The first ASU incarnation came together in 1996 when founding member Ian Eskelin decided to broaden his solo act and take a bunch of mates out on the road. The good old rock 'n' roll and notorious stage antics won them immediate acclaim.
Heady days ensued. The boys were signed to a leading record label, and after five No. 1 singles, watched their American youth group following grow into a legion of loyal fans. Over the past six years ASU has played more than 1000 shows. And only recently, during a rare yearlong break from the road in 2000, Ian took time to properly court and wed his new bride Peggy. The couple lives in Nashville, Tennessee, as do the newest faces in the ASU line-up.
Brothers Matt and Mike Payne, originally from Rockford, Illinois, have joined Ian on drums and guitar respectively, and Jeremy Hunter, a Seattle-native, is bassist and Revolution recording engineer. While the four-piece ASU team worked on the new album they took the time to rethink the ASU platform. Ian wanted to communicate something more personal. "I've written all kinds of songs, but the thing I really love and get most excited about is when I write songs that express my faith in three minutes in new and creative ways. That for me is an outpouring of my faith, my calling."
Certainly Ian's savvy use of metaphor, imagery and twisted cliché could charm a literature student for hours. His song-writing skills are clearly illustrated throughout the new record and particularly in songs like the Lennonesque "We Are The Future" and title track "Revolution". "Sweet Jesus" and the worshipful "Making It Beautiful" are perhaps more obvious in their spiritual message, but the common thread of all the tracks is the one thought-provoking challenge that Ian claims has never been more pertinent. "There are several songs on this new record that talk about change, the idea that we can make our lives better by helping to make the world better. Each of us, individually through Christ can make small differences. More than ever, I feel these songs are relevant — no matter what the circumstances of the day."
Revolution was two-and-a-half years in the writing and is the result of an artist honing his craft while personally living the themes of exploration, change, discovery and challenge. Ian has remained very "hands-on" in the production and long-term friend Mark Freegard (Manic Street Preachers, Del Amitri, and The Breeders) has mixed Revolution and ASU's self-titled debut album. Ian is not shy to express his satisfaction. "It's a ten song record and I really tried hard to trim the fat. I wanted the album to have a strong message and for people to be able to enjoy listening to every song. The guys are extremely talented musicians and really helped me with a fresh perspective on these songs."
Musically, Ian, Matt, Mike and Jeremy promise more emphasis on solid rock 'n' roll fundamentals without loosing the fun elements fans have come to love. "It's been easy to perform the songs on Revolution with the same excitement we had when we first started. The new material is written from the heart, and I feel extremely passionate about it. I want the music to be as important to the listener as it is for me. Whether in a car, living room or concert hall, I want people to leave an ASU experience reflective, energized and uplifted."
From http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/allstarunited.html
International Anthem
All Star United Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm transcending English
Something's bigger
Than the national hymn
If you're thick,too thin
Green,blue or pinkish
Hum together with a cellophane skin
A holy karaoke Prayer in stereo
Here it comes
Here's to You
To the kings and queens
And all the President's men
It doesn't matter if you're strong
King Kong
Lose the things between yourself and Heaven
And then, when you're ready,
you can hum along
Our holy karaoke
Prayer in stereo
From down to here below
In gratitude
From Coco to Moscow
We hope You're pleased
With these rhyme schemes
And musical score
Like never before
"All Star United's International Anthem" is a song that tackles the idea of transcending language and culture through music. The verses suggest that the song is something bigger than a mere national anthem. It calls on people of all shapes, colors, and sizes to come together in song, transcending the barriers of language and differences, to create a "holy karaoke" that represents a universal prayer in stereo. The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, is a celebration of unity, offering blessings to "kings and queens, and all the President's men." It suggests that despite the differences between us, we can all come together to sing and celebrate.
The sound of the song is almost reminiscent of church hymns, with an upbeat tempo and a chorus that invites everyone to sing together. However, the lyrics signify the song is about something much more than just one religion. The song is an anthem for humanity and a call to come together as one people. It is not just about the appreciation of music, but it is also about the power of it to bring people together, no matter where they come from.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to this
Pay attention to what is being said
I'm transcending English
The message is going beyond just English language
Something's bigger
The message is about something greater than anything else
Than the national hymn
It goes beyond the national hymn
If you're thick, too thin
No matter what your physical appearance or situation is
Green, blue or pinkish
Regardless of your skin color
Hum together with a cellophane skin
Come together in unity despite your differences
A holy karaoke
A sacred singing session
Prayer in stereo
A spiritual message being sent through music
Here it comes
The message is coming through
Here's to You
This is a tribute to the higher power
To the kings and queens
To those in positions of power
And all the President's men
To those in political power
It doesn't matter if you're strong
Strength doesn't matter in the message being conveyed
King Kong
Even the most powerful beings are subject to the message
Lose the things between yourself and Heaven
Remove any barriers preventing you from connecting with a higher power
And then, when you're ready, you can hum along
Once you're ready, you can join in with the message being shared
Our holy karaoke
We are all taking part in a sacred singing session
Prayer in stereo
The spiritual message is coming through the music
From down to here below
From this earth, we are sending this message out
In gratitude
With thankfulness for all that has been given
From Coco to Moscow
Regardless of where you're from in the world
We hope You're pleased
We hope that the higher power is pleased with this message
With these rhyme schemes
With the way the words have been put together in song
And musical score
And with the way the music has been created
Like never before
In a way that has never been done before
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: ADRIAN WALTHER, DAVE CLO, IAN ASHLEY ESKELIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@keithharty5424
damn spotify dors not have this album. thks for making it avaiable.
@ArkHattori
Wow, Have not heard this song in a long time.
@markherron1407
Happy birthday to Ian Eskelin his birth verse is Romans 10:17 Blessings and hugs 🤗💞🤗🙏!