Ending's Edge review | Deathway home

Deathway: Tell me what’s new with the band. I know you guys have recently released a new 5-song. How are things going after that?

Ralph Haynes (Guitar): Yes we have a new demo that we recorded in October. We finally finished it and had it ready around the middle of December. It is available for purchase at the nearest Ending's Edge show.

DW: Right on, can you give me a brief background of how you guys formed?

RH: Well, briefly, right after Hurricane Ivan, Josh and I were in a band called Advocate, who were on hiatus. We started playing guitar together and decided to start a new band. We picked up Corey (Bass), who knew our drummer Breeze. Then we had a little trouble finding a singer for a while until my little sister told me that her Spanish teacher was actually a pretty decent singer, so we gave him a call and a year later we’re the band you see. And that’s a pretty brief summary.

DW: Why do you play music?

Josh Apple (Guitar): It’s a fun creative outlet. I mean, it's cool to be able to create something so multi-faceted and then be able to step back and be like, “Hey! I was a part of that," and have something to say that’s supported by something more than prose or poetry, but by the way you can put it all together to communicate with an audience.

RH: Also, it’s a gift that we’ve been given, and it is a way to get out emotion—but it’s also a way to give back to God for the ability to play.

DW: What are some of your influences?

JM: Nothing collectively; we all have very eclectic tastes. Like Josh has a shrine to a pair of 311 underwear in his closet. Ralph really likes Yanni (everyone laughs uncomfortably). I really like Silverchair and the Used, and I love the new Thrice album a lot.

RH: A lot of Tooth & Nail bands, especially here recently, Underoath, Dead Poetic, Emery, those kinds of bands.

JA: The new P.O.D. CD is amazing.

Corey Dull: I listen to a lot harder bands like Soilwork, Machinehead, Pantera, stuff like that.

DW: So I can tell that you guys have a wide variety of influences to work with, which is a lot better than everyone coming from the same direction. Last night, I was watching the Grammy’s, and I watched as Paul McCartney and U2 played classics that millions of people have loved and connected with. Do you guys feel that people connect with your music?

RH: I would hope that people will actually take the time to figure out what our lyrics are and what we have to say. Hopefully, even if it's one or two people, they will dig a little deeper and get what the song’s saying.

JA: I think, more than anything, people can tell that we’re into it, you know. We’re not up there for image or show, but when we’re on stage it’s kind of our own little world. We hope people realize that we’re doing this because we actually really like the music we play.

DW: Do you guys ever feel like heroes or something more than the “average Joe” when you’re on stage?

JM: Until I go back to work!

JA: Yeah, until real life kicks back in.

CD: I would just say on stage you go into your own little world.

RH: I wouldn’t say we're heroes, but it's like for those 30-45 minutes everything else just goes away.

JM: Everyone is looking for significance, and while you have a platform like that you feel significant for creating and playing your art.

JA: there’s definitely a sense of pride in it.

DW: As people, not necessarily as musicians, when are you happiest?

JA: Just when you forget about everything. There can be different times, but for me music can help me get lost in what I’m doing and forget the outside world.

RH: When things are simple, like it was when you were a kid, never worrying about anything—just eating and sleeping. When things break down to simplicity, I’m happy.

DW: Who are some of your heroes outside of music, artistically, politically, etc.?

JM: I really appreciate Gandhi; I’ve read a lot of his stuff and have come to like him a lot. I have a friend named Jeremiah Davis; he works at a home for sexually abused kids. It’s like the last stop before they go to crazy houses. They try to rehabilitate them. I really respect him. Mike Rollwagen, my high school Bible teacher, is as good as they come.

DW: Do you guys believe that there is such a thing as a separation beyween Christian and secular music, or is that just something the industry has made up?

JA: Definitely to the outside world the lines are getting blurred. There’s a certain group of people in churches that want things that way. In reality, everything should revolve around the heart of whoever is singing or creating and what they have to say.

DW: So you feel it should not be that way?

JM: The lines aren’t as clear as everyone thinks. Like that new Thrice album. They are on a secular label, and the singer is very obvious that, “This is what I have to say," and its obviously Christian. The lines aren’t very realistic.

RH: “Christian” music has its place. There are definitely times when you need defined whole-hearted Christ-centered music.

DW: What do you guys think is better for our culture at the moment: something that is clear-cut Christian or something that is subversive and “spiritual?"

JA: I know that, to a degree, being straight-up is good. So many people take things different ways, and many artists encourage that. I don’t like that, you know. There was a specific design in mind when you wrote the song. There is a definitive truth. We can’t just all go our own way and meet at the end, because there will be that moment of accountability where it's no longer living in harmony no matter what, because the Bible is very clear that Satan is the ruler of this world. If you aren’t open about what you believe, then what’s the point of doing it? I don’t think anyone should be obnoxious, but at the same time you should be honest.

DW: What are you feelings on the current Church?

JM: I think the Church is consumed with fear. A group came from Mexico looking to perform a skit, just like we [America] do all over the world, and a local church would not allow them to perform because they were afraid of false doctrine. The Church isn’t out conquering anything; we’re sitting in our little den trying to stay safe and keep our kids conformed instead of doing something significant.

JA: I don’t want to expect church to be perfect, because I know that no one is, and anytime you have anyone in leadership there’s going to be fallacies; however it has been proven time after time that God uses people who screw up royally to reach His perfect end.

DW: Just one more question: What do the quotes, “to die is gain” and “dead to this world" mean to you personally?

JA: I think for me personally, to be dead to this world means that we’re not necessarily separated from the world, but we are called to a higher standard of not getting caught up in the things of this world. We should live our lives with the same self-contentment as other people, because it’s all about relationships, more than what we do. We should get to know Christ, be a part of him, and we will live better lives. When you’re dead to this world you leave the ideologies of greed and self-fulfillment and gravitate towards, you know, I don’t really understand this, but it is a better way.

DW: Thanks and good luck to you guys.

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