| Wednesday, January 09, 2008 |
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Barry Blaze Interview 3 of 4
Posted @ 4:30 AM :: 138 Views ::
0 Comments :: Soul Music
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In Part 1 of the interview with Barry Blaze, Barry discussed the reformation of Code of Ethics and the importance of ministry in his message. In Part 2, Barry discusses his early years in music, his time as a student at Liberty University, and his spiritual growth that lead to the formation of Code of Ethics. In Part 3, Barry discusses the end of Code of Ethics, and his entry into worship leader ministry in Florida.
 Have you at all been motivated by the recent reunion concerts and albums by bands like Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, and The Police?
Ha-ha, well those are a lot of the shows that I’ve wanted to see lately. I tried to get Police tickets when they were playing in Tampa. I wouldn’t say that I’m motivated by it though. I’m definitely motivated by the ministry end. This is all that there is for me. I’ve already spent so many years playing it and doing it. I prefer just to stay home. I have a very good ministry here at my church, and I love being in Florida.
It’s the fact that God has placed significant things in my life, like the accident that I had and the worship ministry that I’m in, that lets me know that now is the perfect time to go back out. When I started to make music again, I was not planning to go out and make any dates. I was just going to make music for the pure joy of making CDs again. But, as I plowed on through, I discovered that God was saying that I need to take this out and talk to people about who I am as a believer. So, even though there are some great reunion concerts going on, for whatever reason, I think it’s a perfect time for Code to go back out.
Have you lost touch with the other members of Code, and do you think there may be a chance that some of them may rejoin the band?
Here is the interesting thing about that: Code of Ethics has always, basically, been just me. Whenever I finished up a record, I would put together a tour.
I’ve had a lot of different players. I think sometimes it was really confusing for people who wondered where a band member went after a tour. One guy that I had play drums on my solo project, Rick Brainer, is still a really good friend of mine. I’ve known him since high school. We’ve been friends for so long. He visits me about once a year just for us to hang out. He was consistent as much as he could be during the Code years, as far as doing tours. When he got tired of the road, he would take a couple of years off. Then, he would come back. That was great. That’s the kind of friendship that we have. I’ve talked to Rick about the possibility of going back out on the road, and he’s definitely willing to do it.
I haven’t talked to any of the other guys, and I’ve lost track of a few. Some of the guys are playing with other artists, and a few are still doing that right now. Some of those guys might be able to come back, and it would be awesome if they could. I try to keep in touch with them as much as I can. It’s a little bit tough, with the distance between us. Since I put the Code of Ethics website back up, I’ve been able to get in touch with some of the old players.
What were you doing between the break up of Code of Ethics in 2001 and the accident in 2004, besides recovery from the road?
I stopped touring at the end of 2001, after the Blaze tour, and I just asked God what’s next after 11-years of being in Code of Ethics and touring so hard. I just felt that I was dried up on the vine and I was becoming distant from God.
My wife, Cynthia, and I lived in Nashville, but we weren’t really tied to a church. A lot of times I would come home after being out for 4 or 5 days, and at the time there weren’t a lot of ministries to help artists get built back up again during the week before they would go back out. You would find yourself going out week after week after week and giving yourself away in ministry. It led to a point where I was really just dried up and tired. I felt like I just needed a break from it. I did a lot of praying and soul searching. I was asking, ‘Why do I feel this way?’ which is really confusing.
It was shortly thereafter that I got a call to help with a church plant in Florida called Chet’s Creek. I came on staff with a really good pastor, Spike Hogan. He allowed me to build up worship bands, and just do what I was doing every year as far as touring, but doing it in the local church. It was great! So, I put away music writing and I just focused really hard on the church and building the worship ministries.
It was a great growing time for Cynthia and me; to be connected to a local church for the first time, and to be growing in our relationships with God. It was so good and so healthy for us. I’ll always have one foot planted in a local church because it is so important to me. It totally keeps me grounded. And that’s what I did right up to the time of the accident. And, during my recovery time, I was still working within the local church.
How long after the end of Code did you get the call from the church?
It was within the first nine months after I quit touring when I received a call. We prayed about it, and within two weeks we had a ‘for sale’ sign in the yard in Nashville, and then moved. It was pretty quick.
Do you think churches are looking for worship leaders from musicians from Christian bands who have plenty of road experience?
I find that a lot. There are great experiences from being on the road and from being able to put together bands and the people skills. Some of those things really roll over easily into the church. There is definitely some adjusting that takes place, depending on the church and how it’s structured. But where I’m at now is a church called Edge Water, and it’s really unstructured. It’s really good where I am right now in my life. I was full time staff at Chet’s Creek. It was an awesome ministry, but it took all of my time.
Anybody who is in church ministry knows that it’s not a 40-hour-a-week job. It’s more like 80-hours a week. When you’re home, you’re at work. It’s like being a doctor; you’re on call 24/7. I love church ministry. Chet’s took up so much of my time and energy that it left me without time and energy for the important things, like my wife. I learned that there needs to be a healthy balance in ministry.
Click HERE to read the article about Barry Blaze that tells about the accident that he suffered in 2004 that nearly ended his life. |
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