ABOUT THE ALBUM
THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES
Seven Thunders Records, 1983
"This record represented a new direction for you, didn't it?"
“The Name Above All Names” album was a radical departure from my previous work.
"How so?"
First of all, this was the first album recorded after my departure from “the industry." I formed a label identity, “Seven Thunders Records," named from the passages from Revelation:10:1-7.
"So, the label name as well as the album title were a sort of 'mission statement,' if you will..."
“The Name Above All Names” album was a radical departure from my previous work.
"How so?"
First of all, this was the first album recorded after my departure from “the industry." I formed a label identity, “Seven Thunders Records," named from the passages from Revelation:10:1-7.
"So, the label name as well as the album title were a sort of 'mission statement,' if you will..."
As several of the songs on “The Name Above All Names” were direct prophecies from the Spirit of God, we felt that subsequent albums would bring further revelation. Thus, the name of the label represented that our music would continue to be a mouthpiece for God in the end times. In a way I believe this is true, but maybe not quite in the dramatic way which I imagined.
"Your previous album'The Stand' was a 'baring of your soul in a very dark hour' type of work, whereas this album is more of a call to worship in many ways... "
“The Stand” album chronicled my struggles with alcohol addiction toward the end of the 70s. I experienced the first of two deliverances from that alcohol addiction in 1980. My spirit was restored and revived, and I was in a new season of communication and fellowship with God. It felt like I was 'born again- again.'
"Born again- again...?"
Basking in the glow of the power of this was a renewal. It felt like I was 'born again- again.' I began to take time for frequent and lengthy prayer sessions. Often, in the middle of these sessions, I would receive song titles from the Lord. This had never happened to me before. I would be praying and the Lord would say "I am going to give you a song called “The Name Above All Names," or “The Power And Glory." I wrote these titles in my prayer journal and then waited upon the Lord to see what God had in mind. I had no idea what to do with these titles, as they were out of my comfort zone of writing lyrics. They sounded like random quotations from the Lord's Prayer or something similar, whereas my previous songs had been more experiential and personal from a lyrical standpoint. I didn't try to force the writing of these songs, as I really didn't know where to start. I had never written lyrics before prior to the writing of chords and melody. Then, one by one, the songs begin to flow.
"How did they come to you?"
They came with great power, but in very undramatic situations. The songs came at random times and places. "Soldiers of the Lion" came in a hotel room in Danville California. "Blessed Be The Name of My Rock" came backstage at a concert in Ventura California.
"You said you knew some of these songs were direct prophecies..."
Only about five of the songs were actually prophecies. The rest of the album was filled out from other songs I had previously written that seemed to fit the theme of the album.
"How did the release of this album affect your ministry. It was a pretty radical departure, as you said..."
The album came out in 1983 and literally changed my ministry. Countries to which I'd never been invited opened up to me because of the prophetic lyrics of this album. I was invited to South Africa and Japan for the very first time. This is the first album I had ever written that was directly addressing the needs and concerns of the church. My previous albums had been more evangelistic, essentially addressing non-believers, the songs being about one’s need for Jesus or my personal experiences in the Lord.
"And there were two more to come in a similar vein, right?"
I had not planned on writing a trilogy (nor am I big on trilogies, for that matter,) but in hindsight, I believe "The Name Above All Names," "Fire And Light ," and "Voice Of The Wind," to be a trilogy of my spiritual journey over the next few years.
"Your previous album'The Stand' was a 'baring of your soul in a very dark hour' type of work, whereas this album is more of a call to worship in many ways... "
“The Stand” album chronicled my struggles with alcohol addiction toward the end of the 70s. I experienced the first of two deliverances from that alcohol addiction in 1980. My spirit was restored and revived, and I was in a new season of communication and fellowship with God. It felt like I was 'born again- again.'
"Born again- again...?"
Basking in the glow of the power of this was a renewal. It felt like I was 'born again- again.' I began to take time for frequent and lengthy prayer sessions. Often, in the middle of these sessions, I would receive song titles from the Lord. This had never happened to me before. I would be praying and the Lord would say "I am going to give you a song called “The Name Above All Names," or “The Power And Glory." I wrote these titles in my prayer journal and then waited upon the Lord to see what God had in mind. I had no idea what to do with these titles, as they were out of my comfort zone of writing lyrics. They sounded like random quotations from the Lord's Prayer or something similar, whereas my previous songs had been more experiential and personal from a lyrical standpoint. I didn't try to force the writing of these songs, as I really didn't know where to start. I had never written lyrics before prior to the writing of chords and melody. Then, one by one, the songs begin to flow.
"How did they come to you?"
They came with great power, but in very undramatic situations. The songs came at random times and places. "Soldiers of the Lion" came in a hotel room in Danville California. "Blessed Be The Name of My Rock" came backstage at a concert in Ventura California.
"You said you knew some of these songs were direct prophecies..."
Only about five of the songs were actually prophecies. The rest of the album was filled out from other songs I had previously written that seemed to fit the theme of the album.
"How did the release of this album affect your ministry. It was a pretty radical departure, as you said..."
The album came out in 1983 and literally changed my ministry. Countries to which I'd never been invited opened up to me because of the prophetic lyrics of this album. I was invited to South Africa and Japan for the very first time. This is the first album I had ever written that was directly addressing the needs and concerns of the church. My previous albums had been more evangelistic, essentially addressing non-believers, the songs being about one’s need for Jesus or my personal experiences in the Lord.
"And there were two more to come in a similar vein, right?"
I had not planned on writing a trilogy (nor am I big on trilogies, for that matter,) but in hindsight, I believe "The Name Above All Names," "Fire And Light ," and "Voice Of The Wind," to be a trilogy of my spiritual journey over the next few years.
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