This album cover visualy describes what goes on in my head...

It gets crazy inside my head sometimes. So much I wanna do, so much I love to do, so much I wanna keep doing, and so much I have to say no to. I am just not sure it’s all possible or not. I hate saying no, and maybe that’s a start for me. I am a story teller by nature, it’s in my Santoyo blood.  I love writing stories and memories from my childhood…. I love films. I have a few film ideas that I create per week. Some I write down, others drift off into the sunset on my drive back home. I love writing music, creating melodies and hooks. Sometimes I hear a full orchestra in my head with syncopated percussion and ambient sounds in the background. I love being on stage performing with my band!!! It’s a rush!!! As far as I can remember I always enjoyed the thought of being an actor.  I enjoy the challenge of  becoming a character and bring him to life for the camera.  It’s awesome!I love being in a production environment. There is this urgency in the air to create a masterpiece through shooting, editing and designing…

I am passionate about people. We love being in community, organizing community, leading community anything having to do with passionate people.  I love to talk and talk and talk and talk. I enjoy listening to people talk about their dreams and in return I enjoy encouraging them to share about how those dreams can become a reality. I love talking about Jesus…It’s a deep passion of mine. I am fascinated by his words, his life, his friends, his conversations and his parties. I love to entertain people through food. We’re always inviting strangers over for dinner…It’s just something we love to do…

A piece of my heart is in Cambodia. I’ve been quietly working on a huge arts movement that would impact 3rd world countries… Now do you see my dilemma? Yes I know…Focus on one thing. Focus on one thing. Focus on one thing…It’s easier said then done my friends… Can all this vital parts work together for something I am not seeing?

I was fortunate enough to sit with this totally rad dude who lives in Franklin TN… He’s a cultural architect, an artist, an entrepreneur, a painter, an author, a chef…this dude  rocks!  It was truly  an honor that he would take time to sit down for coffee  and talk with me… I was in desperate need of some creative advice and I sure got it! There has to be a core to my creative chaos and madness. It is all stemming from somewhere. The question is, what is that eye of the storm in my creative passion? How do I narrow it down and corner it! I need order…Big time!!! It’s something I am working on…

What are your thoughts and Insight? Anyone else suffering from Creativechaosthatneedsorder?

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Here is a track WE recorded but it  never quite made the full length album…Check it out below …Let me know your thoughts on it… Like it, hate it, crush it, burn it, just don’t ignore it.

Click right HERE and listen “Home“

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A few weeks ago we locked ourselves away in a studio to start a new record…We did things a little different then what we’ve done before. We literally walked into the studio with no plan in mind other then to sit on our instruments and see what we could create, see what would happen. We also took time to rotate seats. We all got an opportunity to sit on different instruments and just create. The outcome? The beginning of what could possibly the best project we’ve written together…

History… I formed the saturn project close to 6yrs ago in Chicago. Me and my brother(drummer) Alex are the only original members remaining. Since then Ive written songs that would eventually make up our first ever full length album, “anthems for a broken world”. 2 yrs ago Brent and Matt joined the band as we took on this new record and a calendar full of dates and over seas adventures. Album went on to do some amazing things in Cambodia! You can read about it HERE…Brent and Matt weren’t part of the initial writing process for our previous record, since that in itself was a journey of 10+yrs of music I had written and co written by my bro Alex..So we questioned on whether we would become a whole new music project or remain The saturn project for our 2nd release…We are still unsure in what direction that will go…

Whether we return as the saturn project or not, One thing is for sure. Something really cool happened in that studio a few weeks ago, that sparked new creative avenues on the making of our follow up album. I wish I could let you listen in to the 7 initial track concepts we lay down…But for now just bear with us as we continue to work hard and long hours in the studio and write our best to bring  new music for your ears…

