These 5 Down Making A Comeback | Interview With Nate Bauman & Brandon Whitlock

These 5 Down Making A Comeback | Interview With Nate Bauman & Brandon Whitlock
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdwimpv3qKw
Transcript source: YouTube captions

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without further ado I'm not going to
keep these gentlemen waiting
I have Brandon and Nate from the band
these five down brother brothers welcome
to the show man what's going on hey
thank you to everybody who chats say
what's up man
so these five down man so it's an honor
to talk to you guys man back in the the
you know the early days of my Christian
experience probably you know 2002 maybe
you know I became a believer again in
2000 came back to the Lord and was
looking for for Christian music and
listening to bands like Korn and stuff
like that at the time and cold chamber
and with some church buddies at a prayer
meetings and stuff with so I need some
some Christian heavy metal what does
some Christian have your metal and they
say I got the perfect band for you I
said okay it's a band called Audio
Adrenaline man they're really heavy
that's like okay Audio Adrenaline is the
Christian so I'm gone from listening the
corn to listen to audio journal I was
like it is what it is and then I found
some heavier in the beginning and then I
found some stuff like I live in
sacrifice which is a little bit too
heavy for me and then at the time and
then eventually I found a band called
travail and I was blown away to find a
pretty much a Christian version of corn
at the time after travail it
is up and called ds5 down from Michigan
right I mean I'm saying you guys in
travail early on that um saying nu-metal
rapcore is kind of stuff man there was
nothing like it for Christians to listen
to and everybody there was a lot of
charts out there like these comparison
charts like if you're a Christian you
don't want to listen to Korn anymore you
don't want to listen to Marilyn Manson
or whatever so they had these comparison
charts that say okay this band sounds
like Manson this band sounds like cold
chamber and it was cool early on right
so I found you guys and that was like I
said ugly back in 2001 2002 so it's a
pleasure and to be able to have you guys
on my podcast now you guys released your
first album what was it like I think
it's 18 years ago this month was it it
wasn't into January of 2000 that's
correct and you just asked me to pull
that date you're obviously the
researcher I wouldn't even have been
able to tell you when I knew it came out
to them it's better not to think about
it like time is scary man right I mean
that cuz the whole thing with you know
being a parent and or putting out
material now you have something that
dates yourself like when you look back
you see your kid growing up you're like
oh wow
time is real right and then you have
these albums you look back 18 years ago
don't tell me that and you know I'm
saying and then so so much has changed
and I'm saying you guys are here now but
that early music spent especially that
that that album changed
I think changed Christian music because
it was you guys were like forerunners to
like um saying that that type type of
sound and what came after and and I'm
gonna shut up here in a minute I'm just
kind of fanboying out a little bit man
is this an honor to talk to y'all but uh
I'm guys post posted this one on
Facebook and for those of you guys who
don't see can't see it I want ahead and
purchase that somebody
had a mint-condition they took really
good care of this like in perfect
condition bro it's like a mint-condition
ad for the debut album and on the back
we got a picture one of my other
favorite Christian rock bands it's kind
of these guys would be with the if you
was to do the comparison with 311 back
in the day this is packs 217 I've seen I
see those guys a bunch and a lot of
different festivals and skating rings
and things like that never got the
chance to see you guys hopefully here
maybe within the next upcoming months
maybe you know we can make it happen I
remember talking to you Nate oh man this
was probably 2005 maybe I was trying to
book a show and I actually spoke with
you on the phone for a few minutes I was
trying to get the funds together to
bring you guys down but it it didn't
work out and you know saying kind of
felt felt through so I'm done fanboying
out man I'm gonna let you guys talk a
little bit let's start off with you I'm
in Mobile Alabama
so I'm wait I'm all the way south so uh
but let's talk a little bit about the
first album man because that that thing
kind of like I said I think it changed
Christian music and what was to come
after and what was okay talk a little
bit about you know I'm saying the sound
of the album saying were you in like the
writing process were y'all trying to
emulate your favorite secular bands at
the time or what was the whole
inspiration behind the first these five
down album I think I think we all had
our influences not necessarily all
Christian you know some people had been
believers longer than theirs but I guess
everybody had their influences and I
think they all I mean obviously we had
certain ones that we had in common you
know I guess their way just kind of
brought their own to the to the table
really yeah I mean in the beginning I
mean we're pretty young I don't know if
we even had a goal it was just we're
kind of just I think we're sure
make thought that we were excited about
you know as like a listeners like this
um you know that we felt that we thought
it was cool yeah that we want in there
there you know felt like it fit with
with the sound of what we were exposed
to at that time you know had you guys
had heard about Beyonce in travail or
any of these other Christian metal bands
at the time because you guys were like
pioneers to some of that stuff I feel
like yeah maybe maybe we were we were
kind of heavier hard chorus than what
was out there kind of in the in the
surface of that of the Christian scene
as far as Christian rock stuff we were
heavier at time than some of that stuff
but being you know coming out you plan
these small little places around you
know the underground scene it was a lot
of and there still is and there was
prior to us but there was a lot of heavy
heavy stuff it just it never it's kind
of like regular mainstream music it just
never kind of breaks wide you know what
I mean yeah maybe were maybe we were say
maybe we brought that harder heavier
edge into the Christian rock scene on a
broader scale because we got picked up
by radio a little bit and you know stuff
like that maybe that helped to usher in
because I know after after we were kind
of on that scene there was some some
other heavier stuff come off and you
know maybe we were just right there at
the right time you know during that mix
I think I think it's interesting how he
mentioned because I don't think we were
aware of it I just don't want to be him
saying that we were kind of threw out
runners than that
in bringing that to the Christian scene
it's interesting that you would say that
because I feel like I think we all did
we we honestly got I feel like
discouraged here and there because we
took a lot of flack for what we were
doing at that high shall I go to open -
yeah a lot of people weren't very
encouraging about what we were doing
musically in that was music I mean come
on and also I think another part of it
too is when we before we got the deal we
didn't come up in I mean we were
believers and we had Christian music but
we didn't come up in the Christmas scene
I mean we played bars and stuff like
that was where we kind of you know
started playing because we didn't know
where we didn't know word play you know
what I think like we weren't really a
part of a Christian scene I guess you
know we had our belief right but uh we
were aware right but we didn't just
stick to that scene it's like we grew up
in church but uh yeah when we started
playing shows that you know the kind
began with backyard barbecues or just
one anywhere really you know it wasn't
necessarily a Christian environment that
go yeah
so with that you know I'm saying
breaking the mold and the stereotype
early on and you said and so so I you
guys played some bars and stuff like
that and you guys were probably better
received in the bars and stuff in the
backyards versus at some of the youth
groups and stuff did you guys you know
I'm saying make that that that I'm
saying those rounds as well in the youth
groups and get some of those weird looks
and as soon as the first note is strong
they're like turn it off you know yeah
yeah it's really weird in some settings
it was we're a bit a bit much maybe more
than they they have experienced prior so
much of it now it's pretty cool pretty
cool how I mean yeah there's stuff
obviously now it's way more extreme than
anything we were ever doing and uh
people are totally open for it you know
going back to your audio adrenaline I
guess in that time all you adrenaline
was you know Christian rock they were
there what people thought of when the
term Christian rock with you yeah that's
that's that's what people gave me it was
the audio gentleman album and it was
something from going from you know
listening the corn listening to Manson
Pantera you know coaching or who I felt
um saying you guys were like a great
embodiment for me for a coach amber I
was a huge coach amber fan and to hear
your vocals Nate you know I'm saying in
the way you approach the mic your
cadence as well and just um saying the
you know if yeah I guess if you want to
call it a new metal at the time it was
it was perfect so from going from
listening to you know coach amber and
all that stuff and listening to audio
adrenaline you feel kind of let down
until you find these five down or that
band that kind of replaces you know I'm
saying the old secular music that you
were listening to and it was a lot of
Christians who had that experience or
whatever they found their favorite you
know I'm saying secular being like a
Christian version of it and I know that
even kind of sounds cliche and like a
knockoff like I'm a I'm not my own
entity because would you what you guys
brought to the table
um saying had your own style to it as
well but as far as saying that you like
you're just like a Christian version of
that that's definitely not what I'm
trying to say but you're going to get
the comparisons you know what I'm saying
in especially with the yeah we'd be in
that genre you know well yeah that's the
kind of stuff we like I mean I obviously
everybody had different influences but I
think the core of a lot of stuff that we
all mostly agreed on it wouldn't be in
that vein approaching you know I'm
saying this and some of the songs on the
old album there so the first album
there's there's so many songs on there
that stand out man I mean it's almost
like every song could have been a single
right just pick which one
you want to release obviously some of
them are saying deeper than others
there's a sense of spiritual warfare and
the vocals and stuff like that were you
going through some of that stuff have
you been through your I'm saying attend
spiritual warfare or or anything like
that because it definitely came across
