[Hidden Agenda]- Can you give us a little bit of a background history on Skillet?

[John]- Lets see Skillet started in 96 in Memphis (TN), I am the only original member left of the band.  We thought of (the name) Skillet, because we are all from different bands, and it was kind of like cooking, taking all of these different ingredients throwing it all in to make Skillet.  Like making Fajitas…those sound good…

[Hidden Agenda]- Yea they do…

[John]- Anyway, we have seven records out and not too many people know that.  Because a lot of people think we are newer, but they (albums) were very kind of small independent projects...

[Hidden Agenda]- That is what I noticed and then you signed to Atlantic Records.  I am familiar with about 4 or 5 Albums just in passing.

[John]- Ok, we have been doing it for along time.  Atlantic picked up our last record.  But, that last record was done before they got involved.  So this record, Comatose, which is the new record, is the first record that Atlantic has produced themselves.

[Hidden Agenda]-  How did the line-up changes occur in which you are the only original member remaining?

[John]- I think it is because we didn’t really know what was supposed to happen.  We weren’t even thinking of doing it full time, it was more of a side project.  I had another band I really liked, and the guitar player had his own band.  We were like we will start that side project, that will be kind of fun.  Then it kind of took off really quickly.  Took off as in we got signed to a label.  After 2 to 3 years, you start wondering what I want to do with my life.  Our guitar player at the time was 10 years older then me and had 2 kids.  I think he realized he needed to be home with his family.  Then our drummer, he really wasn’t even looking to play with a band.  He was graduating college, and we needed a drummer so he filled in until we got a drummer.  We did a demo for the purpose of finding a drummer that he played on, and we got signed on.  He thought it was fun, after a few years though, he was a business guy, and he wanted to go start some business.  At the point, it became easier because it became my band and my project.  Lots of different bands work in different ways.  I find that I like doing my own thing more.  So then I was like I will find my own guitar players, I did a couple records a lot on my own.  But it has still helped me, that’s why I still write most of the guitar parts and I write…well I co-produced our newest record.  It kind of took me from just a band member to a producer.  So now I co-produce my own stuff. 

[Hidden Agenda]- So you have both the performance and the backstage aspects covered then.

[John]- Yea that is what I am trying to get at.  That is probably why I like to control the clear vision of what I want it to be like. 

[Hidden Agenda]- Now your wife is in the band, was she in other bands as well?

[John]- Yea she was.  She was in her own band that she fronted.  She played keyboards and sang for, and wrote all the music.

[Hidden Agenda]- Was this in Tennessee?

[John]- Actually she is from Wisconsin.  Yea and when we got married, she came on the road and she ended up joining our band, which was awesome.  When our drummer quit, her old drummer, Lori (Peters) was her old drummer.  So she called and asked if she wanted to try out.  (I was like) I don’t know…Korey’s band was not a rock band; it was more like Sarah Mclachlan or something artist, chill kind of stuff.  So Lori was more of a chilled drummer.  We tried her out, she was really good…she had a lot of talent.  All of the members you could see that they are really gifted people, and if you shape them a bit and they can become super good.  So that is what we did with Lori.  She is awesome now; it was about a year of her coming into it like trying to play louder, more aggressive.  Now, on this tour everyday I have to tell her you have to play softer, you’re drowning out everyone.  She is just a monster drummer.  Ben was the same way, when he joined he was only 16.  He was real young and still in school, high school.  But I could just see he was really gifted.  He wasn’t a great player at the time, but he didn’t have to try at all to be a good player.  So I was ok, work on this and this and this…and he became a great player. 

[Hidden Agenda]- Was it difficult coming out in the Christian rock genre, and getting signed by Atlantic Records?

