| ><> Artist Bio / History <>< |
| Christian music labels will release an album bio or information press-release with the release of each new record. Here are the bio / press releases for DecembeRadio and their corresponding releases. |
Biography for Satisfied [2008]
Ask anyone who has ever been to a DecembeRadio show to describe the experience and you’ll get an enthusiastic barrage of
comments about the band’s blistering stage show, an adrenaline-fueled rock spectacle that leaves audiences nearly breathless. Yet
intertwined among the searing guitars and anthemic choruses, the heart of the band shines through on every note. It’s that unwavering
commitment to spread the Gospel that defines the essence of DecembeRadio and reverberates throughout their sophomore set
Satisfied (Slanted Records).
“God has called us to do this and we know that,” says guitarist Eric Miker. “Every time we play a show we hear how our songs have
impacted people. We’ve had people come up to us after the show and say, ‘This song is what made me realize that no matter what it
was that I was going through, I could turn back to God.’ They just need to hear the words.”
Few bands more effectively fuse music and ministry than this Virginia-based foursome. Miker along with lead vocalist/bassist Josh
Reedy, lead guitarist Brian Bunn and drummer Boone Daughdrill burst onto the national scene with their self-titled Slanted Records’
debut in 2006. The project was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and earned the group four Dove Award
nominations, including nods in the Best New Artist category and Song of the Year for “Drifter.” That night the band claimed their first
Dove Award when DecembeRadio was honored for Rock Album of the Year, an impressive feat for a new band.
Their winning streak continued at radio where “Love Found Me” and “Dangerous” heated up rock radio airwaves while “Drifter” and
“Find You Waiting” became back to back Top Five hits in the CHR format and won fans among AC listeners as well. “Dangerous”
became the theme song for the Discovery Channel’s “Hazard Pay” program and was used in the CBS-TV drama “Cane.”
DecembeRadio was named Breakout Band of the Year at the Rock Radio Summit and were the only Christian act touted among
Billboard Magazine’s 2006 “Artists to Watch.” Christianity Today named them Best Band of the Year and Best New Artist.
Needless to say, there’s a heightened level of expectation surrounding Satisfied. The band confesses to feeling a little nervous as they
headed into the studio to work on the new album. “There’s definitely a lot of pressure,” admits Bunn. “At the same time, we know we’re
doing this for the right reasons and God’s going to take care of us. So we went into the studio, and we did what we love to do best. We
just tried to make great music and have fun doing it. It’s as simple as that.”
Daughdrill agrees. “God started to show us…that He is working in all of us. New ideas, new lyrics, new riffs just started coming out of
nowhere. All of a sudden we had a couple of really cool songs, and that got us really excited about this new album. All in God's timing!”
DecembeRadio recorded their sophomore effort at Atlanta’s famed Southern Tracks studios and once again turned to producer Scotty
Wilbanks. “It just goes so much deeper than just being a producer. Scotty is like a brother to us,” says Bunn. “He really is like the fifth
member of the band you could say. He understands what we want to do and where we want to go musically. We grew up on a lot of the
same things and listened to the same music; but at the same time, it’s nice because he’s a keyboard player and we’re a more guitar-
driven band. It’s good to get that different perspective from somebody who’s not a guitar player. He brings us balance and helps us
stay true to who we are.”
“While recording the new record,” says Josh Reedy, “we tried to ask ourselves a few questions: ‘Who are we and what are we trying to
say?’ The song ‘Satisfy Me’ not only represents who we are musically but how we feel spiritually as a band. You can never be satisfied
with who you are alone. You'll come up short every time. The relationship we have with God is the only thing that will ever satisfy us.
Music will never satisfy us, nor money, fame or any of those things. Being satisfied by Christ is the reason we're here on this earth. To
satisfy is exactly what He died to do. The music, lyrics and soul of this record as a whole are about not being afraid to be who you are.
Be satisfied.”
As they began writing and recording their sophomore effort, the band felt a new sense of confidence in their musicianship and a
feeling of creative freedom. “We started finding out that we had grown so much as writers and as a band,” says Reedy. “We were
having the most fun that we’ve ever had in making this music and that’s the way it should be.”
That creative energy and sense of fun leaps from the speakers when listening to Satisfied. “Gasoline” is like a musical Molotov
cocktail, filled with fiery guitar and Reedy’s blazing vocals. Bunn cites it as one of his favorite songs that the band has ever recorded. “It’
s about the revival that we feel when God changes our lives and it burns like gasoline,” he says. “It’s just a rockin’ song. Sometimes I
really feel the love of God and I get excited about that; that song sounds like what’s inside me.”
