What’s up Reign Rockers? This is another interview that’s part of my Big Hairs Lost Interview segment. I did this interivew with Les way back in January of 2003, and didn’t get to put it up due to my personal life sitituation. But anyhow...it’s here now and I hope y’all enjoy this. Les Carlsen had a very distinctive voice back in the 80's that set him apart from other bands. You knew when he started singing that it was Bloodgood. He’s a very cool guy and I hope I get the opportunity to talk to him again. So sit back grab a Dew, Crank the Reign to 100 and listen to Les Carlsen.

BigHairBrewster: Ok man so tell me what’s going on with your side projects? What’s going on with you?

Les Carlsen: Well right now I’m with a group called Symphonic Slam, the lead guitar player his name is Timo Lane. He’s a world class guitar player, he’s known as the "Father of the Synthesizer Guitar". The group is kind of real progressive rock. I don’t know what to compare it to, everybody always wants to compare you to something. I don’t know it’s just progressive rock, maybe Pink Floyd or something like that.

BHB: How’s it feel to be back doing the Bloodgood thing?

LC: Well, the Bloodgood thing is great! We went back into this DVD project, have you seen that yet?

BHB: Yeah, I go to the site about every other day. I’ve been looking at it but haven’t bought it yet.

LC: Ok, well what we did was turn the video masters into DVD, and the sound is a little better, and the visual is actually a lot sharper. You can actually see the light beams and stuff, and it’s just a sharper picture. By doing that project it just kind of rekindled some old memories, and what we were doing and what we were going through as Bloodgood. All good memories actually.

BHB: Ok well that’s like my next question. What was it like(pauses).....cause you and Barren Cross, and Stryper, and maybe a couple of others were the ones who made the blueprint for Christian Metal. So what was it like being in that time and being there in the middle of everything? Did you take time to soak it in? Or did it go by too fast?

LC: Well it went by pretty fast, but it was actually very energetic and there was a lot of energy around the band at that time. It was not always good energy, in the sense that there was so much controversey over it, but it was really productive and we accomplished a lot. Not just Bloodgood, but Barren Cross and Stryper as well. A lot of kids that normally didn’t have a venue to go to, you know the ones that were caught between a rock and a hard place, no pun intende(laughing) that wasn’t a plug for the album(Bloodgoods 3^rd album). It was a real thing that happened, the thing I remember the most though was that we seemed to be....we were definetly annoited by God to do that.

BHB: I agree

LC: We were not......and I don’t know about the other groups but I know that Bloodgood was an actual evangelistic outreach. That’s where we were coming from. We believed in it and we felt we were annoited for that. As we went deeper into it and the years went by, and brought in some other players we still were but, we brought in some other factors that weren’t as strong, but I say the original four guys being Welling(drummer)Mike(bass) and I and David(lead guitar). That was at the top end, that was when it was really brand new and there was so much controversy, and that’s when it was really, really strong. Now later on we continued to grow as Christians and you’re gonna grow through all of those experiences and everything. You know your perspective changes and the reality is yeah I’m in a famous rock band, but what’s that mean? It means go to work is what it means(both laughing) and keep working. The whole thing for me was always an evangelistc outreach. Right up until we did those last videos and those last albums. Then it was time to rest for a long time(both laughing). We almost killed ourselves(laughing).

BHB: That was another thing I was going to ask you. When the whole Nirvana thing came in and killed everything, did you like that change or was it something that you didn’t like?

LC: Personally did I like the changes? Well you know I kind of liked the grunge rock, and it was really not that far from where we were. It would have been real easy if we would have walked down that path. There was no strecth there you know? It was just sort of an image and and attitude. I don’t know if Bloodgoods music would have made it at that point. The thing that really killed it for me was rap.

BHB:(laughing) Yeah I know man.

