THE LIGHTHOUSE     Debut Artist Issue
January, 1994 $1.00

NEW Years
NEW Artist
Special Edition

Sixpence None The Richer
T-Bone
Catherine King
Karthi

also:
PASS-A-FIST
Versus

THE LIGHTHOUSE    January 1994    Vol3#1
T-BONE     3
Bilingual rapper T-Bone has been able to perform at many secular events along the west coast, including many anti-gang rallies, and
throughout Europe. Here's a man "loving Jesus to the Bone."
SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER     4
If you think the name is interesting, check the ages of the members of this duo: Matt Slocum, the guitarist, is twenty and a Junior in
college, while Leigh Bingham, the vocalist, is a seventeen-year-old high school senior (and was also named her school's homecoming
queen). Here's a little bit about the beginning of this unique group, and how they're coping with this new "career."
KARTHI     6
After five years as a backup vocalist for some of the top Christian artists, Karthi has launched her solo career with a self-titled debut.
Her story is quite unique, having immigrated from India at the age of five, and being raised in a Hindu household. Karthi discusses
how she became a Christian, about her recent touring experiences, and how she has learned the value of friendships inspired by the
Lord.
PASS-A-FIST     8
While the members of PASS-A-FIST, Reno and Waco Caruso, were too busy to discuss their debut project, the band's producers, Dave
Perkins and Lynn Nichols, took time to chat with THE LIGHTHOUSE about how this duo has taken them to new creative heights.
CATHERINE KING     10
Catherine King's grandfather taught her about true life through Jesus Christ--the night he died. Now, Catherine involves herself in
youth ministry and adapting to married life as she awaits the release of her debut, WINDOWS AND DOORS.
VERSUS     11
Having worked as a band for almost seven years out of Portland, Oregon, a move to Nashville has proved to be a challenge for this five
member funk rock group--but not without rewards.
REVIEWS     13
Reviews of the latest projects by PFR (formerly Pray For Rain), Greg & Rebecca Sparks, Riki Michele, Believer, Legend Seven,
Rivulets & Violets, Raving Loonatics, Babbie Mason, and the Coram Deo II Project.
INFORMATION CENTER     16
Get up-to date with new and upcoming release lists, Top Album list, and Classifieds.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR/PUBLISHER:
J. Warner Soditus
EDITOR:
Beth Blinn
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER:
Patty Masten
CONTRIBUTORS:
Roger Appelinski, Neil Clopton, Jeff Elbel, Ann Hathcock, Rodney Ho, Chinese Morrissey, Jean
Patty, Erik Sellin, Steven C. Timm, Clarke Woodfin
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Member:

GMA
Gospel Music Association

OUR MISSION: To encourage people to engage in a deeper personal relationship with God through His
Son Jesus Christ using the modern medium of contemporary Christian music. Christian music, in its
various contemporary forms, can be used as a tool for encouragement, challenge, Christian
outreach, and creating a positive influence on modern culture. THE LIGHTHOUSE seeks to share the
ministry of such music through in-depth features on the musical artists and reviews of current
releases, to show the ministry available for Christians and non-Christians alike.

From the Editor
At the end of last month's column, I mentioned how I feel that one of the main reasons we are here, in this world, is to share the truth of God's
love and sacrifice for us with the people around us who are not aware of it. One method of doing that is by exposing them to music that is of
excellent quality and expresses Christian beliefs and truths. One of my main goals for this magazine is to help others be better able to do this, by
giving them information about the various musical choices that are available. Doing artists interviews helps the listener to better understand the
message and the intention behind the music that is created.
I was really starting to wonder if this was something that was really happening, that the information we were providing was actually being used
for such a purpose. A couple of weeks ago, I had asked God for some direction, to let me know whether or not we were on the right track here.
This past week we received a letter from Norway, of all places. As most of you are probably aware, THE LIGHTHOUSE is electronically
mailed all over the world, and is posted on various electronic bulletin boards. That way, anyone with access to electronic mail has access to the
magazine.
The letter was from Kristent Mediasenter in Stavanger, Norway. It is a center for evangelization that utilizes books, videos, and music as the
main tools in their work. They have been seeking to start a music catalog to distribute CD's throughout the country, but are lacking information
about the music available, or how to acquire it.
Then they received an e-mail version of THE LIGHTHOUSE. They feel that it is providing just the information that they are looking for, and
have requested that we allow them to reprint the information in their catalog, especially the reviews. They also have requested some assistance in
getting in touch with some distributors, so that they can start importing the music into their country.
Needless to say, it was certainly an encouraging letter. It was a sign to me that what we are trying to do is what God wants us to do. I'd like to
encourage you to keep the Kristent Mediasenter in your prayers as we try get them the information and resources that they are seeking.
--BETH

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People dancing, jumping, and just plain having fun are not unfamiliar sights at the concerts of Christian
rap artist, T-Bone. Even before T-Bone's debut release, this "redeemed hoodlum" played hundreds of
shows and anti-gang rallies, rapping with great intensity while sharing the awesome love of Jesus
Christ.
T-Bone received his nickname during the early years of his life as a young, skinny street kid in his
hometown of San Francisco. He grew up on the streets and started rapping in the schoolyard with his
friends. Because of his thin build and skinny look, others gave him the nickname "T-Bone," referring to
a T-bone steak. T-Bone spent a long time as a troublesome street kid and did not have a relationship
with God--this would change however. He had no idea of what was to come.
He was sitting one day at a revival meeting at his father's church. Something was different about this
meeting, according to T-Bone, that made the invitation seem different than previous meetings.
Something drew him to go to that meeting that night, and T-Bone decided to act on this attraction. It
was a powerful revival, led by his father, the pastor, and he was overwhelmed by the awesome
conviction of God. There was an altar call that night and he decided that it was time to dedicate his life
to the Lord. Unknown to T-Bone and everyone else, this was a night that was the beginning of a ministry
and also the creation of a hard-core servant of Jesus Christ.
Developing a great rapping talent, T-Bone decided to use it to God's glory. This, however, was easier
said than done. When his friends first suggested a rap show in church, he was very reluctant. He was
afraid to do the show, and when the night finally came, T-Bone pretended to be sick. His friends came
over to drive him to the show, and T-Bone just lay in bed, trying to find a way out of the performance.
When he told his friends that he couldn't do the show, because he was sick, they told him that they'd
drive him to the store to get him some medicine. When T-Bone got into the car, his friends drove him
directly to the show! Even though he had stage fright and got tricked into doing the show, it turned out
to be a real blessing to all who were there. There was even a word of prophecy; that T-Bone would
someday use his talent to reach others for God.
In 1993, Metro One released T-Bone's debut album, REDEEMED HOODLUM, produced by rap music's
renowned L.A. Posse--famous for work with highly successful secular rap acts such as L.L. COOL J, ICE
CUBE, and N.W.A. With incredible production along with intense lyrics and an original style, he has
conquered new territory in the world of Christian rap music. It was quite a challenge to work with L.A.
Posse, according to T-Bone. "It was totally different; I walked in the first day and these guys were in
there just doing all sorts of craziness--smoking weed and doing this and that... It was cool because I got
to minister to a lot of them."
Metro One has had great success with his album, and T-Bone has been given an even greater
opportunity to reach out to more people. Great opportunities are constantly opening up for this talented
servant of God. He recently travelled to England to perform before thousands, which resulted in an
interview on BBC radio.
T-Bone continues to tour across the nation and has already toured extensively in Europe. Because of
his bilingual rapping ability, he plans to record an album in Spanish to reach out to the Latino
community. His record already has one complete song in Spanish, "Predicador de la Calle" ("Street
Preacher"). He currently is touring in the Western part of the United States, performing at anti-gang
rallies (since T-Bone is licensed in California to perform at anti-gang rallies), churches, and concerts.
He has also recently recorded a music video that he hopes will gain exposure on BET, MTV, and
Christian audiences as well.
He has just announced one of the most important events of his life--his engagement to Melissa
Untalon, also a Christian artist. And, as for his love for Jesus, I think T-Bone put it very well during
my recent interview with him. "You gotta fall in love with Jesus before you fall in love with anybody
else." T-Bone is definitely ready to go where Jesus will lead him.
--CHINESE MORRISSEY

