Stereotype Be

“I think it’s different than anything out there. I wanted to do a record that pushed music – period.” –Kevin Max

“On everyone’s personal journey they’ve got to get to the truth,” says Kevin Max. “Without that, they’re living a lie. It’s getting outside the box, stepping outside our comfort zone when we really start to live.”

Moving outside of his comfort zone, Kevin Max calls his long-awaited solo debut, Stereotype Be, “a universal record.” “I want this record to appeal to a wide audience. I wanted a universal record that talks about love, death, social relevance and my faith—it’s a lot to chew on.”Stereotype Be represents a break from—but not the break up of multi-platinum group, dc talk. It’s an effort that’s eclectic, poetic, and surprising at every turn.

Kevin says the songs from Stereotype Be, all of which he wrote or co-wrote, describe life as he’s experienced it. “My music is about real, flawed people who mess up, who wear their flaws on their sleeve. Real people asking ‘is there a God? Will He listen to me?’ It’s more of a question record than an answer record; it pushes people to an understanding of what truth is.”

Kevin also asserts that he has not shied away from discussing his faith. “When you want to reach a wide audience, you have to approach spirituality as a unifying thing, not a segregating thing. It is possible to do that, but you have to come at it from a different direction—from the direction of [presenting] truth.”

That’s the reason behind Stereotype Be’s title—breaking down stereotypes of what faith is about while challenging listeners to seek the truth. “I think by making a record honestly and not making a record worrying about market shares or how it’s gonna hit this person or that person. It’s a heart record; it’s not a head record,” he says.

“I wanted a feel that was cohesive -- almost a concept record. The record opens with ‘Return of the Singer,’ which is an intro to what I do as a performer/musician. ‘Existence’ follows it up musically and is about living in today’s society and the struggles therein. ‘Be’ answers the questions proposed in ‘Existence’ by offering and encouraging listeners to just be themselves. ‘Angel Without Wings’ details a not-so-simple relationship where opposites attract. ‘Shaping Space’ talks about a relationship that’ll last, one that’s forged on things that are good. There’s a light and dark thing happening on the whole record.”

“I wanted to start out kind of mod and deconstruct the whole record down to the basics. I also wanted to put a current music sound up front because I wanted something familiar to the listener,” Kevin says, explaining that there are strong but more complex songs (“Blind” and “Her Game”) towards the disc’s end.

Here’s what dc Talk member Kevin Max has to say about each song he wrote on his debut project, Stereotype Be.

Return of the Singer
While staying in my favorite hotel in LA, I wrote this song with co-writer and programmer, Mark Townsend (not the Mark Townsend of dc talk’s band). I wanted to begin the record with a bit of theatre, a modern message on the stage and its effect on me. I wanted the whole record to be a fused-ongoing thought, a journey through life and its senses. "Return" started with a simple loop, melody and "Eastern ear candy." I have always loved Eastern influences in music form George Harrison's contributions in the Beatles to Ravi Shankar and the like. The lyrics reveal that our life is like a stage, and we need the Father to guide the voice inside us.

Existence
This song is all about the searching soul, the person with a destination in mind but struggling to find it. We all search for truth in our individual existences. I wrote this song directly after writing "Return." It came to me quickly because of the emotion and mood of dark yearning found in the chord progression. The metaphorical girl in the lyric represents all of the doubt and confusion many people feel, and sometimes can't escape.

Be
This song was written at my house with guitar buddy and friend Erick Cole. I wanted to write an anthem, a song about self-realization. It became the cornerstone song for the project. The idea of being more powerful and useful, when realizing God's design for your life, was a truth I wanted to convey. People in modern society seem to be chameleon-like, never wanting to be individual, always wanting to please the masses. Becoming a faceless, bland, brand of every diluted idea that culture can come up with. We can become more than we know, if we seek out the mystery of God and his blueprint for our lives. Adrian Belew, my friend and co-producer, played pedal steel for the first time in his life on this track.

Angel With No Wings
"Angel" started off with Erick and I wanting to write a pop song. Most of the songs that Erick and I start out with are 8-minute odysseys that are trimmed back to reveal more "radio friendly" compositions. It is a song about learning to deal with people and relationships the hard way. It is about avoiding a problem, but struggling with it at the same time. The problem being a femme fatale, in sheep's clothing.

Shaping Space
This was the first song I wrote for the project. It was a stream of conscience song. It came to me while playing the piano late one night at a friend's house. Every time I played the song it took on another meaning. It is a poem put to music, for all that believe in eternity to come.

I Don't Belong
William Owsley is a friend of mine who has a deal with Warner Bros. He has been in several bands and played for many pop stars. We had always wanted to write a song together and finally got the chance. William suggested I write a song on how I felt about the music industry and my role in dc talk. I have always felt like somewhat of a misfit throughout my life. I know there are a lot of people who can understand or relate to that. We must realize, however, that in the end, we are far more interesting together than apart.

The Union of Souls
Spoken word has always been a love of mine and I have been executing that love at the end of many dc talk records. The fact that I included this poem in particular, was the centrifugal force to the whole of the project. This poem was written about my wife, and my innate need for her goodness in my life. It also exposes my insecurity in myself, and my need for completion. I think we can mirror this relationship to our creator and His divine love for us.

