Jimmy Tanner(Drums)
Starship Captain James T. Tanner, known to Apologetix fans as Jimmy "Vegas" Tanner, is the drummer for ApologetiX, the successor to Bill "Moose" Rieger.
Like his predecessor, Jimmy started as a fill-in drummer for ApologetiX. We first met him through our keyboardist, Bill Hubauer, who played with Jimmy in the progressive Christian rock band Ten point Ten.
Jimmy began filling in for us in late October 2005, when Moose first took a leave of absence, and literally hasn't missed a beat except for late January 2006, when we brought "Moose" back for a one-weekend "Farewell Moose" mini-tour.
Consequently, Jimmy started his tenure as our official drummer having already played 21 concerts in a dozen states with us! He's even appeared on one of our CDs (the last three tracks on "ApologetiX Hits: The Road.")
In the legendary comedy film "This is Spinal Tap," the British heavy-metal band Spinal Tap achieves notoriety for having a long line of drummers, all who perished under mysterious circumstances, including "a bizarre gardening accident," and spontaneous combustion. Unlike Spinal Tap, all of our former drummers are alive and well, but we do have a list almost as long as theirs.
Believe it or not, Jimmy is the sixth ApologetiX official drummer, following Jeff Pakula (June 1990-September 1993), Rick Servocky (November 1993-April 1995), Bob Flaherty (May 1995-September 1998), Fred Behanna (February 1999-January 2001), and Bill "Moose" Rieger (March 2001-January 2005).
Furthermore, there have been three other drummers who have played on our CDs: our longtime fill-in drummer, Keith Harrold (who played on "Isn't Wasn't Ain't" plus three tracks on "Keep the Change"), David McKee (who played on "Jesus Christ Morningstar" plus two concerts in 1998), and Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, who played seven tracks on "Biblical Graffiti." Others who have filled in at one time or another include Ron Zanski (two shows in 1993) and Allen Muckle (three shows in 2001). That's 11 drummers in all!
Thankfully, Jimmy has a great sense of humor to go along with his formidable drumming abilities, so we decided to play a game of 20 questions with him. Here are his responses:
1. How and when did you first get started playing drums?
I started to play drums at age 8. I originally was going to take guitar lessons first, but the music store said that I was a bit too small and that reading drum music would be easier for me to understand. My first drum lesson was to see if I had any timing. I was to play single strokes with my instructor, Jim Pasquale, at the same time, starting slowly then building up to a fast tempo. He was surprised that I was able to play with him at the same time perfectly. I studied snare drum, rock and jazz. I took lessons from Jim P. for 8 years when he finally told me "I taught you everything I know."
2. How has your experience been playing the past three months with ApologetiX?
Playing with the ApologetiX has enabled me to do what I love best - playing drums while serving the Lord. I have met so many great people on the road with the band. I have really enjoyed the experience.
3. You first met ApologetiX through their keyboardist, Bill Hubauer. How did you first meet Bill Hubauer?
In 1995, I joined a church and was introduced by a member to Bill Hubauer, who at that time was forming a new contemporary worship band at different church, Christ United Methodist. Bill was looking for a drummer for the band and asked me to audition. I passed on it, not ready to commit. That band was Ten point Ten (TpT). It so happened that things didn't work out at the church, and spiritually speaking, I set out on my own once again for quite some time.
During one of my darkest times, I found myself once more seeking out the Lord. A friend had recommended that I try a Sunday-night service at Christ United Methodist Church, and I went. When I arrived at the service, I noticed that Bill Hubauer was playing with the band. That very night it was announced that the drummer was leaving TpT, and I knew that this was a sign from God. The same band I was invited to join five years earlier, that I walked away from, now seemed to be "calling" me. Other drummers auditioned, but my calling was true and I landed the job as keeper of time and have recorded several CD's with them.
4. Is it true that you actually threw your hat into the ring the last time ApologetiX was looking for a drummer, way back in early 2001?
Yes, I did speak to Karl back in 2001. I remember Karl saying to me on the phone that the ApologetiX was looking for a new drummer and that Bill Hubauer had recommended me for the gig. I had been with TpT for only a year at the time and was not ready to commit to any other projects. Plus the job that I had at the time would not let me go out on the road, which is what Karl was talking about doing a lot more of.
