you a deeper look behind your motivations, a philosophical, but it’s true, when you use your what Christian music means, so it’s not from a
deeper look at how you’ve needed Him every talent whether you’re a talented plumber, a religious perspective, but I do think that Skillet’s
day to help you walk in the spirit, or else you’re talented teacher, a talented musician, an artist music feels inspirational, it feels supernatural
just going to walk in the flesh. like me, then you use your talents that God or spiritual. That’s how I hear people from
gave you in order to glorify Him. I think that’s outside the Christian music world describe
That’s what the song “Save Me” was about, a really wonderful philosophical act that shows our music. People tell me, “Your music just
that openness with God. And about how it’s not worship, because without God giving you the feels like church to me”. What I think that they
easy to be open with Him, it hurts, but there gift, then you could never be that plumber. mean is that there’s an anointing of the Holy
is joy in it because that’s what intimacy is, you Without God giving me that gift I could not be Spirit on the music that they connect with in
can’t have intimacy without pain. this bass player. The fact that I am then using their soul. They really don’t understand what
that talent to glorify Him is such a beautiful, it is, and it just makes them feel good. I think
[WM] What role does worship play in your reciprocal, never ending circle of God blessing that’s really cool. There is something about that
personal life and in the life of your family, and you and you blessing God with your talent. kind of beautiful romance in Skillet’s music, and
do you see Skillet as an act of worship? And then God blesses you further. That’s mind I believe with the anointing of the Holy Spirit,
boggling to me, but I think that’s really cool. when we go to Russia people are just so drawn
[John] Some people mean different things
to the music and they cry when they meet us.
when they say worship of course, but on a [WM] What has it been like to tour Russia and It’s really strange, God has done an amazing
practical level, what I would call a practical Ukraine? These are unbelievable opportunities thing there.
act of worship, that is very important to me. for Skillet, not granted to any American band I have two kids, and ever since my kids were until 1977, when The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band We just went again this year, my 9th Russian
born, we would have family worship time. Even was allowed to visit and perform in the former tour, and someone came to an autograph line
if we were in church on Sunday, or we’re at Soviet Union. Tell us about Skillet in Russia and and she said, “I started listening to Skillet when
home on Monday or on the road on Monday, Ukraine. I was seven years old, and five years after that I
we would do that with our kids, every day, to
heard you, John, do an interview, and you said
teach them the discipline of worship and the [John] I don’t know how this happened, that you wanted people to know that God loves
importance of it. I used to always pray, “God, I but Skillet is really big in Russia, we’re bigger them. I didn’t know that God loves me, so I
want my kids to experience you and worship,” in Russia than we are in America and I don’t started reading a Bible.” She bought a Bible and
because when those times come where they know why. Something about our music started reading it, she said, “Jesus became my
began to be challenged with if God is really connected. The fans don’t really understand hero in the first year, and then the second year
real, if they have doubts in their lives, they after I was reading my Bible, He became my
will always have that experience with God to Savior. I became a follower of Jesus because
anchor them. It’s not that my Dad made me of your music.” And I meet people like that in
worship, it’s that I remember worshiping and I Russia, I’ve just got bizarre stories that only
felt the presence of God and I knew in my heart God can do, so God has opened up a door
of hearts that He was real. My kids have always there and we just said alright, let’s do it.
had that experience with God, and I think it just
anchored them ever since they were babies
[WM] What is your preferred bass and amp to
really. So that is very important to me, and we
worship together on the road still from time to
use on stage? Any special pedals?
Skillet in Russia
time. They are teenagers now.
[John] I just started using a new bass, I just
started using an Ernie Ball Music Man about
Then a deeper look into that question of six months ago. It’s always been my favorite
course would be, as the Bible says a spiritual sounding bass, but I never really had one for
act of worship, you are presenting your body live, and I began using it, and I’ve got to say
as a living sacrifice. I would see that more as I really love it. I’m using a Stingray and it has
what Skillet is. Skillet is not what I would call a two pickups which I like, because part of why I
worship band. But when we use our talents for didn’t like playing it live before is that the typical
God, I’m getting a little bit metaphysical here,
26
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in Russia
September 2019
Music Man only had one big bar and I never
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