More of this Feature • Part 1: The Event • Part 2: Audio Adrenaline Interview • Part 4: Skillet Interview • Part 5: Bleach Interview

Related Resources • Summer Festivals • Festivals and Events • 2003 Concert Database

Elsewhere on the Web • Rock the Universe • Newsboys Official Site

Kim: Festival Con Dios is going to be kicking off in September this year on the 12th.

Duncan: Yeah! We're really excited to be on that again. I think that this is the third year that Festival Con Dios has been going and it's gone from strength to strength. We feel really strong about it. We were on it the first year it went out and had a blast. We had the best time. The band's really looking forward to it again. The great thing is that there are nine other bands there. You really get to have some great hang time with the other bands and to kind of chill back stage. I still have friendships that I've maintained from the first festival. You know, usually as a band, 'cause you're so busy and you're touring, you don't get that much time to spend with other bands. Where FCD is great is in the camaraderie that's formed in that eight weeks. Really, unity is our strength within Christendom. FCD is this family show. It starts around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Most of the tickets that are sold are families that are coming to have a great time at a mini festival. What we wanted to do with it was to go to places that don't really have festivals that are close to them and bring that Christian Festival experience to their town. the response has been fantastic and we're really excited to be going back out on that this year.

Kim: You guys have Rock the Universe coming up too.

Duncan: Yeah! We've played Rock the Universe for quite a few years now and it's really great to go down there and play Universal. The kids, they come and they ride the rollercoasters all day and check out the theme-park and then see one of their favorite bands that night. We really enjoy it, it's a blast.

Kim: Do you hang out for a while when you're there and ride all the rides and do the whole Universal thing?

Duncan: (laughs) We used to! We did that when we were a little bit younger. Now that we're a little bit older, we've ridden every ride about 10 times. Probably my favorite one is the T2 Experience. Spiderman is awesome too. They're all great killer rides. The people at Universal are so great every year. They're so gracious and they kind of bring us in, put their arms around us and take care of our every need. They're just awesome ... they're really, really great and very hospitable.

Kim: I know that the road can be tiring and leave you weary, but what's the best part of being on the road?

Duncan: The food! (laughs) Catering is awesome. Seriously, you get to play a different crowd every night and from a musical point of view it's always different. You might think that you're just playing the same songs every night, but every crowd is different and you tend to play the songs a little bit different. It's great to see a different city, meet different fans, play a different venue. Also, on a more personal note, the camaraderie we have with each other is just the best time. We get to hang out with our best mates and do what we love to do. Last but not least is the food. Definitely the food! (laughs)

Kim: So what's the worst part of being on the road?

Duncan: The worst part, obviously, is being away from your family. Being away from my little girl. She's 13 months old now so that's definitely the hardest part. I can be away for a week and she just changes so much. As happy as I am to see her, I have a little sad spot in my heart because I've missed that week. And of course, my wife too, my bride. So obviously I miss my family terribly while I'm away.

Kim: How do you think the band has grown and changed over the years?

Duncan: It's been on so many levels. Musically we have. As you keep on writing and as you just get older, what you like changes. When I was 16, the more guitars and the louder the better. As I've gotten older, I've started to appreciate other forms of music. There's obviously that within the band. Also on a spiritual level, hopefully that we've progressed and I believe we have, not only as a band, but also individually. I believe that has definitely come through in our music. I'm really excited for the band. Even though we've come this way and grown and developed, in a sense I feel that it's just the beginning for us. I feel that there's a new, fresh spirit in the band and I'm really excited going forward to what the Lord has for the band, not only musically, but also spiritually.

Kim: With the infusion of teen artists in the CM industry, do you ever worry that you'll get "too old" to connect with the younger audiences?