[John]- That was incredibly difficult.  That was the only reason we were not signed by Atlantic in 98.  In 1998, we had a record come out that had a single on it that got some mainstream airplay.  And without us trying it just happened, which is not normal.  So then people were interested and we did showcases for all these labels.  Atlantic kept sending people out and they all really liked it.  We were pretty much signed by Atlantic records, except all of a sudden the guy was like call me on Tuesday, he was the fifth guy from Atlantic to see us play, and he loved it.  So I call him Tuesday, and he wouldn’t call me back for 3 weeks.  In the end, he told me straight up he just said that it is unfortunate that you are Christians and you are a Christian band, I just can’t do it.  I am getting too much flack about it.  I was pretty upset about it, but I was really annoyed about it.  It shouldn’t be the first thing they know about us is that we are a Christian band, its do they like the music.  Once people hear of your name and nothing happens, they don’t really care if they hear your name in four years, I think that is what happened.  We played for all the labels, and some of the labels thought it was really cool because this was before P.O.D was signed, before Switchfoot and Chevelle.  So everybody was like whatever.  Then P.O.D broke it open.  They got so big, it made Christian music viable.  They were the first to do it to that level, like they were a viable rock band.  They are a serious rock band and they are Christians and they have a serious career beyond one single.  Jars of Clay you know had a single but not a serious career in the mainstream.

[Hidden Agenda]- So that is the goal for Skillet?

[John]- Yea, I mean that would be great.  I think one of the things that maybe it makes it different for us compared to some acts that have crossed over, like Chevelle or P.O.D is that we have been maybe more stunned. 

[Hidden Agenda]-  Do you find it much easier since P.O.D broke out?

[John]- Oh absolutely.  Then people were like you are like P.O.D. Then Atlantic came back around, and don’t care that we are Christian band.  They like our lyrics, they like what we are about. We are drug free, speak out against pornography…they are like yea that’s pretty cool, that’s a good message.  As opposed to a couple years ago when it was like that’s weird man. 

[Hidden Agenda]- Has it been any easier with some of the underground hardcore bands like Underoath?

[John]- Yea, I think it is because that kind of music is so underground…

[Hidden Agenda]- Do you have any crossover of those types of fans coming to shows?

[John]- I see what you are saying, there is some.  When I think of those bands I think of Hot Topic.  There are a lot of hot topic fans, because they like Evanescence and we have a little bit of that.  The ones that cross over will usually like us.  Like with this Flyleaf tour if we see a hot topic crowd, I am like we are going to do well tonight.  We look that part, Korey sings a little bit and the chicks in the band.  A little bit of the screamy sound, so there is a little bit of that crossover. 

[Hidden Agenda]- Do you look forward for that type of crowd?

[John]- Yea, obviously we are not as heavy as some of those bands.  There are some people that want it to be metal the whole time. We are more pop then that.  I think we are crossing a broader audience.

[Hidden Agenda]-  They are still not like your “panheads,” how did that start out?

[John]- When we came out in the Christian market, there were not a lot of hard rock bands in 96.  You know Living Sacrifice, they were around.  But, that dude was just so underground and too much for mainstream Christian music.  P.O.D was around but no one really knew.  For us, we were one of the first mainstream alternative hard rock bands.  We were more accessible then some of those bands.  We didn’t sell too many records; our first record sold 35,000 units or something.  I just started noticing that the people that did start to like us, they were like finally a hard rock Christian act.  The few people that bought our record just loved us.  I would see somebody here, then we would play again next week again in Maryland and I would see somebody again.  I would ask where did I see you. and they would be like I drove 18 hours.  That was weird, even some of the bands… like Flyleaf.  Like Lacey from Flyleaf, when I met her they already had a gold record out and a massive single they are like stars.  She was like, I saw you play when I was 15 years old.  That was a weird thing. They talk about that first record was so great, and I think it was because it filled a void in Christian music. So we started calling people it (Panheads) because they would bring Skillets to show.  I think there was a show in the middle of summer; I think it was like 100 degrees at some festival.  This kid had skillet on his head duct tape all around his chin.  He comes up after the show and says “can I take this off; I have had it on all day.”  He takes it off and he has a sweat rash, he is like “it stings man, the sweat is stinging.”  That’s when we started calling them “panheads.”  A very small group of fans that likes us tons, it makes us feel good.  Serving a purpose and making people happy.

