John Maurer Interview

[Merklee]

Before you read this please dont turn it into another "Untitled" thread getting all preachy with your own religious beliefs. If that starts ill pull the thread, i dont come here to have others beliefs pushed on me.


This issue's "What So & So Sez" article began with a phone call to our Circulation Manager, Chad Olson. Bass player John Maurer's wife called up to get her husband a subscription to this magazine. In the conversation that ensued, it became known that John was a believer. Chad inquired as to whether or not her husband would be open to doing one of our "So & So Sez" features. She said he'd probably love it, and so the following interview took place.

"So, what city are you guys in?" begins John.

Austin, Texas (answers Editor Doug Van Pelt).

"Oh. You guys have just got over the SXSW thing, huh? How was it?... Crazy I hear."

Uh Yeah. It was... If you don't try to do too much it can be okay, so uh... it was uh, kind of crazy... It comes on the heels of a deadline for us, and uh...

"Right, it's like a carnival comes to town I kinda hear."

Right. Takes over the whole town. It's a pretty big festival. It's kind of fun. I think everybody likes it. So, are you ready to go?

"I'm ready to go."

Okay, why don't you give me a brief history of Social Distortion.

"Okay. My name is John Maurer. I'm in the band Social Distortion, as you know. Uh... we started off... the band started with its first couple singles, "1945" and uh, the first LP was called Mommy's Little Monster, 1982. I joined the band in January of '84 after a breakup because of personal conflicts that they were having. I've known Mike (Ness) and Dennis (Danell) since... earlier than junior high school. That's how we knew each other... being in the same scene. And we just have grown as a band ever since signing to CBS and Sony and uh, doin' our own record and (it) just kinda grew from there . . . to really turn into a lifetime career."

What do you think that people's general viewpoint of Social Distortion is?

"Initially, if someone hasn't heard of Social Distortion, I think uh, the name really . . . is almost offensive to some people. Um, I mean, 'Social Distortion, my word! Is that something?' You know, 'God, what is that? What is Social Distortion?' Well, it's kind of self explanatory, you know. And it was a way . . . a feeling that Michael got in the early 80's (and) late 70's. But, I think initially, people don't know what to think if they do know. You know, we have our fan base and it's just kind of a big family that people know it as what it is, but you know uh . . . hard to say."

What do you think Social Distortion is most notorious for? What are a few notorious events or things?

"Um, within . . . as far as being notorious, we are . . . um, for being an early punk rock band, evolving into a rock band . . . (we're) notorious for being sometimes out of control. We're notorious for being, uh, spiritual seekers in lyrical content."

What made you go indie, or DIY?

"Necessity. Working with many bands in Orange County, and the LA areas . . . (there's) a lot of fringe bands that I thought needed recognition that I would produce or do demos for. They just weren't getting . . . no one was really paying attention to them. It's something I always wanted to do. Uh, I had some friends that are in a band, and, interesting enough, the name of this band is called Hellbound Hayride... I've been doin' demos for them. We couldn't really get 'em a deal, and so we just kind of came to it where it was time to start Flip Records and go on from there . . . and give them a platform to launch their music from. So that's kind of where that came from.

"So, I signed the band called Hellbound Hayride. (I) stuck in Romans 3:23 on their liner notes, which is kind of funny, but . . . they . . . I don't know, they had mixed emotions. They thought it was cool . . . my big ministry, you know?"

Well, what do you think of Jesus?

"I am . . . this is a very special week for me. Uh, Good Friday, and Easter is more important to me than Christmas. A lot of people . . . um . . . in the secular world, want to celebrate Christmas, and I think they miss the whole idea of Easter, what it's about. I, myself, am a child of God. Um . . . the work of Christ to me is very important. To be . . . I strive to be Christ-like, you know . . . in my walk and um... like I said, just striving and working on being Christlike."

What do you think about His claims to be, "The Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me?"

"Well, that's the absolute truth, isn't it? Um, that's freedom. You know, you go for life's pleasure . . . and success (they) aren't really gonna, you know, do anything for you. You know, self reliance, having this . . . going out with this huge trust in yourself and confidence in your trust is not really . . . it's not freedom, although many people think it is. You know, running a successful band, a successful business through self reliance isn't really gonna . . . you know, and self-will and knowledge . . . isn't really gonna get you that. You know, pleasure is the same thing. A feeling of satisfaction or enjoyment for a minute . . . and even success will cloud the way of an absolute truth. You know, so just trying to get to some sort of state of being free, you know? I mean, you mention freedom and people automatically think politically free or whatever and they just kinda don't really understand, you know, liberty, or they don't really understand that your true identity is Christ-like. So, that's my strive towards that freedom and always toward that.

