mpomusic: Arthur, you
play in Living Sacrifice for a few years now. The new album The Hammering Process is your
first record with the band. But Living Sacrifice existed for many years before you joined.
Do you remember the first time you heard the band's music and what did you think? And how
did you get involved with the band through the years?
Well, the first time I saw the guys was
like six years ago. I wasn't exactly a Christian yet but I heard of Living Sacrifice. I
think the first impression of them was Inhabit. I wasn't too into death metal or thrash
metal at the time. I was into a more underground scene of just chaos metal, power metal,
and just eclectic type music. I wasn't too impressed with the Inhabit album to tell you
the truth , although I know a lot of people love that album. I would have to say that the
music is phenomenal but the vocals sort of crunched it for me. Anyhow, I did happen to get
a hold of a demo to Reborn. I thought DANG! They played at our little underground club in
Fort Smith. I was totally blown away. Eso-Charis had not even started playing yet. We were
just practicing for like a year. Well, we knew we wanted to play with Living Sacrifice. So
we were able to get to open for them but they showed up later and didn't get to see us.
But we had the chance to play with them again not too long after. Well, they only caught
the last song. Bruce said he was into our stuff. I think it's history from there. He sent
us to the studio to record and we have just had a relationship since then. I didn't want
to forget to tell you I came to know the Lord on a personal level like very shortly after
that Sacrifice show
mpomusic: You weren't exactly a Christian
when you first got to know Living Sacrifice. How come? And how did you arrive at this
point spiritually?
Winny28: Well, God was working on me I
know. I assume you are talking about when I first saw them in concert before I started
playing with them. I just heard they were a really good metal band and I sort of made fun
of them in my head, but little did I know the power I would experience that night. Man!
Well, I was in the middle of praise and worship at this church and I felt something so
surreal come over me. Just like when you feel like a dream. Well I heard God in my heart
telling me it was time to put my faith in Him so he could use me. It was a weird day.
There wasn't any preacher. I just gave my life to him right there.
Generic33: I've heard rumors about a
track that got left off The Hammering Process. Is there any such truth to these rumors? If
so, what is the title and will LS fans be able to get a hold of it anytime soon?
Winny28: Yeah, man we called that song
Sweetness. It was just a nickname because IT GOT STINKIN LOST. We have been talking about
putting it on the new album but we're not sure right now. It may just be a sampler song
which would be very sad because it stinkin' kicks butt.
Hayden: I was also wondering what the
lyrics mean in Local Vengeance Killing
Winny28: Local Vengeance Killing was
taken from a National Geographic show. Lance saw how tribes in rural areas of third world
countries would go out and kill each other. One tribe would go to another tribe and kill
one of the people in a particular tribe; well that tribe would turn around and go to the
tribe of the person who killed and kill one from that tribe bring him back and eat him. We
as Christians do the same thing to each other in a similar way. Basically we were saying
it is wrong .
Liz: Which song do you like best on The
Hammering Process? Or do you have several and could you possibly tell us a story connected
to one of them?
Winny28: Liz, I would have to say that
Hand Of The Dead is my favorite song on the album. One reason is that I wrote the lyrics
to that song and they mean a lot to me. They are personal. I love the energy of the song
also. The song is about how there are people in this world who have had a beautiful
relationship with Jesus and then they start compromising their beliefs just a little; not
too much to hurt so they think. Then they just start snowballing with their compromises to
the point where Jesus gets lost in the picture and they throw off their belief onto others
and it just becomes a chain reaction. Sort of the whole blind leading the blind type of
thing. That's about it
ToddPope: Though I like the new material,
I feel it's too similar to Sepultura's Chaos A.D. album sound wise (I actually had to fish
my Sepultura album out of my vault to compare the two)...What were you guys listening to
when you were writing the album?
Winny28: We for sure weren't listening to
Sepultura. I think it's just the union of the new guys that sort of brought the sound. We
like grooves and we like it heavy. We just didn't want to write another Inhabit or Reborn
album. We want to grow and musically explore while keeping that heaviness. Now that I
remember I think I was listening to Bobby Brown and Weird Al. They really influenced a lot
of the grooves. Haha.
NicholasHipa: What kind of music are you
guys listening to these days?
Winny28: I am listening to Extol, U2,
Radiohead, In Flames, Project 86, Further Seems Forever.
Eirik: Do you think it's okay for
Christians to listen to "evil" bands like Slayer, Cannibal Corpse, Dimmu Borgir
etc.?
Winny28: I'll be honest. I don't
personally listen to the bands you mentioned. I listen to more positive type message
bands; not necessarily Christian. For instance I do listen to In Flames, Fear Factory and
Machine but not as much as I listen to U2 or Extol. I know those bands can be inspiring
music wise but the lyrics are to harsh for me. Like I definitely do not listen to that
type of stuff in my house because of respect for my wife and my son. They shouldn't be
subject to that kind of negativity. It is a form of evil like you were saying. I would
definitely tour with those guys and I do have respect for them as musicians. I guess that
is all the input I have. That's always a good question.
