hen you chat with Bryce Avary you can’t help but smile. The self proclaimed “mad scientist” behind The Rocket Summer has been bringing grins to the faces of millions since his debut record Calendar Days back in 2003 when he was just a fresh faced highschooler. Now, seven years later, Avary is prepared to release the long awaited followup to his breakthrough album Do You Feel. The new album, entitled Of Men and Angels, has spent about a year in the can while Avary has toiled away anxiously anticipating a smooth release while working on (Yeah! Already!) new material. When you speak to Avary, his laugh is contagious and his candor is soothing. You get the impression that he is still that teenage kid at heart, writing love songs and life songs in his bedroom. It’s been quite the journey to grow up along with this guy and see the different trials and tribulations he has endured while providing us with the beautiful remains. But we are all the better for being a part of his inspiration and we are eternally grateful to him for documenting every second.

Hey Bryce, where are you today?

Bryce Avary: I’m in my house. I haven’t even stepped outside my house today. It’s been one of those days of having to approve 500 different things. It’s good though, it’s good stress.

It’s been a considerable amount of time since the release of Do You Feel. What has the last two and a half years looked like for The Rocket Summer?

BA: Well obviously when Do You Feel came out we toured pretty heavily on that until the end of 2008. During the fall of ’08 I wrote the majority of the album

that is coming out now. It’s kind of crazy.  I’ve definitely never had such a huge amount of time of sort of waiting for an album to come out. The only thing that really matters is that it is coming out. It’s been done almost an entire year which is pretty wild. But I am stoked that it’s coming out and the good part of that too is that it probably won’t look like that on the next album. A new album will hopefully be coming a lot sooner after this one. Lets just say it wasn’t up to me and…that’s all I’m going to say at this time (laughs).

Since you’ve been in this scene for so long, and having three full-lengths under your belt, how do you keep it fresh and new when starting to write a new album?

BA: Writing is just something that is a huge part of who I am and it’s crazy as time has gone on especially in the last year, I’ve been in this place where I’ve been writing a lot more frequently than I ever have. It’s come more naturally whereas in the past you have seasons of writing, at least that’s kind of what I did.  I would write a record then tour and it’s difficult to write when driving in the van everyday and trying to make load in, you know? I don’t know what happened but I guess I’m in a more fruitful state. As far as keeping it fresh, I’m just constantly inspired by other people’s music and I’m constantly inspired by what music does to people and what I’ve seen this music do to people. You’re always just kind of trying to top that while doing it for yourself as well.

The title, Of Men and Angels, is very powerful. What was going on in your life while writing this record that contributed to its themes and messages?

BA: I’m trying to think how I could answer that (laughs). There were just some struggles, a lot of which were personal and no one knows about and a lot of which had to do with business, meaning getting this album out and stuff like that. So its kind of a season of harder times but through that I kind of thought of that cover as something that would be really iconic, at least to me for the state I was in for awhile. Not that I was in some terrible state or anything but it gets to be where you feel like every corner you turn there is some opposition. I kind of felt like it only existed because I was doing something really good actually. Not to get weird on you, but I believe that when you’re faced with that opposition that doesn’t make any sense, its because you’re doing something that’s kind of a bigger deal in the bigger picture that is trying to be stopped in some way. So I kind of feel like that really sums up everything.

Does the sound of this new album reflect this dark vs. light contrast?

BA: There are definitely moments on the album that are darker but a lot of it was written before there were moments like that. Some of the songs happened during but I would definitely say that’s true. It might be easier to explain when the album is out but there is a song I wrote called “Nothing Matters” on this one day where I got some not so great news and I wrote a song that day and recorded the entire thing the next day and that’s the version that is on the album. It’s not like that always, like I write a song and 24 hours later its fully produced (laughs). There are songs on the album just kind of about me being stressed out. One day, I walked out of the studio and there was literally a man outside crying, didn’t have a jacket, a homeless guy and we started talking. It was kind of a big moment that made me reflect on things and just on what really mattered. Nothing really does matter than what we offer. Even the darkest moments on the record are laced with this strong desire for hope, you know?

Can you explain a bit about your choice for the cover art?

BA: I was really into Banksy to be honest and I didn’t want to completely rip him off but I love his stuff. I kind of wanted to have some kind of mural painted on a wall. We tried to stay away from stencil so it didn’t look too much like him. I wanted to have this painting of this angel blocking this force but on the other side of this wall is this dude that is kind of focusing on the problems of life while on the other side this thing is happening. I’ve been explaining it to everyone and they’re like “Okay?” (laughs). But when it was finally finished I was like “See it works”. I know that sometimes people want me on the record, not fans but like the powers that be kind of people (laughs). So I thought that was a good way to somehow get me on there in a being mindful of art kind of way.

You did some new things in the studio this time that might make for a more raw sound, what were some of those elements and what were you aiming for by doing this?

