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The Newsboys have a lot going on. There are new faces in the band, and an extensive new tour – “The Way We Roll Tour” – with new music. I spoke with the Newsboys’ drummer, a very relaxed Duncan Phillips, while he was at home with Jack, the youngest of his three children.
Q. How does it feel to be the last Aussie member?
A. I feel like there’s is a bit of a conspiracy to get all the Aussies out of the band. I’m the last one holding the fort down, you know?
Q. There are a lot of changes happening in the Newsboys with the exit of Peter Furler and the arrival of former dcTalk member Michael Tait as lead singer. Does it feel like a new start?
A. It does give us an incredible opportunity to reinvent ourselves as a band. Every time you do a record you are, in essence, re-applying for your job. With Michael coming on board, you have the best of both dcTalk and the Newsboys.
We already have a couple of songs completed, and it is freaking me out because it sounds like dcTalk and The Newsboys doing a record together! The demos I’m hearing from this record are some of the best I’ve ever heard, period. It’s going to be a very different flavor of Newsboys, but still a really great mix.
Q. The Newsboys and dcTalk have shared the same fans since the ’90s. Does it seem like the fantasy combo that you always hoped for but never believed would happen?
A. That’s right! Back in the day, if you were a Newsboys fan, it was a pretty good chance you were a dcTalk fan as well. Michael has always been part of our “in-crowd.” We invited him to be a guest in our Rock and Roll Hall of Fame video we did a few years ago. Whenever we had a party or a function, he was always one of the guys we called. So it was a very natural decision to ask him to join the band. There is no doubt in my mind that he is meant to be here at this time.
Q. How is Peter doing?
A. Peter is happy and he has been incredibly supportive. He was in a position where he just couldn’t go on emotionally and physically. We felt like we had two options. One was to quit altogether. Peter didn’t want us to do that, and the rest of us felt we still had something to say. The other option was to allow God to show us the next chapter of the Newsboys.
Q. How do you find a balance with life on the road and your family time at home?
A. It’s really just a different blocking of time. Instead of having just two or three hours a day to see your kids, when I’m home, I’m home. So, with little Jack-Jack here, who is 2 1/2 years old, I get to kick it with him all day. If you’re a nine-to-fiver, you might get an hour or so in the evening with your family after dinner and homework and spend time with them on the weekends.
Q. Do you think the buzz about Tait has overshadowed the return of your old guitar player, Jody Davis?
A. For Jody to come back is such a blessing. We are picking up where we left off, and that is a sign of a really great friend when you can do that after these years.
Q. You have become quite an avid Facebooker. When did you start that?
A. About three months ago. I really wanted to reconnect with fans, and technology has allowed me to do that. I have this great opportunity to feel the pulse of what people are thinking and talking about.
Q. How do people get in contact with you?
A. Just search “Duncan Phillips.” I have a friend page and a fan page. I started the friend page and about six months ago, they said I had too many people and they disabled me. I don’t want that to happen again, so we started the fan page.
