Long before it became a fad, Superchic[k], which just hit the road for the Free Experience tour with ZOEgirl and Joy Williams, is well aware of its pulpit—the platform that so naturally comes with being on stage. They take that responsibility seriously, and their message of God's love and grace is getting through—loud and clear—to thousands of teen girls. The band's songs have appeared in dozens of movies and TV programs, including a recent spot on "Joan of Arcadia." They've been on a run and haven't slowed down. Although we couldn't get the whole band to slow down for 15 minutes, I did manage to sit down with Tricia's sister Melissa, a former college friend who's now one of Superchic[k]'s guitarists. After talking about the good old days at Judson College, we got down to talking about music—and the ministry that comes along with it.

Are you still surprised when your music pops up on TV shows and movies?

Melissa Brock: It surprises us every time. I don't quite understand it. Whenever anybody asks us about God's hand on Superchic[k], we say it's such a God thing, because there are so many bands out there that write great music and play more than we do. We've had so many opportunities and open doors to meet the right people at the right place—it's not coincidence. We know God has a hand in that.

Can you describe an example of your reaction?

Brock: Trish and I were just talking about that the other morning. We got into the hotel and turned on the TV. We turned on "The Real World." They were playing one of our songs and we both just kind of sat there and looked at each other. We kept pointing and looking. We're like, "It's just so weird to hear it in that context." It's just really cool and very humbling.

Your music is relevant to this culture, addressing important issues. What are some the issues you want to speak out about?

Brock: We wrote a song ("Real") on Last One Picked for a girl who was picked on at school and just didn't want to go on. We later had contact with her at some shows, and she was like, "You guys have changed my life." This is a 14-year-old girl who was dealing with such pressure and suicidal thoughts. To hear a girl say, "I put on your record and I don't want to kill myself" is just amazing. It gave me chills. It's really cool to think you can be used in that way.

Any other stories like that?

Brock: We met another girl recently. At our shows, I usually talk about things that I've gone through, and that I dealt with anorexia in high school. I share how God helped me through that. And this girl came up after the show and said, "I've seen you guys like ten times. I love you. I want to let you know I'm a recovering anorexic because I came to your show and because you talked. Then you talked to me afterwards about it. Because of that time you spent with me, I went and got help, and God totally changed my life."

Anorexia was a hard thing for me to deal with. But God used that. Girls come up to me all the time telling me the same thing: I'm going through this and I didn't think anybody else understood me. Can you pray with me? Can you help me? It's cool to know that you're not just about music, that our music helps at a deeper level to change people's lives because of God's love for them.

Have you written a song about your struggles with anorexia?

Brock: No, but there's a song in me to write about my experiences, and I know it. We haven't been at a place where we felt like we could be that vulnerable—at least to where kids could listen to it. But now enough kids have listened to our previous stuff want to hear more of those stories. They want to hear how I did deal with anorexia and came through it. They want to hear about how Trisha dealt with really bad acne in high school, and that made her not want to wake up every morning. So, I think we're going to take a lot more time for writing songs that are much more about our lives.

Tell me about your relationship with your sister?

Brock: It's cool, because there was definitely a period of time in our lives, probably up until the time I was 16, that we didn't like each other at all. It was the sibling thing: We don't get along. You tell on me for everything. You're obnoxious.

It wasn't until I left for college that we started to be friends. From then on it's just gotten better. It was cool because we started to be friends, and then we were in the band together. We have been together every day pretty much for the past five years, and I honestly believe there couldn't be a better friend than she is. To be able to share something with somebody that's your family, for one thing, is a cool thing. And then having that sister thing, we're so alike that we just know each other. It's freaky. There's just such a comfort in having her there. She's amazing.

It's funny. I'm the older sister, but I look up to her so much because she's just a beautiful person. I think we help each other and balance each other. She'll voice her opinion, and I don't ever voice my opinion. And she knows when I need things, and I know when to quiet her. I think that's conveyed in our interaction on stage, and I think people kind of like that synergy.

After doing so many shows, does your focus ever slip?

Brock: Sometimes. And I'm not saying this just to sound like the right thing to say, but we've learned that the minute our ministry time starts to drift, when we get too busy and don't pray before the show or take time during the day, then our show starts to slip. It's so directly linked to spending time with God.

We can go out there and we just don't have it. We don't feel that synergy with each other. And without realizing it, we start to feel like Why am I doing this? Am I just putting on a good show? Is that all there is to it? It's like you can't have one without the other. You can't just be ministry without the fun sometimes. And you can't just go out and put a good show without the ministry aspect. They have to be so linked together. So we always try to focus before our shows. We try to at least get together a half hour before a show to spend some time praying and remembering why we're doing it. It matters so much.

It seems like Superchic[k] has found its niche. Do you all feel that way?

Brock: We always say everybody has a pulpit. It's what you choose to do with it that matters. Eminem has a pulpit. He's speaking into kids' lives. I don't want to be him standing before God in the end, but he can choose whether he can use that for God or not. And it does affect kids' lives all the time.

It can mean any ministry or any form, even somebody working at a restaurant. They have a pulpit. They see tons of people every day. It can mean smiling at them or doing something to affect that person's life for better or for worse. What are you going to do with that? That's kind of what our message is about, especially lately.

Get to know Melissa and the rest of the bandmembers from Superchic[k] by visiting our artist page for the band. There you'll find previous interviews and reviews, including their most recent disc, Regeneration. Check out Christianbook.com to listen to sound clips and buy their music. Superchic[k]'s next album is currently set to release fall of 2004.

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