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“Tao is the everlasting rhythm of life, the unity of the polarity of non-being and being.” --Ellen M. Chen
What is true in life, is true in rock and roll - the essence of individuality and the divine emotion that is felt when the soul is wrapped in experience. The truth seems to appear when listening to a good band and it answers in the listener’s mind what he or she is wondering: why we exist, the origin of creativity, the feeling of inner-captivity. And like the Tao, Unified Theory has provided “the highest good,” and that “is like water.”
The world attaches itself to music. People crave good sounds - people search for nourishment. And essentially, Unified Theory - the world’s newest rock edition - defines what it means to think and create originally . . . almost with a religious sense of knowing.
After touring for
their first self-titled album, Unified Theory has caught the eyes of those
who find themselves hearing about a band that’s come back to life. Former
members of “No Rain” famed Blind Melon have resurrected the unexpected
- a band that so easily can be compared to past ventures in the industry
(i.e. Zeppelin, Floyd and most certainly Blind Melon). However, it becomes
an impossible task to deem the band unoriginal in flavor. This isn’t Blind
Melon back from the dead, this is the formation and molding of a new avenue
for the mind. The taste of what has revisited rock and roll brings the
new to a generation craving the food of what so many ears can’t wait to
hear - Unified Theory is poised for appeal.
The band:
Who’s who in Unified Theory?
Chris Shinn, lead singer with dread-locks and all, has sparked the true meaning of what it is to be a rock star (a fading memory, now reprised). The lead singer of Unified Theory has opened the eyes of fans and has reinvented the charge of what’s undoubtedly needed in today’s music - passion. Watching Chris Shinn move on the stage is hypnotic as well as entirely overwhelming to the senses. His voice changes pitch in a heart beat - mere talent. It can be easily sensed that Chris is taking over where Shannon Hoon left off, but the two can’t be mistaken for the same. Chris has a vivid charisma that attracts what so many want to see in a show.
Christopher Thorn,
former Blind Melon guitarist, has stepped forward in taking the lead of
what has made the band's unique sound become so enticing. One of the most
talented musicians of our time, Christopher has taken on a more weighty
role with Unified Theory in comparison with his years as a member of Blind
Melon. He has been known for introducing the banjo, the mandolin, the lapsteel
and the piano into many of the band‘s songs.
Brad Smith, former bass player with Blind Melon, is certainly the key groove to Unified Theory's sound. Brad and Chris have become the founding fathers of Unified Theory's evolution. Brad smoothes out the band with great back-up vocal rhythms and a stage presence that meshes perfectly with Chris Shinn’s form. Abandon Jalopy, Brad’s side project, exemplifies the musical talents he possesses.
Recently, the band has lost drummer Dave Krusen, former member of Pearl Jam. Dave’s drum expertise rounded out the band’s exhilarating sound, but Unified Theory has brought on Paul Legaspi to take over the position. Allegedly, Paul helped Unified Theory with song “One Less” before Dave entered the band (the band previously was called Luma and than changed the name to Unified Theory). And, Paul is certainly no stranger to the band and he will definitely provide the overall girth to a sound that is sure to become better.
Watching and getting to know the band from a fan’s perspective has been a great experience. Chris Shinn has made a difference with his passion for the music he plays, the lyrics he sings and the fans he meets personally. What is comforting about Chris is his drive to create and lure such a beautiful sound to Unified Theory. Christopher Thorn compares his singing to that of an angel. So, is Chris Shinn a newcomer to the rock world? My answer is no, I think Chris Shinn embodies what rock should become - not part of the manufactured creations so many have become today. But, Chris Shinn has touched the outer surface, the crescent of reality with his lyrics and talent.
Unified Theory, from my enlightened point of view, is the rest I desired. After being a Blind Melon fan for so many years, the sound left me - I was never able to see them in concert. And, almost six years later - a grown man with a career - I find myself 18 years old again and traveling to local areas to see Unified Theory live in concert. I’ve traveled over the Rocky Mountains to Breckenridge, Colorado in a heavy snow storm to see the band play at a small club. The Unified Theory CD plays continuously in my car to and from work. So I guess I’m a fan, a groupie, a band-aid (thank you Kate Hudson) or an obsessed freak. I’m not ashamed.
