really had a place to put my thumb. I play a five
and emotional and supernatural.
whatever you do, it just needs to be authentic.
string. So, I very much like the Stingray, and I’ve
got a nice thumb rest there.
I know people who have not really desired to
[WM] What would you like to say to aspiring write worship songs, but they felt that they
songwriters and church musicians? had to, so they did, and in the end it didn’t go
I use a Mesa Boogie distortion pedal, the well. I’ve known some people that love writing
Flux Drive. All of the Mesa distortion boxes worship songs, but they really just want to be
are really good. I like the Flux Drive because in a rock band, and it doesn’t go well. So, I just
it gives a little high-end distortion on my bass
that works really good for rock music. And that
was inspired by two bass players, one would
be Doug Pinnick from Kings X. He is one of
my favorites. And even though Chris Squire I
don’t think was using a distortion pedals, the
Rickenbacker with that tick almost sounds
like a natural distortion coming out, and I just
always like that percussiveness.
[WM] I see that Z2 Comics is publishing a
Skillet comic book entitled, Eden: A Skillet
Graphic Novel. Tell us about this endeavor and
the band’s hopes for the publication. What are
some of the themes or premises of Eden?
[John] I’m so excited about this graphic
novel, it is really, really good. I’ve always wanted
to make a graphic novel, and Skillet always
seemed like a good band to do It because of
the theatre of our music, it’s very theatrical.
The book is really cool. It’s science fiction, a
little post-apocalyptic dystopian, and the major
premise is that we’re living in a dying world and
we are trying to find a way to get to paradise.
There are groups of people who are having
dreams of a door leading to paradise, basically,
and we are in search of the door. There are a
lot of other antagonists in the book, so there’s a
lot of action in it, but it is kind of science fiction
say to be yourself, write what’s on your heart.
“If there is
I would say to anyone who is aspiring
anything
specifically to write songs for the church, my
that we don’t
need, it’s more
worship leaders
that want to be
rock stars. Know
inspiration would be to know your calling. If
there is anything that we don’t need, it’s more
worship leaders that want to be rock stars.
It’s just so pathetic. We play with bands, and
the worship bands that are playing before us
act more like divas than we do. I’m thinking,
“You think you’re a rock star and you’re not, I
am a rock star and I don’t think I am”. I just go
and do my thing, and these people are so into
themselves. Just know your calling, know who
you are, and if you’re called to be a gift to the
your calling,
church, then be a gift to the church.
know who
[WM] And for my last question, I always like
you are, and if
you’re called
to be a gift to
the church then
be a gift to the
church.”
to ask the following: If you owned a food truck,
what would you serve and where would you
park it?
[John] Tacos for sure, but here is the
difference. My tacos would have cheese dip
on them, that’s the difference. Hot cheese
dip poured on top. And where would I park
my truck? Probably across the street from a
college (laughs).
[WM] Thank you John for your time and
and there are spiritual undertones. It’s very
contribution to the Body of Christ.
much like Skillet’s music, it’s a very inspiring
book, and not overtly religious, but people who
have a religious background would draw real
obvious comparisons to the Bible, and even [John] What I usually say to songwriters
from the theme of Eden. We’re trying to find is just to write what you believe, write what’s
paradise, which is kind of like trying to start all on your heart, and be authentic. I think that’s
over again with God’s original intention and how how the best art is made. And I know that
He created Eden. It’s about sin and that sort not every Christian wants to be a “Christian”
of thing, so there’s very obvious connotations musician or a worship leader, they might want
there, but it’s a very inspiring book. It’s exciting to do something different. For me, I think with
September 2019
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