1 00:00:02,750 --> 00:00:03,710 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:04,650 --> 00:00:05,710 Speaker 2: Hey, John, thanks for joining me. 3 00:00:06,510 --> 00:00:09,070 Speaker 3: Great to be here. Do you like this background I 4 00:00:09,090 --> 00:00:12,190 Speaker 3: gave you with my stinky stage clothes right here? This 5 00:00:12,250 --> 00:00:12,850 Speaker 3: is pretty good. 6 00:00:13,650 --> 00:00:15,819 Speaker 2: Man, you could sell those on eBay or something, John. 7 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 2: Those are nice. 8 00:00:16,420 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 3: I like that. I'm trying to pretty it up. 9 00:00:20,020 --> 00:00:20,490 Speaker 1: You did it. 10 00:00:20,579 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 2: John Cooper, lead singer of the band Skillet, which has 11 00:00:23,260 --> 00:00:26,020 Speaker 2: a new song, Scream. It's getting lots of attention right now. 12 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:27,010 Speaker 2: Lots of people are enjoying it. 13 00:00:27,410 --> 00:00:29,050 Speaker 1: You also have a new EP coming up. I think 14 00:00:29,070 --> 00:00:32,510 Speaker 1: it's called After the Storm. John, it's my understanding that 15 00:00:32,550 --> 00:00:33,489 Speaker 1: the song Scream is. 16 00:00:33,490 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: Very personal to you. Give us the story behind the song. 17 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,339 Speaker 3: Yeah, it is a personal one. Probably the most, what 18 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 3: do you want to call it, vulnerable we've been in 19 00:00:45,420 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 3: a while. Probably just because of the season we've been through. 20 00:00:48,740 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 3: But the song Scream is really written about suffering. And 21 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 3: I think it's something that most people can relate to 22 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,550 Speaker 3: on some level. Different times you go through suffering things 23 00:01:01,570 --> 00:01:04,449 Speaker 3: in your life. And some people have had the blessing 24 00:01:04,490 --> 00:01:06,690 Speaker 3: maybe of not going through that dark night of the 25 00:01:06,730 --> 00:01:10,220 Speaker 3: soul yet. But we know you will. We all will. 26 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,259 Speaker 3: You're going to lose people. I lost my mom to 27 00:01:13,300 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 3: cancer when I was quite young. Some people go until 28 00:01:16,740 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 3: they're 40, 50 years old before they ever lose somebody. 29 00:01:19,580 --> 00:01:24,250 Speaker 3: But there's death and there's sickness and there's disease. There's 30 00:01:24,310 --> 00:01:27,550 Speaker 3: all sorts of things. Having a child with cancer or something, 31 00:01:27,590 --> 00:01:31,610 Speaker 3: God forbid, you know. And so a lot of times 32 00:01:31,630 --> 00:01:34,390 Speaker 3: with this stuff, people end up suffering in all sorts 33 00:01:34,450 --> 00:01:38,149 Speaker 3: of ways. Something that Skillet has sung a lot about 34 00:01:38,270 --> 00:01:41,860 Speaker 3: over the years has been mental health, anxiety, depression, people 35 00:01:41,900 --> 00:01:45,340 Speaker 3: who suffer with addiction and all sorts of things like that. 36 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:50,820 Speaker 3: And that depression, that anxiety, all that stuff could be 37 00:01:51,020 --> 00:01:53,810 Speaker 3: what this song is about. And so I think that 38 00:01:53,850 --> 00:01:57,460 Speaker 3: sometimes people have these literal screams of, That's the name 39 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,780 Speaker 3: of the song, Scream, where they just break out and 40 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,100 Speaker 3: they freak out. Most of the time, people have sort 41 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 3: of what you call a silent scream. You're lashing out 42 00:02:07,340 --> 00:02:09,210 Speaker 3: in some sort of a way and it ends up 43 00:02:09,220 --> 00:02:12,270 Speaker 3: hurting yourself because you don't know how to cope. Sometimes 44 00:02:12,290 --> 00:02:17,130 Speaker 3: that's going to be addiction, substance abuse, or something like that. Ultimately, 45 00:02:17,150 --> 00:02:19,710 Speaker 3: a lot of times these things come into play with 46 00:02:19,750 --> 00:02:23,620 Speaker 3: people's suicidal thoughts and things like that. People that just go, 47 00:02:23,630 --> 00:02:25,700 Speaker 3: I just don't want to live anymore. My life is 48 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:30,029 Speaker 3: worth nothing. That's what this song is about. And so 49 00:02:30,070 --> 00:02:33,470 Speaker 3: it's very broad, but on a personal level for me, 50 00:02:33,530 --> 00:02:36,290 Speaker 3: without getting too into it, I've been through a very 51 00:02:36,970 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 3: dark night of the soul the last couple of years 52 00:02:39,180 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 3: dealing with things in my life. Some real betrayal and 53 00:02:44,100 --> 00:02:49,300 Speaker 3: some anger and just being personally being lied about, slandered, 54 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 3: really feel like the rug was pulled out from under 55 00:02:52,380 --> 00:02:56,570 Speaker 3: me and my wife's lives. with the church that we 56 00:02:56,590 --> 00:02:58,530 Speaker 3: were a part of and all sorts of stuff. And 57 00:02:58,550 --> 00:03:01,350 Speaker 3: all of a sudden you just, it's all pulled out 58 00:03:01,389 --> 00:03:03,770 Speaker 3: from under you. And