Daughdrill says there’s a very celebratory feel to the new record. “[There is] the peace and joy that only Christ can give and it's the
reason we do what we do. A lot of these songs are about love, hope and enjoying this awesome life that God has given to us. It's a
celebration!”
In addition to the unbridled rock anthems, Satisfied includes “For Your Glory,” a beautiful worship song with an instantly memorable
melody. “Look for Me” is a gorgeous ballad that reminds us God is always there for us no matter what we’re going through. “Find You
Waiting,” which has already become a top-charting hit at AC and CHR stations, was inspired by tragic circumstances. “A close friend of
ours named Chris was battling cancer and cancer took his life,” says Miker. “His wife really relied on God and remained strong. That
really touched our lives--her whole outlook and perspective.”
DecembeRadio has toured relentlessly the past two years, most recently opening for Third Day in the spring of 2008. The band has an
intriguing dynamic on stage. Though they definitely have that powerful rock ‘n roll stage presence, they also have a unique ability to be
accessible to the fans. There’s a bond that’s forged between the guys and the crowd that erases that unseen barrier between artist
and audience.
“People connect with how real you look them in the eye whether you’re rocking out or you’re getting them to sing along with you,” says
Reedy. “When they feel they are a part of the show, a part of the band or just a part of that song, that is what we strive for when we step
on that stage.”
Miker says their live show had considerable impact on how they made the new record. “We learned more about our fans and what they
like,” he says. “We learned a lot about what works best live, and we wanted to make sure all the songs work great live. We just wanted
to make music that the fans like.”
“We want to share with the world what Christ has done for us and for them,” says Daughdrill. “I feel like God calls us all to be a light...
we have a choice in how we respond to that. Hopefully we can be an encouragement to others, letting them know the satisfaction we’
ve found in Christ as we rock 'n roll for Him.”
Adds Reedy: “God wants to bless us all and take us places that we never thought we’d go, and that’s exactly what He’s been doing
with us. We’re just happy and blessed to be where we are. We’re enjoying the journey.”
###
Biography for DecembeRadio [2006]
Anyone who questioned for one second if the heart of rock n’ roll was still beating -under Christian music contexts or otherwise- must
not have heard the rollicking romps found within the national debut of DecembeRadio. The recent signees to Slanted Records are just
about the most electrified, raucous and riff driven foursome to come about since the original wave of classic rock and are also armed
with a message of eternal importance. It’s a lethal combination indeed, one that’s earned the group comparisons to the likes of
legends including Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd right up through vintage influenced innovators like The Black Crowes,
Lenny Kravitz and Jet in addition to more modern/progressive rocksters Porcupine Tree and Audioslave.
It’s only fitting that the group made a terrific impact at the 2005 Rock Summit, an industry event drawing national attention and also
featuring performances by Stryper, Casting Pearls and Sanctus Real. Though the guys had been refining their sound on the road since
1998, performing everything from covers in club settings (with a heavy leaning towards Hootie and the Blowfish) to worship selections
in more ministry-focused environments, DecembeRadio’s sheer grit and passion absolutely entranced those gathered.
“We kind of went into the Rock Summit like everything else we do, mostly because we had not done much industry stuff other than a
few showcases,” explains the group’s guitarist Eric Miker. “So that gave us the advantage of not being nervous and not really even
knowing who was going to be there, but we got the attention of a lot of DJs and the industry in general to name us ‘Buzz Band of the
Year.’”
Perhaps it was the group’s incredibly entertaining live spectacle or maybe it was the members’ down to earth approach on stage that
earned them this illustrious honor, along with a spot a few months later on BIILLBOARD Magazine’s “Faces to Watch” cover story as
the scales tipped towards 2006. Rather than going in with the intention to impress, the troupe tore into its regularly scheduled program
of cutting edge musical expressions with a sincere and mature commitment to ministry not often found in a group of
twentysomethings.
“There’s definitely a lot in the set for musicians or any rock n’ roll fan to like- the energy, the guitar solos and the drum solos,” notes
lead guitarist Brian Bunn. “But we also try to react to the audience on a deeper level and with a more spiritual mindset. We have a set
of worship that brings all that into focus…one of the guys shares a message, and we have a time of prayer. Then we celebrate again at
the end and really rock out.”
Considering the players’ tightly sealed cohesion and unbreakable chemistry on stage, DecembeRadio never had a problem catching
its ambitious sound in the studio through a string of independent releases. But its recent partnership with Slanted has opened the
doors to an all-new method of recording -one that teams them with acclaimed producer Scotty Wilbanks (Third Day, Overflow,
NewSong) and a trip to Southern Tracks in Atlanta (allowing them to use the same gear as many of their heroes).
