the Lighthouse
vol2#4  Shining Light on Today's Christian Music  April 1993

GLENN KAISER/DARRELL MANSFIELD
Most people are familiar with Glenn Kaiser through his position as a
founding member of REZ BAND, one of Christian rock's earliest forays
into the heavy metal arena.  What a lot of people may not realize,
however, is he has a great love of blues music.
This love started back when he was a teenager.  His family split up
when he was nine, and he ended up living in Milwaukee with his mother.
He started getting involved in music, and was playing guitar and
singing in his first band by the time he was thirteen.  When he was
fifteen, a new station came across his radio, playing only blues,
rhythm and blues, and soul music.  That was all he listened to for
several years.  When he was eighteen, he accepted Christ, and
eventually became involved with Jesus People USA (known as JPUSA for
short.)  REZ BAND is an outreach of  JPUSA where Kaiser is also
pastor.
What appealed to him then, and still does now, is the ring of
reality about blues music.  "As I and many before me have said, blues
is typically about truth,"  Kaiser wrote recently.  "It is a style of
music that is down-to-earth, unpretentious.  It is about sadness, it
at times laughs at the situation, and it usually shrugs and says,
'Like it or not, that's the way it is.'  I love the potential for
reality in that."
He went on to add, "There are a lot of folks who don't want to know
about the blues any longer.  They've suffered poverty, discrimination,
racism and exploitation far beyond anything I have.  Blues is a
reminder.  They want to forget.  That's understandable.  But it's
pretty interesting that the largest topical category in the book of
Psalms is songs of 'lament' (57 of 100).  God truly knows our plight.
Peter and the writer of Hebrews both remind us; 'Here we have no
continuing city...we ARE strangers and aliens in this world.'
[Emphasis added.]  It's a fallen world, a hard world, yet a world
without hope.  That hope is Jesus Christ!"
Fortunately, some others in the Christian community seem to be in
agreement with Kaiser about blues music, as evidenced by the
proliferation of blues and blues-oriented recordings in the last few
years, from such artists as LARRY HOWARD, CHRIS LIZOTTE AND SOUL
MOTION, and the CORNERSTONE BLUES JAM, VOL. I, recorded last summer at
the Cornerstone Festival.   Now, Kaiser has gone back to the studio
with his friend and brother in Christ, Darrell Mansfield, to record a
follow-up to TRIMMED AND BURNING, a raw, blues album done several
years ago.  The new project, SLOW BURN, differs from the first one in
that most of these tunes were written by Kaiser, while many of the
cuts on the first were covers of artists that Kaiser and Mansfield
admired.
Mansfield and Kaiser have been friends for a number of years, and
share a deep love of blues music.  Kaiser explains how they met, "As
REZ began touring, we ended up on the west coast, probably around
1973, and I'd heard some of his albums and just knew about GENTLE
FAITH, the band he'd been in.  As time went on, I started to hear this
harp [harmonica] player, this guy just going crazy playing harp.  I
thought, 'Whoa, I love it,' because I love the blues.  I knew of him.
We ended up doing a set together, sharing the same stage at
Disneyland.  That was the first time that I actually really heard him.
They just seemed to have such hearts after the Lord, really committed-
-the people in the band, and Darrell in particular...  One thing led
to the next and we kept ending up doing concerts here and there
together and we invited them out to Cornerstone.  Live, it was way
more of a blues vibe than you ever got from Darrell on albums.... As
time went on, we just became friends."
"So, I [was] praying about doing a blues album.  Well, the easy
thing would have been to do an electric blues album first.  That's
probably what I play best, I probably sing Rhythm & Blues best, and I
probably play guitar, real rough Rhythm & Blues best.  I started
praying about it and it seemed that the Lord was saying 'I want you to
do an acoustic blues album first.  Strip it all the way down and take
your time.'  I was going, 'That might be just a little outside of my
ability,' but I really like that challenge... the more I prayed about
it, I thought, 'I think Darrell needs to be on this album.  I don't
think I should do the harmonica, well, maybe a little.  I think he
needs to be heard.'  He's a great vocalist, he's a great singer.  I
don't think a lot of people realize what a great singer he is.  So I
invited him to do it, prayed about it, shared it with the pastors
here, and talked with him, and the Lord just brought us together.
It's like two peas in a pod.  I can't tell you how much fun.  Plus,
jamming together with Darrell and LARRY HOWARD at Cornerstone
Festivals over the years--that's been an absolute blast.  So, we have
so much in common.  That's how it happened.  I talk to Darrell
probably every other week anyway."
Darrell Mansfield makes no bones about it; he is an evangelist
first and a musician second.  Life hasn't always been this clear-cut,
though.  Before Darrell gave his life to Jesus in 1971, a near-
successful suicide attempt left him unable to play the guitar.  After
he became a Christian, he left music behind and studied at Melodyland
School of Theology for two years.  At this point, Darrell was
persuaded to join up with GENTLE FAITH, an early "Jesus rock" band,
not as the guitarist he used to be, but rather as a harmonica player.
Later, he founded the Darrell Mansfield band.
In comparing the two albums, Kaiser explains the different aims he
had for each.  "I suppose that I wanted to, on the first album, [was
to] expose a lot of people to BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON and REVEREND GARY
DAVIS, who are older black bluesmen who loved the Lord.  Both were
basically preachers.  GARY DAVIS was actually an ordained minister.
Both happened to be blind, both happened to be black, had gone through
a lot of poverty and struggle, grew up in the south.  Both saw a great
deal of struggle, even in doing gospel music.  GARY DAVIS, at the end
of his life, his voice was just shot from singing in the street.  They
lived  for a while, he and his wife, in the New York City area, he
would be down off of Times Square with his guitar banging away and
singing and sharing the Gospel.  He had to literally sing at the top
of his lungs to be heard over the traffic and the street noises.
These were men who really loved God, who really had grown up in the
land in the fields and then in the cities in the south, had gone
through an awful lot of struggle with bigotry and poverty and racism."
"When I discovered them I was really not even a Christian.  I
started to realize that bands like [LED] ZEPPELIN and the [ROLLING]
STONES were covering a lot of these older Blues guys.  I didn't
realize at the time that they were Christians.  GARY DAVIS and BLIND
WILLIE JOHNSON really did preach the Gospel and worked a lot in
churches, worked a lot in the streets, they would go out into parks,
they would be invited to play at picnics, and as time went on, a lot
of the young white rockers,  like CLAPTON and JEFF BECK and some of
those guys really started to discover them and that's how I found out
about them.  Here it is, years later, I'm a Christian, REZ BAND's been
on for a while, we've started to play more and more of these guy's
songs at home.  That's the music that I play in my house a lot.  I
wanted people to hear that.  When it came time to write this album, I
thought, 'Well, I think I have one more acoustic blues album in me.
I'd love Darrell to be involved and I want Rob [Glickman] to be a
little more involved than he was last time, let's come up with
something different.'  So on this album, I've written all but three
songs.  There are only three traditionals: 'This Little Light of
Mine,' 'Jesus on the Mainline,' and the third isn't a traditional, but
it's the third one that I didn't write, it's a Mark Heard tune that I
think is one of the best songs that he ever did off of THE ASHES AND
LIGHT called 'Threw it Away.'  I was then listening to the other songs
I'd written, thinking, 'It's time to get into something more modern.'
So other songs like the title cut, "Slow Burn" is kind of a JOHN LEE
HOOKER thing.  GARY DAVIS and BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON would have never
done that kind of thing.  It's a little bit more contemporary.
'Sliding,' which I originally slated for an electric blues album
(which I'll do in the future) ended up on the album.  Then there's
other very traditional-sounding songs that I've written.  I've liked
how it's turned out and I'm really excited about the album."
While blues may be his personal favorite, Kaiser does not limit his
listening to one type of music, nor does he feel anyone needs to.
"Over the years, I have been encouraged by a very wide array of
artists" he explains.  "Frankly, music to me, apart from the lyrics,
is kind of like a bunch of clothing on, and when it feels right and it
fits and you like it and you enjoy it and you relate to it--you wear
it.  But, the lyrics are the heart of the matter.  I've just been so
edified and so encouraged by such a wide array of solo artists and
bands and music styles, I really love a lot of different styles and a
lot of different artists.  I could go down a really long list of
albums that have really touched me....I like music where the lyrics
are scriptural.  I'm talking BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON, REVEREND GARY
DAVIS, DAN SMITH.  I play everything from VENGEANCE RISING to DANIEL
AMOS.  I could just go on for days.  I love thrash and hardcore.  I
enjoy music that I relate to.  I'm a little different as a listener
than I am a player.  I might seem a bit eclectic as a player and as a
writer.  But, I'm far more eclectic as a listener."
While Kaiser is interested in exposing others to the blues music
that he loves, it is a quote in the promotional material for Slow Burn
that speaks most eloquently about his heart.
"A lot of people wanna shine bright and fast.  Live fast, die
young, make your mark and impress millions of people.  Make sure you
get your big moment in the sun.  And a lot of people finally get to
that place where they think they've really accomplished something.
But what did they sacrifice to get there?  In some cases, their soul.
I'll take it slow.  Tortoise and the hare.  I'll be the tortoise...
I'll take my time... I'll get serious about things that are biblically
important."
--BETH BLINN