in the lyrics with media with low with
him especially with him but was it was
there was there that kind of theme
approaching the the the writing process
of the album it was you know ah it's
funny to say that the whole spiritual
warfare I mean I think I think everybody
kind of deals with some of that
throughout some of their life but I had
a lot of my background I had this I had
this sense of you know it is a it is a
war a battle this life to there's a
battle between good and evil sort of
thing going on and I and I always
gravitated to this sense of you know I'm
gonna be one of those people in God's
army I'm gonna be a warrior for God's
kingdom sort of you know that that
appealed to me does that come from being
a warrior of Satan's Kingdom at one
point Calton destruction just living
reckless and so you know I talk to a lot
of people on here who are like in the
light now whether they're Christians or
light workers or whatever and there's
this weird sense of like I have to even
if it's not you know say at the
forefront of their consciousness it's
like I'm doing the I'm serving God now
because I'm trying to undo a lot of the
wreckage and bad stuff that I did in the
past you think some of that was there a
little bit too maybe not maybe not so
much you know tied to because of or that
I had to undo
and I'm the bad stuff it's just more
more of a sense it actually you know
I'll touch on that for a second I I look
back and and some of where I was
personally and spiritually was I can
look back and see that I was a little
off based on on some of some of my
position of who I thought I was you know
what I mean
but that edge that that warrior sort of
spirit warrior edge did come through and
and that's you know not that it's not
that it not that I wasn't that but I
have a I have a different perspective
today what it what all that even about
you know what I mean but that's just
like a natural process though for
anybody kind of coming out was it kind
of similar for you a little bit to
Brandon did you kind of experience
experience add to what as far as far as
like coming out of the darkness or
coming out of the world or I don't know
if you guys were into because there's a
lot of darker themes I used to do this
but now I'm this did you kind of X was
dealing with drugs or alcoholism or
witchcraft or anything like that did you
come out of a I'm saying that that I
kind of background as well when you
became a Christian or started doing
Christian maybe I don't know I mean I
thought well I I grew up in church my
whole life I don't know you know that
doesn't mean you're Christian but I
guess I've been aware of God and you
know the word and stuff like that my
whole life but uh yeah I mean I
definitely dealt with times where I've
fallen away and had to come back and
things like that but um I guess yeah
I've always thankfully I've always kind
of known the truth you know sometimes I
didn't listen been able to find this
yeah I started I started doing Christian
hip-hop and like started messing around
by 2003 2004 put on my first album in
2006 and it's kind of hard to go back
and listen to that stuff now theology
wise for one understanding growth
spiritually there is even nostalgia of
that people wish I still did that type
of music today but that's just you know
I'm saying sonically
it's it's you know from the you know in
the late 90s or whatever but even the
stuff I'm talking about killing the
devil with how much shooting the devil
with guns and you know it's all and a
lot of it is talking like almost like
maybe you don't saying how you guys did
the song lo how it was talking about
this scenario of these people like hey
you're using people you're abusing
people to get what you want out of life
and there's always like all these songs
and not just me but that's a lot of
Christian music like that of kind of
embodying this person who maybe
represents the majority of people - you
know I'm saying on the narrow I mean on
the broad road and I look back on it now
and I cringe at it for me do you feel
that way a little bit with some of those
lyrics maybe with him because him is a
straight
it's a spiritual warfare song it's a
powerful song but as far as you go in
and I'm not knocking that song that song
sis still as powerful today as it was
back then I believe but as far as your
theology and your growth changing do you
look at songs like that and some of the
stuff that you brought to the table a
little bit differently or is it or do
you respect it or do you cringe cringe
from it I I've got a sense of respect
for it still and that that hymn song
that the whole idea behind that is just
it's a essentially a prayer that we
would we would lead off our set with you
know after it existed and that's what we
would open with and it was just kind of
a that they
that spiritual warrior positioning
letting that spirit world know who we
are and the authority that we're going
to have here in this setting to go
forward with the rest of what we've got
sort of thing
not that I like I don't necessarily
cringe at any of that any of the
concepts that were covered I always
tried to you know even though at times I
may have you know then a little bit
focused in full of myself I always tried
to have a sense of I really want to be
uttering the words that that God would
have me say in any of this you know you
know and that's not to say that none of
my self got in there but for the most
part I'm uncomfortable like and I
I appreciate the songs for what they are
and you know just like you I've heard a
lot of that story and it you know coming
from the perspective of the people
writing and putting it I will put it out
as our sort of it's we're doing it and
we're we're just doing what feels right
and what's fun and what what seems good
and then to hear stuff like your
experience with with our music you know
I've heard I've heard similar things to
what you've had to say about like you
know it was a it was an alternative
before somebody coming out of a dark
place in their life and if something
really good for them to have and and
that just that alone is really cool to
me it just those those those people
peppered throughout the population maybe
it's something that they needed right
then in their life you know and that's
that's the whole reason
this whole unit chained together and did
what we did at the time you know um it
was all about being uh actually my my
position was about being an available
vessel for God to use you know what I
mean man whatever whatever he wanted to
use me for yeah so like when went like
whenever you guys would play you would
open up with him kind of set the
atmosphere and then we just ask you this
because like as I'm coming from playing
in bands and stuff as well there was a
sense of especially the Christian bands
whether you're in the bar or whether
you're in a church or whatever a sense
where you just kind of you're that
spiritual warrior but did you guys
worship on stage even to the Yum center
the heavy crunch of the guitar you don't
send to the drop D tuning would you guys
worshipping at like I'm Saint playing
the music as well even though it was
heavy music that it was at something
that happened at all what's a more
doable
I wouldn't say that we were like in a in
a spirit of worship yeah you know it was
more so what you were saying earlier
yeah I come coming out you know coming
to to lay down a message and make it
pretty plain and and have a pillar
backing track with it and smash the
place you know and let it resonate with
people who ever needed you know whoever
needed to hear it wasn't necessarily
okay a and worship sort of thing good
stuff yeah I could I could see that
though and uh but you know that your
words are kind of like permeating the
atmosphere and just changing especially
with him you don't and not just him but
there's so many other songs but you're
just changing the atmosphere whatever as
you're speaking that stuff out let me
ask you this because I'm curious as well
the artwork
for the debut album who put that
together the artists and whose idea and
can you explain a little bit of it
because that's a really interesting it's
good stuff though well it was a piece of
art that we weren't we weren't even
aware that it was going to be the record
you know the album cover until it was
decided that was the element cover and
it's really just a piece of art that was
pulled from a catalogue source you know
something something today's it would be
like Shutterstock there or something
alright but it was it was all in like
catalogue forms back then you know
record people would have their books on
art to license and whatnot and it it's
just an image from there that they that
they decided was fitting and I remember
like all all the people in the band was
like what what well man it it's a little
bit cartoonish I wasn't really I think
that was the thing Wow really oh yeah
right okay nothing like I mean not that
I just like it I mean the concept of the
picture is pretty cool but yeah which is
kind of odd how it came about
I guess yeah it's pretty iconic though
man now you know what I'm saying but
that's that is weird that because you I
mean you guys had some backing or
whatever right with the label you guys
were signed to absolute records I don't
know what all that entails it definitely
put out some decent mute you know I'm
saying music videos that at the time
look like they were pretty high budget
you know I'm saying but like actors and
just the editing skills for the time you
know what I'm saying what all did that
entail with a record label like what
perks did you get you talked about maybe
having some people obviously you guys
were in magazines you guys were getting
played on the radio things like that
that you kind of had to have a manager
and those people to do that is that kind
of what the record label I'm saying
brought for you
because back then it held a lot of
weight you know what I'm saying
versus the independent route now where
you know you can do a lot of that stuff
you know yourself yeah nuts of theories
at the time that kind of try to really
do something you're saying what did they
kind of bring to the table is it yeah
because you I mean you hear so much
stuff with with I'm saying record deals
and a lot of bands a lot of rappers or
whoever starting out even some people
even be naive now they want a record
deal they think you've made it if you
have the record deal when now you're
talking about the as many people that's
were reaching right now listening to
this podcast you could do it on your own
and without having to be in a hole so
many thousand dollars so so maybe I'm
asking how much you know was the budget
for that video what perks did you get
did you guys have to sign a 360 deal
where you got money and then had to pay
it back later like what all was an album
you know I'm saying like as far as a
record deal for an early you know I'm
saying
99 mm Christian artists band it was for
us they essentially they were a the
label put up or you know they they're
their obligation I guess I could say was
to cover recording of masters and you
know all the mixing and all that and
then they lined up distribution deals
they did some publicity works and there
was no there wasn't any sort of upfront
money everybody got ten thousand dollars
