How did DC Talk meet and start?

Toby and I met in our freshman year at Liberty University, Virginia back in the 80's and became good friends. Toby had ideas about rap and putting some music together, but we had no idea how it was going to work out. All I knew was I sang and he rapped so we tried it out and put together a song called Heaven Bound. A lot of the people on campus liked it but we had no idea where it would lead. We wrote more songs and a year later Kevin joined us from High School and slowly what started as a campus thing became statewide. Then we got a record deal in '89 and toured with DeGarmo and Key and with Michael W. Smith and here we are in '96.

DC Talk has changed a lot from that first album. What sort of influences have brought that change?

When you're a group made up of three individuals, each with their own musical outlooks, evolving becomes a pretty intense process. The first album was quite disjoined simply because we were so new to the whole thing. By the time we got to Nu Thang we were at least singing together. Some songs got a little more professional, the melodies a little more 'hooky'.

Free At Last was definitely a bridge project. We were more together then on the previous stuff. We had matured, our lyrics were a little more introspective. Four years of touring brought the best out of us up to than point. Personally it was my favorite - vocally we did things that we'd never done before. It was a catalyst that allowed us to go down the musical and lyrical avenues that have lead to Jesus Freak.

What's special about Jesus Freak?

Well, it's my favorite of all our albums. The truest to us all; the one where we agree on the majority of it musically - it's all from our hearts. It's more introspective than anything we've done so far. It's a lot about our lives on the road, our relationships with each other and people. It's about trying to pursue our faith in an arena which is full of contradictions: you're told every day that 'you're great, you look cool, you sing great' but you're being told in God's word to humble yourself, to put your brother before yourself. It's hard. All this went against our pursuit of holiness, we constantly stumble and fall but we're pursuing God with all our hearts.

What's your funniest moment from touring?

Well it actually happened to Toby. Part way through a set Toby had to go off-stage. What he hadn't noticed was a large pole suspended from two wires hanging down at about eye level. He ran off stage, went head first into this thing and knocked himself out for a couple of seconds. I started introducing the next song, looking around all the time to see if I could see him. Eventually, he re-appeared halfway through the song with an enormous black eye.

Who are the people who've influenced you the most?

I can't speak for Toby and Kevin but for me I guess it's my dad. He's a very methodical analytical type of guy. He's soft spoken but very much to the point - a man of his word. He's a pastor and father of seven but I've never seen him lose his temper. He has a kind spirit; he treats people the same everywhere he goes. He has no hang-ups with color, race or religion: he loves people and he pursues his interest in people with the gospel.

Tell us about the title track of the new album - why Jesus Freak?

The song is about the difficulty of standing-up and being counted. For our young people things are probably more difficult than ever before. Peer pressure is an incredibly powerful thing; it can be almost overwhelming. Even when you're older it's often hard to be a sold-out Christian - a Jesus Freak. We like the twist on the word 'freak'. Back in the sixties and seventies the term 'freak' had a very negative feel to it. If you were a 'freak' you were ostracized and made to feel an outcast. But now it's taken on a more positive meaning. If you're into football or music you're a football freak or a music freak. dcTalk ain't nothing but a bunch of Jesus Freaks.

What do you see yourself doing in forty years?

Toby will probably be trying to sign my son to Gotee Records. I guess Kevin will be living in England looking to see if it will ever be ready for him. And me, well I'll be retired, living in San Diego avoiding earthquakes.

... and finally, what are your plans for visiting the UK?

It looks almost 100% that we'll be visiting England in the autumn. We're set to headline the Alliance Festival in October in Manchester (19th October NYNEX ARENA) alongside WorldWide Message Tribe and the Newsboys - it sure should be fun!