Take 5 with MIKESCHAIR

If there was ever a band that met by God’s providence, it would be MIKESCHAIR.  To be fair, Mike Grayson (lead vocals, guitar), Sam Tinnesz (lead guitar, vocals), Jesse Hale (violin, keyboards, utility, vocals), and Jon Haire (bass) were all living in the same dorm at Belmont University.  While others in the highly music student population were awash in a sea of music dreams, the quartet began writing songs, playing shows, and finding success.  After singing to Curb Records, MIKESCHAIR released their self-titled debut album in July.  Currently, the band is on The Altered Minds Tour with Lecrae and After Edmund (for a full tour schedule, click here).

Because it was his chair that inspired the band’s name, Mike Grayson kindly answered the questions for Backseat Writer’s latest Take 5. I want to see pictures of your diva chair, Mike!

Tell me about MIKESCHAIR, like the chair itself.  I hear it¹s become a diva since it inspired the band name. True or false?

HAHAHA!!  I tell you what, ever since the band was named after the chair, “Mike’s Chair” won’t let anyone sit on it because it thinks that it is so much more than a chair now.  The chair refuses to leave my room out of fear of being mobbed by fans.  If that’s not diva then, I don’t know what is.

The band has a great “how we met” story.  You’re all talented musicians rooming in the same freshmen dorm at Belmont and… (finish the story).

The whole thing started with a song.  One of the guys in the band and I sat down and started writing a song.  In the middle of the process Jesse (our violin/keyboard player) walked across the hall into the dorm room and said that he played violin and wondered if he could come and play with us.  We agreed and thankfully so because Jesse is an amazing violin player.

The three of us then decided that we wanted to record this song but we didn’t have all the necessary instrumentation to complete the song but decided to start recording anyway.  A couple days later we were talking about how we really needed electric guitar on the song. To our surprise Sam (our lead guitarist) happened to be walking by the dorm room and mentioned that he played electric guitar.  We added Sam to the song and then rounded out the group by adding Jon to come play bass.

During this whole process all of the guys except for me lived on the first floor of the dorm.  Because of this I spent all my time with the rest of the guys down on their floor–to the point that I was constantly sitting and even sleeping on their floors.  One day I came back from class and the guys went out and got me a chair so that I could have something that was mine down on their floor.  I wrote “MIKE” really big on the chair and from that point on whenever we wrote and or played music the chair was always involved.  The name MIKESCHAIR is simply a reminder of those times and how faithful God is to bring us from a dorm at Belmont University to the platform we have today.

Your first single, “Can’t Take Away” is so catchy with singability through the roof.  What inspired the writing of this song?

“Can’t Take Away” was actually the very last song to go on the record. In fact, the record was finished when we wrote this song, but we knew right away that it had to go on the record.  This song was written right when gas had reached over $4 a gallon, a hurricane had just hit down south, election season was well under way, and the news was about nothing but the bad economy.  We sat down to write, and practically all we could feel was defeat.

As we were talking it was almost as if rebellion set in, and we decided that even though the world around us is in turmoil God is still exactly where He has always been—on His Throne!  No matter what is going on in our lives, no matter how bad it gets, no one and nothing can take away our God.  This song is our reminder that it doesn’t matter who is in office or what the economy is doing or what troubles come our way, our hope and our trust lies in the hands of a God who is unchanging.

My favorite song on the album is “Silhouette” or “Outside of Me.” I can’t decided which I like more.  Which song do you think should be my favorite?

First off,I am so impressed by your favorites!!  Most people always choose the radio singles as favorites and you have chosen two of the more artistic songs on the record which I LOVE.  It’s always hard to pick a favorite for us because it’ like saying you like one child more than the other, but in this situation I would have to say that I think “Silhouette” should be your favorite. “Silhouette” is one of the songs on the album that we all love from a lyrical and musical standpoint.  This song will never be a radio single but the imagery the songs paints is something that we all love.

Does your band have any unique quirks that you’d like to make public? (Like maybe you¹re all obsessed with Planet Earth or have a fascination with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—let’s hear it!)

When it comes down to it MIKESCHAIR is nothing but quirks – hahahah. Just to name a few:

1.  Jon and Jesse can’t stand people touching their necks

2. Sam hates all fruits

3. I snore like a beast

4. And we used to watch That Thing You Do every time we were in the van!!

5.  We mostly communicate in different accents when in the van.

To connect with MIKESCHAIR, go to myspace.com/mikeschair and hit up the band on all your favorite social networks!

Take 5 with Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, authors of I’ll Have Who She’s Having

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke’s 20-year friendship is the stuff chick lit novels are made of—literally!  Not only are Liz and Lisa a dynamic duo in their own right, but they pooled their talents to co-wrote their first book, I’ll Have Who She’s Having.  Both ladies say they have Type A personalities, so they worked out their control issues by writing a dual narrative book, each focusing on one main character.