Letters:
I loved the issue I received in the mail yesterday.  I did, in fact,
feel like it was I talking to the groups themselves. Something we have
in common, Mr. Soditus, is that I too would like to pull Christian
music off the shelves of the brain as "church music."  I believe that
there is much more to it than the hymns I sing in church.  It's time
for a change and it's time to open up new minds.  Hope to hear from
you soon.  Please send me a copy of the Writer's Guidelines.  Thanks!
In Christ's beautiful and Holy name,
    Fawn Zimmerman
    Kentwood, MI

Dear Mr. Soditus:
Thank you for sending a recent issue of THE LIGHTHOUSE.  I enjoyed
reading it and I'm writing to see if you would please continue to send
copies of your publication to us as they become available on a
donation basis.  I'll be reading your reviews and observations, and I
am confident that the inmates here will, as well.
Unfortunately, because of budgetary constraints, we are not in a
position to pay for a subscription to THE LIGHTHOUSE.  I'm sorry,
especially in light of knowing that you've put so much of your own
funds into the publication.  I know giving away copies of THE
LIGHTHOUSE must be expensive.  Still...I'm hopeful you will be able to
send me donated copies...knowing that the inmates here will also have
access to your publication through those copies.
Thank you for your consideration of my request.  May God continue to
bless you and the ministry entrusted to you.
Blessings....
    Frank E. Tipton II
    Chaplain II
    Illinois Department of Corrections

I live in Hawaii now (born in Oklahoma) and I was so used to just
going up to Mardel's (Christian bookstore) whenever I wanted a new CD.
But here, there's one store for Christian music and it's on the other
side of the island.  I appreciate your newsletter so I know what's
coming out and what's good...  Since I have to order stuff, it's hard
to know what something's like just by the cover or title.
I heard about your magazine through your ad in CCM Magazine.  It seems
like I just sent off for it and it's already here!  I would love to
subscribe, but I don't know how much longer I'll be at this address.
Christian music is my life.  I listen to it, sing it, write it, and
love it.  It's the only music that really makes you feel good.
[List of favorites]... I was happy and a little surprised you had
articles on such artists.  Julie Miller was the most surprising.  Most
magazines don't really do much on her.  But, she's wonderful.  I'm
glad you have variety.  If I find a house that we'll be in at least 6
months, I'll send for a subscription.  Would love to see you grow.
Thanks,
    Sarah Gordon
    Kailua-Kona, HI
ED: WELL, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SETTLE DOWN.  BY "TO SEE YOU
GROW" I HOPE YOU MEAN FOR THE LIGHTHOUSE TO GROW, AND NOT ME
PERSONALLY.  IF THAT'S THE CASE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH (I DON'T NEED TO
GAIN ANY WEIGHT).

Dear Warner:
I have been doing a lot of thinking about that letter in last
month's issue from the man in prison.  I would like to pay for his
subscription.  From his letter it appears that your magazine is aiding
in the rehabilitation.  I consider it Therapeutic Recreation, a
positive source of leisure and a source of strength and inspiration.
    Vikki Gottfried
    Recreational Therapist
    Queens, NY

Dear Brother Soditus:
Greeting, and peace be to you, in the Name of the LORD JESUS
CHRIST.
I am the Vice President of our prison's Jaycee chapter.  It is
concerning both Christianity and the Jaycees that I am writing this
letter.
This is a very large prison, but Christian activities here are few
and far between.  Most of the programs in here center around Islam and
the like.  There is a desperate need for these men to hear the truth
about JESUS CHRIST and eternal life.
Our organization has received permission from the administration to
present to the population special Christian programming.  Since they
will not let just the inmates put on a program, we are trying to get
outside guests to come in.  And now that we have this chance to let
the WORD of GOD be sent forth to so many men at one time, we are very
eager to set something up with believers on the outside.
What we would like to know is if you can tell us of anyone out
there who are strong GOD-fearing BIBLE-believing saints who might be
willing to come in and proclaim the good news of salvation. From your
newsletters it is obvious that you know many Christian entertainers.
We are focusing on speakers who teach the WORD of GOD, but Christian
musicians are also welcome.  We just want to hear the pure WORD of GOD
presented in truth from a sincere heart, and we thought that a
ministry such as yours would be able to help us find such people.
On behalf of the Jaycees and all the Christians in this prison, I
thank you for taking the time to read this letter.  I pray that the
LORD will bless this institution with a special presentation of HIS
WORD.  Your assistance in this matter will be greatly appreciated. May
all you do be done for HIS glory.
Sincerely,
    Gene Anderson
    Jackson, MI

From the Editor
Howdy!  Unfortunately I got this issue together a little late to
include an April Fools joke.  For some reason, I always love April
Fools day.  I guess it just gives me a day to goof off a little, and
it reminds me not to take things too seriously.  Hope you enjoy it
too.
This month I featured two people that might be unfamiliar to you.
I found Karyn List to be very unique in Christian music and Roc-T to
be a very on-fire brother (although a little long-winded at times), so
I wanted to share a little about these new artists with you.  I have
also decided to occasionally add a "lost album review."  Sometimes we
get so tied up with the new albums that sometimes a good album gets by
without notice.  I hope that you will like this addition.
I've been getting a lot of encouraging mail.  I want to thank y'all
that have written and I encourage everyone else to drop a line.  Also,
please include comments for how to improve THE LIGHTHOUSE, since I
know it's not perfect--there's a lot of room for improvement.
I am very excited about my new electronic distribution list.  I've
had the pleasure of "meeting" some people via E-mail (computer mail)
that are interested in THE LIGHTHOUSE.  I welcome these people and ask
you that if you know anyone that might be interested in receiving an
electronic copy (that has an E-mail address) to ask them to write me
at: [email protected] .
I'm still checking into becoming a registered non-profit
organization, so please keep that situation in your prayers.  Another
situation that's important to me right now is that I may be able to
move into another apartment in the beginning of May with greatly
reduced rent, leaving me, hopefully, with more funds for THE
LIGHTHOUSE.  The plans are a little shaky as to whether I get it or
not, but, if you would, please say a quick prayer for this to be
resolved successfully and quickly.  I hope to be giving out a new
address with the next month's issue.
If you happen to miss the Dove awards and really want to know who
won, send a self-addressed-stamped-envelope, and ask for my list of
the winners (it may not quite be complete, but it should cover most
categories).
You may notice a new logo in the lower right-hand corner--THE
LIGHTHOUSE is now a member of the Gospel Music Association!
As spring begins, I'm doing some cleaning around here both
materially and spiritually.  I encourage you to take some time as well
to do some spiritual "spring cleaning."  God Bless and I hope to "see"
you next month.
--J. WARNER SODITUS, EDITOR

Executive Editor/Publisher: J. Warner Soditus
Copy Editor: Neal Guilmette, J. Warner Soditus
Contributing Photographer: Patty Masten
Contributors: Beth Blinn, Brad Mattern, La'Tonya Matthews, Jean Patty,
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.