The interview with Chris Shinn was a step for myself and for my life in general. Music means so much in my life - I have no idea how to play an instrument, sing a song or dance a jig. But, it’s the way I listen that makes me believe I have a large role in the “experience” process. Life is based on experience and learning. I feel that by listening to good music, it colorizes the perplexities and drowning moments of a world that becomes more black and white by the minute. And like Joseph Campbell once said, “When people say they’re looking for the meaning of life, what they’re really looking for is a deep experience of it.” That’s where I fit into the “experience” process and so does every Unified Theory fan looking for the “life-experience” - Chris Shinn just passes out the invitations.
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Chris Shinn interview:
RA: Ryan Alford
CS: Chris Shinn
RA: Yeah, Chris how are you?
CS: Good, how are you man?
RA: Doing well, just hanging out here in Phoenix.
CS: Are you an NBA fan at all?
RA: Sort of, I guess. Why?
CS: I'm from Charlotte, they've got a game tonight. Can't wait to watch it.
RA: I'm more into hockey. I follow the Colorado Avalanche.
CS: Right on, right on.
RA: Well, hey, just so you know. The first time I saw you guys was in Boulder, Colorado at the Fox Theater.
CS: When we toured with VAST?
RA: Yeah, that's it. I met you guys back stage.
CS: Wait a minute. Yeah! I remember.
RA: My wife and I were there looking to meet you guys.
CS: Wow! I had no idea.
RA: Than we saw you guys two times after that. The first show in Denver at the Soiled Dove and than we made the trek up to Breckenridge to see you at Sherpa and Yeti's.
CS: Oh yeah! That was a crazy show in Breckenridge. We had oxygen tanks back stage. We tried to walk up and down the stairs and seemed as though we were going to pass out.
RA: The venue was kind of tight, but you did a good job regardless. It was a good show.
CS: Yeah it was. I had a lot of fun. It was cool.
RA: I remember the opening band and the guitarist kept having problems with his amp - it continuously cut out. He offered to buy anybody a shot if they would come up on stage and kick the shit out of his amp. I raised my hand. Next thing you know I was beating the hell out of this guy's amp - it was unreal.
CS: That's great!
RA: Did you see that?
CS: No, I did not see that. That's great!
RA: Yeah, it was my crowning moment. It was a good memory.
CS: Right on.
RA: Chris, you guys have come so far with the tour and the record.
CS: Yeah, a lot has happened since I last saw you too. A lot is going down - big changes for us.
RA: It's exciting.
CS: It is very exciting.
RA: I guess my first question is what's the overall feeling of the group right now considering Dave Krusen leaving, and bringing Paul on board?
CS: We're very optimistic people. We are really excited. We know that as soon as we release these new songs to the new labels and what not, getting a new deal is not going to be a problem. It’s with the "in-between" time when it gets a little scary. But it’s so good to play with Paul. He is so good and he has brought a whole other element into the band that has really completed the circle for me. It's wonderful. We're very optimistic right now and extremely excited about getting back on the road. Which it looks like it will start in July. I think we're going to tour in Canada.
RA: Oh really?
CS: Yeah, there's
a band called "Finger 11," and I don't hear much about them, but they are
getting pretty big in Canada. And they are big fans of ours and wanted
us to tour with them last year, but it never worked out. So they're getting
us on this bill and they're able to pay what we'll need to bring out our
crew and all that stuff - we have a lot of gear. But they really want us
to come so they're going to pay us enough to do this - which
is just enough to
do it - and it is going to be great. All the venues are going to be 2,000
seaters - it will be cool.
RA: What is the largest venue you've played at - would that be on your tour with Live and Counting Crows?
CS: The most people we've had was in Minneapolis at the Target Center and that was my biggest rock night ever. It was amazing. Because there was 20,000 people already in there seats and it was the one show we did that was an arena show - all the rest were in sheds or outdoor venues. But the arena show was really cool because the lights went out and the place went crazy. It was really amazing.
RA: I guess it would be much different than playing the clubs.
CS: Like Breckenridge?
RA: Yeah, that was a much different than an arena show.
CS: It's relative. We don't look at it as any better or worse. But, to be honest one of the best shows we ever played and I enjoyed the most was in a club called "The Saint" in Ashbury Park, New Jersey. This place was tiny and everybody knew the record and it was one of those really mad shows - it was great. I can't explain it. It’s relative to me. That was just as amazing as walking out in front of 20,000 people.
