Newsboys gear up for busy year
For several decades, the Newsboys helped define the sound of Christian music, while their live performances continue to sell out venues across the country. The group, which includes Michael Tait (vocals), Jody Davis (guitar), Jeff Frankenstein (keys) and Duncan Phillips (drums), has sold more than 8 million albums and racked up many awards. “God’s Not Dead,” the band’s chart-topping single, inspired Pure Flix’s 2014 hit film of the same name. Phillips took time recently to talk about new music, the band’s Houston visit and God moments.
Q: You guys have a big year ahead of you.
A: Yes, we are on tour, the new record is coming out, there’s a new movie coming and maybe a few more surprises.
Q: Well, let’s start with the tour. You’re headlining the KSBJ Anniversary Concert.
A: We can’t wait. We love Texas. Every night, Michael says from stage that our two favorite states are California and Texas. Texans and KSBJ have been so good to us over the years.
Q: Some people go to an office and work at a desk, but you go to work every day and strap yourself to a mechanical drum/carnival ride that spins in the air.
A: I guess it is a little crazy to most people. It’s just a regular day for me. I remember the first time we did it, way back in the day, was because we had no songs. We thought we had to do something to set ourselves apart from the crowd. We thought it was a good idea to attach the drums to a platform, put it in the air and spin it around.
Q: Do you let your kids get on it?
A: I let them on it all the time. The funniest thing is when we get drummers from other bands to try it out. We do it every tour, and watching them squeal like little girls is the best.
Q: March is huge for you. You are coming to Houston and also releasing your new album, “Love Riot.”
A: I think this is really the core of what we are. We have always been a pop band. I grew up loving the music of the ’80s and ’90s. This one, for me, is very natural for who we are. We have worked harder than ever to finetune the art and sound of what we are doing. Then you have to get the right producers and engineers to understand your direction and have the ability to make it come to life. Different producers can take the same song and make each version very different, so it’s very important to have the right people around you that understand the vision. Then the next step is to bring it to life in a concert setting. You run through a song a few times before recording it, but when you play it live 50 times, you really get a feel for what the songs should be.
Q: The new movie “God’s Not Dead Part 2” is now set to release in April.
A: The whole “God’s Not Dead” movement has been far more than we ever could have dreamed. We had no idea the strength of the song; then the book and movie came out, and it turned into something incredible. When you look back at
your career and see things like this happen, it’s just undoubtedly a God moment. Just like when we changed singers from Peter to Michael, it did not feel like a God moment at the time. It looked like everything we had worked so hard for was coming to an end, but looking back, we can see what God was doing. I think a lot of people are in moments that look devastating, like God has abandoned them, but I want to remind them what I have learned through these experiences. Sometimes we have to go through moments of pain and come out the other side stronger and better.