The Secret Circle
Before meeting Adrian and the rest of King Crimson, I set out to write my own version of a "prog-rock" tune. This song was written in the vein of Crimson, Pink Floyd, Mansun from England, etc. One day I wandered down to 12th and Porter in Nashville to see King Crimson play. I met Adrian's wife at the door, she introduced us, and immediately hooked Adrian and I up to write together. I ended up playing this song for him and our working relationship was sealed. The arrangement of the strings and other instruments was crucial in the mood of this song. John Painter, a great guitarist and arranger who has worked with Ben Folds Five, Fleming and John, and dc talk, helped Adrian and I realize the scope and drama of "Alycen."

Blind
"Blind" is a song about temptation. The forbidden fruit that all of us as humans reach for constantly. I wanted to write a song showing no promise of hope in that situation, but during the bridge I came up with the line "I need your divine intervention." I was just ad-libbing the lyrics to the track when it all made sense. I loved the way Adrian's guitar riff on the verses reminded me of early David Bowie, then I remembered that Adrian had played on Lodger and Station to Station, two of Bowie's early albums. I have found this song to be a powerful picture of our humanity.

Dead End Moon
Much like the other two songs I have written with Mark, this started out with a program and a loop. I then took the program home from L.A. and put lyric and melody to it. This was a first marriage of Eastern sounds to pop music on the project. The lyric was taken from an idea that I had about romance in the spirit of Arabian Nights. The song particularly works in the expression of total desire and hunger for a partner, who is just out of reach. I have always envisioned this song to be put to video in Fes, North Africa, or Marrakesh.

Her Game
I started writing "Her Game" early on in the sessions on my new keyboard, the MS2000 by Korg. It was a melody that was shaped into a bit of a pop anthem about a lost relationship. The original demo was a bit too John Lennon for most tastes, so I had Adrian de-bug it into a modern format. Adrian's arrangement of the strings and his use of guitar was spot on. This is one of my favorite cuts on the project from a songwriter perspective.

On and On
This was an 11th hour tune that we came up with one night after my wife had prodded me to write a ballad. Ballads are usually not my bag, so I immediately wanted out of the responsibility. But from Erick's initial chord progressions we stumbled onto this song together. My lyric to this song was especially important because of the sensitive nature of the song. I wanted to draw out the complexity and sometimes "dark versus light" in relationships. This song is a dramatic telling of my relationship with my wife Alayna, my muse.

Deconstructing Venus
I originally had a poem called "Venus Was a Tramp" that I took and crafted into a song about the fashion industry. I wanted to express the fact that media "icons" sometimes live a very lonely and self-deprecating lifestyle. People magazine, Vogue, and National Enquirer never tell the whole story.

I Went Over the Edge of the World
This poem was written in L.A. at the mixing sessions, and I added it in to end "Venus." I wanted a poem to end the project, so I wrote this one down as a last thought and testament. The lyric is directed to a catalog of feelings about the creation of Stereotype Be, and the nuances of the business.

You
The hidden track on the record…….a song about the totality of God

Although Kevin has enlisted unparalleled talent in the production of Stereotype Be, one of the greatest presences on the album is the inspiration of his wife of four years, Alayna. A driving force behind the creation of Stereotype Be, as well as other projects Kevin has undertaken, Alayna continually encourages Kevin to live out his creativity – “be everything you were created to be so you can experience creativity in life and in art.” As a tribute to his relationship with Alayna, which he calls his “muse,” Kevin co-wrote the song “On and On.”

Stereotype Be also serves as a showcase for Kevin’s musical influences and interests. They include the Beatles and John Lennon, Queen’s The Game and Roxy Music’s Avalon, ‘the Smiths and Echo and the Bunnymen, Radiohead, Muse, and Bjork. “I’m also fascinated with what George Harrison and Ravi Shankar did,” referring to the Indian influence which appear on Kevin’s record. “I wanted a world music feel; I didn’t want a Brit rock record.” The result is a successful musical fusion that parallels the multi-faceted, mature pop of Sting’s Brand New Day and Moby’s Play.

To help realize his musical vision, Kevin collaborated with a dynamic group of musicians. He co-produced the record with King Crimson’s Adrian Belew (who produced Jars of Clay’s “Flood”). Bassist Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel), drummer Matt Chamberlain (Tori Amos), guitarist Owsley (the band Owsley, Amy Grant), multi-instrumentalist John Painter (Fleming & John, dc talk), and programmer Cinco Townsend form an impressively credentialed list of players.

“I put my heart and soul into this. I think people will hear that. That’s all I care about at the end of the day, that I put my best foot forward,” says Kevin. “It’s not something I did in a week. I’ve had this record in mind for years. I’m just happy to step back from dc talk and create an album that is all my influence. Hopefully this music will bring people forward and help them appreciate other kinds of music. Then I’ve accomplished something.”

As Kevin explores the ability to “be yourself” through his solo release, he has also penned the book, “Unfinished Work,” an autobiographical account of his struggle to examine his life and become who God has called him to be. This book, due out in Fall 2001, is a compilation of personal stories that Kevin feels has molded him into the person he has become. Through the writings in this book, Kevin hopes to provide inspiration to readers by speaking candidly about mistakes he has made, personal feelings of insecurity and times of struggle with his faith.

Everyone spends a great deal of their lives searching for the truth; searching for who they are beyond stereotypes, or conformity. When Kevin Max set out on his journey of self-discovery, he allowed his writing to translate into word, through music, poetry and literature, the feelings and emotions he struggled with over time, which ultimately led him to be the person he is today.