LC: You know that there was a generation that actually liked rap. I mean I was like well.....and I don’t have a problem with that, it’s just that instead of it coming up and being another style of music, it seemed to just take that generation and that’s all they wanted to hear. You know they had an attitude of that’s what was up and nothing else was. So all the guys cut their hair and disappeared (laughing). Actually I didn’t cut mine though.

BHB: Well....grunge for me was like the kiss of death. I couldn’t get into it. I think it was because it just came so fast.

LC: But didn’t we get some grunge Christian bands though? I’m sure we did.

BHB: Yeah I know but....well of course we did cause they have to copy everything the secular market puts out.

LC:(mocking voice) "and this is why we’re valid....because we sound like Neil Diamond"(both laughing). ....and we’re Christian.

BHB: Yeah so I didn’t really care for that scene too much. Ok well what were some of the things how you saw the Lords hand moving while you were in those times, like on the first and second album tours? You know how he was working in kids lives back then?

LC: Well....I mean there’s so many different examples of things that happened out there that were phenomenal. I remember once in Deluth Minnesota, we had been on the road for a long time. We traveled in a large RV, and we had a big truck and a van and we had about 14 people on the road with us. We were really pioneering out there, and we came to a place in Deluth and the people there put us up in peoples houses, and we discovered that once we got in there, that their main goal was to tell us why we shouldn’t be doing what were doing. So we got trapped in some of those sitituations. I remember in Deluth they were very skeptical, and after we did the performance and started handing out bibles and kids got saved and were weeping and crying out and giving their heart to the Lord, a lot of the elders came fourth and repented before us and asked for forgiveness because they saw their childrens lives changed.

BHB: That’s cool

LC: We came back like a year later, and they were still in the word, and that’s what it was about. It’s not about us...it’s about Jesus Christ getting ahold of you and doing what he does. We certainly don’t have the power to do anything. We just provided a genre that was palatable to a young person, you know who loves rock music. On top of that you get the King of Kings! That’s what we did.

BHB: That’s what I liked about the first album, you guys were definetly annoited more than a lot of other bands. You know you and Barren Cross, just had that different vibe than say Stryper(no disrespect to them) You guys were like preachers.

LC: Yeah....we actually were. Michael still is, he’s a preacher up in Seattle.

BHB: Now going back to the other.....(we’re interrupted by a phone call)

LC: Can ya hang on a sec?

BHB: Yeah sure dude.

LC: Ok..Sorry man.

BHB: Ok man that’s cool. The other question that I was going to ask was How do see some of the ways that Lord has changed you now, versus you know back in the day when you were starting off? You know you don’t have to give me personal examples but you know do you see like big personal changes from then and now.

LC: (pauses) Yeah... because I’ve been walking with the Lord for about 18 years now. I guess the biggest change is in the depth of knowledge that comes from knowing him over those years. But as far as how much I love him(pauses and chuckles) I think I love him more, and you know I thought I couldn’t love him anymore then. I’ve gone through times where I’ve wondered if he loved me(both laughing)

BHB: Yeah I know that one.

LC: But you know after knowing everything you know, and you start thinking this or that, or you’re going there or good, bad, whatever. But then it’s like the thing Paul says, you know it’s not me it’s the sin that lives in me. It wasn’t me and you look at that and you go WOW! But you know that’s truly where it’s at. Not that it’s right to do anything that’s wrong, you know as far as being unrighteous, but hey you know we’re not gonna make it. We’re not able to make it. You got this flesh hanging on ya baby you ain’t gonna do nothing(both laughing)

BHB: Yeah I know man.

LC: But there will be no perfection until that’s gone. So you have to realize that. You know I don’t beat myself up very much. I’m a real happy normal Christian, I’m not a religious Christian.

BHB: Yeah man legalism sucks man.

LC: It does man, and it doesn’t attract non-believers. What attracts non-believers is the Christ in you. The fullness of Christ that is in you, not the day you claim to be a Christian but you’re really in the flesh. Not the day where you’ve got rules and regulations and you tell them about how good you are going to church on time and all this stuff....cause that doesn’t work. I love going to church, and I go every Sunday. I’m fired up about it. But I can see where if I didn’t go to church I’d still be saved and I’d still love the Lord and he could meet me wherever I’m at.

