Daniel Q:  So tell us a bit about how Mind of the Sick came about?

Mind of the Sick: Mind of the Sick was honestly the furthest thing from my mind when it was birthed; Jesus has been a part of my life since I was 18, but I was a poser for years.. I was a poser till just about a year ago, November 2010, God woke me up, and I devoted  my life to Him. In the moments of life leading up to God slapping me across the face with a Wakeup call, I was drowning my sorrows in Beer. I honestly gave up 100% on my dream of music and art. Even when I did fully devote my life to the Lord in November I had no intentions of doing any kind of creative project…
My only goal was to focus on God, and get to know Him the best I could by reading the Bible for the first time ever in my life, discovering God’s True Character, and  finding my flaws, and applying the Word to my life.. etc. After listing to nothing but sermons, and audio Bibles for 8 months, God just filled me with his Holy Spirit and I feel that Mind of the Sick is just the overflow.

I was still drinking through this time getting to know God, and it was getting heavy on my heart to put it down, and to give it up completely. As my walk with the Lord got deeper and deeper,  I did begin a Creative thought process, but not with Music, I had a vision of Writing and  Directing a Film.  Around this time in my life is when the Whosoever movement was really exciting me, and I was stoked to see these people on fire for the Lord. Through the Whosoever Facebook page I saw a YouTube video they had posted. It was The Rep  his track “Imagine It” from the “Say No More” album.. and never really being a rap fan.. the song cut deep.. and I thought “I need to gain permission to this for the film I was writing at the time” Long story short, I ended up in direct communication with Brandon IE The Rep and we became Friends.. and he kinda became a Spiritual Mentor of mine.

There was a Local Youth event here in Yakima where I am, and I hooked it up to bring Brandon here to do a show.. HAHAHAH poor guy was in the car for hours.. lol but we had some great conversations, and in one of them, I remember something he said “God blesses you with Gifts and Talents to be used for Him.  The devil wants you to think that they are from the devil to get you to stop using them” it hit my heart deep. Then during his performance, I heard “Alcoholic” and I was having the pressure on my heart strong to put it down, to stop drinking..

It was about two months after Brandon’s visit here that I finally put down the alcohol, and two weeks after I stopped drinking the 10 song album was complete. I created a Name, and a quick logo, and put it on facebook.. And then I continued with my focus on the Lord. Mind of the Sick was born, but at first I did not think much about it.

Daniel Q:  What else do you do besides create music and how does that help in the process?

Mind of the Sick:  Besides creating music, I am a Graphic Designer Web Developer. That is what I do for a living.  My hobbies consist of anything creative haha, Music, Digital Art, Indie Film Making.. Besides the creative aspect of my life I am a Husband and a father! I am a family man.. all of this plays  a major role in the process of Mind of the Sick, as the music and lyrics are inspired from my personal life struggles, with a career in a dying industry, struggles, of having a family in a tough economic time.. etc, and the fact that God has given me skills, I have developed from being in circumstances He has placed me in, IE School, Marketing Agencies.. etc

Daniel Q:  What can you tell the youth who are trying to be musicians?

Mind of the Sick:   Musicians of any age need to learn that you don’t need a label any more to make it, that and stay true to yourself.  Truly just let yourself express yourself emotionally, and spiritually through your God given talents.. Do not try to conform to an existing popular trend because you will just be cheating yourself..  That, and I highly encourage you to learn “Creative” direction from the grand “Creator” Jesus! You will never go wrong with that!

Daniel Q:  How important do you think brining the arts is to a young generation? How does this fit with what you’re doing?

Mind of the Sick:  Bringing the arts to a young generation is super important.  Art have been around since before the beginning of time, but I would say since the early 1920’s arts have exceedingly become a huge way to identify one’s identity. Moreso in this generation for sure than any other generation I can think of.  There are so many different cultures and artistic styles of everything  from Movies, Television, clothing, music.. etc You find many different branches of style from each variation of genre. In today’s culture, specifically the youth, tend to cling to and rely on the arts to express who they are as individuals.

I am a firm believer that God divinely created us and wired each and every single person with an artistic look at life, and with deep personal likes, and dislikes… etc He said “Be Holy for I am Holy” the term Holy back when it was used in scripture meant to be a separate tool used for special purposes, IE in a band you have a Drummer that keeps things on time using drums to create a beat to keep things on time. The bassist not only is an addition to the percussions, but it also brings a full presence to the overall song. The rhythm guitar brings the overall mood and vibe. The Lead Guitar brings melody and ties the drums and bass and guitar together.  Then the vocals bring a deeper melody, deeper mood, with bringing the message. All pieces are different, and have totally different reasons to exist, but they come together as one body to bring a solid song. As we are to be with the Body of Christ. I think that art play a major role in determining who you are, and where you fit in. 

I feel that I am a bit of a black sheep with my differences, I tend to like the dark, low budget horror art, and novelty music, and films.. hahahah but I know that God has given me those likes and interests in those artistic approaches so He may use them through me to reach someone else that likes the ODD Dark stuff like myself… hahahah

Daniel Q:  What artist would you like to collaborate with, which ones are you listening to and which of them have made an impact on your life?

