The name poor old lu undoubtedly stirs up feelings of nostalgia, and remembrance among many music fans. In many ways, they pioneered the idea that a Christian band could be artistically respected on one of the country’s hottest alternative stations, without compromising their unwavering faith in Jesus. But for several reasons, poor old lu ceased to exist in June of 1996. So to use a VH1 cliche’ - where are they now? Each of these musicians could warrant an entire article. Jeremy Enigk, who only played with the band for a while, is something of an indie darling in the northwest. Aaron Sprinkle and Nick Barber went on to play in the now also defunct Rose Blossom Punch.
And then there’s Jesse Sprinkle. Reflecting on the dissolution of poor old lu, he expresses some degree of sadness that the band is still not together. He feels that the band members all had different goals, and this led to the end. “I think that if we really, really wanted to keep it going, we’d still get together every once in a while, and just play.” Tackling the pet-peeve FAQ, he says he would gladly see a reunion album, or tour if all the parties were willing to do it. “I have so many good memories. As far as I’m concerned right now, it would be cool if we never broke up. But at the same time, it’s cool that we did break up, because people noticed us more. I think if we did a project, people would love it. But the problem is there’s a window of opportunity there, that’s only there for so long . . . if we wait too long, it’s gonna pass us by.”
So what has Jesse been up to? Within a month after lu’s last show, he and his sweetheart married and moved to the east coast. Now a father, and husband, on the opposite end of the country, his life has changed consistently the last three years, but music has never disappeared from his vocabulary. “I think that I knew that music would be a big priority, but I also knew that it was a new season and that I should take some time off from doing it . . . It was a great time. I took two years, and I didn’t have my drum kit, so I didn’t play drums, I just wrote songs on my acoustic guitar.”
Wanting to record music that “older people like my grandma, or uncle and aunt would like, and also kind of let younger people a chance to chill out once in a while,” led to recording Sunsites, which was an instrumental project, that he called a bridge between “being a drummer, and a songwriter.” Out of this liberating musical excursion The World Inside was born. Initially, the TWI debut Roobrik was more or less a studio project with Jesse Sprinkle playing multiple instruments, some miscellaneous musical help from Aaron, Phil Peterson on cello and a few other friends. “When I do my own stuff, it’s just such a big responsibility to have the right melody, the right arrangement, the right chords, you know, the lyrics. It is just a lot to think about. But it is great to think that I pulled it off.”
Now a full band, The World Inside just finished touring with estis p@rc, (Jesse produced the estis p@rc debut album) this summer. Covering mostly the east coast and Midwest, shows were played at all-ages clubs, churches, festivals, and even some bars. “I wanted to keep it Christian, or at least all ages, so that anyone could come.” After many canceled shows, and small turnouts, the tour brought a fair share of disappointments. “It was pretty rough around the edges, and we didn’t really plan it that great . . . There were a few good (shows) that kept us happy. Other than that, I’m just glad that we’re all really laid back, and had fun, even though a lot of it was blowing up in our faces.”
As comfortable in bar settings, as churches, Jesse gracefully tackles the ever touchy subject of Christian music, and the responsibilities held by Christian musicians. “There’s an aspect of this that is ministry, and I wouldn’t ever want to say that it’s not. But I also wouldn’t want to make people think that we were overtly evangelistic, because my heart is more in gripping people emotionally . . . I guess, it’s more that we just do what we do, and ask the Lord to use it, instead of trying to push the issue about being evangelical . . . But definitely we feel led to give God some room, whether it be helping out kids in a youth group, or giving someone money in a bar. I have a heart for both Christian, and non-Christian circles.”
