David Meadows was stuck. Wanting to write a song after a long day at work in Corporate America, he was uninspired, and unable to write anything on the page.
"Shut out the noise and say the most basic feeling," he said to himself, in increasing stillness. "I just want to feel inspired."
And then the first words to the song "Made For This" flew on the page: "
I want to see mountains move; I want to see giants fall."
That bold declaration is one that shapes the big thinking and massive ministry aspirations for Meadows' band,
Awaken The Hero. And as the trio recently released their sophomore effort,
Louder Than My Doubt, they're seeing creativity, impact and excitement begin to mount.
I was able to chat with the band about the new project, their passions, and what it means to bring something bigger than entertainment.
How did your group form? What are your individual musical backgrounds and how did you come together?
David Meadows (vocals/keys): We started as the praise band for a small local church in Acworth, Georgia. While we loved the weekly ministry to our congregation, we felt a calling to writing and producing our own original music with a purpose of awakening the Church to freedom in Christ.
Tell us about yourselves. Who are you guys? What are your secret identities (day jobs)? Families?
David: While music is my passion, technology pays the bills. I've worked for major Olympic sponsors around the world and at home for the best credit card company. Speaking of home, I have two young children, Micah and Willow, and my amazing wife, Mandy.
Greg LaBrie (guitarist): Like David, music is also my passion and joy. My wife Sherri and I have been married for 43 years. We are now both retired and enjoy a simpler life than our career days in the airline business and technology area of financial services. We enjoy international travel.
"Louder than My Doubt" is the new record, which is full of these messages of rising above your fear and going for it for Jesus. Was this message intentional, and why is it important for people to hear?
David: It wasn't initially a conscious decision to have that theme, but it is a central idea of "Awaken the Hero." As a songwriter and an introvert, I tend to write about things relevant to my life. I think that waking up the Church to its intended purpose is the greatest mission field out there, and to be authentic I need to start with myself.
In your bio, you write, "Life is too short to spend it being entertained." Talk about that a little bit, and how your music and ministry plays into this belief.
David: As Americans, we are a consumer society. Our days are spent working and our nights are spent escaping. Small decisions add up to our legacy, and in the end I don't think anyone cares how many shows I binge-watched. We are the hands and feet of the body of Christ, and one day I want to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord."
Musically, who are your influences, and how would you describe your sound to someone who hasn't heard it?
David: This is a tough one. This album especially is very diverse from track to track. In my younger days, I was influenced by Michael W. Smith and '90s bands like Pearl Jam. In general, I'd say if you like bands like Casting Crowns, Lifehouse or Jeremy Camp, you will find some songs you enjoy on our albums.
What are the dreams God has put in your heart for your music?
David: While you can't replace the connection with an audience in a live setting, the possibilities with technology these days are especially exciting. You can literally reach almost everyone in the world through the Internet, and I'd love to explore some more artistic avenues with storytelling through video and possibly some companion Bible study books. Ultimately, I just want to keep writing and creating as God gives me songs to share.
What's your live show like? What sets your events apart from what one might expect from a typical Christian pop/rock artist?
David: Between juggling our growing family and working in the studio for the past year on this album, we took a break from playing out. We are excited about some new video possibilities that we are working on to correspond with our songs, to make a deeper connection with our audience and make it less about seeing a concert, and more about a Spirit-filled experience.
Tell us about your songwriting process, and how you went about writing the baker's dozen tracks for the record. What were the easiest/most difficult parts?
David: Some songs just seem to bubble up over time and spill out onto a page. Others come from inspiration from a message or a book I've been reading, or an impactful family event like a marriage or death of a loved one. Generally, the song is 80 percent or more complete before I bring it to a creative session with the rest of the band. Once we get into the studio, the lyrics are locked down, but the style or vibe may change drastically with input from more creative minds.
What has been the response from the record since it came out? Any stories or particular responses that really stuck with you?
David: For Louder than My Doubt, the response has been very positive so far, and we've had lots of great reviews from fans and friends. One story that sticks out to me was from our previous album, and one of our songs "Washed in Red" was first getting some airplay, and a fan wrote to us talking about how they were driving along when the song came on and they had to pull over because they were so overcome with emotion. Stories like these, and impacts with people like this that we may never meet are what keep us motivated to continue!
What's next for you guys? How can people be praying?
David: We'd love to have others join us in prayer to help spread the message that we've been given. We want to keep creating and inspiring the body of Christ to reach the world for Him!
