Octa-FAQ's - Secrets Revealed!

In the history of earth there is one book that claims to be the Word of God, and which proves itself through prophecy. It is the Bible. One word from that book has been hidden from mankind over the years. It originally appeared over 7,000 times, but has been removed, replaced, and hidden from the people. It is the name of our Creator. Yet in most every translation available, it is still absent. You would think that the One who styles Himself as "Our Heavenly Father" would want His children to know what His name is. Yet a search of the internet reveals relatively few results for this name when compared with the likes of "Mohammad" or "Allah"...

So, Octaman has made it his life's work to make this name known to the public. By placing this name into many of his songs, he has been ostracized, boycotted, slandered and hated. He has given up opportunities for commercial success in deference to this mission. And because he chooses to sing about "Yahweh" - the name of our Creator - he has been unable to find even one single musician willing to stand with him on stage. They will perform songs about drinking, drugs, partying and womanizing, but Octaman's message of "Yahweh" is too controversial for them...

...So he must go it alone. Echoing the words of the great counter-culture artist Bob Marley, Octaman says

"I fight single-handedly with music as my only weapon."

He plays the guitar, sings, plays bass, drums, keyboards, sax, does all the engineering, graphic design and management.

"I'm Octaman because there's eight of me" he says.

Today, many millions of dollars are spent on vile kinds of music, video games, slasher films and the like. Octaman's music has been created on a shoestring budget with an old computer and some basic mics and equipment. He has no advertising budget. In a world of gross darkness, where millions are spent horror flicks or funding palestinian terror, virtually nothing is spent on the message of YAH.

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The Secrets of Octaman Revealed!

The KEYS to understanding OCTAMAN...

"8 reasons I AM the Octaman"

Octaman is: a comic book story

It's a reggae act presented in the comic book style that is very traditional within the reggae music genre. Octaman is also very humorous on stage... The name of each band member is a take-off on the names of many established reggae musicians, like "Bunny" and "Sticky" etc. Here we have "Mashie", Sicky", "Plucky", "Skanky" and so on. One for each instrument. Action figures sold separately!

Octaman is: a parody, a spoof, a send up!

After Bible studies, his friends would always say, "well, we solved all the world's problems." That is precisely what comic book heroes are expected to do. Octaman faces opposition in so many unexpected ways, even from within his own circle at times. Yet there is a lot of humor all along the way, with a comic element behind the idea of offering to the world a message of love and hope beyond the dreams of anyone - and receiving almost no help from anywhere! Therefore going it alone, Octaman sets out to "save the world" - or rather, to explain how YAHWEH has already created a Divine Plan for doing so. Meanwhile, thousands of people will agree to work on very destructive messages and products in this "Present Evil World."

[see Octaman answer criticism from a fan regarding his alleged "lack of humility"!]

Octaman is: a battle of good vs. evil

All comic book super heroes are really Christ figures. And Christians following Christ are Christ figures in miniature. They battle against the world, the flesh and the devil. Their new nature wrestles against "the old man" or old nature. On the album cover we see Octaman's face half in shadow, half in light - light against darkness. The "Sun of righteousness" rises over the old system, as well as the old human nature. [See CD Poster] And each "person" in the band has a similar walk and battle to overcome. Like a musical version of the Power Rangers, they fight not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places... Eph. 6:12

Octaman is: a Cinderella story

He's the son of an alcoholic who put him down constantly at home, calling him stupid, useless, worthless and brainless - forcing him into many days spent pushing a broom. Hated by his sisters, teased as a schoolboy for being fat and different, he dreams that he can become something special someday, and ultimately goes on to become Octaman.

Octaman is: a true story

In this story, a mild mannered boat washer becomes a mighty force on stage. Octaman will "fight single handedly" with music as his only weapon. As a potential film, it's a complete story, with a colorful broad spectrum of characters, and an assortment of villains. Octaman himself is very real - an engaging on stage personality with a deep musical message, sharing the greatest love and hope that could ever exist - the hope of resurrection of all mankind, by the love of YAHWEH - who merely permits evil for a time and purpose.

Octaman is: a feel-good movie of overcoming obstacles

Octaman could have written the Nike commercial: "Fall down seven times, get up eight." The story details his many trips close to the mountaintop, only to fall all the way back down again. Then he dusts himself off and starts all over. Each time the ultimate realization of his dreams is within his grasp, somehow it slips away. He's on his way to the top of rock mountain, always finding a hidden crevasse. It might be an acted or animated G rated family comedy/drama.

Octaman is: a reality show

Follow one man's struggles to find an audience for his independent music, and see all the trials and struggles along the way. Typical scene; he sits on his couch and laments, "other musicians are gigging right now, but I'm home soaking my eye."