Till then, please keep in touch…

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June 2007 marked the beginning of 2yrs that would impact my life forever and inspire the greatest journey ever. In 2007 Reina and I departed Chicago and went to the furthest city we could go before hitting the The Keys, Homestead FL! I stepped into a role at Life Pointe Church that would change my life forever. I knew I would be working as the creative arts director and Worship guy…But what I discovered goes beyond what I would’ve ever expected. It was truly an honor to work beside Lead pastor Travis Johnson. I gotta say he was one tough dude to work for, but the best boss I’ve ever had. I was challenged beyond the talents I brought to the plate. I learned what it was to lead and not just be. I learned it wasn’t about just  doing, but developing others to lead and do. Letting go in order to grow. In 2 yrs I think I read more then I ever had in my whole life. I was pushed and was given the freedom to fly on my own and fall on my face from time to time. My passion for people grew more then ever…I think because I met some really cool people in Homestead Fl, who took us in and made us feel like family. Because of those two yrs I grew as a person, as a dreamer, as a husband, as a father and as a friend. I learned the good and bad of me. I dropped the ball many of times, but learned lessons I will carry with me till the day I die. LPC and Homestead will forever be in our hearts as 2 of the greatest yrs of our lives. The moment I will never forget is the day Travis challenged me to give away my music for a bigger cause. That cause took my band across the globe and did things I never thought would be possible.

Thank you for 2yrs that marked my life and the life of my wife and kids for a lifetime! It was an awesome season. Cheers!

-fuser+  video was shot during an LPC series titled “likeus.tv” 2007

So here are a few of the pros and cons of relocating to a brand new city that we have experienced and are experiencing. Some say we’re crazy and honestly I agree… It just feels so right in our hearts. Erwin McManus said it best, “when we are passionate about God, we can trust our passions”.

(negatives)

We left everything and everyone we knew behind, so we didn’t have a whole lot of people in this town, or at least no immediate family. We had to learn our way around. Find the right place  and area to live in. Trying to plug into a brand new social pipeline, in our case the arts pipeline…music, design, film, etc… Finding jobs! Dang has it been tough! Finding the right schools, daycares, babysitters for our kids. Make friends. Make a life  in this town, from square one again. Finding Good pizza and Latin food. Finding things to do. Find a church we can call home.

(Positives)

Meeting new people, making great friends, meeting new families. It’s a new town. So we get lost very often, but in the process we discover great things in this town. Networking more then ever to collaborate with other artists, film makers/ talent agents, designers, Songwriters and more…Our communication and network tools have improved for both Reina and I. Jobs? it’s been tough, but we’ve had strong leads and opportunities are here, just need to be consistent on knocking doors and refining my resume and bio’s etc… Schools? they’re here and they sound great. One more year and Diego starts pre-k. Babysitters…Still working on that. Our dates consist of bring the boys along…Watching late movies=the boys sleep…we love this town and really wanna stay here and grow super old here…Once the jobs and school kick in, it will feel a little more secure. Good pizza? It’s not Chi town pizza but we’ve become huge fans of Pie in the Sky pizza. Latin food?…maybe we’ll open one…LOL. Church to call him. Check!

Overall the things that seem like negatives turn out to be positives. We’re growing in so many areas of our life. We’re growing closer as a family. We’re appreciating more and more the things that matter. Faith in God providing is our one and only vital sign keeping us alive. It’s an awesome journey that’s been worth it. In no way has it been easy, but it’s paying off in ways we never imagined. At the end of the day, no matter what happens, we’ve grown, we’ve learned, we’ve lived, we’ve taken the chance to pursue our dreams, and we’re diggn it. CONSISTENCY, INTEGRITY, PATIENCE…remedy for success. What may not make sense right now, will soon…Hebrews 11:6

-fuser and the crew”

“GREATNESS isn’t determined by fame,wealth,talent or education but by how much it takes to discourage you. Refuse to give up!”-Rick warren

