Corr.: How did you choose your name?
Alexander Patlis: As soon as we became a Christian group
we started looking for a Christian name. We didn't know many Christian
names then, so we could recall only Nazareth. I said, "Let's call
it Jerusalem." But our director said such a group already existed
in Sweden, and suggested that we call it New Jerusalem, in honor
of the city described in Revelation 21.
Corr.: How did it happen that you dedicated your creativity to God?
Igor Kopylov: When we showed the pastor our songs written
from the lyrics of an old pentecostal collection of hymns, he said there
was no Spirit of life. We thought we would fix it by changing a couple
of chords, but Veniamin said we should not change chords, but repent.
Alexander Patlis: At that time we worked like this: sat, wrote
Christian songs, and than went out for beer. We thought everything was
OK, but God cleansed us step by step, taking away all unnecessary things.
It did not happen that one morning I woke up a completely different man.
Igor Sorokin: When I came to a concert of NJ, what I
heard was simple words, simple chords, and primitive music. But the audience
was so excited! I realized it was just what I needed. I needed God, I needed
people who live in accordance with their words, who seek goodness and call
others to goodness.
Corr.: What does music mean to you?
Alexander Patlis: Music is a means to carry words over
to a place that just words can't reach.
Corr.: How do you write your songs?
Alexander Patlis: All our albums differ from each other.
Our music is part of ourselves, that is why the words and music reflect
what we think. Our songs are somehow born from the inside. Writing a nice
set of notes, a pleasant melody and standard Christian phrases is not important
to us. We put ourselves in the place of a man who comes to our concert.
We want our songs to be understood by him, not to lower but to ennoble
him. We want him to feel that in God's eyes he is precious.
Vadim Kalatsey: Our principle is not to divide people into good
and bad, into believers and unbelievers. We must know what the people we
appeal to need, and show them the way out. It is also important to be ourselves.
If you are real, people will trust you.
Corr.: How hard is it to be a Christian band that plays alternative
music whereas the church has a traditional understanding of religious music
and singing?
Alexander Patlis: The church can criticize your actions
only if you claim to be a believer, but at the same time live unrighteously.
But if I live and do something for God nobody has a right to blame me in
anything. First of all, God gives people FREEDOM! Every person has the
right to have their own opinion, and no one and no church has a right to
manipulate you. The church consists of people. And people are... very different.
That is why I say, look at God!
Corr.: What people does your audience consist of?
Igor Kopylov: Our songs are aimed at young people that
love rock. We have no purpose to play only for "that which is our own."
Alexander Patlis: There is much music for the church and for believers,
but there is no good, sober and high-quality music for unbelievers. Our
goal is to reach teenagers, the youth, and save them.
Corr.: Where do you give concerts?
Alexander Patlis: In very different places: at schools,
colleges, institutes, boarding schools, big stages. We have been giving
both big professional shows and small acoustic concerts in the USA, Belgium,
Holland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Belarus, Georgia. But our favourite
place of performance is in church.
Corr.: What are your plans?
Alexander Patlis: We are finishing construction of a
studio where we are going to record our next album, as well as help with
recording all who will contact us. To help them, not to extort money as
many studios do here. In summer 1999, we are planning to do a tour around
the USA, including participation in the "Kingdom Bound" festival. This
year we are also planning to give concerts in Russia and Ukraine.
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