The Newsleader - 9/2/98

Royston, GA

'Filet of Soul' is Serving it Up
by Sean Williamson

Emmanuel College has a reputation for outstanding music. Each year groups from the school minister to the student body, travel the state, country and world over delivering their message.

Four men also with ties to the college, have taken another route in order to get their music and their message out to the world: they are releasing an album.

Brothers Greg and Adam Beadles, Randy Chester, and Cornelius Freeman make up Filet of Soul, a group with a sound almost as eclectic as they are. Their CD, called Incommunicado, will be released September 12 in record stores everywhere.

The band says that their music appeals to everyone, "We have everything from piano to strings, saxophone to oboe on this album." But what exactly is their sound? "That is the hardest question we have been faced with." Freeman said. "We call it acoustic based alt-folk-funk rock."

So much for the sound - what is the message? Chester said, "We are all Christians, but we are not playing in all Christian venues. We are trying to get our music to people who are lost."

And that is just what the band will do with their release of this CD. Not only will they be promoting the CD on tour all over the region, but stores like Best Buy, Tower Records, as well as Christian bookstores like LifeSprings, will be selling the band's wares.

"Jesus mixed with sinners," said Freeman. Chester added, "And it is not fair that Christian musicians are judged for playing to secular audiences. This is our occupation. People don't judge a Christian Coca-Cola driver for delivering Coke to a bar."

The band, which has only been together since January, will be delivering their sound on Christian radio stations across the country soon, too. "We are releasing the single, 'Filet of Soul' to Christian modern rock stations. Hopefully it will get a lot of air time," Greg Beadles said.

If Filet of Soul sounds a little out-of-the-ordinary for a band, it may surprise you that the meaning is fairly straightforward. Greg explained, "It is being exposed to the inner core. Just like you would filet a fish - the Word is like a two-edged sword, able to divide the soul and spirit."

Greg, who wrote most of the songs on the CD, saw a problem with people trying to communicate with God. "Many of the songs speak to our inability to communicate effectively."

That is not a problem these men will have on their new album, though. The message comes through in a clear and powerful way."