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10 Questions with ... EveryDay Sunday
October 15, 2012
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Band Members:
- Trey Pearson
- Nick Spencer
- Micah Kuiper
- Jon-Paul Kauffman
Discography
- Sleeper 2001 Independent
- Stand Up 2002 Flicker Records
- Anthems for the Imperfect 2004 Flicker Records
- Wake Up! Wake Up! 2007 Inpop Records
- Best Night of Our Lives 2009 Inpop Records
- A New Beginning 2013 TBD
1. Give me a peek into the background of Trey Pearson.
I grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Born and raised to be, for better or worst, a die-hard Ohio State Buckeye fan. Although my sisters attended OSU, I was led to Indiana Wesleyan University, where I attended until doors opened to my career with Everyday Sunday full time.
2. What does a normal day at home look like for you?
I will let you know what a normal day looks like when I get one. :-) Because of our schedule on the road, I don't usually get back to the hotel and sleeping until 2 a.m. So a typical day for me starts between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., but with the fun schedule of radio interviews, and hanging out with my 2 year old daughter in the mornings on off days, I get to see all hours of the day at various times decently often.
Besides coffee and a small breakfast, the first 3 hours of my day are usually about getting business done. Going over emails, establishing everything that needs done with my manager and our social media manager. I do this on the bus, at the hotel, or wherever I find myself depending on where the next destination is.
On a typical show day, I will do whatever publicity things need done in the afternoon with interviews, and then get set up for sound check and get clothing and all those things prepared for the performance that night. I like to find time to work out, have time to myself, and I have big obsession with playing basketball as often as possible. I tend to do most of that in the late afternoon, early evening as a time for myself to relax, exercise, and focus. I will eat dinner, shower, and then play a show!
We always sign autographs, take pictures and meet our fans afterwards. We will pack up, head to the hotel, hang out, eat more food, and then try to get to bed by 1 or 2 to get on the bus and do it again the next day.
3. What's the song that you just can't get out of your head right now?
Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together". I love the emotion, feeling, fun, passion, production, vibe and everything about the song. It is probably my favorite song of the year so far (as it seems to be a lot of other's as well :-). I love songs that bring about some sort of emotion from you in whatever it is talking about. Sometimes that message is joy, reflection, uplifting, awe, worship, pain... but it has to be able to move you, or it is not doing its job. That song moves me in quite a joyful way.
4. How do you juggle life on the road with wanting to be home?
The best way I have learned to explain the tour life is that of a firefighter. Usually they will have 24 hours on, and then 48 hours off. When they are on duty, they might not always be at a fire, but even their down time isn't quite like being home. That's what it is like for us on the road. We're usually extremely busy while we are gone, and even if you have down time, it's not the same as being home.
But when you are home, it is amazing. I get to wake up with my daughter, and I have nowhere that I usually have to be. I can make my own schedule, and spend most of the day with my wife, daughter and family and friends. My wife loves coming on the road in stints, but is by no means a road warrior. :-) Any time that we will be gone longer than a week, we make plans for them to come out for a while. They also come to a lot of spot dates and festivals and things with us. She likes to fly in and fly out, and she loves the sunny places. Haha.
As far as spiritually, I find you must have the same desire and effort to experience God whether you are on the road or at home, and it will not usually happen by itself. I read a lot, and I like to watch/listen to podcasts from my home church as well as several other people that are influential to me (NT Wright and Dallas Willard specifically). I make every effort to be involved serving at our church when I am home, staying in touch with everyone back home while I'm gone, and being a part of helping to mentor the younger men and women at our church as well as a home bible study we do.
I have great conversation and depth in friendship with my band mates, which helps a ton on the road as well. Again, very similar I think to a firefighter's life.