The two main protagonists—Kate and Kelly—are sisters (and best friends) who are at two very different stages in their lives.  While Kelly is still trying to land a man, Kate is struggling as a stay-at-home mom with an infant.  Each sister searches for self-significance in an idealized relationship with one man—their volleyball coach!  The result is…well, you’ll just have to read the book now, won’t you?

Because they are amazingly beautiful and intelligent, Liz and Lisa agreed to Take 5 with Backseat Writer.  I hope you find them as amusing and brilliant as I do!

How does the friendship between the Walker sisters, Kate and Kelly, mimic your friendship with one another?

Lisa: Liz and I are a lot like Kate and Kelly. For example, there was the time I dressed up like Britney Spears and tried to steal one of her boyfriends. Just kidding!

In all seriousness, we are like sisters in every way (except I don’t have frizzy hair and she doesn’t have a pointy nose!). From the love and support to the break ups and make ups, through our 20+ years of being friends, we’ve always known each other as well as we know ourselves. And that’s what makes our friendship just as strong as Kate and Kelly’s sisterhood bond.

Liz: When we wrote the book, Lisa and I couldn’t have been more different than our characters (er, if you don’t count the fact that Lisa was single with a string of recent break ups under her belt and I was married with two kids)…but our friendship really is very similar in that we value the other’s opinion as much as our own. And we know we can always count on each other.

No matter what life stage a woman is in, it seems like she battles with feeling attractive, sexy, and desirable—something that single, sexy Kate and new mom Kelly both deal with in different ways.  Why do you think women battle so much with these feelings and how do you think reading about Kelly and Kate’s struggles might empower women?

Lisa: If only we had the answers to why women battle so much with negative body image or more importantly, the answer to make it stop!

Through Kate’s character, we wanted to show that you can be thin and attractive like Kate and still have insecurities about the way you look. We think women will relate to this character because how a woman feels about herself has more to do with inner confidence than anything else. And part of Kate’s journey is battling the issues she has that have nothing to do with her physical appearance.

Liz: As a mother of two, I hoped other moms would be able to relate to the struggles Kelly goes through with her own body image. Until the end of time, women will always compare themselves to each other (it’s just what we do!) and for Kelly, she struggles with not having the same body type as her sister, Kate, and her mother, Kitty. But, like Kate, she realizes her struggles with feeling inferior about her looks have more to do with her insecurities as a new mother and in her marriage.

Can you spill about the next Liz and Lisa masterpiece?

Lisa & Lisa: First, thank you for calling it a masterpiece! What we can tell you, is that our next book is again about women. (What better subject is there?) And this time, we’re tackling the important topic of divorce. And how women can tend to misunderstand and judge each other in tense and difficult situations like the break up of a marriage.

Another great way to get a weekly dose of Liz and Liz is by reading your joint blog, Chick Lit Is Not Dead.  So, come on, ladies, why should people read it?

Lisa: Because it’s (brutally) honest.

Liz: We write about things that happen to a lot of women- single, married and moms alike- in a way that we hope elicits a COL (chortle out loud) or two.

Since you reference singing and karaoke so much in your book, I must know—what’s your biggest karaoke disaster? (Mine was after having a terrible night singing Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” at a TGI Friday’s.  It was wretched and yet so empowering.)

Lisa: I have a steadfast rule. No. Karaoke. Evuh.  This is because my voice is worse than Cameron Diaz’s in MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING. Trust me; the world will be happy I spared them the pain.

Liz: I was karaoke-ing (is that a word?) in college with a friend and in a bold and inexplicable move, I decided to go solo! Um, I’m not sure what the problem was—the song choice (Whitney Houston) the drinks before (they all ended with ‘drop’) or my voice (I’d like to think it wasn’t my voice!) but let’s just say, my only solo since has been in the shower!

For more Liz and Lisa fun, be sure to check out their blog Chick Lit Is Not Dead and follow the ladies on Twitter (@lizandlisa) for an array of colorful and humorous comments!

Take 5 with Justin Unger

One half of the duo, Across the Sky, Justin Unger was touring with big-name Christian acts. However, life on the road was taking its toll on Unger and his marriage and he began to pray .  So in 2003, he did the unthinkable—he gave it all up to become a worship paster.  After offering his music career on the altar, God gave it back to Unger, not only leading worship but with his latest album, Disengage.  The bouncy album was recorded over six weeks as Unger traveled from his home in Prescott, AZ to Nashville. Disengage is a call for Christians to leave their agendas aside and disengage with the world, so they may find who they are in God.  It takes someone like Justin Unger, who was willing to give it all up, to tell a story like this.  And because he’s a stand-up guy, Justin agreed to “Take 5 with Backseat Writer.”

