After 22 years and more than 2000 shows, newsboys frontman Peter Furler will no longer front the band in concert. Michael Tait will be touring with the band as lead singer with Peter making special appearances throughout the year.

Peter will continue with the band and his trademark songwriting and production will remain as he focuses his professional career toward future newsboys recordings.

Michael has been on the road with the band over the past weeks working alongside Peter in what has been a positive and enjoyable experience for both parties. It has been a graceful process that both Peter and Michael have worked through as they prepare to make the change in the coming weeks.

Peter states, “newsboys to me has always been a mission, and I entrust Mike, Jeff, Jody and Duncan to continue all that is in store for us as a band. I’m looking forward to focusing on the band’s studio career and spending time in my own bed after many years in a tour bus and hundreds of thousands of miles on the road.”

Wes Campbell, newsboys manager, explains, “Whilst the decision to replace Peter on the road was a painstaking one, when the idea of dc Talk vocalist Michael Tait was presented, it was a no-brainer to all of us. No one can replace Peter, but we know Michael will bring a new attitude, energy and vocal style that will thrill our audience. To be able to continue a world class show and still have Peter behind the scenes guiding the career and making of newsboys music is a huge opportunity for all of us. It’s amazing that after many years of touring with dc Talk in the 1990’s, that in 2009 our paths would cross once again. It’s an exciting time for all of us.”

“For years dc Talk and newsboys have been family and thus shared the same loyal and adoring fans,” says Michael Tait. “When I received the initial call from newsboys to consider joining the band as lead singer, I was speechless! I immediately sought wise counsel and flooded the heavens with endless prayers for insight and vision, and I soon received a clear and definite peace. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to perform my first show as newsboys’ frontman to an audience of 12,000 people. I was completely wrapped in love and support by newsboys’ fans, who are clearly the best fans on the planet. Now I know this is exactly where I belong in this new and wonderful moment in my life’s history. This is a definite highlight of my career and for my 20+ years of walking with Jesus, and I am humbled, proud and privileged to call myself a newsboy.”

In the coming days, Peter will be releasing a personal statement on the band’s website in more detail.

The band has recently finished recording its new studio album, In The Hands of God, which features Peter as lead vocalist on the entire album. Street date for this record is May 5th.

With five gold albums, sales exceeding six million units, more than 20 No.1 radio hits, and a mantle of Dove Awards as well as Grammy nominations, newsboys has achieved phenomenal success in its two decades together. Known for its amazing live performances and groundbreaking tours, the band continues to sell out festivals and concerts worldwide, satisfying diehard fans and winning new ones in the process.

Jeremy Camp's new album Speaking Louder Than Before has just been released in South Africa.

Great album, but what does "speaking louder than before" mean? Head over to Jeremy's website at http://www.jeremycamp.com/speak.html to read his own explanation.

 
 

 

Maranatha Platemaatskappy berig dat Onbeskaamd se tweede CD/DVD verlede Vrydagaand suksesvol opgeneem is by Lewende Woord in Brummeria, Pretoria.

Sowat 1 300 opgewonde aanbidders het te midde van swaar reën opgedaag om die dak te laat lig met lofprysing- en aanbidding saam met Onbeskaamd. Toe die opname om 19h00 moes begin, het die reën ewe opgehou, wat gehelp het om die beste klank te kon vaslê vir die projek.

Die orkes (top musikante van Pretoria en omgewing) het bestaan uit Stass (aanbiddingsleier, liedjieskrywer en kitaarspeler), Liezel Goosen, Carindé van Schalkwyk en Jessie Pretorius (mede aanbiddingsleiers), Annelize Pansegrouw (klawerbord en klavier), Luhann du Plessis (baskitaar) en Naas Hefer (tromme).

liedjies vir die opname het gewissel van polsende lofliedere wat handel oor God se grootheid, tot intieme aanbiddingsliedere oor ‘n nabye persoonlike verhouding wat ons elkeen met God kan hê… Dit sal beslis, soos die erste CD/DVD, in oud en jonk se smaak sal val!

