Newsboys

Newsboys are a Christian pop/rock band formed in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia (although they soon relocated to Omaha, Nebraska). Its core members, John James and Peter Furler, originally hailed from Australia where they played in a band together called The News. Phil Joel is from New Zealand.

Newsboys are prominent in the Christian music industry. They have had numerous hit singles on the Christian pop charts and two of their albums are considered among CCM's best: Going Public (1994) and Step Up To The Microphone (1998). They are perhaps best known for two hit singles, "Shine" and "Breakfast". A double-disk worship/rock album is scheduled for release in September 2006.

In 2000, they helped start and headlined the annual, travelling CCM festival Festival Con Dios with Audio Adrenaline and The O.C. Supertones. It was known for featuring popular Christian bands and its motorcross stunts.

Steve Taylor has produced many of their hit albums and many of his songs for The Newsboys ("Breakfast", "Take Me To Your Leader") feature Taylor's humor and quaint lyrics.

During the "Step Up To The Microphone" tour, the band featured the drums on a rotating platform that could tilt downward up to 90 degrees. In fact, there were two sets of drums and Peter Furler (the original drummer) and Duncan Phillips would wear seat belts, so they wouldn't fall out, and have a rotating drum-off. This feature is still used on their tours and has grown to be quite popular.

In 2003, Jody Davis left the band to care for his sick daughter, Bethany. For more information, view the interview with fan site newsboysheadquarters.

In 2006, the band announced that Bryan Olesen would be leaving to work on his own band, Casting Pearls. The band announced in January that Paul Colman would be replacing Bryan.

Members

 * Peter Furler - lead vocals,backing vocals, guitar, drums (1985 - Present)
 * Phil Joel - bass guitar,backing vocals,lead vocals (1995 - Present)
 * Jeff Frankenstein - keyboards (1994 - Present)
 * Duncan Phillips - drums, percussion (1993 - Present)
 * Paul Colman - guitar,backing vocals (2006 - Present)

Lead Vocals

 * John James (1985-1997 On the albums: Read All About It, Hell Is For Wimps, Boys Will Be Boyz, Not Ashamed, Going Public, Take Me To Your Leader)

Guitar

 * George Perdikis (1985-1987 On the albums: Left the band before their first album, but he co-wrote most of the songs on Read All About It)
 * Phil Yates(1987-1989 On the album: Read All About It)
 * Jonathan Geange (1990-1991 On the album: Hell Is For Wimps)
 * Vernon Bishop (1991-1992 On the album: Boys Will Be Boyz)
 * Jody Davis (1993-2003 On the albums: Going Public, Take Me To Your Leader, Step Up To The Microphone, Love Liberty Disco, Shine:The Hits, Thrive, Adoration:The Worship Album)
 * Bryan Olesen (2003-2006 On the album: Devotion)

Bass Guitar

 * Sean Taylor (1985-1992 On the albums: Read All About It, Hell Is For Wimps, Boys Will Be Boyz, Not Ashamed)
 * Kevin Mills (1993-1995 On the album: Going Public)

Keyboards

 * Corey Pryor (1991-1993 On the albums: Boys Will Be Boyz, Not Ashamed)
 * Duncan Phillips (1993-1994) Note: Duncan used to play keys before switching over to percussionist in 1994 when Jeff Frankenstein joined the band and then drums in 1997 after the departure of John James.

Drums

 * Peter Furler (1985-1997) Note: Peter used to be drummer before becoming lead vocalist in 1997 after John James left the band. Every now and then Peter will still play drums.

Major Tours

 * Winter Jam Tour (2006)
 * Devotion Tour (2005)
 * Adoration Tour (2004)
 * Festival Con Dios (2003)
 * Thrive-It's All In The Word Tour (2002)
 * Festival Con Dios (2001)
 * Dome Tour (2000)
 * Step Up To The Microphone Tour (1999)
 * Counter The Culture Tour (1997)
 * Take Me To Your Leader Tour (1996-97)
 * Going Public Tour (1995)
 * Heaven In The Real World Tour (1994)

#1 Radio Singles

 * I Am Free
 * Devotion
 * Presence (My Heart's Desire)
 * He Reigns
 * You Are My King (Amazing Love)
 * It Is You
 * Million Pieces (Kissin' Your Cares Goodbye)
 * Joy
 * Who?
 * Love,Liberty,Disco
 * Beautiful Sound
 * Good Stuff
 * Believe
 * WooHoo
 * Step Up to The Microphone
 * Entertaining Angels
 * Take Me To Your Leader
 * God is Not A Secret
 * Reality
 * Shine
 * Spirit Thing
 * Let it Rain
 * Real Good Thing
 * I'm Not Ashamed
 * One Heart

Discography

 * He Reigns: The Worship Collection (2005, Sparrow Records/EMI CMG)
 * Devotion (2004, Sparrow Records/EMI CMG)
 * Adoration: The Worship Album (2003, Sparrow Records)
 * Thrive (2002, Sparrow Records)
 * Shine: The Hits (2000, Sparrow Records)
 * Love Liberty Disco (1999, Sparrow Records)
 * Step Up to the Microphone (1998, Star Song/Virgin Records)
 * Take Me to Your Leader (1996, Star Song/Virgin Records)
 * Going Public (1994, Star Song)
 * Not Ashamed (1992, Star Song)
 * Boys Will Be Boyz (1991, Star Song)
 * Hell Is for Wimps (1990, Star Song)
 * Read All About It (1988, Refuge/Star Song)

DVDs and Videos

 * Boys Will Be Boyz Video (1991)
 * Not Ashamed Video (1993)
 * Down Under the Big Top (1996)
 * Shine: The Hits Live-one Night In Pennsylvania (2000)
 * Thrive: From The Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame (2002)

Music Videos

 * One Heart (1991)
 * Kingdom Man (1991)
 * I Cannot Get You Out of My System (1992)
 * Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Where You Belong) (1993)
 * Dear Shame (1993)
 * Shine (1994)
 * Take Me To Your Leader (1996)
 * Entertaining Angels (1998)
 * Love, Liberty, Disco (1999)
 * Everybody Gets A Shot (2000)
 * Million Pieces (2002)
 * In The Belly of The Whale (2002)
 * He Reigns (2003)

Fan Club
The newsboys Fan Club, known as the Breakfast Club, has meet and greets during intermissions, and before or after most newsboys concerts. For more info, visit the official newsboys website.

The Breakfast Club takes its name from the song "Breakfast" on the "Take Me To Your Leader" album. The lyrics describe a club of Christians meeting for breakfast before school. The upbeat song is a fan favorite at concerts. At many concerts, you will see fans waving boxes of Captain Crunch cereal in the air (due to the fact that Captain Crunch is mentioned in the lyrics as well).