THE VIOLET BURNING
KNOWING THE COMMON GROUND

Friend of sinners
Mike Pritzl has always had a very clear idea about fans. According to him, fans are fans. "Whatever they believe is okay", thinks Mike. "If they relate to our music in a certain way, we're honoured by that." This quote already sets The Violet Burning apart from many other Christians who certainly don't say that every belief is okay. It seems that the members of the Violet Burning just don't care. However, this isn't true because Mike reassures that the members of The Violet Burning are Christians. They do care. "Christ was a friend of sinners, okay", puts Mike. "There was this commonality between Him and those around Him, between Him and me now. That's our common ground. There's something people can learn and believe. There are believers who have this view of a far-off being who obviously does relate to them. They have this image that He's offended by certain things. And that's just the one thing God can't be - He can't be offended." Mike explains himself: "How are you going to offend God? He already knows everything that ever was, or ever is, or ever will be - He's God. Yes, there are things He hates. That's different, hating something or being offended."

Commonality
The alternative rock of The Violet Burning has always been highly approved by many young people; whether Christian or non-Christian. Commonality is the thing that ties the band and the fans. Mike: "I don't know if I have anything to offer them other than commonality. All I know is that what the people offer me is friendship and common ground in our humanity. That's ultimately what it is about, for me…"
Mike states more things that many Christians haven't even thought about. "God can't be disappointed with us either", he says. "He already knows. Does He approve? Not necessarily. There is a difference."
Mike finds commonality with Jesus Christ. "In having become a man", he knows. "This comes out very clearly on our latest record. When I look at the Bible, it's a very human thing. It's filled with humanity. If you know that David killed tens of thousands…what's so Christian about that?"
There is so much more involved in the human experience than what many Christians think. The Bible is full of joy, wonder, miracles, death and life, promise and hope. Ultimately, I find that God's Word is the commonality. With people who don't believe, there's a commonality as well: 'you reap what you sow', 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' People who aren't Christians apply to those truths. Commonality: that's what it's all about."

Things always remained sort of quiet round alternative rock band The Violet Burning. When the band performed, a shock effect was quite easily left behind. If it wasn't already for the music then it certainly was because of the way the band members looked like. Black-painted fingernails, dark clothes…The Violet Burning wasn't just another Christian band. Recently the band stepped out of the silent with a new album.