each and nothing you know just all the
myths and stuff that people assume for
some Watson TV there was the money that
went up front was was put forward to
like record and produce and she paid for
studio time when I and that was all like
they're like we did nothing got handed
to us it was all later show up here on
this date and this time and
y'see and you know here's the schedule'
you know what this is going on and we've
got some there's some interviews lined
up and there's the these festivals that
they want to book you and I think they I
don't know why talk to people I guess
about how that kind of stuff works in my
mind I think of it as like you know like
it's like a bank loan the labels the
bank
except for you have the interest with
artworks the answer is yeah I mean
there's a whole thing now with the 360
deal everybody gets all this money and
they go on tours and all this stuff even
now it's artists but people don't know
that those artists have to pay that
money back like all the cops and things
that they get and you have to pay that
money back or whatever you know we
thought we knew what we were doing
and we I mean we really had no clue I
mean I mean at least that was my
experience once we got involved with the
label and we kind of started doing
everything we were doing with the label
then you realized how we really were
coming into the whole thing so moving
forward is probably good to know that
you know guys don't have because
everybody's like let me you know drop a
couple singles and hopefully I'll get
picked up or whatever and even now
getting picked up by even like somebody
like Capitol or like a bigger a bigger
company that just can't you kind of sign
off or like you know saying distribution
and things like that if that's even a
thing anymore really you know I'm saying
but uh you know there's people who want
that but even now they just look at
artists who are already you know have a
presence online a social status online
YouTube following Facebook Twitter
Instagram all of us though if you're if
you're attractive to them that means
you're already or doing something or
they see something of value so kind of
like we'll just keep doing what you're
doing that anyway yeah that's how it is
not that absolutely there's a lot
there's a lot of things that you know
certain groups of
yeah it just it's like any other
business and and of course if a record
land we'll see somebody doing something
already that I'm their meter seems it's
a register good you know obviously if
your business is to make money in you
know in the music industry and whatnot
obviously you want to you want to go
after people that are already doing
stuff right and it's the same way back
in the day it was kind of the same way
if you weren't if you weren't out there
like working if I want a two day effort
they had you know nobody really had an
interest in picking you up and I'm the
whole whole record label or this is the
deal and to think every I don't know how
what they're like these days I don't
even know why they need to exist yeah
but apparently but everything everyone
is different it's all ladies but the
individual sure there's probably these
these parameters that are somewhat yeah
a B and C is is always part of a deal
but everything is so different chore
what's your sign it's like like it's
like a business deal if you approach
like say for the record if we were a
record label then we're looking to sign
a a group we're going to look at what
they're doing look at what they've done
and if that gets put on the table the
upfront money you know then it could
become a thing depending on what what
that artist is doing you know but it's
not always like cookie cutter your says
if you get some if we get signed we're
set type down that's what a lot of
people think so so you got seeing any
money even off of the old records now
you guys seen any type of
residuals or royalties to this day no no
YouTube money no iTunes anything coming
in that's not a complicated thing that
we're kind of still trying to work out I
guess yeah
yeah moving forward now everything's
changed and it's a lot easier you know
what I'm saying so moving forward but
you know I'm saying talking about that
and talking about the the a music video
for lo which was one that I ordered off
of the website or maybe even had to
write in and send money I don't know but
I actually had I still have it somewhere
the VHS that was sent in the mail with
the music for a low on it man so I
bought that back in the day man and a
very cool video you know what I'm saying
very it seemed like a high budget video
even now like going even I'm saying
going back and revisiting it it still
seems like a high budget video so kudos
that you guys got that out of the deal
as well yeah I mean there's a whole
storyline treatment it shot really well
over the shoulder with the storyline a
bunch of really cool stuff several
distance it's several shots of video
guys performing and stuff too so it's
cool and it still kind of holds up yeah
it is a decently decent done video well
done for you know at the time yes it was
way cool no and and actually it's what
you've mentioned it seems like a high
budget video the story this is a good
story you know a lot of a lot of the
music business is you know who you know
and in the right time and the production
company that did that video happen to
know the guy that owned the record label
everybody everybody in in the Tennessee
music industry in the Nashville music
industry kind of knows everybody and
that's where our label was out of and so
this production company was
really I think recently put together but
the guy that was heading it up she had a
lot of experience in video production
and he was she was going into more music
video production with his company and he
was just at the onset really of his
company like starting two girls and legs
and he he basically I think our record
label covered like costs associated with
some of the production and then like
lunch but no they basically did that
video as a almost a freebie to our label
because they want to be able to gather
their own promotional material to say
look see what we can do you know they
never I never even knew that and and so
we got and I remember hearing one of the
guys on set it towards the end of the
day talking to somebody else saying that
was that was easily $100,000 video huh
and I was like wow that that amazed me
first of all cuz we spent like not even
a full maybe 10 hours a 10 hour day and
and there was some some actors that
showed up for a casting call sort of
thing or you know hey you want to be in
the video I'm not even sure if they made
any money you know just get your name
under a little bit get your face out
there yeah there's a lot of that there's
a lot of that and entertainment hey I
mean moving forward I mean you know
everybody can work together all you know
if you are a videographer and you're
looking you know do something for free
if you're trying I mean that's a lot of
up-and-coming people in the market now
people who are up and coming whether
you're an artist or you create you know
I'm saying you do photo shoots hey let's
do a photo shoot and I'll just tell
everybody you did it and I've got so
many followers like
I'm saying networking and stuff like
that so that's definitely a way for
people to get out there today you know
because there's cuz it's even with that
budget you're talking about a hundred
thousand dollars and there's just crazy
budgets that all the major videos back
then were that's like you I'm saying a
low budget for video 100,000 people
paying two hundred thousand and stuff
you and and then I even heard people
saying well yeah I paid this other guy
twenty thousand and paid you don't send
later in your end in the era whatever
now you can get somebody fresh out of
college who's just a beast with After
Effects and get something that is ten
times better for like seven hundred
bucks or something you know what I'm
saying it's crazy yeah yeah kind of was
being made in the industry to sale you
know the sales were like at their peak
or something you know I mean so you know
I think it's all you know it's all big
system I mean if you're making that kind
of money than people who are doing that
kind of work are gonna charge that kind
of money and you know and so on I am the
media I'm here to mold you oh yeah crazy
man from when I do it but um the music
video for low like I said there was you
know there's a there's a lot of
different shots that were done you know
you guys performing in different places
there was one shot with the band playing
and then there was another side I wanted
to ask you because this this shot always
stood out to me there's one shot of the
band playing and the drummer is playing
like air drums without his set maybe
they went to a location and he they put
that shot in there with him playing
without the drums for some reason I just
remember a pause that rewind it what's
what's going on here what's the story
about the drummer playing the drums man
was to deal with all that came I don't
know either i don't remember the
incident of and just doing here I don't
know I don't know man well I think you'd
always do that like on the sideline
maybe they just killed them or something
and threw it in there yeah that's one
thing though kind of like do that we're
like play back yeah that kind of a
person he last did he ask hey let's get
a shot of me behind the band it's very
possible that would have been Andy like
for sure I mean I mean I mean this was
something that was discussed right you
guys had to have seen it and looked at
each other you know at they at the end
like hey we're thankful but this is
weird
was that any of that ever this is I'm
not the first one who said something
about that right this the second yeah I
can't picture even where at that or what
it like when you brought it up is body
it was just such you just had to black
it out just for a wouldn't piss you off
joking man it's good stuff but um yeah
so I mean I mean all of this stuff we're
talking about people I'm gonna I wanna
you know at the end of the podcast I'm
gonna plug these songs and stuff again
so you guys can go check them out to
check out this the older stuff that they
put out it's all available on online on
YouTube you can check that out I'll plug
it we're gonna get into some of the
newer music this is the first ow
we're talking about an album that like
you said was recorded 18 years ago but
we're going back reliving some of this
stuff like it was yesterday right I feel
like this is one of the interviews that
you guys probably should've did 18 years
ago even right but we were you know I'm
saying something about nostalgia there's
something about and I'm gonna I'm I'm
gonna get to the the fact of you know
I'm saying the next album changed a
little bit sonically um there was this
death of new metal for a while but now
there's a resurgence now I feel like
even now somebody like
someone who's a fan of metal in general
can pick up that older stuff and become
a fan of it today most of the music I
listen to is older music anyway you know
what I'm saying and stuff that I'm just
finding that was put out in 1999 and I
can't stop listening to it like I feel
