Pete Stewart - debut solo album
Pete Stewart, formerly of the band Grammatrain, releases his debut solo album this spring. Mike Tait, of DC Talk, co-produced Pete's self-titled album and cowrote many of the songs. So HM asked Mike to interview Pete about going out on his own and Christian music in the next millenium.
Michael Tait: I can remember when Eddie Degarmo told me about Grammatrain. I got the CD and heard it -- and this is no patriotism -- I can remember you guys becoming my favorite band on the ForeFront label, so it was a natural thing for me to say 'yes' when I was asked to produce your record. I want to know how things have changed. What's different about Pete Stewart solo than how things were with Grammatrain?
Pete Stewart: Well, it's a whole different thing being on your own, that's for sure. I really looked at it as a new challenge. With Grammatrain, even though I did the majority of the writing, we normally worked on every song together until everyone put in their own parts and it sort of just became a Grammatrain song. So, not having a band to work with before recording was a different vibe. I really realized how much the whole thing was on my shoulders--if it stinks, it's my fault!
But, I've really felt like I've been able to recognize some talents that maybe either I didn't know I had, or wasn't sure if I had. Like working with musicians in the studio and working on their parts with them in more of a producer/songwriter role was really fun. When I decided to do this solo thing, I just felt like it was time to pull up the bootstraps and rise to the challenge. You know, I mean I definitely learned a lot over the past 5 years of making records with Grammatrain and it was like it was time to put all that experience to use.
I love the freedom involved with making solo records and performing as a solo artist, also. I mean, I think I can really make the kind of music I want to with each album and it won't seem as weird to shift gears musically as in a band situation. There's no name to sell, so to speak. It's just me.
MT: What do you miss the most about Grammatrain? What affected you the most about those days?
PS: I think I miss the excitement and the innocence of when we first started out playing clubs and churches with other bands that were our friends while they were still kind of starting out--Sometime Sunday, Soulfood 76, Poor Old Lu, MxPx... We played a lot of shows in Seattle and Portland with all those guys and I just remember it being so fun and exciting. It was just cool 'cause everyone was doing it just because we loved doing it, and the different friendships we formed during those years are so permanent. It's amazing to think of the ways God used us then, too, while we were so naive about what we were doing. It was a lot of work, though, too. I don't know if I miss sleeping on Mikee's [Bridges--Sometime Sunday] floor or not!
MT: Why Pete Stewart solo?
PS: Well, to tell you the truth, I'd never really considered doing a solo record before. In fact when Eddie [DeGarmo] first approached me about it I nearly turned him down. But, after really thinking about it and praying about it, I felt like it was a cool opportunity for me to do some songs that I wouldn't have been able to do in Grammatrain and really make the kind of record I would enjoy making on my own. I always get excited about doing anything new, and at this time in my life and music career, it felt really good to be able to go headfirst into something brand new, both musically and personally.
All I can really say as far as the "why" of it, is that I just felt God had something new for me to do. I knew during the time Grammatrain was together that it was where I was supposed to be. At the very end, that feeling just wasn't there for me--I don't even know all the reasons why really--and I knew it was time for me to do something else.
MT: What is your favorite song on the record? Why?
PS: My favorite song probably changes every few weeks or so, but one of my favorites is "Better Off". Musically, that song has a really cool groove--it's got that Wallflowers/Tom Petty blue-collar rock vibe that I love. Lyrically, it's a story song, and I borrowed a lot of the imagery from the small town I grew up in back in western Washington. It's just one of those songs where the lyrics seem to fit right with the music to create a real mind picture. You know, I feel like I can see my old town when I sing that song -- the dirty river and the beat-up cars and just the whole atmosphere.
MT: With all the new bands entering in and out of CCM orbit, are you fearful that sometimes it's all show and no go?
PS: One of the things I think about when I consider what I'm doing, is how Christian music started. I've always had a ton of admiration for the pioneers of Christian music from the early days--people like Larry Norman, Keith Green, Chuck Girard and Love Song, etc., and the reason for that is that those guys were doing this before there was any Christian music "industry", they just did it 'cause that was what God called them to do and because it was honest. In fact, I was just watching this video of Keith Green playing at some Jesus festival while he was alive, and it gave me chills seeing the realness and conviction he had in his music. Now that Christian music has become a business, which isn't totally a bad thing, you're always going to have to be concerned about people being in Christian music to quote-unquote "make it". Not only that, but all of us (Christian musicians) need to constantly be examining our own hearts and motivations and make sure we don't get too sucked into the pressures of conforming to business or fame standards, but rather making sure all we do is for God's standards alone. I think there's some of that happening to a degree, but I really do believe that Christian music is making a difference, and it can a lot more than it currently is.
MT: Is rock and roll dead?
NEXT PAGE
All Pages | 1 | 2 | 3
Return to Internet Exclusives
Comments
is pertico any more if so please let me know?
