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This week, Deeper Well presents a showcase co-headlined by Vice and singer-songwriter Josh Garrels and featuring the debut of Way's new solo project. WW spoke to Way about the difficulties of promoting overtly religious music in a secular city, being branded "hipster church music" and how much of Christian music is about selling Jesus to nonbelievers.
WW: What's the label's mission statement?
Evan Way: The goal is pretty simple. We're just trying to provide quality music about our faith and about Jesus, and specifically we're trying to do it in a way that's different in format from what a lot of mainstream Christian music has been—not just as far as musical style, but providing it for free, or as close to free as we can.
The label branched out of the Door of Hope church in Northeast Portland, which has been referred to as a "hipster church." I can't imagine that's a branding you've embraced.
Our aesthetic is just a result of the people who work here and who we are. It appeals to a broader audience than hipsters. That just happens to be the thing you notice when you come in, that there are a lot of artistic-looking people here, which can apparently be spun into a bad thing. "What? They're playing music that's good? Then they're a hipster church." Shouldn't we be playing music that's good?
How much has Parson Red Heads been an outlet for your faith?
Definitely, Parson Red Heads has never had overtly Christian material, but I don't think it's very hard for people to gather the undertones, if they're paying attention. But I've never felt a desire to push Parson Red Heads as Christian music or worship music. It's music that's important to me and songs that mean a lot to me and are the result of my worldview, but what I do with Deeper Well is a little more specific.
What is the purpose of your brand of praise music? Are you trying to convert people?
That's the big question. I've been working on these specific songs for the past three years, and it's the first time I've tried to write actual, overt songs about my faith. I've struggled with the idea of: "Should these even be recorded, or are they just to be sung by the church?" And I guess I still go back and forth on that a little bit, because I don't want to ever let my desire for people to like my music mix with my desire to sing about Jesus. It's a dangerous place for a Christian artist to be in. I don't think Christian music or praise music—however you want to label it—could possibly convert someone who wasn't curious and seriously considering Christianity. I don't think it's any substitution for hearing the Gospels preached as far as "bringing someone to Christianity."
What has it been like trying to do this music and get these ideas across in Portland? Could you have done Deeper Well in L.A.?
Well, I don't think it's any more friendly toward Christianity than Southern California, if you catch my drift. But I think the image of Portland being unchurched is not entirely accurate. There's 1,000 people who go to our church every week, and we're not the only church in town, certainly. There are personal challenges in it, like for me, navigating what it means to release Christian music alongside releasing Parsons music. You can't help but think, "I hope they don't put some label on me and assume I'm something I'm not—from either camp, really."
SEE IT: Evan Way plays Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave., with Josh Garrels, Liz Vice and Wesley Randolph Eader, on Friday, Dec. 19. 7:30 pm. $15. Under 21 permitted with legal guardian.
WWeek 2015