the Lighthosue vol2#5 Shining Light on Today's Christian Music May 1993 RACHEL RACHEL: A Band You Oughta Know Christian music's first all-female band, Rachel Rachel, is a unique group that has returned with a follow-up to their debut, WAY TO MY HEART, called YOU OUGHTA KNOW BY NOW. Their forceful brand of rock and roll music combined with their silky ballads has earned a spot in the hearts of many Christian music fans for drummer Jennifer "Sparky" Sparks, lead vocalist Cheryl Jewel, guitarist Heli Sterner, keyboardist Brynn Beltran, and new bassist Robin Spurs. Rachel Rachel has been opening for WHITE HEART on their Tales of Wonder Tour. This has meant extensive touring through last fall and this spring. Being their first extended tour, the experience has brought about some noticeable changes. Most obvious would be the first personnel change for the band. After the recording of YOU OUGHTA KNOW BY NOW, Jennifer York left the band to continue her career in television. This, of course, was something discussed and accepted by the band. Cheryl Jewel explains, "We're actually going to be singing at her wedding in May... But, she got an offer to be on TV, to go up in the helicopter and be the skycopter [traffic] reporter every morning, so she took that job. It ended up being an impossible situation. There was no way she could do both--go on tour with us [and do TV]. We were sad to see her go, but she's doing great. She's this major celebrity in L.A. now." Jewel continues, "When Jenny discovered that this just wasn't going to work out, our first choice [for a replacement] was Robin Spurs [formerly of THE CHOIR]. But, Robin wasn't ready to get back into it at that time. After our first tour [fall tour], she decided she wanted to give it a shot. So, here she is and we're the lucky recipients of her many talents--she's so wonderful. She's such an addition to the band." To Jewel, Spurs has immediately become an integral part of the band. An expression that was coined in the early days of Rachel Rachel when commenting on keeping good spirits amongst the many challenges and problems they faced (especially following road maps) was "Rachel Tap" along the lines of SPINAL TAP. Spurs certainly hasn't changed that image. Jewel shares, "'Rachel Tap' is completely out of hand now with Robin in the band. She is such a 'Rachel.' She has our sense of humor. She's very artsy and she fits in capturing moments. Definitely, 'Rachel Tap' is full steam ahead." In continuing about Robin's art abilities, Jewel tells a quite ironic story, "She designs hats and sells hats [and is] very heavily into jewelry. All our jewelry on our first album [promotion photos], [was] Robin's design. Kind of ironic. They hired her to come in and do our jewelry... Now she's in Rachel Rachel." Jewel believes that the biggest change in the band may have occurred in her. She explains, "I was very timid and shy when we started out as far as the ministry aspect. I did not feel confident in that at all. Now, I feel so much more confident and I've been through so many experiences through the tour where God has built my faith and it's easier for me to talk about it to the audience as a ministry to them. I think that's probably the biggest change in the band." After completing their current tour, which only offers them about 35 minutes of performing time, they will begin work planning a full-length concert performance. Jewel shares, "There'll be quite a bit of ministry in there which will involve Brynn and myself. We've definitely grown a lot in that area." Fans can also expect the band to develop an "unplugged" portion to their show. With the addition of Spurs' acoustic guitar ability, Jewel comments, "We're getting more into that whole vein--folk, rock, unplugged thing which is real exciting. It's neat because you can hear the voices more. We are definitely going to have a whole section in our show where it's unplugged." Another goal of the band is to finally pursue club dates. Jewel explains, "We've been trying to get this idea together of doing the LA club scene. When we get back home, we'll concentrate more on that. We'd like to build a following in LA." No doubt, a challenging location to apply their ministry. Probably the toughest problem for Rachel Rachel is being away from home and family. Admits Jewel, "It's been extremely difficult. Heli has to be away from her baby. That's really hard. There's three of us now who are married. So, yes, it is very very difficult dealing with being away from the spouses for so long at a time." After receiving extensive counseling, they have now decided that they will not be able to continue to tour as they are now. Jewel continues, "So we're going to try to work it so our next situation is more financially feasible to afford to fly home at decent intervals and we've made some ground rules that we won't sacrifice. You cannot get that [time] back. We've kind of paid our dues in that area--once is enough. I'm sure that the Lord will honor our prayer. We'll see what God has to bring us and what opportunities lie ahead. Now, it's too early to say. We just know where our hearts are at." In asking Jewel about the changes in their latest release, she admits that the increased budget helped considerably, "We could spend more quality time on what we thought were important things, which is vocals. We spent a lot of time arranging and harmonizing a lot of the background vocals to be a colorful and elaborate as we wanted them to be. We have so many good singers in this band. I think that's probably one of our biggest assets so it was fun to concentrate on [the vocals]." Perhaps more significant, though, is the increased camaraderie felt by the band. Jewel explains, "We're definitely more unified. We know each other a whole lot better. I think there's more of a spiritual focus. I think we all feel that. The first album was all so new and we didn't know each other not that in-depth. There was more of a togetherness." "We feel that we were really able to successfully go back to our roots in classic rock and explore them a little more on our own turf. That was another element. We have probably a few more songs from those roots, classic rock area, on this album. Brynn and I wrote most of the material on the album. It was interesting. We got to concentrate more on that arena, our roots, and the vocals, so we were pretty happy about that." After completing some very extensive touring, the band also has a better understanding of their important responsibility on the road. "When we first started I didn't realize how far-reaching our ministry would be," says Sterner. "We've had kids come up to us with difficult questions seeking answers. Ministry takes precedence over the music... Once people hear our lyrics, they'll know there's something different about this band." Spurs adds, "I hope we'll be an inspiration for women--that they can be quality musicians and feminine at the same time without selling their souls." Beltran shares, "As a young Christian, I was highly influenced by Amy Grant and Bryan Duncan. Now I pray, 'Lord, please take the songs you've given us to minister to others, so that You may also be the guiding light in their lives.'" It's been quite a pleasure getting to know Rachel Rachel, and if you like rock and roll mixed with some excellent ballads, this is a group YOU OUGHTA KNOW BY NOW. --J. WARNER SODITUS ED. NOTE: AN ARTIST SPOTLIGHT ON RACHEL RACHEL APPEARED IN THE AUGUST 1992 ISSUE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE. NO BACK ISSUES ARE AVAILABLE, BUT A REPRINT OF THE STORY CAN BE OBTAINED BY SENDING A SELF-ADDRESSES- STAMPED-ENVELOPE TO THE LIGHTHOUSE. From the Editor Howdy y'all! I hope things are going well. I am probably busier than ever, but God has been faithful (as always) and I feel things are going smoother than ever. I've gotten a great response through the internet (computer network) from people interested in writing album reviews and you'll spot two new names in the credits below. I offer my thanks to everyone interested in contributing. I look forward (and hope everyone else does too...) to reading what y'all have to say. If you are interested