STEVE CAMP
Steve Camp is not a stranger to Christian music.  His list of albums
is almost astounding.  When he called to talk with me (after several
failed attempts to mesh schedules) I really didn't know much about
him.  I knew he has been around Christian music a while, that he
believes in no-compromise Christian lyrics, and that he is quite an
avid reader of the great theologians, but that was about it.  So, I
wanted to talk a little with him and find out a little bit more about
this great Christian artist and what his plans are for his upcoming
album.  Since he was quite complete with his answers, I can't find
anywhere to fit my comments or observations, so here it is, with
slight editing.
I WANTED TO START BY TALKING ABOUT WHY YOU GOT INTERESTED IN DOING
CHRISTIAN MUSIC.
I was writing songs in high school after I had really committed my
life to the Lord as a junior in High School--that was in the early
1970's.  That was when the Jesus movement was at the height of its
movement around the country.  It was making a lot of impact among the
youth of this nation, especially those who were the refugees of the
peace revolution movement from the late 1960's.  There wasn't much
Christian music that was of a contemporary nature being made back
then.  You had a few people.  You had THE SECOND CHAPTER OF ACTS,
LARRY NORMAN, ANDRAE CROUCH, ... there were a few.  Really, when so
many people were coming to Christ and literally getting their lives
right with the Lord, Christians that had lived disobedient lives
coming to repentant lives.  Then all of a sudden what you were faced
with was a situation that needed worship music, needed encouraging
songs to work with.  Because there wasn't much done, I started writing
songs for our youth group.  [I] didn't really think that I would be
doing this for my livelihood or my vocation.
WHAT WERE THE EVENTS THAT LED YOU TO DECIDE THAT CHRISTIAN MUSIC
WOULD BE YOUR VOCATION?
Some friends encouraged me after high school to get in touch with a
few record companies, send my material around, and see if people would
be interested in signing me.  I kind of did it not out of a dare, I
wanted to be involved in music, but I was surprised when I got my
first recording contract and they actually wanted me to sing my own
songs.  I kind of approached record companies back then as a writer.
Really, it was out of the prompting and out of the Jesus movement that
things really took shape and the encouragement from my friends back
home and LARRY NORMAN was very instrumental back then.  He really
taught me the art and craft of songwriting.  It was through his
encouragement, as well, that I started sending some tapes around.
Those are fun days.  They were early days, but they were fun days.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU BECAME A CHRISTIAN IN HIGH SCHOOL.  WHAT LED
YOU TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN THEN?
It was only the Father's Divine sovereign choosing.  None of us
make up our mind in and of our own selves.  The point and time of our
own salvation, if you believe in the depravity of man that man is
incapable of saving himself and figuring the evidence on his own, it's
that time that the Lord chose through all kinds of ways in my life to
bring me to His saving knowledge in Jesus Christ.  I was like a lot of
church kids who made a profession of faith at the age of five but,
literally, did not really go through any real spiritual growth.  As a
little child, I always loved the Lord and loved the faith that my
family and my parents taught me.  It was my older sister, Judy, who
really introduced me to Christ at the age of five.  But, as an adult,
some people might call it the age of accountability, as an adult, I
had not really made a profession of faith.  I had backslid into some
terrible prodigal son sort of behavior.  I was kind of like the rich
young ruler.  [I] kind of said, 'Hey, I've been this nice kid most of
my life.'  Still, I had to come to Christ, not on my terms, but on His
terms.  So, it was really at the age of seventeen that some people may
call it 'rededicating my life to the Lord.'  But that's where I really
feel the Father drew me to Himself, according to the Gospel of John
and that's where I made a profession of faith in Christ.  It
completely changed my life at that time.  Nothing I did led me to that
conclusion.  I can point you to circumstances: the Jesus movement and
all kinds of things and there was a revival in our youth group; but it
was through God's sovereign choosing and will at that time in my life,
when I came to know Him as my Lord and my Savior.
WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM?  WHAT'S THE TITLE, AND WHAT
CAN YOU LET US IN ON?
The new record will be my first release with Warner Alliance... the
album is due out May 12.  The title is TAKING HEAVEN BY STORM.  It's
out of Matthew, Chapter 11:12, where Jesus says, 'From the days of
John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and
violent men take it by force.'  Now, there are two translations or
interpretations.  One is that the 'from the day of John the Baptist
until now,' those really weren't many days.  John the Baptist had
really only been on the scene about eighteen months.  So there was not
a long period of time.  Some commentators feel that that verse means
that taking heaven by force is that men were persecuting these early
repentant believers and they were literally taking the kingdom of God-
-taking the believers by force.  Most of the commentators [believe]
that the kingdom of God suffers violence, meaning, when we are saved,
Jesus radically has translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into
the kingdom of light.  When this takes place, the Kingdom of God
suffers violence against our flesh and it is forcibly entered into.
Luke goes on to say that we press ourselves into the Kingdom of heaven
and as you know, every day, it's a battle--every day.  So, this album
is based on a little book called Heaven Taken by Storm by Watson, a
great puritan writer who literally says that we must give Holy
violence to matters of our Christianity.  How I have stripped it down
is to say that we must be more sold out to Jesus Christ than the world
is to its sin--we must take heaven by force.
Now, what some people have said when they've heard the title, they
say, 'Don't you mean we should take hell by force.'  I say, 'What do
you want to take hell for?  Once you've got it, what do you have?'
It's literally, forcibly pushing our way into the kingdom that, again,
Jesus mentioned in the parable of the plowshares that we put our hand
to the plow and we don't look back and we keep pressing on.  This is
the theme of this album.  It's Holy violence or Holy vengeance or
forcibly entering the Kingdom...  When trials come our way, are we
willing to be more dedicated, more sold out, to Jesus Christ with a
Holy vengeance than the world is passionately sold out to sin?
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE QUITE AN AVID READER, SO I FIGURED THERE
HAD TO BE BOOK BEHIND THE ALBUM.  WHAT ELSE ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?
The thing that we've been studying in my Sunday School class that
I've been teaching is on spiritual warfare.  So the last eight or nine
weeks I've been reading Christian in Complete Armor, which I would
highly recommend as well as Remedies Against Satan's Devices.  The
book that I'm kind of inching my way through, my daily reading, is a
book called The Farewell Sermons.  This is a group of sermons that
were collected by the ejected non-conformist ministers of 1652.  In
fact, that day is called St. Bartholomew's Day.  It was on August 24th
that it happened.  Over 2,000 of England's finest ministers and
teachers were ejected from their pulpits and lecterns for refusing to
conform to the mandates and dictates of the act of uniformity,
sponsored, as it were, by the Church of England at that time.  Many
pastors were killed, many were imprisoned, many were separated from
their families and exiled and literally, they were torn away from
their pastoral flocks as shepherds.  This is their last sermon that
they ever preached to their churches before they were either executed
or exiled or separated from their churches.  This is a book that is
bathed in a lot of persecution and suffering for the Gospel.  It kind
of gives me hope.
Going through these sermons, little by little, [I] never hear these
pastors slamming the English government, that's interesting, or the
Church of England.  Today, if this were going to happen, we might
rally the church for a major civil disobedience march across the
country.  The church today, is so politically astute that it's
spiritually dead.  These dear brothers in Christ surrendered to the
authority quoted in Romans 13 but they trusted God's sovereign will
for their life.  They did not fight this, as it were, on a political
battle.  These are the wonderful brokenhearted sermons of these dear
men who were forced from their congregations.
CONTINUING ON THOSE IDEAS.  I READ THE ARTICLE THAT YOU DID IN THE
BOOKSTORE JOURNAL ABOUT THE PROPOSED BOYCOTT OF THE TIME WARNER
COMPANY (INCLUDING WARNER ALLIANCE) OVER MADONNA'S BOOK SEX.  WITHOUT
REALLY GETTING INTO SPECIFICS, COULD YOU SAY A LITTLE ABOUT IT?
I don't know if any official national boycott actually took place.
I think people were talking about it.  Although the Bookstore Journal,
[was] gracious to print the article, they retitled it 'What do we do
with Madonna?'  My original title was 'Fighting Spiritual Battles with
Carnal Weapons.'  I feel that's really the theme of that whole
article.  Madonna just happened to be the case in point at that time.
Literally, I feel that the church has retreated to using carnal
means to fight a spiritual battle.  The old phrase ties in
beautifully, 'You can't legislate morality.'  There's an element of
truth to that.  The only mandate to morality that we know of is the
Holy Scripture.  Now, the problem is, the absolute truth of God's Word
has become obsolete.  So, people today are living in what I like to
call a moral vacuum...
So, when we come to a shocking book like Madonna put out, rather
than understanding that the two offensive weapons and the only two
weapons we have in the Scripture for the believer is prayer and the
Scripture, we immediately retreat to the process rather than what our
Church of Jesus Christ should do--resort to spiritual weapons, we
resort to carnal weapons backed by prayer, but not using those as our
weapons.  I think  what you've seen is a church that has been left
impotent, ineffective, dormant, stagnated, paralyzed against society.
That is a tragedy.  So, I think, rather than the Church becoming the
fourth arm of the political process,  what we need to become is the
spiritual force and truth of this country.
Now, that doesn't set well because it's easier and much more
pumping up for our flesh to organize millions of Christians around
this country in a massive national boycott.  That is much more an act
of our distrust than it is a matter of Holy vengeance...  We have a
problem with abortion, let's boycott the clinics.  Rather than back up
to where it's legal to pray and to preach the word and to graciously,
with humility, witness to these young gals, go on in and witness to
the doctors and people at the clinic in a legal way--do it on the
sidewalk.  I talked to a member of Operation Rescue last week and he
said to me, 'Steve, if you honestly believe that abortion is murder
(which I do believe), then why don't you act like it's murder?'  I
said, 'I would say the same thing to you, if you're going to talk on a
pragmatic level.'  He said, 'But we are.'  I said, 'Let me ask you a
question.  If someone broke into your home and was threatening to
murder your wife and children, would you call your friends and
neighbors and have them surround the house and lock arms and boycott
the door, or would you break down the door and stop that man from
killing your child?'  He said, 'Well, I see what you're saying.'  I
said, 'Listen, the government of our country has not made it a mandate
that they execute unborn children.  They have allowed it, but they
have not commanded it.  Until they command it, our war's not against
the government--the battle's against the consciences and the hearts of
those mothers and the men that got them pregnant plus with the doctors
that are doing the abortions.'
There's a girl named Carol Everett who's put out a wonderful book
called Blood Money--this is a gal that was a former abortion doctor.
She performed 35,000 abortions in many years.  She tells the horrific
stories of inside the clinic.  But what changed her heart was not the
picketing or the boycotting or the sit-ins.  What changed her heart
was coming to Jesus Christ.  When she met the Savior, she left the
practice and is now an advocate to the pro-life agenda.  So, that's
case-in-point.  Her life was changed by the wonderful transforming
power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not a political picket or
boycott.
I think we need to take that example and really shout it from the
rooftops that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God and
salvation, not these other human means that really have zero effect.
Out of 40 to 43 thousand arrests in the year that Operation Rescue
has, there was only 300 babies saved.  That's about eight tenths of
one percent of all the people that were arrested translated into the
actual saving of babies.  Praise the Lord for those 300 babies that
were rescued, however, the organization should really change its name.
They are more successful getting arrested than they are saving babies.
So really, it should be called Operation Arrest, not Operation Rescue.
Now, let me show you what Carol has done.  She has been involved in
a group of Crisis Pregnancy Centers.  Rather than do what Operation
Rescue is doing in reacting to the problem, she is proactive in
dealing with this problem.  Last year, Crisis Pregnancy Centers saved
300,000 unborn children.  Is that amazing?  That's just one year--
300,000 children at an average of $200 per abortion, that's
$60,000,000 that the abortion doctors did not receive in the taking
the life of unborn children.  Not through sit-ins, not through
boycotts, not through protests, but providing the godly alternatives
in Crisis Pregnancy Center counseling and through adoption and through
the care of these young babies.
So all I'm saying is Christians have to really wake up at this
point and not be so reactive to the culture and not give into the
carnal, fleshly means of the political, legislative process by which
we can only fight a spiritual battle.  Abortion is a spiritual battle
and the only way to see that changed is through the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.  So, that's the nexus of the issue.  Are we going to retreat
to carnal weapons when it's a spiritual battle?  That was the purpose
of that article.
YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU WANT TO BECOME A PASTOR.  I WAS WONDERING IF
YOU WERE TAKING STEPS TO PURSUE THAT.
Put it this way.  I have a strong desire, as 1 Timothy 3:1 says,
'If a man desires to be an overseer, he desires a good thing.'  It's
an unrelentless, strong, overwhelming, desire that has not let me go
for a few years now.  I have not pursued seminary education at this
point... I have not sought the common route to someday, maybe, step in
as a pastor of a church, but I'm daily involved in the work of an
elder although I'm not, officially, one of the overseers.  That is
still a love and a joy and I don't know when the Lord will yank me out
of Christian music and put me into this or if I can do both or what it
will be--[I'm] just taking it a step at a time.
I ASSUME THAT YOU USE SOME OF THOSE SKILLS AT CONCERTS?  ARE YOU
PLAYING FOR MOSTLY CHRISTIAN AUDIENCES?
Even the crossover artists, today, that we have within the Church,
most of their audiences are still Christian.  They're not drawing a
vastly non-Christian audience, although they may have a larger
percentage of non-Christians.  For the most part, all of us draw a
predominantly Christian audience.  I'll rephrase it this way, because
we don't know who's saved and who's not saved.  We would all draw a
predominantly churched audience or a predominantly religious-
affiliated audience.  We've seen tremendous amounts of salvation
through our concerts.  The concerts are Christ centered and, Lord
willing, Spirit controlled and honoring to Him.  I try to keep the
Lord prominent and up front through the entire evening but have a
great time of enjoyment.  It's okay for us to have some fun and
celebrate our life in Christ.  The concerts have a lot of energy, a
lot of fun to them.
But, at the end of each concert, I do about a half hour of teaching
time in the Word before giving the invitation.  Because, I really want
people to be confronted with the reality of a few things.  Number one,
of their own depravity.  Number two, the reality of sin.  Number
three, the reality of the Lordship of Jesus Christ and why He came and
who He is as God in human flesh and what it cost Him at Calvary for
the penalty of our sins.  And, number four, the wonderful victory and
glory that He has in the cross if we come profess our faith in Jesus
Christ, placing no confidence in ourselves but solely abandoning
ourselves in Him and His saving grace.
Music has such a powerful emotional element, that I don't want
people to simply make a response on that night due to their emotions
were kindled, due to the fact that they've given an emotional
response.  I did that for a long time until I really woke up to that
fact that that's not really the Gospel.  I can get several people down
front at the drop of a hat, if you push the right buttons.  But when
you simply present the hard truth and the wonderful truth of the
Gospel according to Jesus, then the fruit is of the Lord.
So I try to make it as hard as possible for people to respond, but
when they do, you know it's genuine and we can rejoice in that.  I
just feel that comes not by having your emotions pushed through the
evening and at the right time, say, 'If you want to respond and
believe in Jesus, raise your hand and come down.'  ...most of those
people are not true converts at all and in a short time they'll drift
away because they came out of an emotional response.  As soon as that
emotional hype wears off and cools, their love for whatever that
emotional response represented will also cool.  So that's why there's
a teaching segment, so the ministerial work comes, I guess, in that
teaching segment at the end of each concert on the Gospel and what it
means.  So, on TAKING HEAVEN BY STORM, again, I'll be working on new
teachings for that about what it means to truly press onto the Kingdom
of Heaven and the response to that will be a chance for people to
respond to the Gospel as well.  But I feel like for, at least what I
do, that's terribly important.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO GET NAMES AND AGES OF YOUR CHILDREN.
My wife Kim and I have been married for a little over five and a
half years now and we have a little boy, Maxfield Stephen and he will
be four years old April 20.  Our little boy, Johnston Daniel, just
turned two, and then we have a little girl.  Her name's  Jordan Ruth
and she just turned one in January.  About a month ago we discovered
that our fourth child is on the way.  She is due some time in
September.  It's interesting, while the world is slaughtering its
children, that there a lot of Christians having tons of kids.  MICHAEL
W. [SMITH] has five kids.  BROWN BANNISTER, I think, has four or five
kids.  AMY [GRANT] has three kids.  STEPHEN CURTIS [CHAPMAN] has three
kids.
YEAH, WHAT'S IN THE WATER DOWN THERE?
[Laughter] Nashville's a family town, and we're adding to it.  All
these young warriors for the Lord mean more raised up in Christian
families.
WELL, I HOPE TO GET THERE--SOMEDAY.
Well, it's not good for man to be alone.
WELL, I'M IN NO RUSH.
Well, my Mom told me, 'There's one thing worse than being single--
that's wishing you were.'  So it's good to take your time--I did.  I
didn't marry until I was 32.  I was engaged a time before that.
I WAS WONDERING THAT IF YOU WERE TO HAVE TO GIVE UP CHRISTIAN MUSIC
TODAY, WHAT WOULD YOU REMEMBER THE MOST?
I don't know.  Always being astonished by the miracles of
ministering that God chooses imperfect people for His perfect work and
that He would use the frailty of my own experience and my singing and
my writing to somehow communicate His purpose and eternal truth
through song and that we've seen people won for Christ and dedicating
their lives to the Lord.  Somehow the music can be used to do that.
That blows my mind.
Remember the movie Chariots of Fire where the one runner is
communicating to his sister who wanted him to leave it all and be a
missionary to China?  He said, 'When I run, I feel God's pleasure.'
That's how I feel when I sing, or when I preach.  I feel His pleasure.
I feel like He's pleased when His truth is being rightly divided.
That's where I feel His pleasure, So whatever mold or method that
takes, I want to know that I'm pleasing the Lord and receiving His
pleasure, hopefully, for a job well done.  Not always, but by His
faithfulness, I can do it.
--J. WARNER SODITUS