Like you, I remember being a teenager thinking I must have done something horrible as a Christian because the whole “Christian life” wasn’t as joyful as it was marketed.  It was hard and other teens would say the cruelest things about my faith.  I’ve heard other teens talk about the same thing.  Why do you think teenagers and other Christians feel this way? Also, do you think this is one of the reasons some walk away from the faith?

I absolutely believe that this is one of the key reasons why some Christians walk away from their faith.  It’s called suffering.  Suffering for Christ is part of God’s plan for us to be like Christ. Although at times it seems so hard and unbearable, persecution for our faith is one of the healthiest ways to grow.  God is so faithful to give us the strength we need and confidence we need to persevere in those times no matter how hard and painful/ What an honor or suffer in this world for the one who suffered so much for our sake.  John 15:18 says “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.   Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.“  When I remember all that Christ went through for me, it makes my trials seem so small.  Hallelujah!!

Disengage seems like a funny album name from a guy who clearly wants us to engage with Christ.  So what’s the story behind the album and the title track, “Disengage”?

The simple answer to this question is LUKE 9:23!  “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake.  To what advantage is a man who gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost.“  Although the word “disengage” seems a bit negative, it is so fitting according to this passage to describe our role as Christ-followers.  We are called to disengage from ourselves and this world and then, like you said, “engage” with Christ completely.  WOW!

When reading your biography, I couldn’t help but think of when the Apostle Paul wrote that he considered all things lost for the sake of knowing Christ.  It seems like you were willing to give up what you thought would make you happy and give you money, but instead you found more happiness being in the center of God’s Will.  Why are we so afraid to trust a God who knows us intimately with our lives and our careers?

I believe a lot of times we get caught up in our flesh and the enemy uses those opportunities to get a foothold, which causes us to stumble.  Instead of surrendering all we have to Christ and letting Him write the story, we like to take the pen out of his hand jot down our plans.  Let’s get personal here–in my grandma’s bathroom back home, there is a little picture frame with a quote that says, ” If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”  I think if we can continue to surrender our plans and our earthly desires to the Lord, he will honor and bless us in ways we can’t imagine.

You have a really neat website at JustinUnger.com, complete with chord charts!  Was it important to you as a worship pastor to make your music reproducible for corporate worship?  Additionally, has being a worship pastor changed the way you write songs?

Absolutely!  As I continue my journey as a worship pastor, I am driven to use and create songs that can minister to the entire body of Christ and not just the one here in Prescott.  As I continue to write songs, I feel led in a way to connect with the worshipper on a personal level.  Although worshipping with music can be done in many ways, God has given me a passion to be creative and think outside the box.

What are one or two songs by another songwriter you would love to cover on a future album and why?

“You’re Beautiful” by Phil Wickham and “If I Stand” by Rich Mullens.  These are two of my all-time favorite songs, but I have an entire list of songs that I love by other artists. [Amy's note:: "If I Stand" by Rich Mullins is my all-time favorite song!]

Take 5 with Sarah Zacharias Davis, author of The Friends We Keep

After Backseat Writer reviewed her latest book, The Friends We Keep, Sarah Zacharias Davis, kindly agreed to share more of her insight into the friendships of women with readers (read review).  The daughter of Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, Sarah has forged her own path into the world of writing.  Brilliant and well-spoken, Sarah Zacharias Davis is one author you don’t want to miss.  So, get started with The Friends We Keep–after you read her “Take 5 with Backseat Writer,” of course.

Your book takes an incredible look at the depth of women’s friendships.  But I know women who would rather “hang with the boys” because they’re tired of the cattiness that can come from friendships with other women—why should these ladies give female friendships another try?

I think you’re right; it’s easier to feel like giving up on women’s friendships altogether, especially after we’ve been burned – and more than once. But there is a depth of understanding, a connection that exists in female friendships simply because we share a gender. I read a book called The Female Brain, a fascinating book, and it charted the behavior of females from infant stage to menopause. The book was profound to me because it gave explanation to many of my own “idiosyncrasies”. I think it’s a book that can bring great understanding to women and to men about the female psyche. Armed with that understanding, I think we are able to be more gracious in our awareness amidst cattiness and disappointment that can often occur and also appreciate the rich texture that is also present in these relationships.

As a woman, I want to go the distance for my friends.  I will literally give until I’ve got nothing left and I completely shut down.  In your book, you talk about how we need to accept that our friends can’t fulfill all our needs, but how can we learn that we weren’t meant to fulfill all our friend’s needs?

That’s a great question! We can often draw so much of our own value by our ability to meet others’ needs – without even realizing it. We have to intentionally choose to know and accept our limitations, our humanity, to say this far and no more, and to be at peace with the natural boundaries of relationship. I believe that a healthy friendship with self will not only bring understanding of our own responsibilities to self and not expect others to meet our every need, but what will also emerge is a confidence in what we are able to give and what we are not.

Growing up in church, I’ve learned that we must always confront the “sins” of our friends so we won’t cause them to stumble, which seems a little ridiculous.  I appreciated your thoughts on when to confront and when not to confront a friend—can you give readers a brief recap on this idea?