like that album it's definitely um
saying one of those albums moving
forward so but yeah
fiction was the the next release right
it was a sophomore release a lot of
different sound changes on there was
there was a different people involved on
on the writing and recording process of
that album the second release yeah yeah
yeah we had we had a different drummer
and a different one of the other guitar
player yeah change now and I think I
think maybe we did some of the writings
so you didn't really play it with that
album too much Brandon or not at all or
Oh Brandon did all yeah I've done all
like I've been a part of all of it yeah
but the other guitar earlier from the
original album he was replaced for a
time period and then that guy ended up
leaving and we took on another one and
and some of the material from the second
record was written like among all that
with those two guitar players and then
the new drummer and he he added a new
dynamic to the sound of things the
drummer did yeah and and then the guitar
work I think was just maybe a little
more mature yeah I think from the first
general form maybe guitar and vocals or
nothing yeah it was it was yeah it was
different than the first time I think a
lot of people that didn't definitely me
was looking forward to get like a part
two of the self-titled and so fiction
was was different I got that
I ordered it from the label I got it I
got it in and I feel like you guys may
have not even been together much longer
after that release maybe or what I know
I didn't hear much from you guys ha ha
how much longer did you guys stay
together as a band after the release of
that album you know I think we're done
yeah really
the album was recorded yeah there's a
big gap at the end of or maybe
throughout 2001 and it was it was that
one yeah
and I think it was supposed to be out at
the end of 2001 and then it got switched
up to it maybe six or something right I
it kept getting pushed back to where it
was it was all of a sudden it was gonna
be like oh three February of oh three or
something yeah and in that on the
website but it was never but it was it
never came out someone says oh ooh
Jackie Randall says it was 2002 in the
chat know is supposed to come well I
think it's a 2006 is that just too too
far ahead 2006 is what it said on line
one website yeah yeah when it came out
yeah I think he came out yeah like
recording the first of the second one so
that's what I thought there was like a
to be there between was reported it came
out or something like that was something
crazy like that I don't remember but it
never got released when the band was
still together yeah we have got we Came
we were out actually pushing that record
toran and one of our stops stays at home
for a few months at a time we ended up
like losing that guitar player that we
had he's like listen this is gonna work
I need to do something different I need
to make more money in my
life basically and so that started the
crumbling of like he left and then there
was an issue that came up with the
drummer and then it was like it was down
to Brandon Justin and I again and we
were talking alright we got to fill
these positions and keep doing what
we're doing and during that time period
I it was just a lot of personal stuff
going on I had ended up moving from
where I live you like out of state and
but we are still going to try to string
this together and then we then we catch
word that the bass player is leaving to
go play with this other outfit and it's
like oh well I guess I guess we're not
really a band anymore I guess we're not
doing this and then it was a few years
later that friction came out finally
released and you know I won't make any
comments on this on that one but we have
long been trying to disbanded when they
did come out and it was a little bit
disheartening the way things yeah
there's a lot like I don't know what
happened you know I'm saying with the
band everything I mean it always it's
hard keeping a band together it's it's a
lot more fun than doing the solo thing I
do the solo thing now because of that
right it's a lot more fun being on stage
with a bunch of brothers and being able
to glory together the Bible even talks
about that like we like when you have
you have victories you can celebrate
together versus just you by yourself
right but it's hard to keep it together
man and so but you know I'm saying right
when that album came out when it was
released and you guys have broken up you
don't say you said a few years before
whatever there was kind of the death of
new metal right like it would just it
just became redundant Fred Durst was
everywhere like took something in just
there just new metal bands sounding like
other bands popping up and something
that was really cool got old really fast
and you started to see a lot of those
bands die out
because it was more rap influence I
would say you guys I wouldn't even say
that you guys were saying rap metal that
was even that term but it became it
became something that was laughed at
right rapcore rap metal or whatever and
and something that faded out the
hardcore scene especially the Christian
hardcore scene blew up and took off
there were bands around that time that
we're starting to transition and I think
it I think a lot of that sound was
birthed in the Christian underground
scene with bands like Zao
and then under oath Norma Jeane As I Lay
Dying all of these names are young saint
Emory Christian bands that the hard
court took hardcore dancing to a new
level I knew people who would worship
and do hardcore dance and like really
get in that warfare and it that was
birthed at youth groups and stuff and
then went to bars and then started to
kind of catch on to the secular world
and then so the roles were kind of
reversed in that aspect because it
wasn't the Christian bands like hey man
can we can we be like a Christian
version of these guys it was almost like
the secular guys seeing what the
Christians were doing and then
responding okay we can add killer
breakdowns hasted a brutal breakdowns
man those guys to step dancing all of
the stuff that kind of changed Christian
metal and but with that it put the new
metal or rap metal on the back burner
and all you seen a lot of those bands
struggle to survive
project 86 a lot of people mentioned the
project 86 in the chat I interviewed
Andrew Schwab and had the same
conversation with him on the podcast so
everybody could check that out but you
know even project 86 like they changed
their style and even almost like
denounced
we don't do that and if we don't rap or
whatever we're not then change the style
change the music packs to seventeen no
we talked about earlier he was he did a
lot of rap in 311 vibe that faded out he
was into more like post rock type stuff
or whatever they
quit rapping right in and as that error
it was the end of an era some of these
Christian bands tried to tried to hold
on to it and they got left behind if
they did but if they changed their style
some of them were able to keep going a
lot of bands soft I'm saying sophomore
releases kind of fell through 38th
parallel was a big one kill her first
album turned the tides they came out
with their second album and kind of
broke up the same way tried to keep it
going and and couldn't do it and and
there's that the second album came it
was just totally different by trying to
stay relevant or whatever when this
other because you're doing festivals
where all these hardcore fans are
hardcore kids and then you're getting up
there doing rap metal and they laugh at
it it's just kind of that was the
process did you guys that would be went
down that road really so you guys were
done before it kind of switched it
before it kind of switched over right
you guys weren't trying to cuz because
you know I'm saying even though it's not
rap metal I don't even think it's rap
chord there there's rap Cadence's in
your vocal patterns right that's
definitely there right but I wouldn't I
wouldn't call it rap core you guys
weren't trying to hang on to any of that
with with with our friction it was a
different album it sounded it sounded
totally different so there was no you
guys weren't drownded out it was just
kind of some stuff that kind of some
schisms that happen within the band that
you guys disbanded way before that whole
tide came right right yeah did you guys
still stay in the scene at all cuz I was
one I was want to ask you I mean have
you were you doing any other vocals at
the time did you mess with any other
bands have you tried any any solo stuff
like that if you guys play with other
bands or anything since then after after
the bacon fell apart and then I had a
lot of personal stuff going on in my
personal life shortly thereafter I ended
up moving back shortly after I moved out
of state I moved back and I kind of
you know some of the other guys were
still doing chuffing music Brandon was
doing stuff in music I got more into
production and the mania I work on some
different projects but uh I guess yeah
one of the production I just laid back
didn't do much of didn't do much of
anything I you know I would dabble
around with my own you know computer
stuff and and put together you know
pieces and I would do some vocal work on
it but I wasn't doing anything with with
any other gym
nothing worth project um putting out or
trying to market or nothing like that
just kind of experiment a little bit
right yeah it was until recent it was
until reasons that like I I had this
vision to you know do something more
amusing and I actually did start I did
get involved just recently in the past
couple of years with getting back to
doing vocal and Brandon and I we started
communicating again after a long while
of not really talking much and it was
talking you know I want to do XY and Z
and he's like well I want to do XY and Z
and in those conversations it was like
well hey since we're kind of both
looking at doing music why don't we why
don't we put some d5v material out there
and and that's what that's right now
France I bring up here yeah we're here
to talk about forget all the old stuff
let's talk about the new music right its
iconic dude you don't say and you gotta
know where you came from and I and like
I said I'm gonna I'm gonna let everybody
know to go back and listen to that stuff
but um you I'm saying moving forward
with the new music like I mean what can
we expect you guys have a single that's
available right now people can can
actually go and listen to a single but
how long has it been that you guys have
been kind of messing with the idea or
even gem and together writing recording
how long has this been we're talking
just a few months or a year or so how
long has it been since just even this
idea and then starting to kind of move
forward
with it so probably all mostly here no
yeah I think we are started discussing
it yeah maybe a year ago but uh I mean
it was a while where we ever really ever
he's got gathered I guess you could say
but yeah discussing it in a minute year
maybe yeah and and putting some material
together writing and and getting getting
stuff
this guy's the the recording the
recording studio master right here that
makes master and so yeah that that
single has been done for a minute and we
just kind of we decided that we were
