Contemporary Christian music artists have been a bit thin on the ground in Australia but lately there have been a few names blooming, which herald a breaking of the drought.

"Our manager phoned him and said, 'Hello, this is the Newsboys from Australia'. We got talking and they gave us some money to get across to Atlanta. They've really taken us under their wing and we've been touring quite a lot this year with them."

"Mylon and Broken Heart are a band that does not compromise. They've a very strong ministry but because of the music they play they get a lot of criticism, even from the church. But I really admire them and the Scripture says, 'by their fruit you will know them'.

"It's really challenging for us, touring America, especially the big festivals - they have been a big advantage for the Newsboys," says James.

The band has been described as 'vibrant, youthful and full of energy...a dance-pop version of White Heart'. The boys don't go along with the alter appellation - once again it is their Aussie pride on the line: this time their strong Aussie flavour has diffused through their current album 'Hell Is For Wimps'.

"The new album is three times better than the first one - it's much more Australian. Australian music is like when you listen to Midnight Oil with very raw guitars and raunch. Australian music is not as glamorous and polished and shiny as American music."

Having said that though, James went on to talk about two songs which don't exactly fit the mould, the two ballads.
"Most of the album was very much us - with the exception of the ballads. We had no choice in those...the record company said we had to do them.

"WE didn't have a say in that because in America, in order to be popular, you have to write songs for AC (Adult Contemporary) radio. And to have good AC radio you have to fit into a very narrow sort of slot.

"But it's give and take: the other eight songs we're happy with so at least we've got eight out of ten."

'Hell Is For Wimps' was recorded with producer Michael Cleason, former lead singer with AD and Kansas who recently made his solo debut with 'Children Of Choices'.

Another name involved is that of Dez Dickerson, an executive producer who played on Prince's 1999 tour...He became a Christian after the tour.

Commenting on the title of the album James says, "We meet so many schoolkids, teenagers and young people who say that to be a Christian you must be very weak, like you need a crutch.

"It doesn't make you a man, but what we say is that it takes a real man with character to stand up for Jesus Christ - and a real woman - so that they're not following the world but Jesus Christ. And what we're saying to young people is that you have to stand up for Jesus - hell is for wimps.

"When you ask Christ into your heart it's an ongoing thing. My marriage is not the end of my love towards my wife. It's the same for us as Christian's. It's not a thing you do one day, it's an ongoing thing. It's not always easy.

"One of our slow songs, 'All I Can See,' talks about going through experiences when you feel like giving up. We feel like that at times in our lives, whether we are Christians or not...we've got to keep our eyes on Christ."

The gospel remains the focus in the music of the Newsboys. "We've got to keep our eyes on Christ."

The gospel remains the focus in the music of the Newsboys. "We're very up front," says James.

"We believe that if you're going to be a Christian band, let them know you are. So when people like the music they hear the gospel straight away...so they don't have to wonder what the song's about."