Church / Press Release
CHRISTIAN SINGER/SONGWRITER PAISLEY YANKOLOVICH BEGINS WEEKLY "CHURCH DIVERSE"
"With over 200 concerts and appearances per year it's becoming evident that while it's awesome that so many people are coming to know Jesus through this ministry, there is a need for some follow-through." So begins Paisley when asked what inspired him to begin what he calls the "new church project," Church Diverse.
"What happens to these wonderful souls after the concert? It's great to get people excited about Jesus but everyone needs friendship, fellowship, and discipleship as well. That is my vision for First Night. There will be worship, Bible study, prayer, and hopefully, munchies. These meetings will be open to anyone and everyone regardless of religious background, age, or cultural/sexual orientation. The focus will be entirely on the Lord: getting to know Him, His Word, and His people."
Paisley says it is his prayer that not only new believers but seasoned soldiers will participate in this exciting new venture in his ministry life. "There has been so much support over the past three years, I'd really like to see that channeled toward the people my ministry is about reaching: people that for whatever reason don't feel they are getting what they need in the mainstream churches, people that are struggling with issues and need a smaller environment, or people who have yet to experience the love, joy, and safety that comes with knowing our beloved Jesus."
Sundays at 9:30am
Church Diverse @ Soul Invictus
1022 Grand Ave
Phoenix, Arizona
(602) 318-2968Wednesdays at 7p0m
Church Diverse @ Trinity Lutheran
9424 N. 7th. Ave, Parish Hall
Phoenix, Arizona 85021
(602) 318-2968
Mass Appeal: A Midinght Mass w/ Paisley Yankolovich
Lotsa folks spend their Christmas Eve going to Midnight Mass. But we're betting the service offered up my your garden-variety preacher has nothing on the kinda glamtastic, gender-bending extravaganza that will be presented by Paisley Yankolovich.
The alternative Christian musician (who performs in women's clothing and describes his sound as "part glam rock, part punk rock, and part Eurotrash"), will present a special set of music from his album, "Zombies" as well as his upcoming disc, "When Love Dies"
re: The Ruby Room Xmas Eve 2007
Benjamin Leatherman
New Times
Phoenix, Arizona
Displaced
Controversial Modern Gospel Recording / PerformanceArtist Paisley Yankolovich releases 3-song EP inspired by and dedicated to the humanitarian efforts of Habitat For Humanity
Paisley states, "I decided to do this record to draw attention to the ongoing need for assistance to our displaced brothers and sisters. From the start, my ministry has not only been about global evangelism, but about real people taking real steps to battle indifference and intolerance and bring about social change."
The first song, "Sugar In the Water" (from the CD, ITCH), is a choir-backed Gospel effort dealing with one man's struggles to embrace the love promised to him in Christ. The "sugar" is the good from on high that meets us in our circumstance- the "water" in which we choose to drown.
The second, "Stand Around & Watch" (a rare, previously unavailable live recording), is a scathing but passionate cry for outreach towards people with AIDS. In this recording, Paisley asks how long some Christians can turn their backs on others who are living and dying in agony merely because of disagreement over life choices.
Finally, "Place 4 My Heart" (inspired by Habitat For Humanity), a song that is written from the perspective of a homeless person, a man frightfully aware not only of his circumstance ("winter's coming and I'm not sure where I'll rest my head") but of his Divine right to know love and compassion in this life ("I need a place for my heart to call home. A roof over my head with love to spare")
"I'm grateful that my life has room at this stage to purposefully create art and music that reflect the immediacy of the current human condition." Says Paisley, "I believe that there are wonderful people working endlessly not only to save souls, but save hearts and minds as well. They need our help: our prayers, our money, our talent, and our time and energy"
How I Eat Quiche
By Paul Landkamer
FaithWriters.comAre YOU a real man or woman? What's "real"? Is it the TV or movie image?
Paisley Yankolovich tackles subjects in his Real Man album not often approached in Christian music. Like the last of his CDs I heard, Does God Sleep, Real Man is a thinker's album. Yankolovich raises questions on image, betrayal, deception, human frailty, inadequacy and failure, and hints at the obvious answer in Christ, but doesn't rub the listener's noses in it.Quoted from his MySpace site:
Paisley performs alone in a VERY theatrical style. Imagine "Jesus Christ Superstar" done (successfully) as a one-man-act, add some Billy Graham and Rocky Horror and you've scratched the surface on the force of nature that is Paisley!
On hearing his music, and seeing his performance schedule, then pondering the above, about all I can say is, "Wow! I would love to see how he puts all that together!"
There are eight tracks on the CD and the lyrics (even after reading) beg for the album to be listened to over and over. Without God, life is a gamble. We're given dreams, time, gifts, relationships and so much. This first track, "Gambling Dreams" seems to ask that we embrace God and not just poke him to see if we can figure Him out. Track two explores our putting up false fronts. The third track attacks faddishness. We try to follow all the rules, and often lose track of where our sights should really be.