you just wonder like, what's real 59 00:03:04,630 --> 00:03:08,190 Speaker 3: and how could people do this? And you're trying to 60 00:03:08,230 --> 00:03:10,820 Speaker 3: pick up the pieces. And so I wanted to write 61 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:15,079 Speaker 3: this on screen. It's not actually about anger. It's about 62 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,660 Speaker 3: reaching out for, it's like, I need, I need to 63 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,299 Speaker 3: break through this. And there's so many people that feel 64 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 3: that way. I need to break through this and sort 65 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 3: of the, climax of the song is reaching out to 66 00:03:26,700 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 3: god come pull me out from under the noise and 67 00:03:30,100 --> 00:03:33,060 Speaker 3: thunder what have i become i want to i want 68 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:35,290 Speaker 3: to be different i need to know that my life 69 00:03:35,370 --> 00:03:38,570 Speaker 3: matters i need to know that you're still listening and 70 00:03:38,630 --> 00:03:40,110 Speaker 3: i need to know that things are going to be 71 00:03:40,190 --> 00:03:42,490 Speaker 3: okay so it's kind of raw and i hope that 72 00:03:42,530 --> 00:03:44,850 Speaker 3: people hope that people relate to it you. 73 00:03:44,790 --> 00:03:48,090 Speaker 1: Know and the new ep is coming out as well 74 00:03:48,150 --> 00:03:50,290 Speaker 1: in a few months as we record this is it 75 00:03:50,900 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: are these themes found on the ep as well. 76 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,980 Speaker 3: Yeah, the EP is called After the Storm. And that 77 00:03:57,020 --> 00:04:00,080 Speaker 3: really is aptly named because we're on the backside of 78 00:04:00,140 --> 00:04:03,410 Speaker 3: it now. And, you know, I think the chorus line 79 00:04:03,450 --> 00:04:05,850 Speaker 3: of that song, which I've not talked about yet, it's 80 00:04:05,870 --> 00:04:08,890 Speaker 3: the first interview I've ever talked about it, actually, says, 81 00:04:09,610 --> 00:04:12,650 Speaker 3: picking up the pieces after the storm, how am I 82 00:04:12,690 --> 00:04:16,500 Speaker 3: still standing? And it was a devastating couple of years, 83 00:04:16,540 --> 00:04:19,700 Speaker 3: to be honest. And you're going to see those themes 84 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,500 Speaker 3: on really on the whole record of like, man, I 85 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:26,060 Speaker 3: was not prepared for that. But that's how suffering is. 86 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,700 Speaker 3: God doesn't promise us that we're not going to go 87 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 3: through suffering or just because you're a Christian, guess what? 88 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,909 Speaker 3: Life is amazing every day and everything's hunky-dory. You are 89 00:04:36,970 --> 00:04:40,510 Speaker 3: going to suffer. I mean, it's actually a promise we 90 00:04:40,550 --> 00:04:42,630 Speaker 3: have in scripture, isn't it? You're going to share in 91 00:04:42,670 --> 00:04:46,370 Speaker 3: his sufferings. Jesus was a man of sorrows as well, 92 00:04:46,410 --> 00:04:49,270 Speaker 3: the Bible says. You are going to go through suffering. 93 00:04:49,330 --> 00:04:51,890 Speaker 3: So You are not promised not to go through it, 94 00:04:52,420 --> 00:04:55,150 Speaker 3: but we are promised that Jesus will walk through it 95 00:04:55,230 --> 00:04:58,690 Speaker 3: with us and that he knows what we're going through 96 00:04:58,730 --> 00:05:03,870 Speaker 3: because he has experienced that suffering and humanity when he 97 00:05:03,910 --> 00:05:08,210 Speaker 3: took on humanity into his nature to become the God-man 98 00:05:08,250 --> 00:05:10,970 Speaker 3: and our savior. So that brings me a lot of hope, 99 00:05:11,330 --> 00:05:13,570 Speaker 3: but that's what After the Storm is about. 100 00:05:14,130 --> 00:05:16,700 Speaker 1: Yeah, so many skillet songs are kind of like hype songs, 101 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:18,430 Speaker 1: songs that you work out to. And this is a, 102 00:05:18,970 --> 00:05:22,790 Speaker 1: Different song thematically. I guess that's a good thing, though, 103 00:05:22,810 --> 00:05:26,300 Speaker 1: don't you think, John? People know you're a Christian and 104 00:05:26,330 --> 00:05:30,020 Speaker 1: you're showing all sides of the Christian faith that God 105 00:05:30,100 --> 00:05:31,180 Speaker 1: walks you through storms. 106 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:32,700 Speaker 2: I don't know if you have any thoughts on that, 107 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 2: but that seems to. 108 00:05:33,940 --> 00:05:37,219 Speaker 1: Me a good positive aspect of what you're doing. 109 00:05:38,380 --> 00:05:41,340 Speaker 3: Well, that's interesting that you say that. That's insightful because 110 00:05:41,380 --> 00:05:43,180 Speaker 3: it is true. A lot of what people know us 111 00:05:43,220 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 3: for is like feel invincible, legendary. It's sort of like 112 00:05:47,930 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 3: Nothing can get us down. We're go to the top, 113 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 3: to the top. Ain't never gonna stop. That's one of 114 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,700 Speaker 3: our songs, you know, legendary. And I like those songs. 