RA: When I first
saw the band in Boulder, Colorado - when you were touring with VAST - I
saw a much different band then when I saw you at the Soiled Dove in Denver.
What changed between those times?
CS: That is a really
good question. Sometime around the end of the VAST
tour and the beginning
of the next tour, something dawned on me. I guess I had an epiphany or
a revelation - just the basic rules of life that everyone understands,
like be good to one another, crap like that. I was warming up for a show
and I was kind of nervous because I felt a little tired and we've been
really touring hard. I was nervous about me not singing on key and all
that kind of stuff. It dawned on me that people who come see the band,
when we go on stage it shouldn't be HOW we play the notes, it is WHY we're
playing. That's what people react to and that's why I do it. And, once
I realized that, it took so much pressure off my back. I spent less time
trying to focus on every note that I'm singing and I tried focusing on
why I'm singing each line, what it means to me and what it means to the
band. I think that opened a door for me and my energy level doubled.
RA: Yeah it did, I believe that was the difference I noticed.
CS: It sort of defined
things I've wanted to do on stage. It was sort of by accident - which is
what it’s supposed to be - rock shows are supposed to be chaotic. A mic
might go out and you have to assume that will happen
and just keep rolling.
The Soiled Dove is a great example of that, we had a couple things go wrong
- but it was great, I loved it. With "Self-Medicate," in the middle of
the song we had to stop it and we've never had to stop a song before. My
mic went out and Brad (Smith) panicked. He couldn't hear my voice, but
he could hear his voice perfect. He had to stop the song and than we kicked
right back in on the first chorus. I just heard a bootleg of that and I
just started cracking up.
RA: I remember that moment.
CS: It was cool though.
Brad was so worried about that after the show and I was like man come on
it was a rock show we killed it, it was funny. I thought we handled it
great. Some people get mad and pissed - you can't
pissed.
RA: I remember the difference was when I heard "Fin," which is my personal favorite.
CS: That was my favorite song to play on the last tour.
RA: The energy on that song alone, it didn't double - it quadrupled. When you listen to it on the CD and when you played it at the Soiled Dove, it almost sounds like two different songs.
CS: We've learned
so much from touring that we realized that - we're making demos now for
the next record - but we know now that we have to tour first before making
the final record. Even if it’s a short, eight-date tour or something, we
need to get out there because I always end up finding things vocally .
. . live. It's something when you get on stage all the rules change, they
don't apply anymore. Something else happens to it, you start channeling
and all that kind of cool stuff. Boulder was the total polar opposite because
it was the most calm and quiet show we've ever played. It was packed and
you could hear a pin drop. I couldn't figure it out, was
everyone out there
just baked or what is going on?
RA: I remember that night, that was my first time seeing you guys. It wasvery powerful. From my personal view, I just wanted to take it all in. I wanted to hear everything. It was a good experience.
CS: It was a great show, but the band has grown up.
RA: Something I noticed too at the Soiled Dove show was that you said you're father was there. How is the support you receive from you family?
CS: It is unbelievable. My parents are really my biggest fans. My dad has supported me and helped me through so much it’s unbelievable. He is really, if not the biggest influence in my life. We is an amazing man, he is like my "superman" for sure. They were up in Vail with my sister skiing, and they flew down for the night to have dinner and see the show and they left right after the show.
RA: You guys were hammering the tour, I tried to keep up as much as possible. You guys were in a new place everyday. It was incredible how much you traveled. After the tour, how is your relationship with the guys?
CS: Coming off the tour, you go through a period of withdrawal - it's like a drug or something. When you travel as much as we did and we were in a different city everyday - it's not that you're in a different city, we were hanging out with some of the coolest people that showed us where the best restaurants are and where we should hang out. You get to see the best sights of all the cities. And, the more you do it, the more we cultivate friendships in all these towns. So we come through and we already know what we want to do when we get there. The country seems to get smaller and smaller and at a certain point I remember asking myself if human beings are supposed to take in this much information in a week. In a week, somebody would say, hey remember that show we did in D.C. and it would feel like two weeks ago, but it was two days ago. We drove to Toronto and we saw Niagara Falls, all these things. You can't believe how much you can do in two days - it's unbelievable. It’s big down time and the band has exceptional relationships with each other because we're very open. We don't fight. We're not the typical rock band, we don't have drug problems - we don't have any of that. We get along very well and to be honest when we're not touring I still talk to them everyday and we're still working, trying to figure out what's the next thing to do. And, I think if I wasn't able to talk to them everyday, I would go crazy because they’re the only people that understand what I’m feeling when I get depressed. When you come home you feel as if you’re not doing anything because you’re so used to traveling so much - that’s how it feels.
