ChristOnLi : Welcome Everyone to Christianity Online and the Odeon Auditorium?

ChristOnLi : We are pleased to have the Newsboys with us this evening. Please put your keyboards together

ChristOnLi : and give them a nice round of applause.

ChristOnLi : Welcome Newsboys! Any opening commments?

NewsboysOL : Hello!

ChristOnLi : Let's begin with our first question.

Question : I'm 17 and my mom has cancer. Sometimes I wonder if

Question : God is so great, why do these this

Question : happen? Is it OK to have doubts? Do any of you ever have doubt?

NewsboysOL : We don't type very well, please forgive us!

NewsboysOL : Jeff says his mom

NewsboysOL : had cancer, but was healed of it.

NewsboysOL : We all go through our own doubts. Sometimes we have to walk by faith, not by sight.

Question : How did you first meet up with Steve Taylor and what is your relationship with him now?

Question : just wondrin' :) TH

NewsboysOL : He's my wife.

NewsboysOL : Just kidding. : )

NewsboysOL : We met him in Nashville four years ago and we've been hanging out with him ever since.

Question : WHEN ARE YOU GOING ON TOUR AGAIN? ARE YOU GOING TO COME TO HOUSTON ,TX ANY TIME SOON?

NewsboysOL : We'll be in Port Arthur with Steve Taylor, really close to Houston, the first day of November or 2nd.

NewsboysOL : Currently we're working on our new record, possibly titled TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER.

Question : What inspired the song, "When you call my name?" Did Peter used to be a Pastor?

NewsboysOL : A lot of the guys in the band and the crew are pastors' kids.

NewsboysOL : And it was watching our dads' struggles. It was dedicated to them and also the youth pastors.

Question : As a band, do you have any special plans for the future?

NewsboysOL : Just working on our new record and building a psycho new hydrolic kill-the-drummer rotating drum riser

NewsboysOL : And also lots of motocross riding.

Question : How did all of you meet?

NewsboysOL : Principle's office in high school.

Question : in the dark - is the suit still gold?

NewsboysOL : As long as it's charged up.

NewsboysOL : If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it make any noise?

Question : You guys are all so encouraging and so real. Your music is the best! No matter what others

Question : might say, you have fans who really love you. and we're praying for you all.

NewsboysOL : Thanks very much.

Question : hey john james...my 5 year old sister wants to know if you'll be her "cousin"....? She

Question : watches Not Ashamed alot

NewsboysOL : Yes, of course!

Question : hey guys, this is villanelle. We bought your red bus. where is the remote to the front

Question : t.v. haha!

NewsboysOL : We gave you such a good deal, we couldn't throw in the remote.

NewsboysOL : Did you look in the cracks of the seat?

Question : How do you pick the songs for your album? I really like your music, especially "Spirit

Question : Thing"!

NewsboysOL : We pick the ones that we like the most, and the ones we feel best represent us.

ChristOnLi : Chris Lutes wants to know what vegimite is?

NewsboysOL : Hi, Chris! Good to hear from you!

NewsboysOL : And you should know what vegemite is. We made you eat it.

NewsboysOL : It tastes like vegetable bullion.

Question : How did the Newsboys decide to sing Christian pop as apposed to mainstream pop music?

NewsboysOL : Coming from Australia, there was no Christian music industry so we just were playing just what was in

NewsboysOL : our hearts.

NewsboysOL : And still are!

Question : how long have you been playing?

NewsboysOL : The band started in about 1985.

Question : I was looking thorugh your profiles yesterday. One of you is from Indiana. How did you tag

Question : up with some boys from Down under?

NewsboysOL : He had a sign on him, said "Will play guitar for food."

NewsboysOL : And also we had to use him to translate.

Question : I just came in contact with your music several months ago. What does OI! mean?

NewsboysOL : It's like to get someone's attention, like "Hey!"

Question : How long have you been in America? Do you like it better here or in Aussie country?

NewsboysOL : We have been here on and off for seven years.

NewsboysOL : We love the beach at Nashville.

Question : what inspired the song "elleG"?

NewsboysOL : The death of Kurt Cobain and Vince Ebo, and how it affects the people left behind.

Question : Do you (those of you from down under) get back to Australia very much?

NewsboysOL : Usually once or twice a year.

Question : Which one of you is here tonight? Or are all of you?

NewsboysOL : All of us.

NewsboysOL : We just walked offstage five minutes ago. We're backstage getting ready to go on for the next

NewsboysOL : set in Chicago, IL.

Question : Is Steve Taylor involved in the new album?

NewsboysOL : Yes.

Question : How many times have you seen "Shine signs" at your concerts?

NewsboysOL : Every concert.

Question : HOW COME EVERYTIME I SEE YOU GUYS THERE ARE DIFFERENT MEMBERS?

NewsboysOL : We change our haircuts too much.

NewsboysOL : Really, most of these guys have been here for longer than people think.

NewsboysOL : No one's going anywhere.

Question : What is your favorite verse in the bible?

NewsboysOL : Psalm 139 - Peter

NewsboysOL : 1 Peter 5:7 - Phil

NewsboysOL : Romans 12 - John

NewsboysOL : Isaiah 26:3 - Jeff Jeff

NewsboysOL : Romans 5 - Jody

NewsboysOL : Psalm 112 - Duncan

Question : How was the concert tonight?

NewsboysOL : Loud.

NewsboysOL : Wunderbar.

ChristOnLi : What have you done, in your eyes, on the new record to really top Going Public?

NewsboysOL : Better songs, total band performance, all live, no sequences, samplers, computers, or other

NewsboysOL : artificial means of musical production.

ChristOnLi : Goaleee wants to know...