115 00:05:57,620 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 3: We have a record called Victorious. I love the fact, 116 00:06:02,220 --> 00:06:04,279 Speaker 3: and I've written a lot of songs about the fact, 117 00:06:05,060 --> 00:06:06,930 Speaker 3: and since this is a Christian channel, I can go 118 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,370 Speaker 3: into it into more depth than other times with people 119 00:06:10,390 --> 00:06:14,029 Speaker 3: that might not necessarily care. But I love singing about 120 00:06:14,070 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 3: the fact that Christ is victorious and And because of 121 00:06:17,700 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 3: his victory, we have victory. And again, that doesn't mean 122 00:06:22,460 --> 00:06:25,180 Speaker 3: you're not going to suffer. Doesn't mean everything's great, but 123 00:06:25,420 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 3: it's just, it's more like we have a foretaste. We 124 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,950 Speaker 3: have a foretaste of that victory and a sureness of it. 125 00:06:32,460 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 3: We know for a fact that Christ is victorious. And 126 00:06:35,540 --> 00:06:37,099 Speaker 3: I find a lot of joy in that. So I 127 00:06:37,140 --> 00:06:41,220 Speaker 3: sing a lot about not giving up and going the distance. 128 00:06:41,300 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 3: And it makes you want to work out harder. And 129 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,430 Speaker 3: then all of a sudden it's like, okay, This has 130 00:06:46,470 --> 00:06:49,110 Speaker 3: been a different couple of years and it's put my, 131 00:06:49,350 --> 00:06:51,970 Speaker 3: I'm gonna just be dead honest, it's put my faith 132 00:06:52,010 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 3: to the test in huge ways because I have not, 133 00:06:56,040 --> 00:07:00,900 Speaker 3: I have not suffered like this since I was a teenager, 134 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,820 Speaker 3: which is a big part of my testimony about Christ 135 00:07:03,900 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 3: bringing me through that darkness. And I've talked about that. 136 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,270 Speaker 3: I've written about that. I just didn't expect it to 137 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,490 Speaker 3: come back like this. And so I think it's like, okay, 138 00:07:13,510 --> 00:07:16,780 Speaker 3: now let's talk about that other thing they're both real 139 00:07:17,660 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 3: so i like those fight songs this is a different 140 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 3: kind of fight song this is a fight through his 141 00:07:22,380 --> 00:07:23,260 Speaker 3: song you know. 142 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,380 Speaker 1: We need those we need that we need it we 143 00:07:26,420 --> 00:07:28,700 Speaker 1: need all those songs you know we need a song 144 00:07:28,730 --> 00:07:32,090 Speaker 1: for every aspect of the christian walk kind of changing 145 00:07:32,130 --> 00:07:34,230 Speaker 1: subjects uh i was reading a quote from you and 146 00:07:34,250 --> 00:07:36,770 Speaker 1: you were talking about i think you were probably talking about. 147 00:07:36,690 --> 00:07:39,350 Speaker 2: This album and and i should say the ep and the. 148 00:07:39,530 --> 00:07:43,050 Speaker 1: The song scream but you were saying that Today's culture 149 00:07:43,090 --> 00:07:45,110 Speaker 1: is chaotic and overwhelming at times. 150 00:07:45,170 --> 00:07:48,570 Speaker 2: And you were calling social media a cesspool. We've all 151 00:07:48,630 --> 00:07:49,110 Speaker 2: seen that. 152 00:07:49,190 --> 00:07:51,490 Speaker 1: And I was going to ask you, because I think 153 00:07:51,510 --> 00:07:54,470 Speaker 1: a lot of times in today's culture, we all want 154 00:07:54,490 --> 00:07:58,290 Speaker 1: to scream because it seems like wherever we turn, people 155 00:07:58,330 --> 00:08:01,230 Speaker 1: are just not getting along and people are screaming at 156 00:08:01,270 --> 00:08:01,670 Speaker 1: one another. 157 00:08:01,810 --> 00:08:04,490 Speaker 2: Well, I'm just curious, John, what practical advice would you 158 00:08:04,530 --> 00:08:05,490 Speaker 2: give Christians. 159 00:08:05,150 --> 00:08:08,450 Speaker 1: And others out there for living in this culture and 160 00:08:08,980 --> 00:08:10,660 Speaker 1: maybe even practically on social media? 161 00:08:11,950 --> 00:08:15,610 Speaker 3: Yeah, that is a great question. I mean, specifically, I 162 00:08:15,650 --> 00:08:19,170 Speaker 3: was thinking about social media and certain aspects of the lyrics. 163 00:08:19,410 --> 00:08:22,190 Speaker 3: I think that if I could remember my lyrics, the 164 00:08:22,230 --> 00:08:25,900 Speaker 3: song starts with the lyric that says, inside the silence 165 00:08:26,340 --> 00:08:29,900 Speaker 3: behind the screen, the light is dying while your sound 166 00:08:29,940 --> 00:08:33,900 Speaker 3: bites deafen me. And I was kind of specifically thinking 167 00:08:33,980 --> 00:08:38,540 Speaker 3: about just all the noise. I mean, it's like everybody 168 00:08:38,620 --> 00:08:42,110 Speaker 3: is telling you how to live. Even if sometimes it's 169 00:08:42,170 --> 00:08:44,860 Speaker 3: not even, in other words, some of it can just 170 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,540 Speaker 3: be benign. It could just be somebody going, hey, here's 171 00:08:48,580 --> 00:08:51,140 Speaker 3: the new secret for weight loss. You've got to stop eating, 172 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 3: fill in the blank. You have to start doing this exercise. 