In "Mistakes", the fourth track, Paisley ponders old mistakes of his. I can't help but think of Jaci Velasquez's song, "Show You Love" and its, "I don't want to be the one to push you out of reach." Paisley admits his own errors in young-Christian zealousness. But Steve Taylor sings in, "I Want to be a Clone" when the young Christian wants to tell his friends, "What!? He's still a babe. He has to grow. Give it twenty years or so" It's a fine line to walk, but God's Word has to get out. (You didn't do wrong, Paisley, you may well have planted a seed somewhere.) Track five sings of so many people who know there's right and wrong, but are spiritually asleep in the Light. Often evil lurks where people try to avoid the light, and as in the song, it can erupt into abusiveness. The line, "Do you believe in Hell? -- 'Cause Hell believes in you" is strong. It always makes me flinch for others. I pray the flinch isn't a self-righteous one.
"Take a Bow", track six, gives an analogy that at first, I thought was a bit irreverent, but on subsequent listenings, it's true. Buying a car is a commitment, as is giving your life to Jesus. And being reborn isn't as complicated as lots of people want to make it.
You have the right to be saved. It's like buying a car. You can walk right in -- Say, "It's my turn now" -- Lay down your sin and in the Throne Room bow -- Now Take A Bow
The title track contrasts living like a real man against the false images we're constantly barraged with. The question dances around all over the song, "What's a real man?" I hear only one Answer, though it remained unwritten in the song. The final track, "Die in My Arms" is on abusive relationships where one wallows in another's muck. The message is don't be pulled down into the muck. Rise above it.
Paisley Yankolovich's unpretentious electronic one-man-band style is refreshingly different, to say the least. He doesn't try to sound like anyone but Paisley Yankolovich. Listen to his work, and read his lyrics. You might acquire the taste. I know I did. Mr. Yankolovich, if you're reading this, I may not make it down to the Southwest to see you in concert, so when's your DVD coming out?
PAISLEY YANKOLOVICH - Real Man
By Kevin Wierzbicki
Rocknworld.comPaisley is a one man band who sings over programmed beats and synth music, he loves God and writes Him into a lot of his songs, and he's, well, a little wacky. On "Stop Smoking" Yankolovich is quite serious about tuning into the Almighty to slough off the vice but he delivers the song as if he's Devo; it's easy to imagine a campy stage show that might go along with the song---a bevy of dancing cigarettes that burn out, their last puff rising skyward in the shape of a halo. Yankolovich actually has the voice of a bluesman---a bluesman on the edge---and the unlikely juxtaposition of that voice with modern beats works nicely for him. Yankolovich works tirelessly; you can find him out performing almost every night. He's also been known to give away his music; check it out at http://www.paisleyyankolovich.com
Does God Sleep?
by Paul Landkamer
FaithWriters.com
12/10/06Paisley Yankolovich is an artist you can’t miss, should you ever get a chance to hear him! With a voice reminiscent of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, Paisley sings a message of reality. There’s nothing sugar-coated about it. Summing up my first impression of him, he’s an honest, approachable, acoustic, computer-backed one-man band. I wasn’t used to his vocal style, but it very quickly grew on me.
Much of Paisley Yankolovich’s music, as heard on his Does God Sleep CD is thinking music. It throws a message at you and doesn’t give an obvious happy stereotypical answer.
The opening track, “There’s a Man” is a computer beat to a message of “There’s a man, going ‘round, taking names.” He sings of many names he’s taken down. I’ll admit my ignorance of this song, but Paisley doesn’t come right out and say who “the man” is. Whose list are you going to be part of? Track two sings of time without Jesus as being “Wasted Time”. The song’s got an intensity not often associated with an acoustic guitar solo. Paisley’s style begs the listener to tune in and hear what he has to say. “Cancer”, the third track starts off singing of hypocrites being a cancer on the body of Jesus Christ. He then goes into a theme switch that he sees himself in the hypocrite’s eyes, and how we’re all to get the planks out of our eyes before we start criticizing others.
“(We Just) Disappear” shows many typical Christians as feeling lonely, despite the fact that we’ve got Jesus. He sings of desperation, fussing, and so on. Then goes into how we often disappear when the going starts to get tough. We need to confidently fight the fight, and know Jesus is on our side! Track five is a bluesy, traditional-sounding acoustic solo of “Trampin’”, tryin’ to make heaven my home. “Sean Brown” is a haunting song of knowing about someone who’s searching, but not giving Jesus his life. Sean Brown died before making that commitment. The eerie minor-keyed song repeats the post-mortum question, “Sean Brown: where is Sean Brown?” Track seven challenged me a bit with one of the lines which give me a language-flinch. Is it cussing or not? I’ll let you judge: Paisley poses the question about worldly culture in “Ticket to Ride”: “Where the hell has our culture gone?” He also points out that there WILL be tears in Heaven, but Jesus will be there to wipe them away.
