ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 23, 1996 TAG: 9603250012
SECTION: RELIGION PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK BROWN ORANGE COUNTY (CALIF.) REGISTER
A lot of people aren't really interested in hearing Christian music. And Toby McKeehan doesn't blame them.
As leader of DC Talk, a rap/rock band with decidedly Christian lyrics, McKeehan doesn't want to be preached at, either.
``In a way we agree with them. Courtney Love claims to be a Buddhist. But you don't see Hole on the contemporary Buddhist chart. It doesn't make sense that you name a music based on the lyrics based on naming a music based on style,'' he said. ``We're sharing our faith. It's no different than her sharing hers or a Muslim artist sharing theirs through some hip-hop songs.''
DC Talk - McKeehan, Michael Tait and Kevin Smith - shy away from any of those labels.
``We don't like any of the tags. We kinda call it `schizophrenic rock,''' McKeehan said. ``Sometimes people shut their ears as soon as they hear that. There's going to be those kind of people. And if that's the case, what can we do about it?''
The thing is, DC Talk is finding open minds instead of shut ears. Its last album, ``Free At Last,'' went platinum (1 million copies sold). The band is touring on its hot new album, ``Jesus Freak,'' which is No. 88 for the week ending March 23 on Billboard's Top 200.
Interestingly, both Christian and gay artists often write ambiguously so as not to alienate close-minded listeners.
DC Talk doesn't take that easy route. The music on ``Jesus Freak'' is as straightforward as the album's title.
``It would be wrong to think of it on a marketing level - `How blatant should we be based on the marketplace?''' McKeehan said. ``Our goal is to paint a realistic view of someone who is pursuing Christ, pursuing God. In other words, we don't claim to have it all together. We're guys that stumble and fall every day. We struggle through our faith.''
Even if you avoid the typical sex-and-drug rock lifestyle, there are some elements of show business - the attention and adoration - that just don't sit well with the Christian faith.
``Obviously it doesn't really make a lot of sense. We're trying our best to live lives in humility and trying to put others first, serve other people. That's kind of an oxymoron of the stage. The stage seems to be somewhat of a selfish place where the spotlight is on you and you're trying to get the attention of the people,'' McKeehan said. ``That's a struggle, man. I'm not going to try to act like it's not. But our goal is to ultimately reflect God and to take the attention and try to create some type of reflection and not just bask in the attention ourselves.''
Predictably, some backlash is coming from the Christian right, which considers any Christian rock or rap as sacrilegious.
``Most people - well, not most - a lot of people have come to consensus with the fact that you cannot pigeonhole God to a piano or an organ or whatever. The harp can become a guitar and a timpani can become a drum kit. God, when it comes to that, is limitless.
``Sometimes the church gets a little up in arms with the type of music we do. Maybe all these extensions have a problem with it, but I don't think the original church would have a problem with it,'' he said.
Though DC Talk has the reputation of Christian hip-hop, the disc also is filled with traditional pop-rock songs as well.
``I was more into rap. Mike and Kevin were never into hip-hop,'' he said. ``Our goal was to merge our three talents together. Quite honestly, the first two records or so we were trying to discover who we were. We began to hit on something artistically where it sounded like we were blending our talents together to get one piece of art.''
The members of DC Talk are all in their 20s and take a different tack on what that means.
``I think our generation is pretty frustrated. We're kind of looking to blame our problems, we seem to think we inherited all these problems. All generations inherit problems,'' McKeehan said. ``I think it's important to not continue to blame others but to reach out and truly look for some answers. The answers music has given us right now is a lot of despair, and a lot of, there are no answers, only questions. I don't buy into that. I think you can find peace.
``Personally I think our generation has just been walking through the catacombs of darkness long enough when it comes to art and music,'' McKeehan said. ``I think we're ready for some light.''
nComing to Lynchburg: DC Talk will bring its ``Jesus Freak'' tour to the Vines Center at Liberty University in Lynchburg on Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. The show opens with Audio Adrenaline. Tickets are $18.50 and $25. Call (800) 783-3839, or charge by phone, 343-8100, 951-8427 or (804) 846-8100.
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DC Talk: "Sometimes the church gets a little up in armsby CNBwith the type of music we do."