So this whole week I’ve been waiting to hear back from a job that I am really excited about. I am also waiting to hear back if I got the part for the commercial Spot I auditioned for. This whole week I’ve updated my facebook and twitter status with ” waiting, waiting again, still waiting”. It gets a little impatient waiting for an answer, and hoping it is the answer I “want” it to be. I feel like I have done everything I possibly can to get those answers quick. I will admit, my prayers have been pretty selfish. Hoping God hooks me up with these gigs, cause I “need” them, and “want” them. Almost trying to convince God and sell the idea of me having this job to him. I need to feed my family, keep the lights on in our apartment, pay the bills, and make a life here in Nashville. I am pretty darn sure God knows what I need and Don’t. But my human nature just can’t see past the waiting room I am in.

This evening I was totally blessed with the words our pastor Pete Wilson shared at Crosspoint church. This morning we showed up at Crosspoint ready to engage in worship and hear the message and Zion was screaming bloody murder, courtesy of a stomach ache!  We tried to wait it out but left before the first chord was strummed. We planned to be home the rest of the evening, but we decided to try it again with Zion and go to Church after dinner. We arrived at Crosspoint pretty early. Early enough where the doors were closed, and the kids area was not quite ready yet… So we “waited” outside and sat on some cool old looking benches. It was worth the wait! Worship was great! Message opened with such a powerful video that threw my worries to the curbside! Pete shared a few words that really hit home for me. To my surprise tonight’s message was about WAITING!LOL.

Here’s my rundown of a few things  Pete shared, wish I could share it all…I am terrible at taking notes sometimes…

There is an undeniable relationship between Crisis and Hope. “Sometimes we hate waiting cause we feel powerless, Especially when we are control freaks.”It sucks when we are in a hurry and it seems God is not! The crazy thing is, Waiting is when we find our deepest and truest purpose!..”gulp!.

“We want everything God has to offer, just not his calendar. We often care more about comfort, then character.” We need to accept his timing!  Waiting room- God will allow suffering, pain, and crisis in order to detach HOPE from other things and attach it to himself. We need to wait and hope, even when it feels there is no reason to. God is the God of this Universe and I am not.

I realize there are so many things I want for my life. So many things that I feel will help me get to the next stage in my life. I don’t know how we will make it through, how we will pay our bills, how we will achieve the plans we have… We’re waiting on God, and having Faith and Hope in him alone, and having joy in everything we face right now. I am excited about what will come about in the next few weeks. Whether I get the answer I hope I will, or not. God is God, and he knows all. He knows what we need, and what we don’t.

-fuser+…”waiting”…

Diego Alexander Santoyo: undercover super hero, drummer and bassist, Crayola artist, Loves sushi, hunts down snacks, rocks vans, and uses his hands when he talks, great Free throw shooting form, Can rock an afro, a mohawk and a mullet with his bizarre natural curls, can do o.5 push ups, asks a ton of questions, prays for everyone and everything before he sleeps..even the cookie he just ate.

Zion Max Santoyo: Stronger then Chuck Norris, drags his own weight, Eats everything, anywhere, anytime, Has a killer smile, Digs blonds, Says Mama, Shakes his head to all requests, crazy sleeper, has 2 razor sharp teeth, will give you a head-bunt if you ask for one, adores his older brother, Feels no pain, Party animal, Mommy’s boy.

Proud Momma-LaUnicaReina & Daddy-fuser+

It is still a surprise to many! Here is the explanation again…

WHAT? Me, Reina, Diego and Zion now live in East Nashville TN.  In 2007 after working for Univision in the News Production dept, we all packed up, left Chicago and relocated to Homestead Florida and lived there for 2yrs. There, surrounded by the beautiful ocean and endless beaches,I worked as the creative arts and worship director at Life Pointe Church…A really cool church in South Fl.

I recorded my first full length album with my band “the Saturn project” and donated 100% of all the proceeds to an amazing humanitarian project in Cambodia. Buy music, Do good. For every 1,000$ we sold in Cd’s, houses were being built by for families living in the dumps of Cambodia! Fresh water wells built as well…It was an amazing run, with tons of flight miles across the globe, Cool shows and beautiful people I hope to see again.

