Steven Curtis Chapman Interview: 'The Glorious Unfolding' Brings His Smile Back After Tragedy Left Him 'Shut Down'

Article originally for The Christian Post, it can be seen here.

Steven Curtis Chapman has been a Christian music staple for the last 25 years plus, and in that time frame has used his wonderful gift of music to not only proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but also to help inspire and bring God's people closer to their Savior.

Now, in 2013, it was Chapman who could have used a bit of the inspiration after a trying last couple of years.

"My family and I has been on a very difficult and painful journey walking through the loss of our youngest daughter in May 2008," Chapman told the Christian Post.

The greatest example we have of God's love is the love of a father has for his children, and as Chapman and his family suffered a horrific tragedy that was sure to shake the character of any man and make him curse God, Chapman instead, leaned on him.

"God is faithful even in the hardest places. Then to actually walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and to have that depth of despair of hopelessness and that sense of how can that be, and all those questions, and wrestling with God at a level deeper than I ever would have wanted to…You continue to walk through the darkest days and are able to say, God you're my Savior. Having walked through what I've walked through, I now have an infinitely deeper love than before. It deepened my awareness of how much of God I don't understand," he said.

Chapman said this new record, The Glorious Unfolding, is the album where he got his smile back. People have told him the "joy and celebration" is back in his voice.

Understandably everyone takes time to heal, and Chapman said it was a process.

"I shut everything down creatively and musically to slowly see what's going to come from this. Am I ever going to feel like I can write another song," he said.

And while he did write again, the songs were deep and introspective. He said he was "wrestling with God."

The last few albums have been very different. They were specific recordings, greatest hits, a Christmas album, songs redone; they were projects for a purpose, but not necessarily a "Steve Curtis Chapman" record.

His life is slowing getting to a better place he said.

"We've been through and still are living with a broken heart, but there is new life and new beginnings."

"There is much new life to celebrate," Chapman said as he spoke about three of his children getting married since the accident, and grandchildren coming into the picture.

He told of a story from when he was young about what he thought the biggest roller coaster was. It was in his hometown, and he was fearful of it growing up. Once he got older and experienced one of the coasters at 6 Flags, he knew that small one was not nearly the same or as bad.

Chapman used that story as an analogy for the little roller coasters in life. They may seem big at the time, but much scarier one's can be in the future, and sometimes we do not know why God puts them in our path.

"God does know the plans he has for us, he does know the story he's writing for our lives. I really do believe God will finish what he started. He is a God that redeems and restores, and is telling a great epic story of our lives. He is a God of hope and will restore," Chapman said.

"I don't know if it's a transformation or a deepening to depths that I never imagined and would have if given a choice to not even go to this deep of an understanding, or this deep of faith because I would have taken the option of an easier path," he candidly admits about the whole situation.

The beauty of music is its healing abilities, and how it can reach emotions and the soul like nothing else.

"Music is a supernaturally powerful thing. I believe in God creating the art form of music to transform people. I've watched the power of a song, words said to music in line and meter, go to a place in people's heart that a spoken word can never go to," he said.

"I've seen it save my own heart, and in ways my own life."

Chapman explained God's use of musicians in the Bible. He told the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho, where the army marched around the city singing and playing music until the walls came down. Also, of when the Israelites went to war sending in musicians before the frontline.

When asked about some of the limitations of Christian music, Chapman explained that Christian music has come a long way. He cites artists such as Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, Sixpence None the Richer, and Switchfoot as being musicians who paved the way for Christian music being accepted in the mainstream.

"I've had that opportunity, and performed in places I would have never imagined playing Christian music before," he said.

He continued, "Are there times that it limits the reach of a song? Yes. If I wasn't the CCM guy, would my songs have the opportunity to reach other places? Yes, I think that's the case. But, we as people think we need those labels to try and qualify and organize, and I guess over the years I've taken the position of rather than sort of be frustrated, more to go, this is what is and how do we use it in the most effective way?"

"I've seen so much good and so many positive things by listening to Christian music and Christian radio stations. The good far outweighs the negative aspects of labels and those kinds of things," he said.

Chapman's next great adventure is "The Glorious Unfolding Tour with Jason Gray and Laura Story.

"Jason's story and his message is so consistent with what I'm really communicating especially with this tour, that God knows the plans for your life and even in the mess and brokeness that he'll bring something beautiful out of that if we trust him with it," said Chapman.

"Laura's song 'Like Blessings' is a song that encouraged and was such a healing song in our darkest days," he said explaining now he sings a duet with her everyday. "That alone is a powerful testimony to me. Laura's been through so much and she shares it on stage."

"It's an incredible tour to be encouraged and ministered to."

Chapman has 16 studio albums, and 20 total in his career. He has sold more than 10 million albums, has two Platinum records, seven Gold, 46 No. 1 Christian radio hits, three Grammy Awards, and just won his 58th Dove Award.

Dustin Kensrue Interview on His New Project 'The Water & Blood'

This interview was originally done for The Christian Post. You can view the original piece here. 

A little context to the story...This was a dream interview for me. Thrice is my favorite band of all time, and Dustin's songwriting ability amazes me, so this was truly an honor for me. There is a second part to the interview that I will post later.

Dustin Kensrue traded in his heavy rock chords and vocals as the frontman of Thrice for stripped down emotive and powerful church music as the Worship Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Bellevue, Washington, and is releasing his first album, The Water & Blood, on October 1.

Although Kensrue has released solo albums before, this is his first record comprised strictly of corporate worship songs to be sang specifically in churches. 

"At Mars Hill music we are really trying to write music for the local churches to sing," Kensrue told the Christian Post. "We want to proclaim and celebrate the gospel in the sense of what God has done through Jesus Christ. We are here because of what Jesus has done. He's called the church into being. There's freedom in that and there's a lot to be celebrated.  

Kensrue shared that writing worship music was a bit of a process for him as he always shied away from it in favor of what he was doing with his band or solo projects.

"I originally did not want to have anything to do with it for a long time. I grew up leading worship in my junior high group. I started playing guitar; I could barely play but none of the other leaders and kids could play, so I ended up leading. I was kind of fed up with it and frustrated. I had a real chip on my shoulder about it. It wasn't a healthy response," he revealed.

As a member of Thrice, Kensrue and his bandmates were known for challenging themselves musically as they put out eight albums of varying sound and themes. This time around however, the call to worship was a challenge issued by God Himself.

"I guess God challenged me on that. I told my wife I would never be a worship leader. He [God] trained me up to see it differently, and stop complaining from the sidelines. He brought me to where I'm at now."

