In the world of Christian Music, does super popular Christian musical trio DC Talk rule as much as the Beatles did in the Sixties? The talented and ever innovative Kevin Max spoke with Breathecast about the unparalleled success of DC Talk, as well as the comparisons made between DC Talk and the Beatles.
"Anyone who has listened to me from the very beginning as a solo artist back from Stereotype B can tell I have Beatles influences in what I do. Being more of a John Lennon fan than Paul McCartney, I certainly see his hand on my songs," Max said in the interview.
The same way the Beatles are considered musical geniuses and have a huge influence on contemporary music even 50 years after their debut, DC Talk's Christian music - although not as world-renowned as the Beatles' - has hit the Christian music genre like a monsoon. With several awards including Grammies, Doves plus airplay on mainstream media outlets like MTV, there is no doubt DCT is as big as any Christian group can get.
"I feel like the Beatles were the first band that encapsulated all of the great creative things that I like about music. Put all into a very short time span of music and accomplished more in that very short space than any artist that has ever done creatively. I'm not even talking about success," Max added.
Max mentioned how he would "humbly" and "gladly" accept any comparisons made between DCT and the Beatles.
"The four of those guys together brought something really interesting to the table. It's very similar to what Toby, Mike, and I were like as writers. I do a certain thing, Michael does a certain thing, and Toby does a certain thing, but all together it creates this thing where nobody can ever sound like it," Max revealed.
The mega Christian musical trio were formed in Virginia back in the late Eighties by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith. Since then DCT has released five major studio albums that were received with great praise by Christian music fans and critics.
The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music went as far as saying DC Talk was "the most popular overtly Christian act of all time."
Max revealed some insight into his creative process.
"I've always kind have been an outsider in Christian music even though I was in one of the biggest bands in Christian music. I'm always a guy that's kind of constantly looking in from the outside, and when I do look inside I seem to be looking outside. I'm never ever completely comfortable in my surroundings. I write a lot from that place."