173 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 3: For years, everybody told you this, this was going to 174 00:08:57,820 --> 00:09:00,180 Speaker 3: help you, but it doesn't. It keeps fat around your 175 00:09:00,210 --> 00:09:03,830 Speaker 3: gut and everybody's selling something. Everybody has the new secret. 176 00:09:04,429 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 3: And that's like the benign side of the internet. The 177 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,300 Speaker 3: other side is the, I hate you because you don't 178 00:09:12,340 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 3: agree with me and you are ruining the world. You, 179 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 3: you listener, all the things you love are ruining society. 180 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:25,740 Speaker 3: And there's so much vitriol and you don't know who 181 00:09:25,780 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 3: to trust. Now, let's just say that you're already living 182 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 3: like that. And let's just say you're in a bad 183 00:09:33,330 --> 00:09:36,050 Speaker 3: home situation. I mean, I don't know what that is, 184 00:09:36,090 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 3: but hypothetically, maybe you're in a broken home. Maybe you're 185 00:09:38,820 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 3: in a home with an abusive parent who shouts at 186 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,540 Speaker 3: you or worse, or where you don't feel that you 187 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 3: can be yourself. Maybe you're bullied at school as well. 188 00:09:49,130 --> 00:09:52,290 Speaker 3: All of these things, man, they just beat you down. 189 00:09:52,390 --> 00:09:55,189 Speaker 3: Now you begin to suffer with depression, or now you 190 00:09:55,230 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 3: begin to have violent thoughts or thoughts about, some very 191 00:10:00,820 --> 00:10:05,420 Speaker 3: dangerous things. Like which voice is going to win? And 192 00:10:05,460 --> 00:10:10,530 Speaker 3: so social media, it really can be a cesspool. And 193 00:10:11,010 --> 00:10:13,010 Speaker 3: I think the internet is just like anything else. It 194 00:10:13,050 --> 00:10:15,510 Speaker 3: can be used for really good stuff. It can be 195 00:10:15,590 --> 00:10:17,870 Speaker 3: used for really bad stuff. I think it got created 196 00:10:17,929 --> 00:10:21,230 Speaker 3: so fast it just became like a beast, you know? 197 00:10:21,309 --> 00:10:23,350 Speaker 3: And now we're all trying to like tame the beast 198 00:10:23,410 --> 00:10:25,910 Speaker 3: and try to, how do I make him a good beast? 199 00:10:26,250 --> 00:10:28,650 Speaker 3: Maybe he can be a nice dragon, you know, a 200 00:10:28,710 --> 00:10:31,729 Speaker 3: nice lion that won't eat me. And it's very difficult. 201 00:10:31,750 --> 00:10:35,069 Speaker 3: So I would just, my encouragement to people is probably 202 00:10:35,130 --> 00:10:38,550 Speaker 3: multiple aspects. Number one, don't spend your whole life on 203 00:10:38,610 --> 00:10:41,070 Speaker 3: social media. Just don't do it. I mean, I hardly 204 00:10:41,170 --> 00:10:45,430 Speaker 3: ever go on. I hardly ever read. If I say 205 00:10:45,500 --> 00:10:47,750 Speaker 3: something about something I believe, I'm just not going to 206 00:10:47,790 --> 00:10:51,340 Speaker 3: read all the comments. There's no reason to because people 207 00:10:52,220 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 3: find a sick sort of satisfaction in being as rude 208 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,900 Speaker 3: as they can. I mean, for what we believe as Christians, 209 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:05,220 Speaker 3: you go, yeah, that's like proof of the sin nature 210 00:11:05,260 --> 00:11:08,309 Speaker 3: right there. There's like a sick, twisted thing that makes 211 00:11:08,350 --> 00:11:11,370 Speaker 3: you want to yell at somebody. Not to say that 212 00:11:11,410 --> 00:11:14,430 Speaker 3: I haven't also done these things on social media, so 213 00:11:14,450 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 3: it's not like I'm perfect and everybody else is messed up. 214 00:11:17,420 --> 00:11:19,900 Speaker 3: You just see it. So I would just say, limit 215 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,060 Speaker 3: your time. Maybe don't do it at all. If you're 216 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,060 Speaker 3: going to do it, limit that time. And before you 217 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 3: start judging someone else, judge yourself. Have I done this 218 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,500 Speaker 3: to people? Have I yelled at people that disagree with me? Yeah, 219 00:11:33,620 --> 00:11:36,500 Speaker 3: I think I have. Let's change the way I am 220 00:11:36,540 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 3: and exhibit a different kind of behavior. I think that 221 00:11:38,940 --> 00:11:42,710 Speaker 3: could be a really positive thing. And then the last 222 00:11:42,750 --> 00:11:46,370 Speaker 3: thing I would say about it as just a broader conversation, 223 00:11:46,429 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 3: even with Scream, I just would say it would be 224 00:11:50,740 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 3: great for Christians if we could begin to be, and again, 225 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,100 Speaker 3: I'm not saying for all the people listening, this starts 226 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,500 Speaker 3: with me. This is what I'm trying to do. If 227 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 3: I can just be loving towards people that disagree with 228 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 3: me and just disagree well, just say, that's not what 229 00:12:05,580 --> 00:12:08,980 Speaker 3: I believe because I'm a Christian. I believe A, B, 230 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:11,730 Speaker 3: and C. And so then I can't support that. But 231 00:12:11,750 --> 00:12:13,990 Speaker 3: it doesn't mean that you and I can't be friends. 