The Many Dialects of Daniel Amos

An Interview with Terry Taylor

by Red Squirrel Flying

Encore Magazine November/December 1981

Daniel Amos is a bit like JAWS. Just when you think it's safe to go ahead and inflate an interpretation of what the band is up to... these creative innovators paddle off in another direction, led by Terry Taylor. They've taken a daring step of faith with their latest Alarma! release and expanded their audience and range of topics. Although followers of DA should be used to surprises from their first three discs, the change in the band's sound and ambitious touring schedule could hardly have been predicted. In one daring stroke, DA has molded style influences from the 60s surf, 70s pop and new wave, 80s frenetic dance rock into their own interpretation of avant-garde 80s art/pop rock with fresh lyrical imagery. Their shifts in styles, textures and emotions give diversity to the Christian substance of their lyrics. With all this in mind, come with me for a chat with Terry Taylor.

RSF: Terry, it's good to talk with you again. I'm going to start off by establishing the purpose of Daniel Amos for new fans. Why are you guys doing this?

TT: I don't do interviews!

RSF: The new DA is a real streamlined operation. Why have you stripped the band back to four members?

TT: Well, the Lord leads people in various ways. We started out with a 4-man band and grew to a 6-man band and now back to four. It's just God leading people in and out of the group. One of the reasons we are down to four is that two of the fellows left as we mutually felt God was calling them into another area. We considered perhaps going back to a five-man band, but started working with four again... and it worked.

RSF: Do you find it gives you more freedom?
TT: Yes, it gives more freedom in many areas, including the practical area of travel. As far as musically, it's just a whole lot of fun. When we were a 6-man group, everyone played and produced this whole wall of music. As a 4-man unit, it's more streamlined. I think it's tighter, and it's definitely more stimulating for me because it's a new thing.

RSF: Why at this point, and presumably into the future, are you not doing many of the old fave DA songs or styles that people have associated you with? (Terry chuckled when I asked this one.)

TT: Well, we haven't totally abandoned some of the old tunes. We still work one or two in occasionally. DA is no longer country-rock. I've always said that if we were to remain flexible, we need to be open to new things. Next year, we may be doing polka music.

RSF: Great... whatever works (I laughed this time)

TT: I feel Christian groups need to be challenged, just like in your Christian walk. You're a babe for a while and then you need to go on to deeper things. I think too many bands are oldies acts. They become sort of dead and stagnant, I feel. One of the things we've always tried to do is be open to change. It's exciting. I don't think I'd be with the band if were still doing the old music. I don't think DA would be around. We're constantly experimenting and being challenged musically and it's fun.


RSF: It excites me because every time you come into town, you're doing something different. I think it's fabulous. Are some supporters surprised?

TT: Some are a bit confused. The changes are over a period of time, and we're aware of them as they gradually happen.

RSF: It's gradual for you, but at one year intervals or so it's surprising to some.

TT: Some who see us only occasionally go 'What in the world has happened?'

RSF: You are really moving on with and ahead of the times in musical stylings. How are you finding your new music being received on this tour?

TT: I think wonderfully. Although you don't know what everyone thinks, I feel it's been received very well. All the way along, people have come up and said 'I've really enjoyed your new material.' I'm happy with the reception.

RSF: I really don't think there is anything that should be labelled secular except sin. How do you feel about that?

TT: Well, music is music. I think we should be m ore interested in the source. C.S. Lewis wrote about church music and the heart that it emanates from, as well. For example, we can take a hymn which seems to be the acceptable standard within the church and ask ourselves what it is that makes that music pleasing to God. Is it because in itself, it's a pleasing song when performed? No, God looks at the heart. In a choir, a person can have a heart that is open to the Lord or closed -- and yet be singing "How Great Thou Art." I think God is looking at the source of that music... looking at the heart. He's more concerned with that. I don't think rock 'n' roll music is inherently evil. In Christian music, it isn't the music -- it's the message that's being channeled through the music. And that message is either good, bad or indifferent.

RSF: Your lyrics have changed in their focus and delivery style. What's the reason, and what do you expect to accomplish? They seem quite honest.

TT: I hope the reason for the change is growth in a couple of areas, both artistically and spiritually. I'm happy about the lyrics because they really come from the heart. The lyrics on Alarma! are born out of my own personal experience. The light of God's spirit was shed on my own heart and I'm seeing in a way that I haven't seen for a long time. Exactly what my personal Christianity is all about. As a result, Alarma! was written and worked out in the band and brought into the studio. There is a freshness and a vitality about the lyrics that's also complemented by the music. It was a very flowing, sweeping sort of project, with all the songs being given in a very short period of time.


RSF: I love the fresh imagery. It's so unique.