RA: I want to ask you about Christopher Thorn. I’ve been following Brad Smith and Christopher since their Blind Melon days, I’ve seen them move on and I feel that Christopher Thorn is one of the most talented musicians out there. I guess I see him as the icing on the Unified Theory cake, he has so many ways to make the sound seem different.
CS: He’s a producer at heart. Every song we work on, or whoever breaks into a song, if he heard a violin part he would learn how to play violin for that song - if that’s what he thought would be proper for the song. He doesn’t limit himself to one guitar. Which is happening now with these new songs, we keep adding sounds, instruments and peddles. We’re going to sound like Pink Floyd before too long with enough gear to make a guitar center jealous.
RA: Speaking of, the Pink Floyd cover you guys did “Breathe” was incredible.
CS: Oh yeah, we still get so many comments on that. We’ve sort of adopted that song and it has become one of our own.
RA: Christopher’s role in that song was amazing.
CS: Oh yeah - perfect. I’ve wanted to play that for years and it was my idea to do that. I’ve never been in a band where there’s another good singer - Brad is great singer. You definitely need those two parts to make that song happen.
RA: In “Fin,” the lyrics I try not to break them down because I think it’s kind of goofy -
CS: It’s a good one. No, go ahead.
RA: There’s a line in there that says “the healing is over.” I’ve always connected that with Brad and Christopher’s moving on from Blind Melon and entering the scene again with Unified Theory.
CS: You’re right on with that. That song is beautiful to me because that’s the first song that we wrote together. When we first met we went down to the Bahamas, my dad let us use his boat for a week and my mom went with us. It was like our little vacation, it was our little “honeymoon” we called it. And we’re sitting there on the boat and I had the guitar ideas for the beginning and the chorus. Christopher made the verse happen. Brad made that bad-ass bass line that summed the whole thing up. Than the three of us would sit around and provide lyrics - Christopher would say one lyric and than Brad would provide another. We kept rolling on how this would sound. It was an anthem for the band because after my house burned down and I lost all these things and it’s been a year in this haze of drinking a lot - it helped me get over the fact of what happened to me. “The healing is over” I relate to just as hard as Brad and Christopher do. It was the ending of a chapter and the beginning of what was and is Unified Theory. That is where all the water references come from because we were in the Bahamas for a lot of the writing.
RA: In reading my competition out there and staying abreast of all the different articles out there, I’ve found the reoccurring theme of how the band has risen again, which I don’t necessarily like because I feel of course Christopher and Brad have come back from Blind Melon, but how do you brush away the cobwebs of the past and move on to Unified Theory’s future. And, how do you brush away that underlying pressure of the title “the former members of Blind Melon.”
CS: To be honest, I think that the pressure is mainly on the fan’s side or people buying the record. Because that is the big question, I would want to know and everybody asks - rightfully so. The band is completely comfortable with what we are and what we’re doing. It has never been considered to be another version of Blind Melon, it’s a completely different thing. Being in the band, we know the way we’re writing and the way that we’re working is nothing like Blind Melon, but people can obviously hear the connections. I guess people see the similarities because Shannon Hoon and I sing in tenor ranges and a lot of people make that connection - which is fair. I think it’s great, any comparison to Shannon is flattering. The band is completely comfortable with it and we are comfortable being Unified Theory. This band isn’t just four people to me, this band is Amanda our publicist, Christopher and Brad’s wives, Paul’s wife, my girlfriend, all these people make this band. There’s so many people involved with this band - our booking agent - these are people that are just as much Unified Theory as I am. And I think that’s the key to any successful band.
RA: I guess one of the goals I had for this interview was to talk about the originality of the band and separate the “Blind Melon” factor. And, not to break that down, it was a great promotional idea - I don’t see how you could of not used that to your advantage.