Roc-T
Presently touring with WHITECROSS is rapper Roc-T.  Roc was able to
spend a great deal of time with me recently in a cold basement
dressing room after a show.  Despite the dreary surroundings, Roc was
cheerful and friendly and most noticeably, very talkative.  So
talkative, that what follows is a heavily edited version of our
conversation to give you a little background on Roc-T.
COULD YOU GIVE ME SOME BACKGROUND ON YOU?
I was born in 1968.  I was born in Germany because my Dad was in
the military.  I'm the youngest boy.  I have two sisters, one brother.
I wasn't really raised in the church--the regular dysfunctional,
middle income family or something like that.  I ended up spending most
of my time on the streets.  [In] the late 1970's and early 1980's I
got interested in rapping.  So I started to do different types of rap
and break dancing.  I thought I was going to go big, if I was good.
When I really started to get serious about it, I was in a contest and
I won a contract from Tommy Boy Records.  My folks never signed the
contract because I wasn't old enough to sign it myself.
I eventually got saved one night, at church.  I think, what
happened, I really didn't have a full understanding of a relationship
with the Lord.  I thought it was all about works: going to church,
serving in the church, and doing all that.  That became a burden and a
ritual in my life and it became so ritualistic that it started to
oppress me.  I just felt trapped.  So I literally backslid.  I met a
guy there who was selling drugs.  So I got into selling drugs in
Washington D.C.  There wasn't really a lot of money out there because
too many people was doing it.  So I decided to leave.  I moved to
Greensborough, N.C.  We started making like $30,000 a week selling
drugs.  Because I was new to Greensborough and making that much money,
you're obviously taking somebody's business because you're not
creating no new markets, trust me.  They found out it was me and boom
boom [gun gesture].  They wanted to kill me.  But, the thing was,
'Well if you're going to leave, then you're cool.'  I wasn't going to
leave, but they shot me in my right leg and I still have the bullet in
my leg today [gesture to leg].
I was in the hospital for about a week.  My Dad and my brother and
Reverend Bobby from the church I was going to, they came down and got
me and I was put into the Codac house, which is a house that our
church put together.  It's spelled Codac, Conquerors Over Drugs
Alcohol and Cigarettes.  Although I never used drugs, I was seriously
addicted to the money.  I had this obsession with money.  I was
materialistic.  I had to have money.  They wanted to remove me from
the streets, so I stayed there for like 8 months.  While I was there,
I really got to find out that it wasn't about the works, it wasn't
about how many times you could be in church each week, it was about
that personal relationship with the Lord.  I found out it's about that
intimacy.  The Lord wants one-on-one with me.  God really wants to be
an active participant in my life, not somebody taking the back seat.
He really wants to be my buddy.
We [church] would go out and do crusades in the streets where we
would have our vocalists and different things like that.  We knew
everybody was into the rap thing.  People knew, 'He can rap.'  Then,
when my pastors came to me about it, I was kind of saying to myself,
'You can't rap for God.  That's the devil.'  Then I heard a guy like
STEPHEN WILEY and it was like, 'They're rapping for Jesus, and it
sounds alright.'  Because rap is not of the devil, rock music isn't of
the devil, they're just different means of communication that God uses
to reach people where they are.  Paul said, 'I become all things to
all people that I might win some.'  The devil didn't create 'jack.'
God created everything, the devil perverted everything that he could
get a hold of.
So I got to writing things and putting some things together.   I
came to find out, there ain't nothing wrong with having a record deal
and touring and doing shows to minister, to communicate a positive
message.
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A NEW RELEASE WITH CYD ON R.E.X.  WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN NOW?
The scheduled release date with R.E.X. was March, but as you know,
Spectra went under.  So  a lot of things were put on hold.
The album's been done.  We're going back [into the studio], because
we have some interest from Epic Records, Capitol Records, BMG--a lot
of secular interests right now.  They know the message that I have,
they heard what I'm saying because I'm not shy about anything.  The
album is extremely hard.  People say it's ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT with an
ICE-CUBE type of feel, as far as the tracks being hardcore.
CYD and I are cool.  He's not on the album.  A lot of changes were
made.  We'll probably do some things together later if he continues to
pursue what it is he's pursuing.  The bottom line is it's getting
released on the secular side with major mainstream distribution.
TELL ME ABOUT THE NAME ROC-T?
People call me Roc for short.  Hard as a rock.  My real name was
Roc-T-Nasty, which stood for Righteousness Of Christ is Too Nasty.
That's where I was.  God is awesome and nasty is just one of those
words.  It's not always good to have to explain, 'Why do you call
yourself nasty?'  So before we even got too deep in the public's eye,
I dropped the nasty and kept the Roc-T.  It was pretty convenient to
say that.  The C is the C in Christ and the dash is Christ will be
what to you what you want Him to be and the T is the T in Christ.  I
never wanted to say, 'My name used to be Roc-T-Nasty,' and then give
this big long spiel.  Some people liked that, but it was not the
majority.  That was my personal feeling, it could be Roc-T-Awesome.
The Righteousness Of Christ is Too Awesome.  Not many people would've
said anything about that, it was just nasty.  There's just so many
negative things associated with that, so I can understand dropping
that.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?
We're doing some things this summer.  We pick up with them
[WHITECROSS] in the fall to do Europe and some dates like that.
Depending on when this album is released, I'll be working on the next
album and I'll be doing a secular tour next year which will be with
somebody like NAUGHTY BY NATURE or ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.  I'll also be
getting a Christian tour.  I don't know who will pick me up, but I'll
be there--ready to minister.  It doesn't matter what venue I'm at.
HOW DO YOU STAY ON TOP?
I'm always talking to God.  It may not be verbal where everyone
else can hear, but Him and I are always having communication going on.
I'm always giving Him praise and thinking about this, analyzing this,
and asking Him questions about this.    So He and I are always in
constant communications.
I'm always getting into my Word and have my different Bible
studies.  As you can see, right here, [holds up Bible] it's down here
with me.  I sleep with my Bible.  I fall asleep with my Bible curled
in my arms like some people go to bed with their teddy bears.  That's
just how I am with my Word.  It's not like if I fall asleep, the
wisdom is going to spill into my brain while I'm asleep.  I cherish
the Word of God like that.  It's interesting being on the road and
being in the Word.  If this is what you're called to do or if it's a
lifestyle you chose to live, you got to pay the price for it.
SO WHO IS ROC-T?
I'm a Christian psychopath maniac--I'm a lunatic.  I'm a Christian
on a psychopath.  If you want, I'm a demon killer.  I'll slay a demon
in a heartbeat.
WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
Everything's gonna be alright.  A lot of us are experiencing a lot
of rough times.  You got to stick there with the Lord.
I want to leave on the fact that God wants to bless us.  Just
because circumstances come up against us and challenge us and seem
like it's taking us out, does not mean that God is not with us.  They
can read my favorite book, Isaiah, Ch. 41: 10-13, Ch. 43: 1-3, 5-6,
10-20, Ch. 41: 18-20.
--J. WARNER SODITUS

