Bear Rinehart (second from left) and the rest of needtobreathe are one of the few bands today with a following in both Christian and mainstream music.

There's been a lot of debate in the 40-year history of contemporary Christian music about its target audience—believers or non-believers? And while there's certainly a musical market for both, in recent years it's become increasingly difficult for an aspiring artist to reach both simultaneously, forced to choose between one and the other. But needtobreathe is one of the genuine exceptions—a band that signed with mainstream label Lava/Atlantic Records under the condition that they could also reach the Christian market through, at the time, Sparrow Records (now Word Records). Sure enough, it's a move that has allowed them to enjoy some success in both markets. With the recent release of the band's sophomore effort, The Heat, lead singer Bear Rinehart discusses how this dual-audience strategy has worked out for needtobreathe, and how writing with honesty seems to be the best policy.

You're still on the same mainstream record label, but have already switched from Sparrow Records to Word Records on the Christian side. How much of that was your decision?

Bear Rinehart: We had a lot of say in it and we're excited about it. The situation came about because our mainstream label (Lava/Atlantic) and the Christian label we used to be on (Sparrow) are owned by different companies, and therefore have different distribution. It made it difficult for fans in some cities to find our CDs in stores, and that became frustrating. So having the same distribution made sense and that's where working with Word comes in. The same parent company oversees both Lava/Atlantic and Word, and it simplifies things.

Does needtobreathe feel more at home in the mainstream market or Christian market?

Rinehart: We feel like we fit in both worlds and much of that has to do with touring. We've toured the secular market more in the last two years, but we've also joined Jars of Clay on tour. We feel at home in both markets, but the Christian market has familiar surroundings to us because it's our roots.

How does reaching both markets in equal measure strengthen your band instead of dilute it?

Rinehart: Playing both markets has helped make the band very fluid. We've learned to perform in some really strange places on the secular side. We did an outdoor [promotional performance] at a Wal-Mart that was rained out, so we ended up playing in the men's clothing section. There have been acoustic shows with audiences comprised of almost entirely middle-aged women, [rather than teens and young adults]. And there have been shows played in conference rooms for two or three people. So we've learned to become comfortable with performing for a variety of audiences under any circumstances.

In what specific ways is your second album The Heat different from Daylight?

Rinehart: The process of recording changed a lot between the two, though not because we weren't happy with Daylight. But we did approach The Heat differently in that we recorded it ourselves at home, and we took our time doing so over nearly six months (instead of six weeks).

And I think we took more [artistic] chances too. If we felt like doing something, we did it. We tracked a gospel choir ourselves for the recording. We even found a horn section working down the hall from us (in a Chicago recording studio) and offered some pizza and a little money to play on the album.

And how would you say those changes and chances turned out for the album?

Rinehart: Musically and rhythmically, we're more diverse on The Heat. Things were more straightforward rock on the first record, and this time I think we hit more of a Southern rock feel with the slide guitars, harmonicas, and gospel choir—I think it better reflects our live sound. The Southern rock sound was probably a bit washed out on Daylight from recording in England where you're surrounded by Brit rock.

And I think we listened to outside opinions to a fault last time. Though I can appreciate those opinions, this time we just did what was more natural to us. The headline to this record could be "we trusted ourselves more." Some might think it comes easy to record a CD, but people outside the process don't realize how many people are around a band while making a record and affecting the decision-making. This time we closed ourselves up and included more of us than we've ever done. I think that makes it more fun to listen to.

Do you feel The Heat is different lyrically?

Rinehart: On Daylight we used the lyrics to help build up the song, sometimes painting a picture to help you see something more [tangible]. On The Heat, we focused more on things that had to do with us more personally—the intangible.

For example?

Rinehart: The song "More Time" is about the patience it takes to be in the music industry, both for us and for our families. We've been gone constantly since we started the band six years ago. You keep telling yourself that everything will work out in just a couple more months … and then those months turn into years. As much as this song speaks to that frustration, it's also a song about devotion. This is really about knowing you're doing what you're supposed to be doing and having the patience to see it through to the end.

