The Becoming Heroes Podcast

Guidance, hosted by Lex McKee, to feed the Hero within you!

Metamorphosis Records is a record label spanning an eclectic set of genres from Progressive Rock through to Sleaze Rock (with an ethical edge), Viking Rock, all the way up to Christian Worship.

  1. Podcast Words of Life

    Mar 16

    Podcast Words of Life

    “You are my beloved daughter – in whom is all my delight!” “You are my beloved son – my world – my delight!” These are words of Life. Why parents hold back on them, I’ll never know – it’s not as if they can only be used or meant once, is it? I said this to each of my sons this week – and I think I’ll write it in a card to each of them too so that they have it on record – a permanent reminder. I’m learning, also, the importance of presence over performance. All my life, I have been ‘performing for approval’ – approval that should have come as ‘standard’. Now, I realise that often we just have to show up and listen. Hear more words of Life… Words That See "I see you. Not just the you that shows up to work and pays bills - the real you, the one carrying things noone knows about." "You make sense to me. Your reactions, your fears, your hopes - they're not crazy. They're human." "I notice how hard you're trying. Even when it doesn't look like much to the outside world, I see it." Words That Welcome "There's room for you here. Exactly as you are today - messy, uncertain, unfinished." "You don't have to perform for me. You can just be." "Whatever you're feeling, it's allowed. Anger, grief, joy, numbness - all of it has a place here." Words That Validate Struggle "This is genuinely hard. Not 'hard but you'll grow from it' hard - just plain, unfair, exhaustingly hard." "It makes sense that you're tired. You've been carrying so much for so long. Come rest with me." "You're not failing. You're surviving something that would break a lot of people." Words That Free "You're allowed to change your mind. You're allowed to outgrow things. You're allowed to become someone new." “You can say, ‘No!’ - and without guilt. Simply, ‘No!’ without justification or explanation.” "You don't have to earn your place in the world. You already belong here." "Your worth isn't measured by your productivity. Some days, just being here is enough." Words That Connect "Me too." "I don't have answers, but I'll stay in the questions with you." "You're not alone in this. I know it feels that way, but look—I'm here. Others are here. We're all stumbling together." Words That Empower "What do you need right now? Not what you should need - what you actually need?" "You know yourself better than anyone else does. Trust that. No one has walked this far in your shoes… nice shoes, btw." "Whatever choice you make, I trust you. You've gotten yourself this far." Words That Offer Rest "You can stop now. Not forever - just for today." “Nothing needs fixing in this moment. Just breathe." "The world will keep spinning even if you pause. Take the pause." "Maybe meaning isn't something we find - it's something we create, together, in moments like this." What words do you need to hear today?

    3 min
  2. CD Chivalry in the 21st Century - an Overview

    Mar 2

    CD Chivalry in the 21st Century - an Overview

    The Codex of the Modern Gentlemen A Manual of Modern Masculinity for the 21st Century “Chivalry is not a relic; it is the radiant armour of the soul.” Preamble: A Prayer for the Forge The world has declared masculinity a disease. It has looked at the twisted expressions of broken men—the tyrant, the slacker, the brute, the perpetual adolescent—and mistaken the symptom for the condition. It has, in its wisdom, sought to cure the man by unmaking him. This is the work of the lesser architect* (*every man who tries to build his life, his identity, his legacy, his security, apart from the Living God.) We, however, are builders under the Great Architect** (**Yahweh, the Master Craftsman, the One who works with clay, who sketches the cosmos in wisdom, who tabernacles among us in the person of Jesus Christ—the Word made flesh, the Logos through whom all things were made. He is the "Author and Perfecter of our faith." He is the Potter; we are the clay.) We understand that fire can destroy, but it can also forge. We are here to reclaim the forge. This Codex is not a return to a mythical past of rigid roles and unearned dominance. That past was a shadow, a partial blueprint corrupted by the Fall. True Chivalry was always a rebellion against the baser instincts: the impulse to hoard, to dominate, to flee, to destroy. It was a code to lift the eyes of the heart from the mud to the stars. In the 21st century, the mud is deeper, the stars harder to see – obscured by the light pollution of a world of distraction. The clamour of the marketplace and the needy media, the noise is deafening. But the need for a man—a ‘real’ man—has never been greater. He is not needed to fix a wagon wheel, but to fix a broken spirit. He is not needed to slay a physical dragon, but to slay the dragons of despair, apathy, and cynicism in his own heart and in the hearts of those he is sworn to protect. This is the Manual for that man. This is the Chivalry for this age.

