EMQ’s with SWEET CRYSTAL
EMQ’s with SWEET CRYSTAL
Hello everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Christian Rock band, Sweet Crystal. Huge thanks to their Keyboard player/ Lead Vocalist, Marq Andrew Speck, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
I’m Marq Andrew Speck, lead vocalist and keyboard player for 24-time Detroit Music Award winning band Sweet Crystal (www.sweetcrystal.com). Along with founding members guitarist Bill Blatter and drummer Steve Wieser and now joined by newest member and bass player Martin Kuchar, we have been at the forefront of the Christian Rock scene here in Michigan even before this genre had its own radio and broadcast outlets.
We’ve all been playing since we were teenagers – actually Bill (guitar) and Steve (drummer) played together during high school. I came along later, during our college years and we all set out to make it our full time jobs (which we did for many years – 6 ½ tons of gear, 4-man road crew). The three of us – the core-founding members – have never stopped playing together since then (although live touring did stop for a time).
How did you come up with your band name?
The name of the band reflects the message of our music and mission referring to passages in the Book Of Revelation that describe a river of sweet water flowing out from the throne of God, clear as crystal.
Sounded like an amazing sight to see and place to be… so we adopted it and never looked back!
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
Basically, we are considered a Detroit band and have been since we started this journey. There is a very thriving Metal / Rock scene here in Michigan – actually across the US. Lots of smaller venues do multiband events and the metal shows seem to always draw a good – and very enthusiastic – crowd.
Although Sweet Crystal is not considered a Metal band per se, our live show is pretty intense and we can hold our own musically with the best (and loudest) of them.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
We just finished our latest release “7th HEAVEN” – which happens to be our 7th CD as well – and it dropped everywhere (digital downloads, streaming and physical CDs) on Valentine’s Day (2/14/22) making that holiday… even Sweeter. We previously released 4 singles from ‘7th Heaven’ during 2020/21 with video support (on our YouTube channel and other social sites) but thought waiting until this New Year (with the very challenging last two years behind us) might be just the spark our fans and audiences would appreciate to make 2022 a much happier New Year indeed. This latest album “7th Heaven” continues where our last release “Got Your Six” left off: songs of hope and inspiration featuring our signature guitar sounds, synth melodies, straight ahead drumming with just a few chanting monks thrown in for good measure.
Our complete discography can be heard over at our Bandcamp page here https://sweetcrystal.bandcamp.com
Who have been your greatest influences?
We started out totally influenced by the progressive rock English music scene of the 60’s and 70’s: bands like Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep all left their musical marks on our writing and playing. We also listened to a lot of American bands like Kansas, Journey, Rush and Spock’s Beard to keep our creative juices flowing. Basically, we are considered a Detroit progressive Christian rock band and have been since we started this journey.
In the beginning, we opened up for such classic rock acts as Bob Seger, Foghat, Nazareth, Steppenwolf and many more before finding our true path into the Christian music field. Now, some 4 decades later, we continue to do what we love doing with no signs of stopping any time soon! To this day we get together every week to rehearse, record and just enjoy each other’s company. Does it get old after 4 decades together? Absolutely not! We just get better with age.
What first got you into music?
Unlike most bands who have a lifecycle of about three to five years, this band of high school buddies (myself, Bill and Steve) has been playing together for over 40 years. We got together right out of high school (and actually Bill and Steve played together during high school!). To this day we get together every week to rehearse, record and just enjoy each other’s company. Does it get old after 4 decades together? Absolutely not! We just get better with age.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
We think our music would be a great fit for producer/super star Alan Parsons to work with. His signature sounds and musical styling (think “Dark Side Of The Moon”) would make any and every Sweet Crystal song that much…you know, sweeter!