232 00:12:14,010 --> 00:12:16,700 Speaker 3: It doesn't mean I hate you. I'm not saying you're 233 00:12:16,740 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 3: ruining the world. I don't want to be that person 234 00:12:19,380 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 3: to you. I want to show the love of Christ 235 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 3: to you the best way I can. And sometimes we 236 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,100 Speaker 3: have to do that. We have to speak the truth. 237 00:12:27,620 --> 00:12:30,300 Speaker 3: But I know for me, there have been times I 238 00:12:30,340 --> 00:12:32,540 Speaker 3: thought I could have done that nicer. I could have 239 00:12:32,580 --> 00:12:34,500 Speaker 3: done that more loving. And how can I be part 240 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 3: of the solution rather than be part of the problem 241 00:12:37,110 --> 00:12:39,470 Speaker 3: while still speaking what is true? 242 00:12:49,410 --> 00:12:49,910 Speaker 2: Amen to that. 243 00:12:50,070 --> 00:12:52,510 Speaker 1: Sometimes I think that the scripture says the heavens declare 244 00:12:52,530 --> 00:12:55,390 Speaker 1: the glory of God. Sometimes I think Twitter declares the 245 00:12:55,770 --> 00:13:00,179 Speaker 1: depravity of man. I think if you want to learn 246 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,260 Speaker 1: the sinfulness of mankind, just go to Twitter. I think 247 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:05,700 Speaker 1: that's probably the best place to go. Let's turn to 248 00:13:05,740 --> 00:13:11,330 Speaker 1: a few positive themes here. Monster recently surpassed 4 billion 249 00:13:11,370 --> 00:13:15,090 Speaker 1: global streams. John, I know as a songwriter, you hope 250 00:13:15,110 --> 00:13:18,469 Speaker 1: that every song that you write does that. But has 251 00:13:18,530 --> 00:13:22,110 Speaker 1: it surprised you that it's been that popular for so long? 252 00:13:22,650 --> 00:13:25,610 Speaker 1: Did you think it would be a hit when you 253 00:13:25,630 --> 00:13:26,109 Speaker 1: were writing it? 254 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:30,059 Speaker 3: Right. I am shocked. I mean, nobody is more shocked 255 00:13:30,100 --> 00:13:34,939 Speaker 3: than me of Skillet's success. The song Monster. I mean, 256 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,660 Speaker 3: so I probably would nuance it like this. I thought 257 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:41,119 Speaker 3: that Monster was a really good song when we wrote it. 258 00:13:41,900 --> 00:13:45,810 Speaker 3: Funny thing is, is the label wouldn't let us record it. 259 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:48,500 Speaker 3: They wouldn't let us record a record. They're like, we 260 00:13:48,540 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 3: like the song. We don't think it's like a hit. 261 00:13:52,340 --> 00:13:54,740 Speaker 3: And they made me keep writing for like another year 262 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 3: and a half. And I don't think anybody thought it 263 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 3: was like a hit like that. I thought it could 264 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 3: be a very big rock song. I did not think 265 00:14:03,210 --> 00:14:06,810 Speaker 3: it would break bigger than rock, which is what it did, 266 00:14:06,870 --> 00:14:09,510 Speaker 3: which is why it's so big. We did not think 267 00:14:09,550 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 3: the kids were going to like it. In fact, we 268 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,500 Speaker 3: kind of felt like Skilla's audience has always been kind 269 00:14:14,540 --> 00:14:16,490 Speaker 3: of young. This is a little bit more of an 270 00:14:16,610 --> 00:14:19,740 Speaker 3: older audience. We did not think that moms would like it. 271 00:14:20,210 --> 00:14:23,750 Speaker 3: But so many moms, you know, like soccer moms were like, 272 00:14:24,190 --> 00:14:26,610 Speaker 3: oh my gosh, I love your song, Monster. That's exactly 273 00:14:26,650 --> 00:14:28,610 Speaker 3: how I feel. I'm so stressed out with all these 274 00:14:28,690 --> 00:14:32,030 Speaker 3: kids and cooking the dinner. I'm going to work and 275 00:14:32,070 --> 00:14:35,170 Speaker 3: my kids are freaking out. I never considered that like 276 00:14:35,220 --> 00:14:37,540 Speaker 3: a soccer mom would hear Monster and say, yeah, I 277 00:14:37,580 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 3: feel that way too. So it was kind of shocking 278 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:42,780 Speaker 3: to me. But I do think that there's something about 279 00:14:42,820 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 3: the lyrics that I think everybody can relate to. It's funny. 280 00:14:46,330 --> 00:14:50,110 Speaker 3: There is a segment of Christians who really had a 281 00:14:50,210 --> 00:14:53,830 Speaker 3: problem with that song. And I was always a little surprised. 