KARYN LIST
Karyn List might seem an unlikely candidate for having her own album
(ONLY LOVE) in the Christian market.  She's not a songwriter.  She
doesn't do music full time--she's a marketing assistant for a real
estate development company.  In fact she'd rather do background vocals
("There is nothing I love doing more than singing really incredible
backup vocals.  There's is nothing I like more than singing backup
vocals--bar none.")  And, probably on any other record label, she
would be an unlikely candidate.  But, Intersound Christian Music is
not like most other labels.
Intersound is a new label under Intersound Entertainment, and they
have gathered quite diverse talent for their entry into Christian
music.  List explains her introduction to Intersound, "I did some
studio work for a producer at Intersound on a different album--on an
album of songs from animated movies.  He took it in and they were
looking for some artists.  It's a new Christian label.  They were
looking for artists and that's how it started.  He was a good friend
of mine and he took it in to them and let them listen to it and they
were immediately interested.  I feel like it's pretty miraculous the
way it all came about.  It's not something that I pushed for and
intended on happening.  I've always hoped for it, but nothing that was
forced at all."
She has been very pleased with her experiences with Intersound, and
enjoyed recording for them.  "I've had an incredible experience.
Nothing but good things.  They've been totally supportive.  They're
great--the real things that impact you: how they treat you personally,
not so much as an artists, but as a friend."
But, who is Karyn List?  Well, I decided to ask her this point-
blank: "I'm a real person.  I have a real job.  I work nine-to-five
and deal with the things that most people deal with--stress.  As I was
thinking about this, before you called today, I thought, 'I'm just not
prepared because it's been such a crazy day.'  That's what I am.
Things are crazy, things are stressful.  I feel like the album speaks
to a lot of these issues; God is a friend and God is real and you can
be a living witness just by the things that you do and the things you
say to people.  [By] being a real person, you can make a difference.
If I can make a difference, being who I am, anybody can make a
difference.  If Jesus is the reason for everything you do, it's all
going to be worth it.  It [album] just speaks to the person out there
that deals with all the struggles and deals with all the
disappointments in self and in world and still wants to make a
difference, somehow.  That's the kind of album that I think [it is]."
List grew up in Lawton, Oklahoma and was her hometown's
representative to the Miss Oklahoma pageant.  She explains, "After the
interview section of the pageant [for Miss Lawton], I was tenth out of
ten contestants.  But after performing, the judges couldn't believe I
was the same person--I ended up winning the contest!"
With a diverse history of music performance, List has been drawn to
music all her life.  "It's been more like a magnet drawing me to it...
I got real serious about it [music] in college," she explains.  "[I]
did a lot of Classical music.  Of course, in college, most of your
training music, or vocally, is in Classical.  I got real turned on to
that and I still love it and I still pursue it a little bit on the
side.  I went into THE SPURRLOWS and did that for several years and we
did churches and convention shows.  We did a secular program and a
church concert.  I worked for Disney for several years in the Voices
of Liberty [where she also met her husband].  I did some dinner
theater here in Atlanta and I do a lot of studio work here.  A
sprinkling of studio work all along the way, which, as you get better
at this, you get to do more of that.  [I have] always [been] singing
in church.  I don't want to give you the impression that it's been a
totally secular background because it hasn't.  It's been pretty-much
Christian-based music most of the time."
It was some of her experiences doing secular music that reaffirmed
her desire to stick to Christian music.  "In singing some secular, and
positive secular environments, and feeling no reward in the music and
no reward in the response, not that I'm looking for reward, but I want
to feel like I'm making a difference.  I want to feel like I'm
encouraging and challenging people.  I didn't feel like I was doing
that.  I didn't feel like I was using my gift and my talent in the
most effective way that I could.  I felt like singing for the Lord
would be, it's the most rewarding for me because I'm giving it to Him
and I don't have to have anybody come back to me and say, 'You were
really good,' or 'You really weren't.'"
List also sang backups for LARNELLE HARRIS for over a year, which
she thoroughly enjoyed.  "I admired him very much.  I loved working
for him--with him.  It's not us and them, it's all of us together."
Now, List does studio work, sings in churches, and sings at crusades,
since she is a big fan of praise-and-worship music.
This, however, is not the only music that she likes; her taste is
much more diverse.  "I'm influenced by keyboard-based performers," she
states.  "We [her and her husband] have a pretty broad collection.  I
have a husband who's into Jazz.  I like a little bit of Country, a
little bit of Jazz, a lot of things I hear on the radio--pop music.  I
don't listen to a lot of metal or rock, but I do have an appreciation
for some of it."
With these musical influences, she doesn't really like to describe
the music on her album.  "It's tough for me to describe.  I get more
out of what other people's opinions have been."  But, after some
prodding, she squeamishly admits, "I put it in an adult contemporary
vein, but that's pretty broad.  I think it's high energy and positive
and it's really hard for me to sit back and describe it."
While her musical tastes are broad, her Christian beliefs are
rather focused.  "I sent myself to church when I was about six.  My
parents divorced and I suppose at six years old you wonder what your
motives are for things, and I don't remember what they were at the
time, but I remember church being a very loving, caring, encouraging
environment that I was drawn to and then I gave my life to the Lord
when I was about ten.  I grew up in a Methodist church in my hometown.
There's been no question about it.  It's a faith that I don't
question.  I believe it.  You couldn't sway me.  I'm pretty adamant
that.  That's the only way to go and there are no other options."
"[Everyone] can make a difference.  I really want [people] to know
that.  As I pray about this album and what the Lord really wants to
do, how He wants to speak with it, at this point, that's what I'm
feeling.  He wants me to know that you can make a difference just by
being who you are, you don't have to be somebody else, just get out
there and get involved with people.  Try to impact them right where
they are, not pull them to some other place.  Make an impact on them,
right where they are, that's what I want to do, and that's what I want
to encourage other people to do."
--J. WARNER SODITUS

