Why blood, severed limbs, monsters, snakes?

This is a question we hear from time to time - and it is usually phrased in the form of a statement , not a question. Sometimes it is accompanied by a judgment of our lack of spiritual discernment, or worldly intentions.

Since 1990, the year of our first release "Stop the Bleeding," we have always considered what we do to be both a privilege and a responsibility. Obviously, our artwork is a part of that. We also strive to be creative and original in our music and artwork. Just as we try to steer clear of musical themes and lyrics that have been used and overused hundreds of times, we try to do the same with the images we present to the public. Nothing is presented flippantly or without thought as to the spiritual impact. We work on the principal that just because an image is perceived as "gory", or even more subjectively "evil", it does not necessarily mean it is wrong to use.

Our goal is not to be gory, but to be creative. In the same way some people claim the totally absurd notion that certain musical beats, vocal styles, tempos (?), are inherently "evil", they may be quick to judge an image as evil.

A quick look and consideration to God's Word shows hundreds of very graphic and extremely gory descriptions and situations. The stoning of Stephen, Job's scab covered body, John the Baptist's head on a platter, the death of Goliath, the Crucifixion, to name a few. Consider this - if images of these situations and others, were displayed as works of art in a museum, and they are - I doubt rational people would look at them and consider it evil that they are displayed. Tourniquet uses images and music as a TOOL to reach people with the truth we ourselves have come to know - that of the living God reaching out to a fallen and sinful humanity.

Ted Kirkpatrick

You can listen to clips of every song from every Tourniquet album in both the Discography and Media sections!

Lyrics to all Tourniquet songs can be found in the Discography section.

A couple years ago, my good friend Doug Van Pelt, editor of HM magazine, asked me to contribute a short article in answer to the question:

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE TRYING TO START OR MAINTAIN A CHRISTIAN BAND?

Since this same question is asked of us SO frequently - here is the article reprinted for you - listing 10 points we in Tourniquet feel are important...

1. Look for balanced Christians first, good musicians second.
2. Learn to appreciate each others' musical differences - but make sure you are all moving in the same direction musically and lyrically. Psalm 133:1
3. Communicate your desires, concerns, and intentions for the band to each other.
4. Commit all that you do to the Lord. Proverbs 3: 5-6
5. Beware of people who are "real spiritual" but not very "real".
6. Expect some rough terrain with people and circumstances - it's a part of life.
7. Be thankful for the shows - whether it's 10 people or 10,000. Psalm 95:2
8. Let another compliment you, and not your own mouth.  Proverbs 27:2
9. Pray together. 2 Chronicles 7:14
10. Have fun. Psalm 100

Here are a few interviews for you to check out. There are MANY more Tourniquet interviews online. Just do a search under "Tourniquet" - you'll find them.

(Luke) with Ralf - The Metal Observer - April 2003
(Luke) with Salvador P. Gouveia - Panzer Magazine Online - April 2003
(Luke) with Blackhand - Bleeding for Metal - March 2003
(Luke) - Guitar6.com - March 2003
(Ted) with David Priest - On Track Magazine
(Luke) with Evil Dr. Smith - Lords of Metal
(Ted) with Scott Alisoglu - Live 4 Metal - March 2003
(Ted) with Chad Bowar - Suite101.com - March 2003
(Ted) with Cheryl - MetalGospel.com
(Ted) with MPO- ArtForTheEars.com - March 2003
(Luke) with Ron - Vampire Magazine - March 2003
(Luke) with Marc - RockEZine.com - March 2003
(Luke) with Fulvio - Silent Scream  - September 2000
(Ted) with mpo - Art for the Ears - Holland - February 14, 2000
(Ted, Luke, & Aaron) with Patrick Schafer - Auslander Magazine - Germany - April 1999
(Ted & Aaron) with TPO - Luxor Theatre- The Netherlands - April 23, 1999
(Ted, Luke, & Aaron) with Doug Van Pelt - for HM Magazine - 1996 (unabridged online exclusive)

Please check our shows page for a listing of alll of the currently scheduled concerts.

Notes about all the songs from Crawl to China can be found by clicking on the song titles at the album's page in the Discography section.

