Avalon Interview Who Is Avalon? KEY: C> So, this is very much a new season for you - all of you. Lots of different things happening. So, let’s talk about the new record, and then we go from there about everything else that has been happening with the group. You know, it’s an exciting time, we have two couples touring as the group now. Greg and I are married, and Jeremi and Amy are married, and we all have kids that travel with us. There are a lot of similarities right now, not that there hasn’t been in the past, but there is so much understanding between us because we’re in such similar places in our lives. I think it’s going to end up being, I think one of my favorite records, and from what we’ve already heard from our fans, one of theirs as well. I think our fans were ready for something new from us as it had been a couple of years since we had a full-length studio record. The lyrics are very powerful and have reflected some of what we have weathered over the last couple of years. C> Well obviously it is a departure - but the one thing I noticed when I listened to the record was that, yes, while this is a bit of a different sound for you guys, there are still those key Avalon elements that people have grown to love from you guys in the record as well. You used a new producer, Ian Eskelin, who has a much heavier background in rock music than the flavor of Avalon’s pop music. How did he approach the record, and how did he help shape the way things progressed? GL> Well I think those first initial meetings were very difficult. Jeremi was in Orlando and was a part of the meetings on speaker phone… JR> And I kept hanging up… GL> Right, it was just a very difficult time and we were trying to get a reading on him [Ian] through all of it. We had discussed about getting together with Ian - but we didn’t really know what to think at first. GL> And I think as far as the new production feel and the songs on the album, he and Barry [Weeks], another producer on the record, brought that to the table. They wrote most of the songs and took ownership of the project. They spent endless hours on this project. We have to really give them credit for it. As far as how did we keep those key Avalon elements in the record - well - that’s easy. It’s Avalon. We’re going to hear things a certain way. Thankfully, we feel that that hybrid work. Unfortunately, not everyone is going to agree with that. I’ve already read somewhere where someone said that if you’re a staunch Avalon fan - you’re not going to like this record. I can kind of see that - but if I go back to some of these older records like A Maze of Grace - there was a lot of weird and cool stuff happening musically. So, I’m thinking if you’re just talking about stuff like the big Janna ballad - it’s not going to be found on this record. So, if that’s what they mean - then yes I’d agree with them. But, you know, we experimented in the studio a lot with this record. Ian and Barry would just be like “Jeremi, why don’t you try a pass on this spot” or “Amy, you want to try out something here?” - which was fun. We just had fun making this record. AR> I just thought it was so much fun - because you really had these two different worlds coming together. They were both very great, and very mindful of keeping it Avalon - but giving it some edge and some flair. It was great working with them. C> Well, if the fan was like me, who started listening to the group in 1997 when A Maze of Grace released, then their tastes have probably evolved over time. So, when this record hit, it should be able to hit where they are now musically. If the fans are like me and their tastes have changed over the years - then this record should be a breath of fresh air for Avalon fans. GL> I think that too. AR> Christian music is changing and evolving. Now you’re got Casting Crowns, and bands and worship music. And that is one thing that I’m so proud of when making this record is that we were allowed to kind of incorporate that sound - especially on the last track on the record “Holy.” It’s very worshipful and comes straight out of the Bible. It’s a very very strong message and very easy on the ears. Crowds at the shows can be very involved. C> I’m so glad that you guys brought up Barry Weeks, because I didn’t exactly know how involved he was in this record. I am a huge Weeks fan - and I think he is a vocal arranging genius. He’s an amazing songwriter too, and I’m glad you guys got to work with him. JL> Well, and I think too, he kind of helped bridge the two worlds together (between Ian and us) and made it a beautiful fit. It helped stretch Ian in some ways, and definitely stretched us. GL> I think as an artist at some point - you need to creatively feel happy and proud and excited with the record - artistically. We’re excited about doing these new songs on this tour. That’s a good sign for us and this record. If you make something that is just purely commercial and you aren’t excited about the music then that doesn’t bode well for you as an artist. We were given complete creative freedom on this record. Hats off to the label for that. Jim Sturgeon over at E1 just kind of told us to go do what we do. He would come in every couple of weeks just to see how things were going, but otherwise he really gave Ian and Avalon free reign. C> Which is cool - cause that helps me bring up another part of the new season - which is the new label - E1. What has it been like leaving your longtime label home (Sparrow/EMI Christian Music Group) and coming to this new label? JL> You know, it’s been great. I’m coming more and more to believe that life is made up of chapters and seasons - and we had an incredible run at EMI. We are very grateful for that time in Avalon’s life. But, it came to a point when we both felt like our journey together had come to an end. God opened this door, and we picked up where