Petra - John Schlitt
Honesty -- simple forthright honesty. You'd think that it would be fairly easy to find within the confines of the Christian community... but it isn't. Christian artists are as likely, if not more so, as any to avoid giving open, honest answers to straightforward questions. Almost 15 years in the business have taught me that.
It is that lack of honest, real answers in this industry that makes this interview particularly special. Instead of avoiding the questions that so many artists do, Petra's John Schlitt chose to provide honest answers to the real life questions we threw at him. Read on as John opens his heart and mind to us. I think you will find it deeply refreshing.
Let's start by stepping back to the time before the latest Petra Praise album and talk about the departures of Jim Cooper and David Lichens.
"After John Lawry and Bob Hartman left, we were looking for some young energy. Jim Cooper seemed to fit in. He had been a roadie for Petra, and he knew the heart of the band. David Lichens looked the part and he sounded the part, and in try-outs it seemed that he could play the parts. Sometimes you make mistakes. There was too much tension and not enough cooperation. It just didn't work.
"Amidst that, Ronny decided to leave. Our new bass player, Lonnie, brought a breath of fresh air into the band. About that time, the praise & worship album was conceived. Louie and Lonnie were gung-ho for it, but the other two guys were adamantly against it. We tried to work it out. One guy only went in the studio one day. They had chips on their shoulders and made sure everybody knew it. They couldn't get along with John and Dino, and that was the final straw. And I said, 'Guys, you won't be happy in this band... with the vision I have for this band, you won't be happy in it. I think it would be smart for you to go somewhere else.'
"Jim was very hurt, and I don't blame him. He's a good keyboard player and a good singer, but I could tell he wasn't happy, and there wasn't anything I could do for him.
"As for David... David and I were just too far apart regarding music styles... So I said, 'You guys need to leave.'
"About that time, I found the two guys who had been with me for my solo tour (Pete and Kevin). I said, 'These guys have got unbelievable hearts, they believe in the music ministry,' and I said, 'Would you guys consider being part of Petra?'
"I am a very happy man now. I feel like I am a part of five guys who have a vision. Our opinions pretty much matched, and we get along unbelievably well. The spirit of a Christian band has to be total unity. There has to be love, and there has to be care for each other."
Out of that answer develops a question. In your answer, I heard a lot of "I didn't like...", "I decided...", and "I pulled the guys aside..." It sounds like you are the one who basically fired David and Jim.
"Yes, I am."
Then you replaced them with two people from your side band. How much is Petra becoming the John Schlitt Band, rather than Petra?
"Actually, the only John Schlitt Band part of it is when it comes time to pay the bills. When it comes to decisions and choices, I probably have the least voice of all of them. They are very adamant about what they think. From Bob I have taken over being the spiritual leader. But as far as musical development, as a singer, I probably have less of a vote than the other four. So it would be hard for me to see it as the John Schlitt Band. For major decisions, though, I've taken over Bob's place, being held accountable for the final decisions.
Speaking of Bob Hartman, how much is he still involved with the band?
"For instance, this last record, God Fixation, he basically was in charge of the writing. He brought the other four guys into his basement for six weeks working on tunes that the three new guys were interested in. Bob most certainly is a part of Petra. He just doesn't come on the road anymore."
The new album, God Fixation, is really a drastic change in style from previous Petra albums...
"Well (laughing), there's three new members. The music has been totally affected by the three new guys and Louie. They came in with ideas, and they showed Bob, and Bob said, 'Great, I don't have to write songs anymore... All I gotta do is come up with the words.' So there were a lot of ideas from the new guys. Also, Bob has had the last year off the road, and he's been listening to what's been going on lately, and he had a lot of fresh ideas... and John and Dino too. Putting all those different parts together brought in a different type of sound."
So, what have you guys been listening to that has influenced the sound, because the sound is more of a "modern" rock sound?
"I.. I.. don't know. What do you think?"
That's what I'm asking you. It sounds like you didn't play a huge role in writing the album.
"I didn't. That's why I do my solo stuff."
The real question, then, is how committed are you guys to this particular musical style? And answer in this vein: Petra's popularity had been slipping. How much of a role did your slipping popularity play in your decision to play "modern rock?" And if modern rock wasn't "in," would you still have chosen that style?
"Petra has followed the musical styles for 25 years. We choose to use the styles of music the kids are listening to, without compromising the fact that we are a rock band. Rock encompasses many different things, from M.O.R. to thrash. I think to answer your question, it's all of the above. For the guys in the band, this music is what they enjoy doing. I think that this album is going to be the most fun to play of any Petra record we've ever done, because this is their baby. And it going to be the truest live show, coming from the heart, that the band has done, initially.