CS: That was a big issue when we were about to release the new record because why not put use that. There was all these fine lines about not being allowed to put that on the front of the record. We don’t want people to think we’re selling out. And Brad always had a good point: as many people out there that do like Blind Melon, there’s just as many who didn’t like them. I wasn’t a huge Blind Melon fan, but I would’ve bought the record out of curiosity. But it’s cool and it has worked for us and not against us. I feel that people underestimate our band. I’m an extremely comfortable person with who I am and what I’m doing. I have so much faith in the music and I feel like I understand the overall rule: it’s WHY you do it and not HOW you do it. And, I’m so comfortable with my muse that it doesn’t bother me because I feel that there will never be another Shannon Hoon just as much as there will never be another Chris Shinn. And that’s not an ego thing - that’s how I feel. The whole Shannon thing doesn’t bother me at all. When I first met these guys I had to realize that I had to be ready for the comparisons.
RA: You are particularly interested in your fans, their opinions, on the Web site, you’ve kept in touch with people.
CS: That’s so important.
RA: How has that been for you?
CS: That is why I do it. Touring is the best because you get to see the end of the equation when the record gets out there. And why do you do it, because in a small town in Canada, a 17 year old kid who can’t get in to the show, but I’ve been talking to him for a year on e-mail, but he gets to come to sound check - it made his year. This kid has never played an instrument, now he’s playing guitar and sending me demos of his band. It’s so fucking cool - that’s why I love it. I love making people happy. I’m into that moment where people forget their jobs and forget all that crap.
RA: That was the same way with my experience - seeing you guys for the first time and the second time. Each venue had its own special moment and memory. I think that’s important and I feel as though you guys have something great going.
CS: I appreciate that. I can’t wait to get working on the second record. You saw two completely different shows - two polar opposites. I’m excited to take the new energy into the next record. Some of the songs on the first record are going on three years old. We are ready to move on. It will be a heavier record.
RA: Well, what about that new record? There was this excitement that was powerful enough to take you away from the tour and get you back into the recording studio. How important was that for you?
CS: It was really important because we had to make a huge decision about the label. It was basic math problems - it had nothing to do with lack of passion or being great people because we love everybody at that label - anyone who knows anything about business knows that you don’t send a band on tour playing in front of 800 people and there’s only 3,000 records left in the entire country. And the tour cost -X- amount of dollars which we can’t afford to do and it doesn’t make any sense if there are only two records in each city we play in. So, on top of that we have Paul come into the picture - there’s all these things going on. It was kind of exciting and stressful, it was a weird time.
RA: So, who’s your new label now that you’ve dropped 3:33?
CS: Well, we have offers, but I don’t know if I’m supposed to talk about it. The band put the brakes on and went into studio mode. Our goal is to finish these new songs and I’m moving from Seattle to Los Angeles. We know when we go out on tour again that we have a handful of people that want to hear these new songs. Finding a label home won’t be a problem. That’s why, during the upcoming Canadian tour, we don’t have a label to support the fund we need - that’s why “Finger 11” is supporting us during that tour.
RA: What made you involve yourself in music? How did it take an early precedence in your life and how did it evolve?
CS: That’s a pretty deep question. You’re taking me back here. I pretty much taught myself how to play guitar and didn’t know what I was doing. My dad bought me a guitar at a very young age and signed me up for guitar lessons on Saturdays - and I thought Saturdays, fuck that. So, the guitar sat up in the attic until I was 14 and I was going to hang it up on the wall by all my surfing posters and crap. So, I pulled it out and plugged it in and just played along to songs with one finger chords. That’s when I started taking guitar lessons. I only took about three lessons and the teacher saw that I was advancing very well. My teacher gave me every major and minor chord to learn the next week, which I did and it blew his mind. I loved skateboarding and I broke my wrist skateboarding. I couldn’t play my guitar. I realized how much I wanted to play guitar than skate. I never knew why I was able to write and that kind of freaks me out sometimes. Starting out in my old high school band was border line Christian music - it was very positive and talked a lot about God.
RA: Are you a Christian?
CS: I grew up in a Baptist family, but I’m not a very religious person - I am very spiritual however.