We receive literally thousands of emails, and we are really glad that people are so interested in our music and ministry. And many, many of you know that we DO answer emails, and always take care of getting you the merchandise you order and answering promoters concerning shows. We often write back just because you ask, and are glad to do it. However, we hope it is obvious to you that it is not practical, much less even possible, to answer them all. We DO read them all...every one. So if you want to share something with us, we encourage you to do so, as we have been encouraged by all your support and prayers. As you can imagine, many of the emails are asking for info that is easily found within this, or any number of other Tourniquet sites. SO ...here is a FAQ page that answers many of the most frequently asked questions. Have a good look around here at tourniquet.net. We hope you find what you are looking for. One other thing... if your email is not answered right away... REMEMBER, we may be half way across the world doing a show, on vacation, in the studio (LONG hours), or hiking in the jungles of Indonesia... Thanks!

We would LOVE to play in ALL these countries! BUT- it takes a GOOD PROMOTER who ACTUALLY FOLLOWS THROUGH in bringing us there. Sometimes a promoter will ask, but offer little money to play, which is not possible, as we cannot simply pay our own way to go there. Sometimes a promoter will say "We are planning on bringing Tourniquet here". Then the word gets out even though we have not reached an agreement with the promoter. It is NEVER, NEVER the band who does not want to go to your country!!! We respect all our fans and want to perform and minister anywhere. But it is quite expensive to fly four people to different countries to perform. Also, some promoters are afraid to ask Tourniquet to play because they think our music is too wild and they are afraid of the crowds.

This is one we have been asked HUNDREDS of times. So many people have been blessed by these two songs. "When the Love is Right" has been performed at several hundred weddings and "If I Was There" has been sung in churches, youth groups, etc. all over the world. So sorry, but we do not have the sheet music or accompaniment track available for these, or any other Tourniquet songs. We are working on getting instrumental versions of these two songs on one CD. If and when that happens, it will be posted on the site. PLEASE do not ask us "How is it going with that?" or "When?"... Thanks.

We don't write it ourselves, but others have (see guitar tabs here.) Since I (Ted) can't read music and wrote many of the tunes people want tab for, I cannot judge their accuracy. If you want to be SURE you are playing riffs EXACTLY as they appear on the albums, get the Guitar Instructional Video HERE. Of course, this video contains only certain riffs from all albums up to Crawl To China.  A big thanks to all of you who have taken the time and effort to work out these tablatures.

No... if an inspired fan who can write drum tab feels up to it - great!

My intention IS to do one, but the task is a daunting one. There is so much I want to cover. Thanks for your patience – I will post when I have begun to work on it. Sometime in 2004, hopefully...

http://www.av1611.org/crock.html This site is so full of inaccuracies, so devoid of sound Biblical principles, and uses such twisted logic, that some have emailed us asking if it was done as a joke. Since this person seems to be serious, we will, for our part, respond to his claims about us.


His Statement: Tourniquet recently toured with anti-Christ band Atheist.

Fact: Tourniquet has never done a single show with Atheist.


His statement: The group, Tourniquet, wears on stage, the most satanic symbol found — the Goat of Mendes-Pentagram on their shirts (of course it's X'ed out)!

Fact: A former member used to wear a shirt with the goat crossed out, like "Say no to drugs". The shirt also had a great bible verse on it.


He lists a Ted Kirkpatrick quote "We re really into allegory, really into SYMBOLISM".

Fact: As if that is something evil. How much allegory did Christ use to get his points across? And how much symbolism is in Daniel, Revelation, Isaiah?


His statement: "Tourniquet is scheduled to play the Milwaukee Metal Festival. They'll share the stage with such ungodly groups as Deicide and Morbid Angel."

True - we hope to play more secular shows - it is a fantastic way to get to people who would never come to a Tourniquet show at a Christian venue (we do those too!).


His statement: And Tourniquet has the audacity to claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ! And don't tell me about being a wtiness, (his spelling) or a light in a dark place — the Bible is clear! Ephesians 5:11 says, "And have NO FELLOWSHIP with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather REPROVE THEM."

Fact: Doing a show on a stage they also played on is not fellowship. We have had many great chances to minister in these "dark places", just as the Lord talked to the Pharisees, tax collectors, prostitutes, murderers, etc.

This person, according to many who have emailed him in a knowledgeable, Christian manner, has never answered them, nor has he deleted totally inaccurate statements.

We try our best to keep a WIDE variety of shirts, CD's, videos, and much more in stock. The percentage of people who want a medium or small shirt is EXTREMELY low, like those who might want a XXXL. So, it is not practical to keep these shirts in stock. BUT, we DO occasionally have a specialty shirt in stock... Be sure to check here.

