A MUSICAL INTERLUDE : ALIAS
The Christian music scene in the UK is incredibly different from the USA. TV, Radio, Video and a large recording industry with big marketing budgets mean that many artists in America can enjoy very high profiles. It is not so for many artists in the UK. Alias, from Bristol are one of the bands trying to make a name for themselves in the business. Their latest CD ‘GOEACHEAD’, produced by themselves is a wonderful collection of Indie style Christian music that is on a par with some of the latest American bands like Seven Day Jesus, Skillet and Grammatrain.
Since we at KTCB believe in giving people an opportunity of expressing themselves, Jodie of Alias agreed to be interviewed for the mag and it is good to give them a platform to share a little about being a Christian band in the UK.
KTCB: So Jodie, give us the details of the band personnel.
Jodie: Tim ,aged 25, Teacher (primary), Lead vocals & Guitar. Steve, 23, Environment agency worker, Drums. Dean, 25, Park Keeper , Bass guitar. And me, 21, Student (PGCE), Keyboards, trumpet, flute, recorder, vocals.
KTCB: So how did Alias start together as a band?
Jodie: "alias" didn't start, it evolved. We all grew up together and attended the same local church. In our childhood, we gradually each started to take up different instruments, which we all played very badly in the church worship group. From this early stage, our own music (yet to be known as 'alias') began to emerge. We performed some very short sets at different events under various band names. And then in 1991 we did our first ever proper gig as alias, and I suppose that marked the beginning.
KTCB: What are the musical influences behind the group?
Jodie: Between the group we like a wide range of music and therefore our music influences are endless. However, there are some bands that we all like and that have definitely influenced our own music. These include James, U2, Radiohead, JTQ, and Soul Coughing.
KTCB: Do you get to perform a lot of live shows?
Jodie: In the last 5 years we have played regularly, doing gigs a couple of times a month or more - it varies from month to month. The band are not joined to a particular church (as we attend different ones) or any youth groups/organisations. We do gigs all over the country at various kinds of Christian youth events and festivals. We have also played at most of the main secular music venues in Bristol and Bath (South West England).
KTCB: What are some of the differences and problems with regard to the Christian Music Industry here in the United Kingdom?
Jodie: There are many good Christian bands in Britain that have been struggling for exposure for years. The UK Christian Music Industry is basically not big enough to support them. From my knowledge, this situation in the USA is much different. The USA has a comparatively massive Christian music industry, with a large network of Christian radio stations, that all help to support Christian bands and increase their exposure. For Christian bands in this country, we believe that it is very important to become integrated into the secular music scene as well. We are told as Christians to spread the message of Jesus into all areas of the World, and to us that includes secular music venues and the secular charts. For example, Delirious, in the past year or so, have been a superb example of Christian music being exposed and spread into the secular music scene. It would be good to see more of this going on, but the big hurdle is getting recognised and having the financial support.
KTCB: Tell us a little bit about the songs on your album ‘GOEACHEAD’
Jodie:‘What's Gone Wrong?’ - This is a song that describes the problems that we' ve created in our development of the earth and their connection to the last days.
‘Charity’ - This song is almost a modern day lyrical version of the Good Samaritan. It looks at the issues of Homelessness and questions how our Christian values of "Charity" should be put into practice.
‘Away so Long’ - This is about a non-Christian (or someone who once was a Christian) looking at the Church and Christianity, and about God's desire for them to come home to him.
‘Equality’ - This song looks at the fact that Human's have created a hierarchical society in terms of wealth, social class etc.. and how God disregards this, and views us all as equal.
‘Vibe’ - deals with how individuals and strange spiritual things can pull us away from God and cause damage that needs to be healed.
‘Meet My Need’ - emphasises how much we really need God's help to survive in this world.
‘Goa’ - is about how many people are searching for spiritual satisfaction and consequently putting their trust in many unfulfilling things.
‘Bon Voyage’ - describes human life in a metaphor of a ship journey
‘Dodge the Didge’ - Open to your own interpretation!
‘Tame’ - looks at how our ideas about how to live for God can become confused with our own wayward perspectives and other peoples ideas. It is a personal cry to God to let him sort out the confusion and impart his guidance.
KTCB: How are you seeking to distribute the CD?
Jodie: At the moment our CD is being sold in local Christian book shops and some secular music shops, through our own private distribution. However, our main means of selling merchandise is at gigs.
KTCB: Do you have big dreams as a band?
Jodie: We are fortunate enough to have had many "big dreams" fulfilled already. These big dreams were things that really special for us and would not necessarily be seen as "big" by others. For example recording our own CD and being really pleased with it, and also playing at specific events and venues. However a big dream for the future would be to have enough money to record another album, and the biggest dream of all would be to give up our jobs and go professional.
KTCB: So are you going to make a new album soon?
Jodie: We've got new material that we'd love to record, and lots of ideas about doing an album that is very different to GOEACHEAD. We love to improvise at gigs, especially as a means of allowing new spontaneous groove/dance material to emerge. Hopefully in the next year we will be able to record some of this new material.
KTCB: If our readers would like to obtain a copy of ‘GOEACHEAD’, what is the best way of doing that?
Jodie: To order a copy of our album in CD or Tape format, please either write to:-
alias
24 Naishcombe Hill
Wick
Bristol
BS15 5QR
UK (England)
and enclose a cheque made payable to 'alias' - CD £7 , Tape £5 , plus £1(UK) or £2 (USA) for postage and packaging.
If any information is required about other merchandise, please email us at the following address - Goeachead@aol.com
KTCB: Are there any favourite passages of Scripture that have been a help to you in the band?
Jodie: There are many Bible verses and passages that have been important to me at different points in my life. One of the wonders of the Bible is that it is so full of powerful passages, that it has an endless supply of special verses for us to discover every day. I therefore find it really hard to pick out individual favourite verses. However Psalm 139 is a particularly gorgeous Psalm. It always fills me with a knowledge of God's endless love and attention that he has for each of us, and a sense of security that can be found if we let him live in us.
KTCB: is there a particular issue that alias focus on during the live shows?
Jodie: No nothing in particular. However through our music, we aim to create an atmosphere whereby Christians, and non-Christians especially, can be challenged in a subtle and unthreatening way, about a whole range of Christian issues.
KTCB: Who are your biggest influences?
Jodie: Jesus - this sounds like the immediate right answer, but it is actually the truth. Without his help alias wouldn't have happened and we definitely wouldn't have got this far. Other than that, Jez Coad (who engineered and produced our album) was invaluable in helping us to mature in structuring our music. On a personal level, Jesus is the tried and tested best person to be guided by.
KTCB: What can the Local Church do to help Christian bands? And what are the attitudes of Churches to Christian bands like alias?
Jodie: Local churches need to be completely behind Christian bands that are in their area, particularly in the form of prayer support. The work of Christian bands in Secular venues as well as Christian venues needs to be held in higher regard and backed up with loads of prayer. The attitude of churches towards Christian bands will vary from church to church, but often there can be a lack of understanding as to what the bands are trying to achieve with their "worldly" music. Some people find it hard to perceive how music (like ours) can be a powerful form of communication for God to use. However, I do think that attitudes have changed recently (last 10yrs) due to an increase in Christian bands and Christian music events, which have helped to raise the profile of Contemporary Christian music.
