How did the band get started? Brian and I started the band a year and a half ago. We were both in bands before this one and knew that God still wanted us in ministry so we started a ska band. The rest of the members fell into place by God's awesome grace. We have had a few changes sincewe started but God has always provided.
What is your goal as a band? Our goal as a band is to glorify God in everything we do. Not only our music but our attitudes and lives. God is the reason we live and we want to praise Him for that and express that to everyone who sees us.
What style do you play? We are a "third-wave" ska band. Whatever that really means. We do a really punk song, rockabilly type song, and a swing type song too but we are mainly ska.
What is the music scene like in your area? The music scene is very good in our area (northern Illinois/ southern Wisconsin). There are a lot of cool local bands to play with including Chevelle (now on Squint Records) and Hangnail (played new band stage at Cornerstone last year). There are also a good amount of places to play if you look hard enough.
What bands influence your band? I don't know if I could pinpoint any one band. Brian is a big fan of metal. Brion likes a lot of pop. Doug is into contemporary stuff. I like punk and Marc is a hardcore kid. It is a wide diversity. Brad is too new to add any influence yet (but he will soon).
What kind of a ministry does the band have? We are a very ministry oriented band. At every show Brian gives his testimony (which is incredible) and I say something about God's redemptive plan. We firmly believe in not only praising God through our music but sharing him through our speaking. We also love to talk to people after we play.
If you had the choice, which band would you tour with? It would be between two bands I think. Five Iron Frenzy is one of our fave ska bands and doing a tour with them would be awesome. POD would also be awesome to tour with. We played a show with them and they are great (the presence of God was so powerful). They are so godly and it would be great to do a tour with them.
Any interesting concert experiances or funny/weird stories? The thing that sticks out most is the shows at the local coffee house by us. We play there a lot and nearly every show there are problems with communication or sound stuff. It has taught us a lot about being a band and rolling with the punches.
What's the wackiest thing you've ever done in concert? One of the wackiest things we did was when our guitarist dressed up like a frog. Throughout the show he would play this short egyption like song and we would all dance kind of like egyptions. We called it the froggy harem dance.
What would you say the best part of the show is? The best part of the show besides dancing and praising God is listening to Brian. Brian is so gifted when it comes to speaking. His testimony is very powerful and he is very real and open when he speaks. It is an awesome thing to hear.
Do you ever play cover songs? The first show we ever did was a graduation party and we did 18 songs. Only three were our own. We did all covers and it was awful. Now we do our own faster ska version of Amy Grant's "It Takes A Little Time" and the Insyderz "Sacrifice" once in a while.
Best and worst things about being in a band? The best things are being able to serve God through something I love and growing closer to the guys in the band. It is awesome to see God work through all of them and their talents. They are great and I love being in a band with them.
Anything people should know about the band? The one thing we want people to really come away with is that God is the truth and the reason to live. They don't have to like us but it is vitally important to know that Jesus is the answer to eternity and a truly fulfilling life.
What 5 cds do you think everybody needs to hear? I will try to throw in stuff every one in the band would say: 1.Pedro the Lion "It's Hard To Find A Friend" 2.Strongarm "Atonement" 3.Michael Card "Joy in the Journey" (that's Doug) 4.Anything by Tourniquet (that's Brian) and 5.Craig's Brother "Homecoming"
Do you have any cds,demos, etc., out? We don't have anything out personally as far as demos or cds. We are on the Underground 101 compilation off of M&M Records. That is it right now. We would like to put a cd out on a record company but haven't found anything yet. It is all in God's hands.
How can people contact you for merch and stuff? They can go to our web page: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/4134 or they can email us at [email protected] There is more info on the web page.
Any final comments? The final thing we want to get across is that you can't fake out God. God knows who you really are. It isn't some silly game. It is life and a matter of eternity. God died to forgive you and all you have to do is follow Him. It is a small price to pay. Jesus is the only way to a fulfilling life and an eternity in heaven.