by Jessica
T4JYM: What does your groups name mean?
Alex: Loben is German for “praise”
T4JYM: Where did you come up with it?
Alex: Bo, our singer, and I were in German class our sophomore year in high school and we decided that we should start and Christian band. We were really bored, so we flipped through a German-English dictionary to find some kind of name, and “Loben” just sorta happpened.
T4JYM: Where do you see the band in five years? Ten? The future?
Alex: In the future, ideally, I think we would like to be signed on a Christian label (like Tooth and Nail or Solid State) and producing records on a regular basis along with touring. It is hard to think about or plan out what is going to happen in the future. Right now, we are trying to just figure out whats going to happen next month as opposed to next year.
T4JYM: Do you ever worry about getting caught up in the world of show biz? That success will change your group?
Alex: I don’t think so. All of us are really down to earth and humble as far as the band goes. I don’t think success will change us either. We have always made it known that we are doing this for Christ and whether we are “successful” or not, will not change how we live our lives.
T4JYM: What kind of relationship do you maintain with your audiences? Do you fellowship with them? Or do you remain distant as the performer?
Alex: We enjoy getting the crowd into a show as much as possible. We interact with them both on and off stage. We make an effort to pray with them before we play and sometimes during the show itself. As far as distance between us and the audience, we are always around before and after we are done if anyone would want to talk to us about Christ or just say “Hi”
T4JYM: How would you describe your music style?
Alex: Well,it is kind of hard to explain how we sound. We just try to write music that we think sounds good. I would almost explain it as a mixture of rock n roll, with some post-punk.
T4JYM: Who, or what, are your biggest musical influences?
Alex: Well, Relient K was THE band that made us want to do this. But other bands such as Taking Back Sunday, the Ataris, Brand New and Fall Out Boy have influenced us over the last few years.
T4JYM: Are you involved in any other ministries?
Alex: As a band, not really. Our ministry is the music we make as a band.
T4JYM: How much time do you spend practicing as a group? How much time do you practice individually?
Alex: We try to practice at least once a week, sometimes twice a week. Individually, we don’t really practice our own music, but learn to play songs that we enjoy listening to from other bands.
T4JYM: Does the group come together for prayer at times other than concerts and ministry opportunities?
Alex: We really try too, but since school has started, it has been almost impossible to get all five of us together for just prayer. It’s hard enough to get the group together for practice once a week.
T4JYM: Have you always had a desire to be in a group like this?
Alex: Yeah, I can remember being a little kid playing air guitar with a performer on TV and I have always just thought that being in a band was something that I personally wanted to do. It makes it so much cooler that we are participating in a group that has a positive Christian message.
T4JYM: What is the latest news on your group? Any new CD’s to be released soon?
Alex: We actually just finished our 4th demo over the summer, called “Before the Fall”. We are very proud of the music and the production of the CD. We also have many upcoming shows in the month of November, and everything that is happening for the band right now is very exciting
T4JYM: What’s the weirdest thing that’s ever happened at one of your concerts?
Alex: During a concert, Alex (our bassist) was in the middle of playing a song and suddenly his strap broke. Well, he couldnt really participate in the rest of the song bass-wise, so he decided to focus on the screaming/vocal part at the end. He focused a little too hard and ended up breaking the mic stand, the mic chord and almost shattering the mic itself.
T4JYM: What’s band could you not live without?
Alex: For each member this is different. So, 5 bands we cant live without: Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Saves the Day, Green Day, mewithoutYou
T4JYM: What are your favorite bible verses?
Alex: Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 5:19-20
T4JYM: Do you have any advice for the youth of today?
Alex: Our advice would be, be true to who you are. Don’t try to be what everyone expects of you or do what you think is “cool” or whatever. Live your life by your standards and by what you think is right.
T4JYM: What people have influenced you (non-musicians)?
Alex: All of our parents have been supportive for each of us. But Jon’s (the drummer) grandfather gave us a very important piece of advice: Remember who you are. This is something that is really important to us and in fact inside the new CD, there is a little dedication about that very quote.
T4JYM: What’s one show you can’t live without?
Alex: Family Guy; with out a doubt that is the funniest show ever created…by humans…
T4JYM: If you were stranded on an island, and could only have five things, what would they be?
Alex: Well, since I am the one asnwering this question, than these answers will be if I were stuck on the island. I would want my Ipod full of awesome music, a guitar (bass, acoustic, electric, doesnt matter), some chiptle burritos (chicken fajita, no onions) a deck of playing cards (for poker and euchre) my zip up hoodie sweatshirt.
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