by Andy Lowell and Steve Carlson
Who is Jars of Clay?
- Jars of Clay are...
- Where are they from?
- What is the significance of the name "Jars of Clay"?
- How can I contact the band?
- Are any of the guys single?
- What label are they on?
- How can I get their albums?
- How can I get the demo album, Frail?
- Do you have accompaniment tracks of your music available?
- What are the songs on Jars of Clay based on?
- Who is Adrian Belew?
- What is the significance of "Truck" on the debut album?
- What is the song "He" about?
- The "Worlds Apart" dedication
- What are the extra lyrics in Worlds Apart?
- What does the little girl say on "Like a Child?"
- What is the meaning of the chant in "Liquid"?
- What other instrumentalists played on the debut release?
- Why are there 20 extra minutes at the end of the debut CD?
Stringtown (1999)
Touring Questions
- Who have they toured with?
- What were the names of their past tours?
- Why do concert tickets cost so much?
- Why are there two extra members to the band for live shows?
- What happened to Scott Savage, the old drummer for live shows?
- Why don't they play a concert near me?
- I do not live in the USA. How can I see a live concert?
- Who has influenced the band musically?
- Who has influenced the band spiritually?
- Why has the band changed their sound?
- What products do Jars of Clay use and endorse?
Jars of Clay are...
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Dan Haseltine Vocals From: Winter Springs, FL |
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Matt Odmark Acoustic guitar, vocals From: Rochester, NY |
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Charlie Lowell Keyboards, accordian, vocals From: Rochester, NY |
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Steve Mason Electric guitars of all kinds, vocals From: Decatur, IL |
Where are they from?
Dan, Steve and Charlie met at Greenville College in Greenville, IL. Originally, Charlie and Matt are from Rochester, NY. Dan is from Winter Springs, FL and Steve is from Decauter, IL. They all currently live in Nashville, TN. Before Matt Odmark joined the band early in its history, Matt Bronlewee of Kansas City, MO played guitar with the band.
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What is the significance of the name "Jars of Clay"?
The name Jars of Clay comes from II Corinthians 4:7, which says, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us". This verse refers to the frailty of our humanity and our material bodies on earth and the fact that God Himself has given us life and souls eternal. Also, that we should be humbled and God should be given the ultimate thanks for this treasure. This verse is the lyric of "Four Seven", the hidden track after Blind on the debut Essential release. There are many things that can be said about this passage. Don't forget to look it up in its context in the Bible; there are many other things to be learned from this exposition. Another basic theme is that we are hard-pressed on every side but not broken, and God will test us in amazing ways, but will not let us be harmed from His saving grace. The testing will help us to mature as Christians!
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How can I contact the band?
At this time, the band doesn't have an e-mail address for fan mail. However, they do have a snail-mail address that you can send letters to.
You can contact Jars at:
P.O. Box 207
Franklin, TN 37065-0207
Please understand though, that the band spends a lot of time on the road, and they might not
be able to reply.
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Are any of the guys single?
No. All are happily married, and are starting to raise families!
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What label are they on?
Jars are on Essential Records, a division of Provident Music, the largest
Christian music producer/distributor owned by the secular Zomba/Jive
Records. This allows for secular distribution on Silvertone Records, which
has increased the bounds of their ministry. They are very happy with
Essential and are bound by contract for a number of albums.
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How can I get their albums?
Their albums, on Essential and Silvertone Records, can be found in most any
record store or Christian book store.
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How can I get the demo album, Frail?
The band's demo album, "Frail", was produced while the band members were
students at Greenville College in Greenville, IL. Only 1,500 copies of
demo were printed, and all 1,500 have been long-since sold. However, the
CD-ROM which was released in January of 1996 contains the original cuts
off "Frail", minus two songs ("Frail" and "Fade to Grey"). The Crazy Times
Maxi-Single, released in the fall of 1997, features the original recording
of "Frail." The original recording of "Fade to Grey" has not been re-released yet.
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Do you have accompaniment tracks of your music available?
Essential Records does not produce accompaniment tracks. However, they do
license other track manufacturers to use their artists' music from time to time.
If you're interested in getting a track for a Jars of Clay song, and
you've discovered that one hasn't been made, contact a few of the track
manufacturers (look on the back of tracks you own, or check the ones in the
store) and let them know you'd like to buy one! If they learn of a demand,
they're much more likely to start the licensing/production process.
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What are the songs on Jars of Clay based on?
The songs on the self-titled release are based on a number of Biblical
passages, as well as life experiences.
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Who is Adrian Belew?