Kensrue however, is grateful for all the work he was able to do with Thrice. Being in the band allowed him to portray a message through his music to "impact the broader secular world." The band was never labeled Christian, but it is quite evident in Kensrue's lyrics as to where his focus and devotion belonged to.

He now would have to use his gift for fluid and masterful songwriting and storytelling to capture the might of God, while also creating a song that many voices can sing out together. 

"I really think the only difference should be that the music has a different purpose and function. We should be making good art, we should be doing our jobs well wherever we are. The way that we do those jobs should point to the excellency of Jesus," he said. "I really want these songs to be centered around the cross, and [I'm] writing with a purpose that this song needs to work well in corporate worship."

Kensrue also says there is a stigma that comes with Christian music. Sometimes people will not listen to it simply because of the label. It is because of this that he is appreciative of his time and ability to reach people while spending 14 years touring and recording with Thrice.

"I ended up having an impact in the broader secular world" he said regarding his decision to communicate a message through a non Christian forum. It showed in the music as well.

Thrice songs such as "Like Moths to Flame," chronicled the feelings of shame after Peter denied Jesus, and "Come All You Weary" touches on resting all heartache and burdens on the Savior – and those are just a few.

The importance of the power of music is not lost on Kensrue as he understands the opportunity to now minister to people who may have not ever listened to worship, but will now because of his history with Thrice. 

"Music is something that has a lot of repetition...you hear a sermon once or twice, read your favorite book two or three times, favorite movie... How often do you listen to your favorite song? Maybe hundreds – a thousand times in a life time. If that song is true and helpful and good, it has a profound impact on the way you see things. Especially worship songs. This is the reason why we need to have great corporate worship songs." 

He continues, "I don't want them to just be tools for other worship leaders. I want them to be amazing worship art so that people will want to listen to them, therefore have spiritual transformation."

Perhaps Kensrue's newest song, and the big single off of The Water & Blood, "It's Not Enough," is the perfect example of music as art. The song leaves the standard convention of what a worship song is and allows Kensrue to explore a bit more of his roots while opening himself up to the Lord. 

"That song was originally going to be a Thrice song that I never got around to finishing. The song should work on either record because it is true and engaging on a different level," he said.

The video is powerful as well. It is a continuous shot of his face as he walks for what seems like forever with a background of events happening all around the world behind him. It is simple and to the point, but gets the message across crystal clear.  

"There's something kind of engaging and uncomfortable and inviting by this lopped off shot. I thought it was compelling and would work really well with this song in particular. I think the main point was to capture the face to face to excentsiate the lyrics which adds another layer to challenge the listener of what's going to be talked about," said Kensrue.

He came up with the idea of the video while at the gym. He said he was walking in step with the song while on the treadmill, and the idea hit him. 

Kensrue is well known for the emotion and passion he puts behind singing some of his most emotional songs. "It's Not Enough," is no different, and when asked about it he quoted Dr. Bryan Chapell, "If the manner does not match the message, the manner is what we will believe."

In other words, he means, being engaged with the song makes the story powerful because it puts yourself in the characters place. "[It's like] Entering into the story and inviting others into that."

In the foreseeable future, Kensrue plans on continuing to lead worship every Sunday at Mars Hill Church. He also has a couple of musical endeavors in the works. 

"As crazy as it sounds, I plan on putting another worship album out within a year. I've got two other records I want to make that are outside the church. One being a follow up to Please Come Home and one being something totally different. I don't know when I'll ever get to those. I have songs for it, I just need to finish them," he said.

He also offered a glimmer of hope for Thrice fans that are missing their favorite band since going on hiatus earlier this year.

"There's definitely a future for Thrice I just have no idea what it looks like or when it looks like. I think it'll definitely be a couple of years before it even begins to make sense. I look forward to the day in whatever form we start doing stuff together again. There's just so many factors, I can't say with any certainty or what that looks like. I love playing with those guys, and it would be a blast to do it again and it will be extra fun having had time away from it because 14 years straight is pretty intense."

The Water & Blood releases on October 1 off of Mars Hill Music/BEC Recordings.

Newsboys Interview with Drummer Duncan Phillips

Did this interview for the Christian Post. Enjoy, and be sure to check out the original at - http://global.christianpost.com/news/newsboys-restart-with-drummer-duncan-phillips-christian-music-should-be-better-interview-104080/

As legendary and pioneering Christian band the Newsboys get ready to release their 17th album, Restart, tomorrow, the Christian Post had the opportunity to speak with longtime drummer Duncan Phillips on the messages of the album, why Christian music as a whole is lacking, and why Restart is the best Newsboys album ever made.

Christian Post: The new album Restart has been quoted by the band as 'taking music one step further.' How is that?

Duncan Phillips: I think on this one in particular we really wanted to go outside of our box because I think... we kind of felt that Christian music is really the only type of music that is sort of gauged on its lyrical content rather than the art of the music. This is fine, but unfortunately the downside is I think music is kind of second fiddle for the lyrics – I really believe that the art itself has suffered. It's second rank, and that's one of the complaints we hear from a lot of people. The music art just isn't there, and I would have to agree with them about that.

This one [album] we kind of went on purpose and said, look if that's the complaint that people who listen to CCM and Newsboys [have], let's have a genuine look at this and see what we can do about it. So we chased the best producers we possibly could and we chased the best songwriters we possibly could. Just because we are in band doesn't mean that we are the best songwriters, and I know we've had a lot of success with our own songs over the years but we thought, 'let's just get the best.' There's guys out there who will never be on the stage but at songs they are absolute geniuses. Let's see what we can do if we get some world class songwriters to collaborate on this project. I really believe we got a superior product. I can unequivocally say, that it's the best Newsboys record we've ever penned and recorded.

CP: What are some of the themes and messages that you are trying to convey on Restart?

DP: We didn't do it on purpose, but there is a theme throughout the record of, God chooses his people to do His will, and we aren't going to be able to hide in our subculture. We are not going to affect the world hiding in a cave and waiting for God to return. He's not going to return because I think He chooses to do His work, and if we ain't going to do it, He'll just sit around and wait for the next generation to it. He chooses to use you and me, and maybe it's for our betterment but the fact that he does, tells me we have to reengage with the culture. The culture over the last 50 years has degraded to a point where we have a 20 year-old girl at the VMA's strutting around basically naked telling everyone if you're to be anyone that she's got to act in a certain way. This generation has lost its heroes and people to look up to. As a band we want to rengage our culture, and have a real positive effect. Obviously the enemy is having a positive affect on our culture and I think it's time that we jumped in not to be apart of it, knowing who we are and having courage to do the great commission. 

CP: Why do you think music is a powerful tool for the gospel?

