Rend Collective

Rend Collective
Origin Bangor, Northern Ireland[1]
Genres Christian Experimental, folk rock, worship[2]
Years active 2007–present[2]
Labels Kingsway, Integrity,[2] Capitol Records CMG
Website www.rendcollectiveexperiment.com
Members
  • Gareth Gilkeson
  • Chris Llewellyn
  • Ali Gilkeson
  • Patrick Thompson
  • Stephen Mitchell
Past members
  • Bridget Herron
  • Will Herron

Rend Collective (formerly known as Rend Collective Experiment) is a Northern Irish Christian experimental, folk rock, worship band originating from Bangor, Northern Ireland.[1][2][3] The current lineup consists of Gareth Gilkeson, Chris Llewellyn, Ali Gilkeson, Patrick Thompson and Steve Mitchell. [2] Their first studio album Organic Family Hymnal was released on 28 September 2010.[4] Their second studio album Homemade Worship By Handmade People was released on 10 January 2012.[5] Both records were released by Kingsway.[2] Their first live album Campfire was released on 29 January 2013[6] with Integrity. Their fourth album, The Art of Celebration, was released on 14 March 2014.

Background

Establishment

The band was established under the name of Rend Collective Experiment between 2002-2003 at Bangor Elim Church at during a point in which drummer Gareth Gilkeson described as "a bunch of us trying to figure out life."[3][7] While the group comprises over 15 members, the band tours and records with 6 members.[3][7] The remaining members are there for support and to encourage the band "spiritually, musically, and missionally."[3][7] They explained noticing a sense of hostility from the modern culture towards the church and Christians therefore sought to create music that would draw those such individuals spiritually and encourage them to come back to church.[3][7]

Tour

Rend Collective was on the And If Our God Is for Us... Tour with Chris Tomlin and Christy Nockels in the Spring of 2011.[1] They toured with Kari Jobe on the Majestic Tour.[8]

More recently, Rend Collective has toured with the RESET Movement, as part of their musical ministry involving Lacey Sturm (formerly of Flyleaf); spoken-word artist Propaganda; worship leader Dave Lubben; DJ Efechto; International House of Prayer worship artist Matt Gilman; and singer/songwriter Morgan Harper Nichols.[9]

Music

Organic Family Hymnal

Gareth explained the term organic means the music "came from a very deep place with God."[7]

According to Gareth, the most powerful song on the album is "You Bled", which he said "'It came from a point of awareness of our own faults and our own issues then getting to a place of simplicity. In the middle we take the saying from the kids' song, 'Yes, Jesus loves me'. I felt when we first started doing it that it was a bit simplistic for those who are slightly more cynical and 'cool'. It was a bit weird for them. But we came to the point where we thought, 'This is really it, Jesus loves me, this is the simplicity of what our faith is and we don't need to dress it up'.'"[3]

Gareth told the song "Exalt" was "coming from a point of 'I don't know but you might'. Sometimes when we go into worship we come up with so many walls and the first verse is just letting them drop and just saying to God, 'We can't hide from you.' Then the chorus, 'I exalt you, you're the colour of my world,' that just does it for me. Life is grey but with God in our lives it becomes full of colour. The chorus is the important part where we are talking to the Lord, when we are exalting him. Sometimes in some worship songs we get distracted from that. But in this song that's what we focus on."[3]

The song "Movements" is "a deep commitment song that says we won't walk away after a time of loss and suffering."[7]

Homemade Worship by Handmade People

The album is fairly different musically from their debut. There seems to be more of an influence from the burgeoning alternative folk rock scene with a sound similar to that of Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers amongst others.

The song "You Are My Vision" is a translation of the song "Be Thou My Vision", which the Gilkeson said "'as we translated the song from the Irish and the Old English, we soon realized the true meaning of the words were starting to get lost in our culture'".[10] Furthermore, Gilkeson said "'This is not a song of longing and asking God to 'be our vision,' but it is a song of declaration and faith. We say to God with strength, trust and humanity that 'You are my vision, You are my wisdom… You are my battle shield.'"[10]

The song "Second Chance" according to Gareth is about the redemptive power of the Cross and not wallow in "failures and personal mistakes", but about seeing the Cross for what it truly represents, which is "about the grace of God and not about the Law of God."[11] Gareth said the Bible verses used in the song come for John 8:10-12.[11]

Campfire

Campfire includes live, outdoor recordings of songs previously released on Organic Family Hymnal and Homemade Worship by Handmade People. The audience for the recording were crowd-sourced using Facebook and Twitter.[6]

The Art of Celebration

Their third studio album, The Art of Celebration, was released on 17 March 2014.[12]

Campfire Christmas (Vol. 1)

Their fourth studio album, Campfire Christmas (Vol. 1), released 19 November 2014.[13]

Members

Current
Former


Discography

Year Album Peak chart positions
Top
Christian		 Top
Heatseekers		 US
Christian
2010 Organic Family Hymnal
  • Released: 28 September 2010
  • Label: Kingsway
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 47[14] — —
2012 Homemade Worship by Handmade People
  • Released: 10 January 2012
  • Label: Kingsway
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 23[15] 14[15] —
2013 Campfire
  • Released: 29 January 2013
  • Label: Integrity
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 7[16] — 1[17]
2014 The Art of Celebration
  • Released: 17 March 2014
  • Label: Integrity
  • Format: CD, Digital download
 1[18] — —

Singles

Year Title Chart peaks Album
US Christian Songs
2012 "Second Chance" 24[19] Homemade Worship by Handmade People
2013 "Build Your Kingdom Here" 27[20]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 CMSpin (31 March 2011). "Rend Collective Experiment Tour With Chris Tomlin". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Jesus Freak Hideout. "Rend Collective Experiment artist profile". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Cummings, Tony (26 February 2010). "Rend Collective Experiment: Bringing a fresh approach to worship music". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  4. ↑ Jesus Freak Hideout (28 September 2010). "Organic Family Hymnal album". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  5. ↑ Jesus Freak Hideout (10 January 2012). "Homemade Worship By Handmade People album". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Campfire by Rend Collective Experiment | CD Reviews And Information". NewReleaseTuesday.com. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Hoernschemeyer, Emily (1 October 2010). "Unrestricted: Finding Community in Organic Worship". CCM Magazine. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Kari Jobe Reveals Majestic Tour!".
  9. ↑ RESET Movement description, incl. Rend Collective from Turning Point News Today, accessed 20 May 2014
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Van Pelt, Doug. "Rend Collective Experiment offers new translation…". HM. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Davis, Kevin (21 February 2012). "#294 - "Second Chance" by Rend Collective Experiment". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "Album Release Dates, CD New Releases". Jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "Campfire Christmas (Vol. 1)". iTunes. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  14. ↑ Billboard (9 April 2011). "Rend Collective Experiment Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Billboard (28 January 2012). "Homemade Worship by Handmade People - Rend Collective Experiment". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  16. ↑ "Rend Collective Experiment - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  17. ↑ "Rend Collective Experiment's Campfire Digital Recording From Integrity Music Sparks No. 1 On iTunes Over 3 Months After Its Release : BC News : breathecast". Breathecast.christianpost.com. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  18. ↑ "Rend Collective Experiment - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  19. ↑ Billboard (21 April 2012). "Second Chance - Rend Collective Experiment". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  20. ↑ Rend Collective Experiment chart history

External links