BA: I think I went into this feeling, not burned out from working on Do You Feel, I loved that record and working with Jim on it, who co-produced it with me but I didn’t want to spend six weeks punching guitar parts ever again in my life (laughs). I went into that record knowing that’s what I’m going to do, like it was my big major label shot. How can I really make a great record that still has that sound, that still has depth and still has emotion and I thought that’s what Do You Feel was. But for this record I wanted it to be a little more organic, if anything for my time in the studio…finishing four or five things in one day rather than tuning every few seconds. But when you hear it though, it still sounds pretty darn big. You wouldn’t really think it was done in less of that kind of manner. It still sounds like a big expensive record (laughs).

One thing I think that a lot of people respect about TRS is that you’ve always done what you wanted without necessarily aiming for current trends. You’ve always gone your own way and it’s paid off. Do you ever feel that pull or temptation to just go with the crowd?

BA: Not the temptation (laughs). I definitely feel the need to do that at points, to just have (the opportunity) to have a record come out on a major label but not really, to be honest. I’ve generally just believed in what I was doing and been very fortunate to have the people that release my records feel the exact same way. I’ve never really had people saying “You can’t do this or that” but I was aware of what I signed up for. I know what they want, they want big hits. I just try my hardest to have songs that will connect with the world but would in no way compromise my art. And if the songs aren’t big hits they’re still really great songs and I don’t feel awkward saying “That song is cheesy, trying to be a hit song”. I play the game a little bit but I just want to make great music and inevitably I’d love to have songs that are really big songs to be totally honest. Integrity is kind of a big deal for me especially since I’ve been doing it for so long so I’d rather not do that because it goes against like everything I’ve ever done. I don’t want someone else to come in and give me a song and I sing it and I finally have a hit (laughs).

Yeah, and I think the kids can tell when someone is writing for the radio.

BA: Yeah, I just try to write the best songs I can. I have that in the back of my head but I don’t let it consume me.

And what about how you choose to record everything yourself? Do you feel like that is an important ingredient to TRS?

BA: I think it’s sort of become that way but it wasn’t really on purpose so much. I put out my first little EP when I was in high school and I just didn’t have a band. I was a drummer and a guitar player; I didn’t even play the piano. I learned that right before Calendar Days and when I say learned I mean I learned how to play a couple songs I was writing, (laughs) I’m still learning that instrument. Then I didn’t have a band for that record because I wasn’t really playing shows so I did that myself. I had some friends come on tour with me but they didn’t want to make that their whole lives. That was kind of their outlook, like “Why not tour America then go to college”. So that kind of happened twice and then it was just all of the sudden I was making records all the time that way and its what I know. It’s just the only way I’ve ever operated. One of the guys, who I’ve been playing with for awhile, Seth, actually played on the new record just because I wanted to include him. But I’m a bit of a mad scientist when it comes to the studio (laughs).

Do you ever see yourself doing something more collaborative?

BA: Yeah I think so. It just really depends. I had a guy play strings on the record, I don’t play strings. Its one of those things I can’t help but think if its not broken don’t try and fix it. There are people I really love and look up to who I’d love to have on a record. There are some drummers and some bassists I really love but I haven’t really been in a place to explore that. It’s generally a bit of a rushed thing so you kind of go in and nail it and get out.

What does music mean to you and your life?

BA: It’s a huge part of my life. There are albums that helped me realize things about myself, challenged me, brought me excitement, opened doors to angst and joy. I think it’s a huge thing and I feel so fortunate that I get to do it. I think about it every day and praise God for it every day. I’m just so blessed to be able to do it. It can be hard when you encounter things and that its your actual job but I still get to play music and I still get to go out on the road and see what it means to me and what it means to others. I just sort of see that as God working through this music. I’m just fortunate to get to be one of the guys singing it. I’m just glad to be a part of it.

It’s no secret that your faith plays an intricate part in your life and music and you explain well why you choose not to move toward the “Christian scene”. Talk to us about your reasoning behind this.

BA: It’s just my whole life, for whatever reason, well, my whole Rocket Summer life, I just didn’t feel led to do that but I’ve felt very much that He is the biggest thing in my entire life. I’m constantly talking to God and constantly diligently seeking Him. It’s a huge part of my music and this record is definitely the most spiritually charged record I’ve ever made. I’ve avoided that because maybe that would have been an easier road but I just felt like that wasn’t what I was supposed to do. I felt like I should be in the world playing music, I feel like that’s all what we’re supposed to do. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, with exclusively Christian artists, but that isn’t me. I’d rather be playing some punk rock club NOT making a lot of money. In terms of it being some kind of “my life as a ministry”, I’d rather be doing it with people who might need to hear it.

Do you ever feel criticized for this?