BHB: Right. That’s what I like about Christ man, you don’t have to do anything you know what I mean? He already accepts you the way you are.

LC: Yeah.

BHB: So I agree with that.

LC: Yeah, and he’s a good shepard you know? He knows when......uh He knows when you are sleeping.....uh sorry that’s Santa Claus(both laughing) He knows that when you begin to move in a direction, that’s away from the fullness of him, he’ll let you know. He’s cool you know? He’s a Holy God, he’s not cool He’s Holy! He’s the Most High God, and He has a way of doing what’s proper. It’s man that messes it up.

BHB: Right. Ok well what about......are you guys gonna do another Bloodgood album? Do you think it’s gonna make the light of day"?

LC: Well I sure would like to, you know I don’t know if everyone has as much energy as I do you know?

BHB: Really?

LC: Yeah, cause I’ve got a lot of energy(both laughing)

BHB: So the rest of them are pretty much slackers?

LC: Well.....(busts out laughing) yeah you know get them off their rear ends! I mean I’m asking Paul Jackson right here and now.....Send me some stuff!! Man!(both laughing). He said I’m gonna send you some music so we can write again. So I said ok you that’s cool...but where is it? (Screaming into the phonne, both laughing) Where’s the music Paul? You know and Michael he’s a pastor so everyone always after him you know? But you know what? I love those guys dearly, and I was just up there around Thanksgiving and we just had a great time. When we get in the same room.....nothing has changed. We’re just fired up as usual. But you know, Pauls doing a lot and Mikes doing a lot. It’s a matter now of guys raising families and making livings, and how to put a rock band together. Actually the best way is to have a project.

BHB: What do you think of todays bands? Like todays Christian Metal bands? Personally there’s a few of them that I really like and get into, but for the most part it’s not like the 80's man. You know cause back then it was like evangelistic and now it’s just like.......I don’t know what it is.

LC: (laughing) It’s just players that have faith. But you know Greg it’s funny because now they get airplay.

BHB: Right. Well yeah because there’s no Jesus there. I’m not gonna bust on anybodys carreer, or their Christianity but at the same time, its just not like back then man. Even when Stryper did their double lyric things...you could still tell it was about God, and there were songs on the albums that you could tell they stood for Jesus. But now days you just can’t find it.

LC: Yeah. Well you know what I think? Even to this day and I don’t listen to Bloodgood very often, but when I do and I put on the first album and that thing comes in you know on "Accept the Lamb" and "Stand In the Light" you know it’s almost like the thing drips with the annoiting. Detonation is the same way, almost all of Bloodgoods things were like that. Barren Cross was that way, and you know that’s something that I think will live on. I guess the cool thing about those projects was that they, you know today they still have the annoiting on them.

BHB: Exactly. That’s why.....I think "Top of the Mountain" is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, just the lyrics alone. I can still put that in the player and just.......you know you can worship to that song man. That’s the whole thing about you guys..... I mean

LC: I’m getting goose bumps here Greg(both laughing)

BHB: You guys were giving 100% glory to Jesus Christ! That’s what was so Awesome! I mean you could just tell the difference of an annoited band versus a band that was just trying to make a couple of bucks.

LC: Yeah...well maybe they just didn’t know. Maybe they just fell into that genre and they were players,and they went with it. But we were truly chosen to do it. There’s no doubt. I know how the whole thing came down, the way that I met Michael(founder and bass player) the way that I thought and what God put me through to make it happen. It was definetly God. I mean everything that Bloodgood did, it just seemed like the doors were flying open. Then once we got out on the road, and we were preaching the gospel, then that’s when the normal battles came, because the enemy was way mad. All the time. It was almost comical, that’s how we dealt with it. It was like..well at least were not alone here we have an adveseary(both laughing).But he’s gonna lose! I remember one time down south somewhere, and the truck blew up and there was this town we were coming to, and I don’t remember the name. But it was a small southern town, and the truck blew up like 300 miles ouside the town. With all the gear, lights, PA, everything. We towed the truck, and we had just enough money to tow the truck to the stage door, and when we got into the town we realized there were satanists and christians fasting that we wouldn’t make it.