5. Can you tell us about your early influences (artists/groups) in music?
When I was eight, my older sister, Jodi, received a stereo for Christmas from my parents. It consisted of a record player, tuner, and an eight-track player (Wow!) My parents were not sure what type of music she would like so they bought a variety of albums for her. (Kids, do you know what albums are? No wait a minute ... better yet ... What about 8 tracks?) Jodi would look at the album, then put it down, and then I would check it out. One of the albums was KISS's "Rock and Roll Over" I had never heard of them before and when I looked at that album cover I instantly went nuts. It was like this beam of light shining down from the sky onto the album with a choir of angels singing in the background.
6. Who are some of your favorites/influences as a drummer?
Peter Criss (from KISS), Virgil Donati (from Planet X), Neil Peart (from Rush), and John Blackwell.
7. What have been your favorite things about playing with ApologetiX?
The music is great, but the really cool part is the lyrics. I have really enjoyed listening to the lyrics and learning more about the Bible and what's inside it. The lyrics really inspire me to read more. Traveling with ApologetiX has also been really fun. This experience has taken me all over the place in the last three months. I really like going to new places and meeting the fans.
8. How have the ApologetiX fans been treating you?
They are phenomenal. After the first week I started to get emails from fans I met on the road. It's great to have a fellowship with people from all over.
9. How and when did you you first become a Christian?
I was raised in a Christian home. My family is Methodist and provided me with a good start. There had been some times when I felt like I wasn't on the right path, times when I felt really low and lost. I "got saved" when I realized I wanted to commit to Christ with my time and talents, when God showed me over and over again that that was what He wanted me to do.
10. What's your home church?
Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park PA.
11. Tell us more about how long and where you were in the Sunday-night worship team?
I have been playing steady for six years as the drummer for the Sunday-night service (contemporary Christian worship service) at Christ Church. I have played in other churches during this time, but this one is my home.
12. Tell us a little more about how you first met your wife, Eve.
In January 1988 I went with some friends to see KISS perform at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. Eve and her friend stood in front of us. When I saw her I instantly fell in love - for real. I wound up standing next to her and tried to talk to her. I wanted her phone number, but she said she wasn't "that kind of girl" - so she took mine and wrote it on a $20 bill. At that point I was afraid she'd spend the money and never call me.
After a couple weeks went by, I thought I was right about that. It was Super Bowl Sunday and the Steelers were not playing and my phone rang. It was her! That was how we got together. We've been married for 15 years now. At least I think that's still her. :-)
13. Tell us about your kids.
We have two children. Our daughter, Julie, is 14 and is an aspiring film director. Our son, Jimmy, is 10 and is an inventor. He wants to be a pyrotechnician. I really enjoy being their dad.
14. Was it hard to learn so many songs so quickly when you started filling in for Bill Rieger?
I had to constantly pray about being able to learn them all so quickly. I borrowed my wife's iPod for a couple weeks to listen to the songs. I literally had a book of notes that I took on the road for the first month. There are some specific starts and stops that the band included in the shows, so those were challenging at times. Working with the guys in the band made it easier. They would give me cues on stage that helped me learn as I went. There were no practice gigs; I learned it all as it happened on stage.
15. What other hobbies and outside interests do you have?
Drumming is my favorite, but I like building things. I custom built all my (drum) cases. I like to do the landscaping around the house myself, because it's fun. I also like bike riding and fishing.
16. How long have you been wearing that trademark hat when you drum?
That was part of my "look" in the soul band I had been playing with. People seemed to like the hat and Karl started calling me "Vegas." so I kept wearing it. It seems to be my trademark. It got a little crushed coming home from Alaska - but it was ALASKA!!!
17. Can you give us a list of the names of the bands you've been in before?
Cryer (1985-1988), Shocklin (1988-1991), Fair Warning (1993-2000). Between 1993 and 2000 - I also played with bands such as Emanon, Apple Schneider, Teaser, Wild Child, Stonehenge, Ipso Facto, Ten point Ten, Jam Nation. I should also mention that I am endorsed by Truth Custom Drums.
18. Where were you born and raised?
New Brighton, PA
19. Are you excited about playing full-time in a nationally touring band?
Are you kidding? This is the realization of my lifelong dream. This is even better than I dreamed because I am serving God in this ministry. It doesn't get any better than that.
20. What are you favorite foods?
I like authentic Mexican food and steak. I likes to eats me spinach too.
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J.Jackson(Vocals)
Tell us a little about your family life ...
