Jim (Pure Zine) interviews Sean Patterson (July 2001)

Jim:
What is your band name and how long have you been playing together?

Sean:
Forever Moon, we have been playing together since January of 1999.

Jim:
What style of music do you play, and why did you choose this style?

Sean:
I think we are considered pop/rock. We chose this style through playing and writing. I think we always had pop and rock elements to our music but started out playing acoustic gigs and that eventually developed into the use of electric guitars and songs that have more of a modern pop/rock sound.

Jim:
Where are you from?

Sean:
Baltimore, Maryland

Jim:
Number of members in the band and their names?

Sean:
We have 4 band members:
Scott Patterson- Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals
Sean Patterson- Electric Guitars, BGV's
Colin McGough- Bass Guitar, BGV's
John Newberry- Drums/Percussion, BGV's

Jim:
How many albums have you recorded and when is the next one due out?

Sean:
We have recorded one 5-song EP which was released in November 2000. The next album will include more songs and is tentatively scheduled to be out next winter/spring.

Jim:
Your record label?

Sean:
Independent

Jim:
What makes your band unique ... different from other bands?

Sean:
We have a sound that I believe is different from most Christian Bands. I think we have developed our own sound that really grooves well. We also play a lot of shows in stripped down acoustic sets so we can play everything from a mellow coffeehouse type set, to a full out rock show. Our songs are also not just about religion. We promote positive lyrics but write songs that pertain to many different topics as well. I feel that along with our interactive shows and personality, those traits make us unique.

Jim:
What do you enjoy the most about performing?

Sean:
The part of performing that we like the most is getting the crowd involved with what we are doing, whether they are singing along or clapping, having them involved with the show is a key element of what we do. It's also great to be able to talk to people after the show or during breaks in the set, one on one interaction builds relationships and allows us to form a bond with the audience.

Jim:
How does Jesus fit in? Do you consider yourself a ministry first and a band second?

Sean:
Well, obviously we are all Christians in the band so Jesus definitely is an influence on us and our music. We think of ourselves more as a band of Christians rather than a "Christian Band". Most of our songs have connections to our faith but more importantly share positive lyrics with others through songs about relationships and struggles. They are open enough to interpretation and allow the listener to draw their own conclusions about the song and thus make the song that much more personal to them.

Jim:
What bands influence you the most?

Sean:
It varies by band member. Some that have influenced me are Tonic, Vertical Horizon, Bon Jovi and Smalltown Poets.

Jim:
What and where was your most memorable performance?

Sean:
The Lambjam 2000 festival in Delaware. We played a 45 minute set and the crowd was huge and really into it. We had a couple thousand people jumping up and down with us and it looked pretty cool from on stage.