Sixpence None The Richer is certainly an unusual name for a group. But then, this is an unusual group.
Comprised of vocalist Leigh Bingham and guitarist Matt Slocum, what makes the duo unusual is their
respective ages--Bingham is 17, and still in high school, while Slocum is 20, and a junior at the
University of Texas at Austin.
Their debut album, THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW, released this past summer, has gathered many
glowing reviews for its thoughtful lyrics and alternative pop music. With Bingham's delicate, ethereal
voice floating over Slocum's flowing guitar, the pair has drawn comparisons to such groups as OVER
THE RHINE and 10,000 MANIACS.
Both members started in music fairly early. "I've been singing, pretty much, since I've been in
elementary school," says Bingham, "I've just been drawn to music. Maybe I wasn't singing, I sure
wasn't very good at it, but I sure did like it. I listened to mostly PATSY CLINE and the older country
music. I was pretty much entranced with CLINE when I was younger. And then I got into singing. I
probably thought I was pretty good. I sang in church a couple of times, and really honed in on that
talent, because I loved it so much."
Slocum's introduction to music was early on, also, but not exactly with the same results. "Well, I
took piano lessons when I was a kid, but that didn't really get me into music," he explains. "I just
wanted a guitar, and I got a guitar for Christmas--my birthday and Christmas are really close
together, and I got the guitar for Christmas when I was fourteen and I turned fifteen right after that.
That's when I first got interested in music for real, I guess. I took lessons for a year and a half, and
then kind of did stuff on my own after that."
Sixpence None The Richer got their start in the church that the two attend in their hometown of New
Braunfels, Texas--a town between San Antonio and Austin. "Matt just happened to be in my church,"
Bingham remembers, "and was writing music all the time. I didn't really know him, because he was so
much older. We were on the way to a church retreat, on this church bus, and he came back and asked
me to listen to "Trust," which was on this little demo tape, with this other person singing on it, and
just wanted to know what I thought of it. And, of course, I loved it. He thought we could sing it on a
little demo thing with his home equipment and send it to his relatives for Christmas."
Slocum had heard Bingham sing at church. "I had this song, and I worked at this Young Life camp, and
ended up getting this girl to sing on it up there, because we were doing the worship and stuff there. We
made a little recording and brought it back, and then I was like, 'I bet Leigh would sound really good on
this,' and so, we did that recording of 'Trust,' and I just really liked her voice after that."
After people heard the song, "He got a lot of good feedback on it," remembers Bingham, "and he kept
on writing songs, and it just kind of snowballed from there. I kept singing them, and we really have
enjoyed it."
So where did the name come from? Well, both are fans of C.S. Lewis, and Slocum got the idea for the
name from a passage in Lewis' MERE CHRISTIANITY. In explaining how everything that we have is God's
already, Lewis likens it to a child asking his father for a sixpence to buy a present for his father's
birthday. Slocum coined the phrase "sixpence none the richer" from that passage, and that's what they
decided on for a name.
For both artists, juggling school and music can be a little difficult. "It's getting a little rougher,"
Bingham admits, "but, I'll make it. I think this [the group] is meant to be, for now. I guess we're taking
it pretty slow. Slower, of course, than if I wasn't in school."
Some people would think that Slocum's choice of a major is unusual for someone who is pursuing pop
music--he is majoring in the cello, an instrument he never played before college. "I went to college, and
had this strange desire to play the cello," he says. "They have the cello classes, but I didn't know if
they would let me in, since I'd never touched a cello. My professor let me in, amazingly enough, and I
really loved it, and spent most of my time doing that. So I worked real hard, so I could get in as a
major. I've come to find out he [his professor] is a worldwide known guy. He's real cool."
After graduating from high school, Bingham plans to attend Austin Community College. "Our plans
have been kind of shaky, about whether or not we're going to tour next year, and so I didn't send off
any [college] applications right away. So, ACC is going to be kind of my quick escape, you know, if I'm
going to go [to college.] That's really easy to get into on short notice, so I'll do that for the first
semester, and see how things look--possibly transfer to UT [University of Texas.]"
She plans for her major in college to be her favorite subject from high school--English. "I need to
have something pretty solid to fall back on," she says, "so I think I'll try to be an English teacher--at
this point."
Since having a recording contract is not an everyday occurrence for a high school student, Bingham's
friends and classmates are more than a little interested in what's going on. "They're kind of, I guess, in
awe, like I am--not know what to think about it. They ask a lot of questions about it and stuff, and lots
of times I don't know what to say. I don't want to say too much, you know. They ask, 'so, where can I
buy it [the album]?' or 'are you all going to go on tour?' or 'are you making any money?'" she laughs.
"And I don't know what to say to them. They're real excited for me."
As for the lyrical content, Bingham says that it hasn't provoked too many questions yet. "Well, one
person in my English class, this really nice boy that I've been friends with since elementary school, it
did provoke a couple of questions in him, so maybe it got him started. Maybe I planted a seed.
Fortunately, I've been really blessed with Christian friends, which is really nice. The ones that aren't, I
think they just don't know what to think. I hope in the future that it does arouse some kind of thoughts in
that direction."
While Slocum and Bingham seem to be in unison when it comes to their own music, when each is
choosing stuff they like to listen to, they have very different tastes. "I love WHITNEY HOUSTON--I
don't necessarily sing like these people, but I like the way they sing," says Bingham. "Most of the older
Country male singers--like HANK WILLIAMS SR. Up until three years ago, I didn't really have any other
influence besides all country music--I loved DWIGHT YOKUM. It [country music] doesn't repulse me
now, but I don't listen to it as much. Now, NATALIE MERCHANT [of 10,000 MANIACS], and certainly
KAREN BERQUIST [of OVER THE RHINE], are my favorites."
Slocum, on the other hand admits, "I listened to, dumb groups growing up--like VAN HALEN, and all
that. I like alternative Christian things--The 77'S and THE CHOIR and KING'S X--I love KING'S X. I don't
know at what point I started getting into the female vocal thing, but that's like pretty much what I
mostly listen to now. And also, I discovered classical music when I hit college."
The recording contract with R.E.X. was a surprise to both, as they hadn't really pursued anything,
"Dave Bunker, I believe he's sort of a talent scout for the record company, R.E.X.," explains Bingham.
"But, on the side, he was giving a seminar on how to make an independent demo, and somehow he got a
hold of the little four-song demo tape that Matt and I did two or three years ago, and really liked it. He
presented it to Gavin, who is pretty much the head of the record company, and he really liked it. He
approached Matt with the idea, and we accepted."
Their debut album was recorded at The Sonic Temple studio in Elgin, Illinois, just outside of Chicago.
Handling the producing chores was Armand John Petri, who has produced albums for such groups as
10,000 MANIACS and the GOO GOO DOLLS. Bingham and Slocum both were grateful for his guidance.
"We were really blessed to have him produce this first album," says Bingham. "I didn't expect it to be
easy, by any means. I was kind of expecting the worst. I was not going into it thinking 'this is going to
be fun.' But it was, it was so much fun, and he was extremely patient. He is a Christian, which was
really nice, it helps a lot... We just really hit it off."
"It was fun. I really clicked with him," adds Slocum.
School hampers any major touring, but the duo do have some plans for some gigs. One possibility in
the works is them possibly opening for STEVE TAYLOR at a concert during Gospel Music Association
Week in Nashville in April. They are also considering playing some of the summer festivals. In the
meantime, closer to home, "We're trying to get in on the club scene," says Slocum. "We rehearse at
this place in Austin, and the guy that owns the place came in and heard us the other day, and liked it.
He's going to maybe try to get us in on the ground floor, and our drummer has some connections up in
the Dallas area... We're probably going to try to get into the club thing, like a regular gig type thing."
Being that they have so much of life still ahead of them, this is one group we probably will be hearing
a lot more from.
--BETH BLINN

