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Glenn's Show Prep

UPDATED: What's it like to create a music album with Glenn Beck?

December 10, 2013
Wilson

Writer

Miss Part 1 of Believe Again? Watch it ON DEMAND and then tune in for Part 2 Wednesday at 8pm ET!

On Tuesday, TheBlaze debuted the first installment of a two-part musical special called Believe Again.  A few months ago, Glenn asked several musical artists of different faiths to come together to record a full Christmas album over the course of four days.

Mark Mabry, a member of Glenn’s American Dream Labs team in Dallas, headed up the project and sat down with GlennBeck.com for a quick interview during the editing process.

GlennBeck.com: So, what was it like when Glenn first downloaded the idea for Believe Again?

Mark: Glenn, (composer) Clyde Bawden, and I sat together in, I think it was May, Glenn’s office. We were eating cookies and talking about doing a few Christmas songs, when the album idea was born. Glenn mentioned Andy Williams and a lot of other ideas. The concept kind of snowballed, Clyde went to work on some fantastic arrangements, including Go Tell it on the Mountain, Oh Come all Ye Faithful, and some others. He also made a fantastic version of What Child is This that we’re saving.

Anyway, we ate all of the cookies, then found a sharpie and wrote our plan - which, by the way, totally got turned on it’s head when we found out that none of the songs were in the public domain – on the back of a paper plate! 

Glennbeck.com: So what was your role in the production of the album?

Mark: Officially, I was the producer of the TV show and co-producer of the album. Glenn, Jason, Clyde, and I were all equally nuts enough to think you could jam 9 strangers into a room and make an album from scratch in 4 days. So whatever you call that job, I was 25% of that.

LJ Herman was also a big part of coordinating the idea around the offices, and then he helped get the album into the music world. Unsung hero.

Everybody on the album arranged, composed, performed, etc. It’s tough to pin down “roles” for this kind of project.

GlennBeck.com: What are some of your favorite stories from the recording process?

Mark: There was so much good stuff, more than we could possibly include in the album. There was Jason, Clyde, and I late at night wondering if we had gone off the cliff and what Glenn would say when he saw the stuff.  It was the energy of seeing the moment of creation of these songs.  I grew more in awe of my long time collaborators Jason Barney and Clyde Bawden. It was tough to relate in the show how much I love and respect them.

 

 

GlennBeck.com: It’s well known around the office that what we affectionately call “Glenn Ideas” usually have a pretty nontraditional creative process. Can you go more into what those late night conversations were like and how the three of you worked to execute Glenn’s vision?

Mark: We took some liberties with traditional Christmas songs that we knew might ruffle a few feathers. Glenn is a creative enough guy to understand and appreciate just about every style of music that is well performed, so we weren't super worried about his acceptance. I've been with him jamming to Muse, Sinatra, and classic rock. But, we have a  conservative audience and that extends beyond political conservatism in a lot of cases into traditionalism on a lot of fronts. Putting an electric guitar on Angels We Have Heard on High is not a traditional Christmas music choice.

But here is what makes me comfortable with it - Our musicians are not a bunch of Godless rockers locking to capitalize on a commercial holiday. They are worship leaders, churchgoers, and God fearing people. The last thing they would do is offend the spirit of Christmas.

When they sang Angels We Have Heard On High it was in a spirit of praise and happiness. They felt that the louder they did it, the more right it felt. If people understood the composers of that version, Cody Carnes and David Osmond, they would understand the spirit of the song. That song should rock chapels all over the country.

GlennBeck.com: And Glenn’s been a big part of the behind-the-scenes too, right?

Mark: It’s tough to explain to people just how good Glenn’s ear is. He could pick out audio issues with precision and also had a great handle on what would hit when released. People forget that he was a music guy for decades.

GlennBeck.com: What was the biggest challenge with putting the album together?

Mark: Time was our challenge. Being so close to it that there was no time for evaluation. We had to produce on the fly, dropping all egos and trusting each other to say if something wasn’t right. That made our greatest challenge also our greatest strength. It was a speed of trust thing.

Also, we have kind of made a big deal about the artists all being from different branches of Christianity. That’s isn’t just part of marketing the special, but it was an internal issue early on because some people we reached out to declined to participate. But to these guys, our guys, it was a non-issue. They were all smart enough to recognize their theology differences, but they were also smart enough to realize that those differences should not define us.

GlennBeck.com: So how did you pick these musical artists?