The results have yielded a full-length record for a June 2006 release packed with a slew of single-ready, hook-heavy, infectious jams
that unfold as a natural extension of the mind-blowing concert experience. Considering DecembeRadio has its influence pool rooted
in the most lauded acts of yesterday while simultaneously keeping its pulse on the alternative sounds of today, the quartet has an
obvious appeal to mainstream audiences and is likely to introduce the Christian marketplace to a whole new pedigree of power.
“That’s kind of what we’re hoping for-to be attractive to the unsaved, along with believers who don’t typically listen to Christian music,”
explains drummer Boone Daughdrill. “Sometimes Christian music can’t satisfy the needs of someone in their late 20s or early 30s
who grew up on the hard rockin’ stuff and finds that attractive, but also experiences a spiritual level through the music. People always
say to us ‘you don’t sound like what I usually hear in Christian music,’ and that’s what we’re praying for- to have the Lord use what we’
re creating to touch their hearts.”
And that plan is likely to come to fruition thanks to a series of uplifting songs with vertical leanings that encourage listeners to break
beyond comfortable boundaries. Take for instance the lead single “Love Found Me,” a feel good southern-tipped trailblazer that traces
the transformative power of unashamedly and adventurously living a life in Christ. Take the equally entrancing “Dangerous,” which
reminds the faithful to go out with courage to the world around them and be relevant and effective in their witness, even if that means
ruffling some feathers along the way.
The more melodic “Least of These” demonstrates the sonic variety on the album while recalling Christ’s command to lead a humble
and unselfish life where we’re servants to others -from the child without a home to the lonely widow to the prisoner running out of
hope. “Drifter” veers away from those ethereal undertones for a dusty and gusty amplified outpouring calling to light the prodigal son
story and the fact that greed never satisfies.
“We’re not out to try to be rock stars…we’re just a bunch of southern boys who want to hang out, have a good time and inspire others,”
sums up Bunn. “But we’re not trying to play it safe musically or spiritually. We’re not interested in selling out to the industry to be
famous and we’re passionate about being technically on top of our game. We realize each day that without God we’re nothing, and it’s
our mission to spread His message through music. Without that, we’d be unhappy and lonely…you’re never going to be happy, find
peace or comfort without the fulfillment of Christ in your life.”
###
Ask anyone who has ever been to a DecembeRadio show to describe the experience and you’ll get an enthusiastic barrage of
comments about the band’s blistering stage show, an adrenaline-fueled rock spectacle that leaves audiences nearly breathless. Yet
intertwined among the searing guitars and anthemic choruses, the heart of the band shines through on every note. It’s that unwavering
commitment to spread the Gospel that defines the essence of DecembeRadio and reverberates throughout their sophomore set
Satisfied (Slanted Records).
“God has called us to do this and we know that,” says guitarist Eric Miker. “Every time we play a show we hear how our songs have
impacted people. We’ve had people come up to us after the show and say, ‘This song is what made me realize that no matter what it
was that I was going through, I could turn back to God.’ They just need to hear the words.”
Few bands more effectively fuse music and ministry than this Virginia-based foursome. Miker along with lead vocalist/bassist Josh
Reedy, lead guitarist Brian Bunn and drummer Boone Daughdrill burst onto the national scene with their self-titled Slanted Records’
debut in 2006. The project was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and earned the group four Dove Award
nominations, including nods in the Best New Artist category and Song of the Year for “Drifter.” That night the band claimed their first
Dove Award when DecembeRadio was honored for Rock Album of the Year, an impressive feat for a new band.
Their winning streak continued at radio where “Love Found Me” and “Dangerous” heated up rock radio airwaves while “Drifter” and
“Find You Waiting” became back to back Top Five hits in the CHR format and won fans among AC listeners as well. “Dangerous”
became the theme song for the Discovery Channel’s “Hazard Pay” program and was used in the CBS-TV drama “Cane.”
DecembeRadio was named Breakout Band of the Year at the Rock Radio Summit and were the only Christian act touted among
Billboard Magazine’s 2006 “Artists to Watch.” Christianity Today named them Best Band of the Year and Best New Artist.
Needless to say, there’s a heightened level of expectation surrounding Satisfied. The band confesses to feeling a little nervous as they
headed into the studio to work on the new album. “There’s definitely a lot of pressure,” admits Bunn. “At the same time, we know we’re
doing this for the right reasons and God’s going to take care of us. So we went into the studio, and we did what we love to do best. We
just tried to make great music and have fun doing it. It’s as simple as that.”