in helping and haven't gotten a copy of the writer's guidelines, write or send E-mail and I'll get them to you. I've had a couple new artists send me albums for my consideration. I'd like to know if you'd be interested in reading reviews from unsigned artists. I hope that you will send any comments that you may have. I anxiously await your response. I also have a (as complete as you'll find) list of Dove Award winners if you are interested. Send a SASE and I'll enclose a copy for you. Well, since I can't think of anything else, I'll wish you God's blessing and hope that you like this issue. --J. WARNER SODITUS, EDITOR Executive Editor/Publisher: J. Warner Soditus Copy Editor: Neal Guilmette, J. Warner Soditus Contributing Photographer: Patty Masten Contributors: Roger Appelinski, Beth Blinn, Bryan W. Brendley, Ann Hathcock, Brad Mattern, Jean Patty, Kerry Stephenson, Keith A. Valentine Subscription Information: $1.00 per issue $8.00 per year The Lighthouse is not for profit and is published monthly Copyright: the Lighthouse copyright 1993 by Polarized Publications, all rights reserved Writers guidelines are available upon request. The Lighthouse will not be responsible for any products or services offered in advertisements. Member: GMA Gospel Music Association CODE OF ETHICS When people first hear Code of Ethics a common response is, "They sound like DEPECHE MODE." I got to chat with Barry Blazs and Scott Keifer recently and discuss their sound and their plans for their upcoming album. ?: So how long have you guys been doing this? B: Code of Ethics has existed for five years. I started the band about five years ago in Florida, not too long after I gave my life to the Lord. Rick's been with us a little over a year and Scott for about three months. ?: How did you become a Christians? B: My Dad's a Baptist minister, so I lived in a Christian home all my life, but I never honestly lived for the Lord or really had anything to do with it. I was the youngest in the family--a typical party-animal. Although I had head-knowledge, there was absolutely no heart. It didn't mean anything to me. I really didn't want to have anything to do with Christianity. About five years ago, through different circumstances that the Lord brought into my life, I totally gave it up. S: My Dad's a Baptist minister, or he was. I basically did the same thing Barry did. Saying all the right things, doing the right things but never really meaning it. My freshman year in college, I had a counselor and we were sitting down and we had this three hour talk and I realized what was going wrong and turned everything back around. It's not been smooth sailing ever since, it's been an uphill struggle, but I'm glad to be here. I thank God every day for letting me still be alive. ?: What kind of musical backgrounds do you have? B: Both of us are pretty much the same. Both our mothers played organ--real typical Baptist background. Our mothers both played piano and organ at the church and Dads are musical, they sing. I never really knew that I could use my talent for the Lord so I went out and I was always told that drums and stuff, which I was into at the time, were not what was needed in the church. So I started playing in clubs when I was in high school. Most of my background was all secular, playing clubs, until about five years ago. Once I left, I had to start writing music completely by myself, which was a good growing experience. It took me at least three years to really get to where the craft was more complete. S: Mine's the same way. Piano lessons at 4. My Dad was the choir director. I sang a solo at 4. My Mom and my Dad were real supportive through high school. The worst thing was that my Mom was my piano teacher, so I'd practice and... I love my Mom to death, though. ?: So what kind of music were you influenced by? B: I played a little bit of everything. I was in every kind of band in high school and my first couple years out of high school. I was into heavy metal for a while. I played guitar and drums. I got into punk music pretty heavy for a while. Then Top-40. I played in clubs in a Top-40 band to make money and stay alive. Then I got into original music and started getting influenced by European music and that's where it really took off. That's when I started writing music. ?: I figured that the European music had to be in there somewhere. B: I really started getting influenced by bands like DEPECHE MODE and bands like that. ?: Interesting you would say that, a lot of people say you sound a lot like DEPECHE MODE. B: Well, we can't get away from that one. Scott and I are really into the same music. ?: What do you think differentiates you, besides the lyrics, musically, from DEPECHE MODE? B: If you listen to DEPECHE MODE or something, it's the same exact sound all the way through it. Whereas, our influences are [from] so many other bands, you'll hear a range. If you're into European music, that goes from house music to really off the wall or heavier type music. The next record that's coming out has ballads, which we've never done, to real hard industrial. S: If you listen to a DEPECHE MODE album, it's almost depressing. Their upbeat songs are still very minor, everything is in the minor keys. If you listen to this kind of stuff, I would hope, that what we do is not that dark, even the musical sound. B: Lyrically, is our biggest difference. If you listen to any of those groups, there's, for the most part, it's no hope. There's no hope. They don't offer anything. The main goal that I had right after being saved was that I wanted to go back to the clubs and take the music right back to my friends. That's still the main drive of Code of Ethics. At the same time, we've grown because we're now playing on tour like this and playing for Christian crowds because I think it's very much needed in the Christian community for young people. We have kids coming up to us all the time and say, 'Man, all we ever had was DEPECHE MODE and I love that kind of music and I just couldn't get away from it and I'm so glad that there's a Christian band that we can listen to.' That's really cool. It gives Christian kids the alternative. We're kind of serving a dual purpose. ?: How do you approach the clubs.? B: With more tact. I came out of that whole scene, so did Scott. We were big club goers. You have to know the audience and you have to know what will turn them off and if you're going to turn them off then you're totally defeating your purpose. At the same time, it's like a fine line that you have to walk, because you want your message to get across, and it's not our job that does it, it's the Holy Spirit. When we do secular shows, we keep the show pumping and let the lyrics in the songs speak for themselves. Our ministry really comes with one- on-one right after the concerts, because people will ask. People know what's going on lyrically. S: It's weird that you have a Coke in your hand and everyone else has a bottle of beer. That'll even start conversation. ?: What kind of responses have you gotten from your churches and fathers? B: Actually, my Dad was pretty skeptical. Since he's been around it now for the few years since it's really taken off for us, he couldn't be any more supportive. My Dad gets all the phone calls that come into the house and he gets all the fan mail that comes in. I've heard him talking to a lot of his preacher friends and telling them that he was skeptical at first but he's totally for it. That's been a big change for him. S: I had my Dad promote the last concert we did up in Michigan. My Dad's very supportive. When I was growing up, just to keep me involved, just to be part of my life, he drove me to a lot of concerts I wanted to see--like when Stryper was hot, we sat eighth row center, me and my Dad. ?: What would you say to people that criticize what you're doing? B: Besides telling them not to be judgmental, because that's God's job, I'd tell them from the wicked drug life that I led and how God stopped me through sickness and put me flat on my back and broke my heart for lost people as well as for my own sin and how we have a dying world and a lot of those kids who are in the