BHB: Wow dude...satanists and christians both?

LC: Fasting...that we wouldn’t make it to the town. We made it.....and it was a glorious night and we had repenting christians crying and asking forgiveness, and then you had like satanist guys running all over the place scared and freaked out. That’s just the way it went.

BHB: That’s awesome man. Back then I know you had protestors, and there seems to be a lot today, and I can’t figure it out but there’s just like ministry upon ministry on these websites and they’re like the biggest anti-Christian rock you know........everyone is of the devil and it’s all the devils music type thing. Did you have to experience a lot of that back then?

LC: Oh yeah, and I ...I’ve gotten on the web a couple of times and I remember particular people talking about me..and I was like oh wow! Thank you Lord I’m just happy that you know who I am, and I know who you are...because this is slander here. It’s like thank you bro. Have I slandered anybody yet since we’ve had this conversation?

BHB:No.

LC: Except for satan right?

BHB: Right and that’s good.

LC: Ok.

BHB: Ok well I’m gonna throw an esoteric question at you. This is one of my favorite parts of my intervieews. I get such good answers when I do this question. Do you remember Dale Thompson from Bride?

LC: Yes

BHB:He’s given me the most interesting answer yet, it was really way out there but good. I ‘ve never heard the explanation in full, so I’m gonna ask you.

LC(laughing sarcastically) Oh well geewhiz now I’m on the spot.

BHB: We’re gonna talk about the rapture.

LC: The what?

BHB: The rapture of the church..

LC: Ok

BHB: Would you say that you’re PrepTrib, Mid-Trib, or Post-Trib or does it even matter?

LC: Hmm. Well I’m this guy that says well it’s already pre determined. Whatever kind of debating or arguing or beliefs we have, it’s gonna happen the way it’s gonna happen. I’m going with Jesus on this one. Do you want me to go down that road you know Pre-Trib or whatever.

BHB: Yeah your own opinion.

LC: Going through the Tribulation or not? I guess that’s what that bascially means?

BHB: Right.

LC: Um..wow......I think that He’ll probably pull the church out prior to that, but I don’t know he might leave a few around to do some work too.Which would be the ones that were martyred. He might leave a few around that are just on the edge, you know that will see the light and be able to minister the gospel to those that need to understand what just happened. There’s got to be some people of the light left I suppose. I don’t know. I don’t really go with the total.........I always believe God has plenty of room to be God. So for us to sit in the pulpit and say this is what it is, and we believe this, I mean almost every time I’ve seen them be wrong, even in scripture about what they thought God was gonna do. So why would we think we’ve got it nailed down.

BHB: I think the biggest part is the people who are so bent on the fact that this is the way it’s gonna happen, those are the ones I’m concerned about. It’s like you said God is God, and he’s Holy and he’s gonna do what he wants to do for his purpose. I think those are the ones who kind of scare me. You know the ones who won’t leave anything open to debate..it’s just NO! It’s this way and this is the way it’s gonna happen and here it is let me prove it to you.

LC: Yeah. I just don’t get it. Because I don’t know who would ever want to take that position. I mean except for...through Revelation, where you know God has spoken,,,,and even then some of that’s just for us. So I don’t know. But logically speaking and if I was to align God with a totally loving, merciful God(pauses) you know people say why did he take these little children and blah, blah, blah. Then you go and say....Well. Do you know where he took them to? You think this is a real bummer that these children were killed, or this person died, or why did Keith Green die man? Well you know, God took them somewhere way better than here! So how could he be a bad guy? They’re in everlasting peace and in His glory. But he’s not taking them to death and destruction...He’s taking them to Glory!! You know? So there’s rejoicing on that hand, and then we’re left behind to what? To grow! To grow in Christ.To learn from it and to take the pain that we have and turn it into joy. So it’s what it is...it’s a process.