Karthi's self-titled debut was released last year, but she's had her share of work in Christian music.
Her backing vocalist work with THE NEWSBOYS, RICK CUA, CINDY MORGAN, and MORGAN CRYER lead to
her work in videos with D.C. TALK, MICHAEL W. SMITH, and GEOFF MOORE & THE DISTANCE. But after
five years in a backing role, she's now out in the spotlight, literally, as she opened for the HEAT IT UP
TOUR (DEGARMO & KEY and GEOFF MOORE & THE DISTANCE), which has stretched her, and forced her
to rely on the Lord to handle her new responsibilities.
Karthi arrived in America with her family from India when she was five. Her father was a doctor,
and brought his family to Queens, New York. She tells, "I think it's a universal dream for a lot of
Americans to make it big and make a lot of money--the American dream. In India, it seems the
universal dream is to be some kind of professional and come to the States. He had always wanted to
come here and learn more."
It took some getting used to, especially living in a rough neighborhood. Karthi cautiously remembers,
"I went to PS186 (PS standing for public school)--PS186 Queens. I remember the first day of school,
in fact, I was entering the first grade and there was some kid getting beaten up in the schoolyard. I'd
never seen anything like it, except for movies. This kid was just getting his head bashed into the
concrete. It was a rude awakening for me and my brother. After growing up there, it was home and we
never wanted to be anywhere else, so when our parents decided to move to the mid-west to get away
from the stress and traffic, it was real traumatic for us. We were at that age where our friends meant
everything. That was a real hard move, it was culture shock. Now, we love Missouri."
While the melting pot of Queens may have provided an acceptable place for a Hindu family from India,
their new hometown in Missouri was not as diverse. "In New York we weren't odd being Indian and
Hindu," she tells. "In Missouri, it was like everyone was in church on Sunday and Wednesday nights. We
thought everyone was a Jesus-freak."
Thankfully, there was at least one person in her town that wasn't going to let Karthi feel alienated.
"This girl, her name was Christie Ludwig," she begins. "She was a Christian and I'd never heard the
term Christian before high school. She was real popular, she was a sweet girl. She was a cheerleader,
singer, and she was a senior when I was a freshman. The only drawback about Christie was that she
too, was a Jesus freak. I still thought, 'I'm going to hang with this girl because she's popular and
maybe I can get popular.' I was just in it for myself."
"Eventually, her love for the Lord really rubbed off on me. She lived Christ for me. For some reason-
-it had to be the Lord--she had a love for me. She took me under her wing. She'd come over and read
the Bible and pray with me for whatever I needed prayer for. I felt really drawn to who Christ was to
her."
"When I think back to that one-on-one relationship with Christie, it makes me realize that so many
Christians, including myself, are just lacking in friendships with nonbelievers. I feel like she was not
afraid to befriend me. I was far from being a believer, but she didn't just witness to me once and then
leave me. It was a long-term friendship. That's what made the difference--that lasting relationship."
"I kind of feel convicted because I have a lot of Christian friends, but I only have a handful of
nonbeliever friends. There's a girl at my apartment complex named Maria who doesn't know the Lord.
Over the last year or so, I've just run into her doing laundry. I love having that friendship, but it's one
of very few friendships I have with nonbelievers. I'm so glad that I have that one, but we should have
so many more of these. I feel that that's the way Christ would be. I picture myself sometimes as a
soldier in a war and we kind of huddle in our meetings in meeting rooms, but what good is a soldier if
she doesn't get out there where the war is? I've really felt convicted lately that I need to establish
more relationships with nonbelievers--as Christie did with me."
Karthi admits that she always felt the presence of a god that she couldn't quite identify. She explains,
"From the time I was about eight until I was a teenager, I was always praying to someone else besides
my Hindu gods. There was someone else out there and I wasn't sure who He was. I guess it's just
evidence of that verse in Ephesians that says, 'We are chosen and dearly loved Children of God.'
Because, I never knew who Jesus was, but somehow, someway He was making a connection with me
and somehow put this desire for Him inside me. I remember writing in my diary late at night, to this
other god, I would write letters to Him and leave them open faced in the living room while everyone
was asleep and I would rush out there in the morning before my parents got up, so no one would see it."
With all these thoughts in her mind, she began asking her parents questions about this Jesus. Much to
her, and to her family's, surprise, her mother admitted for the first time that she had been a Christian
for nearly twenty years. "She was so afraid of being persecuted by her family that she kept it a
secret," Karthi tells. "So not even my Dad knew or my brother nor I knew until I started asking
questions. We were all shocked, but it was a great thing. As surprised as I was, I was touched."
Her mother's confession further piqued the teenager's curiosity and took her to her friend's youth
group meetings. Then, Karthi beams, "Finally, I realized that I desperately needed Him in my life."
Always a fan of music, performing in school assemblies beginning in first grade to participating in
college singing groups, Karthi eventually headed to Nashville. Since she hadn't been able to truly
commit to a church and develop a close group of Christian friends, she found the ability to do so, and to
work in music, in Nashville.
Her debut album packs a combination of R&B, Hip-Hop, and Pop, as she pays tribute to her musical
favorites: THE JACKSON 5, EARTH, WIND, AND FIRE, and DIANA ROSS. The lyrical thread is
surprisingly vertical, since Karthi considers our human (horizontal) relationships to be very important.
"The song 'Listen' is a real horizontal relationship thing. That was all about my brother. We haven't
had a really great relationship over the years. He called me out of the blue and it was real unusual for
him to call me in the first place. He told me about a friend who had just committed suicide. I did a poor
job of listening to him. I wasn't offering him any comfort, really. I was offering him pat answers and
that's not what he needed. That song is written from his perspective: 'All I need from you is a listening
ear. I don't need your advice all the time.' Even in that, though Jesus is not mentioned anywhere in the
song, I feel like what he needed from me was Jesus. I feel like Jesus is written all over that song,
because I feel like that's what Jesus would have done. It's all about how He manifests Himself so
practically in our lives--in our daily lives. We can't over-spiritualize things. That's not going to draw
people to Christ when we're down on our knees praying or in the meeting room planning our strategy,
we've got to get out like the soldier at war. We've got to get out on the lines. In the case with my
brother, I've got to listen."
"I don't think God likes it when we over-spiritualize things or make them sound too lofty. I sense He
likes it when we're practical about our faith, because then it doesn't make Him seem out of reach to
others," Karthi tells. Perhaps that sentiment is echoed most strongly on the song "Are You There."
"I would want people to know that we all have questions sometimes. I've asked so many times, 'Lord,
are you in my corner, are you really for me?' Even though you know in your head that He is there,
sometimes your heart needs a little more convincing. I've just encouraged kids to be honest with God
and take their doubts and questions to Him because even THAT is relating to Him. Nothing is ever going
to shock Him, even if we were to say, 'Lord, are you really there?' It's like if a kid would go to her
father or mother and say, 'Do you love me?' The parent is not going to turn him away and say, 'I can't
believe you would doubt me--go to your room.' It's not going to be that kind of rejection. The Lord
delights in that kind of honesty.
"If you seek the truth, you're going to find it. You're going to find Him. So, I don't want people to feel
guilty about asking questions. I think that's a good thing and I think God delights in it. I have a Bible
study with eight girls in High School, my discipleship group back home. One of the things I love about
this group of girls, they don't accept pat answers and I've learned to not give them because they ask
the hard questions and they ask why. You really have to have a firm foundation. To know what you
believe is not enough, you have to know why you believe it."
One of the most common problems Karthi sees in young people is a lack of self esteem. She relates,
"A lot of times I have girls who come and share some problem with me. I find that, almost always, the
root of the problem is a real low self-esteem. They can't do anything for the Kingdom because they're
so afraid of failing all the time. I have felt that paralyzing fear of failure at different times in my life. I
see it in the girls I talk to after concerts. I can feel what they're feeling. It's not that I have some
magic answer, but having gone through some of that, I can kind of say I understand what they're feeling
and just offer them my experience."
"I know how much power words can have. I know how much I put into words and how deep an impact
words have made on me--things I have read, things people have said. Words can either build up, or they
can destroy. Someone said recently, 'You can save somebody's life with just a smile.' I think of the
power of a statement like that, or something you could say to someone."
Being a newlywed has helped bring a new perspective to her conversations with young girls. "Now
that I'm married," she begins, "I think about what it's going to be like to have a little girl of my own
someday. That prospect draws me even closer to the high school girls in my discipleship group. My
prayers for them are more passionate now. I really do want to pour my heart into them, walk alongside
them, and give them a listening ear when they need one."
"I really do want to be available. I'm not all together. I don't have all the answers. I am a fellow
sojourner and I am in need of Christ. I'm still learning about who He is and as I learn more about Him,
I'm learning to see a more clear picture of who I am. It's neat how it all works together. I would just
want them to feel liberated that if God can use someone simple like me, God can use someone like you."
--J. WARNER SODITUS