Staypuff54: My question to you is do you
play secular venues often and if so how are you received by the crowds in these venues as
compared to the crowds at more Christian venues? Also, what response do you get to the
obviously Christian message of Living Sacrifice's music at the secular venues?
Winny28: Yeah, we play general market
type venues a lot actually and we usually annihilate them with the metal. No, really, they
love us. Sometimes it can be weird but for the most part we have a lot of fans outside of
the Christian market. Sometimes we don't really get a response from anyone at those kinds
of shows and then there are times when there will be some people that get to know Jesus
and give their life to Him because if you don't he will annihilate you too. Haha.
Staypuff54: Do you prefer playing in more
Christian environments or in secular venues and why?
Winny28: Well, I'll tell ya man, as much
as I love my brothers and sisters in Christ, I love playing the general market type crowds
way more because I love to introduce our music and my life , and just show love to those
who don't really have hope.
Jannuz: What kinda gear do you guys use?
Winny28: I use: ampeg svt 3 pro. head,
ampeg 8x10 cabinet, Boss overdrive pedal and Boss flanger pedal, and I prefer playing
Warwick but for the meantime I play a Fender bass. Rocky uses : a 5150 Peavey head, Crate
cabinet, and BC Rich guitars
Bruce uses: Mesa heads, Mesa cabinet, and plays a Charvell and an ESP guitars. Lance has a
Tama and a Pearl kit. Matt uses: tire rims, water bottles, rocks, spoons, crayons,
dinosaurs, and just pretty much whatever you can hit with a stick. And he plays pearl
stuff too.
ToddPope: Though I certainly view you
guys a pioneers in the Christian metal scene..how has all of the popularity affected you
personally? Did you experience any real obvious ups and downs, spiritual staleness?
Winny28: Popularity; hmmm... Well, at
first I felt like I had some shoes to feel, but I think I have got my own thing goin' now.
As for ups and downs; the only draw backs are, that I have to be away from my wife and kid
for a long period of time, the eating habit on the road isn't the greatest at times, and
it can get hard to read God's word sometimes. I love playing music. I love hanging out
with our friends and fans. I love to see the country. I love hanging out with the guys in
the band; that's humbling. I just love doing what God put me here to do. Those are the
ups.
Daphne_K: Arthur, maybe you can just tell
something interesting what we all should know. Use your imagination....
Winny28: Well I like the country because
it is quite. I like to listen to jazz and easy listening. Stuff like: Ella Fitzgerald,
Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, etc... There you go! Hope you like it.
Lord_Rogoth: There's a thing I was
wondering about. There's a record company that's working on a Living Sacrifice tribute
album. On that compilation there will be bands from all over the world, playing Living
Sacrifice songs. What do you think of the tribute? And have you heard material from it?
Winny28: Yeah man, I have heard songs
from some of the bands. There are some respectable bands on the tribute. I'm totally into
it. All the people involved in the making of the tribute are totally rad people and I know
most of them. If you want to check out the site you can go to http://www.lstribute.com
Solarfox: I saw you guys have played a
few shows with Nile and I was wondering what your impression of them was and if there is a
possibility of playing any more shows with them (I wanted to know because I think they
rawk)
Winny28: Nile are good musicians and a
very good metal band. We would love to play with them again.
Solarfox: Are P.O.D. and Project 86 going
to keep helping you out so you'll be able to play on larger tours and what not?
Winny28: As for playing larger shows;
really, we could play larger shows without those guys. Don't get me wrong; we love P.O.D.
and Project 86 and we have toured with them. Mainly we are just all really good friends.
We love to play with them and anytime they ask we say yes. We have plans for big tours
this year and it will be without those those guys. It did help to tour with P.O.D on the
Kings Of The Game tour. I really hope we get a chance to hang with them again.
NicholasHipa: I live in the DFW area and
have had the privilege of seeing you guys a couple times recently. Being that you guys
tour like nobodies business, how much time do you guys get to spend with your families? Do
your wives go on tour with you guys too?
Winny28: Yeah man, we get to spend as
much time with our families as we are out on the road. Our wives go like once in a blue
moon with us. We send them wax figures of us so it looks like we are home and they like
it.
DBGOTD: Hey man, what was your favorite
concert you've ever done? And what do you feel was the worst concert you've ever done?
Winny28: My favorite was a show with did
in Oregon with P.O.D. . Worst was my very first show ever with the guys.
mpomusic: As there are quite some
questions about live shows, I started wondering if you have ever thought of recording a
live album? I think people would love that, right?
Winny28: Yeah, we have talked about doing
a live album, but it will be a while for that. Right now we are concentrating on the new
album and the new video we have coming out.
Generic33: I also heard about some kind
of 'tour video' that is being made. Will these be available on the Project 86/Stavesacre
tour? What will the video feature?
Winny28: The video you speak of is a
video of live footage of various shows and live footage of us on the road. What we deal
with; stuff like that. It's coming out within a month so be on the look out for it! |