BA: Not really. To be completely honest, I don’t know why we haven’t really been embraced by a lot of Christian scenes. I’m not sure festivals like Cornerstone even know who we are (laughs), we’d love to play that festival though. I don’t really see how one can be criticized for that, for doing what the Bible legitimately says you should do. I don’t really ever hear about it, I don’t really go and look and see what people are saying about me online. I’ve done it a few times and it stresses me out (laughs). I’d kind of like to avoid knowing how much people love or hate what I’m doing. Of course I’d like it if I knew that they loved what I was doing (laughs). I guess that’s something that people would have to tell me. Have you heard any of that stuff?

I honestly haven’t. When I first started to get into your stuff I figured you would, sadly, face some of that.

BA: I think some come out of that Christian music scene and have branched out have seen that. I’ve heard some of those stories from those people but we just never even bothered with it. If there are people like that that are criticizing, which it sounds like there are from my experience with other bands, then we’d rather not be a part of it.

Yeah, we have faced that a little as far as hardcore music goes. We kind of get the vibe of “Despite the music, how hardcore can you be if you’re talking about Jesus?”

BA: Yeah, that’s weird. It really seems like that’s changing. That’s the kind of stuff I feel like I would have heard 20 years ago when I was a kid. Like Petra, I was thinking about Petra the other night and I looked up on Wikipedia about how they were criticized for being in a rock band (laughs). But nobody is a perfect example. There are people who have their traditions and feel that others are wrong. That’s why we have Jesus.

Last month you played a short set at To Write Love On Her Arm’s Heavy and Light in Florida. Can you talk to us a bit about that experience?

BA: Yeah it was really fun. It was a good to be a part of what they’re doing. I was kind of a part of their original story. I met Renee when Jamie was taking her to shows and stuff; we were one of the shows they took her to. So its cool to see how everything has panned out for them. As for the night itself, it was fun to play acoustic; I haven’t done that in ages, its just fun to have those intimate moments like that.

It was definitely cool to see all you guys up there at the end.

BA: Yeah it was fun. All that stuff was so thrown together last minute. I’m used to being a little more prepared. We all got together in a room before it went down and kind of said “Okay, how do you play this song?” We didn’t even run through it until we got out on stage and played it. You could probably hear a few squirrely notes in there, especially on the piano. But I enjoyed how spontaneous it was, being on stage with all those dudes.

We noticed a gap between February and June in your touring schedule. What’s the plan after the release of the new album?

BA: That is to be announced and to be figured out (laughs). We’ll definitely be touring. People need to know that the first time we’ll be touring on Of Men and Angels is not on Warped Tour although that’s what it looks like right now (laughs).

This is a personal question from me but my favorite song is “Goodbye Waves and Driveways”, so I was just hoping you could explain a little bit about that particular song.

BA: Wow, dusty record (laughs). I remember I wrote that song about a relationship and the sometimes frustrations that happen when you’re in love and you’re young, without going into too much personal detail which I know is what you wanted (laughs).

You’ve spent over a decade making music, what do you think the next decade will look like for Bryce Avary and The Rocket Summer?

BA: I think the possibilities are endless. I have so many ideas and couldn’t be more excited about them. I think this record will be a pivotal moment for us either way it goes. I have ideas for either way it goes (laughs). I’m just excited to keep doing it and I want to do it for as long as I can, as long as people are listening, as long as I’m supposed to be doing it. I definitely want to push myself much further. I want the next record to be ten times better than this one but I feel like this is the best record I’ve ever made.

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Mattie Montgomery | Speaking Up
Written By: Jameson Ketchum

rise! Wake up brothers and sisters! It is time for our generation to wake up and step into destiny!” This proclamation opens When the Sons Become Fathers, Mattie Montgomery’s newest, boldest project. This is a teaching album, I know, not something you’d think you’d throw on your stereo at the end of a hard day. Nonetheless, Montgomery’s conviction and passion for these various topics that he feels are crippling our generation today, shines through so brightly on these eight tracks. The For Today frontman is truly a leading voice in today’s hardcore music scene and we are fortunate enough to hear a bit more about what he believes are the toughest struggles facing us today as well as what we need to do to overcome them.

Can you explain a bit about this project you are releasing this month?

Mattie Montgomery: Simply put: This is a speaking album. My vision for this album is a big one, but I’ve come to find that God honors those who are bold enough to dream. It won’t be a music album, it is an album of short sermons--prophetic declarations, designed to bring freedom and awakening to our generation--each with some electronic, sort of atmospheric background music.

How and when did this idea come to you?

