Rend Collective Experiment is a truly unique conglomeration of musicians—15 band members in all! Hailing from Bangor, Ireland, the band has a new way of making music—in a community of musical friends and it works. In fact, not only does it work, Rend Collective’s debut album, The Organic Family Hymnal is hailed by critics and worship leaders like David Crowder and Chris Tomlin as brilliant. And it’s finally being released in North America—today, September 28!
Will Herron, on of the band’s two lead vocalists, was kind enough to Take 5 with Backseat Writer in between bringing “some washing off the line as it had started to rain pretty heavily!” Don’t you love how his Irish accent comes through, even in an interview? By the way, Herron also plays electric guitar, mandolin, and once ploughed 1500 acres of land in a John Deere tractor. How’s that for eclectic?
I love the whole concept of Rend Collective Experiment! A lot of people might find it quirky that you have 15 members in your group. How does that add to the uniqueness of the music you produce?
There are actually four main writers in the band and then we have others in the collective who come on board in the creative process. I think this context can often produce stronger songs lyrically and musically than if we were writing individually. I wouldn’t say we pursue something unique but rather we write lyrics and music we enjoy.
Your sound is so different than the same ol’ worship music. How did you come to develop this unique worship sound?
Each of us listens to a broad range of music, which has a positive influence in terms of creative writing. It also naturally shapes the music and lyrics we produce. Again, we don’t necessarily pursue something unique but we write songs we can relate to and enjoy.
With an album as thoughtful as The Organic Family Hymnal I cannot pick a favourite song. What are a couple songs that are particularly meaningful to you?
I think each of the songs off of the album are particularly meaningful in one way or another. Some were written out of hardship, some were written as a response to God’s movement in our lives and others are a cry for things to come. The songs resonate with what is at the core of our hearts and so each carry a weight of meaning in their own right.
When someone hears Rend Collective Experiment, what is it that you are trying to impress on his or her heart?
Our approach is that of cooperation and friendship, which is exactly what Christ has called us to. We want to show people that we are a collective of people all journeying with God and each other and that we are not “special people on a stage.” Each member of the body of Christ is as crucial as the next and we hope to encourage the Church to its full potential.
Tell me something interesting about your hometown of Bangor in Northern Ireland
Bangor was planted around a monastery in 500AD. In this Abbey they prayed 24/7 for 100 years and trained all the missionaries that evangelized Europe at the time.
For more information on Rend Collective Experiment, visit them online at RendCollectiveExperiment.com.
She is Beloved 