Newsboys 'Restart' Released: 'Best Record we've Ever Recorded' Said Duncan Phillips
Christian rock band the Newsboys released their new album Restart today, and are promising this record will "take music one step further."
"This generation has lost its heroes and people to look up to. As a band we want to reengage our culture and have a real positive effect," said drummer Duncan Phillips to the Christian Post. "I think it's time that we jumped in not to be apart of it, knowing who we are and having courage to do the great commission."
This marks the Newsboys 17th album over their almost 30 year career as a band. This will be their third with lead singer Michael Tait, who joined the band in 2009 after co-founder Peter Furler stepped down.
"With the change over to Michael (Tait) in 2009, that gave us this incredible opportunity to try something musically that we hadn't done before, and it's a risk, and it's scary, but I think any band that stands the test of time has been through any one or two restarts," said Phillips. "Getting a new lead singer is a stretch, going from a bald white guy to a black guy with hair, that's a massive monumental change in the band. Michael is such a world class talent, that he really allowed the band to go forward and to kind of do a record like Restart."
Phillips unabashedly said Restart "the best Newsboys record we've ever penned and recorded," and his bandmates agree.
As the band moves forward with their new hits, songs such as lead single of of Restart, "Live with Abandon," the Newsboys will move a bit further away from the classics in their past, and focus on a new era of Christian music.
"Going out in the future we may not play any of the classic stuff unfortunately. But the great thing is that we have so many new great songs that we want to play and want people to hear," Phillips said. "I think people are really genuinely blown away. We want to give a product that kids are proud of, and I don't want them to hide their Christian music."
When asked about the long-term success of the Newsboys and how they continue to move forward as a band, Phillips replied:
"It takes a bunch of crazy to do what we do I think."
The band will begin the Restart Tour on September 20 and it will run through October 27.
For King & Country, Moriah Peters, and Rapture Ruckus will be touring in support of the Newsboys.