Joshua Brown (right) with friend and collaborator, guitarist Gregg Hionis.

Full Devil Jacket might've been the next big thing in mainstream hard rock, thanks to a deal with Island Records and tours with Creed, Fuel and Nickelback. But a rock 'n' roll lifestyle—drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, endless parties—eventually caught up with lead singer Joshua Brown, who had a nervous breakdown one day in the studio while the band was cutting its second record. They never finished the project, but Brown started a new one—recommitting his life to God and leaving Full Devil Jacket. After two years away from music, Brown is back—with Day of Fire, a Christian band on the Essential label that recently toured with Third Day and TobyMac. We talked to Brown about his rocky past—and how he wants to reach those entrenched in substance abuse and depression.

What do you think led to your personal struggles while with Full Devil Jacket?

Joshua Brown: I grew up in divorced home, but was always interested in playing music. I began doing drugs by the age of 15 and dreamed of becoming a rock star. I thought that with a record deal, tour bus, and fame, somehow I would find purpose in my life. Over the next five to seven years, I played in various rock bands and continued to do more drugs. At age 22 I got the record deal, but I was also really hardcore into narcotics, prescription drugs and pain pills. I ended up making the Full Devil Jacket record, going on tour and ended up overdosing on drugs about a year into being on the road.

Was faith ever a part of your life?

Brown: My father led me to Christ around age 8 and I stuck with it until about 11. I asked Jesus into my heart but didn't really live it. I reconnected with those feelings once I went through rehab. But I also realized during my downward spiral that being on tour with huge bands, having a video on MTV, and having the right girlfriend still made me feel empty.

I've heard that you recommitted your life for the first time in rehab, but then had a hard time following through when you hit the road again.

Brown: After rehab I felt worse off than I did when I was on drugs because I no longer had anything to mask the insecurities and fear. Even though I asked Jesus to help me through the addictions, I wasn't ready at that point to ask him into the rest of my life—the immoral sex, fame and pride. By the time we went into recording the second album, that all spiraled into a nervous breakdown.

How did the breakdown effect your creativity?

Brown: I couldn't sing or write. I could barely talk to people. I was so consumed by fear, insecurity and depression. I also started to fall back into drinking. My band members completely lost faith and confidence with me. As a person and a leader, I was a wreck. Those sessions were in constant turmoil and I constantly doubted myself.

What brought you out of it?

Brown: It's really weird, but the whole time I had this battle going on, I knew God was real. I knew I didn't have peace without him, and I ended up giving my life to him again one night when I was alone in my L.A. apartment. I was watching TBN and T.D. Jakes was speaking about the gospel, which I felt was being pointed directly at me. That night I truly gave up and surrendered to God. I changed and the next day I knew something happened. It was at that point I asked God to teach me how to live a joyful and peaceful life—and that meant no more Full Devil Jacket.

How did you build up your faith in the time off from music?

Brown: I started getting into the Word, and my girlfriend and I got married. I gave my sexual life over to God, but I still slipped up and had times where I'd look at porn in movies and magazines. It was something I started when I was 9 or 10, but I knew God had the power to lead me out of that sin and all the others. I was still drinking a little bit too. Anyway, my wife and I headed back to my hometown [Jackson, Tennessee] and we started going to church together. For the first couple months, I still felt dirty and different from everyone, but one day at a prayer service the pastor preached and invited anyone who needed prayer to come down to the front. People laid their hands on me that very day and I was filled with the Holy Spirit in such a way that completely took away the desires for drugs, insecurity and fear. It was such an earth-shattering experience; when God touched me, I felt more physically than any of those drugs—heroin, crack, acid, ecstasy or whatever drug I did. I walked out of that church service as a changed person.

From a clinical perspective, how were you able to come clean?

Brown: When you go to rehab, they tell you you're going to be an addict all your life. They say the best you can be once you're home is a sober drug addict or sober alcoholic. But the deal is Jesus sets people free, and when he came in and touched me, he set me completely free from that sin and addiction. I'm not saying I don't ever slip up, but the power of sin and addiction no longer has a hold on me. God empowered me to give up that lifestyle.

What did music mean to you at that time?

Brown: It was weird because when I quit the music business, I lost the ability and desire to play music; a guitar in my hand felt uncomfortable. So I went home to wash dishes at a nursing home. For the next year to year and a half, I had zero desire, though everybody called and wanted to form a band with me. But I was real standoffish.

How did the bug to play again come back?

Brown: God started saying last year he wanted me back in music, though I had no idea Day of Fire was next. Out of nowhere the folks at Essential wanted to meet with me to see what I was doing. I hadn't done a thing, but it looked like God wanted me to do something here. I went up to [their office], brought my guitar and screeched out some sour notes and pieces of songs I'd written. They continued to stay in contact with me and after that I hooked up with my guitar player Gregg [Hionis]. We got together to write some new music, went to a new church together and God ended up leading us to productivity.

What is Day of Fire's overall mission?

Brown: Through the band God has said for us to use whatever talent we have to build the kingdom. We're called to bring deliverance to his people—drug addicts or anyone in need of God. When I write music now, it's for people struggling with addictions in the church and in the world. As far as people who like rock music straight out, they think it is awesome. For those struggling, we've found people having encounters with Jesus through the CD. I've had videos, the record deal and all that lifestyle has to offer, but now all I really want to do is help build the kingdom. God has opened up the door to the world through my previous ties to the secular market, and there's a whole harvest full of souls waiting to be reached as a result.

For more about Joshua Brown and Day of Fire, visit our artist page, where you'll also find our review of their self-titled debut. To hear sound clips and buy their music, visit Christianbook.com.

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