[Hidden Agenda]- This Album, Comatose, did you do anything different from previous albums? 

[John]- I asked for more help on this one.  I started realizing my pickiness was probably the result of not enjoying the particular many people I have worked with.  Not enjoying the feeling and being productive, it being like you know I don’t like the way you do it, I am going to do it myself…not saying that but thinking that.  And I was like, I don’t feel like I have ever made a hit record but I know I have some good ideas.  If I could maybe work with someone that could help me bring it out to a bigger audience and make it more acceptable I think we could do something really good.  I was really looking for help, whatever it takes.  I was looking for a producer that was up and coming, that’s where we got a deal with Brian Howes.  At the time they said he just produced a band called Hinder, and I never heard of Hinder.  Their record had been out like a month.  So I got the record, and I was like it is an awesome album it was so well-written and he co-wrote all the songs.  So I thought it could work so I met with him.  That was the biggest key, we co-produced it together.  He asked to see my lyrics, and I never show anyone my lyrics they are mine I don’t care what you think.  The lyrics I worked on for hours, and when he looked at them he was like “that doesn’t make sense.”  It was five days straight and all we did is go through lyrics.  I was getting so mad at him, but knowing it was going to make it better was the biggest difference.  By the end of those five days, before we did the record you have some idea what you were going in with.  I think that made the difference.  I didn’t want just a metal producer, because I can do that myself.  I needed someone that can do something poppy and that is a writer.

[Hidden Agenda]- Since you started to now what do you feel is the biggest change you have undergone personally?

[John]- I have gone through a lot of changes.  I think part of the biggest change I have gone through is what I write about.  I think the biggest thing I have learned, everybody goes through a lot of the same issues in life.  There are so many things to sing about, that most people will relate to.  When I first started all my lyrics was about God, or my relationship with God, or about a bible story, bible verse.  I am not in anyway embarrassed by that, it’s just what I thought I wanted to write about.  I think a few years ago I realized the only people relating to that are Christian people.  Everybody else doesn’t really know what I am talking about.  So, I started thinking maybe to get my message across is to sing about more relatable issues.  I think it will be a better way to win people over, people know what the heck you are talking about.  That is the biggest change, because I was hardcore like “if this song isn’t clear about Jesus, then it is not going on my record.”  Writing music is much easier for me now, it is what I am feeling then what I am thinking.

[Hidden Agenda]- Following this tour, are there any major plans?

[John]-  No major tours yet, we are doing the festivals.  I can’t really say, because nothing is happening right now.  But, we are trying to get on a couple other tours.  Of course the way it works, is everyone is waiting till 3 weeks before the tour to see what bands are on the radio and hopefully we will be one of those bands.  We have a single out, it is on active radio right now, it just entered the top 25 I think.  I think this week it is entering top 25.  It is committed to pop radio; “Older I Get” is the song.  So that is sort of what we are working on right now. 

[Hidden Agenda]- Any final words for everyone out there?

[John]- No, maybe if people just check out the website. I always like to put up our sites its good and myspace.  We are putting up footage up of…they filmed me last night talking about all the bad things that have happened on this tour so far.  Tour has been great, but this is everything that happened.  Everything that can go wrong has.  Honestly, it has been 1 terrible memorable thing to the next, our bus broke down first.  It has literally been so hard, I am just frustrated.  Today has been only non-problem day we have had this whole tour. 

[Hidden Agenda]-  It has to keep it interesting for you…

[John]- No doubt…

[Hidden Agenda]- Anything else you would like to say to any fans?

[John]- No nothing I want to say…we love our fans, they have been supportive that is reason we are around after this long.  That is the reason why the record is selling, people keep telling their friends about it.  Keep it up.