For avid fans of CHAGALL GUEVARA, the names Waco and Reno Caruso should sound familiar. They were
part of the "Blind Willy Boner Brass" that performed on one track of the CHAGALL GUEVARA project.
With the help of CHAGALL members Lynn Nichols and Dave Perkins as producers (and mentors), the pair,
now known as PASS-A-FIST, has ventured out into musical waters barely tested by the Christian arena--
industrial music. Probably due to the aggressive music, and violent and angry vocals in secular industrial
music, there are not many groups exploring this style.
While the Caruso brothers were unavailable to talk about their self-titled debut (Perkins assures, "Waco and
Reno are alive and well and floating through all the major capitol cities and fun spots of the United States and
Europe.") I was able to speak with Perkins and Nichols recently--surprisingly, in the morning. I found that the
reason they like to chat in the mornings is to keep themselves on a good working schedule, mainly for their
children: Audrey, Kyle-Michael, Quinn, Maxwell, and Jackson Perkins and Katrina, Bianca, and Damon
Nichols.
Perkins got started in music performing and recording as a guitarist with JERRY JEFF WALKER, and
released his first solo album in 1987 called THE INNOCENCE. Nichols was an executive with A&M Records.
Nichols and STEVE TAYLOR assisted Perkins on his solo album, which was the first time this trio collaborated.
They later formed CHAGALL GUEVARA, along with WADE JAYNES and MIKE MEAD. Perkins and Nichols
have a long track record together, producing albums for an impressive list of artists.
I have tried to piece together our scattered discussions, ramblings, and jokes into something remotely
intelligible for you.
LH:     "You guys should really be fitting in down there in Nashville with such big families. What about Reno and
Waco? Do they have large families?"
L:     "No. Waco and Reno have no children. They're unmarried, but they are twins--not identical."
D:     "You might not know the story on them. It was an odd thing. They were originally born to a woman in
Texas, and they were, through her misfortune, split up at several months old and adopted into foster families.
They rediscovered themselves just five or six years ago. The similarities between them are pretty amazing on a
musical level. They've since been reunited with their mother and found out that they have several other
brothers and sisters, but they are definitely the stars of the family. The rest of the family is living down in
Texas, and we don't want to say where (for their protection). [Laughter]"
LH:     "Did you know them before they helped out on the CHAGALL project?"
D:     "No. They were notorious on the street, here in Nashville, and we thought we would give them a shot. So,
we used the horn section that they were in on the song 'Play God.' Lynn, do you have any further
remembrances?"
L:     "I don't think anything printable. [Laughter] I think they straightened themselves out and convinced Dave
and I..."
D:     "to do the right thing."
L:     "Yeah. [Laughter]"
D:     "We felt like working with them would be an encouragement to them to keep their faces in the right
direction."
LH:     "So, as producers, you had a lot of influence on the album?"
L:     "Yeah, I think we had a good bit of influence. Once we were able to get them to leave their bullwhip and
bowie knives out of the studio, we were able to have a lot more effect. [Laughter]"
LH:     "So where did they come up with the name PASS-A-FIST?"
L:     "We're not 100% sure."
D:     "It says a little something about the times, I think. Everything's upside down."
L:     "I don't know if you've heard any of the music. It's a bit of a juxtaposition of music that's industrial, with a
name like that. A lot of industrial music does seem to be rather militant and some of its ideas tend to be rather
violent and/or other things. There's a lot of facets to the name, but I think it just sounded good to them at the
time. Kind of like CHAGALL GUEVARA for us. I don't know where that came from either."
LH:     "I've heard one song from the project and it was pretty industrial influenced, sort of like CHAGALL-goes-
industrial. Is that something you are interested in, or just the Carusos?"
D:     "I had gotten a call to do a piece of music for a movie that was being shot over in London--it was a remake
of an old 1930's horror movie--and put together a song kind of semi-industrial styling. It was called 'Christ of the
Nuclear Age.' Lynn and I have a co-producers reel of things that we've both produced that we've been circulating
and that song just happened to be on the reel, even though at the time it was a demo. Well, Reno took a fancy to
it. So, we were just chatting around and came up with the thought that we should follow through on this little
speck of an idea and expand it together."
LH:     "That's the song I heard. I was wondering where your desire came to get involved in something so
industrial."
L:     "Sometimes I think it just comes down to yearning to do something different. One of the prize things about
being creative and being an artist is the ability to do different things. Too often in the market place, people want
artists to do one thing and they're upset when somebody moves on to other things. By no means is it something
that Dave or I plan to camp out on--even if Reno and Waco do another record. We both have come from doing
albums that have real instruments and real players as opposed to machine records. I think it's kind of intriguing
to both of us. Making machine records is not anything new, we're kind of sick of it in some ways, but doing it
with this kind of a twist sounded very interesting--a challenge and something fun to do. It was fun to do
something where it was primarily Waco, Reno, and a computer and samples."
D:     "The other thing that we were seeing as well, I had been listening to a lot of industrial music for the past,
probably, eighteen months. The thing that I was noticing was that it was a short-lived listening experience. The
initial burst was highly gratifying on an emotional level, but the song structure wasn't there. It was all loop and
pretty monotonous stuff. The thought on my part was, 'Why does it have to be like this? Why can't you write real
songs that have movements and combine it with this?'"
L:     "Once you've heard one eight-minute song, you've heard them all, primarily. We did feel like we merged
other worlds with that."
D:     "While we know there's nothing new under the sun, I think that there's certainly an 'on-off button' in me
that's kind of hot-wired to on, to keep trying to evolve and that just means going into personally explored
territory, ever onward and upward."
LH:     "So I should expect to hear more songs that sound like 'Christ of the Nuclear Age?'"
D:     "It careens back and forth. It's all techno-based. I think people's perceptions of what to call it will change on
a per-song basis. It runs everything from a hard-core industrial to almost a pop-techno to an acid-house
rendering. There's a song called 'Emmanuel Chant' that's kind of a cryptic psychedelic hodgepodge of stuff."
LH:     "As far as lyrical content, what does the album have to say?"
L:     "It kind of runs the gambit. 'Christ of the Nuclear Age' is one that Dave wrote coming from the standpoint
that if Christ arrived here today, on earth for the first time, rather than when He originally showed up, what
would happen--what would be people's reaction?"
D:     "The germ of that comes from 'My Utmost for His Highest' by Oswald Chambers. It talked about the robust
humanity of Christ and how that's highly neglected in the faith, yet there's a strong lesson there. When you talk
about the robust humanity of Christ, it brings your own humanity into the picture and you think, 'What would
happen now, where would we find Him?' Of course, in the song you would find Him not disassociating Himself
from sinners. There's a verse where He's with the girls in a strip joint. On top of all that, you put yourself in the
place of being in the religious establishment, as the pharasitical element was back then, and there's a lesson in
that, I believe. Another song which was an idea that Reno germinated is a song called 'The Glock' which is,
'These days, if you want to be the man of the hour, you better get yourself some firepower.' It's a sardonic social
commentary on something that everybody is beginning to find a unanimous voice on--that we need to do
something about guns. It's certainly not a new theme, but we thought we would toss another log on the fire to
give people something to think about."
LH:     "No overall planning in collecting the songs?"
D:     "No. [Laughter]"
LH:     "That seems to be a trend with the projects you work on."
D:     "We kind of helped Waco and Reno write them as they went along. One of the early ones was 'Love 900.'
Which is basically a song about phone sex and getting your fortunes told and psychic hotlines. We kind of
wrapped them into one and laid out a story line of two people that are highly mutually co-dependent. Once
again, there are lines in there that primarily make cultural commentary from our viewpoint. There's one line in
the song that says, 'Push the buttons for your psychic gal, just as sick as the law allows.' It's basically to point a
finger, not only at the weirdness of the practice itself, but the double weirdness of the legislative allowance and
controls on it. It's like legalized mind prostitution."
LH:     "You said that you guys don't want to get trapped in a rut, but do you think this is something that Reno
and Waco would like to continue on?"
L:     "I think they're open to continuing on. We just started out and this thing sprung up. In the process of trying
to sort out what we were going to do as far as CHAGALL, Dave and I were producing other projects, and this
thing gained some momentum--Dave and I enjoy working together and enjoyed working with Waco and Reno.
Maybe they'll come back with another one. At this point, there are no grandiose plans, but we would certainly
like to help them with it."
D:     "Initially, the thought of it was that it was a lark, then we got into the project and Waco and Reno actually
found out their artistic substance within the process. I think, also, came up with, perhaps not a ground-breaking
musical presentation, but one that combines elements that are interesting together, just in the way Waco and
Reno play guitars over that heavy computer-based rhythm drive. There are a few songs that are, I think, far
enough off the beaten path enough to say that we made a contribution. Under those terms, you could definitely
see them pursuing it and looking forward to it to continue to evolve."
LH:     "We're devoting our January issue to debut artists, and that's why we were interested in PASS-A-FIST.
But, this musical style is so different, even for you two, do you feel like you are almost starting over, too?"
L:     "I think you bring along everything that you've learned along with you, and certain of those things show up.
Then, you try to leave behind certain things and acquire some new ideas and some new tastes. Dave and I have
been around a while, but Dave and I were just the producers. Waco and Reno were the really true artists."
LH:     "Was there a major reason that the Carusos signed with R.E.X.?"
D:     "There was a specific interest in going with them as opposed to other people who were showing strong
interest in this project, that's at R.E.X., they felt that there would be a very high ceiling of artistic expression. I
think that R.E.X. exhibited a certain trust and confidence in what we would do with Waco and Reno. And, a
certain sharing of philosophy and belief level, and a genuine lack of superstitious fear in the open discussion of
ideas and how we would handle those things."
LH:     "Well, thanks for the time, and covering for Reno and Waco while they're off having some fun. I'm anxious
to hear the album."
D:     "It's got a big bark, but its bite is pretty friendly. It's like a box of Whitman chocolates--every one is
different."
All analogies to candy aside, once you hear the project, I think you'll agree with me that Reno and Waco
Caruso sound uncanningly like Nichols and Perkins (respectively). But, I just couldn't bring myself to ask them
if it was all a big joke...
On a much more serious note, I spoke with Perkins a bit about a major concern in his family. His four-month-
old son Jackson is suffering from a yet-unidentified blood disorder which is causing a rapid breakdown of his red
blood cells. His condition reached the critical stage in the middle of December and they had to begin routine
blood transfusions, about which Perkins states, "which is good and will help him in the short term, but it will
mask his problem and it won't solve his problem. So, we'll get him out of the hole and let him get strong and
probably about a month to six weeks, that blood will begin to wear off and we'll have to start all over again,
outside of a divine intervention--which we are certainly hoping for and in one sense expecting."
I encourage you to join me in praying with Dave and his family for the divine intervention needed to aid
Jackson in this struggle.
--J. WARNER SODITUS