We wrote "Second Chances" about the opportunity to make a second record, but it also speaks to a theme of trying to experience things fully. There are a lot of experiences that go along with making a record and touring it. On the first record, we were too concerned with what other people thought to fully enjoy those experiences. So the song is about optimism and a second chance to get it right.

And "Washed by the Water" feels like an old spiritual. It's about some things my dad went through in the ministry as a spiritual leader. People aren't always going to agree with you, and sometimes it can get ugly. This song is about working through those hardships and holding on to your calling no matter what.

Do you write with the idea that 'honesty is the best policy'?

Rinehart: On the last record, we discovered that people connected most with the songs that were the most honest, regardless of whether the subject matter and characters were fictional or real. That was a direction we wanted to explore more on The Heat. Lyrically, musically, and overall, artistically, we took a lot more chances and tried to put something more personal into our sound and songwriting.

What sort of band does needtobreathe want to be known as?

Rinehart: In the long run, we want to be known as a band that diversifies—one you enjoy without it being tied to any one fad or genre of music. Ideally, in the long run, we'd like to offer a slightly different style with every album. We could put out a country record, a rock record, a soulful blues record, and hopefully still be cohesive enough for fans to buy it. We're seeking the fans that are looking for an experience with a band, not just the style of song they hear on the radio.

How do you create that kind of fan base?

Rinehart: Well, think of Wilco. They can be rootsy, country, rocking, or even electronic—you don't care because it's all still Wilco and you want to go see them live. They may not sell as many records as other bigger bands, but they can still sell out a 5,000-seat venue because they put on an amazing show.

We'd love to have a similar experience with fans where it's more about the band than the radio single. Radio success is a bonus because you can't control radio. But what we can do is connect with fans by making our live show fresh. So that's what we're working on now—re-listening to our own songs, and rarely doing them the same way we did them on the record.

On the Jars of Clay tour, we had like 20 different set lists. I think fans can get tired of hearing the same five hit songs they always hear in the same way. People want more from their bands, so there's an opportunity for bands to meet fans in that gap by making their shows and songs different, putting in the effort to make every concert special and important.

Have you ever been told that you're "not Christian enough" in your approach to music?

Rinehart: It's mixed. We take our share of flack, like when one of our songs appeared in a promo for Desperate Housewives. Unfortunately, we don't have much control over those uses, other than the general rules about how our music can or can't be used (no beer commercials, no sex scenes, nothing graphic, etc.). But at the same time, people watching those TV shows are the ones we ought to be reaching out to anyway. So we try not to let negativity sway us.

Overall, there's never a question about who we are or what our mission is in life. When people meet us, they figure it out. People often tell us, "My Christian station can't reach the secular crowd [with the music they're playing], but you can reach those people through the clubs you play." We appreciate that kind of support and recognition.

Do you ever consider your audience when you write—whether they're Christian or mainstream listeners?

Rinehart: No, not really. If I write a song that uses certain Christian words and phrases, then great. But do we aim to make a certain amount of our lyrics Christian? That never enters our minds. We're Christian guys. If we write about our lives, then a "Christian song" comes out because it comes from a Christian perspective.

Still, "Signature of Divine" seems like a pretty obvious Christian song.

Rinehart: Well, that was originally written as a worship song we did at our church. We went into the album thinking that we needed to write a worship song, but then realized we had this great song already. I rewrote the verses based on an interview I heard with Donald Miller, talking about how so much great art has been inspired by God, but that we are God's greatest masterpiece.

So you see the song as just one facet of the band then.

Rinehart: Sometimes it seems that Christian music is always trying to be hopeful and happy, but people don't always feel hopeful. That's something we like about the "mainstream side" of our music. Obviously we have that hopeful silver lining because of Christ, but we're also trying to be as real as we can to the people around us. The secular side [of the music industry] doesn't impose an expectation of 10 hopeful songs from us because of our beliefs.

For more about needtobreathe, please visit our site's artist page for the band. You can read our review of The Heat by clicking here. Go to Christianbook.com to listen to sound clips and buy the music.

© Jackie A. Chapman, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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