clubs who I associated with would've never stepped foot in the door of a church, nor do they have any respect for it. There's an older generation that has no clue, has never been in a club before and has no clue what's going on in there. It's just outright, clubs are the biggest things in cities everywhere. That's where the lost are. S: My dad was very naive about what went on in a club. So Barry and I took him to one. He said, 'Don't ever stop what you guys are doing to reach those kids. I could not walk in there and minister to those kids--they wouldn't listen to me.' ?: You have done two albums? B: We did the first one, called VISUAL PARADOX. Then we came out with dance mixes off that album called MIX, which has one extra song on it. We finished up [a new album]. I think it's going to be called CODE OF ETHICS. That's going to come out June first. We're just mixing it now. ?: Tell me a little bit more about the album? B: There will be a lot of stuff. Everything from ballads to industrial to dance. Definitely some good radio songs. There's something there for everybody. There's some Top-40 done in Code of Ethics style. There's a full range. There's a lot of different Christianity topics--every day stuff. ?: What would you do if you couldn't do music anymore? S: I was in school for medicine, so I'd still be in school for medicine. B: I've been to that point. When I first left secular music and gave my life to Christ, I stopped music completely because I wanted to know if Christian music was right. I spent at least a month or two studying if that was God was leading me back to. What I want to do after music is over, I want to go into some mission work--that's where I'll be headed when it stops, hopefully. ?: What would be your best memory? B: The people. As long as this band is going, we always go out after, sometimes before to meet and talk to people. We stay until they kick us out. That's how you find out were people are spiritually or you get to strengthen each other spiritually. It's so cool meeting other people. ?: What would you want people to know about you? B: That we're real. We feel like we're the new generation of Christian music. We want people to know that we're sincere. There are a lot of older musicians that are getting ready to move on. We want to be the next bunch of godly musicians. Right now we're young and we're learning. ?: Since you are young, what do you do since you don't have the spiritual maturity? S: I keep in contact with my Dad. He's very level headed about everything. He said, 'If you ever feel your head's in a cloud and you're better than anybody, remember where you came from. You wouldn't be here without God.' I think that's the best way to keep your head about you--you're nothing without God. --J. WARNER SODITUS S.O.H.L. 4UR TRIBE One hot new group in Christian hip-hop music these days is S.O.H.L. 4UR Tribe, meaning "Straight Out Hard Lyrics" that appeal to a broad spectrum of people. Their debut release 2 THA BAZIX shows the diversity of these two young men: Skye (Sk) and Sevin (Se). Here's an edited account of a conversation we had recently. LH: Could you give some background on yourselves? Sk: I've been saved about two years now. I grew up in a Christian home but never actually took the walk seriously. [I] did it out of obligation to my parents. I moved to LA when I was about 18 years old and sang for another group and went really downhill when I lived there. I ended up moving back to Orange County since I was broke. My parents decided that it would be best if I just came home and maybe went back to school. When I came home, my parents started asking if I'd like to go to church. Because I'd been living in the world so much, I kept saying no. One Monday night I was supposed to go out to a club with some friends and they all backed out on me--being tired from the weekend. There was a speaker coming to speak here at the Vineyard [church] when the church was still under the tent (we used to have a tent before the actual building was finished.) I decided to go with my Mom that night to kill some time or hear what was going on. Like most testimonies, I felt like the guy was talking to me the whole time. Pretty much at the end of it, it was pretty simple, my Mom asked if I'd like anyone to pray for me. I said, 'Yes.' The next thing I knew they were praying for the rededication of my life and that I'd get saved--and I was agreeing with it. From that night on, I've been with the Lord. That was August of 1991. From that night, I've been delivered from things I've held onto for so long--the club scene, I stopped drinking, stopped smoking that night. I stopped using drugs. Se: I grew up in a Christian home. I was pretty hot and cold sometimes. My sister and I'd go to church [every once in a while]. By the time I was nine or ten, that had pretty much fallen off. I didn't really go to church, but we prayed before we ate. Then, when I was about seventeen and was working at a gas station pumping gas, one of the mechanics there was a Christian guy. We used to talk to him and make fun of him all the time with the answers he'd give us. We thought it was funny. Pretty soon, it all started to make sense. One day at work, it just hit me. The whole thing just hit me. I knew how to do it and prayed all by myself. The change was incredible. One minute I was making fun of the guy and the next I knew it was true. LH: How did you get to do the album? Se: We go to church at the Vineyard. The producer who helps run the label here, Chris Wimber, he approached Skye about doing a rap thing just for an outdoor concert we were going to have. [Skye] needed somebody to help him out with the music and I was in a funk band and I said, 'I play bass and my drummer and I can back you up.' The next week, he and I decided that we were going to do something together. Chris Wimber asked us if we wanted to do an album. We had the album secured before we had the first song finished. We wrote all the lyrics and started recording about three-and-a-half months later. Sk: The whole situation up until this moment has been one that God has just let everything fall into our lap. I grew up on the hip-hop music and the R&B scene and always was into that music. Even when I moved out here to Orange County, I still listened to it and got into rap and a couple years ago, it was more like a joke between my friends and I, when we'd take long drives to clubs or parties, we'd have free- style to the music on the radio to see who could go longer. We never took it that serious, but when Chris Wimber, who we affectionately call M.C. White Hope, when he approached us on the project, I don't think it was ever a question within my mind or Sevin's mind that we would do it. It wasn't about whether we were capable or not, it was about stepping out in the faith and just going ahead and writing songs and working together. The tough thing has been that we got offered the album deal, like Sevin said, we wrote a ton of songs in no time at all. Some of those songs like 'Papa Dios' came in dreams, where [I] just woke up and wrote and haven't ever changed a word of it since. Just woke up from a dream about 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday, as a matter of fact, it was the Saturday of the 4th of July where we performed together. That morning, when I woke up, I had a dream and put the pen on the paper and out came five pages of lyrics that we've not touched since. The tough thing for us has been, because this has all fallen into our laps and the Lord has said to both of us to do it, we took this opportunity before we knew one another. We're still learning about each other. We're becoming closer as friends and as brothers. I don't think it'd be possible in any other arena for two guys to come together like this and really not know much about one another. I think it's the differences between us that makes us what we are. Sometimes we agree on the biggest things, but the littlest things we get into the biggest fights over. While we were in the studio, there were things that just sounded stupid that he loved, and things he thought were dumb and I thought, 'That's brilliant.' We're