"So, I mean, I totally relate to what you're saying. A relationship with God is the true identity. After all, we are modeled after Him, and He's our Creator. Hope I'm not gettin' too heavy for ya."

No. Heavy's good. We used to be a heavy metal magazine anyway. So, um, what kind of challenges have you faced being a Christian in a band like Social Distortion?

"Um, I go through . . . that's really mixed. Years ago I was a heavy drinker. In kind of a roundabout way, I found some spirituality through, um . . . through a 12-step program that . . . by only one way of, 'Thy will, not mine,' you know? Meaning, 'Thy will of the Lord...' Can you say that question again? I'm sorry."

Well, what kind of challenges have you faced being a believer in Social Distortion?

"Uh, I struggled with . . . Like I said, I went through a 12-step program and I found this . . . you know, 'Thy will, not mine.' I wanted to research that more, because this enabled me to find spirituality and give this up to a higher being -- as you know, kind of their basis."

Yeah.

"And I'm saying, 'Well, man, this prayer stuff is heavy, this prayer works for me . . . it took something away.' It took some chains off of me. In the beginning, I didn't want to do that. By being sober, I thought I was losing freedom. I was gonna lose the party, I was gonna lose my cool friends, you know? The party was gonna be gone. So, I thought I was releasing these chains, you know, and I looked at . . . there's another thing, like, at the end of Matthew. I'm not really sure where it is, but it's about worry . . . and . . . not to worry, you know? But not storing our treasures here, but in Heaven. You know what I mean? (I started) searching God C wanting to see what these were about C how He gets us through prayer. Going into Christianity, it's like: Now, all of a sudden, I have these chains again, you know? 'I'm gonna lose more freedom... I gotta gain Christian rules and laws.' You know, 'Christians aren't fun. Christians can't have fun. I'll have to change the way I dress.' These are all lies, you know, that Satan was speaking to me. 'I'll have to pass judgement on friends and,' you know, 'pray?' You know, 'What are my friends gonna think?' That's weird. 'Christians are weird,' you know? But, the 12-step program has a thing: 'I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.' I got to the point where I got tired of tolerance, you know? I really didn't . . . What I mean (by) tolerant . . . you know, lifestyles that people live, um, my views on abortion, my views on drugs and alcohol, political views... You know what I mean. For me to have a Christ-like family value, I have to stand up to tolerance, and that was really tough for me, because I wanted to be, um . . . I'm a 'bigot' now. I never was that 'bigot.' I was: 'Everybody has rights, everybody should be able to do what they want to do,' but I'm finding that, if I'm gonna live this lifestyle, you know, I can't be . . . I gotta be tired of tolerance. (Through) the 12-step program I thought I was free of . . . maybe just a link in the chain was broken. So now, through Christianity, I really can be free. And that's kind of a struggle. I don't have a problem with people, you know, because I just share my stories. The only answer that I have is absolute truth and stories that I can share with you . . . and let Christ work in their hearts, and that'll change."

I think people have a false definition of the word tolerance. They think it means acceptance, but, like . . . our bodies can tolerate so much poison at a certain point, like alcohol. At a certain point, alcohol becomes a poison that kills us. You have a tolerance level. You put up with it. And that's kind of what tolerance is. You put up with somebody who lies, steals, cheats and is sexually immoral who lives next door to you. But you don't accept it or you don't say, "I support that!" or, "I put my stamp of approval on it." And I think that's what a lot of people think tolerance is, is approving other people's lifestyles in a way that's like, "Yeah, you can do it, it's okay."

"Being tolerant, accepting that, saying, 'Yeah, well...' And even being tolerant, saying, 'Yeah, I accept it, okay?' My neighbor is not like that. I mean, I'm not gonna go and I'm not gonna preach to someone about it. I'll speak with them if they ask me about it, and I'll share with them. It's a very touchy situation. You know, like I say, 'By me being tolerant, I'm becoming a bigot.' And that's a whole other can of worms, man. It's a very scary thought. But if I'm going to be truly Christ-like, I have to go against this tolerance. I gotta stand up somewhere. I don't go around preaching these views, you know what I'm saying? But I'm just... That, like I said, is a whole other can of worms."