Die opkoms vir die aand was goed, die ‘vibe’ was fantasties en daar is menigte lewens aangeraak tydens hierdie samekoms!

Onbeskaamd 2 word aan die begin van April landswyd vrygestel.

Take six guys from Belfast - the sort who grew up in and around the troubles, whose faith evolved as roadblocks and bomb scares punctuated their daily routines - and grow them in a church soaked in worship. Open them up to a sense of adventure, to a passion for local churches and prodigals, fill them with tunes like cliff-faces and you’ll be getting some where towards a band like Bluetree. But not quite close enough.

For the final piece of the puzzle you have to go to Thailand. It was there in Pattaya - a city scarred and stained by its reputation as the capital of the world’s sex trade - that the final piece fell into place.

The band had bartered their way into playing‚ at a club - a club which is a brothel. As they did what they only ever do - worshipped - something arrived. It was a song - but one that formed with unusual power and speed. Lyrics and melody formed, calling out a message of hope, a promise of new life for a city so chained by darkness:

You’re the God of this city
You’re the King of these people
You’re the Lord of this nation
You are
You’re the light in this darkness
You’re the hope to the hopeless
You’re the peace to the restless
You are
For there is no-one like our God
There is no-one like our God
Greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things have still to be done here

That was back in November 2006. They formed a little under a year before with the intention of taking up the worship-leading baton passed down across the last two decades within their home church - CFC in Belfast. The likes of Robin Marks and Jonny Parks had gone before, teaching the guys as they made their way through youth groups about the heart of worship.

Originally a five piece, Bluetree soon found themselves as a regular part of Northern Ireland’s church event scene. The faces - both on and off stage - would often be the same, breeding a strong sense of family and unity. And when they realized that Pete - the DJ who always seemed to be playing at the same events - was making his own travel arrangements, they simply decided to have him join the band and take a place in the van.

A year and a few months on from their trip to Thailand and - in many ways - things have changed for the band. First Chris Tomlin heard and fell under the spell of God Of This City‚ the prophetic song born in front of prostitutes and worshippers alike. Tomlin loved it and the track has become something of an anthem for the Passion‚ generation becoming the title track of their February 2008 album.

It doesn’t take much imagination to work out the intensity of the buzz that’s now surrounding Bluetree. But it’s not the meetings and the planning and the prospects of bigger buzzes that gets them most excited; it’s the chance to spend more time with local churches, cheering them on, providing the soundtracks for prodigals and returns, and the refining of fresh vision and hope for congregations.

It's quite an ambitious project: Australia's (and one of the world's) premier doom/Goth band joins the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for a three-CD classical doom requiem. If it sound interesting, you might want to read on - if not, better go cut the grass!

Requiem is not for the faint-hearted, but it is brilliant music. Like a typical classical piece it consists of various themes explored from various musical angles, but with a difference! The first CD, which has not yet been released, features the more symphonic treatment.

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It's not a "greatest hits" collection, says Switchfoot, it's the songs that mean something special to them. That's why you'll find "The Shadow Proves The Sunshine" (inspired by South African township life) on this CD/DVD package.

Only the "Deluxe Edition" of this album was released in South Africa, which means you get a CD with 18 songs and a DVD with 14 videos of one of the great modern Christian bands. All the hits are there, from "Dare You To Move" and "Meant To Live" to "We Are One Tonight", but also little early gems like "Chem 6A" and "Concrete Girl". And even "This Is Home", from the soundtrack of The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian...

A must for hardcore fans, casual acquaintances, even curious enquirers!

The 30 greatest Christian hits of 2008, neatly packaged on two discs for enjoyment in 2009!

From Chris Tomlin's "Jesus Messiah" and Steven Curtis Chapman's "Cinderella" to tobyMac's "Lose My Soul" and Switchfoot's "This Is Home" (from the soundtrack of The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian), these are the songs that flooded the airwaves this past year.

There's also a DVD available, featuring 15 Christian rock videos, from Red, Britt Nicole and tobyMac to Fireflight, Sanctus Real and Hawk Nelson, and (only!) 11 pop videos: among them David Crowder Band, Michael W Smith and Natalie Grant.