DP: I think the thing with music, it can bypass you in your conscience and affects someone right down into their soul and being. I'm a drummer and rhythms and grooves really get me going. A lot of times I don't even know what a certain song is singing about. One time someone asked, 'What's your 10 favorite songs,' and then someone in the band said, 'Have you ever heard the lyrics on that song?' and I'm like 'No, I love the drums on that song.' Then when I actually read the lyrics I died because I can not believe I've been singing this song in my brain the whole time, and that's what the lyrics have been. That proved my point, that a lot of the time the art of the music is such a powerful force that it can actually bypass the conscience. It could work for the good, and it could work for the bad. Through the medium of music God does wonderful and mighty things and I really believe God has done that in the past.  

CP: The new single is "Live with Abandon," what have the reactions been like so far? 

DP: It's amazing. I was talking to Michael this morning. He said the feeling on this record is how he felt when Jesus Freak hit. He knew with Jesus Freak that he had something amazing, but they weren't quite sure what because obviously a hit is not a hit til it hits. But he has that very same feeling, that sense of anticipation and so far the reaction has been amazing. I think people are really genuinely blown away. We want to give a product that kids are proud of, and I don't want them to hide their Christian music. Something they'll only listen to when no one else is in the dorm room. I want it to stand up stylistically, and as far as the art side of it goes, against anything out there, and I think it does. I'm incredibly proud of it, and once this kind of gets into the airwaves and people get the record, it'll be something that they can use as a tool.

CP: Why have the Newsboys been able to last so long? From 1985 to the present.

DP: We've always been very proud of who we are as a band, and very proud about not being a Christian version of someone else. That's one of the major complaints of CCM in general, you know whatever is happening at the time, two or three years later, stylistically the Christian music industry will kind of do their Christian version of it. I believe Christian music should be better. We shouldn't be copying one another, and this album, that is what we did. I'm incredibly proud of this record. I think it's going change the face of our fans, but hopefully changes the face of CCM in general.  

CP: Stylistically the Newsboys have covered many different genres of music as the decades have passed. Do you think it's because of the different lead singers or just how Christian music has evolved over the years?

DP: I think it's everything. Every record is like applying for your job over. Every record is an opportunity to say, 'Hey, here we are.' We hope you like this rendition. With the change over to Michael in 2009, that gave us this incredible opportunity to try something musically that we hadn't done before, and it's a risk, and it's scary, but I think any band that stands the test of time has been through any one or two restarts. They've kind of been through a realigning of who they are. Because if you keep making the same record, you are going backwards I believe. Getting a new lead singer is a stretch, going from a bald white guy to a black guy with hair, that's a massive monumental change in the band. Michael is such a world class talent, that he really allowed the band to go forward and to kind of do the record like Restart. 

CP: Michael was no slouch either. His former group DC Talk was fairly popular (Sarcastic)...

DP: Oh my God yeah. DC Talk was kind of a band that revolutionized Christian music at the time. There was nothing like DC Talk at the time. I remember it, there was just this massive moment of, 'oh my gosh, where did these guys come from?' They really raised the standard of what Christian music had been up to that point and time. And I really believe with Michael this record that the Newsboys have done that again. At least from what we've done before, we've set the bar pretty high. I think you have to legitimately and constantly working on getting better on every level of what you do. 

CP: What's the craziest thing that has happened to you in your 20 years with the Newsboys?

DP: There's so much to go on. I've probably forgotten half of it. You travel the whole world, you might play 150 dates a year. There's stuff that happens all the time and because you live in that world, a lot of times you don't even remember this stuff. We were younger and we crazy, and it takes a bunch of crazy to do what we do I think. We used to ride motorbikes all over the country, we had dirtbikes, paintball back in the day. Off hand I can't remember one particular thing. I mean the road life is crazy, you go from town to town, you're meeting people all the time. Your bus is breaking down, your gear is breaking down... One time back in the day our drum riser that spins around got stuck upside down, and that was a funny moment because I didn't know whether to keep on going or to stop. But being the pros we are we kept on going, and I finished the set hanging upside down until some guys came and got me and unbuckled me and carried me out of the thing. That was years and years ago, that doesn't happen anymore. 

CP: What's your favorite classic Newsboys song to play?

DP: Since Michael's joined the band, we've had so many hits off of these last three records, that we're only playing like three records, like three songs from older stuff. "He Reigns," we play that which is a really nice moment. I think "Something Beautiful," and kind of a throwback to Michael's heritage, "Jesus Freak," out here for a couple of years now, and that's always a nice moment because it puts a bow on the collaboration between Michael and the Newsboys and where he's been. With this Restart record we may even get rid of those. Going out in the future we may not play any of the classic stuff  unfortunately. But the great thing is that we have so many new great songs that we want to play and want people to hear. 

Derek Webb Says the Stigma of 'Christian Music' is Not Helpful for Evangelization (INTERVIEW PART 2)

Interview for the Christian Post. Read my original article in its entirety here.

Derek Webb, former singer of Caedmon's Call and President of NoiseTrade music sharing website, discussed his new album, I Was Wrong, I'm Sorry & I Love You, what it's like being a 20 year veteran in music, and why the label of "Christian artist" is not always the best thing for getting the gospel heard.

Read part one of the interview here.

Christian Post: Do you feel music is a gateway to evangelism, and why do you think people are more receptive to music?


Derek Webb: I don't really feel like music is a gateway to evangelism. I certainly don't use it that way. There are some people who feel called to be professional vocational ministers, that their job is ministry, I don't personally feel that way. When I go and I play shows, make records, write songs, I don't consider that vocational ministry for me. I'm a singer/songwriter. I'm an artist. My job description and the basis upon which I make choices about how to do my job is hoping to make excellent art and to write and perform songs with excellence.

Now in any job there are going to be opportunities where ministry can happen and you want to be ready and aware of those moments. My brother, for instance, is a family practice doctor in Lincoln, Nebraska. He's also a Christian, as am I. He's not a vocational Christian minister; he is a professional doctor. He doesn't go to work everyday to evangelize, he goes to work everyday to provide excellent healthcare. It's very much the same for me. I don't do that in order to evangelize, I do it to make excellent art that's engaging that people resonate with.

I do acknowledge that music is really powerful and I've seen that. But I think that art is not at its best use when it's being used as a tool to do something else. The entire first chapter of the Bible is our marveling at God for making all things out of nothing. In the beginning God created. It's the first attribute we learn of His in the Bible; He's creative. There is intrinsic value in creativity and making things that are excellent and that's more how I approach my job.