Yeah. How do you deal with the whole expectation that gets put on you sometimes, where, "Oh, you're a Christian, you're born again? Then you have to go on TV and give your testimony, or you have to, when you get a chance to share with somebody, you gotta do it, or you're denying Christ?" Uh, "If you're in a band, you've gotta make it a Christian band now, or you've gotta leave because they're gonna sing about, you know, booze or sex, and you can't be a part of that!" How do you deal with that whole expectation people will try to put on you?

"Okay, 'How do I deal with being in a secular band.... and being a Christian, and what people's views are of me now, being a Christian in a secular band?'"

Yeah, well, kind of a viewpoint of some people -- who, maybe with good intentions, maybe not -- a Christian who would try to say, "Now you're supposed to do this, this, and this, because this is how it's done." Kind of in the context of, "Okay, you're in a non-Christian band, or a secular band . . . Now you're supposed to quit, or now you're supposed to preach." Uh, what are your feelings on that kind of expectation and all?

"Um, believe me, Doug, I have struggled with this -- especially in the beginning. I thought, 'Well, how could I be in this band. How could I go and put myself in the pit?' I'm going out into that pit every night. And I don't mean the dance pit. I mean, you know, I'm going out where the lowest of (the lowly) are. And I've struggled very hard with that, and it always comes to a point where it's like, I'm at my end. Um . . . and then . . . and I have people, they ask me these questions all the time: 'How can you do this?' Christians ask me. And then right when I'm about ready to just, you know, give it all up, someone will come up to me and say, 'Hey, tell me about that church, Rock Harbor, that you go to,' or 'I hear that Pastor Keith Page is a really cool dude. What's he like?' And that enables me to say, 'Come into our church,' you know, 'Everyone's welcome.' I mean, throughout my career, I had a ton of gay friends, I had a ton of drug-addict friends, I had a ton of just, people who are just, sinners. Well, I'm a sinner; we're all sinners."

Uh hum.

"And, if a couple of them are coming to me asking me about my church, and coming . . . most people just want to be asked to come to church, anyway. That's initially what it is. But, they're like, 'I'm gay.' It's like, 'Hey, come as you are and let Christ . . . let His love . . . and it will work through your heart.' You know, if you give Him a chance, He's gonna work through your heart and He's gonna change your life.'"

Yeah. That's pretty cool.

"So, if I'm able to minister to one person of an entire tour, of an entire six weeks of going into the pit every night... If I can pull one person out and change one person's mind... You know, I'm not perfect. I'm a human being. I'm a sinner and I'm gonna do that. But, if I could share what I know with one person, it makes it worth that to me. It's like the old saying, 'You don't go the doctor because you're well. You go there because you're sick.' Why should I just minister to Christians? You know what I'm sayin'?"

Yeah, Absolutely.

"We need to minister to people who need our help. And that's what Christ did. He was down with the low of lowly. He wasn't hangin' out with the kings and pharaohs. He was in the trenches, man. He was with the common folk. He was with us. He was pulling out the tax collectors, the junkies, pimps, winos, and whores. And that's where I am. I'm with those people every night. I'm not gettin' too heavy here, am I?"

No, this is great. Um, what is your role in the band as far as lyrics, and album covers and T-shirts and stuff like that?

"Mike Ness is the sole writer. He's is the idea man; Social Distortion is him from inception. Uh, it's all him. You know, I'm the bass player, I'm a friend. Uh, I'm there for him through thick and thin. I've known him for, gosh, 25 years, you know? That's a long time. So, we were young kids growing up. But, he writes all the (lyrics). He's a very spiritual man. He's a seeker. And I pray about him every night."

Have you guys played with any bands like MxPx or Undercover, or any Christian bands of the punk genre?

"Um, we've played with MxPx in the past, but this after when they signed to A&M, and they kind of . . . I don't know, whatever it is, building their success, or whatever it is they were doing. Years ago, I . . . before I got into the band, I was 'born again' for about a year with a very close friend of mine, Carla White, who happens to be a producer for Maranatha. A beautiful woman. I mean, she has a huge heart, you know? I started hangin' out with her, and we would go see Undercover. This was in the 80's . . . and bands like The Lifters. You know, the rockabilly scene . . . the Stray Cats were big then, so there was like a big rockabilly scene back then. Um, I was getting to another grand point here and I got sidetracked. I'm sorry, um..."

Something about when you were born again. You mentioned like a year or something.

"Oh, oh, oh! Okay, yeah, I'm sorry. And then I got into the band and, Bang! Into the pit again for a long, long, long time . . . and doing all that false seeking I was talking about earlier, you know, self-reliance, pleasures, and seeking success, thinking I was gonna get freedom out of that. No way. It's not there. I'm blessed that I came around."