RA: It shows in your lyrics.
CS: I’m not opposed to religion at all, but the key to religion is faith and that in itself is another issue. If you have faith, that’s what’s important, and if you find faith through religion - that’s beautiful.
RA: Was there ever an critical turning point in your life that made you change the way you think and/or live?
CS: Well, there are two moments in my life. One, I guess was in tenth grade when all the colleges were visiting my high school. I didn’t leave that day with one college application and I went to all of them. None of them appealed to me. My dad sat me down that day and asked me what I was going to do with my life. I told him that I realized that I wanted to be with my band for the rest of my life - even if meant living downtown under a bridge just to play at a club. My dad did not get it, he didn’t understand. I realized that day that I wasn’t going to college. The second biggest turning point for me was when I heard about taking acid and how it made you change the way you think. So, I got on this acid kick. One of the best days of my life was when I went on this acid trip and it completely changed my life - everything was different from that day on. I went home that day and hugged my little brother and from that day on I never had a fight with my mother. I was only 17 and I grew up 10 years in one day. Than I got to liking it too much, and this only lasted about two months of my life, but I ended up having a severe seizure on acid. I suffered what you would call your typical near-death experience. When I came to, I didn’t know who or where I was, but I realized that day maybe I should of died. I realized my music is all I could think about, it took on another light. It wasn’t jamming for the babes or jamming to rock out, it was something more than that. After that day, that terrible and wonderful day, I was never the same. I found a purpose in life and it scared the shit out of me. I still have hard core anxiety problems as a result of that and I use medication, therapy and all sorts of shit like that - it’s kind of like being handicapped, it sucks.
RA: I’m guessing the song “Not Dead” came from that experience.
CS: Yeah, it did. That’s exactly right. That’s the only thing that I knew when I came out of that situation. I didn’t know my name. I didn’t know I was on drugs. But I knew I wasn’t dead, I knew I was alive - that was all I knew. But obviously I don’t do drugs anymore because of that situation. I love to drink, I love to hang out with my friends after the shows, but that’s a different thing. I don’t get crazy, but the band will sometimes drink after the shows and that’s as far as we take it.
RA: Were you satisfied with the popularity of the first record, could it have been better or was it just right?
CS: I was satisfied, but I do honestly think that it could’ve done way better. That’s why we fired our label. There were basic problems and mistakes that shouldn’t have been made. For example, like sending us out on tour for a second single without a radio guide, without anyone telling the radio. We’re out there busting our ass doing our job pulling in big crowds and every time we go to a record store there wouldn’t be any records there. We were like, what the fuck? So, that’s the problem we’re trying to fix with a new label. I’m not bitter about it, I’m totally happy with the fact that we got to tour like we did, that we got to play as much and we learned so much as a band. It was a shame to come down as it did and lose Dave as a result of that. Our label should have done what they were supposed to and we lost Dave - and that’s one of the reasons. But that did present a great opportunity with Paul - my soul mate, my dearest friend of years now. It has been a pleasure to work with him. But, it isn’t a disappointment, I know as soon as somebody hits the “go” button that it’s going to be on, and that could be in a week or six months from now - I don’t know. As long as we continue to make records and tour and be a band, that’s a successful band - that’s what I want and we’ve had that. And to be honest, we are still trying to get the first record properly released in Europe. Because we think that it could do great.
RA: I guess this would be my last question, how long have you been growing your dread-locks?
CS: Seven years. I’ve been saying seven years and Christopher laughs and says that I’ve saying seven years for the past two years. It could be eight, I don’t know, but I do know it’s been a long fucking time. I’m looking forward to cutting them, but it isn’t time yet. It has been a commitment, but it’s just hair. It isn’t a statement, it is just a testament of my patience. That’s what it shows. I get offended when people think they’re fake, because that’s a cheap shot - they don’t want to believe that I would be that patient enough to let my hair grow to this length. People who know dread-locks totally appreciate it, they go “holy shit, you’ve put some time into those fuckers.” And I did, it has taken forever.
RA: Well, Chris that’s all I have. Thanks for the time.
CS: Right on Ryan, see you later.
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I only see it fitting to end this with a quote. Long live Unified Theory and those who enjoy their music.
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery -- even if mixed with fear -- that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity." -Albert Einstein