TT: Yes, I'm excited about that because I feel the touch of God. I'm not trying to be... I almost feel...

RSF: Over spiritual or anything?

TT: Yeah - I'm excited in the way I was excited about Shotgun Angel. I felt the same sort of flow to that whole project. This is a very personal album to me. It's a finger pointing at myself. Hopefully, out of that others will be able to identify. It's up to the Holy Spirit to convict the listener. These are just words.

RSF: What are your standards of success in DA

TT: Well, worldly success is usually an accumulation of things... or what your salary is. How many cars you have. If you're living in a house, how many TV sets and the whole thing. The standard for success in my life as a Christian is that I have been true to my calling. I've been absolutely true to what God has called me to. And that's the success of Daniel Amos. DA's success is based on fulfillment of what God has called us to and nothing else. It;s now how many times we've appeared in magazines; it's not how well our albums are received; it's not how much money anybody makes.

RSF: Speaking of money, are you able to make a living from DA? I sure can't make a living writing about you.

TT: We are able to eke out a living. My prayer is that God would keep us from poverty so that we're not stealing, but never give us too much that we'd forget Him. I think that's where we want to be. I know I want to be there.

RSF: Does criticism from various individuals within the Body of Christ bother you? How do you deal with that? Do you feel people tend to look up to musicians?

TT: Of course this condemnation bothers me. I'm a human being, so it does hurt, and a lot of times people forget that we're flesh and blood. What people do, by and large, is put musicians on a pedestal. They project you there, then they get upset that you're on a pedestal and they want to bring you down. You may not feel that you're there at all. I feel almost intimidated by being on a stage, because I recognize that we're in front of somebody. I can feel that projection on the part of people, and what I've been consciously trying to do lately is allow people to see we're members one of another. I just happen to be the guy standing on stage with a guitar that sings songs.

RSF: How do you feel about musicians being interviewed? Is it fair?

TT: I feel worried in a sense about doing interviews. The reason is that there's kids in the audience that maybe should be interviewed. They're just humble little servants that nobody hears anything about. I think God looks at those of us who climb up on the stage in probably way. And I don't welcome that. Once before with you, we talked about a healthy fear of God... I do feel that.

RSF: It's a necessary ingredient of the normal Christian life. It's not just an awe or respect, but a fear of God.

TT: We're members one of another and there's equality in that. I don't think that we've always been the humblest of people, because we live our Christian lives before a crowd really. Our growth, our weaknesses... they're exposed for people to see. If we've in any way brough about the idea of DA being up on a pedestal, then I would humbly submit that in the eyes of God. We are just members of the Body of Christ. That's what I want to remain.

RSF: What's your advice to young Christian musicians?

TT: I would start at the bottom line and say being faithful in the small things is most important. As a young musician, when I got saved, I knew God was calling me to get out there in the world and let them know. But God wasn't going to give me that until there had been a proving and humbling period, That's what the song "Big Time, Big Deal" is all about, as well as other things. Not many young musicians come up and say 'You know, God is calling me to play at my Sunday School class or at my neighbor's house' I think He does call people to do the humble and they miss it. So what I'm really saying is become a servant.

RSF: How do you feel about some of the hype within the Christian music industry?

TT: I've had a lot of thoughts about that lately and expressed some of those thoughts on the Alarma! album.



RSF: There's a real dilemma we seem to face in the area of image-building.

TT: Yes, and it's cause in my life for fear and trembling because we're caught up in selling personalities. We are, by and large, more interested in selling the product than perhaps preaching the gospel or being concerned with real issues in this world in which we live. I think there's a whole image-making machine that is part of our Christianity that quenches the Spirit of God. I think God grieves when he looks at the commercialism that's crept in.

RSF: Would you say that there is a spirit of competitiveness that is involved or is a root cause of some of what we're seeing in that area of concern?

TT: I think that there are two sorts of competitiveness. One between Christians can really be a challenge to seek God in a greater way - in a deepening of your spiritual life. I ran into a guy the other day who memorized 14 books of the Bible. And he knew them. I was challenged in a sense to go on and learn greater things. The other aspect is commercial: How many records did we sell? Who had the better ad? We throw words around in reviews like "The greatest Christian album to ever come out" and the whole shlock. I think DA has been, in some respects, part of the problem in being caught up in that tackiness. I want to be an enemy of that.

RSF: How do you feel about performing in rock clubs?

TT: Well, we caught some flak from Christians for some club dates we've done, but I have no apologies about that. Some people feel that the minute you go into a club, you're associating with the sinners. Wasn't there someone else who started that?

RSF: Didn't Jesus do that?