282 00:14:53,870 --> 00:14:56,150 Speaker 3: I mean, I realized it was kind of dark. But 283 00:14:56,210 --> 00:14:58,830 Speaker 3: as you just said, Twitter displays the sin nature of 284 00:14:58,870 --> 00:15:01,410 Speaker 3: man or however you just said that. I mean, that's 285 00:15:01,450 --> 00:15:05,150 Speaker 3: what the song Monster is about. And to me, I 286 00:15:05,190 --> 00:15:09,370 Speaker 3: think it's a very Christian message because we are born 287 00:15:09,430 --> 00:15:14,140 Speaker 3: into sin. We are born in, I believe, into the 288 00:15:14,180 --> 00:15:17,100 Speaker 3: guilt of Adam. We're born into it. There's nothing you 289 00:15:17,140 --> 00:15:20,530 Speaker 3: can do to stop sinning. There's nothing you can do 290 00:15:20,590 --> 00:15:23,510 Speaker 3: to make yourself perfect. All have sinned and fallen short 291 00:15:23,530 --> 00:15:26,670 Speaker 3: of the glory of God, even after you become a Christian. 292 00:15:27,050 --> 00:15:28,830 Speaker 3: And this is why I think some Christians don't like 293 00:15:28,990 --> 00:15:32,630 Speaker 3: a Christian band singing it. Some Christians feel like after 294 00:15:32,650 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 3: you're a Christian, you should no longer say you're a sinner. 295 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,700 Speaker 3: You're a saint. And I do understand what they're saying. 296 00:15:39,780 --> 00:15:42,420 Speaker 3: And I'm not saying that that's a ridiculous thought. I 297 00:15:42,500 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 3: do understand. But as I have understood the Bible, we 298 00:15:47,540 --> 00:15:51,890 Speaker 3: in Christ, we are simultaneously sinners and saints. We are 299 00:15:51,990 --> 00:15:55,850 Speaker 3: saints in terms of our legal standing before God because 300 00:15:56,050 --> 00:15:58,510 Speaker 3: of the work Jesus did on the cross. But I 301 00:15:58,550 --> 00:16:01,510 Speaker 3: know for my life, every single day I am sinning 302 00:16:02,150 --> 00:16:05,690 Speaker 3: and I need Christ every single day or I'm not 303 00:16:05,730 --> 00:16:08,490 Speaker 3: going to make it. I'm going to be rude to people. 304 00:16:08,830 --> 00:16:10,890 Speaker 3: I'm going to be angry. I'm going to want to 305 00:16:10,930 --> 00:16:12,970 Speaker 3: hurt people. I'm going to want to lash out to 306 00:16:13,010 --> 00:16:14,460 Speaker 3: people that don't like me. I'm going to want to 307 00:16:14,500 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 3: go to all the Twitter and yell back at somebody. 308 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,060 Speaker 3: I'm going to be selfish with my kids. I'm probably 309 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:22,420 Speaker 3: going to treat my wife poorly. If I don't have 310 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:28,220 Speaker 3: a daily meeting with Jesus to focus myself and say, God, 311 00:16:28,260 --> 00:16:31,300 Speaker 3: I want you to be reflected in my life and 312 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 3: I want to put myself to death today, I am 313 00:16:34,180 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 3: not going to make it. And I think I just 314 00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 3: think that's a very biblical message. So I think that's 315 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 3: why people can relate to the song. 316 00:16:41,340 --> 00:16:45,100 Speaker 2: I agree. I agree. Completely agree. You travel. You guys 317 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 2: have been traveling through Europe, I believe. I forget all 318 00:16:47,540 --> 00:16:48,140 Speaker 2: the countries. 319 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:50,500 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you, since America is celebrating 320 00:16:50,540 --> 00:16:54,780 Speaker 1: its 250th birthday anniversary this year, does traveling throughout the 321 00:16:54,850 --> 00:16:58,670 Speaker 1: world kind of change your perspective on the U.S.? And, 322 00:16:58,690 --> 00:17:00,650 Speaker 1: of course, you guys have been doing this for years 323 00:17:00,690 --> 00:17:00,950 Speaker 1: and years. 324 00:17:00,970 --> 00:17:02,450 Speaker 2: This is not a new tour for you guys. You 325 00:17:02,470 --> 00:17:03,790 Speaker 2: guys have been touring for a long time. But I'm 326 00:17:03,810 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 2: just curious. Does it change how you view your own 327 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:08,100 Speaker 2: country when you travel the world? 328 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 3: It does. You know, I usually tell people, so for 329 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 3: people that don't know who I am that are watching 330 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 3: this right now, I'm like, we don't have time to 331 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 3: get into this, but like, I love America. People probably 332 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,660 Speaker 3: that have followed me a bit probably know that. People 333 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 3: call me a Christian nationalist. I get accused of being 334 00:17:27,060 --> 00:17:29,980 Speaker 3: a Christian nationalist all the time. I'm actually not a 335 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:33,619 Speaker 3: Christian nationalist, and I've rejected Christian nationalism. A con, but 336 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,129 Speaker 3: I still get called that. And the reason it is, 337 00:17:36,190 --> 00:17:38,389 Speaker 3: is I do think this is the greatest country in 338 00:17:38,410 --> 00:17:41,880 Speaker 3: the world. I do not think that America is Israel. 339 00:17:42,340 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 3: I do not think that God has a special covenant 340 00:17:44,500 --> 00:17:46,660 Speaker 3: with America. I do not think that America is part 341 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:50,199 Speaker 3: of God's end time plan for Jesus to return. I 342 00:17:50,260 --> 00:17:54,460 Speaker 3: just think this is a wonderful country. We have liberty 343 00:17:55,140 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 3: and we are not going to be put to death 344 00:17:57,869 --> 00:18:01,150 Speaker 3: or put in prison because we worship God or because 345 00:18:01,170 --> 00:18:04,470 Speaker 3: we don't worship God. And I support, I just love freedom. 