Daughdrill agrees. “God started to show us…that He is working in all of us. New ideas, new lyrics, new riffs just started coming out of
nowhere. All of a sudden we had a couple of really cool songs, and that got us really excited about this new album. All in God's timing!”
DecembeRadio recorded their sophomore effort at Atlanta’s famed Southern Tracks studios and once again turned to producer Scotty
Wilbanks. “It just goes so much deeper than just being a producer. Scotty is like a brother to us,” says Bunn. “He really is like the fifth
member of the band you could say. He understands what we want to do and where we want to go musically. We grew up on a lot of the
same things and listened to the same music; but at the same time, it’s nice because he’s a keyboard player and we’re a more guitar-
driven band. It’s good to get that different perspective from somebody who’s not a guitar player. He brings us balance and helps us
stay true to who we are.”
“While recording the new record,” says Josh Reedy, “we tried to ask ourselves a few questions: ‘Who are we and what are we trying to
say?’ The song ‘Satisfy Me’ not only represents who we are musically but how we feel spiritually as a band. You can never be satisfied
with who you are alone. You'll come up short every time. The relationship we have with God is the only thing that will ever satisfy us.
Music will never satisfy us, nor money, fame or any of those things. Being satisfied by Christ is the reason we're here on this earth. To
satisfy is exactly what He died to do. The music, lyrics and soul of this record as a whole are about not being afraid to be who you are.
Be satisfied.”
As they began writing and recording their sophomore effort, the band felt a new sense of confidence in their musicianship and a
feeling of creative freedom. “We started finding out that we had grown so much as writers and as a band,” says Reedy. “We were
having the most fun that we’ve ever had in making this music and that’s the way it should be.”
That creative energy and sense of fun leaps from the speakers when listening to Satisfied. “Gasoline” is like a musical Molotov
cocktail, filled with fiery guitar and Reedy’s blazing vocals. Bunn cites it as one of his favorite songs that the band has ever recorded. “It’
s about the revival that we feel when God changes our lives and it burns like gasoline,” he says. “It’s just a rockin’ song. Sometimes I
really feel the love of God and I get excited about that; that song sounds like what’s inside me.”
Daughdrill says there’s a very celebratory feel to the new record. “[There is] the peace and joy that only Christ can give and it's the
reason we do what we do. A lot of these songs are about love, hope and enjoying this awesome life that God has given to us. It's a
celebration!”
In addition to the unbridled rock anthems, Satisfied includes “For Your Glory,” a beautiful worship song with an instantly memorable
melody. “Look for Me” is a gorgeous ballad that reminds us God is always there for us no matter what we’re going through. “Find You
Waiting,” which has already become a top-charting hit at AC and CHR stations, was inspired by tragic circumstances. “A close friend of
ours named Chris was battling cancer and cancer took his life,” says Miker. “His wife really relied on God and remained strong. That
really touched our lives--her whole outlook and perspective.”
DecembeRadio has toured relentlessly the past two years, most recently opening for Third Day in the spring of 2008. The band has an
intriguing dynamic on stage. Though they definitely have that powerful rock ‘n roll stage presence, they also have a unique ability to be
accessible to the fans. There’s a bond that’s forged between the guys and the crowd that erases that unseen barrier between artist
and audience.
“People connect with how real you look them in the eye whether you’re rocking out or you’re getting them to sing along with you,” says
Reedy. “When they feel they are a part of the show, a part of the band or just a part of that song, that is what we strive for when we step
on that stage.”
Miker says their live show had considerable impact on how they made the new record. “We learned more about our fans and what they
like,” he says. “We learned a lot about what works best live, and we wanted to make sure all the songs work great live. We just wanted
to make music that the fans like.”
“We want to share with the world what Christ has done for us and for them,” says Daughdrill. “I feel like God calls us all to be a light...
we have a choice in how we respond to that. Hopefully we can be an encouragement to others, letting them know the satisfaction we’
ve found in Christ as we rock 'n roll for Him.”
Adds Reedy: “God wants to bless us all and take us places that we never thought we’d go, and that’s exactly what He’s been doing
with us. We’re just happy and blessed to be where we are. We’re enjoying the journey.”
###
Biography for DecembeRadio [2006]
Anyone who questioned for one second if the heart of rock n’ roll was still beating -under Christian music contexts or otherwise- must
not have heard the rollicking romps found within the national debut of DecembeRadio. The recent signees to Slanted Records are just
about the most electrified, raucous and riff driven foursome to come about since the original wave of classic rock and are also armed
with a message of eternal importance. It’s a lethal combination indeed, one that’s earned the group comparisons to the likes of
legends including Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd right up through vintage influenced innovators like The Black Crowes,
Lenny Kravitz and Jet in addition to more modern/progressive rocksters Porcupine Tree and Audioslave.