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
We would love to take a ’road trip’ to the UK. Being totally influenced by the progressive rock English music scene of the 60s and 70s, how cool to play a festival in the country that left its mark on our musical journey!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
We were touring northern Canada and one night at a club in Sudbury, Ontario, we were presented with a bag full of… smelt! Seriously. These small fish were running at that time of the year and we all went outside, set up a campfire and proceeded to eat mounds of deep-fried smelt before (and after) the gig. Delicious but highly out of the norm.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
One of the main reasons we are a 24 time (and counting – nominated for 8 more this year) Detroit Music Award winning band is because our fans have been with us for so many decades. We stay true to our musical course and they stay true to their support of us. We continue because they continue…a blessing to everyone in Sweet Crystal. So what we have to say to all of the fans is: “You are all blessings to the band”.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Wow… for me (Marq) it would be Keith Emerson, the legendary keyboardist of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. To this day I believe his tragic leaving could have been averted if he only had someone to talk to and inspire him the way he did to all his fans. I certainly would love the chance to do just that.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
On one hand: travelling to play new venues and meeting new fans – always unexpected and exciting. On the other hand: the sometimes agonizingly long drive to get there…and then to get back home.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Get rid of the mind-set that as musicians and bands, we are competing with each other. There are so many new avenues of getting your music out to the world that trying to be ‘better’ than another band is actually detrimental to your mental health and might even be holding you back from achieving your musical goals. There is room for everyone – welcome each other with open arms.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
How about two? “Meddle” by Pink Floyd (the first song we learned as a band was ‘Echoes’) and “Empire” by Queensryche… a huge influence on the band’s current writing at the time of its release.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?
All those formats have their plusses and minuses. Can’t play downloads on your vintage turntable, can’t play CDs in the new cars they’re producing. We have access to all these media types and whatever one is most easily accessed at the time you want to hear it – that’s the best at that moment in time. Love and listen to them all.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Opening for Bob Seger & Silver Bullet Band one New Year’s Eve in the 70’s (Wing Stadium, Kalamazoo) was amazing for us at our (then) very young age; we played the Cornerstone Festival (largest Christian rock festival in the US) in 2010 which also marked a milestone for us but probably it would be opening the venerable Detroit Music Awards show in 2016 where we also swept every category we were nominated in. That was quite a year for us.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
It varies with each band member: I (Marq) am big time into acting with four feature film roles and various television appearances. Guitarist Bill is into competitive marksmanship and was recently endorsed for ISP Technologies, a high-end music merchandiser here in Michigan. Drummer Steve takes to the golf course to release the extra energy he has and has gotten good enough to start competing in the professional circuit. Marty works with mentally challenged adults, giving back in a way that the rest of us admire more than he knows.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
All our fathers have passed away, so a dinner with the four of them would be an amazing event for each and every one of the guys in the band…and finally of course Jesus Christ… because then we would never run out of fish, bread, wine or parables!
What’s next for the band?
New songs are already being recorded for our next release ‘8’, this time around featuring more lead vocals from (guitarist) Bill. We have a new promotion company (Rogue PR) taking the reins for a while to get the Sweet Crystal brand into more markets. Booking shows and benefit concerts to play again as we all get back to normal. Basically we plan to remain exactly who we are for as long as we can…because if it ain’t broke…
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
A simple Google search will bring you literally pages of hits and links to follow the band. Need Crystal?
Sweet! Here you go:
WEBSITE: www.sweetcrystal.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/SweetCrystalBand
YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/c/SweetCrystal
SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/sweet_crystal
REVERBNATION: www.reverbnation.com/sweetcrystal
SPOTIFY: http://tinyurl.com/y76vcpqg
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/sweet_crystal
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
CAKES!!!!! Definitely.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Our trademarked slogan “Reaching The World, One Song At A Time” ™ pretty much says it all about our music, message, mission and ministry. We are here to reach out to a world with songs of hope and inspiration; a musical light at the end of every dark tunnel you might be going through because chances are good – we’ve gone through those very same tunnels ourselves and definitely have found a way out.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