5. What's the biggest "God moment" that you've ever experienced, personal or professional?
I am not sure if there is a biggest God moment in my life, except for the huge blessing of seeing him continue to move and be a part throughout my life. To know that I am still learning, growing, and to see the things that he is doing even now with my life, my family and my career that are all the most exciting things that I have ever been a part of. I'm moving forward. I'm not staying in a rut or waiting around. Right now must be the greatest moment then because it is an accumulation of everything that He has done all ready. I'm grateful. I'm humbled. I'm hungry. I'm excited, overjoyed and starving for understanding, waiting for what He will do next... and that makes it the most fun, beautiful, amazing moment of my life. There are a lot of stories. And I probably tell lots of them to the same people more than once because I find so much joy in them. But it all comes to this point, which I am ever so grateful for.
6. What's the last book you read?
I just finished a book called The Meaning of Jesus. It is written by my favorite author, NT Wright, who is considered, arguably, the leading New Testament scholar in the world today, and another guy, Marcus Borg, who is the leading liberal scholar on the New Testament. It brings 2 widely different views, and a lot of common ground, on their knowledge of the Scriptures, which is much more than mine. I found it challenging, eye-opening, and inspiring to continue to understand more and more about why I believe what I believe, and how that affects the life I live. I would highly recommend it to anyone that wants to take their faith seriously in understanding their faith, and to understand how what they believe about these things impacts how they will look at the world and live their life. I just started Scripture And The Authority Of God by NT Wright since I finished the other book a few days ago.
7. Tell me about how you became a believer. What caused you to want to serve God in full time ministry?
I grew up with parents who were, and are, deeply in love with Jesus. I have believed in God since I was a child because, partially, I believed everything my parents taught me, and through my growing up, came to continually see these things as true in my own experience of God moving in my life. I have also come to believe that we are all called to serve God full time in whatever we do, and that everything is a spiritual act of worship, that I should not split some things I do as sacred, and some as secular, because it is all from God. It took me some time to understand this, and in my time at Indiana Wesleyan University, I knew that I was called to serve God, and I was seeking to figure out to what capacity, and in what way, that was supposed to happen.
I started Everyday Sunday when I was turning 16 years old. Over time, I realized everything that I ever thought about or did was with my outlet through Everyday Sunday. I believe God put those passions and dreams in my life for a reason, and I decided to pursue them with everything I had. I have grown a lot and learned a lot through these years so far with my opportunity to impact people in my music and life, and I couldn't ever ask for anything more. I cannot imagine doing anything else. As long as that is the passion God has on my heart, this is where I will be.
8. Tell me about some of the songs on your latest project.
"Calculate" is the lead single from our new album coming out, "A New Beginning". Calculate is a song about the joy and overwhelming feeling of how much I am loved by God. It is simply a song about unconditional love, and the feeling of the song is the joy that I feel when I think about those sorts of things. All good things are from God, and that feeling of love we get from him, and strive to give and get with others, is everything that this song is about. It's a lot of fun. :-)
"The Spark" is a song coming off the new album that I wrote from God's perspective, about the way he feels about us. Of course I drew from my experience and my understanding of his character that we receive in Scripture, but it is meant to show the beauty of his love for you and how strongly his desire is for you when he says that he made us in his image, and that he desires for all of us to come to know him. It is meant to express that emotion.
There are all sorts of songs about God, romance, friendship and life experience in this album, but the title track (or close to it), "New Beginning", features Manwell from Group 1 Crew, and is about the forgiveness of God, and how something happens in us when we let him come into our lives, take over, and start a new beginning in us.
9. Favorite cereal, favorite comfort food, favorite ice cream flavor?
Cereal: Rice Krispies with a banana cut up in it.
Comfort food is probably buffalo dip and cajun pretzels that are both famous within my family and friends.
Ice Cream flavor is Mint Chocolate Chip.
10. Person you'd most like to have a discussion with, living or dead.....Deities are excused from this question.
N.T. Wright
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite Bible verse....life verse. Why?
Romans 12, the other chapter on love. I think I can read it every day and be reminded of what I am here for. Is it my favorite or can I have a favorite? I have no idea. :-)
2. Funniest or most embarrassing moment?
I fell through the stage in Texas once when we first started touring. Lots of embarrassing stories, but we'll stop there. :-)
3. If you could go back and change three events/decisions in your life, what would they be, and why?
I plead the 5th on this one. Thanks for your time!
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