REVIEWS
Rachel Rachel: YOU OUGHTA KNOW BY NOW (Dayspring)
Brynn, Cheryl, Sparky, Heli, and Jennifer--that's right, Christian
rock's only all-female band, Rachel Rachel, is back!  These ladies
really know how to resurface.  YOU OUGHTA KNOW BY NOW, the follow-up
to their self-titled debut album left me in awe with my mouth hung
open and jaw dragging.
Their spiritual maturity and enrichment can clearly be seen.  Their
music seems to have a new found power, both musically and lyrically.
The song writing talents of Brynn Beltran and Cheryl Jewel have
reached new heights, as have Cheryl's vocal abilities.  She seems to
have developed to the point where she can confidently belt out the
vocals for those really rocking songs yet still give the ballads that
touch of gentleness and compassion.
YOU OUGHTA KNOW BY NOW contains ten Rachel Rachel originals, nine of
which were written or co-written by the group.  Along the way they
received help from producer Billy Smiley of WHITE HEART, who the band
is also presently touring with.  For help on guitars, the band
utilized the talents of Dann Huff of GIANT.
The album reminds us over and over of the assurance, of the safety, of
the comfort which we can find in our Lord.  This can clearly be seen
in even the titles of several of the songs: "You Are Always There,"
"You Comfort Me," "In Your Arms," and "Only Heaven Knows."  My
personal favorite from this album is "In Your Arms," the only song on
which Heli Sterner sings lead, with the backing vocals of Jewel, the
magic of the band, and the guitar mastery of Dann Huff.  This song
reminds the Christian that there is only one place where we can be,
where we should be, and that is in the arms of our Savior.  We are
also reminded that those arms are always there.  If we should happen
to stray, they will always be there to catch us, if we let them.
I really have to commend Rachel Rachel on their latest effort--it is a
tremendous album.  I hope that they keep up the good work and I hope
that you check them out.
--KEITH A. VALENTINE

Phil Keaggy: CRIMSON AND BLUE (Myrrh)
Keaggy fans are usually split into two camps--while all admire his
skill with a guitar, there is usually a preference for either electric
or acoustic.  I happen to be one of the former, which is why I was
itching to get this recording into my CD player.  Having gotten a
taste of what was to come during his performance last summer at the
Creation festival, and hearing rumors that this was going to be his
most rocking recording to date, my expectations were high.  I wasn't
disappointed.
The album kicks of with "Shouts of Joy," a Scottish-flavored song that
rocks, nevertheless.  The next several songs are his homage to THE
BEATLES, the best being "Love Divine."
One of the album's highlights is "When Will I Ever Learn to Live in
God," a tune written and recorded a few years ago by VAN MORRISON, the
Irish singer and poet.  Keaggy's version is a gem.  His singing and
playing evoke Celtic images, and the song offers a mellow interlude.
The last part of the album shows Keaggy really cutting loose, with
some of the best material.  "John the Revelator" and "Doin' Nothin'"
show him at his best, drawing out some incredible riffs and guitar
work, with a slight nod to ERIC CLAPTON.
Keaggy is backed by drummer John Sferra (whom Keaggy has known since
grade school), Wade James, Lynn Nichols from CHAGALL GUEVARA, and Phil
Madeira on keyboards.
The whole album is a little longer than 70 minutes.  And if that
wasn't enough, there is also a specially-priced EP entitled REVELATOR.
This offers another 40 minutes of Keaggy, featuring remixes of a few
of the songs, as well as a jam session between Keaggy and Sferra.  At
$5.99, it's a steal.
Since it is unlikely that Keaggy will be doing another album like this
anytime soon, these 110 minutes will have to suffice, and for me--they
will.
--BETH BLINN