we left off to continue this journey that Avalon is on. You know - they have both served us well - and that’s really the best way that I can put it. The 12 years we had there were great - and we’re excited about this new relationship. E1 has been great - and it’s very much the way that Greg described it - they gave us the reigns and let us make the record that we wanted to make! We gave us total creative freedom with this record, and it was another great time. We feel very blessed at this point. How many artists get to make this many records and tour as long as Avalon has? We just feel extremely blessed and fortunate that God would allow us some more time out here. We had a show last night - a lot of people showed up - and for me it’s just very humbling that people still come and still by the records after all the time. It’s just such a blessing. JR> There’s been such a huge shift in Christian music since the time that Avalon debuted to where we are now. It was very performance driven, and I’m not negating that any artist now aren’t performers because they are, but it was just a different time. Then it was very much a time of “let’s entertain the body of Christ with positive music”. Then, praise and worship became popular and was much more an engaging and platform driven music about God. And, I think it’s very difficult to venture outside of being a performer to being a worshipper. I think that’s what we did to the best of our ability with this record. I mean, we are still performers, and there are times when we just want to go out and sing. It’s about the music. But bigger than that, it’s about God and the things he’s brought us through. Christian music has changed - and we’re trying to go with that. That’s one of the big things I noticed about the label - they were so willing and wanted us to venture into and tap into “what’s God done in you” and put that into music. C> Yeah, and I think that is even reflected in who you are on the tour with now - Selah. That is a group that has managed to walk the line between being a performance driven artist and worshipper very well. They are amazing vocalists and amazing singers and have tapped into this audience that loves and appreciates the hymns and worship style that they do. I think it’s great that you’ve partnered with them for this tour. Now you can show a little bit of yourselves in that as well. By the way, hats off to Proper Management. Throughout this transition, everyone at Proper has been the constant. From moving from EMI to E1 they have been great to us and helped us through these moments. And, now they manage Selah - so we’re excited about hitting the road with them. The night is going to be pretty back-and-forth - we’ll all be out on the stage together the whole time and perform some together. It’s going to be a lot of fun. C> Why don’t we talk to Amy a little bit about joining this group who’s been around a long time and becoming a part of such a brand like Avalon. You’re the new blood here - share you views. AR> It’s a very exciting time in my life - in our family and our marriage - that we get to travel together and take our girls. I’ve been an Avalon fan since the very beginning - and I’ve always felt a connection to the group and to the music. The style of things that I listen to - I grew up listening to all the albums. This is definitely a new season in my life. Going back to the album - it couldn’t have been a better time for me to go in and sing the lyrics that are in these songs. They’re very appropriate for where my life is at this moment. There’s a line in the new single, “Arise” - grace will reach your lowest low and never let you go.” And then there’s the very last line in the song says “In Jesus Name” - and to me that just seals it. It’s really very appropriate - very great for the season I’m in right now. C> That’s awesome. And Jeremi, what’s it been like traveling with your wife and having her a part of your ministry? JR> We were talking about it the other day - I didn’t realize how much stress I was under leaving my family at home until she joined the group. First of all, it was a year and a half before she joined that I traveled with Avalon. I’ve always been amazed at the level of grace that Amy has. You know, there are some people who love you and some who hate you - but Amy has always had such grace even under the most extreme circumstances. When I would have to leave for the weekend - it was never “ugh - you have to leave again”. I don’t know if it was the Holy Spirit preparing her or if it was just the way Amy is made. The minute she joined the group - the transformation in our homelife and with our children just changed. When God does something - He does it right. That was just another example of it in our lives. AR> I’ll say something else as well. I’ve always known that God had a calling on my life ever since I was a child - and I knew that it was in music ministry somehow. And it was last summer that I was really even doing anything in the ministry - but I felt like in my spirit that I was ready. I began to fill in for Melissa as she was working on her solo album and while she was pregnant and I became her sub. It just felt right - so when everything transpired this past May - it was this automatic thing of “they’re going to ask me” - because I never felt like that. But when they finally did ask me to be a part of the group - I had that feeling all over again of “this is it.” And, I’ve never shared that with the rest of the group before now. I felt like God had been preparing for me - even though I didn’t know what it was. C> That’s really cool. Well I thank you guys for spending some time with me! It was great to finally interview you guys! JL> Thanks so much! GL> We enjoyed it! To find out more information on Avalon - visit their website.
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