Catherine King is a new artist with the Urgent Music Group. A folk/pop artist in the vein of SHAWN
COLVIN and NANCI GRIFFITH, she has her debut release, WINDOWS AND DOORS, coming out in May of
1994.
A native of Mount Pleasant, a small town in east Texas, King (who says she always referred to her
hometown as Mount Misery when growing up) started singing when she was fairly young. At one point,
she traveled to New York City to try out for a part in the Broadway musical ANNIE. "But, I was too
tall," she laughs. "The experience was great, even if I didn't get the part."
After high school, King moved to Austin, to attend the University of Texas. It was during her
sophomore year that she had an experience that changed her life.
King's mother phoned her one evening and told her that her grandfather, who had lung cancer, was not
expected to live through the night. For a period in her childhood, King had lived down the street from
her grandparents and was very close to them. She felt a very strong desire to see her grandfather
before he died. She called her brother, who was also attending the university, and told him she wanted
to go visit him. Because it was a five and a half hour trip, and it was already late, he convinced her
that they needed to wait until morning. King agreed, but was still upset.
"There was a friend of mine who had been going to Campus Crusade for Christ," King recalls, "and
they had this Wednesday night prayer meeting. She suggested we go and pray for my grandfather. I
figured that it couldn't hurt, and so we went."
While King had attended church off and on while growing up, she didn't understand what it meant to
have a relationship with God. "Like most people, I just thought that you try to do your best, don't tell
too many white lies, don't talk back to your parents, and all that other stuff," she recalls. But she also
knew that her grandfather had a strong faith in God, and although that made an impression on her, she
was too wrapped up in her own life to pursue it.
At the prayer meeting, King and her friend prayed for her grandfather, and that she would be able to
see him again. When she got home from the meeting, she called her mother to see how her grandfather
was doing. "My mom said, 'You're not going to believe this, but he is doing fine--he stabilized at about
8:15,' which was about the time we had been praying for him," remembers King. "I thought that that
was just too weird, that it had to be a coincidence."
King and her brother drove to their grandparents' house, which is where her grandfather had chosen
to die. After they got there, he slipped into a coma, and started failing. King felt very strongly the urge
to read to him from his Bible, and as she started to read a lot of passages from his heavily-marked
copy, she started understanding more about his faith. The more she read, the more she was comforted
by the knowledge that he was going to a far better place.
"I was with him when he took his last breath," she shares, "and it was just so peaceful. For some of
the other members of the family, it was a real sorrowful time, but I just felt a real peace about the
whole thing."
That night, King asked Christ to come into her heart. After returning to school, she started writing
music, and one of the songs that came out was "Because of You," about her grandfather. Over the next
few years, through her involvement in a musical group at school, she came in contact with Urgent. She
did some background singing on a few albums, and then Phillip Sandifer (of Urgent Music Group) started
questioning her about her goals in music. While King was interested in pursuing her art, she also was
feeling a calling to go back to her hometown, and work as a youth director in the church that she grew
up in. So, after graduation, she moved back in with her parents and worked at the church, as well as
planned her wedding. King married Patrick Smith, an Episcopalian seminary student, this past summer.
In amongst all this business, she also found the time to record WINDOWS AND DOORS. The album, which
was originally slated to be released last September, has been held off until May. This has actually
turned out for the best, according to King.
"It [the delay] has been good," says King, "because I've had an awful lot of changes over the last six
months. It has allowed my husband and I to spend more time together, to get more adjusted to being
married. And, I had to move to Wisconsin, where my husband's seminary is."
Living in Nashotah, Wisconsin, where Smith is in his third year of seminary, King has continued to be
involved in youth ministry. Both she and her husband feel called at this time to work with youth, and
just because her singing is on the back burner for the moment, doesn't mean that King feels she can sit
on her hands.
"Working with the kids in my hometown church was wonderful," she relates, "and was a great
learning experience. Working with them caused me to stretch and grow, because you always learn more
when you have to teach someone else. You have to really dig into things, and you learn a lot."
While awaiting the release of her album, King has continued writing, and has had no shortage of
inspiration for material. "With all of these changes going on--getting married, moving to Wisconsin,
feeling lonely sometimes, but also having the excitement of new friendships--I have really learned to
leave it all in God's hands," King says. "It's been a real growing experience."
After Smith's graduation in May, the couple will await the news of which church they will be assigned
to. King, whose church background is mostly nondenominational and Baptist, will be converting to the
Episcopalian church in the spring. She has come to appreciate the beauty and ceremony of that
denomination. "I feel that I've experienced the full circle now," she comments. "From the
nondenominational churches with all the singing and more emotional services to the ceremony of the
Episcopalian church, which are really quite beautiful. With whatever church we become involved, I hope
to bring some of the enthusiasm and energy from the churches I grew up with--especially to the youth."
King will start doing concerts in February, in preparation for her album's release.
--BETH BLINN