Track eight sings of suffering children. They may be victims of abuse, abortion, or maybe children who die without hearing the Gospel. He says, “Listen to innocence cry.” Yankolovich leaves a vivid picture when he sings, “They should be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and not their own.” More abuse comes out in “Don’t Touch Me Anymore”. It’s also a song of anger, frustration and forgiveness. He sings that God still loves the abuser and tackles an even more difficult point: “And He loves you, though I don’t know why… and He loves you. –And so do I.” The last track poses a question we all likely ask from time to time when life gets difficult, or when we don’t have all the answers. The title song, “Does God Sleep?” asks why God gave him the people in his life, then asks if God sleeps. He answers it with an obvious, “I don’t think so.”
Yankolovich’s musical style is one of pure honesty. He doesn’t hold back. With five CDs of his now out, I’ll soon be adding more of his work to my collection! Check him out! You won’t be sorry.
His third CD, “Does God Sleep?,” a rock opera of sorts, casts us into the world of Paisley Yankolovich. Combining theater and performance art, in a musical mix of style (rock, pop, country, grunge, dance, and more than a bit of Broadway), Paisley has reinvented the wheel, so to speak, and his new approach to music ministry (and the winning of souls for Jesus), is compelling.
Paisley wears his heart and agenda on his sleeve. He may be behaving like a born-again Mick Jagger (or Johnny Rotten-depending on your knowledge of music history), but he is clearly here for a single purpose: to tell everyone about Jesus!
“Does God Sleep?” is a self-produced collection of ten powerful and challenging works from a man who has lived every word he preaches. Whether he is confronting Christian complacency (“(We Just) Disappear”), encouraging the brokenhearted (“Does God Sleep?”), commenting on the human condition (the volatile “Ticket To Ride”), or reveal some of life’s greatest challenges (“Don’t Touch Me Anymore”), Paisley proves himself a force of nature.
His take-no-prisoners approach, tempered with obvious compassion and life experience, has caused many to take notice of this unusual, new, Christian artist-not to mention his clearly established gifts of healing and prophesy. Paisley has stated, “As much as I love to sing and to perform the incredible songs God has bestowed upon me, it truly is the doors to fellowship and ministry the music opens that I crave.”
Crave indeed. Paisley is known to stick around for hours after a concert, making sure that anyone who desires to speak to him, or receive prayer, is honored. “I love the people God has placed in my path,” says Paisley, “They provide the memories I take home with me at the end of the day.”
“Does God Sleep?” has a street date of January 5, 2006. Advance promotional copies are available now!
PAISLEY YANKOLOVICH: ITCH
He doesn’t look, act, or sound like anyone in Contemporary Christian Music, he has been called a modern-day Keith Green (a moniker he challenges
profusely), he is fast becoming recognized as one of the most compelling performers in the body of Christ, and thousands are coming to know the Lord through his unique music ministry.His sophomore effort, “ITCH,” a rock opera of sorts, casts us into the world of Paisley Yankolovich. Combining theater and performance art, in a musical mix of style (rock, pop, country, grunge, dance, and a bit of Broadway), Paisley has reinvented the wheel, so to speak, and his new approach to music ministry (and the winning of souls for Jesus), is compelling.
Paisley wears his heart and agenda on his sleeve. He may be behaving like a born-again Mick Jagger (or Johnny Rotten-depending on your knowledge of
music history), but he is clearly here for a single purpose: to tell everyone about Jesus!“ITCH” is a self-produced collection of nine powerful and challenging works from a man who has lived every word he preaches. Whether he is confronting Christian complacency (“Save One More For Jesus,” “Sad Christmas”), encouraging the brokenhearted (“Clear Blue Sky,” “Sugar In The Water”), commenting on the human condition (the volatile “Itch,” “This Tattoo”), or just worshiping in song (“Under His Shadow,” “Liberty”), Paisley proves himself a force of nature.
His take-no-prisoners approach, tempered with obvious compassion and life experience, has caused many to take notice of this unusual, new, Christian
artist-not to mention his clearly established gifts of healing and prophesy. Paisley has stated, “As much as I love to sing and to perform the incredible songs God has bestowed upon me, it truly is the doors to
fellowship and ministry the music opens that I crave.”Crave indeed. Paisley is known to stick around for hours after a concert, making sure that anyone who desires to speak to him, or receive prayer, is honored. “I love the people God has placed in my path,” says Paisley, “They provide the memories I take home with me at the end of the day.”
Does God Sleep?
©2008