learning a lot about one another. God's been faithful in that when I'm down, Sevin's strong spiritually and when he's down, I'm strong spiritually. He's just been good to us. That's how the whole thing came about. So, along with the project developed a friendship and in that friendship, now, is where the ministry is coming from. One connection that we did have was D.J. Sweet Truth out of L.A. who I pretty much grew up with knew that he had been producing some groups with a partner of his and we started talking about him working on our stuff and his partner backed out at the last minute and had some conflicts. I'm talking last minute as in we started recording on Monday and Tuesday we did the live tracks. Wednesday we were to go in and start laying down all the programming for the digital stuff. I got a call Wednesday morning at like 6:30 from Sweet Tooth telling me that his partner was not in town. He made a phone call and within two hours we had B-Soul who was meeting us down with us at the studio, willing to do one track completely for free and to let us hear it, and if we liked it, he'd pick up the rest of the project for the money that we had left (which was almost nothing) or he would just walk out the door if we didn't like what he had. He came in very humble and did his job without dropping any names. Just talking to him, we found out who he was working with and we were just blown away that he would end up behind the Orange Curtain when he was an L.A. producer. We felt blessed completely--that is another example of how things just keep falling in our laps. We know that it's just the Lord's direction. We're keeping a mentality of trying to stay humble and just trying to stay low key when we get on stage and do our thing and we minister and do what God wants us to do. At the same time, we're not a preachy band, either. We're out there to be examples. This summer, we're looking to play some big gigs and see what happens from there. LH: If you were to describe the album to someone who hadn't heard it, how would you sum up the sound? Se: Off the top of my heard, It's funky, really fun, party hip- hop. Sk: I'd go along the same lines, but I'd add a little more influenced by rap when I say we're a little more laid back in the style, leaning on the jazz. I think they're going to be almost pleasantly surprised that we're not, as hard core [as some others]. We just try to be who we are. Really, we found out what we are as we went along, too. Se: The thing is that we're just regular guys... We're just into music and that's what we do. Sk: We're pretty true to the way we are. I think, once we begin to play, visually, the group itself will shock most people. I think some of the places we've played already, the people are shocked when they see us. LH: Is that shocked in a positive way or a negative way? Sk: It's a very positive thing. At first, it's funny. The first couple songs we do anywhere,, people stand there with their mouth open when we get up on stage because they realize that I'm probably the most ethnic thing up there. I'm really not all that ethnic. Sevin is part Hawaiian. Se: I'm part everything. The thing is, we're not black. People generally think rap is black. I'm beige if anything. Sk: They're [audience] just waiting for someone to be black. They're just waiting for some real hard-core ethnic to just jump out at them. When they hear us rap and hear Eden sing and then they see '2 Tall' our drummer play. He stands up and he's 6'3'' white guy, real lanky, they don't understand it. Really, the first couple songs we do, people really do stand there with their mouth open. Se: We've got Mexicans, Puerto-Ricans, a few white people, a Lebanese, so we're basically various ethnic tribes in this group. LH: I assume that played into the name of the group? Sk: To be honest with you, the name came way before the group, now that I think about it. I think Sevin and I barely knew each other. When the name came about, it was Tribal Waves, Your Tribe, Soul, I was going around in circles trying to figure what order. It just hit me one night when I was at church that it was going to be SOHL 4UR Tribe and I thought, that's a really dope name, but you can't call a one man band SOHL 4UR Tribe. That's really when the Lord confirmed that there was going to be a partner involved. Then it was figuring out when it was going to happened and where it was going to come from. LH: What is on your heart these days? Se: One thing that characterizes us is that we wrote the lyrics and then we went back over them and pulled out enough things that sounded like 'Christianese.' Because, we're in the church and we hang out at the church all the time and so we are around that kind of language all the time and we talk that kind of language. We want to minister to people who don't go to church. That's our goal. So, I don't want to get them to talk like us, I just want to speak their language. That's what the album is about--trying to reach people that wouldn't be reached any other way. Sk: Not to be 'Christianese' in our language is important to us because we feel, if you're not saved, you're going to have a hard enough time to relating to some of the ideas, let alone a person that uses a language that you're not familiar with. That's not what we're about. We want to entertain. We're tired, really, between the two of us, we're tired of two things in the market now. One of them is, the Christian market's been so characterized by people that are so disciplined in the ways of God that they don't know how to have fun. They think that when you're saved, you have all these rules and you can't have fun and you can't be yourself anymore. That's not true. You are who you are because that's who the Lord created. You have to learn discipline and what's true and have fun. The other thing I wanted to say, the name of the album is 2 THA BAZIX is misspelled-- everything about it is. That's for a reason. Basically, we wanted to mock ourselves and make fun of rap, 'If it's so basic, why can't they spell it right?' This country, people within this country, saved and unsaved, need to get back to the basics, knowing about morals, knowing about the Lord. The flip side of the name is that this album is to the basics for us. It's a basic album in the sense it's good, it's hype, the lyrics are good, but a lot of the stuff we didn't write very heavy in the sense that there's so many words out there that you can't understand. We wanted to be real basic with our message so that when we rap, it's very easy to understand. We want people to hear what we're saying. LH: Real quick before we have to go. If you could only say one thing to an audience, what would you say? Se: I would say, 'Love God with all your heart, serve the Body.' Sk: What I would say is, 'Enjoy your relationship with Christ, enjoy it and know it.' --J. WARNER SODITUS RON DAVID MOORE Ron David Moore may be a relative newcomer to Christian music, but he is certainly not new to music. He has released two self-described "Pop/Country" albums on Warner Alliance. I had a few minutes to chat with him on an off day from touring. ARE YOU MARRIED? I've been married sixteen years. We celebrated sixteen years in February of this year. AND YOUR WIFE'S NAME IS? Nancy. DO YOU HAVE ANY CHILDREN? I have two children, well, they're not children anymore. I have a teenage daughter, her name is Deanna, she's 14 and my son is 13, Darren. I WAS WONDERING, WHAT FIRST GOT YOU INTERESTED IN MUSIC? I was just around it a lot when I was a kid. When I was about 9 years old, I really took a big interest in it. I think my dad got me my first guitar when I was 10. When I was 12, me and my two brothers formed a little trio and we used to sing in churches all over the Carolinas. WAS THERE A SPECIFIC MOMENT WHEN YOU DECIDED TO DO MUSIC FOR A LIVING OR DID IT JUST HAPPEN? It's interesting that you ask that. I loved sports in school. I was never really big. I was always this really small guy in school. I was praying for the day that I would be 100 pounds. I was trying to play football and I was getting beat to death, I was so small. When I turned 13, I said to myself, 'Ron David, you have to make a decision here. What are you going to do? Are you going to be a football star of a musician?' I figured I'm much too small to play football. I think though, down deep, I knew the Lord had a plan for my life--and it wasn't playing football. I made that decision at a young age, when I was 13 that music was going to be a big, big part of my life. As I got older, it became more real to me. YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN COUNTRY MUSIC. HOW DID YOU GET INTO THAT? I first got my first professional job in Southern Gospel music [when] I was 19. 