After 10 albums, our stance against animal abuse, in its many and ugly forms, remains strong. We look at it from the Biblical perspective - of God's original plan for our stewardship of animals - and how far we are from that. Although Tourniquet has appeared in many "animal rights" magazines, and magazines like Vegetarian Times, National Antivivisection Society Magazine, United Animal Nations, Animal's Agenda, etc. we DO NOT necessarily share their beliefs on religion, the New Age, etc. Just as we don't agree with all the views of a magazine like Metal Edge, which we have also appeared in. Our hope is that people will take a look at this issue, and decide for themselves how they can make this a better world for all God's creatures.

The songs (Part 1 and II) are written in allegorical form. They are both about the evils of child abuse.They relate the children's board game "Uncle Wiggily", which contains two creepy characters called Skeezix (sometimes spelled Skeezicks), and The Pipsisewah., to the child's father, who beats him. In the same way the child is afraid to land on the Skeezix or Pipsisewah spaces, he is also afraid of another confrontation with his abusive father. Check out Part II, where you hear the death of Skeezix, and the victory of the child, who seeks the Lord for help...

The voice is from an actual training tape that teaches people how to talk after they have had a laryngectomy and need to use a voice box. Here is what is being said, in order... When the sunlight strikes raindrops in the air, they act like a prism and form a rainbow. The rainbow is a division of white light into many beautiful colors. I don't want to go to the movies tonight. A rainbow. Pot of gold. Regardless of the day, I'm glad you were born.

It is a Japanese toy called "Ampan Man". The voice is in Japanese, saying something to kids about learning the alphabet... We thought he sounded kind of crabby, as the song is about dealing with chronic anger.

As many of you know, from 1991 until 1994 or so, we had two guitar players for live concerts. Since that time, we have gone to one guitar player for live situations. Here are the reasons we have had one guitar player for the past 7 years or so and have no plans to change…

1. CLEAN SOUND –Through the years, people have commented how “clean” our albums sound – meaning that the parts are played with considerable precision. With many guitar riffs of multiple notes, speed picking, etc. it has become clear that the live sound is much cleaner with one guitar as opposed to two. We have MANY Tourniquet concerts on video (we may release more in the future) and the percentage of time when BOTH guitars were: A – playing the parts cleanly, B – mixed properly so that BOTH guitars are equally audible, and C – playing the parts TOGETHER, so that all (or most) of the notes come out as harmonies or octaves, was unfortunately, not very often. SO…the sound
the fans came to hear was sometimes disappointing, as they were expecting to hear the precision of the studio albums replicated live. By the way, there is a balance, in my opinion, of trying to play the songs live EXACTLY as they are on the album – guitar leads, drum fills, vocals – To me, it is much more interesting to hear a band play the “key” parts as they are on the album, but be free to slightly (or totally)change a lead, or drum fill, or vocal melody from time to time. But, in Tourniquet, we do strive to play the GUITAR RIFFS as they are on the album. Many people have commented that as a four piece, with one guitar, the live precision of the studio tracks is much closer to the original. As for studio recordings, whether we have had one, two or three guitarists (many of you know that I played much of the studio guitars on our albums) playing those tracks doesn’t matter, as you can have one guitar track, or 10 if you want, played by three people, or one.

2. BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS - No criticism intended, but some fans have a VERY narrow scope of what they consider to be a proper “Metal” band setup. Sure, Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” sounds great, but what about all the fantastic sounding bands who use ONE guitar for live shows, and very often ONE guitar for studio situations? Here’s a VERY short list – mind you, I am not condoning the MESSAGE of these bands or songs, but to illustrate a point – ALL these bands are generally ONE GUITAR live bands, with many studio parts and leads played by one guitar. One of my personal favorite sounds in music is when the rhythm guitar drops out to play a lead and leaves the BASS guitar to carry the rhythm. It sounds SOO cool…all that open space… (I also love a “wall” of sound created by multiple guitar tracks) Here’s the short list:


3. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS…Having a fifth member adds greatly to the expense and logistics of travel. It is VERY expensive for promoters to bring bands to their town, and adding another member does NOT help Tourniquet or the promoters. Another expensive airline ticket, another hotel room, another person to pay, another person to communicate with, on and on. For all of you not in the band, it is not possible for you to fully understand what a difference this makes.

4. Having one guitar DOES NOT inhibit us from playing any Tourniquet song we feel we want to play live. Some fans have assumed we can only play certain songs live with one guitar. This is not true. Playing ANY Tourniquet song live has absolutely nothing to do with whether we have one guitarist or two. We determine what songs to play live by several criterion:

Sorry for the lengthy dissertation, but sometimes longer explanations seem appropriate - Ted Kirkpatrick