The Reggae Interview
Spear Speaks Out
This is excerpted from an interview with the Cedar Valley Entertainment Authority
Web zine in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa conducted in February of 2003.

Global Gospel Sounds:
What were your first experiences with reggae music?

SPEAR:
I was in the junior high when the Studio One Band came to town backing Freddie McGregor, Michigan & Smiley and Peter Broggs. Getting to speak with Freddie McGregor after the show inspired me to start my first reggae band, The Reggae Disciples. By college I had seen many of the reggae greats – Jimmy Cliff, Buring Spear, Black Uhuru, Eek A Mouse, Israel Vibration, Pato Banton, Culture and many others.

GGS:
Who influenced you the most in this realm?

SPEAR: Meeting Black Uhuru. Meeting the guys in the Bad Brains – the punk Rastafarians. These were cool things to a college kid. Later in life meeting the guys in Christafari – and especially getting to spend some time with the band when I played promoter for one of their shows here in Cedar Falls was very inspirational. Michael Moer has a powerful message that he presents and he has not sold out to Jesus in that way.

GGS:
What is the main message presented through your music?

SPEAR:
Salvation through Jesus Christ. We are in a time of Holy War. This is not a physical war. This is a spiritual war. And when I speak of Holy War I am not targeting this at Muslims. I target our own society. Satan’s stronghold is definitely in the US. Materialism, liberalism, an “accept everything” attitude.

GGS:
In your song, “One Way.” You profess that Jesus Christ is the only way. Do you believe this is true?

SPEAR:
Yes. Resoundingly yes. When Christ said, “I am the way and the light and the truth. There is no way to the father except through me.” He meant it. So many people ascribe to the many ways to the one theory. In fact I just was reading an interview with Alpha Blondy – someone whose music I enjoy, but whose message I don’t agree with – in which he said. “All beliefs are one in the same.” He iterates this in the song “Jerusalem” with the lyric, “Christian, Jews, Muslims we can all be free. To live together and pray. Amen. Let’s give thanks and praises.” I don’t buy into this. Christ said there is only one way. So there is only one way. To believe otherwise is to claim that Christ was a hypocrite.

GGS:
So what about Muslims, Jews, Hindus? Are they all going to hell?

SPEAR:
I pray for Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and others who do not accept Christ, and only Christ, as their personal savior. I do not hate them. I do not wish to rally against them. I only wish to open their eyes. In hopes that they will see the Truth.

GGS:
Are you being self righteous in making these statements?

SPEAR:
I share what what I believe. What I believe comes directly from scripture. I do not believe in modifying scripture to suit the needs of man. I accept scripture as the word of God. Inerrant and impecible in every way. And my hope is that others will dig into the word. Even those who rail against Christians. I ask that before you stomp on Christianity you at least take the time to get to know what you are speaking out against. And I believe the same card must be dealt to Christians. I speak from what I know to be true. If I were to engage in an apologetical debate with a Muslim I would get to know the Qu’ran and know its similarities and differences with my own faith.

GGS:
Back to the music. Why have you settled on reggae then? Why not CCM?

SPEAR:
As a white guy from the middle of the United States you wouldn’t expect Reggae to be the music form of choice. But I feel that Reggae has traditional been a music of oppression. Christians today are facing an era of opression. Our religious freedoms are slowly being stripped away. The religious police come with orders veiled as tenants of freedom. We are told not to express our faith in public areas. We are told not to place religious icons on public property. We are told that our children cannot pray in their schools or share the Gospel message with classmates. This IS oppression. And this is happening in the USA.

GGS:
You talk about ethnomusicology. African. Arabic musics as well.

SPEAR:
I’m a music fan. I love Brazillian, Cuban, Reggae, African, Middle Eastern and other musics. The African rhythems and the reggae rhythems are the ones I love to play. I am also interested in finding other Christians who are using these musical forms for presenting the Gospel message.

GGS:
How do you compose your music?

SPEAR:
It varies. Lately the inspiration hits in the car or when I am out and if I’m lucky the tune remains in my head by the time I reach my studio. Sometimes I will write lyrics first, sometimes I am drawing lyrics out of scripture or extracting lines from traditional hymns and re-arranging them. Some music is directly inspired by other musicians such as the adaptations of songs by Yabby You and the Kenyan group The Mwauras.

GGS:
Which instruments do you play.

SPEAR:
If you listen to any of the tracks on the Web site you are hearing me on everything. I hope to bring in other musicians as I evolve these songs for public release. But for now I typically lay down drums, percussion, bass, rhythem and lead guitar, backing vocals and lead vocals.

GGS:
Where do you hope to go with the SpearRitual project?

SPEAR:
I hope that the music will get to the level the it can support the message and that I can align with a label such as Lion of Zion or another label that supports the music and the message of Christ Jesus. Amen.