1980 was when I got my first Country job. I got a phone call at my house one night and it was from a friend of a friend that knew me and they had recommended me for the T. G. SHEPPARD job to play steel guitar, acoustic guitar, and sing background vocals. So they called the house and asked if I'd be interested and I found out what it paid--I wasn't making a lot of money. I had a wife and my girl was a baby then, so I had a new family and wasn't making a lot of money and I saw a great opportunity to make more money--so I took it. WHAT OTHER KIND OF THINGS DID YOU DO WITH COUNTRY MUSIC? HOW LONG WERE YOU IN IT? From 1980 up until 1989, 9 years. I went to work with T. G. in 1980 and I stayed with him for 6 years. I started writing songs then. I started writing as a hobby, just for something to do on those long trips on the bus. It turned out that the songs got around Nashville and people like GEORGE STRAIT and CONWAY TWITTY and all these big stars in Nashville started recording my songs. That became very lucrative for me, financially. So, what was really happening to me was that I was getting so involved in the making money that I really just lost my walk with God. It really took a toll on my life--it came close to really destroying me. I got involved in drugs and alcohol and just about did me in. It was the environment of being around Country music and the things that Country music stands for--the bar rooms and the alcohol. Never being in church on the weekends, not getting any spiritual food and [I] was starving to death for God and didn't even realize it. I think it was just a weapon that Satan used against me to drag me down. He also made it look like, 'You can make a whole lot more money doing this.' I was making a lot more money. I'm finding out today that money is not the important thing in life. The most important things in my life now are God and my family. It's just been incredible what God has done in the short time that I've given my life back to Him. WAS THERE ANY SPECIFIC EVENTS THAT LED YOU TO GO BACK TO YOUR FAITH OR A STRING OF SMALL EVENTS? The Bible tells us in Proverbs to train up a child in ways and when he is old, he won't depart from it. My Mom raised us in church and that never left me. Those seeds were planted at an early age. The whole time I was out here doing these things, there were people still praying for Ron David Moore. My Mom was one and my wife was another and my oldest brother were all really praying for me. Those prayers did not go unheard. There were times when I was on the road and I would know that what I was doing was wrong. I knew in my heart, 'This is not right what you're doing.' There again, I was involved in the wrong environment. What happened was in 1988, my oldest brother left Texas--the Lord spoke to him and sent him to a small town called Smyrna, TN to start a church there. I started going on Sundays. The Lord really started dealing with me. It was probably nine months to a year before I ever gave in. I'm living proof today that prayers work. I gave my life back to Jesus November 19, 1989 and it's just been incredible. I think it's attributed to their prayers--not giving up on me. I WAS CURIOUS HOW REDEDICATING YOUR LIFE AND THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC AFFECTED YOUR FAMILY. HOW DID THEY REACT? When I made that step to give my life back to the Lord in 1989, my wife was just rejoicing--she had prayed for me so long. After I rededicated my life in 1989, our anniversary was February of 1990 and my wife and I renewed our vows. We had another wedding and everything. I'm amazed at how close we've become over the last three years. We're more in love now than we ever have been. I know it's because Jesus is first in our lives. My kids, I'm closer than I've ever been. I missed such a big part of their life when they were small. I was on the road so much. There's so many things that I wish I could go back and re-do. I can't. Those things are past. I can't live in the past. The way God has restored my family has been incredible. He's enabling me to take my children on the road now and my wife. We home school our kids to where they can go with us. It's one of the things I really went to God about. I said, 'Lord I don't want to go out here and try to minister and try to win the world and me lose my family.' That's not the way that it's supposed to be in my mind. God opened the door of home schooling and they go everywhere with me. We're just closer than we've ever been. I just throw it all to the Lord for bringing us back together and giving me a second chance at life. HOW DID YOU END UP SIGNED WITH WARNER ALLIANCE? Being a songwriter, I still had this burning desire to write songs, but after giving my life back to Jesus, I couldn't write the kind of songs I had been writing. Being a new Christian and all, I had this burning to start pouring out my heart and soul into Christian songs. To be honest with you, I did not know anything about Christian music. I didn't know it was a big as it was, that there was as much talent in Christian music as there was. I just started doing it because I felt led to do so. I was signed with a Country music publisher at the time and I walked in his office with about five Christian songs, the first five songs that I'd ever written in Christian music and asked him to give me a budget so I could go in and demo those songs. He kind of looked at me strange to begin with, but I think the Lord spoke to him and he gave me the budget. I didn't even know what I was going to do with the demo tape after I finished it. I finished the tape and it got into the hands of the right people that heard the tape and really believed in what they were hearing. The next thing I knew, people from Warner Alliance were calling my house and wanted to talk to me about signing a record deal. It was just a miracle of God. [In] 1989 I gave my life back to the Lord, less than a year [later], October 1990, I signed a deal with Warner Alliance. WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERTS LIKE NOW? It's real ministry, [but] it's also entertaining. I learned a lot when I was over in secular music to help me make people have a good time when they come to our concert. To laugh, to be entertained, but at the same time, the Lord has anointed me with the gift to be able to minister to people. I'll share a quick story. I was doing a concert in Gatlanburg, TN three weeks ago, and it was for 550 kids--it was a youth retreat. There is a song on the new album called "There's Somebody Out There." It's been a powerful song to minister to people. I was doing this song and usually, after I do this song, I give an invitation for people who want to accept Christ or have any needs met to come forth. There's an instrumental part in the song and I had my head bowed and my eyes closed while this instrumental part was playing and when I opened my eyes to sing the last chorus of the song, over 100 kids had already come forth without me saying a word, just by singing the song. Before the evening was over there was over 250 kids that came forth out of that concert out of the 550. It was real powerful to see how God used that without me getting up there and begging and pleading for people to come to the altar. It was just the simplicity of listening to the song and that if these things apply, then God can help you. These are the things that are happening at Ron David Moore Concerts. We're seeing people's lives touched and changed and I think one of the biggest things I find as I tour is that there are so many Christian people that are hurting. It's just amazing to me. I'm not saying that they're bad people but they have things in their past that they're burdened with and hurt with. They just continue to hang on to them. I'm finding out that there's a lot of people out there that need inner healing. God is using us in that part of the ministry to reach out to those people. I notice because of what I went through in my life before I gave my life back to Jesus. I went through a lot of hurt and a lot of pain. I'd been hurt in a ministry way before I ever got involved in secular music and that's one of the thing that the Lord is really using now to reach out to those people that are hurting. