“I want people to love themselves, worship themselves, be their own god and their own judge because I believe no one else is coming to save us except ourselves and each other.”
WRITTEN BY JAE F (@_THEGHOULNEXTDOOR)When I first heard The Very Reverend’s music, I was hooked! The emotion and drive in his music and lyrics were something that instantly drew me in.
Since his move to California, he’s been writing hit after hit and making visually stunning DIY music videos that have garnered critical acclaim.
Get to know the California-based musician and watch his newest work of art in this Darkness Calling exclusive interview.
DARKNESS CALLING: How did The Very Reverend come into existence?
THE VERY REVEREND: I’ve been a musician all my life, but I became TVR when I started really focusing on the things that influence me most and chasing a way to combine them into a sound. I’m trying to make my favorite music and hope someone else out there feels it, too.
DC: In your opinion, what is the best and worst part of being an indie musician?
TVR: Being an indie musician in 2021 means doing everything DIY, or teaming up with other people doing the same. You have to find balance between being creative and managing a business; it’s both, and no one seems to be getting anywhere who doesn’t have a foot in both worlds. It’s a blessing and a curse; I continue to learn so many skills (directing and editing video, social media strategy, marketing, booking, tour management) but it’s a killer on your free time and sometimes your mental health. You have to find that balance and learn when to walk away for a bit, and I’m not so good at that.
“It’s a blessing and a curse... You have to find that balance and learn when to walk away for a bit, and I’m not so good at that.”
DC: How has the pandemic changed you as a musician?
TVR: I landed in California just before the pandemic hit, right as I started to get on my feet and make connections. I was so bummed. It was really a blessing, though; it gave me so much time to prioritize my art and focus on all those things we were just talking about. I spent so much time in the studio recording new songs, planning these music videos. I think the pandemic caused a shift in priorities for a lot of us. It was hard to go this long without playing a show, and I lost a lot of my dayjobs and income related to the industry along with so many of my friends. For me, it was eye-opening and made me hyper aware of what I wanna be doing while I’m on this planet, and now I’m not looking back.
DC: Like me, you moved from the East Coast to California. How has living in California shaped your music?
TVR: So many of my favorite bands and artists are either from here or made that classic pilgrimage to California. Being from such a cold climate never suited me and neither did the east coast vibe, so I was always dreaming of being here. My surroundings started to align with my insides when I got here, and I felt things fall into place for sure. Now I feel like I’m on the right path and just getting started.
“Now I feel like I’m on the right path and just getting started.”
DC: Who are your top three artists or bands (living or dead) with whom you would like to collaborate?
TVR: Trent Reznor, Johnny Goth, and Miley Cyrus.
DC: Your new single “HOLYGHOST” is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Gritty, raw, and full of heartbroken emotion. One of my favorite releases of 2021! Could you talk about the inspiration behind your new single, the new video that just dropped, and any new music on the horizon?
*Jae’s note: The new video is an incredible music video turned short horror film! Everything about this video screams high budget production, yet it is another stunning DIY work from The Very Reverend!*
TVR: Thank you so much! Musically, this song has influences all over the map — Bowie, Billie Eilish, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Idol, even Kanye. Lyrically, it’s a song about those inner demons we create when we pretend to be something we’re not in order to please someone else. I chose the name “The Very Reverend” as a stab at religious figures and organized religion, an ironic statement on pop culture worship, and how music is the closest thing to a religion I really believe in. Plus, it sounded gothic and vampirey and I like that. I really leaned into that symbolism on this song and the video, really hit it over the head. I want people to love themselves, worship themselves, be their own god and their own judge because I believe no one else is coming to save us except ourselves and each other.
TVR: For the video, I wanted to make a short horror film where this priest is like, a demon-possessed Patrick Bateman, the ultimate form of pretending to be something he’s not. Booked us a shitty motel room and decorated it like the place Richard Ramirez was hiding out in the 80’s. Tons of fake blood, a knife, an old flickering TV, a bathtub, prowling around in the dark in my band van — horror movie vibes!
I directed and edited, Kevin Gomez, Jr. and Jesse Mancillas shot it as a team on an iPhone (because I’m all about DIY and proving you don’t need a huge budget), Phil Mohr added some amazing visual effects like glowing eyes and the title sequence and — Voila! — we made a horror movie music video! Literally a dream come true for me.
DC: What’s next for The Very Reverend?
TVR: More singles, more videos, and hopefully collaborating with some other artists on music + videos, both theirs and mine. And DEFINITELY tours and shows. Just chasing the only dream I’ve ever had and doing it with as many talented people as I can!
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