CP: Do you think putting the label Christian over an artist hinders what they can do musically, and also alienates them from a group of people who might genuinely enjoy the music?

DW: I've always felt, even back to the first earliest days of Caedmon, that the term 'Christian' has never been helpful, in my opinion. Caedmon got its start playing at a lot of colleges. If the promoters put "Christian band" on the flyer, then half the amount of people would show up just because they weren't interested; not because they had heard us, not because they had any idea of what we were going to say or how it was going to go down. They just weren't interested and I probably wouldn't have been either.
I feel like even if you're intention is to evangelize and do ministry, it's smarter to not put a category on something before people even have a chance to hear it or experience it. That might alienate them and keep them from even wanting to give it a try in the first place, especially if they might really love it. If you have no idea what people think of that word, why would you use it? Especially when, in my opinion, the term Christian when applied to anything other than a human being is a marketing term.

CP: Between Caedmon's Call and your solo career, what was your defining moment as an artist that made you say, "Wow, I did it."

DW: I don't know. I feel like it's probably a thousand seemingly insignificant moments along the way. I remember Caedmon spent three or four years independent. We put out a couple records and were touring nationally before we found our first record deal. When Caedmon signed our first deal, as a songwriter, for me, I was poor as poor gets. When I started to make money, I had to go open a bank account and I realized that I was going to be able to support myself, that this is actually a job that I could do. Now that was a big moment.

I remember several moments along the way where it was dawning on me that I was going to be able to do this for the rest of my life. Nowadays, the dream is just different. The dream now is to make a sustainable wage being blue-collar, learning how to find your tribe and make art that resonates with them. If your ego can bear not being a household name or ever making seven figures in a year, you can have a great job as an independent artist. But if what you're looking for is fame and fortune, you should probably get into another line of work.

CP: Aside from the new album, what's on the horizon for you?

DW: I'm going to spend some real time promoting the record. I'm going to get out on the road before the end of the year. I also am the President of Noisetrade and run that company, so that's about three days a week for me and part of my every day work that I do. I have two small kids and a wife. So that sounds like three or four full-time jobs right there.

I Was Wrong, I'm Sorry & I Love You will be released September 3. Webb wrote, recorded, and produced every song on the album.

Website // www.derekwebb.com
Facebook // www.facebook.com/derekwebb
Twitter // www.twitter.com/derekwebb

Derek Webb Says 'I Was Wrong, I'm Sorry & I Love You' Are Words to Build Relationships By

Original interview I did for the Christian Post. Read the original here. 

Derek Webb, former singer of Caedmon's Call and President of NoiseTrade music sharing website, discussed his new album, I Was Wrong, I'm Sorry & I Love You, what it's like being a 20 year veteran in music, and why the label of "Christian artist" is not always the best thing for getting the gospel heard.

His new album will be available on September 3.

Christian Post: In creating I Was Wrong, I'm Sorry & I Love You, you went back 10 years to your first album, and wrote it as a follow up of who you are now. Well, who are you now, and what are some of the major changes since then?

Derek Webb: The new album is very much connected to my first album, She Must and Shall Go Free, which came out a little more than 10 years ago and was the result of questions that I had about the church. Having spent 10 years prior in Caedmon's Call and after years in the Christian culture, I found myself with a lot of questions about my role in the church. My first record was me trying to answer those questions.


For the 10 year anniversary tour of my record, we played through every song off of She Must and Shall Go Free each night. I was grateful for the fact that I could sing every word of all 11 songs on that record and still agree with every word. I think that people over the years have heard me say a handful of things that would cause them to wonder if I did still agree with all of the words from my first record, and I do.

But a lot also changes in 10 years. This record, I Was Wrong, I'm Sorry and I Love You, is just my trying to ask those same kinds of questions and see what the different answers are. I'm different and the church is different and the culture is different and so, there was a lot to write about.

CP: Why do you feel those three statements are important to a relationship?

DW: Growing up, I always heard that "I was wrong," "I'm sorry," and "I love you" were the three things you had to learn how to say to keep any relationship going. In my 12 years of marriage, I've certainly found that to be true, as well as in my other relationships and in business. There is a moment in an argument or disagreement when someone is willing to confess, say they were wrong, ask for forgiveness and express love that softens the other person. So, when you're gridlocked in a moment where you have two people that are fighting for their side of an argument, building their case like lawyers, and there is a moment when somebody can soften and be the first to confess, it immediately changes everything. The whole room changes when that happens. Those are powerful statements to be able to make.

CP: How do you feel these words can relate to God, forgiveness, and giving and receiving love?

DW: That certainly was a focus for me writing this record. I feel like the concept of the album has a lot of different audiences. I wasn't just saying it to one group of people. Whenever we let people down, whenever we betray trust, whenever we sin, primarily we are doing that against God. So that is the first place we take our confession. From there, because of His kindness, we repent and go and make it right with the folks that we've secondarily sinned against.

CP: What makes this work stick out to you, as opposed to your last album Ctrl, and how does your musical style evolve from album to album?

DW: Every record for me over the last 10-11 years has been really different. I approach every album as though I've never made an album before. Every record takes on its own sonic identity. Ctrl was a really peculiar album for a lot of reasons and probably the album that I'll be most proud of out of my whole career. It's is a complicated piece of work. It's really abstract, really high concept and it required quite a bit of attention currency, which is understandably in short supply nowadays for people.

On this new record, I really want it to be a bridge or an olive branch. I realized 10 years in that I had maybe unintentionally pushed people away a little bit. I have always seen it as part of my job to agitate. I think I'm good at it and that there is a place for that. But I realize you can't only agitate people, you have to also resonate with people. I think it had been awhile since people had felt that resonance from me.

Although I'm never interested in restating things I've said previously, this felt like a moment to make an investment in my next 10 years. I love my job and I want to stay in my job. It felt like a moment to make an investment like that. This time around, the challenge was figuring out how to pull it all in together and make something that to me felt really fresh, like something I'd never done before.

CP: 20 years playing music professionally, is there anything you felt the same about in 1993 that you still do now regarding music? What about the other way? What has changed most for you as an artist?

DW: 20 years is a long time. I'm not even near the person I was 20 years ago, thankfully so, other than the fact that I'm the same height, unfortunately. I feel like I am more appreciative of my job now. I think I had a bit of a sense of entitlement early on because I was so young, right out of high school, when we started Caedmon's Call. We had so much immediate success and had such a great run for so many years. When you learn to expect it and feel entitled to it, it becomes dangerous and you aren't grateful for it. I'm really grateful for it.

