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Artist Interview- JPT:
(keith from Indieheaven) You guys rock and I am a big JPT fan! Tell us how you guys came together and all about your mission.
Mooki: I think a couple times in my life that God has "spoken" to me through people that God-followers, the first time was when a couple of brothers deeply involved in the NY indie rock scene told me to pursue the band... Following their advice, I placed an ad in a secular local musicians classified - and Joe Gigs responded. That's the the current line-up started. The goal was never to be a "Christian" band; but all the guys that really connected with the project and jumped in were "Christian". Our heart has always been to be where the people are, rocking in the clubs where our friends and family and neighbors hang. We do everything, from leading worship full on rock or acoustic at morning worship services to our heavy-hitting live rock show in the clubs. At the end of the day, our heart is just to be used by God no matter where we are.
(keith from Indieheaven) I see you have a new album project just released, tell us about it.
Mooki: The Burning: n. a wild fire that cannot be contained; an insatiable longing for deeper, for more. "The Burning" concept came as we were recording and I was continually be overwhelmed by this stirring for more - from God, from my wife, from everything. Waiting For Love was the newest song for the band to record and it was inspired by my reading of the Gospel of Mark -- I kept seeing over and over again that no matter where Jesus went people were dropping everything, just to be close to Him because they KNEW he had something they desperately needed. They were burning... In the band's first national release (The Burning), JPT will rock your music players with a message that will connect deeply. The band's music, raw and full of memorable guitar hooks and melodies, was recently compared by a mainstream Boston-based music critic to AudioSlave, Creed, Stone Temple Pilots, and Disturbed. The lyrics, much like the band, cut straight to the heart about determination in the face of imminent despair (Deeper Than), about selfishness (One), about true love and resolve (Let's Take Heaven), about longing for more (Waiting For Love), about the universe's innate expression of awe (Amazing Crazy Beautiful), and about a 24 year-old wife's heart facing the loss of her husband (IMSU -- Alfred Batista former lead singer of the band, Crownd). There's even a quick shout-out to "Dirty Jersey" -- an affectionate reference to the band's home state, New Jersey (Deeper Than). In addition to great originals, this release features some great studio treatments: a fist-pumping, anthemic rock version of Tainted Love (Soft Cell's 1981 smash hit), Lord I Lift Your Name On High (fresh take on this worship staple - also the first song I learned on guitar!) and a re-release of Praise Adonai (fan favorite from our previous CD, Call Me Red).
(keith from Indieheaven) How did you connect with your producer, Billy Smiley?
Mooki: Well, it really kicked off last year when Billy Smiley (founder of rock group White Heart, produced more than 40 albums, and 27 number 1 songs, 5 Grammy Award nominations, co-written 22 number 1 songs, and over 50 Top 10 songs) scouted JPT out at IndieHeaven University 2009 (it was CIA Summit then) when we showcased (and won Momentum Rock Artist of the Year 2008). After that we decided to fly Billy out to assist us with pre-prorduction for a couple of days. We really hit it off and a couple of months later we were tracking at his studio, The Givens House (in Franklin, TN) with his partner, Billy Whittington (Vanessa Williams, Faith Hill, 98 Degrees, Jessica Simpson, Michael Bolton, James Ingram, Wynonna, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Brian McKnight, Jon Secada, Selena, Amy Grant), for mixing. Although we were a little uncertain about going with Billy's team for the project because he didn't really have any recent production credits with our type of sound, we knew we definitely didn't want to come out sounding like all the other cookie cutter producers that everyone else was using... The sound and everything came out great and it's really fresh sounding, especially on the CCM landscape. Other notable musicians the Smiley brought in on this project are Blair Masters - synths and organ (Amy Grant, Garth Brooks, Lee Ann Womack, MercyMe, ) and George Cocchini - guitars (DC Talk, Safety Suit). We couldn't be more excited!
(keith from Indieheaven) Would you consider yourself to be a Christian band, or a band of Christians?
Mooki: Isn't that just branding/marketing?!?!? ;-) Band of Christians, definitely! But it Probably doesn't really matter what you consider yourself if you're not helping and loving people.
(keith from Indieheaven) If you had a choice, would you focus your mission on the Christian community, or the mainstream world and why?
Mooki: Mainstream without a doubt; that's where our heart has always been. That being said, we consider the Christian community a vital part of what we do -- kind of like our sending mission agency.
(keith from Indieheaven) What do you find is the hardest thing to overcome being independent?
Mooki: Fighting the "indie" stigma with industry people AND getting resources for marketing.
(keith from Indieheaven) You are based in Jersey.. what exit?
Mooki: FUNNY! Actually, all over North and Central Jersey.
(keith from Indieheaven) Do you have a plan for JPT world domination? What is that plan?
Mooki: YES! One rabid fan at a time!
(keith from Indieheaven) If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?
Mooki: To use us and let everything we do as a band to be a sweet offering to his heart.
(keith from Indieheaven) I gotta ask, chocolate or vanilla?
Mooki: Both -- but add some coffee to make it Mocha Chocolate!
WEBSITES:
Learn more about JPT and their new project over on their Indieheaven Profile
Check out the JPT WEBSITE
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