That's cool. So, what has your experience been touring with bands that are, maybe, really dark or people that are just totally lost? Do you have any interesting experiences about, you know, kind of a bass player or guitar player from another band talkin' to you and...

"Um . . . People are strong. Satan's grasp is even stronger. Satan works on me every day. Satan works hardest on me Sunday morning when I'm tryin' to get up and go to church. I've dealt with some pretty dark people, and just by lettin' them know that 'Hey, I believe. I'm a believer,' and explaining that eternity's a long time . . . and 'you better be right with yourself and I hope you really know what you're doing.' When it gets down to it, usually I'll throw it out in a little jokingly way. You know, dropping little subtle hints, 'cause you can only bring the horse to water, bro."

"You know what I mean? And it takes them to drink. And, just by throwing little pieces of this and that out, it's like putting the Romans 3:23 on the Hellbound Hayride Sinner record. You know, I'm just making an awareness. And that's really all I can do. And if I'm gonna get heavy about it, I'm gonna say, 'You better be prepared for eternity, 'cause eternity is a long time. A thousand years is but a day to the Lord. So, you better know what's up!' If someone really wants to come to me and they're gonna start asking questions... But I don't really like to preach."

Well, how can the readers of HM Magazine pray for you?

"Um, that my walk continues to grow. That my true identity continues to come through, and that I seek freedom from myself and everybody, and really just pray for the world."

What are some goals that you have before you?

"Just kind of to, you know, to reach . . . outreach. I would like to get uh, I'd like someday to work for a Christian label. I'm well into my 30's. I love Social Distortion, I'd love to play with them for years to come, and if so be it . . . if that's the way it is, I will. But I would really like to work with Christian bands, young Christian bands . . . putting together records for them. Maybe working for a Christian label would be really nice, you know?"

Okay, you're out in Orange County. What is really hot right now, music scene-wise? And, if different, what is gonna be the next big thing (or next bigger things, if there's more than one or two)?

"Boy, that's a good question, isn't it? Um, there's a saying in the secular industry, 'My crystal ball's no clearer than yours,' which is kind of hocus pocus, but it's true. No one really knows. The power pop thing seems to be real big in Orange County right now. The 70's New York punk vibe seems to be real big right now, which is my favorite kind of music. You know, I'm fortunate that my style of music has been able to come around through the Green Day's, through the Offspring... Some of my friends are really down on like, 'Oh, you can go buy Doc Marten's at the mall now,' I think that's cool. I'd rather see that than, you know, doing spandex and you know, moccasins..."

You used to be able to buy those at the mall, too.

"Yeah, exactly. You used to be able to buy that at the mall, too. But it's like it's just kind of holding on . . . I'd like to see more Christian hip-hop. I think there's a great ministry out there for that. Um, I think Christian music is gonna really come around in the future. Only because I had an interesting conversation last year with some pretty high-up guys on the ladder at MCA, and these are Jewish men saying, 'Well, we're looking for Christian acts now, because, you know, that's what's gonna be big.'"

Whoa!

"So, these are money men, so it's just ridiculous. But, let's hope so . . . let's hope so."

Yeah, that'd be awesome to see...

"I don't want it be . . . get to the point where it becomes a fad . . . a trend. You know, I hope it stays true in people. So, mainstream's kinda bad. You know, you get up to the mainstream, and that just means there's someone down there right below on that ladder that's ready, just choppin' away at your stilt man."

That's true. Well, cool. So, you've been subscribing to HM for a while?

"Yeah, a little while. My wife is, you know . . . she's a key person in my walk. She's really, really strong in our family. So, not that long . . . it's not really been around. But it's cool. I'm really lookin' forward to seeing you. I hope I didn't talk your ear off."

Well, no. I think it worked out great. Kind of conversations I like to have. I'd talk longer, but I'm just dyin' to go to the bathroom. I'd kind of come to the end of my questions anyway.

"Okay."

Hey, I'd love to stay in touch with ya.

"Hey, definitely."

If there's anything I can do for ya, I'd be glad to do it. And also, just to be in touch, and if you're ever in Austin, give me a call.

"Hey, I will. And you know what, you call anytime, okay?"

Well, thanks.

"Have a great week, and have a great Easter Sunday."

Thanks, you too.

[Python423]

Thanks for sharing that. I think its a an older interview. Any idea what John Maurer is doing now a dayz? besides the family life? is he presuing anything musical on his own?