    6 min
  3. Moodscope 26th January 2026 "Technically Optimistic"

    Jan 26

    Moodscope 26th January 2026 "Technically Optimistic"

    Technically Optimistic “Technically Optimistic” is a play on words my eldest was sharing with me. I asked him, as we shared time in London at both the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, “Sam, do you see yourself as a Futurist?” His response was gloriously affirmative. Sam is involved in research into personalised genomic medicine to target cancer cells. It’s the stuff of Science Fiction, except it isn’t - it is Science Fact already. Sam said, “I prefer the terms ‘Scientific Optimist’ and ‘Technical Optimist’.” And watching a clip of Elon Musk the other night, I saw the ‘type’. These are people at the frontiers of science and philosophy who are creating new paradigms of what is possible with science and technology. When we looked at the excellent “Fixing Our Broken Planet” exhibition at the NHM, is was through the eyes of hope and the vision of a New Age of Enlightenment. Then what should happen to come through Dad’s letterbox but an advert for a new NHS Service harnessing technology for Mental Health: Mindler. In their own words: “Mindler works in partnership with NHS Talking Therapies to provide typed therapy for adults treating a range of common mental health conditions with short term, one-to-one weekly sessions where you will type, much like a text conversation, with your assigned clinician. Our service is free and available 7 days a week from 6am - 11pm.” I can see MANY advantages of this approach, including access for people in awkward domestic situations and where privacy is paramount. https://widget.wysa.uk/wrapper/ieso/ Of course, there a paid options too, like https://www.betterhelp.com/ which acts as a portal to a Therapist near you, having done much of the required due diligence on the Therapists they recommend. The message from a Technically Optimistic perspective is that help is at hand, nearer than you think… What Therapeutic paths have you tried or heard recommended that could sit beside your daily commitment to using Moodscope?

    4 min
  4. CD The Small Boy and the Starfish

    Jan 15

    CD The Small Boy and the Starfish

    [[A slow, rolling 6/8 pattern begins from Manu Katché’s kit, a tidal, Afrobeat Liberation Rebellion pulse. Davy Spillane’s Uilleann Pipes enter, a lone cry over the water of chaos from the birth of the earth...]] [[Verse 1 - Eddie Reader, with a clarity that holds both dawn and dust]] The morning painted gold the strand, a cold and jeweled decree Ten thousand fallen stars lay stranded, cut loose from out the sea A man who counted cost and scale walked on in pensive thought And came upon a single act that a young boy’s hand had wrought. [[Hurdy Gurdy drones in, Patty Gurdy’s wheel turning a timeless folk melody. Gordon Giltrap’s 12-string adds a shimmering, joyful bed.]] ..... [[Verse 2 - Eddie Reader]]] A ceramic star of cobalt blue, held in a palm so small The boy just paused and heard a call no other ears could hear at all The man said, “Son, can’t you perceive the numbers on this sand? You’ll never shift this terrible weight with your one, small, human hand.” But the boy just winked and turned his face to the deep and waiting ocean waves so green And he threw his starfish home again to where the waves convene “I made a difference to that one!” his voice rang out, set free... ..... [Pause for thought] And the man’s soul stirred with a brand new word: “At last, I truly see!" "And, seeing, I walk free..." And was the starfish ceramic, or a living, breathing heart? And was the boy just saving life, or playing a magic part? The parable is old as time, the magic fresh as dawn It’s in the doing, not the done, that hope is being born. And the boy just winked and turned his face to the deep and waiting green Sea! And threw his starfish home again to where the waves convene! “I made a difference to that one!” his voice rang out, set free! And the Oceans are deep And we weep And deep calls to deep Before we can sleep. Arise humanity To steward the world you were so blessed with. And every soul can hear that word: “At last, I truly see!" One act of mercy, whispered, not screamed One lonely creature, redeemed, redeemed The scale of heaven is counted in one (Yeah, the needs of the many do not outweigh the needs of the one) The rising of joy with the setting of sun… His mercies can never end or be undone... They are new every morning! Our pledge upon this fretboard, on every string and key Is to magnify the glory in the one, the few, the many To play the song of kindness, with every note we own… For the Maker of the Starfish, and the Boy who cast it home.