Octaman is: an ode to the American dream

It's the story that says never give up on your dreams. Octaman is a hopeful hero, someone who felt called to give a spiritual message, even at the cost of material wealth. He could have turned in his cape at any point and stuck with a career, but he pressed on instead. While others would critically impose their own template on Octaman's life, thinking he should give up music, Octaman is an all-American boy who says just as Ronald Reagan said: "We have every right to dream heroic dreams!"

Octaman is: a diary - A complete recollection of life

Octaman is the sum of all life's adventures and hardships in the effort to bring a message of hope to the world. Everything about Octaman is true - every job, every band, every vocation, every career and business. Each song, experience and adventure is factual with no added embellishments. It's a file cabinet for compiling all life's adventures. At the end of the project it will be a comprehensive diary, a complete record of the journey. The ending is unwritten, so it could have any kind of ending, from comic to tragic to dramatic. God only knows!

Octaman is: a method of organizing

That's how the idea started. The band room was a frustrating mess. Cables everywhere, sporting goods tossed around. A thought materialized to divide each part of the studio into separate professional stations, with all guitar cables in one area, all keyboard equipment in another, etc. The room got clean, and instrumental performances even improved! Then it became a running joke, as the "bass player" would not allow the "guitar player" to cross his line in the room. They became humorous rivals, and "Octaman" was born right there. [It's NOT about multiple personality disorder]

Octaman is: a self-examination

It's an honest assessment of one's self. It's about being aware of our qualities as well as admitting our faults, and fully realizing our potential: our hang-ups as well as our talents. As Clint Eastwood said, "A man's gotta know his limitations". And we should know that we are capable of about eight times more than we might expect...

Octaman is: An ode to multi-tasking

Many people today can relate to the concept of having to accomplish many chores at once. Most music projects have many team members. Read the credits on any CD and see dozens of people listed. Everything in Octaman Rock of Offence, from design and photography to management and bookings to website and promotion, as well as all the instrumental performances and studio production - were done by Octaman alone.

Octaman is: an ode to the old saying:

"If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." No one knows that better than Octaman. Many misadventures occur as he sees others completely botch enough simple tasks to encourage him to go it alone.

Octaman is: a one man band

Many auditions were held to find other musicians for the album and resulted in one fiasco after another. Whether it was the trailer home covered in a blue tarp surrounded by one million empty beer cans, with a mortar shell on the couch - or the crazy guy who said he was Jesus and the sun actually followed him personally, as well as black helicopters - Octaman ultimately discovered a fine musician for each instrument - which turned out to be himself. He found out the hard way that after all, he was the best candidate for each musical position.

Octaman is: a music lesson

As a music teacher, Octaman is a living example of what it takes to make it in show biz - or not make it. He offers his students the road map of the music industry minefield, telling them what it takes to succeed, and why certain bands fail. Each band member also stands for the eight notes of the musical octave scale - "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do". The word "scale" means to climb, and comes from an Italian word meaning "ladder." He shows his students how much effort is involved in making even the simplest musical goals happen. (There is also one band member for each modal scale, Ionian, Dorian, Lydian, Phrygian, Mixolydian, Aolian, Locrian and one for harmonic minor.)

Octaman is: a butterfly, an ode to metamorphosis

Born Regan Balman in Lakewood, Washington, he knocked around for several years in a lot of different bands, as well as various perfomance gendres, including stand up comedy and television. Knowing the serious nature of the message he had been entrusted with, and knowing himself to be inadequate to deliver it, he had to grow beyond himself. He walked away from success in comedy. To give the people a profound message from God, he knew he had to change. A spiritual quickening must occur, and self-discovery. The old man had to be put aside, even killed.

"ye are to put off concerning the former behaviour the old man, that is corrupt according to the desires of the deceit, and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind..." Eph 4:22,23

Octaman follows the advice of Scripture. The story also works along a common theme of how champions always re-invent themselves and never stand pat. "Octaman" is simply a much better template or vehicle for giving the wonderful message of the Divine Plan of the Ages. We ALL must one day grow beyond ourselves.

Octaman is: a love letter

To his beloved niece and nephew, and all his kids out there, Octaman says: "Explore your talents, be all you can be, don't ever quit, and use your powers only for good, to help others. Never for evil! Study the Bible! How else will you learn who we are, where we are from, and where we are ultimately going? God has a purpose for you and your life! You were born for a reason!"

Octaman is: an obituary

At all the funerals we attend, someone talks about how, if only this persons life could be written in a book, what it might say... Octaman is an obituary written ahead of time. It covers the things that nobody ever previously knew about him, that Octaman would want them to know. It's his swan song, and bouquet - an epitaph for someone who gave their little "all" for the greatest cause in the history of earth - God's Kingdom. He didn't have many friends in life, but hopes at least that this will be read by some at his burial service, should any attend.