Mind of the Sick:   I would like to collaborate with The Rep, I know he is hard core rap, and Mind of the Sick is Horror Metal, but I think it would be cool to work with Brandon, and collaborate on an artistic, creative level.  Again, all I listen to anymore is sermons from Skip Heitzig, Dr Ed Young, Jon Courson, Philip Decourcy, and musically listen to The Rep.. hahahah I know it is weird, but I think that helps with keeping my creative juices flowing from the Holy Spirit and not my own fleshly dreams and desires..

Many artists have made an impact on my life as every single one of them helped produce the me I am today.  Before I got gave my life to Christ,  it was artists like Metallica, Megadeth, Rob Zombie, Korn, Marilyn Manson, Rammstine, System of a Down, Tool.. etc 

Brian Head Welch, P.O.D. made a big impact on my life when I gave my life to the Lord.  But in all honesty, it was my father whom got me into music, and got me interested in wanting to play guitar.. when I heard recording’s of His band back in the day, it blew my mind, and his music still inspires me…

Daniel Q:  Who is your biggest influence and means of drawing inspiration from?

Mind of the Sick:   Dang! Haha this is a hard one.. I have all ways loved to draw, since I was a little kid, 4 -5 years old, I was big into superhero’s and started drawing superman, and batman.. etc then the older I got the more I got into Horror films, and began to draw the famous Serial Killers from the movies, like Ghost Face from scream, Michael Myers from Halloween.. etc then when music became a part of my life, and getting into making my own horror films, Rob Zombie became a huge inspiration stylistically speaking, the low budget horror posters from the 1930’s 40’s etc..

But truth be told, they all play apart in my style. But It is hard to explain, I have visions of an image in my head, could have them for years before I can execute it correctly.  And now that I have some schooling and experience with digital illustrations on a professional level, my hands on illustration has become nonexistent.  And lost a lot of what I could do, and I have fun being creative in the digital environment now. I get inspiration simply just by starting a composition and keep going till it clicks with my brain. 

Melissa: Can you tell us why your belief in Christ is so strong?  What happened in your (past) life that made you decide He was worthy of praise?

Mind of the Sick:  It was only when I began to read the Bible the words cut deep, like as if it was reading me when I realized how real God is. Then reflecting back on events in my life, I thought were just my brain playing tricks on me.. or having a near death-ish experience I eventually played off that it was my brain going into shock… etc knowing that God has kept me alive this long, and has been trying to get my attention.  It was a chilling feeling. Throughout my 27 years on this earth I have experienced 13 deaths. Some of them were people I was really close to, others I just knew really well. Death for some reason has been a huge part of my life, and who I am. I think that is also why it shows in my art. I have a different perspective on life than most people do. I have learned at a young age that life is way too short. And now with my walk with the Lord, I realize that life is a sacred gift given to us by a divine, creative, loving God.  I think that once I realized how sacred life is, I literally see things different.  The clouds in the sky, the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, the tree’s, all of God’s creation screams to me how powerful, and amazing He is.  Then after learning, that because I am the one who created treason with the living God whom is the Creator of everything including life itself  and that I should be facing a punishment because of it, this AMAZING POWERFUL JUST GOD humbled Himself to come as one of us, and take upon the punishment I deserve so that I may be with him in Heaven!!! With this deep perspective I have on life, I just can’t imagine not wanting to Praise Him! 

Melissa: What is the biggest change your relationship with Christ made in your day to day?

 Mind of the Sick:  Perspective. I used to be one to live for the future, and reflect on the past.. and DREAM BIG! And I was a driven person, I was selfish, I had major I want-itus.. Wanted new guitars all the time, wanted a new car, or add things to my car.. Or whatever.. My wants in life really effected how I viewed my wife and my kids… my priority’s were so messed up..

With Jesus in my life, and as the center of all my decisions, reading the Word, and truly building my relationship with our Creator, I have a new perspective on life.  And I can see now what is trivial, and what is eternal.. I strive to be a better husband, and father, I strive to be a better man, to be the man that God intended me to be.

Daniel Q:  We ask all our guest this next question. In a world full of negativity, worries, questions etc. etc. What are you doing to fill in the blank?

Mind of the Sick:   Well for every godly good, Satan has an equal counterfeit. Though we see more of the counterfeits from Satan, God’s goods outweighs Satan’s.  BUT in order for me to successfully shine those Godly Goods in DARKNESS I have to understand what Satan’s counterfeits are. Because people are falling into his traps daily.  I feel it is my part to understand what those traps are, and make a counterfeit of Satan’s counterfeit that ultimately leads to God!

And the only way to accomplish that goal, and understand it fully is to dive in head first into my relationship with the Lord, it is the Christ in me that can make this happen not I, so what am I doing to fill in the Blank?? Giving the steering wheel of my life to Jesus. Like I said before, Mind of the Sick is the overflow, what do I mean by that. Is that I feel that a calling only comes to be when you give your all into God, picture yourself as a drinking glass full of mud, and you say okay, I want to be filled with pure water.  But the only way to get full of pure water is to be cleansed, and to make yourself open to be filled with the pure water.. Once that fresh pure water enters that cup you do not want it to end.. you keep asking for more, more, more.. Before you know it your cup is full, and over flowing.

That overflow is your calling, it is not you that is in control, though it flowed out of you, it is in reality God’s work extending from you! So I am allowing myself to be used by the Lord to fill in the blank.

Check them out at mindofthesick.com