MM: Well, I feel like I’ve been given a very unique position of influence in the lives of a new generation of Christ-follower. Because of my involvement in a revolution in Christian evangelism and discipleship, as a part of For Today, I have the attention of thousands upon thousands of young adults, who are hungry to see Truth radically lived out in front of their eyes.  Because of the position I have been put in, I feel strongly that God is leading me to produce a more direct form of leadership and guidance for these people--one that could serve to fulfill two purposes. Firstly, it could challenge, encourage and strengthen the younger believers who are a part of ‘the scene’, to step up, stand out, and become the living manifestation of Christ on the earth in our time.  Secondly, putting out an album with more easily-accessible music, devoid of screaming, breakdowns, guitar solos, and everything else that defines the music of our genre,  would allow it to work it’s way into the homes of the more mainstream church, who may not even know about For Today --who may not even know this genre of music exists!  This would give them a picture of the incredible movement of God that is breaking loose in our subculture, and gain alignment, support and accountability, not only for For Today, but for every other ministry that is functioning within this secular underground metal/hardcore scene.

Can you give us an example of one of the tracks and maybe what lead you to choose that topic?

MM: One of the tracks, the one that I think is my favorite, is called “Joshua Generation” The Lord has been speaking to me a lot about our generation walking under the anointing (or, the commission/preparation) of Joshua.  Historically, after the Israelites had been freed from captivity and slavery in Egypt, they wandered in the desert for 40 years before entering into “The Promised Land”, or the land of Canaan, that God had promised to give them. Now, when it came time for them to enter in to their promised inheritance, Joshua was one of the leaders that rose up to lead the people in the siege against the land.

Now, for those that don’t know the story, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joshua and told him to instruct the people to walk around the city walls one time a day for 7 days, and then, on the 7th day, to walk around the city 7 times, then to blow horns.  And that, when they did that, the walls would simply fall down before them. They obeyed, and God came through, handing over their promised land in true, miraculous fashion.

I believe that God is awakening, in our generation, young people who will rise up, and declare “We have been wandering in the desert for far too long”. And who will lead our people into our destiny in God’s promise.  It’s a powerful message, but I believe that the spirits of our generation are wired to receive it.

Did you write the music for the tracks?

MM: No I didn’t, actually.  Josh Schroeder, the drummer for my old band, Besieged, and current owner/engineer at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, Michigan is, and has been for as long as I’ve known him, a really amazing electronic musician. So, as God began really laying this project on my heart, about 6 months ago, I got in touch with him to see if he would be willing to work with me on it. He blew me away with some of the stuff he wrote for the record, and I’m VERY excited for everyone to be able to hear it.

What do you think is the biggest problem facing the church/this generation today when it comes to faith?

MM: Fear.  I believe that fear of failure often cripples well-intentioned people.  There are so many believers that hear simply the things God has for us to do, without ever taking hold of the fact that God has equipped us to do them.  I also believe that an inherent fear of rejection has become a powerful and devastating force against the young people in our generation.  After having been rejected or abandoned by friends or family members, we are often hesitant to truly trust that God loves and and has good intentions for us.

That being said, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control.

What do you want people to walk away with after hearing these tracks?

MM: A fire!  We were made to be revolutionaries and visionaries, who can ignite a wild-fire that will sweep across our generation, bringing revelation of God’s true heart, and Christ’s true character.  It is my hope, my prayer and my vision, that these tracks will inspire young adults to step up into boldness and fearless as they pursue God, bringing about a cultural shift into faith, hope and love under the cross of Christ.

Where is this going to be available?

MM: It will be available in iTunes, Rhapsody, amazonMP3, and anywhere else that offers music downloads.  Also, I will have them available while on tour with For Today.

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Fair | Thanks For The Throwback
Written By: Jameson Ketchum

air isn't the kind of band you hear everyday, and I think we should all be thankful for that. Their new release, Disappearing World, inspired me to dust off a few records of my own and take a look back. Fair’s creator, Aaron Sprinkle, took a break from producing new albums from the likes of Ivoryline and Poema to answer a few of our questions on the new record and his life as an artists in more ways than one. Its just so refreshing to hear something like this again and with Aaron Sprinkle at the helm, you know the possibilities are endless.

This record seems to be a bit of a throwback in certain places. First, let me commend you for this. Second, who were some artists that you had in mind while writing this record?

Aaron Sprinkle: Thank you! We definitely pulled from some of our biggest influences. Bands like The Cure, The Smiths, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, etc.

Why did you choose the title Disappearing World?

AS: We felt that the song “Disappearing World” really summed up the musical and lyrical direction of the record. The song is about seeing the “world” that you’ve come to rely on for what it is, empty and temporal, and learning to rely on the eternal for your strength, identity and peace.

There is a cliché that says “A record is never finished, just abandoned” but you were quoted recently as saying that you don’t question a single moment on this record. What about the final product are you particularly fond of?

AS: I guess it really comes down to the fact that we were able to really listen, with the perspective of time, and go back and fix the things that weren’t quite right. There are a couple songs on the record that I had finished vocals on only to end up re-writing and re-recording the whole thing. There are less “I would have done that differently” moments than anything I’ve ever done.