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY ALBUM OR IF YOU WANTED TO STAY AWAY FROM IT? I'm not going to say I want to stay away from it, but I don't know how Christian music describes Christian Country today. I'm trying to figure out where that falls. I've heard some Christian Country that is just the fiddles and the steel guitars. I don't think I'll ever go that far. IS THERE ANYTHING ON YOUR MIND? I think we touched on it. I want the people that read about Ron David Moore, I want them to see somebody that's in love with God and that wants to reach out to people and help people that are hurting. I want them to see my heart. The things that are important to me are not being a big success. If those things happen, that's great. I thank God for that. Don't get me wrong. But, my main focus is to reach out and minister to people. That's where my focus is at. I feel like that's what God's called me to do. I see this thing growing into a big ministry. My vision and my dream is to reach thousands upon thousands of people. Instead of 300 people come to a concert, have 5000 and 10,000 come. That's my goal and that's what's on my heart. I don't think I ever want to do a big ticket price. That's not my heart either. My heart is to be able to get the people to come that can't really afford to come. Whatever it takes to get people there, that's what I want to do. --J. WARNER SODITUS CREATION '93 Creation '93, the nation's largest Christian music festival, will be held June 23-26 where an expected 50,000 will attend. The Creation Festival will celebrate its 15th Anniversary at the Agape Farm in Mt. Union, Pennsylvania includes four days of music, teaching, and camping. The festival will feature such artists as Amy Grant, D.C. Talk, Steven Curtis Chapman, and The Newsboys. There will also be teaching by Tony Campolo, Josh McDowell, and Winkie Pratney. The children's ministry will also feature one of America's foremost traveling puppet teams, The Life Action Puppets, Rob Evans, the Donut Man, and the music of the Greatest Star of All. The Creation Festival is an outreach sponsored by Come Alive Ministries, Inc. of Medford, NJ. It annually draws as many as 50,000 people to the natural amphitheater located in the Allegheny Mountains. For additional information about costs, campsites, and reservations, call 1-800-327-6921. REVIEWS Wes King: THE ROBE (Reunion) Wes King's new album, THE ROBE, would make a terrific soundtrack. I don't know if he planned it that way, but the record moves from a breezy, open, driving-down-the-highway kind of musical creed, through alternate moments of commitment and human frailty, and finishes off with an almost tearful reminder of God's overwhelming love for His people. It has all the earmarks of a film narrative. Blasting into it with "I Believe," King supplies the listener with a simple and basic faith statement that moves from creation to resurrection. The lyrics outline a solid foundation for Christian belief, and the music (aided by the strong, driving beat of John Hammond's drum work) is an invitation to roll down the car windows and hit the highway of life with confidence. In "Second String," King weaves an intriguing web between the 8th- grade football team bench-warmer awaiting his chance to shine and God's call to a little shepherd boy named David. The title cut, inspired by a C. H. Spurgeon sermon, beckons to "Come as you are." Here King uses the robe both literally and metaphorically. It will "clothe your nakedness" and it is "His grace." The message is simple and true, and Susan Ashton's smokey background vocals provide a sweet and mournful invitation to all to accept the spiritual covering Jesus offers for the sin of fallen man. "Martin Luther," another strong narrative, is also a small history lesson which draws a thumbnail sketch of the faith of the father of the Reformation. The last song of side one, "Carolyn," appears at first to be a simple love song: "Carolyn/...What must I do to win your love?" By the end, however, it is clear that the voice of the song is not the voice of a man, but of God: "If I gave my Son for you/Would you see my love is true/If I called you by name/And took you in/And washed away your sin..." This slow, gentle courtship explores the love of God and of man in a way that moves and touches the listener. The second side, while perhaps not as strong as the first, is certainly worth hanging around for. "Optional Thing," is something of a statement of King's own perception of his newlywed marriage. Backed by Julie Miller, King weaves an inside joke into his confession of fidelity. "I'm your man/I'll protect you in the pouring rain/A typhoon, tornado, in a hurricane" is a reference to the Kings' honeymoon--a day after they arrived in Hawaii, the island was hit by a hurricane, which they narrowly escaped. "Move to the Moon," another love song, while not a highlight, builds on King's childhood image of where the helium balloons go when they get lost. King quickly moves into a fascinating social critique that evokes disturbing echoes of the recent Los Angeles riots. "Blame It On Me" is a hymn of self-absorbed refusal to take personal responsibility for one's actions. This, indeed, has seemed to be the rallying cry of the 1990's--but King puts the blame right back where it belongs--on Adam and on us. Leaning back once more into the slow, sweet, and mournful, "John" is King's gift to a friend who recently lost his mother--artfully interweaving "In the Sweet By and By" with his own lyrics. The final song ("Holy") is introduced by R. C. Sproul's reading of Isaiah 6:1-3, and takes its force from the song of the seraphim. There is an almost mystical quality to this lovely acoustic rendering of the love and mercy of the Lord; with an almost Eastern melodic style. As it closes, you can almost see the credits roll, for the narrative problem has been settled. Sinners we are, sinners we may be, but THE ROBE will cover us, and the mercy and love of God are eternal. I give THIS quiet gem my highest recommendation. --KERRY STEPHENSON Michael English: HOPE (Warner Alliance) Michael English's new album, HOPE, continues his musical success with a combination of Biblical lyrics, diverse vocal range, and rhythmic-Pop style. This album has a distinct message of encouragement to the Christian in our difficult days. "Holding Out Hope To You" has a powerful message of God's everlasting presence in our lives through doubt and confusion. In keeping with this theme, Michael sings a spiritual written by Babbie Mason called "A Place Called Hope." Other songs capture the theme of love. "There Is A Love" and "I've Got A Love" tell of a relationship with our friend Jesus who holds us close to His heart. The album includes a love song to encourage couples entitled "Love Moves In Mysterious Ways." In keeping with the Pop style of Michael's last album, "Always For You" inspires us to always pray and think of others in our lives. A powerful "Message Of Mercy" comes through the "Savior," which challenges Christians to show love to everyone around us and to encourage the disheartened. The last song ("There's Not A Crown Without A Cross") sums up the life for the Christian: "There's not a victory without a fight/There's not a sunrise without a night/There's not a purchase without a cost/There's not a crown without a cross." The album identifies the listener to the hope, love, and saving grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It would be an asset to any Christian who