LOOP COMMUNITY
CHRISTIAN MUSIC THROUGH THE YEARS W / MICHAEL TAIT | Matt McCoy
Michael Tait from Newsboys sat down with Loop Community Founder Matt McCoy to talk about how he got started , how Newsboys has continued releasing music since 1988 and more !
[ Matt McCoy ] You ’ ve been a part of DC Talk and Newsboys , two of the most influential Christian bands ever . What ’ s it like to be a part of a band that ’ s been around for so long ? Members have changed , so many songs , so many albums .
[ Michael Tait ] I feel like we ’ re just conduits and catalysts . Blessed carriers of this musical message . The members have changed , but the message stays the same . I love the fact that I get to be a part of a legend band and keep the music alive . We ’ ll pass away , but the songs live on . We ’ re carriers of the good news and it ’ s an honor to be that .
[ Matt ] How have you seen Christian music change over the years ?
[ Michael ] When you listen to Christian radio today , most songs are vertical . DC Talk was pretty horizontal with social conscious lyrics . Now there ’ s a heavy lean on worship . I ’ m not a worship writer , my life is worship and how you treat people is worship . But it ’ s tough sometimes when you are used to being a “ pop ” writer , but I ’ d still honor God and talk about God . I like to keep both . When the vertical is in place , the horizontal is in place too . I think the music has changed quite a bit , and it ’ s great because it ’ s where people are at .
[ Matt ] Tell us about your new single “ He Lives ”. It ’ s more of a congregational worship song .
[ Michael ] It really is . We do some songs that we don ’ t write . We try to chase the art and what ’ s working . One of my favorite things we do in Newsboys is take songs that are out and
put our spin on it . “ He Lives ” our manager Dave Wagner brought it to us . I heard it at church , and it was such a powerful message for Easter and about how our God is not dead because he lives . Exactly what we talk about . People at our concerts are also church goers so it ’ s a familiar factor for our shows .
[ Matt ] How do you guys continue to keep things fresh in songwriting and touring ? I can imagine singing the same song can get old so many times . [ Michael ] Like everything else bro . I do believe the old cliche that if a man enjoys his occupation , he ’ ll never work a day in his life . We get tired , we get weary , we get delayed flights , we have a lot of responsibilities . But it ’ s such a beautiful thing to be able to do what you love to do . We keep it fresh because we enjoy it . If we didn ’ t enjoy it , I ’ d be long gone .
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Matt McCoy Matt is a worship leader , songwriter and Ableton Certified Trainer from Chicago , IL . He has been using Ableton and tracks in worship since 2002 . He ’ s passionate about creating new products and teaching worship leaders and artists how to use technology in live performance . www . LoopCommunity . com 40 August 2023 Subscribe for Free ...