20 years in, I've already had more than twice what most people get in a job like this and I'm so grateful for every year that I have. I think I've learned how to apply my creativity beyond just the making and writing of albums. I've learned to enjoy the business side, enjoy all the other peripheral parts of the job.
An example of that would be NoiseTrade, which is a company that I founded about five years ago with some friends, giving away free music and content for data (fan information, emails and zip codes). We give away more than half a million records a month at NoiseTrade now. I wouldn't have been able to come up with that idea if it weren't for learning to apply the same creativity that I applied to making records to distributing and promoting those records.

I would encourage any independent artist to learn how to do that. Learn how to apply your creativity across the board to every part of the business. You're running a small business when you're an independent artist. 20 years in I'm really grateful that I've had mentors around me and people that have helped me learn how to do it.

Part two of this interview will be posted tomorrow. Webb discusses the term "Christian artist," and talks about being a struggling artist as well as his plans for the future. 

Figurehead 'The Watermelon EP' Review and Interview

The Watermelon EP Cover

First off, I would like like to say, welcome back boys! I was hoping it wasn't the end for FH, and thank God it isn't. I've had the privilege of playing shows and being friends with these guys, and I can honestly say they are one of the most talented, humble, and well respected local bands on Staten Island.

Behold, Figurehead's The Watermelon EP...oh wait, shhhhh, you're not supposed to hear it yet, so I will kindly describe it for you...

Kick starting the ep is "Where is Your Self Control?" I love Sanbeg's drum fills that follow the guitar riffs in the opening. Immediately I noticed how crisp Taranto's vocals, dubs, and harmonies were. For a home studio recording everything is leveled nicely and yet still has that garageband luster.

"Serotonin" follows, and slows everything down. Very good guitar and bass work here. Scarsella effortlessly flows on this track. There's a great guitar solo further on in the song that is a perfect blend of chaos and melody, well done.

The next track, "Incense" Taranto pulls out his best Dave Grohl impression (sorry Chris), and pretty much vocally destroys this song. Everything about this song scream 90s grunge a la Foo Fighters or even early Incubus and Radiohead. However, the best parts of this song start just before the three minute mark, when Taranto aggressively attacks/yells the chorus leading into yet another chaotic yet organized instrumental bridge. I like what they did in the mix as well, panning the instruments back and fourth so you are being hit with different sounds on both the left and the right. It gives the listener a very cool, or disorienting feel.



"Accept the Change" sees Taranto bust out the screeching aggressive vocals like the previous song. The track is consistently on the heavier side and features Figurehead's signature instrumental rock out/breakdown, but this time it fades out into the next track, where we are brought back down in tempo.

"In Some Other World" lightens up the mood from the two heavier tracks before. It's just such a smooth and chilled out tune that it makes you vibe out without even thinking about it. The bass and drums keep the tempo, and the guitar is so relaxed. More than any other track this feels like and Incubus jam. The name of the song is perfect because you feel as if you are transported somewhere care free.

Overall, a very solid return to music for Figurehead. The Watermelon EP manages to put some of the best works on the band on wax and create something very well done and yet contain the right amount of Do-It-Yourself. Alternative/Grunge/Punk in the way Figurehead does it might not be "in" anymore or right now, but they don't care and create passionate and simply put, "good music." So if you are into Foo Fighters, Nirvana, and a sprinkle of Green Day and Incubus, then this is the band for you. Keep rocking my friends and I'll see you all on March 23rd for the EP release show.

INTERVIEW
With Chris Taranto (Vocals/Guitar)

Why is Figurehead back together and how did it happen?
Getting back together was really organic and fast. I was listening to some things we had recorded and I was playing with some other really talented musicians and I asked Joe if he wanted to record again. One thing led to another and then I offered to play shows while Mike was home for winter break and bam, we were a band again. We never really had to ask or say to each, so this means we're a band again? It just was.

Did getting back together spark a greater fire in you guys as a band, and how has this resurgence affected your music?
I think we still have the same fire as when we left in May. We've always fired on all cylinders, right from day one. I think we are a lot more focused now. We hammered out the EP in about two weeks and are slowly starting to branch out and play new places (Sullivan Hall, New Paltz, etc.). We're writing again already, too. It's like nothing changed other than our focus.

How did the process of the Watermelon EP pan out, and what were some of the challenges in recording it?
This EP took about a year and change to make. We actually recorded it (minus "Incense") a year ago. But we never mixed the entire thing and it just sat around; hence our lack of focus in the past. When we got back together, Mike proposed that since we had some better equipment and more knowledge of recording we should just re-record the EP and add "Incense" to the tracklisting. Then we had more difficulties, always technical ones with the recording program. It would randomly stop recording while I was doing guitar tracking on "Accept the Change," so we had to piece the guitar tracks together. And the worst was mixing "Where's Your Self Control?" because the program deleted the bass drum towards the end of the song and we had no idea where it went. It was so f**king aggravating. We had to make Mike play just a bass drum to fix that.

Why watermelon?

We've had this inside joke for quite a while concerning someone most people know and said person has possibly had sexual intercourse with a watermelon. We're cruel people.

Tell us a little bit about the upcoming EP release show.
We've got this amazing EP show coming up on March 23rd. It's taking place at the NYC Arts Cypher Center, located on Broad Street in Staten Island. We've got all of our friends playing (Paraiso, A Work in Progress, Process of Fusion, Strays, and Diet) and it's only $5 to get in. We're really trying to push for a community of musicians with this show. All of the bands are splitting the cost of the venue (which I am so grateful for, no one had any problems with helping us out) and all of the funds go back to the bands from the door. No splitting with promoters or anyone else. Hopefully we get a lot of people to come out to the show and we'll try to book things like this more often and maybe branch out to other venues, as well.

How have the fans taken to Mike's new haircut, and has he lost some of his musical power?
I don't know how the fans have taken to Mike's new haircut, but we inside the band think it was quite a good decision. At first Joe and I were really skeptical and were like "NOOO, DON'T DO IT!" but Mike actually looks really good. He's becoming a hipster up there at Oneonta. (Haha) Not really. And no, he's no Sampson. He's actually gotten even better since he went to college, which is saying something cause he's a tremendous drummer, the best I've ever played with. I tried to start another band while we were away and I couldn't find a drummer like him.

How would sum up Figurehead in one sentence to a complete stranger?
I would say that we're one of the most honest, hardworking, punk rock bands on the scene.

What does the future hold for the band?
I wish I could give you a clear answer, but I honestly don't know (haha). The future depends on me. If I feel creative, we'll do a lot and we'll be very active. If I feel like I don't want to be doing something, we won't do it. I am a pain to work with, I don't know how they put up with me. But right now we've got a lot of things planned and a lot of music to start working on. I have about 16 demos ready to go, so only time will tell.