It is an enormously difficult decision to know when to confront and when to stay silent – at least I believe it should be. If there isn’t some tension over the decision perhaps we do think it’s our obligation to always confront. There are times when we need to listen, we need to ask questions, we need to remain silent, or we need to confront in a loving way. I tell the story in the book about an intervention that I participated in. It wasn’t something I was comfortable with, but I was encouraged to do it and did so for what I felt were the right reasons. It didn’t go well and I think our relationship ended over it. Maybe it was the right thing to do, maybe not.I think an important thing to note is that the reaction of the receiver, does not necessary determine whether the action was “right or wrong.” We are responsible for what we choose to confront or not to confront, how that person responds is up to them. If we feel we should confront in a loving way, it is still not our job to convict. We are not the Holy Spirit.

Another friend shared with me her own experience as she considered whether or not to confront her friend. In the end, in examining the example set by the person of Jesus, she decided to ask questions and give her friend the time to think through those answers and choose what her course of action would be. I thought this was a beautiful story of a friend who sincerely wanted to do the right thing for her friend. She was concerned for her and any confrontation came out of a heart of care and love, not judgment or superiority. After wrestling with her decision, she chose to follow the example she felt had been left for all of us to follow.

One issue I’ve heard discussed very little is the idea of “friendship with self,” which sounds narcissistic at first glance, yet it’s vital to knowing ourselves as women.  What exactly is “friendship with self” and why is it important?

Friendship with self has been a life changing relationship for me. It has transformed my relationships and what I expect from them, it has also been vital in my spiritual journey towards growth and even in just simply being “comfortable in my own skin” It is knowing self, being truthful with self, being contemplative, and learning to draw on your own God-given resources. God has set within each one of us a will, an ability to think and feel and differentiate between the two, awareness, and an ability to know God in relationship. A relationship with self helps us know and use all of these gifts. It is cultivated the same way we cultivate outside relationships – appreciation, quality time, grace, caretaking, understanding, honesty, and just being.

Your insight to issues like gossip is spot-on.  How damaging is gossip in the world of women?

I think gossip is enormously damaging to relationships, to individuals, reputations, and to integrity. It is really about sizing up and then tearing some else down. It is going for the jugular, so to speak, and going after our own – our friends. We think we will feel better by talking about someone else’s flaws or downfalls, but really if we’re honest, we slink away from a gossip session feeling a little slimy and even more insecure. It is not life-giving to anyone.

Even when we participate in gossip we know it is a guilty pleasure, and often we may have the best of intentions in not participating the next time around. Yet amidst a juicy gossip session those best of intentions slip away. We have to bring intentionality to our conversations and be accountable for what we say. In the end it will not only ensure a sense of trust and honor in a relationship, I think we will feel so much more at peace with ourselves when we practice that discretion.

Take 5 with Josh Wilson

There are two things I’ve heard consistently about Sparrow Recording artist Josh Wilson—he’s a nice guy and an excellent guitar player.  Upon further discovery, I have also learned that Josh Wilson is a great lyricist, an exceptional producer, and a man with a heart that beats for God.  I’m a big Josh Wilson fan, which is why I am so excited about the release of his sophomore album, Life Is Not A Snapshot.  The seven-track album features Josh Wilson’s highly acclaimed (“Keaggy-esque) instrumental version of “Amazing Grace,” a love song for his new wife, and songs of encouragement for Christians like “Before the Morning” and “Right In Front of Me.”  Life Is Not A Snapshot is a potent little album that delivers lyrically, instrumentally, vocally, and spiritually. Despite just returning from his honeymoon and prepping for his album release, Josh was kind enough to “Take 5” with Backseat Writer.

Life Is Not A Snapshot feels like a very personal album.  What would you say is the over-arching theme of the recording?

If I had to sum up the album in one word, that word would be “hope.”  As Christians, we live our daily lives knowing that whatever we are currently facing, there is infinite joy and peace that waits for us when we finally see the face of Jesus.  Thematically, the songs on the album range quite a bit.  There’s a song of praise (“Sing”), a song about doubt (“Right In Front of Me”), and even a love song (“How to Fall”).  The title simply means that sometimes the individual snapshots in our lives don’t look exactly like the bigger picture.

My favorite song on the album is “Before the Morning” or maybe “Right In Front of Me.”  It’s hard to pick a favorite because they’re all so good.  Anyway, tell me about “Before the Morning” (and “Right In Front of Me”).