Would you ever let someone else produce a Fair record or do you feel like having your own touch on your record gives it some of its charm?

AS: I would love to work with another producer someday. It would have to be the right situation. There are a ton of people I really look up to; I’m just not sure the opportunity will ever come up!

Honestly, this album just put a big smile on my face. It’s not something that you hear at every show or on every album out these days. So let me ask you a simple question, why do you make music?

AS: Thanks so much. There are a few reasons. Sometimes I feel like I have to or I’ll go crazy. Like I have stuff in me that needs to get out. The main reason though is to connect with people. I love that there’s a chance my music will make someone smile, feel a little less lonely or think about God in a different way. It’s really such a great blessing to have enough people interested to keep doing it.

Fair started out as just you. You haven’t really had a full band experience since you were in Poor Old Lu. Tell us about your decision to make Fair a full band and how it’s current members made the cut?

AS: Well I felt like I’d got the lone gunman thing out of my system and was ready to start a real collaboration again. I already had my best friends and favorite players in my back up band so it just made sense. They were all really excited about the idea and it just developed naturally from there.

I think it’s so interesting and refreshing to really connect with an album. Talk to us about what goes into making a record when it comes to ensuring that connection?

AS: In a word, honesty, honesty in the music and the lyrics. That was really important to all of us going in to this record. Nothing could be forced or filler.

Since you have a very successful career as a producer, do you feel less pressure to really “make it” with the band? Do you feel like the band is more for the love of creating and sharing?

AS: Definitely. Obviously, I want Fair to be successful enough to justify continuing to do it but there is a real freedom in the fact that none of us are trying to pay our bills doing it. This allows us to keep the focus on connection and creativity. Fortunately, we all love a good hook.

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plantingpeace.org | Creating Change
Written By: Jeremy Seick

here is an old saying, “Ignorance is bliss.” There is truth to that statement but only as long as you continue to live in ignorance, ignoring the death and devastation around you. I used to be a victim of this statement, doing whatever I could to shield myself from the problems and issues happening beyond my borders, or even my front door. That is until I stumbled across the Planting Peace website this Fall... and it wrecked my world, untying the blindfold and revealing statistics like: 30,000 people die everyday from starvation; 20,000 a day from water related issues; and 150,000,000 million children are living on the streets worldwide, to name only a few. I was shocked... and crushed in the light of my selfishness. The years that I have wasted, the money I have thrown away, the comfortable life that I have grown accustom to living. But guilt never solves anything, it only paralyzes us, making us further useless. So I turned regret into conviction and decided that I had to become part of the change.

How much you choose to give, or how you decide to act is up to you, but it is amazing the things that we use and consume everyday that can be cut back or even cut out of our lives with little to no affect on our quality of life yet will immensely impact the quality of life for someone that has nothing. I used to waste nearly a hundred dollars a month on things like soda, coffee, candy, etc. Things that would probably better me if I lived without them. Things that were keeping me from changing, even saving, lives. Even a little (like 2 cents, which is the cost of deworming one child) goes a long way.  Planting Peace makes helping very accessible. Your group of friends can sponsor an orphanage for the price of an average rent, or you can deworm over a thousand children for fifteen dollars. So I started to ask myself what I could sacrifice and go without, and then a new revelation hit me. It wasn’t that ignorance was truly ever bliss, rather just a mask hiding the true joy and fulfillment found in helping another human-being.

Planting Peace started because the hard work and determination of someone our age living in a homeless shelter for years in order to make the payments of his orphanages overseas. Through years of hard work and relentless determination, Aaron Jackson now has a thriving non-profit that is saving the lives of millions every year, and makes it easy for us to get involved. I got a chance last month to speak with Aaron on the phone about the mission of Planting Peace, what we can do to help and some tips on getting involved and staying involved in the crisis going on in Haiti (where he has dedicated the last half of a decade of his life to).      

Aaron, Thanks for taking the time to talk with me. Tell us a little about how Planting Peace got started?

Aaron Jackson: Planting Peace was started roughly six years ago. I was living in South Florida at the time working at a homeless shelter and as I was driving in one day. There was a broadcast on the radio about a famine going on in Haiti. Since I worked at the homeless shelter I had access to food for really cheap, one ton of food for $300. So it just kind of clicked in my head to buy some food for them from this local food bank. I was a little naïve but that was my simple idea and it wasn’t my own charity yet but my girlfriend and I at the time started sending out between 1,000 and 2,000 letters asking churches to sponsor one ton of food. Only one church out of Alabama sponsored two tons of food. I had a little over $600 I needed to do something with but then I found out in the middle of it that the government of Haiti wanted to charge me a big tax. I think it was like $20,000 to bring in 100 tons of food. So I was just kind of doing some research and I found a charity out there called Map International and they’re pretty well known. This charity gets medication donated to them and they sell it out at a discounted rate. So I purchased the medication and a good friend of mine who is a doctor flew down and we started treating people. After that I came back and quit the homeless shelter and started Planting Peace.

