Interview with Dale Thompson

By Scott Shiffer

This Month Dale Thompson From "Bride" Has Been Kind Enough to grant me an interview.  Read and enjoy!!!

 

1. Bride has been around for quite some time now and has gone through a
number of changes musically.  Is there any one style you are more partial
too than the others?  Do you have any favorite songs from past years?

Dale: I have enjoyed all of our changes. I guess for me during the Kinetic
Faith and Snakes in the Playground era my vocals were really on. I was at
liberty to do whatever I wanted on stage. I have too many favorites to list.
We normally played live what we liked no matter if the song had been
released as a single or not.

2. Who have been some of your biggest influences musically speaking?  How
have their lives impacted the choices and decisions you have made as an
artist and as a believer?

Dale: Most of my influences have not been Christian artist. So they really
did not shape or influence my personal beliefs at all. I have been amazed by
many singers, from Chris Cornell, Ronnie James Die, Johnny Cash, and even
Tom Waits. My taste in vocalist is pretty wide spread.

3. What are some of your favorite kinds of art, and how does art impact the
way you live?

Dale: Art has no influence on me whatsoever as to how I live my life. If I
see something I think is cool or fascinating I will take a mental picture of
it. The type of art that I have loved the most is black and white photos. It
can be of practically anything. I love faces.

4. My Newsletter is geared towards helping people evaluate art in the
framework of a Biblical Worldview.  How do you view the role of Christianity
in art?  What impact do you believe Christians have had and should have on
Western Culture through art?

Dale: Art can be used as an avenue to promote Christ to people. A picture
paints a thousand words. I am not for sure how I feel about actively
engaging culture through art but I do see how certain forms of art can
provoke thought, stir of new ideals and conversations.

5. Do you see "popular" art in our culture as being separate from Christian
art, or do you believe that Christians should actively engage the culture
through art?  If the latter, how do you believe that Christians should go
about this process?

Dale: I would rather not see a separation at all. One of the biggest
mistakes that Troy and I made in the conception of Bride was labeling
ourselves "Christian Rock" band. This immediately put us in a minority
unable to reach the audience to whom the music was intended.

6. Do you have any favorite stories about Bride songs or the way they have
impacted listeners that you would like to share?  What about ministry
opportunities that the band has had?

Dale: Our music has spread world wide. We have reached people in India,
Africa, Brazil, Europe etc. We have toured Europe, Scandinavia and Brazil.
Throughout the years we have received hundreds of letters and thousands of
emails encouraging us because our music has helped so many people through
hard times in their lives. Our desire has always been to introduce the
public to the real Christ. Not necessarily the Christ that is preached
through tradition and doctrines of men but the one that can only be seen and
experienced through the spirit.

7. Do you have any favorite books you would recommend to readers of this
Newsletter?

Dale: I have enjoyed many books and writings in recent years by J. Preston
Eby. His writings can be found online through a search engine.

8.  Finally, would you be willing to share a testimony concerning how you
came to believe, and what God has done in your life and in your ministry
since that time?

Dale: I was born and raised in a Christian home by parents who took me and
my brother to church practically every Sunday. I made my first dedication to
Christ when I was about 12 years old. From there I followed the doctrines of
tradition church teachings getting involved in the Charismatic movement
And even doing a lot of ministering myself. But at the age of 35 years old
God stopped me in my tracks and refused to allow me to go any further with
the mindset that I was holding onto. Over the course of the next few years
He revealed Himself to me in such a way that His nature, His character His
very heart was clearly seen and understood. This reshaped my entire belief
system. I now view the world both carnal and spiritual in a different light
and have a greater love and appreciation for my heavenly Father than I could
have ever thought imaginable. Everything from heaven, hell, the devil, Adam
and Eve, The Book of Revelation, and even the end times are now looked at
entirely different than the way that I viewed them in the past. Without
going into deep personal beliefs I just would like to end with when the
Bible states that "God is love." This is what He is and all that He can ever
be.

Thank you again for your time and for all of the great Christian Metal songs
that Bride has recorded and shared with fellow believers in its history.
You have impacted many lives, and helped many people see the truth of the
Gospel.  I look forward to seeing what God may yet do in your life.