AEffect: Music on purpose

By Ben Lockridge
THE MERIDIAN STAR (MERIDIAN, Miss.)

June 01, 2007 04:03 pm

— The members of AEffect say there is no right way to say their name.
Guitarist, Richard Anderson says it’s up for interpretation.
"The name just hit me late one night. The music we play is because of the effect of God’s love, and we want that to affect our listeners,” Anderson said.
The five-member rock band started out when guitarist Tyler Thomas and drummer Korey Waller decided to have a jam session.
“We started playing in one band, then later quit, and started this band. We got Allen Parker, our bassist, and then soon we had Richard Anderson and Brian Caples,” Thomas said. “I think the approach in our band is different from the bands I was in before. Most bands seemed to just play music, and then you wouldn’t see them until next week. With us, we’re all best friends besides just being in a band.”
Within their music, their message is that life can be hard even as a Christian. Lead singer Caples talks about an issue he’s passionate about.
“I’m really concerned about the suicide rate among young people. Depression is a huge deal with youth today," he said. "There are so many kids I know that deal with it. It’s something I personally try to get across in our music, that there is a purpose for you, you’re not alone, a lot of people have felt the way you have before. We’re trying to teach them that there is love in Jesus Christ”
Parker said listeners will find one commone theme in all AEffect’s music.
“Every one of our songs is based around a positive message, and that’s the most important thing to me. Whether it’s a Christian message or not, there will be some kind of life lesson,” Parker said.
Richard Anderson says that while AEffect’s music maintains a positive message that it’s not sugar coated.
“When we perform, we start with music that displays the darker moments of life, but we always end with a message of hope," he said. "We try to show the audience that no matter how hard life gets that there is always hope."

Ben Lockridge writes for The Meridian (Miss.) Star.