If it weren’t for Dispatch, I don’t know if my love for music would be what it is today. And it is hard to say whether or not this site would even exist if it weren’t for that first great Napster discovery. So it is hard for me to ignore anything that those guys are doing, even if their solo efforts will never amount to the greatness of their communal effort.
Which brings us to old Pete Heimbold, who has been recording under the moniker Pete Francis for the past several years. Francis has a new record that comes out today called The Movie We Are In. While he may have sung lead on many of my favorite Dispatch songs, I always felt that he was the weakest member of the trio. And I think that is becoming more apparent as I follow each of their post-Dispatch musical careers. But what I have heard of The Movie has a better sound than anything I’ve heard from him so far. It has more of an uplifting jam band groove to it than his previous solo efforts, which I feel suits him much better.
Inevitably though, I am sure that this album will simply serve as a sad reminder that Dispatch no longer exists and that I’ll probably never get that final concert or album that I so desperately desire.
For several years, I claimed the song “Elias” by former indie jam band, Dispatch, to be my favorite song of all time. While the song may have lost a bit of its luster to me over the years, it is still way up there on my list of greatest songs of all time. And one of the main reasons it has remained up there is the story that literally surrounds it. The story the leads up to the writing of this great tune, and the story that has continued because of it, is truly remarkable.
It all started back in 1994 when Chad Urmston, former Dispatch member and current State Radio frontman, went on a trip to Zimbabwe where he met and befriended a simple, but wise, gardener named Elias. As Chad watched Elias work hard and struggle to provide for his wife and two sons, he was amazed at his ability to love despite his circumstances. He grew to care deeply about Elias and from there, one of the band’s most beloved songs was birthed. For those who have never heard it, it is a beautifully written song, that starts off with a prayer in Elias’ native tongue Shona.
But the most exciting part of the story, is what has taken place after the writing of this great song. First there was the fundraiser, started by two friends of band, which accumulated to $13,000, guaranteeing Elias’ boys an education. Then came the grassroots organization, the Elias Fund, which works with local initiatives to empower Zimbabwean through strategic partnership and resource allocation. The song has also inspired the band to start the Dispatch Foundation which has a similar mission to build and support community growth in Zimbabwe. And there have been multiple benefit concerts all because of of this one song.
The obvious conclusion is to look at this story and to recognize the impact that this song has had on Elias and the rest of his community over in Zimbabwe. As great as it is, the song isn’t what I want to focus on. Very few of you who are reading this are actually song writers, and those of you who are can’t just go out and say “I’m gonna write a song to inspire change in an impoverished country”, and then make it happen. And Chad didn’t do anything significant when he wrote this song. He was just doing what he was created to do, what he had done before and is continuing to do today as he writes songs for State Radio. What was significant was his choice to go to Zimbabwe, and not just to visit and take pity on them, but he chose to engage in relationship with the people there. It was the relationship that he developed with Elias. That is what was significant.
So I encourage you. Wherever you are, whatever you do. Take the time and put forth the effort to engage in relationships and then keep doing whatever it is God created you to do. Change will happen.
If it weren’t for Dispatch, I don’t know if my love for music would be what it is today. And it is hard to say whether or not this site would even exist if it weren’t for that first great Napster discovery. So it is hard for me to ignore anything that those guys are doing, even if their solo efforts will never amount to the greatness of their communal effort.