TT: Yeah, I think that is mentioned in the Bible. I would say that the bottom line is we are going to be as flexible as we possibly can be. We'll allow God to take us anywhere He wants us. If God wants me in a club to proclaim his message, I'm going to do it. And I make no apologies for that. I'll go out to those that are in need. I also think we can address and minister and challenge the Christians as well.

RSF: I see that much of your new music is ministering to the Christians. Would you agree?

TT: I think Alarma! is definitely body-oriented which is real different for us. It was a conscious effort. But I still like the idea of being able to take our Christianity to the common man, to those who really need to know. In England, after we played at the Greenbelt Festival to thousands, we had an opportunity through our hotel owner to set up and play at a pub down the street. He invited all the hotel guests to come and join those already there. They came down, and we all played a full-on gospel concert with Tom Howard. It was beautiful. The manager of the hotel made a little speech after we were done and said "You've made Christianity real to us." To me, that was greater than even the festival... which was an incredible experience. That little pub ministry, with the intimacy, was something that I hope we can do more of.

RSF: Have you considered opening for more major bands on tour?

TT: Well we opened for Robin Lane & The Chartbusters in Boston and also some L.A. bands. I won't limit God. If it opens up, praise the Lord, we're ready to go.

RSF: What sort of things do you work at when you're home off a tour?

TT: I've entered into some production projects. I'm producing and playing with Rebel Base Productions. I worked on Tom Howard and Randy Stonehill's new albums. In the future, I feel I really want to do some producing. I've had my experience with Daniel Amos and it's been real good for that. Also I'm doing a little bit of writing. I'm a real children's literature freak and so I'm trying my hand at some of that. I hope that will develop.

RSF: I think it's neat that Debie and your son Andrew can be on tour with you often. Do you think you'd be interested in producing children's music?

TT: That's another possible project. Tom Howard and I were talking recently about collaborating on a children's album. We think there's room for more good-quality children's material. I'd really like to try my hand at it.

RSF: Within the themes on Alarma! you're touching down on Christian isolationism, being our brother's keeper, spiritually immaturity, our blind spots and hangups, and getting rid of this shell of Christianity we've been living. Would you comment on this superficiality?

TT: One of the lines in the title cut "Alarma!" is "Sugar Cane and cellophane is playing at the radio station" and I'm afraid I've observed that in Christian music. There seems to be a superficial focus permeating Christian music and Christianity in general.

RSF: Just downright mediocrity period. Overproduced Christian ditties?

TT: Yes exactly. I think it's more mediocre now that it was years ago. By and large I think we're going backwards. I think we're putting horns on it, and strings on it, with big fab productions... but really what's being said is gutless. There's little challenge. I realize there are a few exceptions to this general statement. Alarma! does deal with cutting ourselves off and just being a subculture. It does deal with starvation. If I could say anything about Alarma!, it's that the finger is pointing at my own heart. I've had to take a really hard look at my own life and see if I'm living a shell... just a cultural Christianity... or a faith that is God-given.

RSF: Do you feel that we've created an institution of the church that is somehow depersonalizing? Perhaps we try too hard to make clones?

TT: I definitely see that. I think the Lord did preach to the masses, but yet, He was caring, loving and concerned for the multitudes. I think when you create a church structure that's run more and more like a business, it loses its relationship to the people. So rules are established, with no ability to take exception tot he rule... which you have to do if you're dealing with individuals with personal needs. You get into the "Disneyland Syndrome" with neat little lines everybody gets into and moves through. It gets set up that way because there's so many people going through and you have to keep this neat little thing happening.

RSF: How do you feel it should be?

TT: I feel that Christian fellowship is a buzz of activity... it's people, it's babies crying, it's people going to the restroom, it's exchange, it's sharing, it's weeping, it's rejoicing, it's all these things. It's action. It's love and it's exciting. I think often we sort of lose that reality. We can lose that element and just sort of sanitize the factory outlet. In one door, out the other... take a number, you know.

At this point, Terry's little boy Andrew got into the act and became enthralled with my beard. Debi Taylor warned me that he pulled beards. As I drew my beard in, Andrew went for the fast forward on my tape deck. There was a definite feeling the interview had come to a halt and it was time for some fellowship. I was also out of tape. I want to encourage my readers to faithfully pray for Terry Taylor, Jerry Chamberlain, Marty Dieckmeyer and Ed McTaggart who make up the band. As for Dan Amos himself, not much is known about the elusive character. He seldom shows up with the band and always lets Terry do the interviews. He refused to take any album credits on Alarma!, won't allow his photograph to be published. I understand his father named him after two Old Testament prophets. He is presently working on Alarma! Chronicles Vol. II. It goes without saying that Dan is one of the top Christian band managers. He cane sometimes be found at Guitars Afire in Long Beach, California. Dan's favorite scripture is Proverbs 15:15.