Album Notes

PROPHET ZERO: THE COMPOSITIONS All of the song selections are composed by homegrown singer / songwriter / self taught guitarist Robby K who credits Jesus Christ as the overall author of all his music. “It took me a while to figure out what was happening in my head…at first, I thought my teeth were picking up an all Beatles station! One day, while standing in line at a store, I was whistling along to the tune in my head when another patron turned around and asked me what song that was? I didn’t know! So I began to listen to the words and I had the complete Song of Isaiah before I was out the door!” PROPHET ZERO: THE CD GET SAVED: The song relates Robby K’s near death after shooting twenty something feet off a cliff and landing on his left side on an asphalt highway in Pullman, WA. “Don’t ask!” SONG OF ISAIAH: Every prophet has his “See me, Here I am” experience. And when it happens, there is little to this life that is more beautiful! SAIL AWAY: Picture yourself in the shoes of an apostle of your choice. You are at Bethsaida – Julias, a fishing village near Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. It is a beautiful spring day just before the Feast of Passover. Jesus has entered his 3rd year of ministry. You have just fed five thousand men and their families with 5 loaves of flat bread and a salty relish made from two tiny dried fish. The crowd rushes in to proclaim Jesus as the Promised One. However, Jesus has just forced you and the others onto a boat and orders you to sail onto the other side where He will join you…a storm is in your very near future… HE LIVES: A confession of faith. Jesus died on a tree. He lives! GOOD BREAD: Whenever two or three are gathered, there is Jesus, and when you do something, do it in the name of the Lord! Have faith! PRAYER MEETING: The original title and words to this song were “There ain’t no way a thousand blue haired old ladies will ever do you any wrong”. Evidently, a lot of blue haired old ladies WILL do you harm if you point out their hair is blue in a whimsical, sort of sarcastic way as Robby K once did at a large Catholic prayer gathering…but only once! The song itself is more of a song about fathers passing down WISDOM to the sons in every generation. PROPHET ZERO: THE BAND LEAD VOCALS: Robby Kjonaas GUITARS: Robby Kjonaas BASS: Rick Haller DRUMS: Brian Goeller PRODUCERS: Doug Jones & Robby Kjonaas PROPHET ZERO: THE COVER ART Robby K gave the graphic artist only one concept, MOTION, as the sole source of inspiration for the creative cover art created for this CD. “When playing in Prophet Zero, I experience a freedom and detachment from the world which I felt could be conveyed, in a sense, with blurred images or motion.” The inside cover is a band photo taken at Robby K’s country home. “Brian really hammed it up at the photo shoot in a variety of ways! He has quite a subtle sense of humor for such an awesome, powerful drummer!” ROBBY’S OTHER CD’S The cover of Robby K’s first solo CD, Lonewoulfe / Rapture (1998), features a Navaho blanket woven by the artist’s wife on a loom hand-built by the two of them. It represents Robby K’s attempt to weave the often disparate musical themes of his acoustic guitar into a coherent and enduring passage. Armand Canales reviewed the CD and wrote, “The Rapture is a highly creative effort from one man. The Lonewoulfe has done a fine job of putting together a difficult concept into one whole. A different listening experience.” In 2005, Robby K formed The Robby K Band, which featured CCM and southern gospel versions of his songs on His Burden Is Light. “I was privileged to have a variety of guest vocalists perform on the CD which gives the songs a more lively dimension and a more powerful sense of healing emotion.” This CD is further enhanced by Robby K’s liberal use of modulations in his guitar tones ranging from flange [remember Hotel California?] to wah and slapback delays. “I really love to use these boutique analog effects for creating textures and moods to augment the outrageous shimmering clean tone and headroom I get from my vintage all tube amp! ROBBY’S TESTIMONY Robby K began playing guitar in the late sixties and used his acoustic guitar as a stress release in various secular bands while in school in Minnesota and Washington states prior to coming to Madison, WI in 1984 to work in agricultural genetic engineering. “I did cover versions of every Neil Young or Steve Stills song I could find! Music was a great way to make friends or blow off a little steam.” During the summer of 1987, Robby K began playing less and less and concentrated instead on raising a family. He developed a ravenous study of the Bible while entering into a deeper, born-again relationship with Jesus than he previously thought possible. “This meant giving up a lot of me to make room for more of Him!” He soon heard the Lord asking him to completely give up his “of the world” music and songs! Robby K obeyed and never played secular music again, a nearly 500-song repertoire! But within days, the Lord began filling that emptiness by downloading new and exciting music in a style that sounded great to Robby K but with which he was wholly unfamiliar. “Every new song I heard had a musical component which challenged me to become a better musician. I found I had to develop a finger picking style to accommodate all the notes!” Nearly twenty years after receiving this gift, Robby K is more in love with the Lord and this music than ever. “Right now, the Lord is opening doors and leading me on as never before. We feel we are being led to Nashville to live and minister and we intend to serve the Lord obediently wherever that may be. I pray this gift, this Word will not return to Him void!” TELSTAR STUDIO Robby K records all of his material with Doug Jones, owner of Telstar Studios. Doug has been in the music business for over 40 years and is currently relocating his studio to a brand new, spacious building in a beautiful and inspiring country location. GEAR Pretty much plug n’ play! Robby K used his favorite electric guitar for this recording, a US Masters Guitar Works professional series made in the USA guitar [please see the Sportster model at http://usmasters.com] strung with D’Addario 10s. Robby used a Carvin Bel Air 212 amp, Monster cables, and an Ibanez Tube Screamer.