    5 min
  5. CD Stream-Maker (with The Full Worship Band)-2

    12/26/2025

    CD Stream-Maker (with The Full Worship Band)-2

    (Verse 1) Wilderness I’ve named and known Midbar of my own making Ground is cracked, this heart of stone Silence aches, a thirst awaking But on the wind… a whisper breaks “Forget the former things you’ve carried… I am the God of the ache you’ve buried— Behold, the new thing now is breaking…” (Chorus) Oh, Stream-Maker… cut a path right through my night Oh, Stream-Maker… from the ruin, bring the light Spring up, O well, within my wasteland I will see… and understand You’re making streams… in the wasteland A way… where there was no way Stream-Maker… have Your say (Verse 2) Ghosts of fathers, choices sown Bitter harvest… generations Legacy of broken stone A tree of lamentations But from this root… a shoot appears Green and tender… uninvited In wounded soil… grace ignited A new song rising… through the tears (Chorus) Oh, Stream-Maker… cut a path right through my night Oh, Stream-Maker… from the ruin, bring the light Spring up, O well, within my wasteland I will see… and understand You’re making streams… in the wasteland A way… where there was no way Stream-Maker… have Your say (Bridge) And I perceive it now— The Truth… that breaks the chain Not erasing scars… But healing every name The curse… is interrupted here By Living… Water’s flow And in the place… of death itself… A resurrection… grows Perceive it… see it sprout… The old is finished… the new… is out! (Final Chorus) Oh, Stream-Maker… You cut a path right through my night! Oh, Stream-Maker… From the ruin, You brought the light! You sprang up, O Well, within my wasteland! Now I see… and I understand! You made the stream… in the wasteland The Way… where there was no way… Stream-Maker… You have… had Your say… (Outro) (Soft, swaying) Behold… I make… all things new… Behold… I make… all things… The stream… is here… The way… is here… Perceive… it…

    5 min
  6. Moodscope and the Metahedron_podcast

    12/16/2025

    Moodscope and the Metahedron_podcast

    Ever feel your well-being is more complex than a simple pyramid (like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)? Imagine it instead as a “Metahedron”—a four-faced tetrahedral shape where each face is an equilateral triangle that represents a core human need. Unlike a hierarchy, all faces are equally vital and interconnected. When one is strained, the whole structure feels wobbly. This Monday, let's use this simple model for a gentle self-scan and well-being check-in. The imagery comes from the model of the Tetrahedron as taught to me by TetraMapÒ (see.tetramap.com) – a favourite of Buckminster Fuller. The Four Faces and Your Reflective Neuro Nudges: 1. Our Foundation (Security & Well-being): this is our base: physical health, practical safety, financial stability, and emotional reserves. It’s the "hygiene factor" that grounds everything else. - Our Neuro Nudge: Does your foundation feel solid and resourced, or fragile and depleted right now? If fragile or depleted, what simple first step could you take today? 2. Autonomy (Choice & Integrity): the need to steer our own lives, make aligned choices, and feel authentic in your actions. Being true to ourselves. - Our Neuro Nudge: Where do you feel in true charge of your day? Where do you feel constrained or off-course? What rebalancing of power is under your control? 3. Competence and Contribution (Mastery & Purpose): The drive to use your skills effectively and to give something meaningful to the world around us. - Our Neuro Nudge: What has recently made you feel capable? Where have you felt your efforts matter? 4. Relatedness (Connection & Belonging): The need for genuine bonds, to feel seen, respected, valued, and connected to others… even to Nature. - Our Neuro Nudge: Which relationship or community feels nourishing? Where might you feel a bit isolated? What single step could you take to establish a new bond, or strengthen an existing one? We don't need to "fix" anything. Just notice. Is one face of our Tetrahedral Metahedron calling for a little more attention today or this week? By naming it, you begin to rebalance your whole structure. Have a mindful week.

    6 min

About

Metamorphosis Records is a record label spanning an eclectic set of genres from Progressive Rock through to Sleaze Rock (with an ethical edge), Viking Rock, all the way up to Christian Worship.