Ever heard of Secular Gospel Music? Yeah, I hadn't either... not until I stumbled across Irreverend James and the Critical Mass Choir that is! With such an interesting concept, I had to reach out and learn more. Meet three of the four gentlemen in the group: The Profit, John the Bassist, and pianist Hereticus Monk. And yes, their answers are just as interesting as their names.
You have a very cause and idea driven project with Irreverend James and the Critical Mass Choir. Tell me a bit about what you’re about and what you hope listeners will get from your music.
The Profit : We're about selling products under the guise of spiritual awakening. Using people's good faith to line our pockets. And meeting disreputable women in order to "convert" them, if you catch my meaning. They don't call me The Profit for nothing - I am here to Profiteer.
John The Bassist : We get a kick out of tugging at the Taliban's whiskers, calling the Catholic church on its bigoted stance against gays and basically fighting the feminist fight however we can. We're basically four straight men doing what all straight men should. Only with less tact.
The Profit : And nicer clothes.
John The Bassist : What we hope people get from our music is pure joy. That's what gospel music does. But our added twist is in the fact that ours is not a message to God, but a message to mankind. So we hope the smile you get while passively listening to the soulful rhythm of the genre will turn into a broad complicit grin when you pick up on the lyrics.
Perfect. I can get behind both joy and nice clothes. So, when did you start writing and performing music and at one point did you decide to make a career/focus of it?
The Profit : I heard a voice in my head. "Make the damned music!" it said.
John The Bassist: I heard a voice as well. It was The Profit. Telling me we had to do this. So much of what we're fed these days is throw-away. And for all the Facebooking and Twittering, we really don't seem to be connecting to one another all that much. This project is also a reaction to that.
Hereticus Monk: We've all been in various indie bands and have been around the block a few times, but this type of project really stood out. Going for it was a no-brainer.
The Profit: I think you just called me stupid.
Hereticus Monk: No, I called you brainless. That's different. Stupid is when you have a brain and just don't use it. You're a special case.
The Profit: Oh.
You’ve got a few really great videos of live performances (I first heard of you guys by finding the video below!). Have live videos been central to your band marketing strategy and what other ways have you been promoting your music?
John The Bassist: Our music shines best in live settings, so we've tried to showcase it that way online and off. There's no elaborate soundscaping or complex production value. It's all about the energy, drive, jubilant irreverence. Really old-school stuff. So guerilla street performances, loft parties and tiny packed halls have been the sum total of our marketing strategy thus far. We figure getting those performances on live-take, single-shot film will be key in reaching out to the masses. Also, three out of four of us are really gorgeous - we'd be fools not to capitalize on that.
The Profit: Who's the ugly one?
John The Bassist: Let's let them decide.
The Profit: Well played.
I feel like each band I know has some sort tradition or even a funny superstition. Do you have any?
Hereticus Monk: Considering our music takes on false prophets, fraudulent preachers and fabricated gods—not to be confused with the actual, real God of your particular belief system—if we were superstitious we'd be in some pretty real trouble.
The Profit: Well, one tradition has been to let the drummer do all the heavy lifting.
Hereticus Monk: And eating.
The Profit: Yes, that too.
What’s your next big gig coming up? When/Where?
John The Bassist: We're putting on a cinq à sept showcase for labels and press at Montreal's Divan Orange on August 23rd. After that, we're gunning for a Pop Montreal slot, Toronto gigs and a concerted effort at spreading the word in France, Britain, Scandinavia and Germany. We have a hunch that old-time Mississippi-delta (non-religious) gospel music will turn some heads in secular Europe.
Hereticus Monk: And we really love Europe for the architecture.
The Profit: And the food.
Hereticus Monk: Yes, that too.
