| ARTICLE IN BGM MAGAZINE ... |
INSIDE OUT, has slowly developed into one of Northern Ireland's most popular Gospel bands having just released a new album entitled "Fading Pictures". Already it has caught the eye of the critics. Some are saying that it is arguably one of the best local releases of its kind for some time. Based just outside Lurgan, the present combo grew out of a previous Gospel group called "Live Issue". The new name was adopted in 1994, although in total, the group has been existence for over eighteen years, making it one of the longest established Gospel music ministries in the country. Therefore, they are a band who have clearly paid their dues, stuck at it, and have matured into the quality outfit they are today. All of the four, colourful members of the group have been with the band since it reformed in 1994 as INSIDE OUT. Although they are based in Lurgan, the boys come from a variety of locations and backgrounds. Asked what are the factors that link the four of them together, Colin Elliott thoughtfully but firmly replied. 'First and foremost, we all share a strong faith in Jesus Christ and the relevance of His claims on men and women today! Secondly, we all have a deep concern for young people and seek communicate Christ to them in a life-changing way! As a group we get a great thrill in doing what we do. Inside Out gives us a sense of personal fulfilment arising from our love of music!" Colin Elliott Dale Gordon David McCartney Mark Corry Despite the many thousands of miles the group have travelled criss-crossing the province and beyond, the boys feel that they have always been divinely looked-after, even in some of the darkest days of the troubles in Northern Ireland. Colin recalls one night however when things got a little too close, " We used to play at a number of youth meetings in the South Armagh area, and these journeys usually meant travelling down lonely narrow roads at night. One such evening we were in our minibus on the way to a booking in that locality when we were stopped at a set of traffic lights on a small bridge. These appeared to be the traffic lights that you find filtering vehicles at roadworks. We pulled up at the red light and waited. After a few seconds I got a very uneasy feeling that something wasn't quite right, and I think all of us were feeling the same. Sam, our drummer, who was driving turned round to the rest of us and said "I don't like this," with that he put his foot down and ran the red light. On our return later that evening the road was closed by the police and the whole area was full of security forces. As it turned out an army patrol in two Land Rovers arrived at the traffic lights a few moments after us. As the first soldiers pulled up at the red light the IRA launched an RPG rocket into the side of the first Land Rover. The rocket exploded killing two soldiers and injuring several others. The terrorists had been working the lights and had placed the rocket on the wall of the bridge. We don't tend to mention that night very often, but we believe that God was watching over us." During 1991 Live Issue began their association with American Country-Gospel singer Jerry Arhelger. When Jerry would visit Northern Ireland, he would ask the boys to back and support him during his tours. With Live Issue's wide experience they were able to play Country music as if they had been playing it all their lives! In the summer of 1993 Jerry invited the band and their families to America where he set up a number of bookings in Pennsylvania, Alabama and North Carolina. Unfortunately, not all the members of Live Issue could go on the trip, and Mark Corry was asked to stand in for Sam on drums during the three weeks they were away. As Mark recalls, "I knew one of the boys from work and he had told me about the group going to play in America. Then one day out of the blue he told me that the drummer wasn't able to go and asked me if I would be interested in replacing him for the trip. As you can imagine I jumped at the chance, and here I am still with the boys to this day." After Live Issue's return from the States some of the members of the group felt God calling them to other things. Dale remembers the decisions that had to be made at that time. "We weren't sure what to do, so we left it a few months and then Mark, Colin and myself decided that we wanted to go on playing and serving God through our music. We had several meetings to discuss what direction we should take, and eventually talked Colin into taking the lead vocal and moving to rhythm guitar instead of bass. This left us without a bass player but we felt if it was God's will then the right person would show up. We also felt that this would be a good time to change the name of the group and make a fresh start. Eventually after much debate and discussion we came up with INSIDE OUT. The idea being that the one who is inside us (that is the Lord Jesus) will come out through our music and ministry!" After a few months the group did find the right man to play bass for them. David McCartney was helping with the praise in his home church of Glengormley Baptist when Inside Out arrived to take a special youth praise service. David remembers the night well, "Colin and I got talking and he asked me if I would be interested in coming along to a few practices and perhaps even playing the odd booking if I had time. I agreed and the four of us all hit it off so well that they soon asked me to join as a permanent member of the band." During the summer of 1995 Inside Out returned to America and played extensively throughout the country for over two weeks. This was a very important time for the group and an experience not to be forgotten. Colin remembers a youth concert in Nashville. "This was one of my favourite bookings
