David Eugene Edwards, from Denver's 16 Horsepower, is on a mission to save rock 'n' roll, which was once a genre known for its passion and intensity. Edwards, who grew up in a strict religious family, strives to bring back that same intensity one feels when listening to religious music through rock 'n' roll. Just back from a successful European tour, they're gearing up to criss-cross the States supporting their new album Secret South. Detroit, prepare to bear witness.

REAL DETROIT: Do you have any speculation as to why European audiences are more receptive to your music?
David Eugene Edwards: I think over in Europe the reception is stronger because we sound more exotic.

RD: So you think people in the States are more used to your kind of music?
DEE: Oh no! Not necessarily ...I think it brings to mind something people don't really care for or don't want to care about. I think for Americans, things that have sort of a Southern feel or a country feel, people turn away from it. It makes them think about things they don't want to think about. Like things from the past. The way people behaved. Just ignorant ...and all the things that came along with ignorance. I think the view is distorted a lot. I think there's a lot of things to be learned from the American past.

RD: Are you influenced by modern music or more traditional sources?
DEE: I listen to a lot of music. I like heavier stuff like Motorhead and AC/DC, but yeah, I mostly listen to traditional music. Either old mountain music or gypsy music from Eastern Europe or Mongolian music.

RD: Are there any specific mountain musicians that influenced you?
DEE: Most of the stuff I listen to I don't even know who it is because I've just recorded it off of records I got at the library when I was a younger. It's more of an attitude and feeling than anything else.

RD: Is that what made you choose to play antique instruments?
DEE: I grew up around that type of music. Mostly from the church. A strict Southern Nazarene church.

RD: Your grandfather was a Nazarene preacher?
DEE: Yeah.

RD: Can you define Nazarene for me?
DEE: It's a holiness church. They depend on do's and don'ts. Women don't wear pants, don't wear makeup, don't play cards and don't go to the movies. It's quite different now but when I was growing up it was very much that way. The music was always real important to me at the church, which was kind of where I lived.

RD: Religion is a driving force for you, and the devil seems to pop up in most of your songs. Does that fascination come from growing up in the church?
DEE: Hopefully, it's not a fascination! It's not necessarily the devil per se; it's more the conflict between good and evil... in myself and the world around me. It's what I think about and it's not something I can really get away from. I can say, "I'm going to write a love song now," but it would be a part of the love song. It's not something I'm obsessed with, but it's something I can't get away from.

RD: It seems like there's a dichotomy in your music. The struggle between good and evil you're talking about. The music is very dark, but your lyrics are very spiritual and positive.
DEE: Anything that I've come by that's worthwhile in my life has been a struggle and came with a lot of pain and suffering of one form or another. My music is no different, but it also has a lot to do with just a style that I like.

RD: The traditional music you're influenced by generally comes from people who live poor and desperate lives. Do you plug into that?
DEE: Yeah, sure. I mean I didn't grow up in a shack or nothing. That's more along the lines of the style of music I'm talking about. Not that it necessarily reflects my life.

RD: Do you feel like you have a calling to perform?
DEE: I feel I have been given the gift to play music. I'm not really handy at much else, so I guess I kinda feel like that's what I'm supposed to do. I've felt that way since I was pretty young, so I've just done it. I try to do it with as much honesty as I can. As far as a calling, I guess so. The Lord wants me to use any gift that I have for Him and His kingdom. And that's what I do. I do it in my own way, and that's a lot different than a lot of people would do it.

RD: I asked that because I read a quote where you said, "If I was in this just to entertain, I might as well be cleaning toilets."
DEE: I don't really feel like an entertainer. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I'm just not one. If I wasn't doing it for the reasons I'm doing it, I wouldn't be doing it.