346 00:18:05,150 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 3: And when you go overseas, I tell some of my 347 00:18:07,930 --> 00:18:11,419 Speaker 3: friends who are Christians that are not comfortable with what 348 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 3: I just said about America. I'm like, I'm telling you, brother, 349 00:18:16,380 --> 00:18:19,459 Speaker 3: I wish you could come with me. We've toured Russia 350 00:18:19,460 --> 00:18:22,900 Speaker 3: 11 times. Come with me to Russia. We haven't been 351 00:18:22,940 --> 00:18:24,770 Speaker 3: in several years because of the war, but this is 352 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:29,850 Speaker 3: pre-Ukraine war. Come to Russia. Come to the Ukraine with me. 353 00:18:30,490 --> 00:18:34,850 Speaker 3: Come to Eastern Europe. come to places like Poland that 354 00:18:34,990 --> 00:18:39,090 Speaker 3: were so devastated by World War II that in some 355 00:18:39,130 --> 00:18:42,450 Speaker 3: places it was just never rebuilt in the same way. 356 00:18:43,250 --> 00:18:47,629 Speaker 3: Go to South America where there was dictators on the 357 00:18:47,690 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 3: left and on the right. I've been to both, like 358 00:18:50,580 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 3: the right-wing dictators, fascists, and then the left-wing communists. Go 359 00:18:55,940 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 3: to other places in the country and I think that 360 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:04,540 Speaker 3: you'll see that America with all of its blemishes and 361 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:07,740 Speaker 3: all the history that is bad. There's tons of bad 362 00:19:07,780 --> 00:19:10,780 Speaker 3: history in America. With all of the things that are bad, 363 00:19:10,980 --> 00:19:13,460 Speaker 3: you're going to kiss the ground, man. You're going to 364 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:17,180 Speaker 3: come and realize how much we have. And I'll just 365 00:19:17,220 --> 00:19:19,550 Speaker 3: say this. We have freedom of speech and a lot 366 00:19:19,570 --> 00:19:24,110 Speaker 3: of people that haven't been overseas, even in Western civilization 367 00:19:24,130 --> 00:19:26,869 Speaker 3: like Europe and places like that, they don't understand that 368 00:19:28,940 --> 00:19:33,010 Speaker 3: America is like the bastion of freedom of speech now. 369 00:19:33,740 --> 00:19:37,390 Speaker 3: There are things that you cannot say and cannot preach 370 00:19:38,190 --> 00:19:41,830 Speaker 3: in Europe the way you can in America. And hey, 371 00:19:42,050 --> 00:19:44,429 Speaker 3: I just think it's a really wonderful thing. You can 372 00:19:44,450 --> 00:19:46,670 Speaker 3: preach the gospel. We are free to preach the gospel. 373 00:19:47,030 --> 00:19:49,950 Speaker 3: We're free to have a say into the kinds of leaders. 374 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 3: that we have. Oh, it is just so good. I 375 00:19:53,020 --> 00:19:55,260 Speaker 3: could go on for a very long time about America, 376 00:19:55,340 --> 00:19:58,230 Speaker 3: but I'm not a Christian nationalist, but I do believe 377 00:19:58,270 --> 00:20:02,950 Speaker 3: our form of government, as flawed as it is, was 378 00:20:03,050 --> 00:20:06,909 Speaker 3: really built upon the ideas of the reformers, which based 379 00:20:06,970 --> 00:20:10,659 Speaker 3: their ideas off of Old Testament law and Old Testament 380 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,290 Speaker 3: civil laws. And I think it's just a beautiful thing. Yeah. 381 00:20:15,290 --> 00:20:17,590 Speaker 1: During the last few weeks when we were celebrating the 382 00:20:17,609 --> 00:20:19,810 Speaker 1: 250th birthday, I really started wondering. 383 00:20:19,890 --> 00:20:21,390 Speaker 2: Okay, how unique is America? 384 00:20:21,630 --> 00:20:24,710 Speaker 1: And we really are unique in terms of now the 385 00:20:24,730 --> 00:20:26,630 Speaker 1: rest of the world does have freedom. But at that 386 00:20:26,690 --> 00:20:29,810 Speaker 1: time when we were founded, nobody else was doing that. 387 00:20:30,390 --> 00:20:33,250 Speaker 1: And so it's really, I think we forget that. 388 00:20:33,890 --> 00:20:34,590 Speaker 2: We get used to it. 389 00:20:35,190 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: We forget how unique and special this was. Final question 390 00:20:38,780 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 1: for you. You and your wife and your kids have 391 00:20:42,510 --> 00:20:45,250 Speaker 1: been in the public eye for a long time. How 392 00:20:45,310 --> 00:20:47,550 Speaker 1: have you guys been able to stay strong in your 393 00:20:47,590 --> 00:20:50,229 Speaker 1: faith and stay grounded while being. 394 00:20:50,090 --> 00:20:52,590 Speaker 2: In the public eye and while being quote unquote famous? 395 00:20:53,690 --> 00:21:00,060 Speaker 3: You know, I think there was always an agreed upon foundation. 396 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:04,220 Speaker 3: And I do realize this might sound simplistic or trite 397 00:21:04,260 --> 00:21:07,550 Speaker 3: to some people, but it's true. This isn't my Christian tradition. 398 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,700 Speaker 3: Christian YouTube answer, this is the truth. We all had 399 00:21:10,740 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 3: a common agreement. When I say we all, I mean 400 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 3: me and my wife. That Christ is the cornerstone of everything. 