Entry #5
From left: James, Grant, Aaron, Spencer, Tim, ChrisBefore you go, "Hey, whoever this band is, they have no relevance to me whatsoever!", I just want to say that this entry is not going to be a critic on the band's music, but more of how the band communicate within their group. Their interview in this magazine is a rather interesting read, because unlike other musical groups who seemed to be able to get along really, really well with each other, they came close to dispbanding before releasing their latest album last month. Even though they are closer now, the tension still exists in this band.
So who is this band? This is Underoath, a rock band from Florida (and a very, very fine band they are!), and they gave an interview for the "Alternative Press" magazine last month. Formed in 1998, the band's line-up consists entirely of Christian members, and their religion greatly influenced their music and lives. Currently, this is the band line-up, for those who might be interested:
Spencer Chamberlain - screamed vocals, additional guitars
Tim McTague – lead guitar, backing vocals
James Smith – rhythm guitar
Christ Dudley – keyboards/synthesizers
Grant Brandell - bass guitar
Aaron Gillespie - drums, clean vocals
The interview was about how the band coped with a very difficult period, when they were touring in 2006. For a period of time, Spencer, the lead vocalist of Underoath, was wrestingly with a very serious cocaine addiction. Finally, looking for help, he broke down and told his bandmates about his problem. Instead of giving him a helping hand, his bandmates - who usually limit their partying to beer and junk food, and would barely curse - turned their back on him, and some of the more millitant members even decided that they do not want Spencer in their band anymore.
This is characteristic of "groupthink", in which people who are deeply involved in a cohesive group strive for unanimity, and override their motivation to look for alternative courses of action. Being an all-Christian band, their religion has played a strong part in their group identity. Probably having a shared stereotype against drug abusers; they could not accept that Spencer is a concaine addict, and he became an outcast. Even worse is the band's pressure on dissenters; they also find it hard to accept that Spencer is different from them...so much so that they could not see that he was reaching out for help from them.
In the interview, Spencer said that "the most fear you could ever have is when you reach out to someone for help, and they leave you in the shadows and turn their back on you." This quote says so much about how Spencer felt at that time, and even up till now.
Thankfully, the band finally realised their mistake, and became aware of what they are doing to Spencer (although they also attributed their change to God). However, such incidents are hard to get over, and Spencer still suffers from the backlash he received from his bandmates.
Underoath is a band that takes themselves very seriously; if they see their standards being compromised, they do not always act in a positive way, as evidenced from Spencer's incident. Personally, I would think that they are too uptight for my liking. Every group has norms that members should keep in mind of in order to gain support from other members. However, Spencer failed to stay within those boundaries. Should he be condemned though? Like any other forms of communication, problems can be solved through effective group interaction. In this case, the members of Underoath took time off to reconnect with each other, and went for a holiday trip.
I am a huge fan of Underoath's music and they are definitely one of my favourite bands. However, this liking only extends to their music; I do not like them much as people. It is not wrong to have high expectations of each other, but to me, they are blinded to their own friend's call for help. What happened to looking out for your friend? They also have stands on other issues that I do not agree with, but that is another topic for another day.
posted by kyun at
8:37 AM
10 Comments:
Honestly, the first thing that came to mind when I read your post was: Wow, he has shitty bandmembers.
While it's great that he has reunited with his bandmates and I know that said bandmates do not represent Christianity as a whole but you cannot blame anyone for seeing this incident and thinking that Christians are self-absorbed assholes.
The only person who can help the addict is the addict himself and when he finally wanted help, the people he thought he could confide in turned his back on him? Shitty to the max.
I agree with you that the band is too uptight. From what I have read form your post I can come with one conclusion about the band members in this band: They are not flexible at all. They are also too serious for me; but, maybe that is due to their religion and they follow the Bible strictly in whatever decisions they make. For instant in this situation they faced, it seems like drugs are not supported by their faith.
One of my favourite bands is Linkin Park. I love this band not only for their music and lyrics but I love them even more so because of how supportive they are of each other. When Chester Bennington was going through with his divorce, the members were always there for comfort. They celebrate each others' successes, like when Chester's son was born, how the band visited the child at the hospital.
They also respect each others' individuality by giving them space to venture out and do what they want. Like when Mike Shinoda went to start his own career in the hip-hop industry forming the hip-hop band: Fort Minor. The band did not force him to stick to only rock music but were more open-minded about his decision. (Mike did not leave the bands, he just has 2 types of bands now)
Furthermore, I'm in a rock band and we do have tensions among group members. For instance, the drummer of my band is attached to the lead singer on and off for about 3 years now. We were at the verge of breaking up the band due to constant conflicts and tensions whenever we jam or compose our songs. But we do compromise. In fact, I believe such tensions and compromising has helped to make our band 'tighter'. There's a saying which goes 'What does not kill you only makes you stronger' My band has always lived up to this and we try to resolve problems and compromise which has helped us to stick together happily over the past 2 years. (:
By the way, thanks for your 2 comments, I've read them both and replied to them on my blog. :D
Lol, interest cover for AP this time.
I notice that in music bands, there are always group think or group conflict happening which in the end caused one member of the band to leave and reform the new band.
This happened with my ex-favorite band; Good Charlotte as well. The very first drummer Aaron left the band after their first cd was released cuz of their differences in music directions.