I was born and raised in Greensburg, Pa. I was the youngest of four children, the only boy, and six years younger than my closest sister, so I got to enjoy the benefits of a big family and the benefits of being an only child. My mom and my sisters loved Broadway shows, so I grew up listening to those albums.
What were your other early musical influences?
Dad had Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass on reel-to-reel tape. We also had some 45's like "Spill the Wine," "Cinnamon," and "Take a Letter Maria." The first song I remember liking was "Don't Sleep in the Subway" by Petula Clark. I remember listening to Elvis albums at some older lady's house and then coming home and singing "Don't Be Cruel" with a spoon as my microphone. I also used to sing for the other kids on the swing set, because I knew all the words to "Billy, Don't Be a Hero," "The Night Chicago Died," and "Seasons in the Sun." I started actively listening to the radio and buying 45's in 1977. I only had enough money for one when I first went to the store, and I was looking for "Arial," "Jet Airliner," or "Telephone Line." I had to settle for "Nobody Does it Better."
What was your first album?
My first hand-me-down album was "More of the Monkees," which I cherished until one day I was balancing it on my head, and it fell off and cracked a chip off the first three tracks on either side. But I could still play "I'm a Believer" and "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone. My sister bought me my first brand-new album, "Venus & Mars" by Wings, because it had a song called "Magneto and Titanium Man" on it, and I collected comic books. The first album I can remember wanting was "The Beach Boys 20 Greatest Hits." Then at the end of 1977, I saw a T.V. tribute to the Beatles. I remember seeing Tony Randall sing "Honey Pie!" Anyway, a month later, my friend Chris got "The Beatles 1967-70" for Christmas, and there was no looking back after that. I couldn't get enough Beatles music or information. From there it was a logical progression to the Stones, the Who, the Doors, Led Zep, etc.
I hear that you are a big rock and roll trivia nut ...
One of the things that triggered that was in 1979 when I heard a radio program that played all of the number one hits of the rock era in chronological order. It took a whole weekend, and at the end of the show, they played a medley of the songs in order. I ran and got a tape recorder and was able to record the medley from 1964 through 1978. I played it so often that I actually memorized the entire medley, which lasted about 20 minutes, without really even trying. I eventually learned all of the titles of the songs in the medley and the names of the artists who did them. I can still remember and sing the entire medley. It's a great party trick. I've also read lots of rock and roll biographies and trivia books, and top 40 charts, etc. For some reason, the information sticks in my head.
What kind of a religious background were you raised in?
I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church. I went to Catholic grade school and high school, and I had religion classes every day. As a matter of fact, my great aunt was a nun, and she was especially fond of me (as I was of her) because I was born on the anniversary of her entering the convent. I remember my first communion, she gave me a condensed children's Bible with really cool pictures in it, and I used to read it when I was in grade school. That was my first real exposure to the Bible. Then Sister Charlotte made us buy a Bible when we were freshmen in high school, and that was the first real Bible I ever really read - although not until almost 10 years after I bought it. She was a nun who definitely loved Jesus.
Any other early memories of God in your life?
When I was just a little kid I used to watch two famous evangelists, Kathryn Kuhlman and Rex Humbard, on Sunday morning T.V. I don't remember much, except Kathryn saying, "I belieeeeeve in miracles. In grade school, I sang in the choir. I have a vivid memory of two pictures on the wall in Sister Rose Barbara's class in fourth grade. One was Jesus talking with Nicodemus and the other was of the apostles on the day of Pentecost. Looking back, those are pretty symbolic, aren't they? Nicodemus was the man Jesus told about being "born again" and the apostles received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. I remember taking confirmation really seriously, because I really believed we were going to be sealed with the Holy Spirit when the bishop laid hands on us.
How about high school and college?
In high school, I was on the liturgy committee that planned church services for the school and was even a eucharistic minister for a short time. And in college, I was a member of the choir and a cantor. I also was in a production of "Godspell" and a revue of Amy Grant songs when I was in college. Furthermore, in my freshman year in college, my buddy Tom and I consented to have this guy named Pete from the Navigators (an evangelical Christian group) do Bible studies with us. I remember feeling really good after one of those Bible studies - like I had a new commitment to God. For all I know, Pete may have led me in a sinner's prayer way back then. But the next day, I had a big run in with temptation. I remember thinking, "Are you going to stick with your commitment to God or are you going to give in to temptation? Well, I gave in. And that was the last I thought about a commitment to God for quite some time.
Why did you become a born again Christian?