enjoys Michael English's talent and his desire to use it to magnify the Lord. --ANN HATHCOCK Julie Miller: ORPHANS AND ANGELS (Myrrh) To me, Julie Miller is a paradox. Her personality and mannerisms have earned her the affectionate title of "munchkin" in Christian music. She is giggly and, usually, not too serious. Paradoxically, there are times that she will interject some of the most profound statements. To me, this album is another one of those paradoxes. The Millers (Buddy and Julie) have teamed with Dan Posthuma to produce an album that is surprisingly simple, yet very complex. The setting for the project is similar to her last album, a blend of predominantly acoustic Pop/Folk/Country that brings comparisons with KIM HILL, SAM PHILLIPS, MARK HEARD, and possibly BONNIE RAITT to mind. Miller also performs a wonderful remake of the late HEARD's "Treasure of the Broken Land." She begins and ends with tender hymn-like tunes, setting the base for an open look at Julie Miller. Miller, never one to hide anything from the audience, brings more autobiographical material out for all to see. From the confessional "Mercy's Child" to her personal favorite, "Precious to God," Miller again shares her pains, struggles, and personal faith. "Jesus In Your Eyes" is a tender duet with her husband, Buddy, that has the potential to become a wedding classic. Perhaps the most ironic thing about this album is her controversial song "S.O.S." (Sick Of Sex). This song was rejected by the record company when she wanted to include it on her last album--which created quite a stir. Now, a couple years later, the same record company is using this song as the basis for promoting the album--a flip side to MADONNA's EROTICA. Go figure! Nevertheless, this rather blatant song could be considered almost a venture into rap for Miller since the verses are hardly sung, they are delivered almost with a rap rhythm. The rest of the song is certainly not rap, though presented with some urgency, it's more of the usual unusual Miller (another paradox?). The album was recorded in Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York so that she could have her friends join in on the project--adding a long list of talented artists to the album credits. With the tremendous amount of talent, incredible background vocals, and unique sounds (mandolin, accordion, cello, and classic guitars) the complex layers somehow blend into a wonderfully simple sound--quite a paradox. Regardless, it's a wonderful album that continues the overly public Julie Miller self-analysis that I haven't been able to stop listening to. --ROGER APPELINSKI Jacob's Trouble: JACOB'S TROUBLE (Frontline) The times, they are a changin'. One of the founding members of Jacob's Trouble, guitarist Mark Blackburn, has departed, and with him has gone the "jangly" guitar sound that the band had become known for. While previous albums have been rooted in a Sixties' sensibility, with obvious musical references to the BYRDS, THE MONKEES, and the BEATLES, the new self-titled Jacob's Trouble album moves things into the next decade and beyond. From the opening lyric, "Is everybody here ready for a little adventure?" the band promises something new and exciting. In a bit of self-reference, they make it clear that they aren't satisfied to remain in a comfort zone--and they deliver. The group has grown, both musically and lyrically, and it shows. "Wild, Wild Ride" and "Lovehouse," two rocking tunes, open the album, with Jerry Davison's vocals stronger than ever. The next tune "Desiree," pays homage to the distorted guitar sound of U2's ACHTUNG BABY. With guitarist Keith Johnston ably handling the lead vocals, the song signals that the group has really gone in a new direction. "This Moment" probably could have been on one of the other albums-- it is just about the only song that sounds like the old group. "It's A Boys', Boys', Boys', Boys' World" and "Time Bomb" show Davison's growth as a lyricist, and his continuing bent for social commentary. Johnston's songs are more poetic, with a penchant for imagery. "Best Part of Me" is both a song of praise and thanks to his Father, while "Better Days" speaks of struggle and a promise of something better someday. Even drummer Ron Cochran gets to take a turn at lead vocal with "Tears of An Angel," a song for which he penned the lyrics. It also showcases bassist Steve Atwell's skills in a melody with a slight Motown feel. "Lovin' Kindness" is a fun tune with a rhythm track reminiscent of ESCAPE CLUB's "Wild, Wild West" single of a few years ago. The next track, however, is the most powerful one on the album. "Way of the Cross" pulls no punches. Davison's lyrics lay out clearly and bluntly what Christ did while he was here, and why. With lines like "He gave the keys of the kingdom to the meek and the mild/He told the self- righteous grown-ups to act like a child" and "He had a bad reputation and a scandalous streak/passed over doctors and lawyers/to hang with beggars and thieves/it was no accident/it was the way of the cross," he serves notice to those that treat church and faith as some kind of social club that they need to re-evaluate their motives. The album ends with a love song, "Let Me Love On You," that will no doubt cause some controversy, just because it exists. While it is not the strongest song on the record, it is another example of the groups growing versatility. All in all, a great record, and one that should further this group's popularity. --BETH BLINN Guardian: MIRACLE MILE (Pakaderm) Guardian rocks their way back into the music scene with their follow-up to FIRE AND LOVE and third full album--MIRACLE MILE. This "Kaleidoscopic Cavalcade of Sight and Sound," as it is referred to on the album jacket, contains a collection of possibly the most direct, in your face, get Satan outta here, rock-n-roll ever presented to the Christian music market. One who is familiar with Pakaderm Records would not immediately associate MIRACLE MILE with the customary polished sound that Pakaderm artists they usually carry. Guardian (Palacios, Rowe, Bach, and Ney) combined with the production expertise of John and Dino Elefante have compiled an album that is down in the dirt and grungy. Note, I did not say that this album is grunge, but it is a more rough and coarse sounding rock--totally different from anything Guardian or anyone else has previously released. I said earlier that the album is referred to as a "kaleidoscopic cavalcade," well, it only takes one look at some of the song titles to see that they aren't kidding around--"Dr. Jones & The Kings of Rhythm," "Shoeshine Johnny," "The Captain," "Mr. Do Wrong," "Sister Wisdom," and "Curiosity Killed the Cat." You are probably thinking that some of these titles sound somewhat strange. Well, instead of wondering what they could possibly be about, why not grab the album and found out? You might be thrown off guard at first, but I guarantee that you will be pleased. --KEITH A. VALENTINE Scripture Memory Songs: PREVIEW COLLECTION (Integrity) When I first saw Integrity's PREVIEW COLLECTION CD from their Scripture Memory Songs, a line from one of my childhood television shows came to mind--"That's just crazy enough to work!" Their idea of directly putting Scripture to contemporary music, to me, was not appealing. But, after listening to it, it is crazy enough to work. The musical setting varies for each song. There is a jazzy contemporary sound on "For You Know the Grace," a slow reggae feel on "Trust in the Lord," a Country flare on "I Have Given You," a southern gospel feel on "I Have Overcome the World" and "By His Wounds," a black gospel base on "Praise Be to the God and Father," a contemporary choral sound on "Thanks Be to God," and a contemporary sound on "Come to Me." So the music stretches across most of Christian music providing a diverse bed for Scriptures--which are rather common verses that are repeated several time. I dare say that this is not something that I'd listen to a lot, but it will have a special place in my music collection. I think it will appeal to fans of the AC format with fairly diverse musical tastes. This is an album that you can play in