going to drop it on on Christmas for a
little Christmas present before the end
of the year what's the response been so
far haven't we haven't really heard any
feedback we haven't we're gonna put up
we're gonna put up a video shortly to
the whole thing and put it up on YouTube
and and see but as far as when we when
we dropped it out there we had a good
response off of our our email list the
respondent for this 18 years ago and I'm
finally getting the email what I said
they're like I signed up for this 18
years ago and I'm finally getting the
email from these guys but it's a hotmail
and stuff like you know hey oh well calm
email address was popping up in there
you know
Netscape man so I guess you know I'm
saying this is part of getting the word
out right you know I'm saying doing
these interviews and kind of talking
about the new music talking about the
vision moving forward what can we expect
from the new album and and in this
isn't I'm talking to you about this but
you know I'm saying people are gonna
talk amongst themselves it has a it has
a stone sour
esque to it the at least the vocal
patterns i and i say that as a
compliment as far as what I hear
sonically like as I'm listening to it as
a fan I'm like okay these fell down put
out a new song is it gonna be
you don't saying friction or is it gonna
be you know I'm saying the debut and
listen to it okay okay it's a little bit
of both it's a little bit of something
new something different to the table and
his vocal patterns there's less of the
cold chamber sound and more of a
postmodern rock sound which is good and
I like it so kudos to that I hope you
take that as a compliment that's just as
a listener and as a fan that's what I
hear that's cool yeah Corey Taylor one
of the best vocalists of our time man
you know yeah I'm doing what I'm doing
today man I think because of that album
dude you know I'm saying the first yz5
down now I like to kind of pay homage
and you know talk about my influence and
as a young Christian like getting into
music and stuff that music had a big
impact on me and my friends and going to
the Christian like our Friday and
Saturday nights were hanging out at the
Christian music stores and they would
let you open a CD and listen to it in
the store we'll just take this out you
know we let them listen as a oh no
that's too hard dude check this one out
it sounds like corn the skillet whatever
you know I'm saying so there was so many
nights and then so many church youth
group guys with piercings and stuff and
wearing black band t-shirts and like hey
and even using it as a ministry tool
type you know sense so it's it's the
nostalgia aspect of it all but I'm
excited to hear what you guys are
bringing to the table moving forward um
I'm excited for a man that you have a
fan in me and I'm gonna do what I can to
kind of you know I'm saying let my fan
base know about it because I don't know
you know if I would be doing what
I'm doing stylistically if it wasn't for
people like you guys doing it right um
there's a lot of stuff that I bring into
my hip-hop that is influenced by the
whispers and you know I'm saying the
breakdowns in the build ups and stuff
that was all in the music and I was
definitely was and am a fan of these
five down even before I knew that you
guys were even working on new stuff we
have a discord community where we hang
out and play music and I've been I've
been letting everybody hear y'all's
music in the discord and playing him and
they're like people have never heard of
it right you know I'm saying these new
Christians and stuff that's like you got
to revisit this man so I'm excited for
you guys moving forward man and but let
me ask you this about the writing
process a little bit some of the videos
that I've seen of you guys just released
in the studio that little teaser who's
all working on the music so is it just
you two kind of putting the music
together yourselves doing the drum
tracking whether you're using Cubase or
free loops or whatever tracking the
drums that way or are you guys layering
all the music yourselves kind of working
on it or do you have other people coming
in laying bass riffs and doing the drums
and stuff like that with different ways
of going about it you know we talked
about having other people involved maybe
other guys that were apart apart you
know in the past maybe first song I
thought it'd be cool to maybe do a song
with each of the guys that were involved
before or something one song with you
know this guy that was a part you know
like what song with him song with him
we've talked to we stir around uh you
know a few different ideas but um as of
now it's not really a live band type of
thing you know it's more like a writing
session recording thing I don't know
what it'll be like
I mean I've open for whatever you know I
think it'd be cool to do that to it be
like hey let's write the material in a
room with the you know with five guys
and the hands all the way up and you
know like yeah I'm a really you know the
good songs good song that's my opinion
but on you know so far that that single
that we've released that's that's been
put together essentially by by him he
it's an old song we were opening up our
set
when we were out pushing the second
record with that song Wow
and it never yeah not not really sure
why it didn't it maybe it was budget
maybe it was other reasons but the label
I'm not even sure if we recorded it but
they were aware of it it's not exactly
didn't make it but didn't make it to the
record so we figured he picked it apart
you know I'm sure he may be remembered
some of the stuff but where we pulled it
off of a video that somebody had put out
of a live performance of ours and we
used that audio and he picked it apart
and kind of put it back together again
yeah it's not exactly the same but that
you know you know it's like 80% there
was a new recording though it's an old
song but a new recording right right
yeah there's some changes to it very
small yeah little changes but yeah well
I think you know like you know we had
been talking about it for like a year
now I think in the beginning you know we
were all excited about this work out
some uh some new music but then when you
get into like how you had mentioned
nostalgia few times you know initially
it was like I'll just be exciting to do
some stuff again you know work together
again do some new stuff within um I
think it can lead you to kind of
overthink it because of the history of
the group and you know then you have the
other tools you know like if you were to
go out and start a new project tomorrow
there's really no expectations of
anything yeah so I guess I'd like
balancing that you know cuz but it kind
of goes back to our roots what are we
doing that we're just make something we
like so I mean uh if we just stick to
that whatever that is today you know
well what's it when we wished it was
what's the name of the man other the
name of the band mean what does these
five down mean we had that question a
lot back of the day and they wanted they
want us like a spiritual explanation
five guys down and what I mean that's
how it was back then yeah when there
wasn't when there wasn't a spiritual
meaning behind the band some people were
like seriously yeah you just their whole
countenance shifted like what I can't
believe like just couldn't believe that
it there was no spiritual significance
because they to the name there's really
not we just thought it was cool just
like the music we were doing we thought
it was cool we thought the name was cool
and it fit in it just it was a phrase
that came out in conversation and we
would tell people how it came about you
know some people would be like the heart
probe like they were expecting yeah so
huge in any stories you didn't make up
any stories because I mean we were in
the Christian bands and we we had some
weird names and and I and I remember
here in our guitarists make up some we
actually had a band called six hours
frail six hours frail and and I remember
hearing him saying that was Jesus hung
on the cross for six hours or something
it was like he would tell me when it was
like man this is crazy so did y'all have
any did anybody anybody try to explain
to their grandmother or the pastor yeah
you know it means there was no stories
and nothing like that no it was always a
brief pretty much abbreviated it kind of
applies to that there's five guys in the
band we're all down with each other down
with what we're doing these five down
you know I didn't even come from the
five guys in the band it was about like
writing songs but I think people when
they hear they automatically assume
right that I had to do it that there was
originally five people in the group
even if they're six people in the group
moving forward or two moving forward
yeah but people always assume that
that's what they was in it'd be a single
that's out is called the coming of the
son is in and I know I know time has a
way of changing people your beliefs in
structures and we kind of covered that
just a little bit so it's kind of I
don't know if I would say a preachy song
but there's images of GE of like angels
and Jesus and devils and stuff like that
and even the old stuff was kind of
really strong spiritual in-your-face
teams some people have kind of backed
away from that of being less preachy and
more allegory more let me just show you
how I live let me just tell you about my
trials as a Christian type deal is it so
you guys moving forward is it gonna
remain a Christian a quote-unquote
Christian ban or Christians in a band
with which are you I need to know right
now those type of you know questions
we've always kind of sort of been the
the Christians in a band or mentality
that's kind of been our approach since
the beginning and there's have you ever
been asked that other than are you a
Christian yeah and all Christians in a
band like that was a thing yeah yeah
Wow yeah it's it's kind of quite the
talking point it seems when you're in a
Christian hardrock band if you're not
doing Church music um there's this
different line of questioning I don't
know how he feels about it because he's
the vocalist and that you know he writes
the lyrics but you know I'm a musician
so I don't really feel like it is I
don't necessarily I don't feel like I
have a ministry and that's what you want
to call it I don't feel like I'm a
preacher that does music so I guess I
don't really think about it like that
but you know since he he does the lyrics
you know
maybe differ for you you know it's not
like all right I mean I don't know if
like ATAR and thieves
you know what I mean I don't know I knew
I knew gospel rappers who wouldn't who
wouldn't purchase instrumentals and
beats from secular artist if they made a
fire beater it had to be a Christian who
made that track to rap on if that's what
somebody you know or if that's their
preference and they just want to work
with you know Christian artists or
whatever learning that I don't look at
that recording that like your believer
you want to support other believers and
I totally get that they didn't want to
get assessed by any spirits I I think I
think so like lyrically there's good
there's some metaphorical sort of stuff
but there's also some straight-up just