Children of the Consuming Fire: COME HOME PHLUBBER (THE PRODIGAL SON
EPIC) (New Breed)
In this follow-up to their debut album, the CHILDREN explode with
some exciting, powerful, alternative grooves.  This album contains
twelve songs which I guarantee will not disappoint any fan of
alternative music.  Although I, myself, have not had an opportunity to
hear their first album, I have talked to those who have and I know
that they have not been the least bit let down.
If you are not at all familiar with these guys, they are Tom
Curiel-drums, Jon Bestwick-guitar, Skeddie Arizmendi-guitar, and Marc
Rivera-bass and leading vocals.  Upon first impression, the CHILDREN
reminded me of the NEWSBOYS' latest release, only grittier and far
more alternative.
As far the message they portray, it is one which greatly applies to
each of us at one time or another.  As is seen in the title, the album
is THE PRODIGAL SON EPIC.  The band has this to say about that, "We
feel that in everyone's life there has been a time when they have felt
far from God.  We feel the songs on this album will let people know
that they're not alone and that their situation represents the call
God has for them."
One particular song , "Father Take Me" portrays the only thing that
we can do, the only thing we should do when committing our lives to
Christ.  The chorus states the cry that we as Christians should be
crying out to our Lord--"Let me be your hands/Let me be your
voice/Father take me/Father take me."
Basically, I'd say that COME HOME PHLUBBER, is a killer album.  It
is definitely one that any alternative fan should add to the list of
"must gets" and one that I would also recommend to anyone who is
interested in the "Seattle sound."
--KEITH A. VALENTINE

Brainchild: MINDWARP (R.E.X.)
In this follow-up to their debut album, the CHILDREN explode with
some exciting, powerful, alternative grooves.  This album contains
twelve songs which I guarantee will not disappoint any fan of
alternative music.  Although I, myself, have not had an opportunity to
hear their first album, I have talked to those who have and I know
that they have not been the least bit let down.
If you are not at all familiar with these guys, they are Tom
Curiel-drums, Jon Bestwick-guitar, Skeddie Arizmendi-guitar, and Marc
Rivera-bass and leading vocals.  Upon first impression, the CHILDREN
reminded me of the NEWSBOYS' latest release, only grittier and far
more alternative.
As far the message they portray, it is one which greatly applies to
each of us at one time or another.  As is seen in the title, the album
is THE PRODIGAL SON EPIC.  The band has this to say about that, "We
feel that in everyone's life there has been a time when they have felt
far from God.  We feel the songs on this album will let people know
that they're not alone and that their situation represents the call
God has for them."
One particular song , "Father Take Me" portrays the only thing that
we can do, the only thing we should do when committing our lives to
Christ.  The chorus states the cry that we as Christians should be
crying out to our Lord--"Let me be your hands/Let me be your
voice/Father take me/Father take me."
Basically, I'd say that COME HOME PHLUBBER, is a killer album.  It
is definitely one that any alternative fan should add to the list of
"must gets" and one that I would also recommend to anyone who is
interested in the "Seattle sound."
--KEITH A. VALENTINE

Scott Blackwell: ONCE UPON A TIME (MYX)/Zero: RAVENOUS (Wonderland)
This past year has seen quite a push from Christian labels into the
Dance/House/Techno/Rave marketplace.  These two new albums continue to
push the limits of Christian music.
Scott Blackwell, former New York mastermixer, has put his skills to
what I would argue is his best work to date.  He has taken a slight
step backward and produced an overview of the club music sound of
today.  The cover shows the various genres shown on the album: Rare
Groove, House, Techno, Jack Swing, and others.
The music on Blackwell's project is as excellent as always, but
where I feel he has made a quantum leap is in the lyrics.  Here, he
has gone way past social commentary ("Love is Not a 4 Letter Word")
into praise ("Never Ending Love") and hard-hitting Christian messages
("You Must Surrender," "All You Madonnas," "Once Upon a Time," and
"Never Too Late").  The message is straight-up, no-compromise from
keeping love pure to finding happiness and satisfaction in Christ to
surrendering one's life to Christ.  This might be a bit to bold for
many non-Christians, but I think it's about time that there's some
music of this type with strong Christian lyrics.
Blackwell also lightens up the album with some excellent
instrumental tracks ("XYZ" is an excellent Rave track) for dancing in
celebration.  He packs around 64 minutes into this very satisfying
project.
Zero's debut release is billed as funk-industrial-tekno-rave-
hiphop-soul-R&B-club-dance noise--they also deliver.  This is some of
the most energetic music in these genres.  It's fast paced, filled
with samples and very danceable.  All the songs top the 124 beats per
minute (BPM) scale.  Musically, this is probably the best Christian
release in the rave-tekno type genre to date.
Unfortunately, lyrically it disappointed me.  It carries a positive
message, but I could only find one slight and very subtle mention of
Christ.  The first page of the CD jacket states, "Zero believes in
analog, fat bass, funky loops, tweaked hihats, 808 kicks, 909 snares,
a sense of humor and a personal relationship with God."  Well, I think
it's a shame that this is where the mention of God essentially end.
While the message is encouraging and positive, it certainly isn't
centering around Christ.  I enjoy the music on this album, but I had
hoped for a strong Christian message to match the quality of the
music.
While Blackwell heads more in the swing/R&B area with slower
grooves and strong Christian messages, Zero takes the rave-tekno
approach with louder, more energetic tunes without any clear mention
of Christ.  I loved them both, but would have liked some kind of
message from Zero, but I can't really complain--both pack great club
music.
--J. WARNER SODITUS

Kaiser/Mansfield: SLOW BURN (Grrr Records)
This past year has seen quite a push from Christian labels into the
Dance/House/Techno/Rave marketplace.  These two new albums continue to
push the limits of Christian music.
Scott Blackwell, former New York mastermixer, has put his skills to
what I would argue is his best work to date.  He has taken a slight
step backward and produced an overview of the club music sound of
today.  The cover shows the various genres shown on the album: Rare
Groove, House, Techno, Jack Swing, and others.
The music on Blackwell's project is as excellent as always, but
where I feel he has made a quantum leap is in the lyrics.  Here, he
has gone way past social commentary ("Love is Not a 4 Letter Word")
into praise ("Never Ending Love") and hard-hitting Christian messages
("You Must Surrender," "All You Madonnas," "Once Upon a Time," and
"Never Too Late").  The message is straight-up, no-compromise from
keeping love pure to finding happiness and satisfaction in Christ to
surrendering one's life to Christ.  This might be a bit to bold for
many non-Christians, but I think it's about time that there's some
music of this type with strong Christian lyrics.
Blackwell also lightens up the album with some excellent
instrumental tracks ("XYZ" is an excellent Rave track) for dancing in
celebration.  He packs around 64 minutes into this very satisfying
project.
Zero's debut release is billed as funk-industrial-tekno-rave-
hiphop-soul-R&B-club-dance noise--they also deliver.  This is some of
the most energetic music in these genres.  It's fast paced, filled
with samples and very danceable.  All the songs top the 124 beats per
minute (BPM) scale.  Musically, this is probably the best Christian
release in the rave-tekno type genre to date.
Unfortunately, lyrically it disappointed me.  It carries a positive
message, but I could only find one slight and very subtle mention of
Christ.  The first page of the CD jacket states, "Zero believes in
analog, fat bass, funky loops, tweaked hihats, 808 kicks, 909 snares,
a sense of humor and a personal relationship with God."  Well, I think
it's a shame that this is where the mention of God essentially end.
While the message is encouraging and positive, it certainly isn't
centering around Christ.  I enjoy the music on this album, but I had
hoped for a strong Christian message to match the quality of the
music.
While Blackwell heads more in the swing/R&B area with slower
grooves and strong Christian messages, Zero takes the rave-tekno
approach with louder, more energetic tunes without any clear mention
of Christ.  I loved them both, but would have liked some kind of
message from Zero, but I can't really complain--both pack great club
music.
--J. WARNER SODITUS

AVB: CELEBRATE AND PARTY (Word)
If you like music with a good beat and strong vocals that don't
have to compete with guitars and keyboards, this is a good one for
you.  AVB, otherwise known as Acappella Vocal Band, has a clean, jazzy
sound with first-rate harmonizing that lifts your spirit.
The album's title is a fair indication of the contents.  These are
songs about our reasons to rejoice and the rewards of a life lived for
Christ.  More specifically, themes include God's love ("I Still Don't
Understand It" and "No Love Like Your Love"), our commitment to God
("Anything 4 U" and "My Heart"), the satisfaction of the Christian
life, and God's faithfulness ("Nothing in the World," "God Will
Provide," and "Celebrate and Party").
A few of the songs have a definite get-up-and-dance feel such as
"Celebrate and Party," "Anything 4 U," (which both feature a rap
interlude) and "Goot Foot."  Throughout all, the group shows
considerable versatility in style.  The bass is solid and appealing in
"Anything 4 U" as well as in the soothing narration near the end of
"Nothing in the World."  About the only disappointment  is "Tell Me
the Story of Jesus," which starts out with great promise and is
basically fine over-all, but is a little too repetitive with the
chorus.
Throughout the album, the harmony stands out the most to me, making
the last song my favorite.  The CD ends appropriately with "I Delight
in the Lord," which celebrates through praise in true acappella
fashion, with no background rhythms to detract from the simple beauty.
Based on Isaiah 61:10a, this is a song to sit back and let yourself
enjoy...
--JEAN PATTY

