Audio Adrenaline's New World View

It's difficult to get a straight answer out of Audio Adrenaline's Mark Stuart, Bob Herdman, Will McGinniss, and Barry Blair. Take, for example, our chat about the group's recent tour with DC Talk. When asked about the group's funniest experience, Mark responds, "[It was] probably when [DC Talk's] Kevin [Smith] got attatcked by the bull in Juarez, Mexico." Agrees Bob, "Yeah, that was funny." Will adds, "Or when Kevin stage dived and no one caught him." Explains Mark, "It was a bunch of junior high girls and they didn't know what to do."

Okay, enough about the life oand times of Kevin Smith, how has Audio Adrenaline changed over the past year? Says Bob, "Gotten a year older..." while Will adds, "[and] we've all grown a size or two in our jeans..." "No, no, I'm down," interrupts Mark.

As is obvious, Audio Adrenaline like to have fun, and it quickly becomes apparent how closely knit this band is--always goofing off, finishing each other's sentences and basically just appreciating life. But after a tour with Geoff Moore and the Distance, and more recently, DC Talk, AA has some interestng insights aobut their world and they are putting those insights to some cool tunes.

Combining hip-hop, rap and alternative rock for what they call "nurock," the guys admit they want creativity to be at the forefront of their style so they can provide their audience with great music and a Christian message. The self-titled 1992 debut album produced "P.D.A. [Public Display of Affection]," probably AA's most recognized tune (and first video). But humorous and infectious melodies and lyrics are pointing at a bit more serious theme on Don't Censor Me, the group's sophomore effort for ForeFront Records.

Lead vocalist Mark Stuart realizes the gravity of religious censorship. "['Don't Censor Me' is] about telling people not to shut us up," Mark says. "We're telling it to the secular world, mainly, not to censor us." He believes that if artists like Ice Cube and Dr. Dre can be played on the radio, artists with Christian messages shouldn't be censored just for saying the name of Jesus. "Why censor Christian artists at all from poery, literature, television or music? Let people hear the name of Jesus. A lot of people ask us, 'If you're against censorship, what about the bands that do say a lot of nasty stuff?' We would say, philosophically, you can say whatever you want as long as you allow us to say 'Jesus.' A cuss word is going to fade away. But the name of Jesus is going to last forever."

Though Mark comes out as the spokesman of the group, when the conversation turns to more personal matters, the rest of the band begins to speak up. Guitarist Barry Blair says he is continuing to learn about grace while living life that is pleasing to God. "There's a lot of pressure to try to make you conform to the world, or to what you don't believe is right or true. God has grace and he loves us all and he forgives us when we fail. But, it's important to try to live right."

Keyboard player Bob Herdman has faced challenges of his own while filling many roles on the business end of Audio Adrenaline. "In thinking about 'Can we sell this? Can we play more? Sell more?,' you come to a point where you go back to why you started doing it--ministry. This whole thing is to try to serve God."

Bassist Will McGinniss is looking at his life outside of the confines of Audio Adrenaline. "There's more that we could be doing for God. Sometimes when you're in a band like this and you travel a lot, you're like, 'Man, I'm doing it all for God and there's really no more I could do.'

Bob Herdman nevertheless appreciates what AA accomplishes as a band, and now the effect the band is having on lives is showing up in the letters they receive. "[Changing lives is] really what we want to do," Bob claims. "But, you don't realize it until someone tells it to you." He explains by telling the story of an unsaved friend attending one of their shows and being placed on the road to salvation through it. "She didn't get saved because of the show, but it helped and that's really cool."