This week we catch up with a Petra fan and an all-around nice girl. (Editor's note: This interview took place in early 2005 before Petra announced the band would retire.)
Sue, tell us what you've been up to.
I sort of have a dual life: Working woman by day; booking agent and John Schlitt's website manager at night!
I'm employed both at the Sheboygan Area School District and The Sheboygan Press. During the evenings (and when I can sneak in a few emails during the day) I work on booking, answering emails and working on johnschlitt.net, though that has taken a back seat, simply because I don't have as much time as I used to.
If anyone wants to contact me, I have enough info on johnschlitt.net that they can find me easily enough.
Sue, let's get right to it, we know you help book John Schlitt for solo shows, but didn't you book Petra also? What happened to that?
Yes, I did book a few Petra shows in addition to Schlitt shows. I was actually hired to book John as a soloist, not Petra, but I found that as I called promoters about John, they wanted all of Petra. So I sort of morphed into someone who could book Petra also, though John solo has always been my main objective.
When Petra was "restructured" (the time Louie was let go and Bob came back on the road), I was told that I wasn't to book Petra anymore … I was given no real explanation, other than I wasn't "following the rules" or "being a team player," whatever that meant.
How long have you been a Petra fan? Which album do you listen to the most?
I first learned about Christian music in 1993, and Petra was one of the first bands that really caught my ear.
"Revival" has been in the CD player most often. It's a very special album for me that came out at a special time in my life. I got to listen to it before it was released as I drove John up to Sheboygan for the first "Pethead Convention." I set up a lot of radio interviews for John and really helped to push the CD as best I could; it didn't do as well as we all hoped, but it's still a great album in my book.
We know you've been down to Peoria, Ill. (Mirror Image), and we know you've heard most of John's solo CD being recorded there. Why hasn't it been released? Which do you think will come first: Armageddon or the release of this CD?
Yes, I heard the songs a few years ago and they were wonderful (would I say otherwise?) … No, seriously, I really do think they were great. Basically, I don't think this CD has been released yet because of Petra. John has been concentrating so much on keeping Petra alive, that he has more or less put his solo career on hold.
With Bob back in the picture, I know there are concerns about a solo album that could possibly cause friction or confusion, as when "Shake" came out. Many people thought John was quitting Petra when he put out his first solo album, which certainly wasn't the case.
Petra is still surviving and is still out there doing concerts, but it's not like it was in the 'glory days.' Things are slower now, and I feel that it's time for John to start concentrating more on his solo work — and I've told him that. After seeing and hearing him at a men's conference in Rushville, Ill. (yes, I, a female, had permission to attend and tape his speech), I am even more convinced that the Lord has yet another direction He will move John into. But it will be in His timing.
I do feel that the album will be released before Armageddon … but John had better hurry up!
How did you get involved in the Petra Convention. Can we expect another one?
(laughs) The term was actually the "Pethead" Convention, dubbed by someone on the Petra Zone messageboard in 2001. It started out with a mini-festival in my town, Sheboygan, that I was part of. I brought John into it, and also the band "Antioch." Antioch was made up of a major Petra fan and his friends, and they eventually turned into "Andband." I also brought a mime group, consisting of another Petra fan and his troupe.
As we talked about it on the Zone, more people wanted to come to see John and the other "performing Petheads," so it turned into somewhat of a "convention," albeit not intentionally.
We had a fan named Elo fly in from Mexico; Yoli, from Bolivia, came by bus from the East Coast; Sam came from New Mexico; Brian came from Arkansas; Josh came from St. Louis — people from all over the country drove, flew, and bused on over. It was a blast!
We had another "Convention" in 2003 here in Sheboygan. It was the same type of scenario. This time we added Shell from California, Tim and Andrea from Minnestoa, Dez from Michigan, and all kinds of others. John did a concert with Andband, and I had a houseful of people from all over the country.
Another convention? I'd love to do it! It's basically a matter of funding and the cost involved in promoting a show. Anyone have a few thousand laying around? I can stretch a buck like you wouldn't believe and make it happen, with God's help!
You were involved in booking the "Revolution" tour with Liberty n' Justice, but nothing ever panned out. Did the promoters just not get it?
There definitely was interest, though not as much as I thought there would be. I think it was more a matter of coordinating the promoter's requests with the different artists and their availability. Most promoters wanted the 'big name' artists instead of the lesser-knowns, which made it difficult since those artists already had their own agents, their own schedules, etc.
We offered package deals, but scheduling and communications with managers and the like proved to be a hindrance. It's too bad, because it was a good idea that just didn't work out.
What do you think of John getting involved with "outside" projects like "Welcome to the Revolution" and "Project: Damage Control"?
I think it's a great idea. While neither project are John's, per se, it's a great way to get his name out there and it certainly helps promote the projects to have a four-time Grammy winner singing on them. You sure can't beat that for credibility.
Tell us the three highest and three lowest points of your life to date.
Oh boy, only three? Since we're talking about me being involved in a musical sense, I'll restrict my answers to that scenario.
Highest:
- Seeing months of work on promoting my first concert come to fruition when Greg X. Volz sang the opening strains of "More Power To Ya."
- Getting my first Petra booking and receiving the deposit check made out to "Sue Dempster - Nova Productions."
- Obtaining a copy of "Double Take" before its release and then seeing my name in the liner notes the night before I was to pick up John and bring him to Sheboygan for a solo concert. I never expected to see that. Being able to tell him "thank you" in person the next day was a definite high point for me.