"As far as, did we choose it because that's what's in? Absolutely! Of course we did. We are trying to reach the kids. And if we say that we're only gonna play the stuff we want to play, and we don't care what anyone else thinks, , that to me, if you're in there to see lives changed, is almost a point of selfishness. And I believe these songs are going to be useful. They are a more current sound, and we still feel that the younger audience is the one we need to reach most."
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Comments
This is a great interview and the honesty is refreshing, but this seems like an old interview. It's pre-"Revival," pre-Bob Hartman returning, and pre-Louie quiting. An update would be nice focusing on the new album and the sound we can expect on it. Who is Louie's replacement (can Louie every really be replaced)? Is there another John Schlitt Solo album in the works? These would be the kind of questions I would like to have answered in a follow -up interview.
Ok, saddle up; 'kuz this is gonna be a long post. I have "No Doubt" and "God Fixation," and the music is incredibly typical of 80's era stuff. Now, I'm a christian kid in about the age-group they seem to wanna reach. I can tell you right now, I'm no longer a fan of Petra. Why? I like rock that is progressive, and the newer stuff I've heard coming out of this band has been so outdated that I haven't even spent the money to buy it. They used to be my favorite band, but now it's changed; and not because of their message or anything, but just the music was lame. I got "God Fixation" and tried to use it to witness to my unsaved freinds when it first came out, and it was useless; they just ended up turning me on to their secular- music. Thank God he rescued me from that, but that's why I got into Christian rock in the first place; it could reach people that Michael W. Smith (My favorite artist before Petra,) couldn't. Now I've found music that is truly honest and real; not just for Christians or sentimential fans. Don't get me wrong, I still like Petra; I'm just not a "fan" in that sense of the word. I wouldn't go to a concert, I haven't bought an album in six years, and I no longer listen to the two that I have. I'm more into bands like P.O.D., ZAO, and Blindside now; guys who're just being who they are and shining the light of christ in the darkest of places no matter what the "Christian Community" says about them. Not to mention the trendy music they make. These guys let you know that they're imperfect people, and they don't try to be rock stars. I saw a special on the secular band "Journey" not long ago, and John Schlitt's attitude really reminds me of those kind of ego-issues. The way he talked about "firing" those guys just set me off. He said it's about ministry, but I know of bands who can prove that to me better than this interview did. People don't get "fired" if it's a ministry. People quit, but you wouldn't fire your pastor because you thought he "wasn't happy" in your church. That's just my $.02, and no matter how blunt/rude it might sound; it's just the straight truth from Petra's (former) biggest fan.
To Petra themselves, if they ever read this, here's what I have to say; you guys inspired me to play music in the first place, and now your acting like the band's name is bigger than the God you serve! It doesn't matter if you don't want it to "go down the drain yet," because if God does, it's goin' down whether you like it or not. Your own ministries will go down with it to; if you hang on to what God is no longer using. When I hear the name "Petra" nowadays, I automatically think "stale, played out 80's rock," and that's why I haven't bought an album of yours in six years. If you wanna know why "Petra [isn't] selling worth a stink," there you go. I've seen/heard of so many Christian bands breaking up and they're dealing with it better than you guys seem to be dealing with staying together. God's working in their lives so much more than if they had stayed in the same situation. In my opinion, you guys should've changed names as soon as all the original members left, because you vision cannot possibly remain the same as theirs; God made you individuals. Sure, maybe it looks/sounds the same, but no two people are alike. You can't hope to maintain the integrity of your visoin through so many member changes, and even if it was possible; why risk it? I hope this is the Holy Spirit speaking through me; instead of just my fervent desire to see you guys make an album I can respect enough to spend money on again. I encourage you guys to really pray about where to go from here, because John was right whe he said you didn't change enough between albums. Petra only has ministry value for as long as the top priority remains "reaching the kids" as opposed to making sure "you can still hear the Petra" on the cd's. (Take it from me; I'm the kid you're talking about trying to reach here.) As much of a slam as this might be, I still want you all to know that your in my prayers and I deeply respect you heart for the Lord. I'd like to know about the new album myself, come to think of it. All this has been building up for years, and I'd like a little redemption.
I recently listened to cassette tape of my cousin singing the other day and remembered that one of our mutal friends played for Petra. At First I was shocked. But I thought David had grown some and could handle the pressures. But reading what has been written about it him I kind of had to laugh. He hadn't changed. He was kicked out of my cousins band for the same reasons. But I do have his autograph.