Mark: Glenn, Clyde, Jason, and I chose them. Since time was compressed we only had time for phone calls and YouTube videos. Generally speaking, they were all in the first wave of people we wanted on the show. We realized that we wanted another girl on the album and it was tough to put our finger on exactly what sound. Cody recommended Dianne Michelle, whom he knew, we watched her on Youtube and fell in love.

GlennBeck.com: What are your favorite songs on the album? Why?

Mark: It’s changed a bunch of times. I love Angels We Have Heard On High and Deck the Halls for when I want to put on a red Christmas sweater and boogie.

But not too long after Oh Come all Ye Faithful was done my family was having a rough time with something and that song was playing in the kitchen. It ended up with everybody embracing in tears during that song. That’ll always be a favorite. I love where the choir hits on Go Tell it on the Mountain as well. Kim turned them into a pretty good gospel choir for that song.

GlennBeck.com: Mark, thank you for taking a few minutes to talk with us. We know you have to go get the special finished before air time. 

 

 

TAKE THE POLL: Are your CHILDREN using AI?

It feels like lately hardly a week can go by without some new AI advancement—or warning—making headlines, but unless you have been paying VERY close attention you might believe the power of AI is something relegated to technical institutions or Silicon Valley labs and only accessible by the most highly trained computer wizards. But as Glenn has demonstrated, AI can now be accessed by anyone with internet access and can take many different shapes and forms—not just that of the ominous and awkward ChatBot. In fact, you are probably using AI without even realizing it.

If AI can enter into your life without you realizing it, would you even know if your CHILDREN were interacting with it?

We want to hear from YOU. Do you allow your children to use AI? Do you know if they are? Do you use AI? Are you aware of the many shapes and forms AI can take?

Do you use AI?

Do you allow your children to use AI?

Do you know if your children are using AI?

Did you know that AI is integral to the functions of many social media content recommendation algorithms, including YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram?  

Did you know that many messaging platforms your child may be using, like Discord and Snapchat, now have built-in AI chatbots?

Are you aware that AI such as ChatGPT can be easily accessed from any internet browser?

Are you aware that AI such as ChatGPT can be easily used to CHEAT school assignments?

Are you aware that AI applications exist that are meant to replace intimate human relationships and are available on most smartphones?

Are you teaching your children about AI and its potential dangers and misuses? 

5 POWERFUL quotes from Eisenhower's farewell address that still ring true

M. McNeill / Stringer | Getty Images

In Glenn's latest TV special, he mentioned a warning from President Eisenhower's Farewell Address about the dangers of the Military Industrial Complex and its tentacles stretch into every town and every industry across the country. As it turns out, Ike's farewell address was full of the wisdom and foresight of a man who had served in both World Wars and spent his entire life in service to his country.

Here are 5 powerful quotes from Eisenhower's farewell address:

Eisenhower seemed to predict the rise of the internet and social media, which has had the effect of making the world smaller. Unfortunately, Ike's warning was not heeded as "a community of dreadful fear and hate" summarizes social media pretty well. 

Down the long lane of the history yet to be written, America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.

Eisenhower recommended that America's strength be used as a tool to forge diplomatic peace and that our strength should instill confidence in weaker nations' negotiations instead of fear.

The weakest must come to the conference table with the same confidence as do we, protected as we are by our moral, economic, and military strength.

Eisenhower predicted the rise of a "scientific-technological elite" and warned of the danger of these elites holding power and influence over government policy.

In holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.

Eisenhower stressed the importance of diplomacy for a nation as strong as America, whose military strength not only enables more diplomatic solutions but also brings the temptation of fast, "easy" resolutions. 

Together, we must learn how to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose.

Earlier in the speech, Eisenhower acknowledged the modern need for a ready and prepared military. However, he warns that this new military-industrial complex has the potential to exert its influence upon other sectors of the government, an influence that, by nature, seeks war. 

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.

SHOCKING: 11 states where Hunter Biden is accused of DISGUSTING crimes

Kris Connor / Contributor | Getty Images

Glenn has been calling on our leaders to do what they SHOULD have done a long time ago: hold Hunter Biden accountable for his BLATANT crimes.

Of which crimes is Hunter Biden being accused? From hiring prostitutes to smoking cocaine... LOTS of cocaine... here is a state-by-state list of ALL crimes committed by Hunter Biden. To read about each crime in detail, Glenn's "The Reckoning" guide lists ALL of Hunter Biden's crimes committed domestically and abroad alongside the alleged crimes of all the Biden family members, including Joe.

Glenn needs YOUR help to hold the "Biden crime family" accountable. Click HERE to download "The Reckoning" dossier of ALL of the crimes committed by the Biden family, send the dossier to your representative, and DEMAND they hold the Biden family accountable for their crimes.

