Artist: John Deering Single: Strip Mall Jesus Genre: Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Pop-Punk Release Date: March 15th, 2025
John Deering’s return to songwriting wasn’t planned—it just wouldn’t leave him alone. After years of focusing on family and career, the creative itch became impossible to ignore. “Strip Mall Jesus” is the result: a high-energy, restless rock track that feels like a long-overdue release of pent-up ideas. It’s skater rock with an anxious edge, a song that moves fast without ever losing control.
The Sound
Built on a tight, no-frills instrumental, “Strip Mall Jesus” thrives in its simplicity. The guitars have that loose, bluesy grit reminiscent of The Black Keys, and the drums push the song forward with a steady, driving beat. Then there’s the hook—the kind of chant-along “Hey! Ho!” that makes the song stick in your head after just one listen.
But the real standout is Deering’s vocal performance. There’s a nervous, almost coke-fueled tension in his delivery, like something between Cage the Elephant’s Matt Shultz and Dan Auerbach. He sounds urgent, wired, like he’s teetering on the edge of control but never quite tipping over. That restless energy keeps the song alive—it’s not aggressive, not chill, but something in between, constantly moving forward.
The Story Behind the Song
The lyrics come from a real, haunting story. During a jam session, Deering’s drummer, Jonathan, shared a childhood memory: when he was ten, his best friend was shot and killed by his older brother in a senseless act of violence. Years later, the shooter had reinvented himself as a self-styled religious figure—what Jonathan bitterly described as an “effin’ Strip Mall Jesus.”
That phrase stuck with Deering. The song isn’t a slow, brooding reflection—it’s a quick, almost instinctive burst of emotion. It captures the absurdity of how some people move on while others are left carrying the weight. The frustration is there, but it’s not spelled out—it’s in the way Deering delivers each line, in the way the song never slows down enough to dwell.
The DIY Spirit: A Basement, a Gamer PC, and the “Shudio”
Part of what makes “Strip Mall Jesus” so compelling is how it was made. Deering didn’t have a big-budget studio—he had his basement, a “gamer’s” computer, a Neumann mic, and Pro Tools. But when the vocals weren’t sounding right, he took it a step further, converting a tiny bathroom into a makeshift vocal booth. His daughters called it the “Shudio,” and that DIY setup gave Deering’s voice the clarity and bite the song needed.
It’s a testament to how much you can do with a little creativity and a lot of determination. Deering’s story is relatable—not an artist who’s been doing this full-time, but someone who put music on hold and came back to it with even more to say.
Why It Stands Out
“Strip Mall Jesus” is high-energy but never feels rushed. It’s raw but not messy. It moves fast but still leaves room for the weight behind the words. For fans of skater rock, garage blues, and restless, high-strung vocals, this is a must-listen.
The track drops on March 15, 2025. If this is just the start of Deering’s long-awaited return, it’s worth keeping an eye on what comes next.