“Before the Morning” was inspired by my friends Tim and Paula Beal and their son Jayken.  A few months before Jayken’s due date, the Beals went to the doctor to find out if their baby was going to be a boy or girl.  During the sonogram, the doctor discovered that Jayken’s heart and kidneys were not fully functioning, and he said Jayken had a 2% chance of living longer than four days past his birth.  The doctor said their only option was abortion.  Tim and Paul went home and prayed and fasted, asking the Lord what they should do.  They decided to go ahead and have the baby, and by the grace of God, Jayken is now 7 years old.  He has had multiple heart surgeries and numerous complications, but his life has been a beautiful picture of God’s grace.  The song says that the pain we feel is “just the dark before the morning,” and reminds us, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

“Right In Front Of Me” is about my struggles with doubt.  I had a particularly hard time during college, when everything I had ever learned about God was being challenged.  I did a lot of searching, reading, and praying.  God was and is faithful to reveal Himself to those who seek Him, but sometimes it does take a lot of seeking.  The main idea of this song is from Romans 1:20, where Paul writes that God’s existence and power are made evident by what He has created.

Every girl who listens to your album is going to swoon over “How to Fall.” Does the song have anything to do with your August marriage?

Absolutely.  This song is the story of how I met Becca, who is now my wife.  I actually wrote this song before I proposed, and it was a very honest and real-time description of what was happening.  The chorus says “I don’t know how to say it / Don’t know how you’ll take it / Don’t know how to fall in love / But I want to learn with you.”  Our wedding was August 8, and we love every minute of being married.

What was one of the most challenging songs on the album for you to write? (And why?)

“Do You Want to Know” was a very hard song to write because it challenges my comfortable American life.  The song poses the question: If you could really see the world how God sees it, would you want to?  Last summer I went on a short-term mission trip to Belize and witnessed first hand what poverty looks like.  We all see commercials on TV that talk about “feeding the children,” but it’s different when the hungry children are standing right in front of you.  You can’t change the channel.  These kids receive a little food from the school they attend, but they go home everyday to parents who can’t afford to feed them.  If we see the world the way God sees it, one of two things is going to happen.  We’re both going to do something about those who are hungry and hurting, or we’re going to lose sleep because something deep in our spirit tells us that we as Christians are the ones responsible for helping.

On the album cover for Life Is Not A Snapshot, you’re running over a chair.  Can you really do this?  If so, what other amazing bodily stunts can you perform? (And will you consider adding a stunt show to your next tour?)

Actually, yes, I did run over that chair about 8 times.  We didn’t really know it was going to be the album cover, but the photographer thought it would make a cool shot.  He showed me what he wanted me to do, and after a couple tries I finally got it.  As far as other bodily stunts, I can actually wiggle both of my ears at one time.  No lie.  Ask me next time I see you and I’ll show you.

For more information on Josh Wilson, check him on online at joshwilsononline.com.  Also, check Josh’s MySpace for Tuesday blog updates.  Just so you can be sure to get all pertinent Josh Wilson news, be sure to friend him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.  Oh, and if you see him in concert, take him a block of cheese and ask him to wiggle his ears for you! Plus, read my interview with Josh about his last album, Trying to Fit the Ocean In a Cup.

Take 5 with A Fine Frenzy

Twenty-four year-old Alison Sudol, the woman behind the phenomena known as A Fine Frenzy, describes herself as “a quiet person with a loud streak.”  Throwing off the ethereal image garnered from the band’s debut album (One Cell in the Sea) in 2007, A Fine Frenzy is back to make more than a little noise.  Still, Sudol’s heart-wrenching and vulnerable lyrics remain intact with Bomb in a Bird Cage (Virgin) as she guides listeners through an idyllic musical journey with songs such as radio single “Blow Away,” “Wouldn’t Do,” and “Happier.”  Defying the “sophomore album slump,” A Fine Frenzy delivers a more than satisfying musical experience.  In fact, Bomb in a Bird Cage is on permanent rotation in my music collect, which is why I was thrilled that Alison Sudol took time to “Take 5” with Backseat Writer.

What is a little-known fact about Alison Sudol?  Like maybe a weird habit or an endearing quirk? Come on, girl, spill it!

Haha. Hmmm…well, my short term memory is pretty disgraceful. I’ve been known to leave home, drive away, suddenly wonder whether I locked the front door, turn around, check the door, get back in the car, leave, wonder if I left the stove on and turn around again.

You just seem to ooze creativity from your music, your beautiful lyrics, and to designing your own t-shirts, what inspires you?

Thank you! I’m mostly inspired by nature, people and other forms of art. I really just try to be open-minded and keep an eye out for the beautiful, the odd, and the interesting.

The title of your sophomore album, “Bomb in a Bird Cage” comes from the song “ What I Wouldn’t Do.” This is also one of my favorite tunes on the album.  What is the story behind the writing of this song?

Ah, thanks! That song was written on an exceptionally stormy day. I was stuck at home, sick as a dog with some strange and annoying flu thing, and I picked up the guitar. A couple of hours later, I had “What I Wouldn’t Do” and went back to being bored and grouchy.

“Blow Away” is your album’s first single, so naturally I have to ask about it. It’s a pretty dramatic song—tell me about it!