In the meantime, here is a sneak peek of ALL of Hunter Biden's known sex and drug crimes committed within the U.S.

1. Arizona

Drug Crimes: One count.

2. California

Drug Crimes: 6 counts.

Sex Crimes: 20 counts.

3. Connecticut

Drug Crimes: 4 counts.

Sex Crimes: 11 counts.

4. Delaware

Drug Crimes: 9 counts.

Sex Crimes: 3 counts.

5. Florida

​​​Drug Crimes: 1 count.

Sex Crimes: 1 count.

6. Massachusetts

Drug Crimes: 4 counts.

Sex Crimes: 4 counts.

7. Nevada

Drug Crimes: 1 count.

Sex Crimes: 2 counts.

8. New York

Drug Crimes: 2 counts.

Sex Crimes: 12 counts.

9. Tennessee

Drug Crimes: 1 count.

10. Texas

Sex Crimes: 1 count.

11. Virginia

Drug Crimes: 1 count.

7 HORRIFYING new AI technologies: Number 5 will give you the creeps

It’s no secret that Glenn has a less-than-optimistic view of emerging AI and when you look at the horrifying new technologies that utilize the power of AI it’s hard not to agree.

Here’s a look at 7 new AI technologies that will HORRIFY you:

AI Brainwave Monitoring

Earlier this year during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, Nita Robinson, a professor of law and philosophy at Duke, presented a video that depicted a “hypothetical” situation where a person's brainwaves are monitored by their earbuds, which have the ability to record brainwaves, decode them with AI, and then send brain reports to their boss and are accessible by government agencies. When the video ends, Robinson makes the terrifying announcement that this AI technology already exists! It's just a matter of time before it's implemented.

If you want to learn more about Brainwave tracking and the WEF, you can watch this clip from the Glenn Beck Program.

AI Voice Cloning

Last month, Glenn covered a terrifying story involving a scammer who created an AI clone of a child's voice in order to scam money out of her terrified parents. While this might sound advanced, a quick Google search reveals that this technology is remarkably accessible and is easily able to replicate the voice of anyone. Imagine the havoc that could be inflicted on your life with an AI clone of your voice.

AI Mind Reader

Left shows stories read to user and right shows what the AI was able to decode from users brain activity

Image credit: University of Texas at Austin

Like something out of Star Trek, a team of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin developed a new AI that is able to decode brain activity and produce a transcript of a person's thoughts with reasonable accuracy, all without the need for implants or other invasive measures. While the researchers assure us that the technology has major limitations, including the need to train this AI extensively on each subject's brain, it’s only a matter of time before the AI is able to overcome these limitations, and it may be sooner than we would like…

Snapchat's new AI “Friend”

Image of My AI's contact on Snapchat

Snapchat

In April the popular social media messaging app Snapchat released a controversial new feature known as “My AI”—an AI chatbot powered by ChatGPT. The new feature acts much like other chatbots. It can answer questions, converse with the user, and offer recommendations. However, unlike other chatbots, it is integrated in such a way that it can be difficult to distinguish from a human user, complete with a customizable avatar and name. Many parents are worried that the friendly appearance of “My AI” will make it hard for their teens to differentiate the bot from a real human. Moreover, the only way to remove the bot is by paying for Snapchat’s premium service, giving parents little recourse for protecting their children.

AI "Big Brother"

In a recent TED talk, former Apple Designer Imran Chaudhri introduced the concept for a new wearable AI device connected to a camera and microphone, enabling the AI to hear and see everything you do. Chaudhri assures us that the device is “privacy-first and safe,” but how safe would you feel with an all-seeing AI accompanying you all day every day?

AI Meddling with Elections

AI generated image of Trump's arrest

Open AI | MARCA News

One terrifying potential use for AI could be meddling with elections. The last few years have seen a decline in faith in our elections, and the emergence of AI will only serve to muddy the waters. As previously mentioned, AI voice clones are here and have been proven to have the ability to create compelling facsimiles of political figures. Combined with AI image technology the threat of an AI-generated scandal is high.

If you want to learn more about AI interference with elections you can watch this clip from the Glenn Beck Program.

AI Dating

Another disturbing development is the creation of “Dating AIs”—AI chatbots designed as a replacement for a boyfriend or girlfriend. There is already a variety of options available with prices ranging from free all the way up to $1 a minute, like some sort of dystopian "call girl." There are already reports of people developing genuine emotional attachments to these bots and others who have married or have tried to marry their artificial lovers.