BHB: Cool. Ok..well any good Spinal Tap stories from the road?

LC: Ha! Oh man

BHB: I know you’ve gotta have some man.

LC: Spinal Taps a great movie. Uh I never got a cold sore!(both laughing),,,and there were no Bloodgood lyrics, that were other lyrics that we changed(still laughing). Let me see....yeah you know the best one is, we would actually specify on our tour rider what days we got lasagne, and chicken, and beef...because everywhere we went we got LASAGNE!(both laughing) It’s was like hey what are we having and it was like Oh lasagne. Woohoo great!! So I remember that, it was always a struggle. Sometimes we’d come into a place and they’d have bologna sandwiches and potato chips for us. You don’t understand....we live on the road and we have no place to go(both laughing). We were hungry!(laughing, and screaming sarcastically) THANK YOU FOR THE BOLOGNA AND POTATO CHIPS!(both still laughing). That’s great, cause I can see you bent over backwards to greet the saints with a holy kiss!

BHB: Bologna sandwichs...I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before.

LC: Oh man I tell ya there were places that did that. Then there were the other places that gave us Lasagne. But it was always kind of funny....you know we really didn’t care that much as long as we got to eat. But you begin to look at it, and you go now I’m out here sleeping in a moving vehicle, I’m beat up, I stay at the gig...and we don’t just normally do the concert, and sign autographs and get in a limo. We would stay til the truck was loaded and every kid was off the premises. We were the last to go every night. Every night that I can think of, unless we were in some sort of place that wouldn’t allow it, or we were in a show with several other groups. But every night there was a Bloodgood show we would close the place down. Unless the promoters were moving us out and we had to leave for some reason. But that was our heart. Then you’d get bologna sandwiches and you’d go...you know apparently they didn’t get the message that they should be blessing us(both laughing) cause we’re out here.....you know let us stick our meat hooks into the pot first. But if they don’t they don’t and it was nothing personal it was like ok well they didn’t get blessed. Then there were places that we went....and I remember this one time, this guy had really got it right. They had like....and I don’t want to say prime rib, but they had some kind of chunk of meat, and potatoes...and you know just everything. A full spread and they had really thought it out, and put out a banquet for us. They had big chocolate cake...and we had the flu really bad!(both laughing)

BHB: Ha ha...it figures.

LC: We couldn’t eat man I’m telling ya. Mark Welling(drummer) during "Messiah" when I was doing my speach, all of a sudden we have no drummer, cause he had to go make an investment(both laughing). But we just kept going and going, and I remember we had two buckets left and right of the stage.......cause we do not cancel shows. My dad told me if I was going to be an entertainer that I would always do the show no matter what. So we never canceled any shows.

BHB: Dude that’s rough man, I don’t know if I could do that. I would have liked to see that one on video man.

LC: Oh it was awful. I usually jump off the risers at one point, and this particular night I jumped off the riser and my legs were like rubber and I fell right on my butt. You know Mike laughed and I laughed right back...but you know we were sick. I remember in the RV as we were driving, we had bowls and trash cans lined up, and it was crazy.

BHB: Just one big puke fest huh(both laughing)

LC: It was! It was a barf-o-rama.(laughing).

BHB: That’s crazy. Well what are some of the other things you like doing other than music?

LC: Well...I really don’t have spare time to do anything else, but what I love are my wife and my baby girl, and I just love hanging out with them. I’m kind of a family guy you know. I really look forward to one day...growing tomatoes.

BHB:(laughing)

LC: I’ve done every thing else.

BHB: But growing tomatoes?