First of all, the important thing to realize is that born again Christians aren't a denomination. There are "born again Christians" in every denomination in Christianity - it's not about keeping a bunch of laws or doing specific good deeds or abstaining from things - it's about coming to a point in your life where you say, "I realize that I am a sinner and that I need forgiven for these sins by God, and I realize that Jesus Christ said that He is the only way to get forgiven. Nothing religious that I can do will save me. I can't balance the scales with my good works." Then you ask Jesus Christ into your life. That's what I did, and He changed me forever.
Was it really that easy?
Well, it was easy when I finally did it, but it took a long time to lead up to that. One of the things that discouraged me from coming to Christ was the thought of having to forsake everything and go out and preach the gospel, having no possessions other than sackcloth and ashes. Furthermore, I didn't quite understand the gospel. The way I had been taught, it seemed to me, it was like, "Obey the commandments, participate in the sacraments, live a good life, confess your sins, pray to God, believe in Jesus, but even if that all fails you could still get into heaven, because people will pray for you after you died, and certainly a merciful God wouldn't condemn anybody, right?" It didn't make sense to me. If what you did in this life didn't matter, than why should we bother trying to do the right thing? And the older I got, the more people I ran into who were atheists or agnostics.
And that made things even more complicated?
Yes. And then one day in high school I walked into world cultures class and there was a display of all the world's religions on the bulletin board. I had never heard of Islam before. This was before the Iran hostage crisis. And what about Hinduism and Buddhism? I was amazed that billions of people believed in something totally different than I did. I also remember the Mormons coming to visit our house to show us a slide show. My parents weren't seriously considering Mormonism, but they were just curious and polite. I remember thinking, "If Jesus really did come to America like the Mormons say he did, and if Joseph Smith really did get new messages from God, then we should convert from our beliefs and believe them. But if it's not true, these people shouldn't be in our house. It's got to be one way or the other.
So the idea of other religions influenced you, too?
Oh yeah. When I was a senior in college, I dated a girl who was studying with the Jehovah's Witnesses. She told me that Jehovah's Witnesses were the only people who had ever been able to give her answers to all the religious questions she had. At the time, I mistakenly thought they were just some fundamentalist Christian group, but I soon learned they had some pretty strange doctrines. One day I started reading some of the books she was studying. I could tell that some of the stuff inside wasn't true, but I had no basis for proving it, because I didn't know what was in the Bible. I remember her telling me once, "J., I don't want what they're saying to be true. Prove to me they're wrong." Unfortunately, I realized that I would have to read the whole Bible and really learn it to prove them wrong, and it was too much of a hassle. We broke up, but it left an impression on me.
Is that why you got involved in apologetics?
That's one of the reasons. Once I realized the Bible was true, I never wanted to be ignorant about it again. But before all that, another thing happened my senior year in college. I was a fledging reporter for the school newspaper. My second assignment was to cover a man named Josh McDowell. He was coming for a two-day speaking engagement, and there were all sorts of teaser ads. The night I saw him, his topic was "The Great Resurrection - Hoax?" Josh was certainly no fire-breathing preacher; I described him in my article as a cross between Pat Boone and Dick Van Dyke. He had supposedly written about 30 books by that time - but I'd never heard of them and therefore didn't consider them to be "real" books.
Did he convert you?
No, I think "affect" is the appropriate word. He talked about the Biblical account of Jesus as though it were a genuine historical fact, recorded accurately and preserved throughout the ages. He talked about a Bible that had a veracity that was being proven increasingly as archeological evidence was being unearthed in our modern day. Of course, he talked about his changed life and how he started his "pilgrimage", too. How he had been an atheist who set out to disprove the Christians at his college. How he had been converted by the evidence, and how, later, his worst enemy - his alcoholic father - was converted by the change in Josh's life. I had never heard anybody present the Bible as historically verifiable and reliable before. I thought it was thought-provoking, although not life-changing for me at the time.
Do you think God put Josh McDowell in your life?
Yes, and another funny thing happened while I was working as an intern reporter later that summer at the town newspaper. My editor knew I liked music, so he assigned me to cover a Christian rock band that was to perform at the annual street fair - one of which was a Christian band, the Watchman, who had just changed their name to Abraham. It seemed like everybody in town had heard of them but me. It was a Friday, and I had big plans to go to a bar that night with my roommates, so I felt kind of nervous as I drove to the interview. I knew these guys were going to make me feel guilty with their presence. They were predictably super-nice and they even gave me a free tape of their stuff. Of course, it made me feel guilty the one time I played it - while I was driving home and later while I was typing the story. Then it was assigned to the catacombs of my record and cassette library.