in your face with what's being said and
I and I it's gonna there's gonna be a
familiarity to some of what's being said
and it's a it'll resonate with people
whether they identify at the Christian
or not sort of thing they'll they'll be
able to maybe some people will be able
to disrespect what the piece of music is
for what it is now in terms of like
coming of the son yeah there's a lot of
I really it's I mean I guess that's a
pretty bold straightforward line you
know you never thought that you'd miss
seeing the the end starts and you know
just that whole theme of the end time
thing and the coming of the son
but you know surround it if you've
really kind of pay attention it's it's
really asking what are you doing with
your life you know what are you doing
with your life today and I I know
there's people out there that have
thought about the concept of you know
the return of Christ and the end times
the end of the world I mean that that's
that's mainstream like seems in
everything right now you know so it's
not like it's gonna be I guess people
will be able to identify I think whether
they identify with being of Christian
beliefs or not they'll be able to
identify with the lyric so it is there
is some more stuff so I know this is an
older song just just um rerecord it put
out or whatever do you have do you have
new material are you currently writing
for some for some new stuff that you're
working on is it kind of coming out the
same um same vocal there is there's
there's we have quite a few tracks in
the works yeah and there's a mix there's
a mix of there's a little bit heavier a
little bit you know throwback yeah to
the old you know kinda as far as vocally
a little more aggressive than this
coming of the son um this this was more
of a she back in the day I kind of
viewed coming as the Sun as like almost
another rendition or another a similar
piece to him as far as its heaviness not
very not a really heavy song I mean it
is it is for what it is but it's I guess
I'm it's on the softer side of what
we're known your work wäôre argue a cold
chamber fan was that an influence at all
yeah I really liked coal chamber a lot
yeah a-hole and and apparently they had
a big influence on my on my vocal style
everybody knows it I just got there I
just got to see last year my wife got me
tickets for my birth before Christmas
and we went last year I believe it was
and went to Atlanta and seeing um orgy
and power man and that was that was good
stuff oh good night then you got the
power man influence as well I definitely
hear spider zombie and your vocals too
but we also hear Nate so it's all good
right yeah so uh yeah excited excited
about that I wanted to ask you just a
little bit too about touring or whatever
like some of the experiences on the road
playing with other Christian bands or
whatever the case is in general how many
shows do you think you guys did together
not a lot of proof online anymore right
I remember I remember even seeing some
stuff did you guys play at the
revelation room with the travail one
year I feel like I remember seeing in
Texas I think it was it's possible it
sounds we play we were the purple I
don't I be always called the purple all
over the country man all over the
country for couple of years and it was
good times I couldn't tell you how many
shows the word word it was Oliver has
all the dream well man I'm excited for
you I'm seeing new material somebody
Adam in the chat says we need to have a
true secret these five down song we we
need to it happen man I need to send you
something to get on man get on get on
the track with me rip it up make it
happen no no nevermind what they said
about a hip hop song that you were
working on
I was gonna bring something out but it
Kenny you're irrelevant but that's my
style
so I guess so I guess the plans for the
new stuff though was we I mean we're
kind of right and you know one
completing one at a time kind of thing
you know that's kind of I guess the
modern way kind of releasing you know
releasing them as they come together I
guess then you don't feel rush to you
know have ten songs that you know only
two of them are good you know just what
the way the industry's change that's
kind of the what we're thinking I guess
as of now and then we were kind of
shooting for we like try to have
something every month or if you want to
talk about some of the concepts or ideas
for that
did you know essentially we're gonna our
attempt is going to be to put out at
least a single each month we've got some
other ideas as far as like video stuff
that's going to coincide with the
singles and and we want to give I guess
with the whole new media scene and kind
of some a mix of both of our interests
we want to give more than just music
we're going to do videos with want to do
videos with each track and that's more
my ballpark of things I'm into that
realm of of media and it'll be cool you
know if if we can if we can get it all
correlated and do that you know once a
month drop a single in a video and just
kind of see what see what unfolds I've
even talked to Brandon about maybe maybe
putting together a regular regularly
scheduled like videocast video show
podcast a certain certain time he
month or maybe a couple times a month
just to because this is the new media
landscape you you've got to be present
and interact yeah it with who's out
there paying attention and that's how
you get more people paying attention
right there's so much there's so much
stuff I mean I got the tire to say what
the future holds but you know we've had
people already asked us about touring in
shows already man like we're ready yeah
in football show dates in now well you
know it's exciting and you know we're
you know excited for whatever may come
but you know we're trying to stay like
we gotta have material for us we stay
focused on that be good I'm being good
we thought always that we might be able
to you know if that if that idea rolls
into a realm of possibility you know
playing shows or any of that we've
talked about possible solutions to in
show if it stays the two of us or if
yeah if there there's more added on for
a live show I've been I've been to many
a show without a bass player and they're
you know they're going to a backing bass
track that sounds like a live bassist
there and other other stuff incorporated
as well so it's a thing right and it it
can it can work these days right you
know crazy I mean that's a whole nother
subject is how like that that became way
more accessible I mean I I worked on a
project
I don't maybe ten years ago and there
was a lot of backing tracks and
pre-recorded stuff and I felt like at
that time it was not really acceptable
it was like people expected everything
to be live and then it's like how things
have changed now you know we're like the
DJ has just exploded and now
it became the norm people don't really
uh they don't think like that anymore
even if even if everything is unplugged
and they're acting like they're mixing
stuff up I just into it yeah yeah it's
kind of weird these DJ's some of these
DJ's are some of the biggest acts around
right now and I mean they got Al and I
are there it's Plato in there hands up
yeah and they're making the killing I'm
making a lot of money actually in it's
just crazy how much that's changed like
I said like I don't know ten years ago I
mean I wouldn't want to be that guy I
deal with it now man I deal with it now
with the hip-hop so there's a ton of
stuff that I do in my vocals that I
produced this sound that I love I mean
there's whispers going in and different
and this is over hip-hop music right
whispering I'll do a regular track and
then there's a whisper track it maybe
even be screams in in a hip-hop song
there's so much I do there's auto-tune
with my singing that's not the best but
I can get it to where I like it and then
trying to pull it off live and then
doing the whole song or even a whole set
I can't I'm honest I can't pull that
stuff off it's too it's too hard so
there's stuff that I do in the studio
that's amazing it sounds and you can put
if I run out of breath I can punch in in
the studio and let me try that again
punch in all in with it and never and
I'm doing all these syllables together
that I cannot do live I'm gasping
there's no inflection in my voice
because I'm trying to get everything out
man because I try to speak with such
power and it's hard to do life so even
in the pop there's this thing hey those
guys are using backing vocals or you're
not they just want to play the beat and
then expect you're gonna get a really
bad show if I have to do that and I've
tried it I'm so experimenting of how
much of a backing track maybe only the
course maybe only the rhyming words but
it's a thing - especially with
underground hip-hop because they want to
see if you really got skilled can you
really do it yeah okay bro all right
Phil about the like rap the whole like
rap battle
tality like they want to she kind of
bars you have on the fly and like yeah
like just a different thing yep yep yep
and I've even in it kind of rubbed me
the wrong way I remember just seeing in
the local scene bone thugs-n-harmony
right they they came into the show
locally several years back and they had
a bus they had several local rappers
opening up for him and then the next day
there was just all this trash talk on
the freaking living legends
bone thugs-n-harmony of how they had
backing tracks
oh geez man I can't believe man they
just lip-syncing out and do not
lip-syncing like they're doing it with a
backing track and stuff but it's just so
weird how like some people don't play
about that it's really weird this place
that we're in now I guess it's just
whatever scene yeah that's people yeah
it just depends yeah yeah it's like all
in one extreme to the other you see it
yeah you see it all it's definitely
become more and more accepted in today's
music scene but more than it was you
know now that people love to get on
stage again stuff grown a good stuff man
was there was anything that we didn't
talk about that you guys wanted to
mention at all any subjects that you
wanted to bring up whether it's dealing
with the music whether it's dealing with
spirituality I mean have your beliefs
I know I mean beliefs normally change if
they're not changing then something's
wrong right you're doing more researcher
you live in life you're having
experiences or whatever so things change
so you guys like I said move forward
it's gonna be still a Christian band or
what now but is there any books or any
philosophies anything that has inspired
you or helped you over the years or
anything like that or is it just like
strictly the Bible how do you feel like
spiritually moving forward both of y'all
I think I'm I'm in a far far different
place today than I was then
I'm in a different place than it was
three years ago
and I think it's a far better place you
know I look at some of some of my
beliefs that were kind of taught down
for this you know I grew up around that
I just kind of grabbed onto and as far
as I I think I think I am a lot a lot
better off spiritually where I am today
which you know that's a good thing
because because there has been growth a
far different person all around I you
know - I can I can say today that I am