Is there anything you'd like to say or leave the fans with?
I would like to thank all of the fans and friends who've been so open to our return. They've done a great job at supporting us in Brooklyn and Manhattan and I really, really, really hope to see you at the release show and hopefully you guys and gals dig the EP. It's gonna be a lot of fun, it's just up to you to show up. Thank you, the band loves you.

http://figureheadband.tumblr.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/FigureHeadTV
http://soundcloud.com/figureheadsiny
https://twitter.com/FigureHeadBand
http://figureheadsiny.bandcamp.com/

Andrew Neufeld of COMEBACK KID Interview

 How has this year gone musically since the departure of Casey Hjelmberg, and what does Stu Ross bring to the table on guitar?
Casey was rad, but it's been pretty fluid actually. We have had a few people come and go over the span of our career and funny enough, the people who we get to fill the positions end up being close with the members prior to them. We've never really had an "bad blood" with departing members, we have just been a band for about 12 years and although there are 3 of us original members in the band who are psycho and want to tour forever, the touring lifestyle just isn’t for everyone. So when Casey left, we got our friend Stu Ross. He actually almost joined the band a few years back when our old bass player Kevin quit. Stu has played in Misery Signals, and most recently had a stint with Living With Lions. He claims CBK is one of his faves, but it’s great to have a new guitar player that is on the level with us personally and he brings a new excitement and fire to the band. As much as it was sad to see Casey leave, he wanted to do other things with his life and gave us like seven months notice so Stu pretty much jumped right in and we didn't lose any steam.

Stu, Casey, and Matt our current bassist also have a band called Lowtalker who just released an EP on No Sleep records this fall. Check it out!

How was the Symptoms & Cures World Tour, and how was the response to the band in other parts of the world?
It was great. When we started the album cycle we were really stoked to get out as much as possible and really bang out a lot of territories in the first year the album was out. It's interesting to see which songs go over better than others in certain cities/ countries. We always play songs from all four of our albums to date, so it’s encouraging to us when new songs from Symptoms + Cures go over just as well as songs from Wake The Dead or something when we are in far off places like Tokyo or Sao Paulo...


What was the best place to play and why?
Some highlights for me would be Hamburg, Sao Paulo ( Brazil ), Santiago ( Chile ), Tokyo, Southern California, and Portugal. The energy of some of these crowds is second to none. We are really lucky to be so welcomed in a lot of different cities.

Biggest rock-star moment/biggest fail as a band or while on tour?
We've played Groezrock festival in Belgium a couple times and that is by far our biggest festival reaction. It’s a crazy feeling playing to 8,000 people in a packed tent and they actually know our band's songs. Very different from an intimate club show, but really fun.

As far as failures, there are many, but I can't think of one big one off the top of my head. I choose to take the positive from bad decisions we've made, and try not to dwell on that kind of shit.

"Do Yourself a Favour" is a brutal way to kick off the album. Why was this song selected to do so, and why do you feel it is a strong single?
The song did well live and it’s the first from the album so we did a video for it. It was Jeremy's idea to have it as the first song. Track-listing an album is tricky…

'Symptoms & Cures' is a lot more musically dynamic and diverse than previous albums as far as experimenting with the "hardcore" sound. What was the reasoning for this and have the fans been receptive?
The layering of the album just came naturally. I wanted to do an album with a few more textures as opposed to just the left and right side panned guitars. I also really enjoy layering vocals and squeezing hints of melody in places that we want to keep aggressive. The album has been received well live, so I'm happy with it. We try our best to pull it off as best we can live.

Now that the tour is over, is the band getting back in the studio, or is just a little down time before the next project?
We've started writing a new album, but we all live in different cities now so it's tougher to get together and hash out the ideas. I'm currently in the studio with my other band Sights & Sounds working on new material and a couple of the other guys are out on tour with Lowtalker ( who I mentioned before ), so we're about to figure out a timeline for when we can jam and hopefully record in the first half of 2013. I’m really looking forward to getting some new material down with the guys.

Aside from a few member changes, how has Comeback Kid evolved as a band, and what do you see the band becoming in the future?
It’s been over 12 years since we started so we've grown to appreciate each other and the band that we get to be a part of. It's a relaxed group most of the time and we seem to work well together. All of our records have been different and I'm into that. We still see quite a future with CBK and we will be touring and making records for a decent while longer I’m sure. We’ve been writing some songs lately and they are sounding really cool. I look up to Sick Of It All, Madball, Propagandhi, etc and see how they have made their bands last 20+ years. It's inspiring to see them still rip it up on stage.

The popularity of hardcore has really risen over the last few years, why do you think this is so, and are you afraid it may be become too "mainstream?"
I don't know if the popularity of "hardcore" has really risen in the past few years, but I think there are a lot of heavy bands taking influence from hardcore that are getting insanely popular. Doesn't particularly make them a hardcore band. But yes, it definitely goes in waves.

I think that there will always be bands getting huge and there will always be really small punk/ hardcore bands and shows going on. Bands will always get dismissed when they move out of their original scene and break a little more into the mainstream for whatever reason. It’s the balance that needs to be there.
We've been fortunate enough to run our band our own way since we started. We do the tours we want to do, we make the records we want to make. Sure we get people at the labels and booking agencies give us advice but we do what we feel comfortable with and we've been able still really enjoy it after all this time. I feel pretty lucky.

The Royal Guard Interview - Bringing Straight Up Rock and Roll to Everyone

Where does the Royal Guard name come from, and why pick the theme?
Apparently, every name we came up with happened to be taken, Foo Fighters, Def Leppard, Green Day, etc... So when we saw that The Royal Guard was still available, we jumped on it!

Is the band a continuation of the Todd Davidson Band, or is this something entirely new?
It's not as much of a continuation as it is an extension. The Royal Guard has definitly become it's own entity even though the song writing is still mainly done by Todd, every one brings their own unique talents to the table.

How did you all get together and what dynamic do you each bring to the table? 
Our friendships go back to childhood. It just so happened, that we all wanted to become rock stars! As for the dynamics, Todd is the comic relief. The scenarios of what could go wrong in a simple everyday situation, are endless. Despite the fact that Andy is a mad scientist and the greatest virtuoso any of us have ever met, he's the most laid back of us all. Fred is most likely to go for his doctorate next. Finally, Vin brings his good looks and a  Facebook status "single," and he's the only fighting chance we have against all boy bands!

Rockstars by night, what do you all do during the day?
If you saw us during the day, you most likely will find Todd playing with his model trains, Fred reading a book, Andy soldering, and Vin hitting a home run! Oh ..or did you mean how do we pay our bills?

