here are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to worship music; it’s usually sleepy, unoriginal and boring. Up until last year, I would be riding this bandwagon as well but then I heard The Glorious Unseen. There is something different here, heavenly even. Don’t take my word for it; listen to the likes of Underoath, August Burns Red, The Chariot and many more who are singing the praises of this accidental worship band from Tennessee. We recently had the chance to talk with vocalist Ben Crist about the origins of TGU, the pressures of playing worship and their new album The Hope That Lies in You.
You started out as a worship leader for a small group through your church. Now you’re one of the top worship bands loved by all sorts of musicians of different genres. Back then did you ever think that it would come to this?
Ben Crist: I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT THE WORSHIP STUFF I DO WOULD BE REALLY BIG – ‘CAUSE IT’S SO DIFFERENT THEN MOST MODERN WORSHIP STUFF. NOW, I DON’T NECESSARILY THINK IT’S “REALLY BIG” RIGHT NOW – BUT WE HAVE HAD SOME REASONABLE SUCCESS, AND I FEEL VERY BLESSED AND PRIVELEDGED TO GO AND DO ALL THE STUFF WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO. I GUESS IT JUST COMES DOWN TO DOING MUSIC I HONESTLY LOVE, AND I FEEL IT FILLS A GAP IN MUSIC / WORSHIP TODAY. THERE IS A NEED AND DESIRE AMONGST MANY PEOPLE FOR WORSHIP OF THIS STYLE, SO WE HAVE KINDA PLUGGED INTO THAT GAP.
I read in your bio that at first you weren’t too confident in your voice. How did you overcome this?
BC: WELL, I JUST KEPT SINGING EVERY WEEK. I ALWAYS KNEW THAT MY VOICE WASN’T THE BEST, BUT IT DID HAVE A VERY BROKEN FEEL TO IT, AND PEOPLE ALWAYS LIKED THAT – ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WAS USED FOR WORSHIP MUSIC… PEOPLE CONNECT TO THAT BROKENNESS. SO, THOUGH MY VOICE MAYBE WOULDN’T HAVE TRANSLATED IMMEDIATELY INTO OTHER STYLES OF MUSIC – IT WAS PERFECT FOR THAT WORSHIP STYLE. AND I SAW PEOPLE EVERY WEEK BEING DEEPLY AFFECTED BY IT, SO IT GAVE ME CONFIDENCE TO KEEP DOING IT.
You have bands like Underoath, The Chariot, August Burns Red and others singing the praises of your worship. How does that feel?
BC: FEELS GREAT – CAUSE I WILL SING THEIR PRAISES (LAUGHS)!! I’VE LISTENED TO THOSE BANDS FOR YEARS, AND BECOME FRIENDS WITH ALL OF THEM OVER THE YEARS. HONESTLY, THOSE ARE THE BANDS I’M LISTENING TO ON A DAILY BASIS… THEY INSPIRE ME. SO IT’S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT INSPIRES THEM AS WELL!!
How did the rest of the guys come to be in the band? Are you still the primary songwriter?
BC: THE REST OF THE GUYS JUST KINDA NATURALLY BECAME A PART OF THE BAND AS THEY CAME TO OUR CHURCH AND BEGAN PLAYING IN THE WORSHIP TEAM. FOR THIS NEW RECORD, WE ALL WROTE THE SONGS TOGETHER. I, OF COURSE, WROTE ALL THE LYRICS, BUT THOSE GUYS MADE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO WRITING THE MUSIC! THE GLORIOUS UNSEEN BAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN MOSTLY BASED OUT OF PEOPLE THAT PLAY WORSHIP AT OUR HOME CHURCH “THE ANCHOR FELLOWSHIP” IN NASHVILLE, TN.
The Hope That Lies In You seems to be a heavier release with a clearer focus. Can you tell us about influences that went into writing this record?
BC: WE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE SONGWRITING… I THINK THE MUSIC IN GENERAL COMES FROM US HAVING INFLUENCES OF MANY AMBIENT BANDS – SUCH AS SIGUR ROS, APPLESEED CAST, GET UP KIDS, COPELAND – LOTS OF STUFF IN THAT STYLE. LYRICALLY, HONESTLY I THINK I’M PULLING MUCH OF MY INFLUENCE FROM THE LYRICS OF MANY CHRISTIAN HARDCORE BANDS. WITH MY LYRICS, I’M JUST LOOKING TO WRITE DEEPLY HONEST THINGS – THAT WILL INSPIRE NOT ONLY ME, BUT ALSO THE LISTENER. THERE’S A GREAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY IN DOING WORSHIP STUFF – YOU WANT IT TO BE “CORPORATE” TO SOME DEGREE… WE WANT EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN WORSHIP WITH US… SO LYRICALLY, I’M KEEPING IN MIND SOMETIMES WHAT WILL BE GREAT TO SING TOGETHER WITH EVERYONE.
It seems like a lot of worship music can come off as generic or sleepy. How do you keep The Glorious Unseen fresh and original?
BC: WELL, THE THING IS – I’M NOT EXACTLY TRYING TO WRITE WORSHIP SONGS… I MEAN, THEY ARE WORSHIP SONGS – ‘CAUSE WE CAN ALL SING THEM TOGETHER AND SING THEM DIRECTLY TO GOD. BUT I THINK A LOT OF WORSHIP STUFF COMES OFF AS REPETITIOUS AND REGURGITATED. I THINK IT’S BECAUSE OF THE STYLE OF THE MUSIC AND THE HONESTY IN THE LYRICS THAT SETS OURS APART TO SOME DEGREE.
Do you feel a pressure when writing a worship record knowing that it’s a way for people to connect with God on such a deep level?
BC: I DID FEEL PRESSURE BEFORE WE REALLY STARTED INTO IT. I THINK I WAS PUTTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON MYSELF TO WRITE CORPORATE SONGS. THEN, I JUST THREW OUT ALL THOSE IDEAS OF WRITING CORPORATE STUFF AND JUST WROTE WHAT WAS ON MY HEART – AND ALL THE PRESSURE WENT AWAY.
