Did Peter Furler [former newsboys frontman] participate in the songwriting?
Phillips: Originally we thought that Peter would step down and then take on more of a writing role, because that’s really what he’s great at. I mean, the guy’s given the band over 20 number-one hits. I think once the mantle was lifted off his shoulders, he felt such a sense of release, that he just said, ‘guys, I’ve got to take a break.’ As a founding member of this band…kudos to him for seeing within himself the need to let go and pass the baton on to Michael. This newsboys has never been about Peter Furler, Duncan Philips…or anyone else. Tait: It’s proven that this success we’re having…you know, we miss him. I miss my old days of dcTalk, but it hasn’t stopped tobyMac. I love Peter! But he said, ‘Tait, you either do this, or the band folds.’ I think it was tough in the beginning. Peter said, ‘Tait, for every two you lose, if you lose that, you’ll gain 12.’ We had a couple of months where everyone was like, ‘Where’s Peter?’ But all of a sudden, mid-spring, all through the summer
