Christian Music Online

ApologetiX That Christian parody band

February 16, 2008 – 11:37 am

ApologetiX is sometimes called the “Weird Al” Yankovic of Christian rock.

Cofounder J. Jackson takes songs of artists like Eminem and puts a Christian spin on them. The Eminem parodies are among the band’s most popular, Jackson said. “It’s an ideal parody because a parody by nature is not outright funny, it is ironic,” he said.

ApologetiX , also known as ” That Christian parody band ,” is bringing its brand of humor to the Fox Valley at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Elburn. The concert is sponsored by Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles for its refugee resettlement efforts in the Fox Valley.

Formed in 1993, the Pittsburgh-based band found success locally after a breakout performance in 1999 at a Rockford festival. The band has produced 15 albums and written more than 600 song parodies of hard rock, rap, country and punk.

“We’ve done everything you can imagine, from classic rock to Led Zeppelin. Anything you can imagine, we’ve tried,” Jackson said.

Jackson is the lead vocalist with Keith Haynie on bass guitar, Jimmy Tanner on drums, and Bill Hubauer on lead guitar and keys.

Some of the songs are humorous, but that doesn’t mean band members don’t take their faith seriously.

“We take the Bible very seriously; we just don’t take ourselves very seriously,” Jackson said. “If someone comes to our concerts, by the time we are done, there is no doubt where we stand. They will see just because you are Christian, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.”

Jackson became a born-again Christian 20 years ago on Super Bowl Sunday. He had been exploring his spirituality but could not connect with God. He went through a period of living a hedonistic lifestyle, to being agnostic, to being an atheist as he searched for meaning in his life, he said. He tried reading the Bible but did not understand it.

He walked into an empty church and poured his heart out to the Lord, Jackson said.

“‘If you are real, I need you in my life,’” he said. “I left that church. I wasn’t glowing or anything, but in the month after, things changed. I picked up the Bible and I understood it.”

ApologetiX formed a few years later at a Bible study Jackson had attended. It just started out as guys hanging out together for fellowship and turned into a career. He also wanted to learn and memorized parables in the Bible and thought music was a good way to do that.

“Music is a great way to remember things,” the 43-year-old said, adding he learned grammar tips from School House Rock.

Baker Memorial’s Ben Adams organized the concert and said word of mouth has been spreading about the band. He has not seen the band live but has downloaded some of its songs, which he likes.

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