Seldom has a rock-orientated praise and worship album made such a musical and spiritual impact as Survivor Records' 'All Around The World' release. Mike Rimmer spoke to the musicians who put the project together.

The technology actually allowed the pair of producers to work flexibly in recording 'All Around The World' as Dwayne explains, "When we got over to England we had a portable computer set up that we recorded with. As well as recording in a studio in Weybridge, we recorded in hotel rooms, in somebody's living room, down in Eastbourne, all over the place, and that's the beauty of technology. At the Eastbourne worship conference, we worshiped together in between two sessions on the last day of the conference. We still had one vocal to cut, for Beautiful Saviour', so we all ran back to the hotel, set everything up and Tim Hughes cut that vocal in about an hour then we ran back because he had another session to get to. He was teaching in a seminar. And so it was definitely an interesting process and it was a lot of fun, going all around. And then we brought it back here and tried to make heads and tails of it all. It was a lot of fun!"

One criticism of the album for Brits is that the material contained on the album is hardly new. Jason enthuses that it was the original British worship scene that inspired them. "I guess for us, musically, the British songs just sparked something in us, a little bit different than we've heard elsewhere, so it gave us something to pick up. Two years ago we were picking it up and doing it and these worship leaders were challenging us to grow. Now having a relationship with people that are writing the songs we're having the opportunity out of the relationship and friendship to challenge them to go a little bit further with what they're doing as well. I think everything happens in cycles, everything that was happening a few years ago was so fresh to us, that even now in England, to some of the people that we know, we're still singing some of the same songs that we were singing four or five years ago. It seems like '95 -'97 were the amazing years of worship in England."

Tim Hughes

From that period comes Matt Redman's "Once Again" but that song is so familiar that it must be difficult to find a new way of presenting it. In fact, they admit that initially they didn't want to have it on the album because it was such a familiar song. Jason explains, "It was a special request by Bill Hearn who runs the record label! This was the very last song that we did because we didn't know what to do with it. All the other songs we'd had ideas. Literally the day before we had to start mixing, we came up with an idea. It was actually Dwayne's brother, David, who came up with the guitar hook that we built it around. That song and Through The Veil' were the last two songs, that even after we cut the vocals for them, we didn't have the tracks. Tim and Matt sang 'Once Again' to just an acoustic guitar. Then while we were in England we had a friend who allowed us to go and visit Real World's Studios, Peter Gabriel's place. We got to hear some of the tracks that they were mixing for his new record and it sort of inadvertently inspired some of this. It was just some different sounds I hadn't heard before and the whole world music thing so we tried to incorporate some of that into what we were doing. It was just a fresh inspiration, so we came back and got these two tracks finished."

Jason and Dwayne continue to play a very creative role within the worship scene on both sides of the Atlantic. At a time when it seems that so many bands are turning in worship albums, Dwayne reflects that it wasn't always this way. "When we first started, a lot of people told us we were crazy! They asked whether we would ever do a real record again after this. That was the question because worship music wasn't considered as a real record. It's funny how a lot of those people are actually on their second praise and worship album now!" He chuckles and continues, "What was an odd thing and unthinkable and almost a taboo is becoming more the norm in Christian music and CCM. That's been one of my perspectives - if you're going to do music for the Church, then do music for the Church, rather than quasi entertainment stuff that a lot of times is second rate. I think you should either be out in the world doing music and doing it on a whole other scale, and literally on a world-class level. But if you're going to do music for the Church I think it needs to be worship. We're seeing a lot of people like Third Day totally taking off with a worship album where Sonicflood left off. Three years ago it definitely was not a cool thing to do and now the cool thing is that a lot of people really have been touched and been changed by it. There's a lot more freedom now. Things have changed a lot in the last couple of years."

Featured singer 1: Paul Oakley
Favourite song on the album.
I really like the song "Jesus You Alone". I like the melody, the dynamics, it's very bright and poppy and it was great fun to sing.

Thoughts about the project.
I so enjoyed working with Dwayne and Jason, we had so much fun. I also think it's cool to share an album between us as writers and sing on each other's songs. It says something to me about the maturity of the guys and their attitude. This was a worship project from the start and not about any one individual doing their thing. It's a real expression of unity.

Recording his vocals.
What I remember about doing the vocals was mainly the wardrobe that was in front of me and the duvet on the bed in the room in the apartment... I must have been looking at it for a few hours! This was a no-expense-spared project and the vocals were all done in a bedroom in Surrey and finished in Andrea's dining room in Eastbourne! My other terrifying memory was arriving at the farm where we did it to find that Jason and Dwayne had put one of my songs ("Because Of You") up several keys to C without referencing me at all. I just can't sing that high and I told them in no uncertain terms and they just said, "Oh you'll get it," and somehow I did but we had to do that one a few times and afterwards my voice was pretty knackered. Mostly having a good laugh really. It was fun, though I wasn't sure about the voice treatment on "All Around The World" - not really my thing.Jeave it to Cher!

Future plans.
The last Stoneleigh/re.vive ever is coming up in two weeks and I'm leading worship both weeks. I'm currently also writing some new songs for that and recording a few acoustic demos of those. We are looking at doing a few dates around the UK in November and will be in Canada again later this year. Apart from that I'm going to try and get some holiday and chill out a bit.

Featured singer 2: Matt Redman
Favourite song on the album.
"Beautiful Saviour" (written by Stuart Townend, sung by Tim H). I think it's a great song so full of the revelation of Jesus, pouring out praise using so many names for who he is. I love the way they've recorded it here... a great mix of strings and drum loops, huge guitars, etc.

Thoughts about the project.
Collaboration, I guess. The relationships on this album have been forming for a while. The fusion of some English blokes and some USA producers, both trying to stretch each other is good to see.

Neil Wilson

Recording his vocals.
There was this faint smell of burning plastic, followed by the complete plug socket bursting into flames... no more recording that day!

Future plans.
I'd love to be more and more involved with encouraging and equipping worship leaders and teams. We've just launched a website to do that - www.heartofworship.com - and it's great to be able to pull in teaching from worship leaders all over the world to put on there as a resource to others.

'All Around The World's new approaches to Matt Redman songs.
I like the contrasts - on "Lord Let Your Glory Fall" Jason and Dwayne have thrown everything into the mix - a great string arrangement, keys, loads of guitars, etc. Then on "Can A Nation Be Changed" - it's just a few lads in a room with an acoustic guitar.

Featured singer 3: Tim Hughes
Favourite song on the album.
There are a few I really like. I guess one of them would be "Lord Let Your Glory Fall". I think it really captures something and every time I listen to it I feel inspired to worship. That can only be a good thing.