Lowest:
- Having the original johnschlitt.com website shut down and totally disappear with no warning by the host server owner.
- Battling for control of johnwschlitt.com. By the way I still hold the passwords and codes.
- Standing in line and having to pay as a fan to get into a Petra concert when I was the one who made the contact with the promoter in the first place, talking with him many times as a booking agent — and then wasn't allowed to book the show.
What do you spiritually believe?
I believe in the Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that Jesus is true God and also true man who was sent by the Father to suffer and die for our sins and who rose again. If we accept this by the power of the Holy Spirit and confess our sins, believing that Jesus took our place on the cross and paid our death penalty, we will be saved and spend eternity with Him in heaven.
The last of Sue Dempster:
Last time you spoke with John Schlitt?
This week
Last time you visited the Petra Zone?
Today
Last TV show you watched?
Animal Precinct — I love the Animal Planet channel.
Last time you and Justin talked on the phone and he kept talking over you?
(laughs) Actually, it's been a long time since we spoke — emails are more frequent.
Last interview that you've done?
As the interviewer or the interviewee? I've never been interviewed before, but I've conducted interviews with various people in the past for newspapers, magazines, and websites like the old PetraFanClub.com and of course, JohnWSchlitt.com
Last time you were mad at Petra's management?
(laughs) You are too much! You would ask that!
Well, I get mad every time I hear about a new Petra concert date and I have to beg the Petheads for information to put on johnwschlitt.com, because I get nothing from management. Not only that, but it makes it very difficult to piggy-back a Schlitt solo date off a Petra date in that area if I don't know when and where Petra is going to be playing.
What does the future hold for Sue Dempster?
I wish I knew! Proverbs 16:9 says "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." So really, I have no idea what the future holds. I know what I'd like it to hold and that is more booking for John; I'm praying that it would increase enough so that I could drop my second job at the Press and concentrate on getting him out there solo. It's been so slow because all the concentration has been on Petra and I simply haven't had the time to push the booking.
And finally, a Liberty n' Justice 4-ALL word association. We will mention a name or thing, and you give us your thoughts:
Promoters of concerts in general
The most under-rated group in all of the music scene. They take all the risk. A promoter does all the coordinating for months, putting all their money on the line and hoping that people will show up for the concert. If a crowd appears, great; the promoter will get paid well for their efforts. But if they don't, they've lost a big chunk of change. I used to promote shows. It's by far the riskiest business, but also one of the most rewarding.
John Schlitt (Petra lead singer)
John is very aware of the talent that the Lord has given him and responsibility that goes along with it. He takes great care to fulfill his obligation to his fans; for example, he's always the last one to leave the autograph table. He loves his family dearly and is very devoted to his wife and kids. John is a fun guy to hang around with — and he loves to eat! He definitely gets his money's worth here at the New China 8 Chinese Buffet! (laughs) He can take a lot of ribbing and he can certainly dish it out too! I've been the heckler and the heckled! We have shared quite a bit over the years and have a very special friendship. How it all came to be is certainly a God-thing.
Sam Scales (singer)
My "soul-sister." We met on the Petra Zone and had an instant connection the first time we saw each other in person. Sam has a heart of gold and loves the Lord with all her heart. She's a great friend and we keep each other up late yapping on the cell phone until all hours of the night!
Gary Manuel (producer)
A great guy. The first time I met him he was so friendly and nice to Sam and I. I was a total stranger but he welcomed us in, showed us his wonderful recording studio and the Petra Grammy statues. But why were they there?
Josh Renaud (our webmaster)
He met his future wife in person for the first time in my house! He was at the first "Pethead Convention" as was Yoli. John Schlitt was in the house, too. But Josh, a major Petra fan and webmaster of Petra Rocks My World, greeted John ever so briefly, then went downstairs to find Yoli. We didn't see him for the rest of the evening!
Louie Weaver (Former Petra drummer)
A real sweetie of a guy. Louie would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. Louie's kids and his wife Penny are the priority in his life. Louie and Penny make a perfect couple! He has a great sense of humor and can really put you in stitches and she plays right along with it. On the flip side, Louie tells it like it is, with no holds barred — and at times that personality trait has come back to haunt him. He is still hurting from the split with Petra and I hope that one day he and John can reconcile.
Brent Handy (Project: Damage Control)
I've never met him in person, just on the phone and through email. He pretty much knows what he's talking about and has been around the block a few times. I give him credit for following his dream and putting together an indie project like he did. That takes a lot of work and dedication.
Bob Hartman (Petra)
Song-writer extraordinaire whose writing talents put Petra on the map. He has a lot of business saavy. How else could Petra have survived all these years? I've met him a number of times. He's a very quiet guy who doesn't talk too much, but he does answer email!
Eloisa Palacios (ELO at the Petra Zone)
My Little Mexican Jumping Bean! When she was only 17, she flew up from Mexico to Wisconsin all by herself to meet us for the first "Pethead Convention." You gotta give credit to a person who would fly to a foreign country to meet people she knows only from a chat board. That takes a lot of guts and trust in the Lord.
Wayne Seboa (Petra's manager)
Oh, you would ask! (laughs) Well, it's no secret that he and I do not see eye-to-eye and probably never will. I think he has Petra's best interest at heart, but his brash manner in dealing with the public turns people off. It's basically an "agree to disagree" situation between us, and contact is kept to a minimum, other than working on contracts for John's solo dates. To Wayne's credit, he was instrumental in obtaining a record deal for Petra with Inpop a few years ago. Being related to the label's owner probably helped!