Welcome the feature where we ask musicians or bands five really tough questions about music! Today I speak to musician and lead vocalist MarQ Andrew Speck of the band Sweet Crystal. The recently released the track Whatever Is Needed, Whatever It Takes and are set to release their new album 8 later this year.  

What is the hardest lyric you have ever had to write and why?   

The lyrics to “Heaven’s Call” from our 2022 album ‘7th HEAVEN’ were written  in 30 minutes when we heard the news of a very dear friend to the band unexpectedly passing away during  the pandemic… devastating to us all. 

These are the lyrics that came to me faster than any I had ever penned: 

Have you ever thought of all the friends you’ve got? 

There is one that you just know was sent to you from God? 

Now you’ll understand how we felt about this man 

He came into our lives one day 

How we hoped that he would stay but then 

An angel got their wings today 

Just before they flew away 

We heard you had answered Heaven’s call 

When we think of you, my friend 

How one day we will meet again 

Until then, we’ll wait on Heaven’s call 

You opened up our minds to the higher truths we’d find 

Acting as a guide, a friend, we felt that this would never end 

If we’d only known you’d soon be called back home 

We would have told you from the start 

You have a place within our hearts and now… 

An angel got their wings today Just before they flew away 

We heard you had answered Heaven’s call 

When we think of you, my friend How one day we will meet again 

Until then, we’ll wait on Heaven’s call

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What is the weirdest gift or compliment a fan has given you?  

One person at a live show came up and said (to no one in particular) ‘you guys look like you know what  you’re doing…can you play something you know?’ 

…I’m sorry, what? 

Who is the best band or musician you have had the pleasure to share the  stage with?  

When we first started out, we were lucky to open for bands like Nazareth, Foghat, Steppenwolf and Bob  Seger to name a few. These were indeed some super star acts that we were blessed to share a stage with. 

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What one of your songs has been the most difficult to rehearse for a live  audience?  

Actually none of them – because the core group of musicians that started the band (MarQ, Bill and Steve)  have been playing together for 50 years, making 2024 the band’s Golden Jubilee Anniversary and if we’ve  learned one thing from all our decades together… is that practice does indeed make perfect. We rehearse  every week even to this day to make sure all our songs come across to our audiences exactly as we hope. 

Dream Collaboration and why?  

We’ve always thought that a collaboration with super producer/songwriter Alan Parsons would be the  perfect musical fit for the band. His work with both Pink Floyd back in the day and all his Alan Parson  Project accomplishments has always sounded to us… like how we’d love a Sweet Crystal album to sound. 

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