“Some people are just black and white. Here in the world, if you’re compromising, it’s wrong. They have this sort of ‘Light plus darkness, equals dimness’ attitude. Other people are like, ‘It doesn’t matter. Just do whatever.’ Obviously, I think that Christian musicians are coming to grips with the Christian music industry, and how phony it is . . . there’s so much of it that’s just watered down. And it’s not like we have to be all self-righteous, but there’s just so much more of a realness to the secular industry. It’s not a perfect industry, but there are real people who appreciate real music, and I think we should be out there, but as far as compromising faith- I think it’s really customized to the people. Some are called to be really evangelical, and if they’re not, they’re doing something wrong. The others are called to just write good music. And if God wants to use that different ways, then that’s great. But as Paul says, there are certain issues - there are issues in the Bible that are very straight-up, and God says, ‘Do this.’ And that’s it. But there are also things that are left to each believer, and if you feel like you’re doing something wrong, then you’re sinning . . . I think there are areas where we really have to be honest with ourselves and with God. I think it’s good that there are really responsible people in the secular industry that are liking the music. I think our band could have been there at some point, because we were getting some really good press with the radio promoter guy, and he was playing us on (Seattle Station) The End, and then we broke up. Then he was playing Rose Blossom, Damien (Jurado), Pedro the Lion.”
“I want to set an example to kids that you don’t have to be listening to secular music to be cool. I grew up listening to Christian music. It was after high school when I started to dig into non-Christian bands. It wasn’t like I was afraid of them, but I was just satisfied at that point. But then I found a few bands that I loved their song writing, and they had really cool drummers, and they really had a big influence on the Roobrik album.”
The word rubric means ‘to adorn with ruby red color, an authoritative rule, or a heading that is printed in red.’ “It may look more intentional than it was, but . . . the whole record just kind of came out . . . The first song has ties to the sacrificial blood of Christ, and . . . there’s themes of life through death, and that we, as Christians, can’t experience life without the death of Christ, and that song talks about things like that . . . But my record label, they were like, ‘What’s with this word, ‘Roobrik’?’ They wanted to know, and . . . I started to figure it out. I told them that it symbolized the color red, and the blood of Christ, and everything like that. It kind of clicked in their heads.”
He expresses concern that not enough people, himself included, see God as a real being. “Something I want in my life, is knowing that the reality of Christ is as a living, loving God (and) friend. (And) the reality of that in a day to day basis, as a friend, and as an eternal truth, not just an abstract idea. I grew up in a church. My parents were Christian, and it’s one of those things that all those principles and ideas, at one point in my life, I didn’t reject them, or rebel, but I was always doing that “Am I really saved?” thing. And I am, but it was one of those things that distracted (me) from the presence of God.”
Lyrics aside, many sounds culminated to influence his song writing on Roobrik. Anything from metal, classical music, folk, to new wave, and hip-hop is in his musical library. He quips, “(Despite his influences) I end up writing acoustic pop stuff. It’s kind of weird. But it’s just the way that it works. If I end up playing the guitar it always ends up being fairly acoustic, or melodic. . . In the future, you’ll be seeing things that are quite a bit more strange and obnoxious sounding. Like I have a side band called Dinner Mint, that has actually only appeared on two CD’s and they’re Stryper tribute records.”
Jesse is also proud of his work with a band called Paloma. “(It) is a band that I almost joined out here in New York. They were called Dizzy Monk, and they were more in the secular market. They almost signed to Capitol, and then they broke up. They regrouped, with the main songwriter in Los Angeles, but they didn’t have a drummer, so I flew out to do the record.”
With so many different side projects, his heart still seems focused on TWI, but to release various projects along the way. “I will probably do a new World Inside project, either an EP or full-length, and probably another instrumental record. And the side project (Dinner Mint) is a really heavy band . . . I’d like to do an experimental hip-hop album. I’ve got so many things up my sleeve. And I know that I don’t have time to do everything. Projects will come and go, but I’d like to consistently release something from TWI so people will realize that it’s a band . . . I’d love to drum with a band, and get back in shape. But I’m also working here in the studio, here in New York . . . We’re trying to get business, trying to get people to come out here to the middle of nowhere, in western New York. It’s fun to get away, and do a record.”
Well said. So where is Jesse Sprinkle? The question is probably better stated, where is he not?