Interview with Terry Taylor of Daniel Amos about Doppelganger - Part 2 of the "Alarma Chronicles"
Year 1982???
Recorded off radio station KDMI, Des Moines, Iowa
Original show from the Lutheran League of St. Louis, Missouri (Crosswalk??)

Terry talks about the song "Youth With A Machine" which discusses the challenge of maintaining spiritual values in a computerized age.

"This brings up a grave question for Christian parents and their children. How do we as Christian parents instill within them spiritual values to see them through whatever this age may bring about? You know that even with Pac-Man and all this we're all being exposed to it. For the kids it will become a way of life. The only way they're going to be able to go through school is to be involved in the computer thing. Basically, your child is not going to be able to get work--by the time he's old enough to go to work--unless he knows how to operate a computer. And I know Christians sort of cringe at this computer age. But I think again if God's going to allow us to be in this world and the computer age is upon us--and it is--then what's really important is that we establish within our children the capacity for spiritual things."

Terry says the song "Here I Am, There You Are" discusses many of the frustrations the group had in making the record "Doppelganger". "The songs says, Don't worship me, I'm a person. I'm just a person. I don't want to be larger than life and I don't want to be a god. I don't want to believe my only publicity. I want others to know that I'm just a person who writes songs, plays guitar and wants to serve Christ.' In the world we have this sort of class system, you know the musician is elevated and has this power and the audience is sort of less than that. And is sort of in awe and idolizing. Well in Christianity we should have a different set of standards that we're all part of the same body of Christ. Because I'm standing on stage with a guitar in my hand doesn't elevate me to some high position. I don't think of myself in that position. I need people to share with me their own feelings, their own suffering. Then it becomes more than just an album...it becomes more than just a band playing on stage. Then it's, you know, the body of Christ...the interaction, the body life that is so vital to our health."

Many Christians perceive Daniel Amos as being on the fringe, but Terry says... "Our songs are intended to stir up the gift which is in each one of us. To stir us on, to go on beyond the fundamentals not laying again the foundation which is already laid. This is again is very personal. There's nothing on Doppelganger that says 'you' that doesn't say at the same time 'me'. That's me Terry Taylor a person who falls short in all these areas. The worship of material things. The idea of looking at people as objects. The lack of humanness in my art and being able to get beyond the records and the hype and all that and really be a person. Really be able to minister to those around me. All of these things are problems in my life that I have not overcome all together. So I hope that as a person listens to Doppelganger, listens to Alarma that is understood. The only thing I can do each and everyday is give my life to Christ. My music is a reflection of that and is the best that I know how to do and is what I believe with all my heart. And no one can veer me away from that. What I believe with all my heart that I'm doing unto the Lord."


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