Global Gospel Sounds Interview with Spear Ritual

GGS: What were your first experiences with reggae music?
SPEAR: In junior high I had the great privilege of hearing the Studio One Band 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 was motivating. Meeting the guys in the Bad Brains – the punk Rastafarian band. Seeing that these were real people. People willing to share a few hours of their life with you. A few years later I met Mark Mohr and brought Christafari to our church. It was a very special time getting to spend a day with Mark and the band. Mark has a powerful message that he continues to present through the Christafari releases 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: Why have you settled on reggae and other world rhythms?
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 traditionally 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 "global gospel" and "world music" as influences...
SPEAR: I’m a great enthusiast of all kinds of music. I have not traveled the world in person; but I have been exposed to so many cultures through their music. I love the music of Brazil, Cuba, GGSnya, and many other countries in Africa, South America and the Middle East. African and Caribbean Rhythms are the ones I love to play.

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 GGSnyan 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 a one-man band. 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, rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals and lead vocals.

GGS: Where do you hope to go with the SpearRitual project?
SPEAR: I hope that people find this music on the web. Download it. Share it. Play it. Worship God through it.