Adrian produced two songs on the debut release, Flood and Liquid. He is
a very renowned guitarist/producer in secular music, and has worked
with many bands. He is currently frontman of King Crimson, singing and
playing guitar for them. He has worked with Laurie Anderson, Nine Inch
Nails, Talking Heads, David Bowie, and many others, and was discovered by
Frank Zappa in the early-mid '70's. He has also written and produced 5 or
so solo albums in the '80's/'90's.
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What is the significance of "Truck" on the debut album?
"Truck" was printed by the manufacturers although they weren't told to
print this. On the proof cd, the guys thought it looked artistic and
although there is no purpose to the word, thought they'd keep it. The
picture was taken on one of their photo shoots when they came upon an
abandoned truck and thought it might make a good picture. They were
thinking of having a contest to see who could come up with the best
meaning for it...any takers? Andy Lowell's thought was that the Truck
could symbolize a jar in a way. This could be a valid
interpretation because the truck is man-made (like a jar), broken and rundown as we get
sometimes (a theme on the album), and has life growing in
it! There are plants growing in the back of it which can symbolize the
life that grows in us despite the hardships and being broken.
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What is the song "He" about?
From the October 1995 issue of CCM Magazine:
"He", from the group's debut album, is based on the book "Death by Child Abuse: the Story of Ursula Sunshine", and a portion of the proceeds from the EP will be donated to The Child Abuse Prevention Center/Exchange Club Family Center of Middle Tennessee. Says lead singer/songwriter Dan Haseltine, "The book really opened my eyes to the shocking reality of child abuse, but in the song we didn't just want to stop there. We wanted to show the hope and healing of Christ."
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"Worlds Apart" is dedicated to Diana Masloski. Who is she?
Diana died as a result of a car accident that the Masloski family was in...she is the mother of a good friend of Jars', and they performed acoustic at the funeral.
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What are the extra lyrics in Worlds Apart that are not listed in the album sleeve notes?
I look beyond the empty cross
Forgetting what my life has cost
And wipe away the crimson stains
Ad dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
The battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
And wash the feet and cleanse my pride
Take the selfish, take the weak,
And all the things I cannot hide
Take the beauty, take my tears
The sin-soaked heart and make it yours
Take my world all apart
Take it now, take it now
And serve the ones that I despise
Speak the words I can't deny
Watch the world I used to love
Fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
So wipe away the crimson stains
And dull the nails that still remain
So steal my heart and take the pain
Take the selfish, take the weak
And all the things I cannot hide
Take the beauty, take my tears
Take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
Take my world apart
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What does the little girl say on "Like a Child"?
The little girl who speaks in the middle of "Like a Child" is actually two little girls. Alissa and Amanda DuVall, neices of one of the band members, first spoke the following lines of a bedtime prayer for the band's demo project Frail:
Be kind to one 'a'nother...
...And thanks for Jesus Christ Your son"
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What is the meaning of the chant in "Liquid"?
The band doesn't know for sure, since they just found the chant and thought it'd fit well to the song. But According to Stephen Schaefer, a music student at Ohio State University...
"The chant is part of a Catholic Easter Mass written in the
12th century, and attributed to Wipo of Burgundy. It comes
in the part of the mass known as the Sequence, and the text
'Agnus redempti oves, Christus innocens patri' translate into
'The Lamb has redeemed us, Christ (who is) blameless in the
(eyes of the) Father.' The phrase is incomplete and fragmented
because the monks finish the sentence and clean up their grammar
in the next line or two, but that is the basic gist of the chant."
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What other instrumentalists played on the debut release?
Adrian Belew - Bass, cello and mandolin
Noah Evans - violin
John Catchings - mandolin and fiddle
Sam Levine - recorder
Craig Nelson - bass
Bob Manson - cello
Jim Grosjean - viola
Carl Gorodetsky - violin
Pam Sixfin - violin
Marrianne Osiel - oboe
Mancy A'lan Kane - female vocals
Noah Evans and Ron Huff - string arrangements
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Why are there 20 extra minutes at the end of the debut CD?
The band simply wanted to use the full potential and fill the CD to the maximum, but
didn't have enough material, so they included outtakes from their recording sessions.
They are fans of live strings so they included those "Blind" rehearsal outtakes.
Engineers can also be heard discussing the O.J. Simpson trial in the background.
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What are the songs on Much Afraid based on?
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Who is Steve Lipson?