“Blow Away” is another song that was written quickly. We were going into the studio in the afternoon and we weren’t really sure what we were going to do. I had a few songs written, but I didn’t feel like recording them because they were all pretty slow and sad and I wanted to have fun. I started banging away at the guitar, and within an hour had the “Blow Away” melody. A few hours later, we recorded it! I was still figuring out some of the chords as we played it. Of course, writing the lyrics took forever for some reason, I think possibly to make up for how easily the rest was written. I must have re-written the lyrics from top to bottom at least 6 times. Frustration abounded!

Congrats on your Twitterdom fame! How do you feel about being one of the top ten most-followed musicians on Twitter, with over a million followers?

Thanks! Crazy, right? I feel surprised and a little stunned by the whole thing. Sometimes it’s a real challenge to say something interesting, let me tell you! I realized the other day that I talk about dates with my dog and spiders an awful lot. Haha. Real rock and roll.

Join the million and make sure you follow A Fine Frenzy on Twitter, too! Also, be sure to visit the band’s website, MySpace, and fan AFF on Facebook.

Take 5 with The Glorious Unseen

On a day of heavily anticipated new releases, The Glorious Unseen’s sophomore project, The Hope That Lies In You (BEC Recordings) could easily be overlooked, which is precisely why Backseat Writer is choosing to highlight this amazing album.  The Glorious Unseen’s music can technically be defined as worship, but it doesn’t let loose with the same lame hooks and rhythms.  Lead singer Ben Crist makes sure to provide original material with heartfelt lyrics that rightly reflect upon God’s glory.  Plus, The Glorious Unseen’s musical component is intriguing, sometimes melancholy, but always fresh. Because he’s awesome, Ben kindly agreed to “Take 5” with Backseat Writer.

The Glorious Unseen isn’t like most worship bands I’ve heard.  What makes your band fresh and unique?

The thing I always hear from people is that it’s the lyrics that primarily set it apart from other stuff.  There’s just a real vulnerability and honesty in the lyrics. I’m just writing from my personal experiences. I’m not exactly trying to write worship songs – but that’s usually how it turns out. I’m just putting myself into my art, and wanting to convey what’s on my heart. The lyrics definitely set it apart from most modern worship. The music does as well for sure; it’s all around pretty unique. For this reason, it has taken a bit longer to really “catch on” in that Christian market – because it is so unique. But it is definitely filling the void in the Christian music scene, so I feel that it will continue to gain momentum.

Tell me about the album’s title track, “The Hope That Lies In You.” What’s the underlying message of this song?  And is it the message that runs through the entire album? (Side note: Whenever I listen to this song, tears well up in my eyes. I love it.)

Yes, this is the overall message of the whole album – that despite what is going on in the world around us, there is a hope that lies within each one of us – and mainly in God. We don’t have any hope in ourselves apart from God. So, with God, there is a hope that lies within us – through God. This is kind of a “battle-cry” to modern day Christians that may be struggling with apathy and depression. We need to get up and go out and have an impact. We need to be reminded of this hope we have in Christ.  No more sitting around and being depressed – time for action.

The album’s first single, “Heavyhearted,” talks about God’s grace in the midst of wandering and shame. Would you please share about a time when you’ve felt heavyhearted and how you worked through it?

Ummm – today? Yesterday?  Every day?  Haha. Yeah, I mean there are times every day where I’m struggling with some feelings of being disconnected from God’s presence. Certainly, there are times when I feel this more than other times, but really, the deal is that God wants to pour our His love for me at every moment. He always wants to take me back in the midst of my struggle – in the midst of my shame – He wants to call me back to him right now!!! Even as I am typing this, He is calling me to his heart!! He is constant; he has no end. His love is totally huge and bigger than anything we have ever experienced.

There are so many amazing songs on The Hope That Lies In You.  Tell me about a couple of your faves, please!

It’s hard to pull one out right now because they’re all so new and exciting to sing right now!! I’m so stoked to start playing “Falling Into You,” “We Can Be Renewed,” and “Awakening.”  Man, I can’t wait to sing those lyrics.  They’re even more honest than the lyrics on the last record.  People have told me that the new lyrics are more serious even then the last record. I’m so stoked to get into those songs. It’s gonna be intense. There are some hardcore issues that we are dealing with in these new lyric–depression, separation, addiction, hope, pain, spiritual warfare. I expect these shows coming up to be intense.

Let’s move on to a lighter question—what’s one of the funniest things that happened while you were recording this album?

Hmmm… Probably the appearance of Trevor “The Phoenix” Mitchell. If you don’t know what that is – go watch our studio video blog.  That’s one of our producer’s pseudo personalities.

