INTERVIEW WITH MAGGIE ENGLISH, BASSIST/VOCALIST FOR GOLD, FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH (AKA GFM)

 

Gold Frankincese and Myrrh (GFM): L=R Lulu (drums), Maggie (vocals, bass), and CJ (vocals/guitar)

Yes, another band I discovered as a member of Female Christian Rock & Metal FB group. This group is the group known as Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh, or for short, GFM. I'm honored to interview Maggie English, the bass player and vocalist. The rest of the band is her sisters CJ on guitar and vocals and LuLu on drums.

JR: Welcome to the blog, Maggie. I'd like to start with asking how you to introduce yourselves. How did you all come to Christ, and did you get interested in music? 

ME: Thank you for having us! We had the privilege of growing up in a Christian family, so we were introduced to Jesus at a very young age. Each of us had a time in our lives when we decided we wanted to figure this faith thing out and make sure we weren’t just believing it because our parents did. Obviously, we still are learning every day and trying to grow closer to God, but around middle childhood is when each of us really established our faith.  

We were introduced to music by our parents, and our music teachers actually introduced us to the heavier style of music we play today. We got the chance to go to Welcome to Rockville in 2014, and seeing those bands that day helped us decide our music style!  

JR: I believe you have a new EP coming out. Could you tell us about both the project and the title track, "Framing My Perception?" 

ME: We are very excited for everyone to hear the songs from "Framing My Perception." We always want to create songs that are raw and personal, and we were able to discuss issues of complacency in the church and root issues that tear relationships apart.  

The song "Framing My Perception" is really a call to arms. It encourages people to take a step back in order to re-evaluate their current situation. If we view things as a way to learn and overcome, we become stronger and more resilient.  

JR: As I looked at your web-page about your tours, there are
three venues/tours that I'm curious about your experiences there: 

1. The Axes and Anchors cruise (what was it like performing on a boat)?
2. The festivals in Germany (both my wife and I went on Mission trips to Germany). 
3. The current Save The World tour with Fozzy. 

ME: The Axes and Anchors cruise was one of the first major events we performed at. It was strange playing while a boat was moving, and we had to make a conscious effort not to fall over on stage. But there was free ice cream! 

The festivals in Germany are always a blast, and we’ve formed such a lovely family over there. The crowds are crazy, and it’s always fun to see them getting into the show. We’ve had moshing at acoustic shows, people backflipping into the crowd, and crowdsurfing! We also had the opportunity to lead worship in one of the churches there, and it was such a beautiful experience.  

The Save The World tour with Fozzy was another surreal experience. We were met with packed out venues each night, and the road family we joined was so supportive. The boys in Fozzy and their manager Avery were such a blessing to travel with! 

JR: I've always believed that Christian musicians on the
cutting edge are on the front lines of spiritual warfare, since they are invading the enemy's territory. Where do you all find spiritual strength? What type of spiritual support do you have? 

ME: Being sisters and family on the road, we have learned to become a unit. We’ve learned how to be open and communicate with each other and hold each other accountable. Because of the pandemic, our churches also provide online streams, so we’re able to attend church while on the road.  We make it a goal of ours to stay involved with Bible reading as well.  

JR: Related to the above, how has God worked in your ministry? What areas of growth have there been since you started working on "Identity Crisis" back in 2016? And how have you been able to encourage others during the pandemic as well as everyday life? 

ME: Any progress that GFM has made is because of God intervening on our behalf. The opportunities we have received can only be explained in that way. 

We’ve been able to speak with so many people and walk alongside them on their recovery journey, and it’s just been a blessing to be used by God in this way. We try to make sure we are always available at shows and online, so that people can have the chance to talk to us if they’d like.  

JR: Thank you very much for your time, and may the Lord bless your ministry. I know you'll be at the Kingdom Come Festival in Kokomo this year (playing Friday, June 17th; unfortunately I won't be able to make that day). How can everybody keep up with what's new with you ladies? 

ME: Make sure to follow us @thegfmband on all social media sites (such as our Facebook page)! Information goes there first, and we are very active! Our webpage is https://www.thegfmband.com. Let us know if you have any questions, and please don’t hesitate to reach out!