Tony Cummings quizzed 'Spring Harvest Praise Mix 2001' producer ADRIAN THOMPSON

Spring Harvest

Tony: Heard you had a bit of a car smash a while back. What happened?

Adrian: Peter Martin, one of our directors, and I were travelling to Carlisle for a meeting and a truck decided to do a u-turn on the A1. But God was in control and although the car was a complete mess we walked away with nothing too much to complain about, just thanks and relief.

Tony: Tell me about the sessions for Praise Mix 2001' who were the vocalists you used? What were the standout moments?

Adrian: 'Praise Mix' sessions were great overall. With a lot to cover in two weeks we worked really hard and have pulled together what I believe to be a great album. All the musicians and vocalists did a great job and I think we all had fun. As for standout moments I think we hit our first real sense of awe during the band session for Yfriday's "Here In Your Arms". We just captured worship from a three piece band -everyone worshipped not in a super spiritual way but playing with an attitude and passion that can only be termed worship. The fun standout moment was asking Jamie Hill, who was booked to play keyboards, to play one note in a song - and he thought I was joking! It was great overall and I think with each of the contributors I could quote standout moments. We used Jamie Hill for keys and vocals, Ken Riley (Yfriday), James Gregory (Heat) and Cathy Burton for vocals as well as Mikey Randon and Dan Boreham from Kindle and Mark Prentice (Paul Oakley Band) making up the backbone of the album.

Tony: You produced the 1999 Praise Mix' album which was quite a hit on Cross Rhythms radio. Do you have a particular philosophy in approaching the albums?

Adrian: The album brief has got to be to produce something contemporary from the songs selected for the current year's Spring Harvest. For me it is listening through those songs and seeing what could be done or what screams out from those songs if the musical brakes were released. I want people who are not into the pop/soft rock sounds of what is generally termed worship music to have their imagination stretched into worship and for youth worship leaders to be inspired and say, "Yes, I now know how we can use this song. I think we have already achieved this on the 2001 album with some of the musicians now walking away saying, "I think we will use this at Spring Harvest this year.

Tony: How would you say your attitude to worship has changed down the years?

Adrian: It is hard to say how it has changed but I have gone through several processes. I think "performance worship" is what has always been known as CCM and there is no reason why it should not be worship but my head says that worship music is when people corporately lift their voices to God and to me that is what should happen. I can stand at the back of a gig and worship but when God's people are lifting their voices together then that is when worship can take off. Worship should have a reaction in your life not just while everyone is there but a lasting spiritual and lifestyle change when God responds to our worship.