Take 5 with Jade Harrell

Nineteen year-old Jade Harrell is bringing a little soul, a lot of funk, and even some pop to her debut album, Class Reject (Revolution Art).  From songs like the dance track “Me & My Radio to Jade’s cover of “What a Fool Believes,” this album is full of varied styles that appeal to fans of many genres.  It’s impossible to listen to Jade Harrell’s music without going into full-on dance mood (or chair groove for the uncoordinated).  Jade was kind enough to take the time to “Take 5” with Backseat Writer.  Read on to learn more about this dynamic and talented young singer!

*Your debut album is called Class Reject, but you seem like anything but a class reject! What’s the story here?

I grew up somewhat as an outcast. Even since elementary school and all throughout high school, I was picked on. It made me feel like I didn’t belong. So as I was brainstorming for a title for the album, those memories came to mind. Then I realized that the reason I felt like I didn’t fit in was because God meant for me to stand out! As long as you’re a child of God, you’re going to be rejected by the world, and life is nothing but a huge classroom; therefore, Class Reject.

* “Me & My Radio” is a fun song.  I remember the days of sitting in my bedroom as a teenager rockin’ out to my radio (and dancing badly).  What do you think of when you sing this song and why did you write it?

Well, when I first hear it come on, I say to myself, “Holy smokes, this is me!” But I wrote this song because I find myself rockin’ out to my favorite jams when I’m alone in the confines of my room! It happens to be more fun that way

*I love your rendition of the Doobie Brothers’ song, “What a Fool Believes.”  What is it about this song that you like?

It tells a story, which is something I feel that today’s music doesn’t really do anymore. It’s the kind of song that when you cut it on, it just makes you wanna groove. (If you can’t tell by now, I love to dance!)

*You’re a young artist bringing a whole new set of beats to Christian music, especially R&B/techno—so what challenges have you faced working in a genre that isn’t as defined as others in the Christian industry?

Some people don’t take my music seriously, or they call me a sell out. It doesn’t bother me though because I know my target audience can relate to me and that’s what matters the most! It’s really about them.

*On your MySpace page you cite Michael Jackson as one of your influences.  Since Jackson’s death, we’ve all been thinking about what his music has meant to us, but how has his career influenced and/or inspired you?

MJ definitely made it clear that there’s no age restriction to having a music career; he started out so early! For me, that leaves no room for excuses. He inspired me because he made both music that made me want to dance and music that had a message. He was an awesome songwriter and vocalist–he was just simply amazing!

Take 5+1 with newboys’ Jeff Frankenstein

newboys' Jeff Frankenstein

Twenty-two years ago, the newsboys boarded a plan and traveled to the United States to make a go of their music.  To reflect on their life cycle as a band, the newboys latest album, In The Hands of God (Inpop), is semi-autobiographical.  Since its inception, the band has underwent many changes, including the departure of Peter Furler, the band’s front man since 1997.  Taking over the reins for Furler is former dcTalk member and solo artist, Michael Tait, who also sung background vocals on In The Hands of God, the band’s 14^th studio album. Keyboardist Jeff Frankenstein agreed to take time out of his busy summer touring schedule with the newboys to “Take 5” with Backseat Writer.

Frontman Tait and the rest of newsboys at a photo shoot

The first newsboys album I bought was Going Public and my first Christian concert featured newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, and Steven Curtis Chapman.  Despite all that newsboys love, I didn’t realize until last year that you didn’t capitalize the “n” in “newsboys.”  So, uh, why don’t you capitalize your name?

You know, I’m really not sure how that started.  I believe on the packaging for Step Up To The Microphone, the band name was spelled in lower-case, and it just stuck ever since.

In the Hands of God is your 14^th studio album and the last with Peter Furler as the lead singer.  It’s like the album marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new one—all at the same time.  How has the transition from Peter Furler as lead singer to Michael Tait been going?  Additionally, how do Tait’s vocals work with the sound fans have come to love from newsboys?

The transition has gone great.  Mike has really been hitting his stride in the past couple of weeks.  It’s not easy to change lead singers, especially with one that was in front of the band for 20 years.  Mike is a more than capable front man.  After about 30 shows and a ton of rehearsals, he is getting comfortable out front and making this thing his own.

Michael Tail & Peter Furler on stage together

The title track, “In the Hands of God,” is a song about how we trust God with everything.  Do you have any advice for readers who love this song but are having trouble trusting God?

Trusting God is one of the hardest things to do.  No doubt.  We all want to control our little world and make it a safe bubble to live in, but the Christian life requires quite the opposite.  The Gospel tells us to give up our own plans, our control, and allow God to lead us.  It’s definitely difficult, especially when things aren’t going that great.  I know that I’ve found that through tough, painful times, the Lord was preparing me for something to come later down the road.  Sometimes I look back on the tough times and have to laugh at what God was doing in my life through the circumstances to prepare me for where He wants me to go.

“That’s the Way We Roll” tells the history of the band, including their journey from Australia to the U.S. However, you were already in the U.S. and joined the band in 1994.  Still, what has it been like for you as a member of the newsboys for the past 15 years?