You started out deworming children in Haiti and Planting Peace just kind of branched out from there, correct?

AJ: Well our deworming kind of started a different way. We were building a school in the countryside and while we were out there I asked John, the co-founder of the charity I started Planting Peace with, why kids have those big bellies. And he said its because there’s worms in their bellies. I had never heard of that before and it obviously grossed me out. Since we were a brand new charity and didn’t have any money, (my girlfriend at the time actually donated the money to build the school that we were building.) We were dead broke in the countryside and I asked how much it cost to deworm a kid and John said it was $20 to send a kid to the doctor to get dewormed and buy the medication. So that night I was going through my pants pockets and I found a twenty dollar bill so I pretended I never came across it and took a kid to be dewormed and John sent him off to the hospital. We left the next morning and we were so broke we actually had to hitchhike from the countryside back into the capital. The mother of the child ran up to me right before we left and said to John and me that the kid would have died if we hadn’t been taking him. That really hit me. I came back to the states and I started Googling around and found a guy who could help me get deworming medication for five cents a treatment. So I purchased the medication. I didn’t have much money at the time so I purchased 20,000 treatments off of him which I could sneak into Haiti in my book bag. So that’s kind of how it’s grown to just giving millions of doses all around the world.

What are some of the other countries that you guys work in?

AJ: We work in Sudan, we are about to start working in Kenya, [we also work in] North Korea, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. Those are our main countries.

What are some other projects you guys are working on right now?

AJ: We have four orphanages in Haiti and a school there. Even though plans have a changed a bit with what is going on in Haiti, we planned on opening some orphanages in India at the end of the month. India has more homeless kids than anywhere in the world so we’re going to try and start tackling that a little bit. Our goal is to plant a million trees every month by next year in Haiti. We also buy up rain forest land in Peru and we just put it into a land trust.

I’m blown away by how cheap it is for us to get involved. Like $18 a month to sponsor an orphaned child, $8 to conserve an acre of the rain forest, $10 to deworm over 600 people etc.

AJ: Especially with Planting Peace, we don’t really have any overhead. We’re just kind of fortunate we don’t really have to spend money on fundraisers because people send us money and believe in what we do. No one gets paid in the organization for the most part and up until a couple months ago our offices were being sponsored by another charity. We try to keep it really grassroots. The charity itself has only done two fundraisers, one of which was a complete failure which no one showed up to. Another one was a concert that we put together and only raised a few thousand dollars. You might go online and read about Planting Peace fundraisers but those weren’t put together by us.

I heard that in the early years of Planting Peace you were actually living in a homeless shelter so you could afford to run these different orphanages.

AJ: Yeah, I lived in a homeless shelter for about four and a half years to get the programs going. It was tough to raise money at first. I suck at asking people for money especially at the very beginning when you don’t have anything to show for it. I was living in South Florida and everyone there was already helping Haiti so it was a struggle to break into being a Haiti organization. Some people might say because there is a big Haitian population [In South Florida], but at the same time you knock on a church’s door and they say they already donate to this organization so it was a tough field to break into. It might have been easier trying it in a place where no one knows where Haiti is (laughs).

Yeah it’s sad but true. The other day I had to show someone where Haiti is on the map.

AJ: Yeah it’s sad that it takes something like this for the world to respond. It’s a beautiful thing but it’s sad. A reporter asked me yesterday “Do you think more kids will have infections now?” And it’s like, not really they already have the worst water in the world. Before the earthquake hit they were drinking out of a puddle and they still will now. Another one said something about “Do you think that it’s a story that there is no electricity?” Electricity not coming on is a part of every day life. I live in an upper middle class neighborhood [in Haiti] and we’re lucky if we get power to those homes two hours a day. Living in the dark is something that they’re used to. We think [in the United States] that there is like one star out there but there are literally trillions.

Is Planting Peace doing something to help with this earthquake?

AJ: Yes right now we’re raising funds, its monetary donations so we can focus on food and water that is already over there. It’s going to be very difficult to get things into the country. History tends to repeat itself so there is aid in the ports from a year ago that is still stuck there so I think on some level that people should send physical items but on another level it could get stuck somewhere and never reach the intended destination, but we’re trying to purchase water. I don’t know if the price has skyrocketed or not but on a normal day water is about 80 cents per five gallons of clean water. We can purchase water on the street where there is clean water and deliver that to people. Port-Au-Prince was hit very hard and there were towns that were not, so I think we can go to those communities and try to rent out homes that haven’t been affected. Homes are not that expensive. I think the best thing to do is find houses and put 2 to 3 families in each house. Bringing in aid to Haiti takes all kinds of different charities. Red Cross is doing amazing things but they offer one type of service. It’s an amazing service, don’t get me wrong, but you need other charities to bring in their method of attack. Red Cross would never go rent out houses like I would. At the same time, we won’t offer things that they’re offering. Its very important that a lot of other organizations get involved.