the background or use for meditating on God's Word. This collection is a 30 minute introduction to the Scripture Medley series and is available at a reduced price and the jacket contains coupons for the other projects in the series. Not only is it "crazy enough to work," I'm sure they are saying, "Why didn't we try this sooner?" --ROGER APPELINSKI Terri Lynn: INSIDE A TEAR (Intersound) It has been a while since I've written about Country music. I want to keep reminding you that the volume of Christian Country music is steadily increasing, and the quality is there! Take, for instance, this new product from Terri Lynn. The only way that I can describe it is music from the soul. The lyrical content is really without peer--and I listen to a lot of vocals! This is a rare glimpse within the world of a very devoted wife, mother, singer, and Christian. The music isn't bad either. The "Oklahoma Front Porch Band" launches the listener off on a tour of, well, probably somewhere down South, where the livin' is easy, and the Spirit still moves! Lynn's acoustic wonders are coupled with a pretty darn good band making both the fast and the slow songs a pleasure to keep listening to over and over... But what really gets a listener on this album is Lynn's voice. WHAT A VOICE! She can sing like very few that I have ever heard. Some songs like "He's the one on the White Horse" and "Mama Prays" are worth playing over and over simply to hear Terri sing. The vocals are pure, sweet, and blessed. If you ever find yourself either missing the South or wanting to visit the South to hear some down-home country tunes, both fast and slow, with the purpose of giving God glory, go and add this disc to your collection--you will not be sorry! --BRYAN W. BRENDLEY Shack of Peasants: CLASSIC BLUES VOL. 1 (Metro One) CLASSIC BLUES, VOL. I is the debut album on Metro One Records of Shack of Peasants, a group of Christian musicians and singers, most of whom have their own individual or group projects, but who share a common love and appreciation for Blues music. These type of projects seem to be coming out of the woodwork lately, but they are really making up for lost time, since this is an area of Contemporary Christian music that had been relatively untouched, until recently. And some of those same players show up on this work--notably Darrell Mansfield and Chris Lizotte. But the catalyst for this album was really Lanny Cordola who was instrumental in rounding up the Blues artists, as well as others, including Sandra Stevens, Allegra Parks, Crystal Lewis and Philip Bardowell. The album is mostly composed of remakes of traditional Blues tunes, with the mix of players changing from track to track. Cordola is the one constant, and he even adds his vocals to the mix, a first that I am aware of. "Gwine Dig A Hole To Put The Devil In" is the first cut, and is a fun tune. "Gonna Sit On The Banks of The River" is stripped down-- just Cordola on guitar and Bardowell on vocals. It is effective, and has an intimate feel to it. "I Shall Not Be Moved" and "Stand By Me" are both traditionals, and the latter features some great harmonica work by Mansfield. Mansfield is also featured on the next tune "Death Has No Mercy Seat," as a vocalist--his rough vocals suit the tune well. Then comes one of only two originals on the record. "Tears of Faith," written by Cordola, is a great song. Bardowell and Cordola trade vocals, and the tune holds its own against the classics. The rest of the album continues in the same vein, and includes an instrumental solo by Cordola entitled "Cincinnati Flow Rag" by one of his heroes, the Rev. Gary Davis. The album finishes with another Cordola original, "Tribute." In the credits, the album is dedicated to Rev. Davis and Blind Willie Johnson. If the album is meant as a tribute to these men and their influence, I think that they would have been proud. --BETH BLINN D.O.C.: PULLIN' NO PUNCHES (StarSong) The new D.O.C. album shows heavy influences of D.C. TALK, JOEY LAWRENCE, and BOYZ II MEN. The album starts of with "We Got It," a pure hip-hop song, with vocals comparable to JOEY LAWRENCE. "God Gave Rock N' Roll 2 U" features special guest, Bride, playing their good time rock music. I would have to say this is the best rap/metal song I've heard--with excessive screaming vocals that will make this album appeal to Bride fans (if only for this song). "Old Tyme Way" is a really slow R&B song, straying a bit from the hip-hop. "Tic Toc" has a mix of hard core rap and R&B which is about how time is running before the Lord returns. "Why You Won't Serve the Lord" is another JOEY LAWRENCE/D.C. TALK type of song--a great dance song. There is also a remix of "We Got It" which is much heavier than the original. Over all the album is pretty good--one for the hop-hop fans to have around. --BRAD MATTERN LOST ALBUM REVIEWS The Kry: I'LL FIND YOU THERE (Asaph) In a more ideal world, Jean Luc Lajoie, Yves Lajoie, and Pete Nelson should be destined for huge success and popularity. But this isn't an ideal world where the CCM industry governed in some cases by profit making. These three guys from Canada are part of the ministry at Calvary Chapel Albuquerque--a non-profit organization. This is a high-energy band. Easy to remember the choruses, a foot tapping beat, and, most importantly, ministering lyrical content. The sound is not hard rock or metal--on par with the BRYAN ADAMS sound and style. Another reviewer of the project stated that teens would like this album, well, I guess sometimes I forget how old I am. The title of the work is I'LL FIND YOU THERE, based on Jeremiah 29:13, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart," and the producer is Darrell Mansfield. A running theme in the project is the trouble we face on a daily basis, but all the stormy seas can be calmed by the One who remains on the Throne. We are reminded to "Call His Name" "When You Need Someone." After reading the headlines today, the song "Wild, Wild World" makes more and more sense, and we need to stand together because if we do "light will shine much brighter/In a world that's getting darker/For Him we're marching on." The fast songs are catchy, and the slow songs ("Letter of Love," "Free") make an impact again in the manner of ADAMS' ballads, but with Biblically sound lyrics. Put it this way, I heard parts of only two songs on this album before I bought it--nothing in the ten cuts on this album has disappointed me. --BRYAN W. BRENDLEY Al Denson: THE EXTRA MILE (Benson) The Extra Mile is a very enjoyable CD--fun, encouraging, and full of warmth and good sounds. There is a nearly even mix of upbeat and slower tunes; I was surprised to discover I liked every song on the album! Each song says something worthwhile--well-written lyrics are found throughout. The song that drew me to the CD is "To Forgive." It is a touching depiction of the need for us to LIVE our Christianity by forgiving as we have been forgiven and to learn to reach out to others despite any pain they have caused. The title song talks of giving of ourselves for a friend out of love, not only when it's easy, but when it involves a sacrifice. Witnessing is another way of giving, and three songs deal specifically with this. "If We Believe" urges us to take our beliefs seriously by leading others to Christ. The song "Stand Up" is about following Jesus with enough conviction to make the Truth known in the midst of the world's confused priorities and faulty morals. "Shine Out the Light" (the National theme song for See You at the Pole Day) inspires Christians to be the light that beckons others out of the darkness. "Call Me" and "River of Light" are about having someone to turn to and depend on in every situation we face. "The Love We Know" stresses the importance of keeping love strong, and "That's What My Father Would Do" is about unconditional love that looks beyond our faults. Two songs of commitment are left--"I Still Believe in Forever" (very uplifting words about faith), and "I Choose to Follow" (perhaps the most beautiful song here). It's a great project; if you've heard any of the songs and liked them, you'll probably like the rest too! --JEAN PATTY