It is sad to see that sometimes these band whom are usually friends for years and already bonded have to become somewhat stranger due to group conflict and group think sometimes.
clouds! i am back on Lj and just saw your 'advertisement' for this post, and since it's graded i'm here to comment!
heehee.
i can understand why the band members got upset with Spencer's drug abuse. it's not because i'm a Christian that's why i feel that way. i feel that, it's not because you're a Christian so being a Christian makes you against drugs so you should dump your friend if he's on drugs. this is totally warped to be thinking like that. (so it was quite irritating to read that the guys actually attributed the whole issue of not coping to their supposed Godliness, which I believe shouldn't include leaving your friend in the lurch just because he's a cocaine-addict.)
i say i understand (not agree with) that part about them ditching their bandmate when they found out about his problem. if i had a really good friend - to make things more relevant we'll say he's a Christian too - who had a cocaine addiction, i'd be disappointed that he let himself get into it because we should be built upon our faith to resist such vices.
but what i totally don't get is why they left him to struggle even though he asked for their help. there should have been no conundrum about rallying beside him and giving him the moral support he needed, because it's the basic human thing to do. and to further complicate matters they are Christians, which means they should have some kind of values imbued in their morals. giving up on your friend??? uh, tough to link their value system with the Christian faith here.
they are quite a disappointment, i must say. but who am i to judge, because i'm not God.
the group-thinking thing here was probably really powerful though. i cannot figure what kind of preaching they have been exposed to to react this way to the issue, but whatever it was, it worked. it worked so well that their beliefs 'bullied' their band-member into isolation, which is actually quite an abomination when that person desperately needed help, to say the least.
I'm not Christian but I always thought that their religion was about love and support or something, and it's just kind of disappointing that they treated their bandmate like that.
Don't worry if you ever take cocaine, we'd help you quit! ^^
I can so tell who the anonymous person is, haha.
I am glad to see that people do have some opinions on this post! Actually, like what Lydia said, I can totally understand why his bandmates are disappointed in Spencer. However, it is simply not an excuse to not help him when he asked for help. I would have left the band if I were him.
Actually, in the interview, they did mention that Christianity did not teach them to abandon their friend when they need help, but when they are doing exactly that, they realised their folly. Again, as a group, they realised that they are wrong, and decided to patch things up with Spencer. As anyone can see, groups can play a part in influencing decision making.
i totally agree with what you have said. they should have answered their friends' call for help, whether or not they can help them. At least, they would have offered. It's the thought that counts.
Personally, i don't think they have much communication within their group, that's why they almost disbanded. I think they should improve on their communication more! And perhaps take a crash course in communication! haha
Yes, i do agree that the band seems a little uptight at first for turning their backs on their band member at a time when their band member needs them the most. However to be really honest, how many of us can accept our most closest friend doing something which all along you and her/him know is wrong? As you have mentioned, religion plays a very strong part in their group identity. Perhaps the first thing that came to the band members' mind werent that of Spencer's feelings, but more of disappointment. It may seem a little selfish and cruel, but it is i think, a natural thing for them to feel. Especially so if Spencer has been part of the Christian band for some time and is a very close friend of theirs. Personally, if my best friend were to tell me she's into drugs, my first reaction would be of disappointment. Like why??? you clearly know the consequences and you chose to take that path. I think it takes time for the band members to understand and then to accept and to help.
As for Spencer, yes, we only focused on how he tried to reach out for help and was 'rejected'. But perhaps we should also think about how during his addiction, or before even, the band members must have tried to talk sense into him but was also rejected. Could the band members also have felt like he did, like a friend walked out on them? As much as it was difficult for Spencer, it must have been for the band members as well. To see their friend meddle with drugs and get into a 'very serious cocaine addiction'.
I think at the end of the day, what mattered most is that the band still stood by Spencer. Yes, although Spencer quotes that "the most fear you could ever have is when you reach out to someone for help, and they leave you in the shadows and turn their back on you." and we see how he must have felt at that point of time, i am also sure that he must have also understood what his friends were going through, and accepted their help when eventually they came to him. Without supportive friends, Spencer would never have gotten out of his cocaine addiction. (I am assuming he is already out of it.)
Another thing is i am glad to see that they took time off for a holiday together to reconnect with each other. The only way to get past this is to talk it out, and let both sides understand how they were feeling at that point of time. It is after all, easy to be there for each other in times of happiness, but difficult in times of need.
wow im super-late but here goes.
i dunno much abt rock bands, but what i do know is tt like in any other team work, communication, faith and support are impt. esp if this relationship extends to more than just a working one. but i guess some religious ppl place their religion above everything else. not that there's anyth wrong wit it, it's what they believe in - it'd just be much better if they could practise their beliefs, yet at e same time not forget the human side of themselves, that is to forgive friends who have erred and expressed their most genuine desire to change.
Kete pointed out a very valid point about how most of us only focused on the "rejection" part...it is true that there definitely would be disappointment, but for UnderOath, I would like to say that this is not their first time they had issues like this. Of course, it is good that eventually, they helped him, and for that, they should be commended. However, the damage has already been done, and Spencer is evidently still hurt from the rejection.
I would not condemn the band for what they did, since they did forgive Spencer in the end, but I stil feel that they could have handled the situation more delicately. Spencer is their friend after all. I might have been too harsh on them though...so thanks for pointing that out, kete :)
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