Versus was formed in 1986. Bob Barnes and Michael Connor came out of a band called Change of Heart,
and had performed light pop/inspirational music along the West Coast. Making a change for more of a
funk rock band, they teamed up with Owen Wright, Christian Kent, and Christian Crowe. Based in
Portland, Oregon, they performed along the West Coast every chance they could get. However, in
December of 1991, they performed a very different concert.
That event was the StarSong and 700 Club National New Artist Search. Their performance stood out
over the thousands of entrants, and netted the band a multi-album deal with StarSong. While they had
independently recorded two albums, their debut national release, STUFF THAT MATTERS, came out last
fall.
The band combines various personal experiences, both musically and personally. While each member
grew up in the church, except Wright (who started attending in high school), they come from very
different backgrounds: from Baptist to Assembly of God to Seventh Day Adventist.
Does their denominational diversity enhance, or hinder their ministry? Crowe feels, "From one
perspective, I think it does help--from the perspective of a kid who has been raised in a Christian home
and then has a problem with it or takes it for granted or has never experienced that big conversion
feeling. I think we can relate to someone like that. Kids that I've met like that can be as much of a
struggle as kids who weren't raised in a Christian home."
"In my life," Barnes admits, "I took things for granted for a long time. Being raised in a Christian
home, my parents were Christians. I kind of took my parent's Christianity as my salvation. I didn't
really think or expect that my salvation or my relationship with the Lord was of importance to God and
that he wanted to have a relationship with ME--not through my parents. He didn't want to hear about me
from my parents telling Him what I did. I think that's been good with a lot of kids that we meet. They
feel that they were raised in the church and their parents are good Christians, so naturally, they're
good Christians because their parents are. God wants to know each and every kid individually, not just
know their parents."
"The denomination thing has been good," Barnes continues, "in that with the different denominations,
we've been able to narrow down the essentials in a relationship with the Lord--and really impress that
upon the kids. It's not how you tie your tie and what you wear at church, the essence of Christianity
isn't that widespread. It's a concise thing--it's a relationship with the Lord through salvation."
With the signing of their recording contract, the band opted to move to Nashville, TN. A major
drawback to their relocation was the loss of booking contacts from the West Coast. Now, the band is
having to work much harder to keep performing. Barnes tells, "When we were back in Oregon, we were
kind of the big fish in a little pond. People knew us and we had our reputation through the churches. We'd
just get calls and go out and play. Now that we're out here, those connections are too far away--we
can't just go out to Seattle and play on the weekend. So, it's a thing of trying to establish new friends
and new contacts. It's taken a little longer than we wanted it to--we want to get out there and play.
That's our main goal�to perform. It's been good for us. It's given us a chance to see our priorities
through our relationship with the Lord individually, and then as a band, that we can stick with each
other even when it's not all fun."
With leaving their safety-net of pastors and friends (they refer to home as "The Comfort Zone"), the
band has been relying on their "family" for support and guidance. With all of them but Kent having lived
together, years ago, they feel a strong bond of family.
Crowe explains, "Ever since the band has been together, we have stressed our family attitude in the
band. For a while, there were girlfriends, and they've developed into wives [for Wright, Crowe, and
Kent]. We have weekly meetings every Sunday night where we have a Bible study and a band meeting
where we discuss band business. The whole 'band family' is involved. We get a lot of accountability out
of that. The wives see us perform and what we say on stage and they see how we act in public, so we
expect them to keep us accountable, to make sure we're not looking arrogant or doing something on
stage that wouldn't present the Lord properly."
In continuing to discuss the move to Nashville, Barnes shares, "He's [God] taught me to lean on Him a
lot more than I have been, rather than relying on my own understanding and my own will. He's taught
me to lean. I think that's happened a little with the whole band--step out in faith, going to a new area
where you've never been before. Leaving the comforts of your home where everything is comfortable,
and familiar--that's been a big thing."
Crowe continues, "It really required us to trust in God as far as Him knowing the best for us as a
band and individually. Also, trusting in His timing, too. We had a time line in our brain of how we'd like
things to happen. More and more, we find that that's not exactly what God has in mind."
Barnes adds, "It's the patience and the trust that God's gonna get us through there."
"There are cool things about being here," Crowe relates. "Meeting people with common goals and
common interests and stuff, more so than we had in Portland. Obviously, there are so many Christian
musicians around town. It's nice meeting other [artists] that are going through the same things I am, as
far as wanting to be a good performer, but wanting people in the audience to know where you're coming
from and this isn't just spotlights and smoke machines and rock and roll. We're trying to portray
something. At home, we didn't have that many people that knew where we were coming from and what
we were trying to achieve. So there's more opportunity for bouncing ideas off people who are in the
same field."
Barnes quips, "Another interesting thing that's not necessarily good or bad--it's ironic that we just
moved from the state that has the least churches per capita to the city that has the most churches per
capita."
Besides the change of setting for recording, Versus, for the first time, worked with a producer,
which was different, but overall a positive experience. Crowe explains, "There were difficult times.
Giving up some of the creative decision making, which we were used to doing ourselves, but that's part
of what you have to do when you're working with a producer. We were fortunate. Our producer was
young and pretty easygoing, so he wasn't stuck on doing things his way. He was really into allowing us
to give him ideas and work through things together. He had done producing before, but he had never
produced a band where all the members play instruments. He mainly did rappers, or artists where he
had a lot to do, they had the song, but he put the music together. It was good--we never worked with a
producer, he never worked with a full band, so we let things go. It came out with a little more guitar
and a little more aggressive. We're really happy about it."
"There's not one specific message that we write about in our lyrics," Crowe begins, turning to the
topic of lyrics. "As far as a specific Christian message, it's talking about many views, through a
Christian perspective. It talks about relationships with one another. We talk about a relationship with
God. We have some praise. It's a variety of things that have to do with our perspective about life from
a Christian's point of view."
"In our concerts," he continues, "we have a fun time and when we're all on stage, we really enjoy
performing and having a chance to speak with kids and have an impact on their lives. I think that one of
the main [things] that naturally flows out of our concerts, is that being a Christian isn't just adhering
to a bunch of rules. It's really a freeing thing, allowing you to enjoy life without having to go through all
these things to look cool or to fit in. With Christianity, God accepts you no matter what style of clothing
you're wearing, or how long your hair is. The beauty of a relationship with Christ is--it's fun--not all
the time, but there's real joy in that. I think that flows out of our concerts pretty naturally because we
do have so much fun on stage and it's exciting. That's what we've been told by people at least."
As they continue to search for opportunities to play in concert, they are beginning to ponder the next
album. Although they don't really have any specific goals in mind, I'm sure we can expect another
rather diverse funk rock/R&B sort of album, at which point Barnes quickly chimes, "With a message of
hope."
--J. WARNER SODITUS

