So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to pick the brains of lead vocalist Jenny Simmons and lead guitarist Ryan Gregg.
Suite: In reviewing “Some Kind of Spark,” I was deeply struck by the level of passion expressed in your songs, and the execution of them. I know it’s a hard subject to comment on, but would you say your pursuit of God is an intense one? If so, what do you do to keep that fire burning brightly?
Ryan: I think that’s a great thing that the lyrics came across like that. I would say that I try to make my pursuit of God an intense one. But for me the intense part comes when I’m trying to follow God and then I fall to sin and mess up. I think a lot of the songs were trying to deal with the fact that inside we want desperately to follow God but no matter what we do we are still going to fail. And I guess the real character test and faith measure is in what you do after you fall to sin. It’s a lot easier to give up and feel bad and not ask for forgiveness. So for me the intense part comes in acknowledging I’ve messed up and coming again and again asking for God’s forgiveness.
And it’s not like it’s a question of if he will forgive me, it’s a guarantee. But there is something so humbling about having to confess that I did wrong and I need God to forgive me again for not being perfect. I guess that’s a big test for me if I am following God like I should be, when I sin am I able to acknowledge my failure to follow God, ask and accept forgiveness, and move on with life. We weren’t meant to wallow in our failures and shortcomings and I think for me a daily recognition of that fact helps me try to keep that fire burning brightly.
Jenny: I would hope to say that, yes. On good days and good weeks. The truth is, I often get distracted in my pursuit of God, sometimes I feel like God is pursuing me more than I am pursuing Him. I realize that my ultimate purpose in life is to be connected to God, to know Him, to become more like him in the ways of love and passion, compassion, forgiveness, grace, all the things that we know Him to be. In order to do so, to really be who he wants for me to be, and to really know God, not just know about Him, I try to live each day attempting to stay connected to His spirit, His presence that is found all around me. Is it hard? Absolutely. Do I sometimes stop and wonder, is this real? Am I making all this up? Or, am I completely living my life, doing this whole thing wrong? Do I sometimes wake up and live so frantically that I just simply forget to listen for God's voice, to talk to him, to worship him, be still in his presence. Sure.
But in those moments God almost instantly reminds me of his truth, of his power to effect and change my heart, my character, my being, he reminds me of His great love for me and mankind. In those moments I am strengthened and challenged, often convicted, and I am also deeply loved. Those are the times with God that help keep my fire going or keep me spiritually alive and seeking to know God more intimately and deeply. Loving God and our pursuit of Him is this lifelong never ending process that is intricate and personal and hard, beautiful and sometimes incredibly easy. It's sort of a mystery.
Suite: You are quite honest on the album as well. Is that an offering that comes easy, or naturally, to you, or do you have to push through to lay out such naked feelings and thoughts?
Ryan: When I listen to music and think of the songs that have deeply touched and moved me it always seems to be the ones that are brutally honest. I think sometimes the best lyrics are ones you feel almost uncomfortable hearing because they are so honest and real. On this album I tried for better or worse to be as open as I knew how to be. That’s not always easy because you are kind of putting yourself out there, but if someone else can relate to me being honest about a struggle I have gone through and they don’t feel like they are the only ones who struggle, then it was worth it. I don’t know that it’s easy to just say that kind of stuff, but I think it’s important. I also think it’s just as important to be intentional about it. I think we wanted to talk about those real feelings we have, but not so much so that by the end you feel like you’ve been emotionally thrown up on. Hopefully we hit some kind of balance in trying to do that.
Jenny: My biggest downfall is too much honesty! When I write a song, or talk to a friend, or even strike up a conversation with a stranger my problem is saying what most people only think. I guess my whole life I've felt like there is not much to hide. We are all people. We all screw up, sometimes pretty bad. We all have skeletons in our closets, pains, joys, excitements, struggles, lusts, temptations, greatness within us and weakness.....we are human, and real and fragile, and very strong at the same time....so what? Why lie about any of that or try to hide it? Why not be as open as possible?
One of my favorite passages of scripture is Psalms 139 which starts off by talking about the fact that there is no where we can go or nothing we can do to hide ourselves from God, to separate ourselves from Him. He just knows. Jesus seems to promote honesty and frankness throughout his ministry, I think there's something healing about it, freeing, liberating and healing to be able to speak truth about whatever it may be. So while it is my biggest problem, it is also a great strength, just being able to lay out my emotions and feelings and thoughts.....you harbor alot less pain and anger and bitterness that way and it seems to help me love others better by being able to tell them I love them, what I love about them, that kind of thing, to be able to be honest with people and with myself and God .
Suite: Could you share a bit about your writing process? Lyrics or melody first?
Ryan: For the songs I write it’s usually me playing guitar and just singing made up words over a chord progression. Then I’ll start to think about what I want the song to be about and write words to match the melody. Sometimes for me the best songs come when I’m just making up words and then a line or two will come out that really spark the idea for the song. That’s how the song “The Only Thing” came out, I was just playing the chords and started singing the line “the only thing that’s good in me is you” and then I could base the rest of the lyrics around that idea. Another way we write is if everyone is messing around in sound check and we all kind of start playing something and Jenny will start singing and writing down lyrics. So I guess with us it’s usually melody first or a lyric idea but not usually just lyrics first.
Jenny: For songs I take part in, someone usually has a guitar riff, and I just write words and melodies to that. Pretty quickly. I am having to learn how to work on songs because for so long I just write the first thing in my head or heart and I’m like...."that's it, that's all I got!" Obviously I guess there should be more of an art form to it that than that, but I guess I think of myself more as a communicator than songwriter and that's why I whizz through them. I don't sit and think and ponder, I write a song when I have something to say, something bothering me or exciting me or perplexing me or when God has laid a certain thing on my heart, and those things have usually been inside of me for so long that writing it is a pretty natural experience. It is freeing to get those thoughts and emotions and ideas out and I try to leave it at that.
Suite: OK, OK, I know this has been very “heavy,” lol. Here’s a few lobs: what book is on your bedstand? Favorite coffee drink?
Ryan: Well I’m reading a book by Richard Wright called “Native Son” that’s pretty great. I read another book of his called “Black Boy” that is in my top five books of all time, it was awesome. Favorite coffee? I worked at Starbucks for over three years so you are speaking my language! I like straight coffee but my ridiculous drink that I started at Starbucks and that’s still my favorite is a triple grande, two pump cinnamon, two pump white mocha. Holy cow, that sounds high maintenance! Oh well, give it a try and I’ll bet you like it!
Jenny: I just finished “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand which I absolutely loved and now Iam starting Donald Miller’s “Searching for God knows What” and “You: On a Diet”, in hopes that I will stop wanting to eat so much mexican food and fast food on the road!!! I am seriously addicted to mexican food!!! What can Ii say? We're texans!!!
I’m not a coffee fan, but Iam trying. When I drink mochas I just feel hopped up and crazy.....might as well give me an IV of sugar and drugs!!! I really love raspberry hot chocolates from Starbucks though!
Find out more about Addison Road at their website.
