The single "Deeper" is in the charts, they'll soon be playing Wembley Stadium, and rumours of revival are in the air... Mike Rimmer meets DELIRIOUS?.

At the Cambridge gig one phrase that Smith shared from the stage was the concept of invading the culture. This is becoming an important issue for the band, he explains what it means. "A lot of the lyrics talk about putting on your God shoes, or time to raise the flag again or reflections on that sort of thing. We really believe that the world doesn't need just another rock band - it needs people to stand up and say some positive things. If we have platforms to do that and go and play in a HMV megastore or gig venues, that's our small way of invading the culture which is so far from God."

I question whether pop music can have a deep effect on culture. Martin mutters, "Yeah, the Spice Girls!" before Stuart says, "I think it does. It gives people an identity because they want to belong to something. If people are writing songs that you want to sing when you're doing everyday things, it does have an effect on you. I think it's one way of getting into society on a big scale. Music is an international language that crosses countries and cultures. If we can have a positive influence there, as well as making music that people like, that stands up against everything else, then that's a great ambition to have." One of the outstanding songs on the new album is "History Maker" and I wanted to know Martin's thoughts about it. "It's funny you should ask me about that, because it can sound a little pretentious singing, 'I'm gonna be a history maker.' But the heart of it is to encourage a whole generation not to think we're all losers, but for them to think that we can make a change. We're in this climate, moving up to the millennium, and the only people who are going to make history are us. We have it in our hands to influence, to speak with kings and queens of nations and it's our generation that's going to do it. We're encouraging people to believe in themselves and in good things."

Those thoughts have begun to translate into action. For the last single, the band chose to send a copy to a variety of people in power in order to create an interest in revival. Back in April when the band went to Wembley Stadium as part of the preparations for the Champion Of The World event, they met Gary Lineker and Alan Hansen. Clearly as the band continues to remain humble and obedient to God, there is a huge potential for them to be an example of how we can impact our nation.

In concert, Smith talks of the Revival Generation, is this just a current buzz phrase? Smith is honest in his response, "It may well be a buzz phrase. There is this term revival being bandied around at the moment. I don't think any of us really knows what revival's going to be like when it comes, but historically it meant God visiting a geographical location in intensified power like the Welsh revival and people coming to know Christ and getting their lives sorted out. I suppose there's a whole generation that believes that this is a time when this nation and nations across the earth will be turned back to Godly ways. Who can say what time limit there is on this? That's partly what Delirious? are doing - we're encouraging people to think outwardly and not just getting their lives sorted out but to fulfil the great commission, which is to go into all the world and preach the Gospel."

The phrase is developed into the title of one of the most anthemic songs on the new album, "Revival Town". Smith describes it, "We were saying about revival coming. We're just trying to pour all that into something that people can sing and that they can get their heads round. It came out of walking up the road one morning when I was buying a newspaper. Instead of seeing the headlines that were normally on there, I saw a little dream, 'Littlehampton, Revival Town', which is where we're from. I suddenly thought that all over this country, there are going to be reporters reporting on what God's doing in their towns - miracles, people being raised from the dead, people getting out of wheel chairs. This is going to impact this nation so much the media aren't going to know how to handle it. All they're going to be able to print in the newspapers is, for example, 'Sheffield, Revival Town', 'Newcastle, Revival Town'. The sentiment of the song is an in your face presentation that God's on the move."

The title of the album was dreamed up by Stuart Garrard after he saw the Disney movie Hunchback Of Notre Dame with his daughter. "There was a bit in the film that really moved me. The whole thing about being foolish, standing up there, feeling vulnerable and willing to be foolish for what you believe in is amazing. One of the lines says, 'I'll live to be the king of fools...'." At this point a very tired Stuart forgets the lines to his own song. Martin Smith is no help either. They both dissolve into laughter and both fail to remember the words but eventually agree that the gist of it is that we are the kings of fools but we walk before the king of all. Clearly the Delirious? schedule is taking its toll on the sanity of the band's members!

One member of the band has been quiet all through our morning together. Bass player Jon Thatcher is as quiet off stage as he's solid and immovable on stage. I ask whether I can interview him and the rest of Delirious? chuckle at my optimism and goad Jon behind the microphone. This gentle ribbing does little to calm the quiet one's nerves. However, in the course of our brief chat, I discover that the thought of playing at Wembley in front of a massive crowd excites Mr Thatcher. As a kid he always wanted to be a footballer! And what about the adrenaline caused by performing in front of such a huge crowd? After a long pause, Jon confesses, "I'm an adrenaline junkie! Watch this space!" and the band collapse laughing! More hilarity!

Clearly these are exciting days for Delirious?. Much in demand as a live act, they have an exhausting schedule which continues to stretch them as a band and as individuals. Opportunities to impact the mainstream culture and encourage the church to reach out are enthusiastically pursued. In their small way, they are definitely making history. They have a passion, maturity and down to earth reality which fills me with the hope that here we have a band that could invade the culture and open up a doorway for others to follow until this nation is left in no doubt that God cares. And to top it all, they make brilliant music! Pray for them that God will continue to open up opportunities for Delirious?.