Duncan: No, it's never an age thing that you don't connect. It's the music that would concern me. I'm never worried about getting older as far as connecting with people because it's all about the music. If you've the songs and you've got the lyrics to go along with those songs, you're gonna connect. I could count a myriad of rock bands that are in their 40's and 50's that are writing music that still connect. My worry is never that. It's whether the music itself connects. We'll get older, we can't change that. Whether I look a little bit old on stage or not, that really doesn't bother me. Our fans are so loyal and so great. They've been with us from the beginning. I think that it will actually attract fans as we get older because as we've gotten older, they've gotten older too. They were kids when they first started listening to us and now they're adults with children. We're finding that it's becoming much more of a family affair now where mom and dad are coming to rock out with their kids. Originally rock and roll was this divisive thing that separated children from their parents. We're seeing that this music is actually bringing families together and that's exciting. It's a real evolution of pop music and I'm real excited about it. I look out in the crowd and I see grandmothers out there, but I see 7 and 8 year olds out there too and it's really exciting for us.

Kim: If you could go back and change anything about your life or your career in music ministry, would you?

Duncan: No, not a thing. I believe that as Christians we have a destiny. We can walk outside of that destiny. Obviously when you're growing up you make mistakes and kind of walk off of the path every now and then. But as far as the bigger picture of what God has done in all of our lives in the band and where we are at the moment, as far as the script goes, I couldn't have written it any better. I'm kind of glad in a sense that back in the early years we didn't massive success because I think it could have done some harm and some damage. We're a band that's continually gone up and up. We've never really exploded and then done other things. We've built a really solid foundation if fans. It's been a constant, gradual, up and up. As far as longevity and for our egos and our sanity, I think it's the best course that we could have taken as a band.

Kim: I've read that you guys play a lot of PS2 on the bus. My son, who at 12 is a PS2 junkie, would never forgive me if I didn't ask what your favorite games are.

Duncan: (laughs) I'm not much into the martial arts or anything like that. I know there's a lot of those kinds of games. I love driving games. Probably my favorite would be GP2, which is a Grand Prix motorcycle racing game. It's awesome. Grand Tarismo is great. I even like some of the kind of more fun ones like Wave Runner, the one where you're riding the jet skis, and MX Racers. That's one the whole band likes to play. We're all into motor cross so when we can't ride we get on the MX Racers.

Kim: You've been doing this for a long time now. Do you have any advice for an independent Christian band that is just getting started?

Duncan: Yeah, absolutely. I can only give advice on what we did. We got out there and played as much as we could. Work on your craft and on your instruments. Continually write songs. Always be writing, even if you don't think they're all that good. Sooner or later you'll write better songs because you've been working at your craft. If you really have got a talent and really are good, other people will notice that and other people will promote you. There is a part where you have to promote yourself because you want to promote what it close to your heart. But ultimately God is the one that promotes. God is the one that takes you to places where He knows you'll prosper. We can do what we can do, but ultimately if we keep it in our prayers and keep close to God... It brings back a Scripture that says "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added". So if you have a desire, and I believe God places those desires in your heart, if you have a desire to play Christian music there might be something to that. It's definitely worth going down that path. You know, God can only steer a ship that's moving. You know? Sometimes we sit in one place and say "oh God, do this and do that". There is a time to be still and know that He is God. But I think if we're moving in a certain direction, and it is in God's plan for our lives, then He can steer us in that way.

Kim: Awesome quote. That's song material too ... God can only steer a ship that's moving.

Duncan: See, I just gave you a song idea. (laughs) I'll give you my publishing information later. (laughs)

Kim: What would each of you say is the most important Scripture to your life right now?

Duncan: Oh my goodness, that's a tough one. There's so many. I like all of the Psalms. I like Psalms 112 which is probably one of my favorite Psalms. All of the Proverbs are great. You know, wisdom is in the Proverbs and Psalms. There's Matthew, Mark, Luke and John... the stories of Jesus ... it's all good. As far as a favorite kind of day to day ... wisdom, it would probably be between the Psalms and the Proverbs.

Kim: I really appreciate you taking out the time in your busy schedule to talk with me. Are there any last comments you'd like to make?

Duncan: No problem at all. I think I've pretty much said it all.

Kim: You guys have a great trip down to Mississippi, enjoy the southern hospitality and be blessed.

Duncan: We will, you know we will 'cause we love eating! You too. Thank you so much. Bye-bye.

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