Ya
know, I'm from this little yet beautiful country called Germany
(oder Deutschland,
wenn du willst...). And so here it is: some of these mysterious connections
between our favorite Newsboys and my home country...
1st
connection: Remember, what did the 'Going Public' booklet
saying? It's the following: »Cover Photography: Courtesy of Dave
Perkins family archives and Morning Cheer, Inc. The cover photograph
was taken in 1948 at a tent meeting in Post World War II Germany
conducted by the Rev. George A. Palmer with the European Evangelical
Crusade.«
Dave's comment:
When I first saw this cover art in September of 1994 I immediately fell
in love with it. It's still my most favorite cover pic off of all their
records. To have this picture used out of Germany's history - of the
country and the christian community - is really stunning! The atmosphere
this images transports makes me thoughtful about the album's theme everytime
I see it. -- Some classic big tent revival that used to happen (and
still happens!). ...praise God!
(note: Dave
Perkins is a musician, songwriter and producer who contributed a
lot to Steve Taylors own music. He even played on Newsboys' albums 'Not
Ashamed' and 'Going Public'.)
2nd
connection: The boys played a small concert - mostly a show
case for the German media (christian and mainstream) - in Cologne in
August of 1995. Later when interviewed about their favorite venue of
the 'Going Public Tour' they mentioned that one!
Dave's comment:
Proud stuff! ;-))) I know some people who attended that show and were
totally impressed and telled everyone about that. Sadly, I for myself
couldn't manage to go to this concert because I live on the other side
of Germany...
3rd
connection: In October of 1997 the boys came back to good
ol' Germany to play the 'Celebration Festival' in Sindelfingen (near
Stuttgart). I wondered all the time where John James was. Later I found
out that this was their first concert worldwide without him. Until now
I don't know which guy was the sixth man in the band (he had cool sunglasses)
but they did play with six guys on stage!
4th
connection: Peter mentioned Germany in a song intro when
performing at 'Creation
West 1998'! He was inviting the crowd to make even more noise than
our German crowd made on August 1st when the band played in Germany's
little Black Forest town Bad Liebenzell.
Dave's comment:
It was great they remembered their gig in Germany even at that big festival...
5th
connection: Sarah
Brendel (don't forget her
German site...) is the first German christian artist to be officiallly
signed to a christian major label in the U.S.A.!!! Sarah got a contract
with inpop Records - the label founded by Newsboys frontman Peter Furler
and Newsboys manager Wes Campbell in 1999. Sarah appeared already in
Smitty's Rocketown club in 2004, later at GMA Week 2005 and will be
seen at a lot of the big summer festivals in America in 2005! Her selftitled
U.S. debut album releases on July 19th.
Dave's comment:
That's what I hoped for years that a German artist gets signed in the
U.S.. We've got plenty of talent here. Sarah Brendel is one of Germany's
finest! With her inpop made the right choice ;-) And since Peter said
one time 'inpop will scoop the best christian music on the planet' -
so it's getting international pop more and more ;-)))
6th
connection: At their most recent gig over here in Germany
at 'Himmelfahrt
Festival 2005' in Wustenrot (near Stuttgart) in May of 2005 they
played the German National Anthem "Das
Lied der Deutschen"! Bryan's band Casting Pearls played
at this festival too.
Dave's comment:
This is absolutely incredible. More proud stuff! ;-))) They should do
more of such stuff...
7th
connection: To see some very cool and cute pics of the above
event with fellow Newsboys and Casting Pearls guys even travelling
around in Germany just step up to
CP's Germany gallery pages...
Dave's comment:
These galleries are a must see for any fan!
8th
connection: Newsboys and Sarah Brendel will be featured with
one song each on the new sampler entitled "Building One World"
for the 'XX. World Youth
Day' in Cologne in August of 2005! The album releases July 4th -
Newsboys are on with "God Of Nations", Sarah Brendel with
"Fire" and Paul Colman with "The One Thing".
Dave's comment:
Just great. I wished they'd used some new stuff from the artists but
all in all it's a wonderful chance to increase Newsboys popularity in
Germany a bit more... ;-) More info in the shop
of the event...
(CD
bei amazon.de kaufen)
9th
connection: Newest Newsboys' member Paul
Colman was many times to Germany within his solo days and also with
his former band PC3. In December 2004 (annual CRN 'Christmas Rock Night'
in Ennepetal) and in 2005 he performed all of his European concert dates
with musicians from Germany! In summer of 2005 he was touring in the
U.S. with fellow German christian pop singer Claas
P. Jambor!—On a side note Paul also has his
own German fan site ;-)
Dave's comment:
Paul is well known in Germany's Christendom so also NB's popularity
might increase here up from now. After the big news was out I'm feeling
fans are excited to see Paul together with his new band here and how
to come things up in the future. Let's see what God has in store for
us all!
10th
connection: One their most recent album "Go"
the band sings a line about "West Berlin" in the song "The
Mission" where it goes:
»this
here comes breakin' in
like brick to glass
like grace to sin
gonna kick down walls like West Berlin«
Here they reference to the fall of the "Berlin Wall" between
East and West Berlin on November 9, 1989. Since 1991 the reunited city
of Berlin is the capital of Germany again.—The lyric was written
by Steve Taylor & Peter Furler.
Dave's comment:
It's awesome how they reference to the more recent German (and worldwide)
history in a song about the Great Commission... ;-)
More to follow. (Hopefully...)