surely a different person than then
before and it's only because of God and
it is enlightening and his teaching of
my spirit along the path that have
walked pursuing that you know and it's
good you know it's it's real good where
I'm at and you know as far as like
philosophical there's so many there's so
many things out there available as far
as philosophical lines that could be
followed and you know truth truth rings
true and people in everyone's heart
yeah and in in their spirit they know
truth when they hear it and and so
there's there's truth out there within a
lot of philosophies that I've looked at
anyway
and I've come I've come to view even the
Bible as it contains it contains God's
Word and God's truth but I iView it a
lot different than what I used to and I
see I see far more I guess in spiritual
depth than I used to and I don't know if
that's because of my my external sources
outside of you know the Bible in the
pursuit of truth and knowledge but I
guess that's that's kind of a a
roundabout summary but still faith in
Christ for the most part or just Jesus
figure Oh dying for the sins of humanity
for sure I think this I think it is that
the foundation and it's going to remain
the foundation everything's it's kind of
built on top of that right there's no
there's no removing Christ out of being
the center of what experience of
spiritual life should be you know it's
funny you know look at some of the the
other major religions that know the
character and I guess I shouldn't even
say major religion you know every I
think I think everyone out there that
has any sort of sense of a spiritual
life they know the Jesus figure for
Christ you know you know what it's about
what or they they have an idea of what
it's about what it stands for
well yeah in my view Christ has to be at
the center right because he came to be
the lights he can came for to offer us a
life more abundant you know a full life
and and that's just I don't know we look
at the stuff that Jesus taught man and
and I can't help but to think that if if
we just kind of walked in teachings and
then we were the people that she was
because we were the kind of people that
he was man what a what a world this
would be you know yeah that's good
that's cool that's cool you say that the
other religions at least sit point back
to the light or something like that but
I've always thought it really cool cuz
like there's all this stuff now about
people trying to disprove the fact that
Jesus never existed right and he was a
fable or whatever made up and there's
documentaries like the zeitgeist and say
he's borrowed from another religion or
the Sun cults or whatever and a lot of
that stuff can shake your your faith it
shook mine for some time but really took
me deeper and what I believe in
made me prove what I believe and I think
it's healthy to have your faith is
shaken you know just so you know it's
not handed down you I really had an
encounter with a type of being that is
Jesus or whatever and and it led me to
God or whatever when I was at my lowest
that's my foundation everything else is
on top of that it's obviously his name
wasn't Jesus right he never responded to
that name you never heard that but it's
the figure that responds it's the light
you know what I'm saying and he responds
to that and we call upon that name the
name of Jesus or the name of of light
the highest vibration but to look at the
other religions man like they all try to
like lay claim to Jesus like the Hindu
like they all they're either he's either
in their holy book they're saying hey
yeah we know who he is he existed he was
here he taught he was a prophet he did
many good works or like those people
saying that you know the Hindus they
have shrines built to say yeah he he
came here and he learned under are
Yogi's for so many years and there's
even shrines to mother Mary and they say
our bodies buried there and there's all
this veneration from all these other
whether you want to call them pagan or
whatever nations they're like yeah we
know who Jesus is right and they all are
like kind of proving the existence cuz
they're in in he's in their stories and
stuff too and I thought that was always
somewhere cool these outside sources
kind of reaffirming that there was
something even if they're making it up
they're all just trying to you know say
that he was there or whatever thought I
always thought that was cool right
what a far as brain therefore far just
spirituality and Christian beliefs or
whatever whatever beliefs in general do
you still hold true is it pretty much
the same have you gone deeper out
studying or were you at spiritually with
that I don't like well I mean I I think
life's a journey I mean living you learn
I mean it sounds generic but it is you
know it's like things I struggled with
ten years ago I think I came to terms
with you know there's God has been there
the whole time and then but then you uh
you can't forget new challenges that I
didn't know existed ten years ago I know
it's a solid journey you really I mean I
yeah he's the one thing that's always
there you know it's always true the you
know he's always there you know sticking
with that good stuff that's my story and
I'm sticking to a good stuff man well
I'm excited for moving forward to hear
new material from you guys and maybe
having you back guys back on the show
when there's a fishel release of an
album or something like that whatever
I'm here to network with you guys and be
friends so uh a bunch of people in the
in the chat have already started pulling
up the music and a lot of people Bach
Bowman says
don't music guys I've just checked it
out I love it and definitely gonna be
bumpin y'all there's a bunch of other
comments here but uh Adam Starseed Bay
says he but he remembers you guys from
back in the day he said one of his
favorite bands was was bride back in the
day but uh all good stuff man so yeah I
thought I'd get together and you know
starting this going again it's really
cool because uh you know we've ran into
and reconnected with so many people
already that it's like where's all the
time gone you know like you said to
think about how water damage just it's
like crazy no I mean you lose touch with
people and things change and uh
it I mean it's been really cool just in
that sense just reconnected with a lot
of people and uh well hey we're yet now
how you been you know that's all these
people mean are you getting a lot of the
nostalgia I mean I live for nostalgia so
I'm sorry if I sound redundant but I
just I don't listen to like 90s music
and I listen I listen to stuff from the
90s that I didn't listen to when I was a
kid like the stuff I hate it now I love
it like I loved it or whatever country
music I don't care what it was if it's
something from that it brings you back
right of a time that was a little bit
more simpler right and it kind of brings
you back where you didn't have bills and
all this other stuff and whatever
nostalgia of that and it's just the
power of music man it it almost acts as
a time machine to take you back and
relive memories and you know I'm saying
the power to kind of make you you don't
saying people come in I mean early on
for for people who became believers back
then it reminds them of them coming out
the world in those early days of falling
in love with Jesus and the first
Christian metal album they bought you
know these fell down oh how they found
it where they were at when they did so
that's really cool too and they're you
guys were a part of that and if that's
it if it stopped today if they ended
today to just bask in that and to know
like literally how much power that had
for somebody maybe even to change their
life right when they heard your music
there's those stories to your music
saved me your music
you know led me to research and go
deeper I remember when I was playing a
Christian hardcore bands there was a kid
in the scene years ago and he he was
listening to all those bands that I
named he was what it was it was all the
the the hardcore bands like Norma Jeane
under oath as I Lay Dying all of those
guys me without you you know and it just
hit him and he'd been listening to those
bands and playing music and you know
you've seen people at shows in the scene
you only seen them at the show but they
were your friends when you were there
and you maybe got their numbers or
whatever but I remember building a
friendship with this guy's his name was
Kyle and he was listening to under oath
Norma Jean all that kind of stuff
and then finally he was an unbeliever he
was an atheist and he's listening to
nothing but these Christian metal bands
who were great for nominal bands and he
called me one day and like in tears he
said bro I don't know what's happening
it all makes sense now like all of these
bands that I was listening to for a year
months at a time
they've all been singing about Jesus and
I never knew it and it just hit him as
this deep revelation of like man and
he's like you know wanting to pray
together and wanting a Bible and stuff
and I led him to the Lord and it was
just like something that small you know
he didn't know because I mean the
message was a little bit different for
some it wasn't you know Jesus Jesus in
every every song but it finally hit him
he had that revelation and and that's
the power of music man you know what I'm
saying and I get I get to experience
that with my music with people and you
guys too and like that's so powerful
like words that's the biggest compliment
of or like you guys killed it or I love
your riffs just like man something
something more out of me when you share
that story or whatever you know what I'm
saying like that's what I love that
stuff oh it's cooled it it's cooled it
you can you can play a part and it's
cool to think that it was something you
did something you put together impacted
on an emotional level and a spiritual
level somebody that much that
that you know you you had a you had a
hand in maybe opening some spiritual
eyes in somebody else's life in somebody
else's spirit that's a really cool thing
that's a really cool thing to be a part
of um do you guys ever and I'm gonna I'm
gonna pull this up right quick do you
guys ever I don't know if you do but do
y'all go to YouTube videos and read the
comment sections for uh some of y'all's
all videos and stuff yeah I'm actually
gonna take off then I got a head out
we'll reconnect again soon you're
hanging out here in the next minute
anyway so I appreciate you hanging out
with this Brandon yeah much love man our
brother piece yeah well I'm just uh yeah
there's people of in the comment section
here on some of these videos that
they're going back and promoting and
that's what I was gonna say just as far
as like the nostalgia whatever overall a
back then you really like you had to
actually meet the person or hear the
story versus like now you put out a new
piece of material or go read these
comments sections and there's people
from all over the world who have
experienced these five down and the
impact that I had on their lives and you
can go read those comments sections
there so that's really cool psycho tom
kazoo so I know I I browse through some
of them it's been some years since they
actually looked but I do recall like
