CHRISTIAN SONGWRITER
[ WITH MARTIN SMITH | Bruce Adolph ]
[Martin] In 2009, Delirious played its last
concert in London. It was sad, and happy. It’s
not always easy to end things, and it was a
difficult decision to make. It affected 5 families,
and 17 children (6 of which are mine), so it was
a tough thing to do.
I had about a year then. Not a year off, because
I was still in the studio doing various things,
like helping out a guy named Tim Hughes with
his record and writing for him. But I came off
the road and I wasn’t away anymore. It was
an amazing time. I made that decision for my
family and for my kids, and I think that we’re
walking in the fruit of that. Thankfully, I’m still
Photos by Mary Caroline Russel married and I still have a friendship with all of
[WM] Let’s go back for a minute. I saw [WM] I promoted three of your concerts in my children. Being on the road is tough on
Delirious at the Creation East Festival when a row in the Great NorthWest. I would watch families, so I made the decision and I stuck to
you first hit the stage with a big show in the you, and at one point in the night you would sit it, and it’s been good.
United States. There were 50,000 people there. down and play the keyboard. You would play a When you walked on stage I was standing right song and, I swear you would just tilt your head, [WM] Tonight at the opening of this OutCry
there to the side and I got turned on to Delirious and it looked like you were just waiting for the Tour you said something to the audience that
live for the first time. Tell us, what was that like Holy Spirit to lead you for where to go next. set up the evening. You said that you didn’t
when you first hit that big American crowd? Were those mostly spontaneous times or was want the night to just be another Christian
there a set-list the whole way through? event or worship night. You wanted them to
[Martin Smith] I remember it very clearly,
walk away different.
but I also remember that we were making [Martin] We did have a set-list, but we would a transition from being an English worship always go off and find these moments where [Martin] I hope that didn’t come across as
band in a church to trying to play on these big we would try to connect with the people in a dishonoring, because we all love Christian
stages. We’d never been to America before, way that was exactly right for that night. It was events. But I think over the course of my life I’ve
and suddenly we walk out on stage to 50,000 like, “God, what do You want to do tonight? done so many of them, and we are only on this
people, and we were trying to figure out how to What do You want to say to these people?” planet for a short time. I want every moment to
take what we normally do in an intimate setting And it was different every night. That was what count and for God to touch people every time,
with 500 people and do it on a massive stage. Delirious was about. We could play our songs and not have it just be another tour where we
and do a pretty good job of that, but when we do our thing and get back on the bus. These
That was a huge learning curve for me. I don’t went off the script… that was where the magic are real people’s lives, and I want it to count.
think those early trips to America went that was. We’d all enter these moments of chaos, They are going to go out and change the world,
well. I think that God showed us a lot of grace and then something would come out of it that so I want it to touch people.
and God still blessed it, but I don’t think it was was beautiful.
that great sonically, or that I was a great front
It’s been great to connect with Bethel. I’ve
person. I just didn’t know how to perform for [WM] It was special. Bring us up to date now known those guys for many years, and some
those big crowds. It took me two or three years since Delirious. What have you been doing and of them grew up on the Delirious music, so it’s
of coming to America consistently, watching how did you make the relationship connection been amazing for us to connect. I’m a huge fan
other people and learning, to gain a bit with Bethel Church in Redding, CA? of what Brian and Jenn are doing, along with
more confidence.
26
the other guys, like Jesus Culture.
October 2017
WorshipMusician.com