401 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,380 Speaker 3: Christ is the foundation. And we are going to live 402 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,340 Speaker 3: our lives to the standard of the Bible. If you 403 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:27,379 Speaker 3: want to know who Jesus is, you got to read 404 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:31,030 Speaker 3: the Bible. There's a trend happening in Christianity right now 405 00:21:31,070 --> 00:21:33,270 Speaker 3: that I don't think is great. I say a trend. 406 00:21:33,670 --> 00:21:35,630 Speaker 3: Probably been going for a long time, but I didn't 407 00:21:35,690 --> 00:21:38,370 Speaker 3: think it. I would say it's a little more popular 408 00:21:38,390 --> 00:21:41,370 Speaker 3: the last 20 years, 30 years maybe, with the seeker-sensitive 409 00:21:41,430 --> 00:21:44,930 Speaker 3: movement and then some more of the experiential movements of 410 00:21:44,970 --> 00:21:47,400 Speaker 3: this idea that I just want to be close to Jesus. 411 00:21:47,460 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 3: I'm not really into doctrine. It's not about studying the Bible, 412 00:21:50,859 --> 00:21:52,980 Speaker 3: but I just want to be with Jesus, man. And 413 00:21:53,020 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 3: I keep telling people like, if you want to live 414 00:21:55,820 --> 00:21:58,740 Speaker 3: for Jesus, you have to study the Bible. That's how 415 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,060 Speaker 3: you know who he is, okay? So me and my 416 00:22:01,100 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 3: wife had that agreement and that's how we lived and 417 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 3: we raised our kids that way. And so I do 418 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 3: think that that accountability was really important. We're also blessed 419 00:22:11,380 --> 00:22:14,940 Speaker 3: because my band, my guitar player, Seth, my drummer, Jen, 420 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:19,990 Speaker 3: everybody has this common understanding and this common agreement. And 421 00:22:20,070 --> 00:22:22,550 Speaker 3: we are not unequally yoked in that way. We are 422 00:22:23,010 --> 00:22:26,890 Speaker 3: absolutely together for the gospel. And so because of that, 423 00:22:27,150 --> 00:22:32,230 Speaker 3: it just creates this, not just accountability, but life, you know, 424 00:22:32,750 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 3: exciting life that we get to live for Jesus together. 425 00:22:36,140 --> 00:22:40,130 Speaker 3: And we believe, as I hope that everybody listening believes, 426 00:22:40,750 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 3: that we are on mission for Christ. Dad's listening to this. 427 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 3: You're on mission for Christ to raise your family and 428 00:22:47,220 --> 00:22:50,300 Speaker 3: teach your kids, raise them in the fear and admonition 429 00:22:50,340 --> 00:22:52,220 Speaker 3: of the Lord, the Bible says. And moms, you're on 430 00:22:52,260 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 3: mission to raise those kids. You're on mission at your work. 431 00:22:55,540 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 3: Young people, you're on mission at your school to live 432 00:22:58,780 --> 00:23:01,460 Speaker 3: a life that reflects the love of Christ so that 433 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 3: some may be saved. Always be ready with an answer 434 00:23:04,780 --> 00:23:06,330 Speaker 3: for the hope that you have. And so that's what 435 00:23:06,350 --> 00:23:09,750 Speaker 3: we've done. And I'm not saying we've done everything perfectly, 436 00:23:10,190 --> 00:23:12,209 Speaker 3: but I think the thing we did well was we 437 00:23:12,270 --> 00:23:15,250 Speaker 3: all had that common agreement and we said, this is 438 00:23:15,290 --> 00:23:22,230 Speaker 3: what we're about. And just like America, we always said 439 00:23:22,270 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 3: the Bible is above everything. And the reason I say 440 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,260 Speaker 3: just like America, I always like that about America, that 441 00:23:29,700 --> 00:23:32,020 Speaker 3: the law is above the king is based on what 442 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:34,540 Speaker 3: we're saying, which is why we broke away from England. 443 00:23:35,340 --> 00:23:38,090 Speaker 3: And The reason we broke away from England was because 444 00:23:38,510 --> 00:23:41,610 Speaker 3: the king thought he was above the law. And the 445 00:23:41,670 --> 00:23:44,750 Speaker 3: analogy I'm making is that just because I'm the owner 446 00:23:44,790 --> 00:23:46,629 Speaker 3: of Skillet and I'm the front man and I'm the 447 00:23:46,670 --> 00:23:49,270 Speaker 3: boss doesn't mean that I am above the Bible. I 448 00:23:49,530 --> 00:23:51,730 Speaker 3: am not above the Bible. The Bible is above me. 449 00:23:52,150 --> 00:23:54,489 Speaker 3: And that's how we run my household. And that's how 450 00:23:54,530 --> 00:23:55,410 Speaker 3: we run the business. 451 00:23:58,170 --> 00:24:00,859 Speaker 4: If you enjoyed today's interview, please make sure to subscribe 452 00:24:00,890 --> 00:24:03,250 Speaker 4: and share the episode with a friend. A big thanks 453 00:24:03,550 --> 00:24:05,770 Speaker 4: to the team at Life Audio for their partnership with 454 00:24:05,890 --> 00:24:09,230 Speaker 4: us on the podcast. If you go to lifeaudio.com, you 455 00:24:09,270 --> 00:24:13,860 Speaker 4: will find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network. 456 00:24:14,380 --> 00:24:14,950 Speaker 2: See you next time.