Coffee and music tend to go hand in hand. So each time I have a cup, I try to pair a song along with it. Pretty sweet gig. And like my favorite Starbucks blend ,Sumatra, the southern rock band Disciple has got some definite edge [extra bold]. I recently had a chance to talk with Disciple front man, Kevin Young. We chatted about music, the digital takeover, a collaboration with rapper 50 Cent and How to Save a Life.
JANET SANDERS: So what’s up, how are you today?
KEVIN YOUNG: I’m doing just fine.
I drove home last night, we’ve been
Recording this week in the studio in Tennessee.
JS: I did a bit of research earlier on the internet
But now my connection is off..
KY: Well, you’ve got me as
A connection, which is better than the internet.
You know… I can tell you lots of things you
probably don’t want to put in here.
JS: How did Disciple get together?
KY: We’ve been together so long it’s ridiculous.
You know like…
JS: Since high school?
KY: Yeah, like when teenagers first start getting like,
“Man, let’s be in a band!”
That’s literally how long we’ve been together.
JS: Let’s talk Dove Awards…
How did it feel to win the Christian music industry’s
equivalent to a Grammy?
KY: You know… I never thought it would
mean as much to me as it does, I guess it’s because we
lost so many Doves that actually winning one really
means something.
JS: You're my go to guy aren't ya?
KY: Yeah! I do all of the lyrics, and everybody
Helps out with the music. Brad Noah helps, but
he just retired from the road.
JS: Retire? Retire?!...
KY: I use the word retired,
but I don’t really want to because he’s going
to come back eventually. [Haha] He just needed to take
a break and get off the road a while .But we’re recording
a new CD right now and he’s going to be playing
guitar for it.
JS: Is there any Brad replacement?I mean..we need one, yeah?
KY: Yeah, it’s funny because we have two guys
Replacing him on the road.
JS: As far as touring goes what are some
of the coolest places you’ve played?
KY: We started going overseas back in ‘98
and somehow we got this…following in Germany.
I don’t know how it happened, I can’t even explain
it to you, but for some reason we’re like ten times
bigger in Germany than we are in the U.S. I don’t how
it happened, I just know that every time we go over
there it’s crazy.
JS: Do you guys have a big turnout at U.S shows?
KY: It obviously depends on where we are, we’re
not big in every city, but we’ve got places where
we do better than others.
JS: You’re the lead singer and I’ve checked
out a few of the songs…a lot of screaming. Is
there any preparation for that? Do you like
down honey or green tea?
KY: …I should!
JS: How’s your voice now?
KY: Well, my voice is fine as long as I’m not sick
and get enough sleep. If I don’t get enough sleep…it’s done.
If I sing while I’m sick, then I’ll be screwed for like the next two weeks.
JS: Royally screwed?
KY: I’ve been to a doctor a few times for my voice and tried
to implement a few things they showed me, but I haven’t put
as much time into it as I should. If anybody ever thinks that I’m
a good singer it’s, you know, dude, it’s ignorance.
JS: I checked out the Myspace page and
listened to a few songs. I’ve heard some stuff
somewhere before. I remember never listening
to Disciple, but those songs seem familiar.
KY: Are you ready for me cause I’m ready for you?
JS: I would scream it, but that's not my profession obviously.
KY:[ Haha] Yeah, it has been on CSI Miami commercials for a week, WWE Wrestling used it
for one of their paper view programs as a theme song
along with the DVD’s they have-it’s on the main menu.
JS: How would you describe Disciple‘s sound? Is it
heavy metal or just a genre jumper?
KY: Yeah. You could say whatever you wanted about
the music and I would probably agree with you.
Some people call it rap metal.
JS: Rap metal? A little Rage Against the Machine?
KY: Yeah, I mean, there are moments.
I wouldn’t push it to the corner of just that. You know,
I think we have so many influences. It’s one of the blessings I think, because
none of the guys in the band have anything in common musically.
JS: Who are your influences?
KY: Oh man, when I say we have nothing in common…
We’ve got Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Stevie Wonder and Prince,
Radiohead, The Cure. You name it.
JS: As an artist, who would you like to get work with?
KY: We just enjoy doing what we do and we’re
really so thankful to be around doing what we’re doing
that I would actually enjoy doing something with anybody.
You know…whoever. Obviously, you’ve got your little dreams of playing a show with U2
or something.
JS: If 50 Cent called you up and said hey man, I want to
do a record, would you jump on that?
KY: What, sing on his album?
JS: Yeah. 50 Cent. Would you do that?
KY: Yeah. Wouldn’t even think about it.
JS: You would just say yes?
KY: Yeah, absolutely.
JS: That would be an interesting sound. I’d love to hear what comes from that.
KY: Yeah, I mean, we’re a Christian band and We’ve opened up for Saliva and other bands. We take our approach Especially with other people that are in the industry as… they’re an
artist and they’re sharing their life and faith with their audience.
We share our life and our faith with our audience too . We may all talk and speak
different, but at the same time, it doesn’t mean we can’t play shows together or
write songs together.
JS: Most of your songs don’t sound like the stereotypical
Christian song. How big of a part does your faith play in
the making of the music?
KY: I’m not ashamed of Christ, I’ve given him my life. At the same time, I hate
that we have to be called a Christian band. If someone wanted to
write a song about how they hate the war in Iraq would they be
a political band now? If someone wanted to write about what it’s
like to be gay… would they be a gay band now? “No.” Just because
we have this faith and sing about Jesus, we’re a Christian band. And it’s
like no, dude… we’re a band.
JS: You mentioned recording earlier, how’s that album coming along?
KY: It’s going really great. The name of the new album
is Southern Hospitality. We grew up in the late eighties and their were all of these hair bands…
JS: So this is going to be sort of a flashback album?
KY:Yeah, we just kind Of said We love this stuff, let’s write an album on that. So it’s just like…a guitar album.
JS: The eighties were awesome…
KY: And then, actually Tim (Barrett) too. You know, Tim just lays
back, does whatever the song calls for and doesn’t do a bunch of flashy
stuff- and he’s wearing it out on this album.
JS: How do you feel about music this day and age.
It seems like no one buys cd’s anymore- it’s
all digital.
KY: I wish I didn’t have to think
about it , cause I would just play.
Times have changed and people have changed,
there aren’t even records or cassette tapes anymore- times have just
changed like that. I think Radiohead did a great thing when they came out-
JS: ..sold their album online
KY: Yeah. I think that would probably work really well if
we decided to do it. I mean, it’s changing man, and we’re definitely
going to have to be aware of the changes.
JS: For you it’s all about the music- I can tell, there’s
definitely passion there. How has this passion of yours
effected others? KY: Basically, I was praying and asking God if this was
my time to stop, you know- Should I go home and do
something else? And literally, within days of praying, this
girl came up to me at a concert- it really touched my heart.
She said that she was going to take her life, she had prayed
and asked God “If you’re real, if you really love me- just tell me.”
She said that after she finished praying, she turned on the radio
and the very next song she heard was one of my songs, After the World.
She heard that and just fell down and cried.
JS: Amazing. I definitely have not heard too many
stories like that.And coming from you- it's brilliant. It seems as if that moment surpasses
winning a Dove..
KY: Absolutely. Yeah…absolutely.
*Like it? Love it? Let em' know. You can listen to Disciple here. Also, be sure to pick up the new album, Southern Hospitality, available everywhere music is sold.
Posts
