JL: There are some who are quite intolerant to any kind of Christian messaging, what has the response been so far?
John:
Well, you can’t please everyone. We understood from the outset that some would reject us and the music because of the lyrics.
But honestly, we have been surprised by the level of acceptance. The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive for the most
part. It seems that most are able to accept the music on its own terms. And I can understand this since I can do the same
thing myself while listening to Jon Anderson or someone else that sings from a spiritual perspective other than my own.
I have
a theory that many (though not all) of those who are aggressively intolerant of music with spiritual lyrics are not unbelievers so
much as they are emotionally rejecting what a part of them actually believes in deeply …
Rob: …but is unwilling to come to terms
with it.
John: It seems to me that if one truly disbelieved, they would be dispassionate about the subject altogether (as
if we were singing about Greek mythology or something), and would be able to focus on the music. So I don’t get too upset when
people hate the lyrics.
Dan: I think I’ve only read one review so far in which the reviewer just could not get by the lyrics.
It’s true that some are going to turn it off immediately. However, I think there is a larger segment of the world at large that
are really questioning whether what we see is all there is, or whether there might be something beyond all of this.
Rob: It’s a persistent theme, even in pop culture. One example: while a lot of people were disappointed that the television series
“Lost” didn’t answer more of the “nuts and bolts” kinds of questions (and I was one of them), there was (in my opinion) a strong spiritual
message that came through in the final minutes of the last episode.
Dan: I think that while many may not share our commitment to our faith, they are not unaware of – and on some level they even believe in – the concept of a higher power. I think they are the overwhelming majority and these folks will tend to listen with an open mind.
JL: You said elsewhere that
you are set to contribute to a couple of group musical projects, so what’s next on the Supernal Endgame agenda?
John:
We’re contributing songs to two different tribute projects. Colossus Magazine is sponsoring a Flower Kings tribute that should
be released late this year on the Musea label. The song we’re adding is the iconic “The Flower King” from their first album
(which was actually a Roine solo project). We’re also contributing the song “Parallels” to a forthcoming Yes tribute album on
the
Dan: I am currently demoing some ideas
for the next CD. I love bringing something in its infancy to John and Rob because it begins to evolve and take on a life that
is intrinsically mine, and yet collectively Supernal Endgame’s.
Rob: Once we’ve completed and submitted the tribute tracks,
we’ll be pouring our full attention into completing and recording the last three or four songs for “Touch the Sky, Vol. II,” and then
mixing the project. I always hesitate to predict when it’ll actually come out, because there are just too many variables to
consider until we get into the mixing phase. But I can tell you that that’s what’s next for us after we get “Parallels” and
“The Flower King” turned in.
JL: Are you planning any live shows? Will we be seeing you at any Prog Festivals?
John:
As to playing live, yes we are.
Dan: Yes, working on my chops now.
John: We haven’t done any live shows for quite a while, and we have added some new blood to the live band. Rehearsals are now underway for gigs in the late summer and into the fall. We are not scheduled to play any festivals at the moment, but we will have a vendor’s table at Nearfest this year. We look forward to meeting a few existing fans and to giving attendees a chance to hear the album while we are there.
JL:
Lastly, if you were stuck on a desert island and could only have 5 discs with you…what would they be and why those 5?
John:
This list would change daily, but what comes to mind now is:
1) Eddie Jobson – “The Green Album” 2) It Bites – “Once Around
the World” 3)
4) The Flower Kings – “Stardust We Are” 5) Gustav Holst – “The Planets”
Rob: For me it kinda depends on what I would do for electricity while I was there. But assuming that I broke open the hatch and got
into a Dharma Station (or whatever), I’d pull out five CD-Rs that I’d have prepared for just such an eventuality. Each one would
be lovingly encoded with mp3 files likely containing the collected works of these five artists (in no particular order) …
Disc
1) Iona Disc 2) Bear McCreary’s music composed for “Battlestar Galactica” and “Caprica” Disc 3)
Disc 4) The Flower
Kings Disc 5) Neal Morse (with Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, and solo)
Of course, if you asked me tomorrow, my list would
probably differ somewhat …
Dan: Hey, can I just bring my iPod?