON (AA)**

Changes...

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:09:00 +1200

My life is full of them, but that’s a good thing… usually.

I know I say I am going to blog every day, but I never do.
To be honest, I haven’t cared much for writing over the past couple of months, because I have been too busy living.

God is doing so many great things in my life and amongst our people here in Gisborne that to a believer it’s impossible to explain and to a non-believe it always sounds stupid anyway, but let this be known… God is incredible… and I am so, so thankful for what He is doing, because He is moving in a way like I have never seen before and it is manifesting in the lives of all those around me.

I know that my desire to know the Heavenly Father and his son Jesus is growing daily so I thank all of those who have joined me in prayer for my heart to be changed to want Him more.

I have started to read and listen in ways I never have before and the spirit of apathy and the veil of “western-ignorance” really does begin to lift off once we draw near to the living God by his word, by obedience and by resistance of sin in our lives.

I know that the enemy has a plan for us and it’s one to confuse, distract and to ultimately to destroy, but I also know that the Lord’s Heavenly agenda is waiting to be released to us daily, the second that we stop to align ourselves with His will and to be immersed in His Glory!

I look forward to sharing more in depth testimony of the things that are happening around me and within me, I am considering posting some audio and video articles in the coming weeks to better articulate and express all the fascinating and powerful aspects of God moving in my life and would love to introduce some friends of mine and have them share their stories.

To anybody who reads this… please know that I am writing this post in full knowledge and revelation of the fact that we are living in days where God’s power is about to be revealed in ways that are going to blow our minds.

Believer, Non-believer, Undecided alike… The Father’s love for you is beyond words and I am praying that you will receive your portion of it today according to his Holy, Majestic and perfect will.

Hallelujah.