What would you label your sound, and are there any bands you guys model yourselves after? 

We like to think of ourselves as a rock band. We like Muse, Green Day, My Chemical Romance and The Foo Fighters, and lots of 80's hair bands. All this comes to play in our music.



What's the whole point of your music? What's the message, and why is it so important to you?
The whole point of our music is that you have to follow your dreams. You've got to find something in life that you love and do it. For us it's music!


What is the goal of the band and where do you see yourselves in the future?

The goal of the band is that we want our music to be heard. We hope to see ourselves on big stages.

The band's fan-base has been growing as of late. Tell me about some of your recent opportunities?
We've been working a lot with Loaded Rock Shows playing venues on Long Island.

Are there any plans of touring? Recording?
We have some new songs that we've been introducing at our live shows. We are just getting started with pre-production for a new album. But until then, our main focus is playing live and introducing our latest album, Showdown.

On Nov 4, we have a show with Candlebox at a brand new venue in Long Island, The Emporium. There's a lot of buzz around this show because it's the first rock show to be held there. We're very excited to be on that bill!

Tell us about the album you have out now.
The name of the album is Showdown and it features the best of The Royal Guard. We had a lot of fun writing these songs and recording them. We believe that it will bring out the "air guitarist" in you!

In one quick sentence, why should listeners give the Royal Guard a chance?
We believe the listener will receive in return. It's original, it's creative. It will definitely be worth your time.

Anything you'd like to add?
We always put a great effort into our live shows because we want you to have just as much fun at the show as we do.



http://theroyalguardband.com/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/showdown/id314311624
https://twitter.com/theroyalguard
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheRoyalGuardMusic

Interview with Matt Baird of Spoken

Who are you, what do you do, and how important is music to your life? 
My name is Matt Baird. I sing for the band Spoken. Music is extremely important to my life. I feel that God gave me a small amount of musical ability, and I've dedicated my life to serving Him with music.

How has Spoken changed as a band from the mid 90s until now, and was the growth inspired by YOU as a band, or the ever changing music scene?
We listen to all kinds of music, we've had several band members over the years, and our tastes in music have changed. We feel like we are in a place musically that shows all sorts of influences. We play music we'd like to listen to.

Many fans don't know about Spoken's rap/rock roots. Do you guys still perform any of those songs from the first two albums?
(Haha) We haven't played those songs in several years, but we loved playing them at that time. It was current, and we enjoyed that time of our career.

Matt Baird

Did you consider yourself a rapper, or just a versatile vocalist who rapped? Do you still have some rap bars left in the tank?
Oh no, I never claimed to be a rapper, and didn't desire to be. I just happened to really like bands like Rage Against The Machine, P.O.D., Downset, and 311. It just came across in our music. And there's absolutely no rap left in the tank...

Many online places say once signing to Tooth & Nail you guys hit your stride with 'A Moment of Imperfect Clarity.' In my opinion I think your biggest progression as artists was 'Echoes of the Spirit Still Dwell.' How do you feel about this album and am I on the right track, especially since you re-released it?
I'd agree with both opinions. "Echoes" was a pivotal point in our career. It was an album of prayers put to music. Tooth & Nail was a great chapter for Spoken. We entered the studio basically a new band. Jef (guitar) and I were the only original members at that point. The new guys (Aaron, Brandon, and Ryan) were  a HUGE part of the writing process. It was all around a great process. As far as re-releasing "Echoes"... it wasn't available on itunes, so we decided to have a label called Alien Patrol release it digitally. I've known the guys over there for 15 years or so. It was a good way to promote the label, and to get the record on itunes.



Spoken's last two releases were pretty different from each other, was this intentional or the way the music flowed?
All of our records have been written based on our place in life, whatever we were feeling at the time, whatever we may have been dealing with. We've always wanted to be stretched musically. Nothing was intentional on those records as far as "let's make this record different."

After prolonged breaks from making music like you guys are currently on, was it tough to get back in the studio, and what can we expect from the new album?
We've always been a band that tours nonstop, and we live in three different states. Writing music is sometimes difficult with that equation. There's been a little time between records, but we've never slowed down as far as being a band. You can expect better songwriting on the new record. We approached this record differently than we have the other records. We did the new record with Jasen Rauch, (Brian HEAD Welch, Disciple, The Wedding, RED, The Letter Black). Jasen basically became a band member (not an actual member) throughout the two years of writing and recording this record. It was a perfect fit for the band that we are now.

On some of your earlier music, I almost consider your music to hardcore worship. Where do you draw your inspiration for your lyrics and how much is God's hand in your lyrics?
In Spoken, inspiration comes from anything and everything. There are songs on the new record about God, confusion, bitterness, love, performing live, Evil, etc. God is a part of our lives, so He will come through no matter what. There are times when all of us wish Jesus would walk in the room, put his hand on our shoulder, and say "It's going to be ok." There's a song on the record about exactly that.  There's a song on the record that is written about the tornado that hit Joplin MO last year.

What would you tell someone who won't give Christian themed music a chance because of the "label" and do you find it difficult to be original and yet Christ centered at the same time? 
If music is good, it's good. If a band is terrible live, writes terrible songs, sings about terrible things, and act terrible....I'd say don't listen to that band.

What is in the immediate future for Spoken, and is their anything the fans should brace themselves for?
The new record is done, we have tours lined up, and there are several things that will be announced soon. We'll see you on the road.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks for caring about Spoken - Matt Baird.

Current Lineup  

Matt Baird - vocals 

Oliver Crumpton - Drums

Ryan Pei - bass 

Interview with Tooth and Nail Records' Director of A and R Conor Farley

Give us a brief description of what your background is and why you feel qualified to do this job?
I have been working in music now for about 10 years at the label level and also as a music publisher.  I feel like I have had the opportunity to gain a variety of experience that I hope helps me do this job effectively. I for sure do not think that I have the magic ear or anything, but through my experience have gained a perspective on how business intersects with ministry in this unique industry we are in.


How do you distinguish which artist will be a hit, and which artist to let be?
I wish I knew the exact answer I really try to listen to the music as a fan first. Does it move me emotionally?  Does it make me ask new questions about my faith? Does the live show inspire me?  I then will go through a broad mental checklist of the commercial viability of the artist, the market conditions, songwriting capability of the artist, what our current roster looks like, the time required to invest, as well as the work ethic of the band. This process gets more and more involved the further down the road we may walk with a band.


When approached by Tooth&Nail what was your initial reaction and what did this opportunity mean to you?
I was so excited and flattered.  I have been a fan of the brand for a long time and have been greatly impacted by a lot of the records from their past and current artist roster.