Deliverance/Tourniquet INTENSE LIVE SERIES (Intense)
    This was a great idea from Intense records.  The series of
live in the studio recordings, is a must for fans.  Do not be
expecting the best sound, though.  The live series includes
Deliverance, Tourniquet, Mortal, Rose, and Die Happy.
Deliverance kicks off with STRYPER's "Surrender," which sounds a
lot like the original.  This tune is certainly the greatest tune on
this collection.  "No Love" off of their debut album shows up next,
which is a great thrashing tune.  The drums sound a little weak in
places, and are hard to hear.
"The Present Darkness" from WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE appears here,
also.  It starts off with a really stupid intro, which I got tired of
hearing after a couple of times through.  There's a lot of scratching
on the guitar, so it doesn't sound its best.
The introduction on "Stay of Execution" is also lacking, with Jimmy
messing up on vocals a few times but he kind of makes up by showing
his vocal ranges.  Overall, their live EP is great, hopefully we'll be
seeing a full length release in the near future.
Tourniquet's EP is stupendous--I loved it.  They have Les Carlsen
of BLOODGOOD doing vocals on "Phantom Limb" and "The Messiah."  "Ark
Of Suffering/Stereotaxic Atrocities" is the greatest tune available on
this disc.  The vocals are much different then the original, and
really show the vocal ranges of Gary, and Les.
"The Skeezix Dilemma" is another great tune, enough to get you up
and moshing.  This tune is pretty much flawless, along with most of
the rest of the EP.  "The Tempter" one of TROUBLE's old tunes is also
presented here, and sounds even heavier and better then the original--
in some places it shows a small resemblance to older VENGEANCE RISING.
I have nothing bad to say about Tourniquets EP.  I can't wait to
collect the whole series of these live EP's.
--BRAD MATTERN


LOST ALBUM REVIEW:
Nicole: WISH ME LOVE (Frontline)
This talented, former studio singer for AMY GRANT, creates a
smashing, R&B/pop sound that vibrates with careful thought,
intelligence, and groove.  Nicole's voice is somewhat similar to the
tradition of artists like MARIAH CAREY and WHITNEY HOUSTON.  The album
contains a dance-type melody called "Miracles," which features Fred
Lynch from the rap group P.I.D.  It expresses God's love wrapped up as
a bundled gift for the unloved, victims of abuse.
Nicole penned most of her lyrics and they will definitely put you
on your feet as well as enlighten your faith in Christ.  The ultimate
desire to change this cruel, devastating world is what Nicole sings
for.  While her sensibility is deeply portrayed in all her music, this
young lady's lyrics are geared toward the teens and the victims of
domestic violence.  The spiritual insight of her album is to present
Jesus' message of love in the simplest form possible--tearing down the
walls of self-destruction and low-esteem are the stepping stones to
victory.
If you are experiencing the emotions of depression, hurt, or
unforgiveness, this is an album for you.  Once I caught it, I couldn't
put it down.  Nicole's voice is one you will never forget.
--LA'TONYA MATTHEWS

CONCERT REVIEW:
Dick & Melodie Tunney: Kettering, OH
The admission was free for this concert--aside from a love
offering--making it hard to pass by (and I'm glad I didn't!).  The
concert was a great introduction for me to two of perhaps the finest
writers of Christian music today.  Besides being accomplished
songwriters who have been involved in the ministries of SANDI PATTI,
THE IMPERIALS, and others, Dick and Melodie proved to be truly capable
performers in their own right.  His mastery of the piano and her
beautiful voice made them a joy to listen to.  More importantly, both
seemed to thoroughly enjoy sharing their love for Jesus through their
songs.
The Tunneys began the evening with numerous praise songs, some of
which were familiar to me such as "Let There Be Praise" and "O Magnify
the Lord."  I found that, for the most part, even the songs which were
new to me were immediately  enjoyable.   A highlight among the "new"
songs was one titled "When I Look at You (I See Forever)" with
meaningful lyrics of a very loving marriage dedicated to lasting
through good times and bad.   The concert's pace was smooth and well-
planned, and even with just the two of them on the platform to watch
(accompaniment tracks "filled out" the sound), there was rarely a dull
moment given their energetic personalities.
Taking breaks in the singing, the couple introduced their two
daughters and shared a little of what a "typical" week is like in
their home.  (One of the girls played an enchanting piano duet with
Dad--and incidentally, I didn't hear any mistakes!)  Sometimes it's
good to be reminded that even those we admire as Christian examples
are very human and have basically the same stresses as everyone else.
A delightfully peppy song called "Puttin' on My Sunday Best" was no
doubt born from these common feelings; the song is a humorous look at
a particularly horrible grocery trip--an example of many situations
when patience and holiness seem worlds away from us!
I knew very little about the Tunneys prior to this concert, but I
left very impressed by their obvious dedication and enthusiasm for the
Lord.
--JEAN PATTY


NEW RELEASES
MICHAEL ANDERSON  SAINTS & SINNERS
KEITH BROWN  THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN
D.O.C.  PULLIN' NO PUNCHES
PHIL DRISCOLL   THE PICTURE CHANGES
GAITHER VOCAL BAND  PEACE OF THE ROCK
PHIL KEAGGY  CRIMSON AND BLUE
KEONI  WORLD VIEW
RACHEL RACHEL  YOU OUGHTA KNOW BY
    NOW
SACRED WARRIOR  CLASSICS
ZERO  RAVENOUS

APRIL RELEASES
STEVE & ANNIE CHAPMAN  ROMANTIC  LOVE IN CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
D.B.D.  SODOM & AMERICA
DIG HAY ZOOSE  UNTITLED
MICHAEL ENGLISH  HOPE
RICK ELIAS  FAITH AND FORGIVENESS
E.T.W.  LET'S STAY TOGETHER
GUARDIAN  MIRACLE MILE
JACOB'S TROUBLE  JACOB'S TROUBLE
LIZZ LEE  LIZZ LEE
DEREK LIND  SLIPPERY GROUND
DAVID MEECE  ONCE IN A LIFETIME
SHACK OF PESANTS  CLASSIC
    BLUES VOL. 1
PETER SHAMBROOK  LOVE
    UNSEEN
RANDY STONEHILL  THE SKY IS  FALLING
T-BONE  REDEEMED HOODLUM

MAY RELEASES
STEVE CAMP  TAKING HEAVEN
    BY STORM
PRAYER CHAIN  PRAYER
    CHAIN

Top Albums (February 1993)
1.     FREE AT LAST, D.C. Talk, ForeFront
2.     CHANGE YOUR WORLD, Michael W. Smith, Reunion
3.     THE GREAT ADVENTURE, Stephen Curtis Chapman, Sparrow
4.     THE BASICS OF LIFE, 4Him, Benson
5.     THE SHAPE OF GRACE, Out of the Grey, Sparrow
6.     MERCY, Bryan Duncan, Myrrh
7.     HYMNS: A PORTRAIT OF CHRIST, Steve Green, Sparrow
8.     A HEART THAT KNOW YOU, Twila Paris, StarSong
9.     HOW TIME FLIES, Wayne Watson, DaySpring
10.     MICHAEL ENGLISH, Michael English, Warner Alliance
11.     ANGELS OF MERCY, Susan Ashton, Sparrow
12.     ADDICTED TO JESUS, Carman, Benson
13.     THE COLLECTION, Amy Grant, Myrrh
14.     PETRAPHONICS, Petra, Star Song
15.     MOMENTS FOR THE HEART, Ray Boltz, Diadem
16.     HEART IN MOTION, Amy Grant, Myrrh
17.     SEASONS CHANGE, Ray Boltz, Word
18.     LIFT HIM UP WITH RON KENOLY, Hosanna! Music
19.     MASTERPIECES, various, Benson
20.     UNSEEN POWER, Petra, Dayspring

You are viewing proxied material from infinitelyremote.com. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.