It’s only fitting that the group made a terrific impact at the 2005 Rock Summit, an industry event drawing national attention and also
featuring performances by Stryper, Casting Pearls and Sanctus Real. Though the guys had been refining their sound on the road since
1998, performing everything from covers in club settings (with a heavy leaning towards Hootie and the Blowfish) to worship selections
in more ministry-focused environments, DecembeRadio’s sheer grit and passion absolutely entranced those gathered.
“We kind of went into the Rock Summit like everything else we do, mostly because we had not done much industry stuff other than a
few showcases,” explains the group’s guitarist Eric Miker. “So that gave us the advantage of not being nervous and not really even
knowing who was going to be there, but we got the attention of a lot of DJs and the industry in general to name us ‘Buzz Band of the
Year.’”
Perhaps it was the group’s incredibly entertaining live spectacle or maybe it was the members’ down to earth approach on stage that
earned them this illustrious honor, along with a spot a few months later on BIILLBOARD Magazine’s “Faces to Watch” cover story as
the scales tipped towards 2006. Rather than going in with the intention to impress, the troupe tore into its regularly scheduled program
of cutting edge musical expressions with a sincere and mature commitment to ministry not often found in a group of
twentysomethings.
“There’s definitely a lot in the set for musicians or any rock n’ roll fan to like- the energy, the guitar solos and the drum solos,” notes
lead guitarist Brian Bunn. “But we also try to react to the audience on a deeper level and with a more spiritual mindset. We have a set
of worship that brings all that into focus…one of the guys shares a message, and we have a time of prayer. Then we celebrate again at
the end and really rock out.”
Considering the players’ tightly sealed cohesion and unbreakable chemistry on stage, DecembeRadio never had a problem catching
its ambitious sound in the studio through a string of independent releases. But its recent partnership with Slanted has opened the
doors to an all-new method of recording -one that teams them with acclaimed producer Scotty Wilbanks (Third Day, Overflow,
NewSong) and a trip to Southern Tracks in Atlanta (allowing them to use the same gear as many of their heroes).
The results have yielded a full-length record for a June 2006 release packed with a slew of single-ready, hook-heavy, infectious jams
that unfold as a natural extension of the mind-blowing concert experience. Considering DecembeRadio has its influence pool rooted
in the most lauded acts of yesterday while simultaneously keeping its pulse on the alternative sounds of today, the quartet has an
obvious appeal to mainstream audiences and is likely to introduce the Christian marketplace to a whole new pedigree of power.
“That’s kind of what we’re hoping for-to be attractive to the unsaved, along with believers who don’t typically listen to Christian music,”
explains drummer Boone Daughdrill. “Sometimes Christian music can’t satisfy the needs of someone in their late 20s or early 30s
who grew up on the hard rockin’ stuff and finds that attractive, but also experiences a spiritual level through the music. People always
say to us ‘you don’t sound like what I usually hear in Christian music,’ and that’s what we’re praying for- to have the Lord use what we’
re creating to touch their hearts.”
And that plan is likely to come to fruition thanks to a series of uplifting songs with vertical leanings that encourage listeners to break
beyond comfortable boundaries. Take for instance the lead single “Love Found Me,” a feel good southern-tipped trailblazer that traces
the transformative power of unashamedly and adventurously living a life in Christ. Take the equally entrancing “Dangerous,” which
reminds the faithful to go out with courage to the world around them and be relevant and effective in their witness, even if that means
ruffling some feathers along the way.
The more melodic “Least of These” demonstrates the sonic variety on the album while recalling Christ’s command to lead a humble
and unselfish life where we’re servants to others -from the child without a home to the lonely widow to the prisoner running out of
hope. “Drifter” veers away from those ethereal undertones for a dusty and gusty amplified outpouring calling to light the prodigal son
story and the fact that greed never satisfies.
“We’re not out to try to be rock stars…we’re just a bunch of southern boys who want to hang out, have a good time and inspire others,”
sums up Bunn. “But we’re not trying to play it safe musically or spiritually. We’re not interested in selling out to the industry to be
famous and we’re passionate about being technically on top of our game. We realize each day that without God we’re nothing, and it’s
our mission to spread His message through music. Without that, we’d be unhappy and lonely…you’re never going to be happy, find
peace or comfort without the fulfillment of Christ in your life.”
###