And you guys have a donations link on your site at Plantingpeace.org.

AJ: Yes. You can find our mailing address [at our site] and send in a check or donate online.

What would you say to someone who has dreams or convictions of a similar project but needs that final shove of confidence?

AJ: (Laughs) I think it’s very important for people to know that when you go out there and because your cause is worthy that people will connect to it right away. You say you’re going to go out and help starving children. You’re going to have to see a thousand people say no to you before one person says yes. I think what people really need to realize is that you have to just stay with it like the world is testing you and you have to survive the craziness. You have to earn your way. I always say that if opening orphanages were easy everyone would have one. Its easy in one sense but at the same time I see people get shot down again and again. You just have to keep working with it and then when one thing starts flowing, other things start flowing. One girl who we’re trying to open up an orphanage in India with, she runs a charity and has been trying to get money to open an orphanage. She has been writing to her friends and family and getting back $5, if anything at all, what do you do with that? We came in and said “Okay, we’ll pay for all the opening cost and we’ll do like 70% of the cost” and because of that she raised more money in the next two days than she did the whole year. People understand that it takes money to start orphanages. They want to be a part of something that’s moving. So just keep with it.

Please go visit www.plantingpeace.org for more statistics, contact information and ways to donate and get involved. We must be the change that we wish to see in the world. It starts with you and me asking ourselves what we can do to love more.

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Sons Of God | Building Momentum
Written By: Jameson Ketchum

nother gem put out by Come&Live!, Sons of God is the brainchild of Aaron Newberry, a man who has experienced the scene from all angles. Newberry began this project alone after stints in several largely successful acts and is now ready to show the world what he can do when he is put in the driver’s seat. The Genesis Prologue, out this month, is only three tracks but they are three tracks that will leave you wondering what Sons of God has coming next now that they are armed as a full band. You can be sure that this is one of those bands you will be happy to know now before they completely blow up.

I read in an interview that you really look for the “epic quality” in music. What makes a song epic in your opinion? How do you make sure that your own music has that quality?

Aaron Newberry: It’s a quality that transcends something beyond what hearing can contain, or sonically moves you to the point that it provokes you emotionally. Maybe even stretches the imagination like something else might not be able to, and overall a depth that is BIG which I feel is hard to do well anymore. I can’t make entirely sure that what I or we do is epic, because I would most likely be limiting it to my perspective alone but I can say that just what comes naturally usually possesses at least a fraction of that quality; I don’t think I could escape it if I wanted to. Whether or not I succeed in meeting my “epic” standard remains to be seen in my honest opinion.

You’ve played in a lot of bands before Sons of God, huge acts such as As I Lay Dying and Spoken. What have you found comfort in by now starting Sons of God?

AN: Well I think I should start by clearing the air that I was never a member of either band, I just had an opportunity to play with them among others and it was quite a treat. What comforts me is that I’m doing this with my brothers, the dudes that I have known for years and consider to be guys who I  have an unbreakable bond with. Clearly there’s a comfort in getting to create, to be used to do a work beyond ourselves, and to fulfill a deep desire to reach people for a reason that’s more than just the clamor of chords and voices.

We have interviewed a few other Come&Live! bands as well as Chad Johnson. Tell us a bit about your relationship with this ministry.

AN: The relationship can be summed up in that it is a family. Somehow in God’s crazy plan I made the cut, I had enough interaction with Chad in the past and that was enough for him to hear me when I contacted and when we first spent some real one on one time together. I don’t know all the bands yet, but those that I do know including the staff at C&L! are dudes I could call and talk with, and pray with at a moments notice; that’s family.

I mentioned earlier that you have spent time in various large acts in the “christian music” realm. What would you say is the biggest lesson you have learned having had all these different experiences in the “christian music” world?

AN: Truly I have learned that sometimes it’s no different than the “other” realm. If I’m going to be real with you, there are just as many people in it for the money as there are when referring to the secular side of things. When I realized this more and more, it was disheartening but it made sense. I can see how fame, even as a Christian artist, can go to your head. In fact, I feel it’s for that very reason that God has given and taken from me so often considering success with certain bands; I wasn’t ready for it. I don’t even know that I am now, but I know that I’m fighting a fight like I never have and I will continue to do so and my hope is that we will all fight for His Kingdom.

Tell us about The Genesis Prologue. What do you want to get across to your fans with these songs?