Question : How should I approach people with my faith in Christ without feeling totally embarassed

NewsboysOL : Be a good example and let your life speak for the

Gospel. (Make 'em wonder what you got)

ChristOnLi : Where do you guys see CCM going? What are your concerns? What excites you?

NewsboysOL : We hope it doesn't become too commercial and people concentrate more on Christ than the industry.

NewsboysOL : God's not for sale.

Question : I heard that you guys pulled off "Going Public" with a really small budget and have been

Question : freed up to spend the Big Bucks on the new album...what are some exciting things you've been able

Question : to do on this album.

NewsboysOL : We've got Tom Lord-Alge mixing the record, who just mixed the new live record, THROWING COPPER

ChristOnLi : Gecko is asking and asking...

Question : what do you think of islam

NewsboysOL : God loves everyone, and there's many religions out there, but there's only one way to Christ.

NewsboysOL : Only one way to God, through Jesus.

Question : How many years has the Newsboys been a group. We are five people 'round the computer as

Question : BillQuill

NewsboysOL : Hi, BillQuill. We started in 1985.

ChristOnLi : How do you handle the popularity issue?

NewsboysOL : We shave our heads and make ourselves ugly.

NewsboysOL : There's nothing special about us. We pray that God uses us and keeps us real.

ChristOnLi : Why are you involved in the Counter Culture tour?

NewsboysOL : We believe in the message of right from wrong.

Question : how did you break into the music business in australia? are there a lot of bands trying?

Question : whats the scene like there?

NewsboysOL : Play louder than everybody else. And Australia is spelled with a capital "A" : )

Question : When is your new record coming out?

NewsboysOL : It was meant to come out in December, but we ditched some songs so we're looking at it coming

NewsboysOL : out in February. It's called TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER.

Question : I was just wondering what your biggest challenge in life has been? Do you use your

Question : challenges to write your music or does it come from something else?

NewsboysOL : Our songs are written from our life experiences and our challenges, and our biggest challenge has

NewsboysOL : been finishing this new record.

Question : Tell us about the wedding coming up early next year.

NewsboysOL : It's February 10th, Philip, the bass player is tying the knot.

Question : yo, john where'd ya get the tinfiol suit?

NewsboysOL : I ate lots of baked potatoes and hershey kisses and saved them because I knew one day, they would

NewsboysOL : come in handy!

Question : I was at the concert when your equipment was late and you bought us pizza.....I was

Question : wondering if you were going on tour with Petra again or with someone else??

NewsboysOL : We don't have any present plans for teaming up with Petra again for a tour.

Question : where is the keyboardist and how long has he been playing?

NewsboysOL : He's standing right behind me.

NewsboysOL : Been playing for 15 years, and he's looking for a good Christian girlfriend.

Question : Will yall make special appearances at benefits....say a benefit for a Senior class at a

Question : Christian School?

NewsboysOL : Yes, if we were in the area.

Question : Will you be coming to the great metropolis of

Philadelphia (or thereabouts) on your tour

Question : with Josh McDowell?

NewsboysOL : Yes, we'll be at Hershey Park Arena in the fall.

ChristOnLi : Olivia Newton John asks...

Question : How come your accents don't come through when you sing?

NewsboysOL : We were wondering why American bands accents don't come through, either! They sound Australian to us.

Question : HOW DID YOU ALL GET STARTED? I'M IN A BAND AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO ADVANCE.

NewsboysOL : Practice and playing any gig you can.

NewsboysOL : Birthday parties, bar mitsvah's, anywhere there's free food.

Question : I love your music! Do you have a fan club?

NewsboysOL : Yes, the address is 1710 General George Patton Drive, Brentwood, TN 37027.

ChristOnLi : To John James - one word - Poverotti

NewsboysOL : The three tenors rule!

ChristOnLi : Being busy out on the road how do you handle stress?

NewsboysOL : We have wrestling matches on the bus.

NewsboysOL : And ride motorbikes.

Question : How do you like Jesus N.W. festivals?/OR and when are you coming back?

NewsboysOL : The crowd there is one of the best of the summer and we'd love to be back there next year.

NewsboysOL : It's one of our favorites.

NewsboysOL : I just wish we could play louder!

ChristOnLi : We have time for a couple more questions.

Question : Do you have plans to use interactive CD's in the future?

NewsboysOL : Yes, we're just waiting for the right format to come

Question : Does that silver suit of yours block out radioactive waves?

NewsboysOL : For a long time, when I originally bought it I was told it does.

NewsboysOL : But the guys inform me that when I sleep at night in my bunk I glow and I've also lost all my hair.

Question : Newsboys? Why name your group Newsboys?

NewsboysOL : We're sorry.

NewsboysOL : We were young and that was the only thing we could spell.

Question : How do you decide what your stage effects will be?

NewsboysOL : We just pick the things that will freak the crowd out the most.

ChristOnLi : Are there any Cultural tensions within the band, since not all of you are originally from the US?

NewsboysOL : We have problems with the Australians talking in their native tongue.

ChristOnLi : Time for one more.

Question : are you coming to tucson, az anytime soon?

ChristOnLi : Sorry wrong question

ChristOnLi : Are there any new acts on Forefront that excite you?

NewsboysOL : If a band plays in the woods and no one hears them, do they make any noise?

NewsboysOL : Do the chipmunks still die?

NewsboysOL : Our manager has left the building, so we're not sure if we'll be in Tucson.

NewsboysOL : We don't know, we're not on Forefront.

ChristOnLi : Thanks for joining us tonight guys. Any final comments?

NewsboysOL : This has been fun. Can we do it again?

NewsboysOL : We've gone back on stage now.

ChristOnLi : Have a great night everyone. Be sure to tip your waiters.

ChristOnLi : Drive home safely.

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Ah, I could read Newsboys chats all day long. You can too? Well, go read some more!