Jars of Clay 'Floods' airwaves

By Frank "Buzz" Trexler
for The (Maryville, TN) Daily Times, Spring 1996

They see themselves as fragile vessels, but after two years on the professional music scene Jars of Clay is being described as "groundbreaking," "unique" and "inspirational."

Moreover, the accolades are ranging from secular outlets such as Billboard, to the contemporary Christian music media mainstay CCM. As proof of its wide-ranging appeal, the group's "Flood" video not only is in rotation on ZMusic, but VH-1 and MTV.

Richie Edwards of Rendy Lovelady Management in Clinton, Miss., says "Flood" recently ranked No. 2 as the most-requested video on MTV. Edwards said MTV requested that the band reshoot the video to achieve a more fast-paced and heavier visual look -- a look that could guarantee even heavier rotation.

In a telephone interview Friday from Pittsburgh, Jars of Clay's Charlie Lowell said the video reshoot was likely to take place soon. "It's pretty exhausting," he said of the process. "It takes at least a full day."

Christian, not religious

The 22-year-old Lowell, who plays keyboards and provides background vocals, describes their music as a marriage of different styles. "Mainly a folk-acoustic element combined with a more modern -- call it alternative or New Wave -- kind of stuff we grew up on in the late ’80s."

"But we also really enjoy a lot of the modern rock sound and kind of the drum groove, kind of hip-hop thing," Lowell said.

The result is a blend of all those elements, which gives Jars of Clay a solid sound all their own.

Lead vocalist Dan Haseltine is the primary lyricist for the group, penning words for the music that Billboard describes as "not exactly religious ... (but) definitely inspirational."

"I think, bottom line, what we want to do is be honest in our lyrics about who we are as people, and who we are as Christians obviously is gonna have a big part of that because that’s very important to us," Lowell said. "We don’t want to be a ‘religious’ band and feel like we’re preaching to people or telling people what they need to be like."

"I think we very much believe in our faith, in our Christianity, but we would rather present that to people in more of a challenge and say, ‘Look at this part of life, you know, this is how we struggle with it and this is what we see. Wrestle with it for yourself and see what you come up with.’"

On tour with ‘Smitty’

True to the band’s image, Lowell said his own musical influences range from contemporary Christian music, to classic rock groups such as the Beatles. You can also blend in classic acoustical groups, such as Simon and Garfunkle, and New Wave alternative techno-bands, such as Depesche Mode.

"Well, growing up a lot playing piano, I actually would play Michael W. Smith’s stuff a lot, which is pretty interesting," he said, noting that he never imagined that he would someday share a concert venue with "Smitty."

"We're really enjoying the tour," Lowell said. "Michael's been great to us. He's really generous."

It turns out he also has a penchant for pingpong.

"He actually takes two pingpong tables out on tour with him, so there's always at least one or two games going," Lowell said.

Still, the tour isn't all fun and games.

"I think our main struggle – and it kind of comes and goes in waves – is just being on the road so much that we just kind of crave to be home and to go to church and just sit there in our actual home church and catch up with our friends," Lowell said.

The Rochester, N.Y., native currently lives in Nashville and attends Christ Community Church in Franklin.

Influence of youth pastor

Lowell said his greatest spiritual influence was his youth pastor from high school, Jack Cleveland.

"Actually, Matt and I grew up together in Rochester and we both had a pretty close relationship with Jack," Lowell recalls. "He ran our Young Life organization in our town as well as being the youth pastor at our church. So we just sent a lot of time with him, just as friends, and he was a good model to us of who Christ is, in just his attitude, how he treated us (and) loved us as friends and brothers."

The long-term result has been an attitude that God is the potter for these Jars of Clay. For Lowell says he prayerfully pursues an attitude of "wanting God to humble me and use me in some way, whether it's big or small. But that I would be emptied of myself and available to be filled up with him – even if it's just to love the guys in the band, ... to be an encouragement to them."

‘Normal guys’ on wild ride

"We're really just four normal guys; at least, I think we're normal," he said. "We get pretty goofy, which is kind of our way of dealing with some of the things that go on."

Lowell said the band "never imagined any of this could happen" and sometimes compare the musical adventure to "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" at Disney World.

"We have no idea how long it will last or what'll happen with it," he said. "But we really desire to be faithful with the gifts that we've been given and just kind of hang on while we're on the ride and see what happens."

The Rev. Frank "Buzz" Trexler is managing editor at The Daily Times and pastor of Green Meadow United Methodist Church, www.themeadow.org. You can e-mail him at PastorBuzz@nxs.net.