REVIEWS
PFR GOLDIE'S LAST DAY (VIREO)
From the moment that I heard the banjo intro on GOLDIE'S LAST DAY, the second album by PFR (formerly Pray
For Rain), I knew I was in for a treat. After observing this threesome at a press conference at the Creation festival last
summer, one thing I knew to expect was the unexpected. And I wasn't disappointed--that banjo intro all of a sudden
turned into some guitar riffs that wouldn't be out of place on a KING'S X album.
Comprised of Joel Hanson (guitar), Patrick Andrew (bass) and Mark Nash (drums), PFR has grown a lot since their
self-titled (at the time) debut album. Not to lead you astray--regardless of the aforementioned comparison to KING'S
X, PFR hasn't turned into a hard-rock outfit. But, their music does have more of an edge this time around. It's pop-
rock at its finest--music with lots of energy and tons of hooks that stick in your head.
The album kicks off with "Walk Away From Love." The song rocks harder than anything that was on the debut
album. The next cut, "By Myself," showcases some of the great harmony that the group has become known for, and
some great lyrics. "Cornered at a costume ball/By a handful of disguises/So I tried them all on/And they were all the
right sizes/I wore them obliviously/Though they would choke the life from me."
"That Kind of Love," the third cut, is the only one not penned by one of the group. Written by Gordon Kennedy
(former guitarist for WHITE HEART) and Jenny Yates, it also has a great line--"Oh where does that kind of love come
from/They say that it runs in His blood."
The title cut is an unabashed tribute to THE BEATLES. Written about Goldie, who was a family pet that belonged
to one of the members, there's nothing spiritual about the song--it's just a great, funny, bittersweet tribute to a loved
one. (As a further example of this group's wacky humor, the pre-release cassette came with a dog bone tied to it.) It
starts out with the sound of harps and ends with "Taps."
There isn't a weak song on the album. My favorite, however, is probably the last one--"Wait For The Sun." It's got a
great message, a great melody, and at the end, it turns into a full-blown chorus of "Let The Sun Shine In," complete
with Wurlitzer organ and horns. A great ending to a great album.
--BETH BLINN
GREG & REBECCA SPARKS FIELD OF YOUR SOUL (ETCETERA)
Greg and Rebecca Sparks, unplugged! Well, almost. Produced by Craig Krampf (ASHLEY CLEVELAND,
MELISSA ETHRIDGE), FIELD OF YOUR SOUL takes full advantage of Greg's acoustic guitar work and Rebecca's
strong vocals, creating a predominantly acoustic-based rock album focussing on practical Christian living.
"Mercy Me" is a modern reminder of Jesus' call to "do unto the least of these..." The title track takes an artistic look
at the peace given by God. Probably the most heartfelt track is "Fractured Pieces," written for a friend who died of
AIDS, with the chorus sung from his perspective: "I don't have much to give/All I have is fractured pieces/I'd give
you anything/What I have is my love for you." A tongue-in-cheek "Do You Want What I Got" was inspired when
Rebecca read an interview with MADONNA, and how she is obviously in need of that which we, as Christians
possess.
My favorite song was "Love Can Change the World," where Greg takes the lead vocals in a nice rock ballad, talking
very simply how God's love can change the world and grant true freedom. They focus on a speech by Dr. Martin
Luther Jr. (and even include a section of the speech) in "Carve a Tunnel." They compare Luther's discussion of slavery
to the bondage we can feel to human pain and struggle. "Homeland" tells of the pain of Greg's family, dealing with
his father's struggle with Alzheimer's disease: "I want to carry you home, but I can't get you there/The father smiles,
'Son, don't pity me, weakness is not wrong/Through my suffering my soul is healed, its vision has grown strong'/I
see our homeland/In our homeland we will find rest."
While the album moves at a reasonably uptempo pace, it is not without some reflective moments. Several tracks
begin as softer songs, but Rebecca quickly works herself up into a vocal frenzy--energetic and aggressive.
For some reason, whenever I hear the Sparks, I am always reminded of JULIE and BUDDY MILLER. Sparks create,
for me, a similar emotional intimacy, but are a little bit more rock and full-tilt with the vocals.
I'd say that if you like some of the energetic unplugged music that's coming out these days, and don't mind it being
mixed with a few electric guitar and synthesizer parts, this is one you might want to give a chance.
--ROGER APPELINSKI
CORAM DEO II PEOPLE OF PRAISE (SPARROW)
Charlie Peacock is one of those artists who seems to be able to do so many things so well. As a writer, he is able to
communicate a lot truth in very few words. As a musician and singer, he is able to express such emotion and feeling
in his music that the listener is drawn in. As a producer, he pulls the best from the artists he works with, making
them the best that THEY are, as opposed to what anyone else thinks that they should be.
Last year, he turned his talents toward creating a praise and worship recording. The result was CORAM DEO IN
THE PRESENCE OF GOD, an album that sought to point out the freedom that we have in God, the freedom to live in
His presence and learn about His love and concern for us. Utilizing the vocal talents of Out of the Grey, Michael
Card, Susan Ashton, Michael English, and Peacock, the album was warmly received by critics and the public, and
earned a Dove Award nomination for Song of the Year for "Amen, Praise and Glory."
Now comes CORAM DEO II PEOPLE OF PRAISE. Like the first, the songs are all written or co-written by Peacock,
and most would translate well for use in a church worship service, albeit, one that has a contemporary tone. Again,
he uses the vocal talents of a variety of artists, though the only holdovers from the first album are Out of the Grey.
This time, Peacock also draws upon Margaret Becker, Bob Carlisle, CeCe Winans, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Steve
Green to bring the songs to life. They meet the challenge well.
With this recording, Peacock's intention seems to be to focus more on direct praise of God. Lyrically, these songs
are not complex--they don't need to be. They simply and straightforwardly speak of the glories of God.
All of the songs are good, but I do have some favorites. The opening cut, "Love Is The Only Power," is a beautiful
reminder that, although God has granted us many gifts in which to help each other and serve Him, the only thing
that we should really be pursuing is love. Featuring Out of the Grey, it has a melody and chorus that stuck with me
long after the tune was over. It also has some great harmonica playing by Buddy Green. Most people would not think
of using a harmonica in a praise song, but then, Peacock is not known for doing the usual.
My other favorite is the last song, "My Jesus, My Savior, My God." Sung by Peacock, the words speak to the need
for each individual to be seeking their fulfillment in God. Only by pursuing the personal relationship with him will
all of our human needs and desires be fulfilled.
With songs suitable for both personal and corporate worship, Peacock has once again crafted a musical work that is
sure to help many draw closer to God.
--BETH BLINN
RIKI MICHELE ONE MOMENT PLEASE (WAL)
At Cornerstone 93, I had a chance to talk to Riki Michele briefly. I asked her why she didn't sing more with Adam
Again, the band she is in with her husband, Gene Eugene. She said "Adam Again is Gene's gig," as if it didn't matter.
I took the opportunity to tell her that to me it did matter, because I liked her singing so much.
Her first solo effort was 1989's BIG BIG TOWN and now ONE MOMENT PLEASE is out. While similar to BIG BIG
TOWN stylistically, it is a bit more mature, benefits from better production, and is overall more coherent and well
constructed.
What does it sound like? Well, It has too strong of a ballad and pop presence to be a rock record. It isn't really a
"singer/songwriter" album either. It lies in that land of adult pop where good song writing and delivery leave genre
by the wayside. This gives Michele freedom to do each song justice regardless of style. One minute it's jazzy pop,
then it turns edgy and funky and rocks a little, then there is nothing but Michele's haunting voice, and a piano.
Neither of Michele's solo records are definitively alternative, nor do they sound like Adam Again. BIG BIG TOWN
showed off Riki Michele's voice and the song writing of Gene Eugene, Terry Taylor, and Steve Hindalong. Riki
Michele did more of her own writing for ONE MOMENT PLEASE but Taylor, Eugene, Mike Roe, Randy Stonehill,
and Rob Watson contribute. The jazzy, easy going, sometimes minimal feel is still there, as is the unmistakable
presence of Michele's breathy voice. She is expressive in such a passive, yet effective, way. She never sounds like she
is working hard. Instead, the full spectrum of words, emotions, and ideas that she is communicating just flow out
from her.
Under Terry Taylor's direction, "One Moment Please" is more heavily produced than its predecessor, but not
overproduced.
Some people may also find the airy quality in Michele's voice droning. As good as this record is, it isn't for
everybody. But, if you were wondering what BIG BIG TOWN would have sounded like with Michele a few years
wiser, this IS for you.
--NEIL CLOPTON
BELIEVER DIMENSIONS (R.E.X.)
Believer is back, with a project that has received more attention from college radio than any other Christian metal
band of late. DIMENSIONS is the Pennsylvania-based band's third thrashing effort with music somewhat
reminiscent of their last album, SANITY OBSCURE, characterized by the guitars and vocals of Kurt Bachman and the
heavy rhythm section of Joey Daub (drums) and Jim Winters (bass). Musically, the album is full-on progressive
metal, complete with melodic guitar leads, double-bass blast beats, and even an electric violin. Many samples and
effects are used, which makes the sound even more interesting. But the strongest aspect of this group is in their
totally on-target lyrics. The album deals entirely with apologetics and Christian truth.
The highlight of the album is probably "No Apology," which tells the listener to "expect no apology" for their faith
in Christ. "Dimentia" confronts Freudism and atheism: an eerie voice recites the notions of Freud and Satre over an
equally eerie guitar and bass, then the full rhythm kicks in, with Bachman's voice shouting, "Where is the wise man?
Scholar of this age/Their dementia calls, leading men to the grave." Newcomer Scott Laird contributes his electric
violin talent in "What Is But Cannot Not Be," combining it with the heavy lead guitar for an awesome effect.
The last three songs ("movements") comprise the operatic "Trilogy of Knowledge." "The Lie," "The Truth," and "The
Key" address the fall of man, Jesus' temptation, and the path of righteousness, respectively. Here, Bachman shares the
vocals with a female opera voice, joined by the ominous electric violin. The combination of these elements with the
heavy thrash beat is most effective in "The Key," but is otherwise used a bit much.
With its spiritually-explicit lyrics, solid music, and tight production, this is a welcome addition to any Christian
metal collection, as well as an effective witnessing tool.
--ERIK SELLIN
LEGEND SEVEN BLIND FAITH (WORD)
Legend Seven, in their latest offering, BLIND FAITH, gives Christian rock fans another "must have" album. Still a
relatively unknown band, Legend Seven is definitely one of the best.
Their musical style is best described as "good rock-n-roll." Their harder songs sound like the new BAD COMPANY,
and their slower songs sound like RICHARD MARX. Their music is nearly flawless. While listening to BLIND
FAITH, I was impressed with their strong vocals and excellent guitar playing. The bass lines and drum work are
solid and consistent as well. If you like WHITE HEART, DEGARMO & KEY, or PETRA, it would py be worthwhile to
give this album a listen.
The message presented in BLIND FAITH is fresh and relevant, while not being too deep for younger listeners. Each
song presents a different topic, while maintaining a solid Christian base throughout the entire album. I was especially
impressed by the lyrics in the three slower songs, "The Calm," "Call On Me," and "First Love." I also liked "Shoot
Straight Johnny," a "southern rock" style song about a guy who becomes a Christian. Because of it's high musical
quality, BLIND FAITH will appeal to Christians and non-Christians alike. The tight, professional production by
Bubba Smith helps this album stand out as one of the best of Word's offerings this year.
I would highly recommend this album. BLIND FAITH clearly shows that Legend Seven is a great band whose time
has come.
--CLARKE WOODFIN
RIVULETS AND VIOLETS RIVULETS AND VIOLETS (EDEN)
I generally prefer my music with words. Maybe it has something to do with my writing background, or maybe it's
just personal--either way, instrumental music is not something that I am naturally drawn to. Lately, however, I do
find myself occasionally popping something in the CD player that doesn't provoke me to think, but fulfills more of a
mood music need.
Fans of ENYA or CLANNAD, or that type of music, should look into the self-titled debut release of Rivulets and
Violets. No words, just music that sort of flows around you, made up of guitars, some keyboard, and the voice of
Nicki, which floats through the music, sometimes in unison and sometimes in counterpoint.
Made up of the aforementioned Nicki, as well as Mark on guitar and Masaki on keyboards, Rivulets and Violets
have created a record that is pretty solid for a first effort. Consisting of fourteen songs, spanning a little more than an
hour, the album offers some promise as to what this group could be capable of. Some of the more memorable cuts are
"Your Smile," "Field of Flowers," "Paperchain Stories," and "Frosty Morning Star."
If you are into instrumental or "New Age" music, give this one a listen.
--BETH BLINN
RAVING LOONATICS MY KING (N-SOUL)
Scott Blackwell has made quite an impact on Christian music in the past two years. His solo projects aside, his new
N-Soul label has pushed the envelope for Christian dance music in new directions. This project by the ambiguous
(choosing to use pseudonyms) group Raving Loonatics, continues that push.
Visually set with a comic-book-like cover and insert, MY KING is ten Rave/Techno musical tracks with samples of
famous sermons. The first track takes parts of Billy Graham's explosive "Man in the Fifth Dimension." The rest of the
preaching packs just as intense a punch, from persevering through trials ("The Real Gift"), to truly putting faith in
God ("God is Real"), to the urgency that we need to accept the Lord with ("Pressure Point") just to name a few.
Produced by Blackwell, Greg Hobgood, Mind Benders, Max Hsu, Steve Nixon, and Zarc Porter, this is an
interesting album that gave me a pretty good shock at first, but that I have grown to enjoy. I wouldn't recommend it
for non-Christian club-goers, but it's certainly a neat project for a Christian dance fan.
--ROGER APPELINSKI
BABBIE MASON STANDING IN THE GAP (WORD)
Contemporary, jazzy, yet inspirational--all typify Babbie Mason's style and characterize her latest album,
STANDING IN THE GAP.
"Standing In The Gap," leading off the album, is a soulful, modern cut with help from Helen Baylor and Cindy
Morgan. "Give Your Light Away" and "So Close" are both jazzy, hopeful songs to keep you feet tapping. "You are the
strength inside this heart of mine" is part of the chorus of "This Heart Of Mine" and reminds us the closeness of our
Heavenly Father. The beautiful lyrics symbolize part of Mason's poetic style. Another song that is true to this form is
"For The Cause Of Christ." It proclaims, "I claim no greater prize than my faith in Jesus Christ."
"After The Storm" is a traditional black gospel cut. The next two selections keep the rhythm upbeat, "I Can Hear
God Singing" and "God Is Good (All The Time)." "Jesus Is The Sweetest Name Of All," an encouraging song, is a spin-
off of the old hymn, "Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know." "To The Cross" is filled with beautiful orchestration and
illustrates the place where we lay our burdens and our joys.
If you have other Babbie Mason recordings, this album is no surprise. Mason's lyrical standard is of utmost quality
and encourages listener's to look to the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ.
--ANN HATHCOCK