What artist's are you most looking forward to working with?
Well I work with a the majority of our roster, so that is a tough question, I would not want to leave any one out  As a fan I have loved everything Aaron Sprinkle has been a part of. Underoath's, They're Only Chasing Safety impacted me a ton so I am loving working with Aaron Gillespie on The Almost stuff.  I also get to work with one of the most influential core CCM acts in Jeremy Camp which is a total honor.  Those two statements sum up to me what I love the most about my job. There is a great breadth and diversity of incredible artists that I get to serve. Also, super excited about some of our newer bands like Icon For Hire and The Museum.


Are there any artist's you wish to try and bring back?
Poor Old Lu and Mae


Can we get a sneak peak as to who is up and coming or developing?
We will have a bunch of great new music this year–can't say too much at this point, but most of our biggest acts on on the BEC and Tooth and Nail side will be releasing or working on new projects.


Where do you hope to take Tooth&Nail while you're there?
I just hope I can be a good steward with the time I have here. I recognize the great responsibility we have as believers to make excellent music that is honoring of the God who saves us. I do not take that lightly and my expectations for our artists is to steward their incredible gifts as well. I think we will be successful if we do that.


Who's your favorite band or group of all time and why?
Impossible question...but the shortlist would probably include Wilco, The Beach Boys, U2, Nirvana, and Daft Punk. These were all so impact-ful to me in that they crafted songs with incredible melody that had broad appeal.  Also their songs connected me with emotionally at different stages of my development and faith.


http://www.toothandnail.com/
     

Interview with Michael Tait of the Newsboys

The Newsboys are set to embark on what is to be their largest tour as a band starting in January with the "God's Not Dead Tour," and the Christian Post was able to chat with lead singer Michael Tait.

Tait said the tour was the Newsboys biggest because of the amount of dates scheduled, and it would also be special to him because it is his first all worship record with the Newsboys, and looks forward to worshipping city to city.

When asked why the album and tour title of God's Not Dead was so important, Tait replied, "People need to hear that sometimes. He's real, He's alive, Jesus has raised from the dead."

"He's more than an idea or spiritual being," he explained.

Touring with the Newsboys are a mixture of young people with hearts for God and a positive message. The bands include: The City Harmonic, Abandon, and Anthem Lights.

Also appearing at all the dates is Bob Lenz, who will presenting the gospel every night.

The bands are also working with Compassion International and I Am Second, two organizations that will be speaking and reaching out during the tour.

Compassion International deals with global child poverty, and works with local churches to try and put it to an end.

The singer was specifically excited about the message contained in song “I Am Second.”

"We are second to none," he said. "Put everyone else before yourself and be second to Christ."

The organization is really a movement that inspires people to live for God and share their testimonies online so others can share.

As far as the new album is concerned, Tait said the response has been "fantastic" and he along with the fans have loved the reunion of his former band mate from DC Talk, Kevin Max on two tracks, "God's Not Dead (Like a Lion)" and "I Am Second."

He also said despite some of the tracks on God's Not Dead being remakes of older Newsboys worship songs from Peter Furler's days, it was important for him to put his own spin on them.

"I want to do the songs justice, or do them better. Put the new Newsboys savvy on them," he said.

On whether people were used to him as the singer for the Newsboys after many years of singing with DC Talk, and former singer Peter Furler being in the band since 1985, Tait said, "There still are some naysayers."

"It's not like I'm an unknown character. They could have picked someone worse," he said with a laugh.

Tait said when covering old songs he tried to "get inside" all of the older material and if he didn't think he could do it, he left it alone.

The 45-year-old singer said the differences between DC Talk and Newsboys is like the differences between his ex-girlfriends. "Each one you liked for a different reason and had a different emotional response too," he said laughing after he warned of a bad analogy.

Tait has had a magical run in his music career. When DC Talk started in 1988 as a three piece gospel rap trio, he would have never guessed they'd become the biggest openly Christian act of all time.

Upon the group splitting up in 2001, Tait would go solo for a few years before taking over the mantle of the Newsboys, another one of Christian music's biggest bands ever, from Peter Furler in 2009.

"I'm so blessed," he said.

DC Talk (L to R) Michael Tait, Kevin Max, and TobyMac

"In DC Talk the song would never end. I would sing, then Kevin would sing, then Toby would rap. I couldn't finish a song," he said and then demonstrated what he meant by singing a few lines of DCT's "Say the Words."

"Now," he said, "I can start the song and finish it. It's just me."

Tait spoke about the Newsboys fans being just as good as DC Talk's because many were also fans of his former group. "We share the same fan base, the transition was easy."

Many times the Newsboys will throw in DCT's hit song "Jesus Freak" as part of their set. They performed it once with TobyMac and another time with Christian rapper KJ-52. Sometimes Tait does TobyMac's raps himself.

"I'm not a rapper. I do the best I can," he laughs.

On any future collaborations with former singer Peter Furler, Tait thinks it is quite possible.

"I would love to cross paths with Peter. He's a good friend of mine for a long time, it would be classic."

CP asked Tait: “What is one unknown fact about the Newsboys that many people may not know?”

He replied, "Newsboys actually opened up for DC Talk a few times in 1989 and 1990 when they had the Hell Is For Wimps album."

Tait closed the interview by inviting everybody out to come see them. "We'd love to meet you!" he exclaimed.

Peter Furler

The Newsboys were co-founded in 1985 by Peter Furler and guitarist George Perdikis in Australia.

Originally the band’s drummer from 1985 to 1997, Furler took over vocals when former vocalist John James left due to an admitted drug and alcohol problem.

James has since cleaned up and is now involved in ministry.

Together the band has released 15 albums spawning countless singles and major tours, and received worldwide critical success with their 1994 album Going Public, featuring their biggest single "Shine," and 1996's album Take Me to Your Leader.

They've been nominated for four Grammys and 24 Dove Awards winning five including Rock Album of the Year, Rock Recorded Song of the Year, Recorded Music Packaging of the Year, Short Form Music Video of the Year, and Event Album of the Year.

Other awards won include Best CCM Video 1999 by the Billboard Music Video Awards, 1995 Video Award and 1999 Video Award from the International Angel Awards, and Favorite CCM Album 1999 from the Nashville Music Awards.


Article originally on the Christian Post.
This article was a dream come true for me as DC Talk and the Newsboys were the first bands I ever listened to. It is because of these two groups that I myself play music and have a passion for it. I remember getting these albums on cassette way back in 1995. I wore those cassettes out and eventually got the CD's. Thank you Michael Tait for a truly amazing experience.