because the young people were so open and willing to
listen to everything we were saying. Everyone was really
appreciative, and when we finished playing we were
ushered to a back room where there were a number of
reporters from the Nashville press. They were asking us
about our faith, our music and our country. Gerry Adams,
the Sinn Fein leader, had just visited America before we
arrived and we were asked by the reporters to tell our
side of the story. We also worked with young black kids
who were coming off drugs in a Christian rehabilitation
centre in Mobile Alabama, and it was amazing to see so
many of those young people coming to Christ through the
ministry of that outreach centre. It was Inside Out recorded an EP for that tour and then went back into the studio in 1996 to record a follow-up entitled "Loose Ends." During the latter part of 1997 and early 1998 the boys took a break for a year from regular bookings so they could pursue some individual projects which would have been difficult to do if the group had been fully committed as in previous years, for instance, Colin did some solo recording and Mark set up his own car body repair business. At the start of 1998 three members of the band found themselves with their hands full, so to speak, when over a six week period in January and February of that year, three little boys were born ......... alias Daniel Elliott, Josuah Gordon and Benjamin McCartney, so perhaps the beginnings of a new group was forming to take over from their fathers someday. During this time off the road the group began working on a new album. Dale and Colin would meet at their own studio which is built into the converted attic of Colin's house outside Portadown. They began to write some songs and look for others that they might record. After the basic tracks were completed the boys moved to the Nova-Tech Recording Studio in Belfast to work with Gary Aiken who has co-produced all their recordings since 1992. The album entitled "Fading Pictures" was eventually completed an was recently released on compact disc. It contains twelve tracks, half of which are originals. The songs contain an energy and enthusiasm which is rarely captured in the digital world of recording today. All the songs deal with issues which are close to the boys' hearts. They sing of their own experiences, their longing to see old friends mend their relationship with God and as the opening song declares, the desire to give their utmost for God's highest. This new album is highly recommended listening, and is on sale in bookshops throughout Northern Ireland. The album can also be purchased from Inside Out's web-site at www.insideout-theband.com Currently the boys are making a television documentary which will be screened on the Inspiration Channel in the next few months. The film will explore the music and personalities that make Inside Out one of the most enduring and respected contemporary Gospel bands in Ireland today. It is hoped that the documentary may also be screened on some of the main network channels as well, so keep a close eye out. Colin is also heading across to North America in July to perform a short solo tour with concerts scheduled in Berwick Pennsylvania and across the Canadian border in Sarnia Ontario. This will be an opportunity to work renew old acquaintances and work with the young people of both communities. Despite their wealth of experience the members of Inside Out are still only in their 20's and early 30's. They are dedicated to serving God and reaching young people throughout Northern Ireland, playing almost every weekend at a venue somewhere in the province. God has used the group, both as Live Issue and Inside Out, to change people's lives. This includes the lives of those in the band themselves with some of the past members moving into full time ministry and others using their experience to serve God in their own churches. The boys often joke that 'they could write a book' recalling all their experiences, both good and bad, over the years. Perhaps someday they will! But in the meantime, their new album "Fading Pictures" is there to be enjoyed. PAUL DAVIS |
Internationally,
the Emerald Isle has a history that is second to none
when it comes to the impressive conveyor-belt of quality
music artistes specialising in diverse musical styles.
The list ranges from Dana to Daniel O'Donnell to the
Chieftains to Maureen O'Hara to Mary McKee to William
McCrea and many, many more! Maybe not yet a house-hold
name, over the horizon has appeared a new name to watch.