Review Policy:
Since we have limited space, we feel it better to discuss albums we like rather than criticizing albums we do not. Primarily, we wish to explain the
style of music and message presented as objectively as possible. Naturally, opinions will be inserted and we hope that you will keep in mind that
this is only one person's view.


NEW RELEASES
Brian Barrett BRIAN BARRETT
Allison Durham WALK INTO FREEDOM
East to West EAST TO WEST
Gospel Gangstas GANG AFFILIATED
Crystal Lewis LA ESPOSA
Love War SOAK YOUR BRAIN
Jan Krist WING AND A PRAYER
Twila Paris BEYOND A DREAM
Billy Sprague THE WIND AND THE WAVE
JANUARY RELEASES
Ken Holloway KEN HOLLOWAY
Lisa Daggs ANGEL IN YOUR EYES
Deitiphobia CLEAN
Rob Frazier THE LONG RUN
Nicholas Paul Giaconia MY EYE PLAYED THE PAINTER
Nitro Praise NITRO PRAISE VOL. 1
Ben Okafor GENERATION
PASS-A-FIST PASS-A-FIST
PFR (Formerly Pray For Rain) GOLDIE'S LAST DAY
PFR PFR UNLEASHED (VIDEO)
Linda Richards UNCHAINED HEART
Phillip Sandifer FOLLOWER
David Zaffiro YESTERDAY LEFT BEHIND
various AMERICA'S 25 FAVORITE PRAISE AND WORSHIP CHORUSES, VOLUME 2
various BRIDE'S GUIDE TO WEDDING MUSIC
various CORAM DEO II: PEOPLE OF PRAISE
various GIVING YOU THE REST OF MY LIFE
various THE LULLABY ALBUM
various THE PLAYTIME ALBUM
FEBRUARY RELEASES
Lisa Bevill RSVP
Scott Blackwell THE REAL THING
Michael Card JOY IN THE JOURNEY
Commissioned MASTER OF THE HEART
Clay Crosse MY PLACE IS WITH YOU
Andrae Crouch MERCY
Steve Green WHERE MERCY BEGINS
Larnelle Harris BEYOND THE LIMITS
Imagine This IMAGINE THIS
Iona BEYOND THESE SHORES
Jeff Johnson & Brian Dunning SONGS FROM ALBION II
Calvin Jones UNCHARTED WATERS
Ji Lim THROUGH IRON WALLS
Love Coma SOUL RASH
Mortal RIFT (VIDEO)
Precious Death PRECIOUS DEATH
Resolution POLITICALLY INCORRECT
Rose III UNTITLED
Bob Straumberg FAMILY PORTRAITS
Steve Taylor SQUINT: MOVIES FROM THE SOUNDTRACK VIDEO
The Waiting UNTITLED
various INDUSTRIAL REMIXES (PLEASANT DINNER MUSIC)
various LOST WITHOUT YOU
MARCH RELEASES
Susan Ashton, Margaret Becker, & Christine Dent� UNTITLED
Carman THE STANDARD (VIDEO)
Daryl Coley UNTITLED
Crashdog MUD ANGELS
The Crossing DANCING AT THE CROSSROADS
The Charlie Daniels Band THE DOOR
Fruits of the Spirit UNTITLED
Steve Grace LIBERTY ROAD
Larry Howard BRIGHT SIDE OF THE BLUES
Keoni KEONI
LSU GRACE SHAKER
Out of the Grey UNTITLED
Phillips, Craig & Dean UNTITLED
Private Bolz INSPIRATION
Rhythm Saints DEEP SUSTAINED BOOMING SOUNDS
Paul Smith EXTRA MEASURE

THE LIGHTHOUSE
is available at:
Lion & Lamb--218A Calder Way, State College, PA 16801 (814) 237-6716
The Morning Star--540 Westerly Parkway, State College, PA (814) 231-4060
Such & Stuff Shop--Susquehanna Valley Mall, Selinsgrove, PA 17870 (717) 374-6446

CLASSIFIEDS
REVELATION! CHRISTIAN MUSIC NEWSLETTER, News, Interviews and More from Adult Contemporary to Alternative
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ON THE COVER
NEXT MONTH:
THE SEVENTY SEVENS
OTHER UPCOMING FEATURES:
POINT OF GRACE, BOB CARLISLE, BRIAN BARRETT, EAST TO WEST, IONA,
LISA DAGGS, AND JI LIM

Top Albums (November 1993)
    1.     THE FIRST DECADE, Michael W. Smith
    2.     THE STANDARD, Carman
    3.     SONGS FROM THE LOFT, various
    4.     THE LIVE ADVENTURE, Steven Curtis Chapman
    5.     A LITURGY, A LEGACY, AND A RAGAMUFFIN BAND, Rich Mullins
    6.     HIGHLANDS, White Heart
    7.     FREE AT LAST, D.C. Talk
    8.     A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, Wayne Watson
    9.     EVOLUTION, Geoff Moore & the Distance
    10.     HOPE, Michael English
    11.     LORD OF LOVE, various
    12.     THE ABSOLUTE BEST, Carman
    13.     THE BASICS OF LIFE, 4Him
    14.     LE VOYAGE, Sandi Patti
    15.     SET ME FREE, Acapella
    16.     SOUL, Margaret Becker
    17.     NU THANG, D.C. Talk
    18.     CHANGE YOUR WORLD, Michael W. Smith
    19.     ALL OUT, The Winans
    20.     PHILLIPS, CRAIG & DEAN, Phillips, Craig & Dean

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