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Early April Art For The Ears organized an online interview with Arthur Green from Living Sacrifice. This was an interview on one of the message-boards and everyone who wanted, could join. This resulted in an interesting interaction between the fans and Arthur, alias Winny28. Below you can find some of the best moments dealing with the latest album, some personal stuff and the touring. _____________ 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 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! |
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