How would you describe your music to any person who may have never heard it before?
David: Musically, it is an acoustic-driven alternative rock that is catchy yet unique, with flavorings of folk, grunge, electronic & Americana. Lyrically, I write lyrics that point people to God by paraphrasing scripture, sharing my personal faith journey, and speaking truth. In other words, I write Christian music that also appeals to secular listeners because it doesn’t sound like stereotypical and often formulaic Christian music that gets radio airplay. I write music that I enjoy listening to myself, and I have always preferred eclectic songs with earworm hooks that differentiate them from anything else.
My latest single, "God of Vengeance," is an alt-rock/grunge banger based on Psalm 94 with heavy influences from a few of my favorite bands: The Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, Failure, and Radiohead.
What are your musical influences?
David: Radiohead, Ween, Air, Failure, The Beatles, Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, Led Zeppelin, Elliot Smith, Supergrass, Stone Temple Pilots
What are your musical inspirations?
David: My dad. He is a folk singer-songwriter who bought me my first guitar when I was 13 years old, and he continues to play and inspire me today. My wife, Lindsay. She isn’t a musician but she loves music and is my biggest supporter.
If given the chance, what musician(s) would you like to collaborate with? Rather this is
to either write a song or be featured on a track.
David: Josh Weathers. We live near each other and he is incredibly talented. He is on a similar musical mission as I am, has a heart for children, and uses his gifts to glorify God.
What’s the song/album about?
David: "God of Vengeance" is based on Psalm 94, which is a prayer for God’s judgment to fall on wicked people, such as those who mistreat and murder orphans, widows, and foreigners. Not a day goes by where I don’t hear about a story of horrific crimes against children by human traffickers and sex predators, and this has fueled a growing righteous anger in me that inspired this song. But vengeance is God’s to deliver, and the most effective way to change the world is through prayer.
What’s something you hope people take away from the new song(s)?
David: My prayer is that this song will help raise awareness about the rapidly growing child trafficking industry and inspire more people to join the battle against it by crying out to God for justice. There are twice as many slaves today than any time when slavery was legal, and a large percentage of them are children. God of Vengeance is a battle anthem for the army that God is raising up to protect and rescue his children.
Do you have any favourite songs to perform live? Could be your own music or even a
cover. Any reason why?
David: My favorite song to play live is the title track from my debut album, The Prodigal, and the reason is due to the story behind it. It’s based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15, in which Jesus illustrates his amazing grace and forgiveness of sin. I relate to the prodigal son because I used to live for selfish purposes and misuse my God-given gifts. And even though I didn’t deserve forgiveness, God forgave me and gave me a new life that is filled with peace and purpose. When I play this song live, I am able to share this story and see how God uses it to change lives.
If you could perform a show this very second anywhere in the world, where would it be? Is there any particular venue(s) or city/cities that comes to mind?
David: I’d play in my hometown of Wimberley, Texas. It will always hold a very special place in my heart, and it is filled with music lovers of all sorts who have an appreciation for music that is off the beaten path like mine. And I would hopefully see a lot of my old friends there!
What do you currently have planned for the remainder of the year?
David: This is the first I’ve shared this with anyone… I am excited to announce that my next single, On the Rock or the Sand, will be released next month. It’s an indie alt-pop-rock jam based on Matthew 7:24-27. And shortly thereafter, I’ll be releasing a track called He Knows Your Name which is a song of encouragement for those who are thinking about taking their own life. These songs will ultimately be part of my second album, which I am continuing to work on this year and will release as soon as it is ready. I’m also continuing to play live acoustic shows around the Fort Worth, Texas area.
Thanks for the time today. Is there anything else you may want to add before you go?
David: About nine years ago, my life was radically changed by God, which is crazy considering that I used to make fun of Christians and thought their faith was outdated and disproven by science. Prior to this, I had misguided dreams of being a rock star and I made music for selfish reasons. Now, I serve God, and I am on a mission to help people encounter him through music.
Unfortunately, “Christian music” in the mainstream American context refers to a very specific style that doesn’t appeal to many folks, including myself. Lyrically, it’s solid, but musically, I still find most of it to sound generic and formulaic. Before my faith, when I would hear a Christian song, I would wonder how God (if he really existed) could be responsible for such cringy music. Yes, I know how snobbish that was and I’m not saying I was right… just being honest. Many people love the modern Christian music genre, and that’s great… God made all of us unique, with different passions and tastes. But I am passionate about raw, edgy, innovative music that doesn’t all sound the same. I write music that I enjoy listening to, just as chefs cook food they enjoy eating. My prayer is that this music will appeal to people with similar tastes; to people who may not yet know God but who know good music when they hear it.
Thank you for the opportunity and for your time!