DecemberRadio‘s Rock Ministry

Nov. 1, 2009

DecembeRadio’s Rock Ministry
By Kristi Kates 11/2/09

Spreading the gospel via rock & roll is the mission of DecembeRadio, a Virginia-based quartet that performs in Gaylord this Saturday.
The recording sessions for DecembeRadio’s fourth album began back in September 2007, broken up briefly by the band’s headlining tour in October and November of that year. But tracking soon took precedence again. Satisfied - the album they’re still currently promoting - hit stores in August of 2008 to serve as follow-up to their 2007 Dove Award-winning DecembeRadio album, which also garnered a nomination for “Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album” at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (they lost to Jonny Lang’s Turn Around.)
And now this Christian music rock band - comprised of Josh Reedy (lead vocals/bass), Brian Bunn (lead guitar/vocals), Eric Miker (guitar/vocals), and Boone Daughdrill (drums) - are hitting the road for their fall Love Can tour on which they’ll be bringing along special guests, SevenGlory and Sarah Reeves.

BAND ROLES
“Josh and I grew up in the same area, and started playing together in a band as kids,” Brian Bunn says. “We always knew that this is what we wanted to do, so we have worked hard throughout the years to make it a reality. We met the other guys in the band through our producer Scotty Wilbanks, and through an artist, Billy Wayne.”
Each bandmate has a well-defined role in the group, which may be a big part of why they’ve managed to stay level-headed and focused as their success has grown.
“Myself and Josh take care of most of the songwriting and musical end of things while Eric does a lot of the business, and Boone is the fun-loving, free spirit that keeps everybody smiling,” Bunn laughs.
Satisfied was recorded for the band’s new label, Springhill Records, at Southern Tracks in Atlanta, Georgia, where Bunn says albums have also been tracked for the likes of Aerosmith and Elton John. Wilbanks was on production duties, and also played keys on the set.
“Records are always hard work, especially when dealing with computers,” Bunn says. “But all in all, we love going into the studio and creating new songs.”

BLUES INFLUENCES
Musically, those songs reference a lot of blues-rock and ’70s-influenced hard rock, from The Black Crowes and Lenny Kravitz to Stone Temple Pilots and Lenny Kravitz. Band members have credited Eric Clapton and Keith Richards with their interest in guitar players. Guitarist Miker, specifically, is said to have first impressed his bandmates by throwing a Guns n’ Roses guitar line into a worship song, while singer Josh Reedy mentioned in a recent interview that their musical style is “bringing the old school to the new school.”
While DecembeRadio does play shows in many churches and halls - and they gather plenty of large audiences doing just that - they’re also considering booking their music into more traditional touring venues, so as to bring their music and message to a wider audience. But with a schedule that already keeps them on the road about 200 days out of the year (“about 150 shows a year,” Bunn says), they’re certainly not lacking any in fans.
This busy road life also dictates that the band has simply got to have just a few reliable things on their tour bus to get them through until the next show. “We must have coffee and Egg McMuffins in the mornings,” Bunn chuckles, “we also cannot live without our computers and cell phones, and as for myself, I have to have a guitar on board at all times.”
But while the perks are nice - necessary, even - for DecembeRadio, it’s the show that’s definitely the thing.
“We love to tour - because we get to travel to new places and take our music to more people,” Bunn concludes.

DecembeRadio will be performing with the Mark White Band on Saturday, November 7 at the Gaylord Evangelical Free Church. For more information, visit www.decemberadio.com or contact the Gaylord Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at (989) 732-4000.