So God used music in your life before you became a Christian?
Sure, in plenty of ways. For example, I grew up loving "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Godspell," and "Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." It seemed like I'd dig those albums out every couple years and get into them all over again even when I was in college. I used to think, "How cool it would be to actually be alive when Jesus was performing His miracles - to actually be chosen as one of His disciples!" I thought "Superstar" definitely captured some of that excitement, although it's not totally Biblically accurate. "Godspell" captures the spirit of the gospel better.
Did those plays have an impact on your own lyrics?
Definitely. When I was in college, I watched "Superstar" at the library a couple of times. Then, as a junior, I got a role in our church's production of "Godspell." Being in that play touched all of us; we definitely felt closer to God, although we obviously didn't totally understand it. The same thing happened in my senior year, when the church did a revue of Amy Grant songs. I sang solo on the song "Wise Up," which is about avoiding temptation. What a hypocrite! One of the things I do remember at the time, though, is all of us singing the words to "I Have Decided": "I have decided being good is just a fable. I just can't 'cause I'm not able. I'm gonna leave it to the Lord." At the time, I just didn't understand what that meant.
So what finally made it all make sense to you?
Almost a year after I graduated, I was driving down the highway on my way to work, and instead of listening to regular rock tapes, I put in the tape of us doing those Amy Grant songs from the previous year. Something happened while I was listening to the song "Angels." I just got this incredible feeling of excitement and it was like something inside of me said "Read the Bible" -- not in an audible voice, but you know what I mean. So I dug out my old Good News Bible from Sister Charlotte's religion class when I was a freshman in high school, and I started reading it.
Where you surprised at what was in the Bible?
I was amazed at how much I was enjoying it, but there were parts in there that shook me up like when Jesus says if your eye or hand causes you to stumble, pluck it out or cut it off. And when He said, if you even look at a woman to lust at her, you've already committed adultery with her. Or if you call somebody an idiot, you've already committed murder. If that was all true, I knew I was in big trouble. So I started looking for loopholes in Paul's letters and Peter's letters. I figured they'd made mistakes in their lives, so maybe their letters would tell me I was O.K. the way I was. But that's not what their letters seemed to say, and for some reason, I just didn't get it.
What else was going on in your life at the time?
Well, it was Lent, and I got this guilty feeling that if I really wanted to "give up" something for God, I should stop buying music for those 40 days - a feat I considered noble, yet impossible. Music was my LIFE. I was addicted. I think I got more of a high buying albums then I did actually playing them. Worse still, I got this really nagging voice deep within me asking, "Could you give up all your records for God?"
Did you tell other people about what was happening to you?
I had gone to some people who I thought would be happy to find out that I was reading the Bible and actually believing it. They must have thought it was either a fad or I was being too extreme. Instead of encouraging me, they tried to discourage me from taking the Bible too literally or seriously. Well, I was having enough trouble resisting temptation in my life at the time, so I finally decided, "Look, if the Bible isn't going to encourage me, and my friends and family aren't going to encourage me, and God isn't keeping this temptation out of my life, then I'm not going to fight; I'm just going to live my life like there is no God.
What do you mean by that?
I decided to ignore God and immerse myself in the things I enjoyed. I bought more and more music ... and it wasn't Amy Grant, either. It was self-centered, depressing stuff. I stopped going to church, which was a drastic thing for me as a Roman Catholic, because I don't think I'd ever deliberately missed church in my entire life. I remember once when I was a boy, I told my mom, "You know, if I didn't believe there was a God, I wouldn't really have any reason to be good." Well, that's exactly what ended up happening. I just did whatever I felt like for the next eight months or so ... but I do remember saying something like, "God, if you're really up there, have mercy on me while I do all this." And as much as I tried, I couldn't bring myself to totally reject God. I remember looking at other books for answers in science and knowledge, but that just left me empty, too.
What finally changed you?
It was on Super Bowl Sunday in 1988 - the Redskins vs. the Broncos, and I was at a party at my girlfriend's apartment. For some reason, I felt compelled to go next door to the Catholic Church, which was dark and empty but unlocked. I got down on my knees and started praying to God. Kind of like, "God, if you're up there, I know I'm a sinner, and I really need you to change my life." I can't remember everything I said, and I didn't even know if anybody was up there listening. I didn't feel different that very moment - in fact, I think I forgot about it - but within two weeks I got the desire to start reading the Bible again. I was thinking, "Are you crazy? Remember how messed up you got the last time you started reading this book!" But something inside of me was changing.