Steve Lipson produced the band's sophomore album, Much Afraid. After
interviewing several producers, the guys thought they could work with him
easily and shared a similar musical vision. When interviewed, they
asked him what he would do in a certain situation. He looked up and simply
replied, "Well, I don't know." His premise was that they would not put a bunch
of stock ideas together, rather panic together and then create. The band went for the
honest answer and chose Lipson. He has produced artists such as Annie Lennox,
Whitney Houston, Sting, Simple Minds, and Prefab Sprout.
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What is "Tea and Sympathy" about?
Tea and Sympathy is a song of regret, written from the perspective of someone
who is watching a good relationship fall apart. Too often in life we allow
relationships to dissolve because of miscommunication, rather than make the effort
to fix what went wrong. "Tea and Sympathy" says that we need to fix those relationships,
rather than sit around speaking longingly of the better days.
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What is the "hot beverage trio" of songs they refer to on Stringtown?
The three would be: "Tea and Sympathy", "Good Coffee, Strong Coffee", and "Liquid"
(although that last one might be a stretch...)
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Who have they toured with?
Jars have toured with PFR and Brent Bourgeouis quite extensively (a
three month tour in the spring of 1995 and also three months in the
fall of 1995). In the spring of 1996, they toured with Michael W. Smith
and Three Crosses. They have also opened a few shows for Sting as well.
Since then, the band has headlined a number of concert tours. The bands that
have opened for Jars of Clay include Duncan Sheik, Sarah Masen,
Sarah Jahn, Matchbox 20, The Gufs, The Samples, Plumb, Burlap to Cashmere, Silage and David Wilcox.
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What were the names of their past tours?
So far there's been: Tour on a Stick (Summer, 1996), Bubblemaker's Dream Tour (Fall, 1997 - Spring, 1998), Tour 101 (Spring 1999)
and Colliding Rhinos Tour (Spring 2000)
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Why do concert tickets cost so much?
Jars try to keep the cost of tickets as low as they can. For most any band,
concerts are non-profit. The concerts are a huge production with hundreds
of people involved, from the booking agency and management to the crew, support
acts and theater staffing. Please understand they do the best that they can
to keep the cost reasonable so that more people can attend!
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Why are there two extra members to the band for live shows?
Jars of Clay consists of four members for their record contracts. However, Aaron
Sands (bass) and Joe Porter (drums) are an essential part of the live experience,
and are part of the band for the shows. They joined after the original album
contract so they only do occasional studio work with Jars. However, you may
see their names listed in many other artists' albums as they do studio work for other
musicians as well.
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What happened to Scott Savage, the old drummer for live shows?
Scott was recently married (congratulations!) and is still great friends
with the band. In fact, he substituted on drums for a recent concert that
Joe could not make. However, musical differences led him to pursue a career
as drummer for Jaci Velasquez. Joe Porter is an old friend of the band from Greenville
College, and was a perfect choice for new drummer.
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Why don't they play a concert near me?
They probably have! They attempt to hit every possible city so that they
can reach as many people as possible. Please see the tour history for all
of the cities they have been in - since the recent Hawaii shows, they have
now performed in all 50 states, not to mention a few places outside the US!
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I do not live in the USA. How can I see a live concert?
Although the guys would love to do more concerts overseas, it is just not
economically feasible at this point. They will continue to try to visit
different countries like they have in the past. So far, they have performed
in London, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Hopefully you will see them
soon!
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Who has influenced the band musically?
Jars have been influenced by too many bands to list. Their influences include
bands from all times and styles. Bands that they tend to listen to now are
those Christian and secular with great production, including Sarah McLachlan,
Rich Mullins, PFR, Brent Bourgeouis, Seal, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Innocence
Mission, Fleming & John, etc. They also love classic tunes by the
Beatles, etc.
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Who has influenced the band spiritually?
Usually when asked this question, they list names of youth pastors along
the way or their current pastors (e.g. Pastor Scotty Smith) as well as
families and the backgrounds they grew up in. They have also been influenced
by writers such as Brennan Manning, Max Lucado, John Piper & C.S. Lewis.
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Why has the band changed their sound?
We don't really feel that they have, and neither does the band. They are
happier with the new album than ever, and feel that a lot of people may hold
memories from the times when the first album came out, and have a nostalgic
feeling about it now. If anything, the band has purposefully changed their
sound slightly because they must change with the times, and not continue
to write songs that sound exactly like "Flood." But we are certain that when
they are played on the radio, you will know that it is them by the sound and the
lyrics, and we hope you always love it!
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What products do Jars of Clay use and endorse?
Like most professional musicians, Jars of Clay has agreed to endorse
certain musicial equipment. Jars of Clay endorses:
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