AN: It’s our simple desire to let music go out that hopefully will fulfill some kind of purpose, I can’t hope for anything but that people will not only enjoy it but find a common place with myself and my brothers. Perhaps my words will provoke those to action, perhaps it will call upon tears and a repentant heart, or maybe it will mean nothing to you. To hope for more I think could be foolish for what I want it to do, or what I want out of it. As genuine as can be, it’s an honor for anyone to listen in the first place, the rest rests solely upon the listener and what God intended.

As far as your live show goes, what can someone expect who has never seen a performance?

AN: Yet another question I can only speculate, (laughs). Because I get to work with such outstanding musicians in this band, you can expect a tight, large and ferocious sound. I’m going to leave this one open for continued speculation as the year plays itself out, but those three attributes I can assure will not be lacking.

What do you love about the music you play?

AN: I love that I get to do what I want musically, I love that I am no longer the sole creator of Sons of God and can collaborate with guys that I admire as musicians, and I love that I finally got wise and started using this music for its intended purpose. I love most everything about what Sons of God is and will be. There’s a euphoria that comes with getting to perform what you played a part in creating and letting complete strangers listen and watch in, that probably excites me more than just about anything.

What is 2010 going to look like for Sons of God?

AN: Even I don’t have a specific answer for this, but we certainly hope to commandeer 2010 and make it a year we create a solid footprint in. I myself have high expectations; I’ve been waiting on this for years and feel that this year is our opportunity to come out of hiding so to speak. Touring and a new record are two definites, among the many other possibilities that are currently up in the air. You’d better expect something after all this time!

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1,000 Words | Remembering The Current Past
Written By: Stephen Christian of Anberlin

hy do marketing gurus come up with the most ridiculous names when inventing their latest and greatest internet social networking or other such worldwide website? I mean everyone thought it was humorous in a ‘cutesy’ way when you first heard the name ‘Google’ but no one thought ‘Twitter’ had the same appeal, but here we are a few years later and it stuck.

Whatever my next venture is going to be I am going to come up with some ridiculous name so that at first people hate it then later they can’t get rid of it. GUAZZLE.com, BLOMBIE.com, and SHUCKSLE.com come to mind, but I’ll get back to you on that.

Twitter, 140 characters of sheer nonsense scripted out with abbreviated everything’s. One day whole sentences will just look like “JEBYO!WBYIFHY?@2LEGIT” and people will know exactly what the other person is talking about.  But I am not one to judge since literally (and sadly) I have to admit that I have 6 twitter accounts for various projects. (@anberlin, @stephenanberlin, @anchorbraille, @facelessint, @modestyguild, and I may or may not have made one for my dogs…I was really bored).

You can follow people, I guess you can lead people, you can even put a pound sign to show, “Hey I have something to say about that random topic as well!” Right this second such depth inspiring and soul searching topics as #letsbehonest, #theboysareback, and my favorite #fatthoughts are amongst the top 10 trending topics (I could only wish I was making this up).

As you all know there was a devastating earthquake in Haiti this past week. It was atrocious and I was floored when watching videos of the damage online. Faceless International scrambled to send as much aid as we could, along side many of you and a lot of other Americans. It was astonishing to see the world come to the aid of the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, 25 countries have given goods, relief effort, and given donations. Here in America we, the citizens, have given an astonishing 275 million dollars!

Even now, several days later and they are amazingly pulling victims from the wreckage. They even rescued a 5 year old boy, named Monley EIGHT DAYS after the earthquake! Even our troops are working tirelessly, 11,000 in all, to help get additional supplies and much needed medical aid to these wonderful people.

Right after the earthquake, not 48 hours after, I noticed something rather peculiar on Twitter, in the trending topics I saw that Haiti only occupied one of the 10 trending topics where as the previous days all ten were about Haiti and the relief efforts.

That got me thinking, if our attention span as Americans wanes after 48 hours what is to become of Haitians in 48 days? What about 4 to 8 months?  Then I wondered what became of the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 200,000 people not so many years ago, it seems we have all but forgotten them.

We need to begin to ‘remember the current past’; realizing that just because they are out of sight does not mean they need to stay out of mind. I challenge you to reevaluate yourself in 6 months and see where your thoughts are on the topic of Haiti. These earthquake victims’ lives have changed forever, the rebuilding process might take years if not decades. Stay involved, not only financially, but also donate your time as well. Haiti is not that distant of a land, flights are usually inexpensive, and they are going to be in dire need of assistance these next few years.

But this isn’t just about Haiti, this is about not allowing the little distractions in life to consume the time that we have to work on the bigger picture issues that are colossal in our lives right now. Use your time wisely, dedicate your time LONG TERM to those who truly need help, and not just immediately but an ONGOING dedication to the issues that are important to you right now.

www.facelessinternational.com

*Stephen Christian is a jack of all trades. Not only does he front the hugely popular band Anberlin but he also splits his time between his solo project Anchor and Braille and his own non profit organization Faceless International which aims to inform others of the plight of human trafficking around the world as well as provide real world experience for those who wish to be the change.

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