After the discouragement before, did you tell anybody this time?
There was a salesman named Tim Hart who called on me at work. I knew he was a Christian, and I asked him if he had any Amy Grant tapes or other Christian music I could borrow. It was really my cry for him to help me out. He was a backslidden Christian who had just turned things around, so we fed off of each other's hunger for God. I started sharing with him the things God was putting on my heart, and I was amazed to find out how many similar experiences we'd had. He plugged me into a great interdenominational Bible study where people really believed the Bible was true. And we saw so many miraculous things in that year! We met a lot of other young Christians, who are still some of my closest friends to this day. And Tim ended up as my permanent big brother in Christ (like Jonathan and David). And he always encouraged my singing, guitar-playing and songwriting abilities.
So he hooked you up with some Christian music and encouraged you to make your own?
Yep. And speaking of music, another thing that was happening is that I actually had started getting rid of my record albums, cassettes, eight-tracks, and 45's. Not for religious reasons this time; I just had too many of them!. I think the final blow was when I went on a date with some girl from my high school reunion. She made a humorous remark about how many albums I owned, and I blurted out, "Well, I've been thinking about getting rid of them, anyway." So she said, "Oh, don't do that. I had a friend who sold all his records to buy a motorcycle and move to Colorado to find God. Don't space out." That was the last I saw of her, and it was also the beginning of the end for my music collection.
What happened then?
I had always secretly envied my friends who had very small music collections. I had records I hadn't even listened to the whole way through yet. One day I just decided I'd start to trade in my old albums for compact disks. A local record store would trade me 1 CD for every 10 or 15 albums. That would give me my small collection of only the "very finest in album rock." At first I only got rid of the albums I never listened to. Then, I started trading in borderline albums. Next thing I knew, I had traded in all my tradable albums, and I had about 100 compact disks and no compact disk player. Well, at least my roommate at the time had one.
What did your roommate think about all this?
He thought I was crazy, because as I started getting rid of the old music collection. I ended up giving him a lot of my old records and tapes, in clumps at a time. The more I got rid of, the clearer my head got. After a while he wouldn't even take any more of them. Eventually I traded my CDs to him as part of a deal for an electric guitar, I think. The only thing I regret is that I started going on a witch hunt and playing records backwards and reading all these books that said rock and roll was a conspiracy by the devil, etc., etc. That really alienated my roommate and my friends. I should have just stuck with telling them about what God was doing in my life and what the Bible said.
How does that relate to what you do with music now?
I learned a lot from that experience. Also, when I was a sophomore in college, I went to a seminar on backward masking and rock and roll being satanic. They got us all worked up, and I walked out. A year later, somebody convinced me to see another Christian presentation on rock and roll. But that one was totally different. Some guy with a guitar did a one-man show in which he told the whole story of rock and roll while performing songs from each era, everything from Bill Haley to Boy George - the latest rage at the time - even the Sex Pistols! At the end, he tied it into the fact that the times were changing and that music was a reflection of our times, and that we needed Christ. I didn't walk out of that show. He was a great performer, and I respected what he said, even though I wasn't a born again Christian at the time. Hopefully, we can get people to respect what we say, even if they don't agree with it.
What do you want people to get out of your music?
I want to make them realize that there's more to the Bible than Adam, Noah, David & Goliath and Jonah. I want them to realize that there's nothing inherently bad about music or anything else that God created. I want them to realize that the Bible is an interesting book, and I want to inspire them to read it for themselves. I want them to discover how simple salvation is, according to the Bible. I want them to remember verses and stories from the Bible. And I want them to learn what I've learned, to feel what I've felt - to laugh, to cry and to get chills sometimes. But most of all, I want them to see that God is real, and that He cares enough to speak to them in their own language, whether that be English or rock and roll. And I want them to give Him a chance, because He's offering them a chance, and they need to take it.
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Keith Haynie (Bass Guitar)
What was your family like?
I'm the fourth of five kids ... three boys and two girls. In our early teens, we went to church once or twice a month. You had to go three times in a row to become a member ... and we never made it (laughs). It was a Lutheran church. Then we also went to a Presbyterian church that we would drive to every so often, but not even as much as the Lutheran Church.
What was the first record you ever owned?