WHERE? After 2 yrs in Florida, my wife and I decided to take another huge leap. We packed up and moved to Nashville TN to pursue our passions and dreams. It was a rush, it was scary, and it was sad all together. But it was something we knew we had to do at that moment in time. So here are some of our crazy plans as we speak…

WHY? Just to give you a quick FYI, Reina is amazing artist/designer/decorator…She has a super gift with colors, materials, visions, ideas, and people! So…Reina is planning on attending an arts and design school for Interior Design here in Nashville TN, which we are all super excited about! I am currently looking for a job in the TV/Media world…It’s been a process but I know it takes time. In the mean time Reina and I have been working odd jobs to survive and pay our bills.

HUH? I am an artist/singer/songwriter…I write tons, play tons, and can’t stop and probably never will. My task has been to get out into the Nashville music scene share my music…see what the city thinks, network with other musicians, songwriters and artists and collaborate and see where this boat may go. I am still the front-man for the band “the Saturn project” which we hope to work on a 2nd record. In the meantime I have been writing songs for my upcoming Solo EP debut. It’s a scary thought to be on stage alone but I am looking forward to the challenge.

WRITING? yes I write a lot!! Some of it makes it on my blog, and others don’t. From poetry, short stories, screenplays and more. I have been compiling some personal stories with a creative twist and maybe try and put together a small book. We’ll see.

FILMS? Yeah, I have a few ideas that I have been chewing on for a long time. I’ve been working hard to develop these films and find someone who would want to bring them to life…That’s the surface of what’s going on in our Santoyo world…If I share everything, then it will spoil the surprises!  Thanks for Reading…I love when you guys visit me. Until next blog…peace

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follow me around

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I think it’s really important sometimes to just disconnect and re-charge.  When there are great opportunities and challenges in your forecast it’s important to just sit back, relax, breath in and go full force. We’re excited for the future, cause we’re confident in the decisions we are making now. If you don’t know how to live now, how can you expect something great in your future?

Many times I’ll just sit around the house with Diego and begin to dream for him. I see the potential he has now as a child, and how that will grow into more. Or how he jams out to the songs I sing as if they were the greatest tunes ever written! Everyday I sit here in our apartment and look around at all the cool stuff Reina is designing and making, and see potential for greatness in her. Zion is only 7 months and I can see the great things in store for his future.  The things we dream and foresee may not be here now, but we’re living as they are and they are on their way.

I’ll pace back and forth at the apartment with song ideas, film ideas, book ideas and try to fit them all into a piece of paper. LOL. I see potential for great things and believe they shall come to pass. I think many times other people believe in me more then I believe in myself…I am a work in progress for myself. My prayer and thoughts are that in all that we do, we give honor to Christ the ONE and only in all things.

I am taking some overdue time off from blogging and facebooking  to re charge.  Not sure how long this time off will be. It could be a few days, a few weeks, months, a yr…But please know I shall return. I am Gonna sit back, breath in, meditate on truth, on faith, worship and love. I will  write, create, sing, design, re build and return when I am ready for the next season of this journey and  I look forward in connecting with you great folks all over the globe. For those who read my blogs, thoughts and random left hooks, please continue to leave your comments, your thoughts and prayers. Feel free to take over my page with your thoughts, jokes, random nonsense, encouragement and comments, I will continue to read them from time to time. Lots to do my friends, lot’s of stories to live and tell, lot’s of dreams to build, see you soon.

For The Saturn Project updates, upcoming shows and news continue to visit our web page HERE.

Hasta luego y hasta la victoria siempre…

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Check it out…Here’s a sneak peek at some of Reinalisa’s(my wife) art work. These items are not for sale…yet.  But please let us know your thoughts…I’ll get some Home design decor pics up  as well, as soon as I get clearance.. So proud of my girl!!! More art, designs and online store to come soon…

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