Drawing us in with an intricate drum roll and an ad lib of “hey ho!”, John Deering’s Strip Mall Jesus serves as a poignant reminder of the reality that we face with the juxtaposition of remaining spiritually aligned and falling into the abyss of darkness. There is a raw sensibility and unrivalled authenticity that the song exudes due to its history.
The source of the concept of the song is rooted in a rather alarming tale. John confesses, “It started as a jam session when [his friend] Jonathan shared a story that hit like a gut punch. When he was ten years old, his best friend got into an argument with his older brother. The older brother went to their dad’s sock drawer, pulled out a loaded revolver and shot Jonathan’s friend dead.”
We eventually learn that the shooter is now a Strip Mall Jesus, which is essentially a pastor holding services in a strip mall. Haunted by the story, John wrote the powerful song, told from the perspective of Jonathan and John’s own long term animosity. The reverent energy of the song also comes from John’s my pent up creativity, which is highly tangible when you listen to the song. His inspired return to music feels timely, conscious and fierce.
There is also a vibe that manifests which taps into the notion of consumerism, the darkness of religion and also a sense of cathartic forgivingness, which is pretty profound. Although rooted in tragedy, the song itself is kind of a vibe – rock arena ready and holding a timeless energy that we can connect with.
We love John Deering’s brand of narrative-driven story telling, it makes for a great unique selling point for the artist and the middle eight taps into a more meditative vibe where the acoustic guitar really gets to shine, before an anthemic finale. Learning about the recording process is also fascinating, as the song was created in Deering’s basement studio.
He tells us, “The recording took place with my “gamers” computer, Pro Tools, a few guitars, a keyboard, and a trusty Neumann microphone. I became frustrated with the sound quality of the takes. I needed a vocal booth to control the sound as I recorded. I took a small bathroom in the basement, about 3 feet by 8 feet, draped blankets, towels, and a rug along the walls, and placed my microphone in the centre. I was able to get my vocals recorded in this unique space. My daughter’s dubbed it the Shudio, an obvious mash up of two words.”
The boundless energy of drummer Peter Anderson is evident in the song, and John also collaborated with Soul Asylum guitarist Ryan Smith who mentored him on Strip Mall Jesus. Fans of 90s grunge legends such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden will also be able to connect with the DNA of track. We have added Strip Mall Jesus to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we anticipate future releases from John Deering!