interviewpage
Neal Morse - interview October 2005 |
Victory:
Hello Neal! It was exactly one year since I talked to you the last time. What has happened in your life since then?
Neal: Are you ready to listen for some hours?! Victory: Well, you can give us a short resume! Neal: Ok! I finished a couple of albums; I made an album with my brother, a worship album, an album for my Pastor and some other things. We also did a three weeks visit in Europe, a worship tour in. And of course I spent some quality time with my wife and served the lord. Victory: In what ways are you ministering, beside the music? Neal: In our church we have a feel spirit church and whenever you get a message you can deliver it to the people. So, sometime I witness but I’m not what you call a preacher. Victory: Well, that’s great. We can also say: Another year, another new album from you? Neal: God has always worked that way. The Lord was blessing me musically also before. I actually have always worked this way; expect the snow album, which was a much longer one. It works like this, at the fall and wintertime I do the demos and in the spring I start recording and in the summer it’s finished! Victory: So it’s like the same procedure with every album? Neal: Well beside the testimony album, which was a real blessing. It was like an extra ordinary move of God. Something some months go by without I make any music at all, like the Lord wants me to do just other things and then sometimes I feel the Lord wants me write and then it happens all in once. Victory: Ok, so how long does it take to write song? It is one week, a month or? Neal: It varies, once I wrote two songs in just two hours, but that was not like two prog epics, they were of a more simplistic nature. Writing prog epic is far more complicated since all the piece must fit together. Victory: Tell us about the new album, what was the idea about making a so called secret album? And it seems that there are no epics on it all? (the longest just clocking over seven minutes) Neal: The thing is that people misunderstands it and thinks it’s a bunch of songs. In my point of view it’s one giant epic. You should listen to it as once piece and not as several smaller. I kind of regret that I did put in those ID tags there since I would like people to see it as a single song. Victory: I see. Now tell us about the content, what the listener expects? Will it be more similar to One, Testimony, Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic or will we hear something new a fresh?! Neal: I will leave what it sounds out to the listener, but my personal opinion is that I think it sounds quite fresh. The story is about the tabernacle and Moses, the mysteries of God that are hidden in the temple. And I want people to get interested in these things. With this new album I wanted to show people that the Christian life can be cool. I just received an email from a nonchristian, which said “Oh, you make the bible sound cool!”! Victory: That’s awesome! Talking about your lyrics, they often seem very personal, that people can reflect on. But what would you say to a person that seems to be lost in sin and so far away from God? How can God love such a person? Neal: God loves them whatever the person has done. I cannot say how because I we cannot explain God. I’d say that the best way to get to know God is to start praying, if they ask God to show himself He will do that. And remember you can always repent and God will give him mercy. But it’s important to remember that we will struggle sometimes in life. Jesus told us that it is important that we have built the house on rock because when the storm arrives we will stand, note that He said when and not if. Victory: You got a bunch of great guests here, was it a dream come true to get Steve Hackett on it? Neal: Very much so. I never met him though, and he recorded his stuff over in England, I didn’t even talk to him! Hehe, I just talked to his manager but I think it worked out great and he did an awesome job. Victory: You didn’t do any One-touring, can finally expect a full tour to support this album? Neal: I don’t know, I’m praying about. I’m willing to do what The Lord wants me to do. Victory: But you’re heading to Europe October the 25th? Neal: Yeah, I will be doing some things at a couple of churches. It will be like meeting than concerts. Victory: Ok, talking about touring; do you see any problems to tour with secular artists? Neal: No problem at all. First I’d pray about it and if the Lord wants me to do it, I’ll do it. He knows what’s best for me and His kingdom. Victory: Since you became a Christian, what is the greatest moment you have experienced, both as a person and as an artist? Neal: Receiving the Holy Spirit in my church it was an extra ordinary thing. Jesus said that it was among them when He lived but he also said that it shall be in you. So, personally I think that the greatest thing I’ve experienced. As an artist it might be when people have mailed me and told me about how they have come to God, after listening to my music. Victory: You mainly live on your music. When you don’t release an album, how do you survive and feed your family? Neal: The Lord has said I will keep you from harvest to harvest and He seems to do that with us. We’re happy with every one buying our albums and supports. Victory: Yeah, when you give your life to him and surrender 100% to Him, He for sure takes care of you. Neal: You give it all to get it all. (Neal starts singing a worship tune to prove his previous statement) Victory: As an artist you often have to travel a lot, do you see any problems in leaving your family home for let’s say 1-2 months? Neal: Three weeks is the longest I’ve been away. And that was horrible!! I remember I got on my knees and prayed “oh God if you’re real please make so I can be with my family”, I so wanted to be with my family. And within a week Metalblade sent me an email that they wanted to give me money so I could make my albums which led to that I could quite my band and bring more time with my family. Praise the Lord! Victory: You have pretty much started up a genre in Christian progressive rock (at least none talked about it before you came in to scene), what’s your opinion about that? Neal: There were already people doing it before me! Like Kerry Livgren, people did it before me. Some little more known bands did and are doing it but I’m happy with what I’m doing. Victory: Finally, what bands are you listening to today? Do you think it’s ok to listen to secular artists even after you got saved? Neal: Well, I don’t listen to it as much as I used to. Sometimes I listen to them but some of them have these awful lyrics that are in no way uplifting. Like the other day when me and my son was listening to an album and suddenly my son starts to sing along to the lyrics…which was in no way uplifting. So I try to listen to some uplifting music and even to a preaching! Victory: Thank you Neal, it was an honour talking to you! Neal: Thank you Anders, for me it was an honour to talk to you! 
|