LC: Yeah...you know cause you can just plant them and hang around and watch them grow.(long pause)

BHB: (laughing harder)

LC: I mean I’ve been to Europe so many times I’ve forgot. I don’t even know how many times I’ve been. I’ve done so many great things, and this company I’m in now......I run an art company, and it’s taken me to Israel, Egypt, British Virgin Islands, Amsterdam, Spain, Greece, Bahamas, Hawii, Jamaica, Cancun....they took me to Venice and Florence and Rome. They’re taking me to Paris and we’re going to live in a castle, the few weeks that we’re there. We’re going to go through the wine country and eat the food. So you know God has just really blessed me in a lot of ways. Those things are all outward things and that’s great but that’s not what it’s all about. The biggest blessing is that I’m just romantically and madly in love with my wife, who I’ve been married to for 30 years.

BHB: Cool.

LC: My daughter is just such a thrill to me, and we raised her in the Lord and she’s just a real confident kid, and she’s talented and fun to be around. I’m proud of her.

BHB: That’s cool. Ok I’ve got two more questions for ya dude....What are you thoughts on all this cloning stuff that’s going on?

LC:(pauses) Ha. I guess my thoughts are....you know man is just gonna do what he wants to do. He’s just gonna stretch the limit, and go as far as he wants to go I guess. Did it really happen or are they just........

BHB: The verdict is still out, but they can’t prove that it’s happened.

LC: Yeah, well if they could prove it don’t you think they would be more than willing to come forward with as much proof as possible? I mean....I don’t know. You know I think that we’re just unique. You know I’m unique and your unique in who you are and your dna is yours. I don’t know man...I don’t know if the Word addresses that, but it talks about one time to live and one time to die and that sort of thing. I don’t know...so give me some input, cause I really don’t know.

BHB: Well the part that I don’t understand and my thoughts are this. We were created in Gods image, and He’s the one who gave us our soul and breathed life into us. So I just think that man can’t do it.

LC: Yeah. I think.......you know I think the only thing would be, I guess some doctors would say...and I can see where they would be tricked into doing this type of thing. They could say listen, instead of having to have someone donate a kidney to you or this or that....we have you. Your own dna, but then what are you gonna do? Chop somebody up? I mean I don’t get it. I’m too old to understand it...you know I’m 54 years old now and I’m not really hip these days. I don’t know what they’re doing with that. I don’t know where they think they’re going with it, cause doesn’t it pose a problem that if there was another little Greg there and you needed something, I don’t know how could you just I don’t know...

BHB: Yeah you can’t just kill people.

LC: Yeah...clone or not. It’s a person that lives and breathes and thinks. So I don’t know, it’s too complicated for me to get into. You know....I’m just a guy who sings rock and roll. I’m not a professor....I’ve got a little bit of fame, but that doesn’t make me smart.(laughing).

BHB: Yeah well, that was good though man.

LC:(laughing) Good answer right!

BHB:(laughing) Yeah man that’s right. I’ll give you a golf clap on that one. Last question. What do you want to say to all your Bloodgood fans?

LC: Well I just want to say that I’m thankful to each and every one of them. I’m glad that we were able to touch people in that way. I would hope that they would be better off because of it.

BHB: Cool. Ok well listen man I appreciate you taking time out of your day to do this, I know you’re busy and all. I’ve got to tell you though, it’s been one of the best ones I’ve ever done. You’ve got a good sense of humor like mine. I’ve enjoyed it.

LC: I’ve got to tell ya...even I like the Santa Claus line(both laughing)

BHB: Yeah man(laughing)

LC: Well hey man listen, I pray the Lord blesses you...and uh play some Bloodgood.

BHB: We play ya brother. If you ever get a chance to listen it’s ReignRadio.com. We do a classic metal lunch, for like an hour.

LC: So it’s Reign Radio.com?

BHB: Yeah man. So thanks man and God Bless.

LC: Thank you man.God Bless.

End of Interview.

Let me know what you think. gb@reignradio.com See ya next time and keep your nose in the WORD!