The first 45 r.p.m. was "Happy Hands" by Captain Kangaroo. The first album was "Bachman Turner Overdrive - Not Fragile." And my dad hollered at me, because I kept saying, "Mom, I need this much more money," and finally they gave it to me. My mom cracked.
What was the first record you bought for yourself?
The first 45 was "Bang-Shang-A-Lang" by the Archies, and the first album was "Bachman Turner Overdrive - II." The first Christian album I owned was "Daniel Band - Straight Ahead."
We hear you're a big collector of eight-track tapes ...
I go to flea markets, garage sales, whatever ... wherever I can smell an eight-track. I honestly don't know why, because every time I put one in they break; they're so rotted, and that little metal thing falls out. I don't think I'll buy eight tracks anymore; I'll just buy records.
You started out as a guitarist. How did you learn to play?
My dad bought a guitar, an old Harmony Stella. I just picked it up and started playing. He hardly ever picked it up. We had guitar class in school. In seventh grade we had piano and then in eighth and ninth we had guitar. The one thing I do regret is that one time my brother got me mad when we were getting up in the morning, and I whaled a sweeper part at his feet because his foot was the only thing that was exposed because he was getting out of bed. He moved his feet and it hit the side of Dad's guitar and put a big, long crack in it.
Who were your big influences as guitarists?
My biggest influence was K.K. Downing and Glen Tipton from Judas Priest cause they were excellent metal guitar players, and they would trade licks and go back and forth and harmonize, which I really liked. I think as good so-called "party" music, I think B.T.O. plays good. I like their sound. And of course, Ace Frehley in Kiss.
What was your first band?
My brother Dave bought a drum set for $3 off my neighbor. It was one of those Tom Thumb things, I think they call it. They used paper plates for heads. And me and him, we would just play around in our bed room along with records. We called ourselves "Dead End."
How did you learn to play bass?
Well, actually, I haven't yet. (Laughs) There's still so much more I need to learn. Especially when I look at my bass book and listen to other bands and I hear their runs and fills. But the major reason is because I love God, I love music and I always wanted to get into a band. And I love the ministry to the younger people. I knew there was a need in the band (ApologetiX), I happened to have a bass and it's shaped like a guitar. If they needed a violin player, I would have taken up the violin 'cause it's kind of shaped like a guitar, too.
Why do they call you "Stan"?
One misquote by a waitress at a Waffle House in Georgia. The waitress didn't really know my name and just thought I looked like a "Stan" and that's what she called me. Ever since then, it's just stuck. I think it's funny. When I think about it, the only Stan I know is Stan Laurel from Laurel & Hardy. I'm thinkin' ... is that who she confused me with?
You filled in once for ApologetiX way back in December 1992 ...
Their bassist couldn't make it, and even back then I didn't know how to play the bass. I just wanted to play "Livin' After Midnight," it was about the only song I knew. I just kind of watched Karl and Andy's fingers and just faked my way through it; kind of like I still do to this day.
Had you ever thought about joining ApologetiX after that?
Actually at the time, I did have a band I was trying to get going with a couple of people from church, but it never really took off. But since I married Krista (in 1990) and Karl being my brother-in-law, I often wondered if I was good enough to be in the band.
When I heard Andy had left the band, I really got excited. I thought, "I think they'd give me a chance," but then I thought, "There are probably a lot of better bass players than me." But they gave me the chance, and I took the chance. Years earlier, a friend from an old band I was in had given me a bass, but I'd never really played it much.
What was your first concert as the official bassist like?
Nervous, but it was really fun, too. I had a couple friends come down from north of Pittsburgh thinking they were just going for a 20-mile drive. They ended up thinking they had crossed the Mason-Dixon line on the way down, because the concert was well into West Virginia. Seeing them out there kind of made me feel a little more comfortable ... a peaceful, easy feeling. That's it; that's what I had! Especially after all the girls started swooning at me (laughs).
Did you say "swooning" or "spitting?"
(Laughs) swooning!
Tell us about that bag you carry everywhere with you.
That's kind of like Linus' blanket; That's pretty much all the music for all the songs that we do. Every time I get a little bit of time to look them over, I try to take advantage of it.
We hear you're a Star Trek fan.
