Cush | Cush

The legendary first release by the mysterious revolving membership band called Cush. This album caused quite a buzz in 2000, especially due to the Cush Manifesto that was accidentally circulated at Cornerstone 2000. This manifesto, reprinted below, best describes their sound.

Apparently Knott originally wrote the lyrics and melody for “The Clouds are All the Same” as “Clowns are Scary Things.”


Cush - Cush Cover 1 Cush - Cush - Cover 2 Cush - Cush - Cover 3 Cush - Cush - Cover 4

Label: Northern Records
Format: CD
Released: 2000
Genre: Alternative Rock
Producer: Cush
Michael Knott: Vocals
Andrew D. Prickett  
Snowman  
Wayne Everett  
Frank Lenz  
Jeff Schroeder  
Tim Tabor  
Campuzano  
Blake Wescott  
Gene Eugene  
Jyro  
Chris Colbert  
Jason 7 1  
01) Heaven Sent 6:17 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
02) Crush Me 3:27 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
03) Angelica 5:09 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
04) Good Times 4:48 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
05) The Clouds Are All the Same 5:32 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
06) Starry Starry Seas 4:35 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
07) Arching Heart 6:36 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
08) Shining Glory 6:05 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
09) The Touch 5:14 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
10) Porpoise 5:26 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
11) The Bomb Was Brighter Than the Stars 6:28 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott
12) The Smallest Part 5:44 Prickett, Campuzano, Knott

More Images

Cush - Cush - Cover 5 Cush - Cush - Tray


Cush Manifesto

In a declaration of Truth and its winding road, members of the Prayer Chain, LSU, Honey, Fold Zandura, Duraluxe, Bloomsday, the Lassie Foundation, and Adam Again, have agreed to document below (the CUSH Manifesto) in which all members will seek the Truth and its Consequences. The result, A New Sound

CUSH.

The CUSH Manifesto

The Foundation of CUSH is:

God. Jesus. The Holy Spirit. King David and The Psalms. Love. Celebration. Longing. Giving. Purity. Innocence. Faith. Pain. Gospel. The earliest Rock and Roll. Willing to change and grow with others. Willing to have anybody play any role, whoever is most suited for it at the time. Willing to be anonymous. Willing to be produced. Sharing, being selfless, letting go. Being Honest. The song winning. Soul. Letting your ego get you there, and then sacrificing it when the time comes. Music being able to be performed in any way, by any combination of people, in any setting. Being Free, Creative, Spontaneous. One instrument per part, one player per part. Minimal overlapping of tones. A Groove. A Drone. A Basic Progression. An acoustic guitar. An electric guitar. A bass guitar. A six-string bass guitar. A piano. An organ. A horn section. A cello. A violin. A viola. A voice. A hand-drum. A tambourine. All things that make a sound when you shake them. Washing everything in the dreamiest of reverb-effects until you can’t tell what it is, but rather what it feels like. Doing the thing you always wanted to do but were afraid to. Jumping off the deep end of the peer. Staring Fear in the face and walking right into it with a faithful heart. Turning your life upside-down. CUSH is from the core of your relationship with God — Good, Bad, and Ugly — and reaching out in Moans and Groans to Him.

CUSH praises like Gospel, and wails like Rock and Roll.
CUSH feels the best, and hurts the most at the same time.
CUSH sounds familiar, like the best songs you’ve ever heard, but feels new.
CUSH is an Action.
A CUSH song does not have to be 3:30 long.
A CUSH song can be 68 minutes long.
A CUSH song is already a greatest hit.

From the slowest, most isolated place, just before God, bowing down, quiet, heavenly noise, swelling, droning, heaving, glowing, flickering, underwater, the true reality, connecting spiritually with God and seeing all of humanity through His eyes. The true nature of Love and everything. Placid but full of colour, vivid life, musical movements, sounds, dreams, asleep but still awake, alive yet dead, dead yet alive. Alone, but not lonely. Haunting, sad, painfully beautiful, moving, majestic, heart-wrenching, yet humble, meek, and poor in spirit. Drone, Middle Eastern, heavy, rock, epic, magnificent, cross poly-rhythmic, whatever-wherever music, where all heaven and earth are in His command.

CUSH is not about self-loathing.
CUSH is not about editing yourself before giving.
CUSH is not a solo project.
CUSH is not a band.
In CUSH, you win by letting yourself lose.
CUSH is a concept, an ideal, a greater goal, a principle.
CUSH is a beautiful spirit shared by all.
CUSH is like ‘the Force’,
…But better.

CUSH was produced, written, and played by: Andrew Prickett, Michael Knott, Wayne Everett, Campuzano, Snowman, Frank Lenz, Gene Eugene, Blake Wescott, Tim Taber, Jyro Xhan.

CUSH – The new sound for the new decade


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Older comments on “Cush – Cush”

  1. Alex on July 09, 2008 at 08:05 pm said:

    I think this album could very well be the greatest record by a “Christian” band. I just wish Michael Knott would re-unite with the rest of the group and come out with a few more albums!

  2. decemberhotel.net on July 25, 2012 at 08:21 pm said:

    I concur. By far my favorite record from a “christian” band.

  3. bispymusic on October 29, 2007 at 09:30 pm said:

    When I condense it down, this album is probably the closest thing to perfection in sound I have ever heard. My all-time favorite, out of a music collection of over 2000 albums.

  4. Derek on December 16, 2012 at 09:32 am said:

    One of the BEST albums I own. I have had it for the past 12 yrs. Beautiful record.

5 thoughts on “Cush | Cush

  1. I was usually at odds with my friends when it came to music, but this album seemed to be universally loved. I remember how excited I was that I finally had an album that I loved as a Michael Knott fan, as well as my best-friend Chris who loved the Prayer Chain and Fold Zandura.

    I hadn’t listened to it in years until now, and it’s one of those rare gems that still holds up. Now I’m wondering if I can win my wife over to finally seeing the greatness of Michael Knott as well…

  2. Right up there with Mercury, Honey 3, and TVB for me, and MB’s nervous breakthrough. One of the greatest albums – full stop. Magnificent!

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