John, your music is so intricate and artfully arranged. What kind of training prepared you to write like this, and who were your musical influences?
The symphonic arrangements are primarily the efforts of Dan and Noele Huie. Essentially, I prepare the format and structure of a song and then present it to the band. At that point we'll make any necessary changes to the structure and flow of the song and then move on to arrangements. Dan and Noele Huie (both classically trained violinists) will write motifs and themes that are introduced and revisited throughout the song. As a child my parents would constantly play classical music around the house and in the car - so I've always appreciated the symphonic element to our music.
When did you first know that you wanted to sing for the Lord professionally?
My junior year of college was very rough for me. It was a time of deep searching and a craving for purpose. I remember praying, "God, if you can hear me, please give me a purpose for being here; I'll do anything." Now I'm not saying my only reason for living is to write music. But about a week later I started writing songs that incorporated a faith-based worldview in the lyrical content...it was a natural overflow of what was going on inside of me. I remember the excitement of hearing that lyrics I had written were resonating with some friends and family members. There's something about that - the communicative aspect of songwriting - that has kept me writing songs. I'm not exactly sure when that translated into a desire to write and perform vocationally.
Your live performances are very high-energy. What do you and the other band members do to keep your energy up for performances?
Coffee. Haha. But, really, we are excited to perform the music we have written. We love to share our music with new ears and understand that there is a greater purpose behind the music.
What do you enjoy most about operating as an indie artist? What is hardest about it?
Operating as an indie artist is enjoyable because you do not have the outside pressures associated with a record label. All of the artistic direction in the music, graphics, and merchandise (tees, etc.) is in our hands and it's very rewarding to see how far we have come on our own.
The most difficult aspect of being an indie artist is that it is truly a second job. At our current level we're simply not able to financially support ourselves solely through the music. We all have careers during the week and much of our free time is geared towards advancing the music, whether it's writing/re-writing, landing gigs, creating new graphics, keeping the books, rehearsing, promotion, and even just maintaining friendships with our band mates outside of the music.
What is your favorite type of venue and why?
I like to play a lot of places. Each type of venue has its pros and cons. A huge concert hall allows you play without holding back, but it lacks the more intimate appeal of a smaller venue. Basically, the key ingredients for me are: good sound and an adequate sound check. With those two in place, everything else seems to fall where it should.
We at Suite hope this interview peaked your curiosity enough to check out the delightful John Reilly Band. Just prepare to fell in love.