Oh, yeah. I don't dress up like them or anything, but I do like Star Trek. You go down to Carson Street on the South Side and you see people dressed up like Vulcans and Klingons; I'm not quite that weird. I do have all the Star Trek Christmas ornaments up till this year. Krista got me Riker, Picard and Q dolls that talk when you push their back. You press the button and they say three different phrases. And she bought me a Next Generation candy bar, but I don't want to eat it, because it might be worth money in the future. I guess I'm more of a fan than I think I am.
When did you become a born-again Christian, and how?
I don't remember the date and the time I did it, but it was when I was in high school - I believe it was '75 or '76 and what brought me to the Lord was I used to hang around with my best friend at the time's mom, who was very much into church stuff. And she didn't drive a lot, and he would drive, and I just lived down the road, and I would drive around with him. Some of the times I would go into some of these meetings and stuff, and she would pray for me, and she was probably the instrument God used most in my life to get me saved. We would just talk about God ... just little tidbits. Just little things that she said - little fillers here and there. Just by the way that she lived. Seeing her read her Bible, and praying, and praying for other people - just influenced me.
Did you feel different right away?
No.
When did you know that something had changed?
I believe not too long after that ... I played guitar though I was very new at it ... I sat down to write a song to the Lord. I can't remember the title. I made the commitment, but I really didn't walk with the Lord for a while, because I didn't really have any discipleship whatsoever in my hand. But I did start going to church - I used to go to Wildwood in Aliquippa with friends and this friend's parents went to a missionary school, and they played a role just by visiting them. Of course, my friend had a big part in that, too, besides his parents.
How do you know it's real?
I don't feel the way I did before. I don't do the things I did before. I have no yearning to do the things that I'd done before. It just makes too much sense to me compared to what everybody else has to offer.
How did it affect your musical tastes?
No secular music whatsoever. Everything was Christian music. I burned everything except my Bachman Turner Overdrive albums. I kept my B.T.O. albums (laughs).
How long did that last?
Oh, geez. I'd say several years.
If a person asked you, "Why should I become a Christian?" What would you say?
Well, first of all, hell scares me. I think the overall peace you feel about things no matter what situation you're in. Knowing that there's a way out, even though at particular times you might wonder where God's at, you can always look back after the experience and see where He was.
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Bill Hubauer(Lead Guitar & Keys)
Who is Bill Hubauer?
Bill Hubauer has been the keyboardist on every ApologetiX CD since "Jesus Christ Morningstar" (1998). The founder of the Christian progressive rock band Ten point Ten (tenpointten.com), he first met ApologetiX when the two bands did some touring together in 1997-98.
Bill plays both keyboards and guitars for Ten point Ten and produces their CDs. He also is one of their vocalists, with a singing style reminiscent of Peter Gabriel and a killer falsetto. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. His musical influences/tastes include (but are by no means limited to) Kansas, Styx, Yes, Genesis, Rush, Supertramp, Spock's Beard, The Dixie Dregs, Chick Correa, Dragon Force, A.D., Steven Curtis Chapman, Rich Mullins, DC Talk, PFR, Limozine and, to a lesser extent, Z'nuff.
Although he played a handful of concerts with ApologetiX from 2000-03, Bill first began touring with the band on a regular basis in early 2004, contributing both keyboards and rhythm guitar to the ApologetiX "live" experience. He has also played electric fiddle when the band performed "The Devil Went Down to Jordan" in concert.
Born into a U.S. Navy family in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Bill grew up near Clarion, PA, and also worked for a year in New York City, although he now lives in the Pittsburgh area. He and his wife, Bonnie, have four children, Aaron, Nathan, Sarah and Jonah.
Bill attends Dormont Presbyterian Church (in the same section of Pittsburgh where ApologetiX first got its name) and also plays once a month at worship services at Christ United Methodist Church. "The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) was a real turning point for me as far as my reliance on God," he says. In addition to the Gospels, Bill names James and Proverbs as two of his favorite books of the Bible.
A self-confessing "computer nerd," Bill is a big fan of pretentious pseudo-intellectual progressive rock music and believes Sid & Marty Kroft's characters really do live in some alternate dimension that he hopes to visit someday. "Beware of Sleestak," he warns. Bill agrees with ApologetiX lead singer J. Jackson that the defining moment of Live Aid in 1985 was Simon LeBon's vocals on Duran Duran's performance of "A View to a Kill." He stayed up way past his bedtime to listen to the radio world premiere of Styx's "Paradise Theater" in 1981 and thought Dennis DeYoung's hair was perfectly acceptable until he entered the Fro-zone.
"I'm Bill Hubauer and I approved this message."
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