Being in the band for over 15 years has been beyond words.  I feel fortunate to have gotten to experience so many wonderful people and different places.  It hasn’t always been easy, and the lifestyle is a lot different than what most people would think, but I really do love it, and it rarely gets old.  I was just talking to my wife about it the other day.  We counted about 40 countries visited and over 2,000 shows performed.

It’s hard to ask about all the great songs on this album in five questions, so why don’t you share about a song or two that’s particularly significant to you?

I’d have to say “Hands” again.  We wrote that song about 2  years ago, and I feel like with everything that has happened after it with the changes in the band and other things going on in my life, that I had to follow the message of the song myself..

Bonus Question::  Do people tend to assume that you’re Australian because you are in the newsboys? (Amy’s note: Jeff was born in Michigan, and therefore has no Australian accent.)

Sometimes they do.  Especially at autograph sessions.  People will tell me they love my accent, and I’m like, “Cool, I like yours too”.

Take 5 with Jon Acuff of Stuff Christians Like

Stuff Christians Like (SCL) is a fast-growing site that takes a satirical and honest view of Christian pop culture.  Started in March 2008, site founder Jon Acuff decided to put an evangelical twist on the wildly popular blog, Stuff White People Like.  Writing with wit and sensitivity, Acuff has engaged readers with over 500 (almost 600) insightful posts on what Christians like such as Rob Bell, comparing Braveheart to Christianity, metrosexual worship leaders, and counting swears in movies.  SCL works because not only is Acuff young enough to be relevant and relevant enough to know what it means to be relevant, but also because his posts are saturated with sincerity and humility.  And because he’s a super guy, Jon Acuff agreed to Take 5 with Backseat Writer when he could be writing about how Christians like to write blog posts about other Christians (or hanging out with his wife and daughters).

*You wrote that you started Stuff Christians Like to take a look at the misconceptions, preconceptions, and conceptions in general about the church.  Why do you think it’s important to clear the air about Christianity using the SCL as a forum?

To tell you the truth, I didn’t initially think it was important. I have about 40 different URLs registered, ranging from bad ideas to even worse ideas. And when I started stuffchristianslike.net I thought it would be another idea I wrote about for a few weeks and then quit. But when people started reading it, a complete surprise to me, I felt like I was not alone in wanting to explore faith and the culture we’ve created around it with humor and honesty.

*By using humor, you offer a softer approach to topics that are generally off-limits.  Not only that, but your commentary about the Church is constructive in nature.  Plus, you even use the Bible, something that I don’t see a lot of satirists doing.  How has this approach been helpful for those who have been hurt by the Church?

Part of the approach has been learning from my mistakes. Early on I made the mistake of writing about individuals instead of issues or ideas. After a few posts where I felt like I unfairly and without a whole lot of love picked on people I started to realize that it’s hard to write a blog without following Christ’s command that we love other people. There are too many Christian Jerk blogs out there and I decided that even though I had blown it a few times I wanted to be hyper deliberate about not being a jerk. So I think a big part of the approach is that the only person I try to point a finger at is me. Ways I’ve been wrong about God or the church or faith and then exploring those in hopefully a funny way. I try to never mock. The Bible is chock full of verses about how much God wants to drop the elbow of death on mockers, so I try to avoid that. Although I still make mistakes with what I write.

*I imagine when writing some of your posts, you know that you’re going to push buttons.  What makes you hit “post” anyway?

There are some posts that I’m really terrified about posting but in some ways I hope I never get numb to that. I don’t think it’s easy being honest, especially when the stakes are higher and there’s a part of you that worries about people you know seeing what you wrote. But the biggest criteria I use when picking topics is, “Is this true of my own life?” If it’s not, if it’s not something I struggle with or think is funny in my own life I don’t write about it. So that makes it easier to say things that might be hard to share. If that’s what is going on in my life then I’m not presenting some crazy idea, I’m sharing my life.

*I know there’s a book a’coming in March 2010.  How did the book deal come about?

When people started reading the site I contacted a literary agent that a number of people suggested named Chip MacGregor. I had a conversation with him and sent him my blog traffic numbers. We put together a proposal and he shopped it around to a few different publishers. Zondervan seemed like a great fit and when they offered a chance to publish Stuff Christians Like I was really honored by the opportunity.

*Sometimes I think it’s harder for women who write satire/humor to find success, especially in Christian circles.  Do you think this is true?  Why or why not?

I think that’s probably true regardless of the gender when it comes to creating Christian satire. I think it’s a hard thing to do because I’m not sure if the church embraces satire and laughter as vehicles of honesty and insight, which is a shame because I think God loves laughter. The verse that kind of drives the site is Psalm 126: 1-2:

^“1 When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.

² Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”

I love that when the other nations saw the laughter, when they noticed the laughter they couldn’t help but say, “The Lord has done great things for them.” That’s why I try to get people to laugh.