going through and seeing seeing some
commenting and some of the things people
were saying and it is really cool and
they saw a lot of this is recent
comments - so there's people revisiting
it so I think that uh moving forward
putting on new material I think people
are waiting for some stuff man so it's
going to
good yeah that's exciting exciting for
for us and it's cool that it's exciting
for some other people out there baby
good stuff well awesome man well Nate I
appreciate you hanging out with me as
well man like I said a big fan of the
music and just recently I remember
showing it to people maybe two weeks ago
in our in our chat showing them some of
that stuff so it's really cool to
finally get to connect with you and look
forward to some of this new material
coming out look for a man if you're up
dude like I would love to get you on a
song man something that would fit you
I'm saying more of your style so I'm
probably when we get off of here go to
some of my stuff and see if I got
something I can send you man it'd be
cool moving forward help you pop some of
it - sounds good brother all right
these five down calm they can check out
the new single there is it on iTunes or
anything yet or is it just direct
download now yeah it's just just on our
site we're gonna be doing some stuff to
get it out to all you know all the
distribution points and all the stores
and all that you know it'll be it'll be
there but it's not yet in a pre-release
sorta stage at the moment yeah I'm just
kind of testing the waters a little bit
but yeah everybody can go to these five
down calm and check out the new song
there's merch there as well also those
songs I was letting you guys know go
back and listen to some of the older
stuff to kind of get a feel for who they
are what they bring to the table
check out the low video the song him
freaking classic make sure you guys go
check that out too revelation war media
all that kind of stuff so Nate
appreciate it man let's do it again soon
brother I enjoyed it good man I
appreciate you having us on and all this
it was cool it was cool to be a part of
it good stuff man I'll send you
everything when it's done man and so
have a good night we'll do it again soon
all right you too take it easy god bless
alright ladies and gentlemen Nate and
Brandon from the band these five down
good stuff make sure y'all go check out
their music check out the new single
that just is posted on their website
I've already purchased it make sure you
purchased it tell them true seeker sent
you let them know that you heard them
heard them on this podcast and so I hope
y'all took something away from that as
well so we talked about a lot of good
good points and then kind of driving
home the you know the spirituality the
spiritual aspects of it I mean
maintaining your faith is a big thing
throughout the years I mean studying
philosophy reading other books or
materials or heavens even having
struggles in your life personally
maintaining the delicacy of that
relationship with Christ men and and
never forgetting that no matter where
you go like I say that's the foundation
everything is built upon that and
there's really no deeper truths that
you're seeking that's gonna get any
deeper than then Christ crucified and
what that does the transformation of a
person's heart man that's so beautiful
so it's awesome to see how even over the
years tested and tried and you know
people around you follow people around
you you no doubt you and talk down and
and there's all types of just the winds
and waves of life that come up and
happen and so to maintain that the
delicacy of that faith men and 2-foot
you have to fight for it you have to
really believe in prove that you believe
and if you believe it it should be
something practical in your day to day
life that helps you get through hard
times that helps you when you feel alone
all of that kind of stuff so really good
stuff um these five down check them out
I want to give a shout out I don't know
if I did on the last podcast or not but
I want to give a shout-out to Kristi
Johnson and her family they I got a
letter full of little Christmas cards
that her and the kids made for me and my
family so thank you so much for taking
the time out and sin
in that enough so beautiful also to
Brett Stacy who sends me like fan mail
and just like buys me stuff off of like
Amazon all the time but he sent me this
t-shirt it's uh I think it'll give me
one second okay he sent me this t-shirt
here and I'm gonna show you guys who
were on the livestream but it's just
this random shirt they just sent in but
it's just a picture if those of you who
are watching on the screen you can see
it those who you're listening to this
I'm gonna describe it it's a picture of
Jesus hanging out with Batman Superman
all the DC characters I guess it is all
the superheroes and then he says it's
Jesus with them and he says that's how I
saved the world so cool shirt Brad thank
you for the family our brother it's
awesome
you rock wanted to make sure I give a
shout out to you guys for doing that if
you'd like to send anything in the mail
the addresses in the description of the
video 333 P o box 333 yes I I was able
to purchase that P o box 333 have an
album of the same title P o box 333
criolla Alabama jump to these comments
here thank you guys for hanging out with
me to live it's awesome
Tiger King shoutout to you brother Grimm
what up grandma's late better late than
never brother Kirk would UPS as much
love said Hofstra says that shirt is
awesome no doubt Jesus Christ the
original Superman
speaking of rap-metal there was a there
was a band called pillar who was about
probably about the same time as these
five down maybe a little a probably a
little after there were more I don't
know maybe let biscuit esque I guess
maybe but they had a song called out
Jesus Christ it was called Superman and
it was about Jesus Christ the original
Superman kryptonite can't slow him down
nothing can at all Jesus Christ every
time a Superman but uh
yeah get stuff
shout out to Jackie bak Bowman Adam
Starseed BAE Caitlin and Bobby
how y'all doing thank you for joining us
in the chat Kurt CT Alchemist which is
my brother Chad Rene Ruiz Jonathan
Jonathan Santiago I wore his shirt like
two podcasts ago I got one of his shirts
make sure y'all check out his podcast as
well Santi uh Jonathan Santiago raw john
santiago raw Jackie says hello there
yeah everybody hanging out with this
live Jeremy pic what up yep and thank
you guys again for all the support
birthing these dis new music the new
album colors I'm already working on some
other new stuff that's going to be
released on patreon very soon as soon as
I get a feature back from Watchmen it's
gonna go up we got a song called voices
it's gonna be up really soon so make
sure that you guys look out for that but
all that all this stuff is available on
my patreon patreon comback that's true
seeker you get a access to our Thursday
night school of the Mystics you get
access to my entire discography for like
$5 you get to download 200 plus songs
why not and or $10 $20 whatever you want
to do whatever your heart desires
whatever you can do so that's I'm
getting a lot of great feedback on on
the meditations too that some just hope
opened up a whole new door of creativity
of healing of encounter with God like
those meditations I've done two of them
so far and they're both near and dear to
my heart of being able to tap into in
prayer the father's heart and take you
on a journey to this place where you
meet God through this this journey just
like a visualization it's like watching
the movie or something but it's not
watching the movie within your mind
painting these pictures of taking you on
the into an encounter of ancient Israel
into the the tabernacle of Moses and the
temple and literally like
accurate description of what you saw
what the colors were the animals that
were there the people of the priests
what they were wearing and I'm kind of
describing it as the sound effects are
going on you hear the animals you hear
children playing laughing the priests
greet you and say hello welcome you know
and it's really in-depth and I hired
voice actors to come in and play roles
in the interactive guided meditation and
so I encourage you to check it out it'll
change your life for a fact that every
person who've heard it is usually come
back to me in tears and that's a
blessing the highest blessing that God
spoke to them through that encounter so
it's called the throne room meditation
it's available in the description you
can check it out there but yeah you go
into a place where you encounter God
through the Holy of Holies and into
heaven into the the literal throne room
of God and you see the four living
creatures and you know interacting with
interacting with angels and then with
the father and who has a message for you
and the meditation so if that sounds
interesting to you check that out
also you know our discord is available
if you're looking for community you want
to talk and meet up with like-minded
people discord is in the description as
well you can get that on your computer
or your smartphone and it's really cool
we can take advantage of this technology
and use it for good bring people
together that's what it's about
yeah so that's pretty much it make sure
you guys stay tuned in what I'm doing
doing a lot more client coaching as well
the four different things like I have a
lot that I offer whether it's helping
people get started in their own business
online business start their own podcast
people who are having who were needing
like counseling and in sessions like
that one-on-one for healing and stuff
and I've been offering that I've been
doing a lot more lately so if you know
if you need help with anything like that
and you would like to consult me on a
one-on-one basis there that is available
on my website as well true seeker com
whether it's you
help putting together a website you guys
listen to the podcast you know what I do
a little bit of all of it so a lot of
new stuff coming in 2019 gonna get some
courses ready and I'm gonna really show
you guys how to do what I'm doing here
forming your own videocast and
converting it into a podcast and then
getting it on your website and driving
traffic everything that comes in line
with that I'm working on that right now
the podcast master class and then after
that there'll be some some other group
sessions that we do outside of the
School of the Mystics whether it be kind
of intentional whether it's uh
you know I'm saying group meditations
holotropic breathing and pranayama
things like that which I've been doing
on a one-on-one basis with some some
people and I'm ready to do it with some
some group settings as well so if that
interests you make sure you subscribe to
the email list so you get notified when
all that stuff comes out so with out any
other delay I'm gonna say peace and
Shalom thanks for hanging out with me on
this impromptu episode of the true
seeker podcast good night and God bless
that does it for this episode folks to
hear more episodes of the truth seeker
podcast head over to Jessica calm and if
you wanted to support the show and get
rewards go to our patreon page at
patreon.com forward slash truth seeker