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'SQUINT' - 1993 (produced
by Steve Taylor)
Steve says, "My pastor probably had more to do with ultimately making the decision to do this record than probably anyone else. He was a fan of the band and liked what we were doing and liked the idea behind it, but I think he used the word, 'I plead with you to go and do this.' So that was good to hear. Fellow Christian friends were also very helpful in giving their perspective on the decision as far as what they felt. I doubt that it would have happened without the experience of the band (Chagall Guevara), in that I saw a very hard contrast. There was something to it, in that doing a gospel album seems like a privilege now. I think there's a freedom as well in being a solo artist. I don't talk about this a lot, but one of the reasons I never considered becoming a pastor was because my dad is a pastor and I couldn't understand how he could take all those committee meetings. I was in a band and every decision we made had to be made by a committee and it was really draining. It was great to make decisions quickly and see the whole thing come together instead of laboring over every decision...After the band experience, the idea of some, possibly goofy, guy, standing up at football games holding up a banner with 'John 3:16,' in many ways totally artless and very naive by contemporary standards--that idea really appealed to me. It made me remember that much of the reason I'm a Christian today is not because of cool artist guys who were Christians who really made me want to become like they are, but because of people preaching the Word, pointing people to the Bible, sort of the basics of the faith. I think there's a good place for that. In making this album, I think I was originally going to call it The Kitchen Sink. If there was an idea that I had, I wanted to try it, I didn't want to decide if it was an alternative sound or not. The record just kind of came out the way it came out. I also wanted to make sure that people didn't need an encyclopedia to figure out what the songs were about. I tried to make sure that these songs weren't so obscure that nobody would have a clue."
Liner notes:
Produced and written by Steve Taylor
Engineered by Russ Long
Mixed by David Bryson, assisted by Matt Murman
Made at The Salt Mine, Nashville
Mixed at Different Fur, San Francisco
Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering, Portland
Wade Jaynes plaedd the bass(es)
Jerry McPherson played the guitars
Mike Mead played the drums
Phil Madiera played the keyboards
Guitars on "The Lament..." by
George Bradfute, who also played the left speaker guitar and solo on
"The Moshing Floor"
Rhythm guitar on "Bannerman" (including
that catchy riff) by Dave Perkins
Strings on "The Finish Line" and
"The Moshing Floor" arranged and
performed by Carl Marsh
A vast assortment of percussion instruments were played by Eric Darken, who
also provided tambourine on "Easy
Listening" and "The Finish
Line"
The remaining tambourines were played by Russ Long, as were the electronic
drums on "Easy Listening"
Slide guitar and sampled percussion on
"Sock Heaven" and backwards slide
on "Cash Cow" played by Phil Madiera
Act III of "Cash Cow" features guitar
and basses by Wade Jaynes, with additional guitars by George Bradfute
All vocals (for better or for worse) by Steve Taylor, with welcome relief
provided by Donna McElroy on "Sock
Heaven" and Phil Madiera as The Last Voice You Hear on
"Smug"
Thanks to all the people credited, all those I've thanked in previous album
credits, the entire population of Nashville and London, and the following
notables (listed alphabetically): Kurt Andress, Richard Bickersteth, Steve
Brallier, Teri & Juliet, David & Colleen, Steve Butler, Wade &
Kelly, Jon Cannon, Jim & Janice & Elliot & Taylor, Carl Colis,
David & Pam & Betty & Joyce & Thomas & Jace & Mary
& Marsha & Sue at The Pantry for not charging me rent, Debi Daniels,
Devlin Donaldson, Charles Dorris, Elliot Ericson, Dale & Susan, Peter
Furler & The Boys, Susan Garrett, Mark Goldstein, The Gooms, Donna Hampton,
Jim Hancock, Darrell Harris, Chris Hauser, Eric Haymes, Bill Hearn, Billy
Ray Hearn, Glen Holmen, Frank Jenks, Jim Johnson, Barry Landis, Buzz Leffler,
Richard & Linda & Greg & Amy, Ruth Ann-Lutzweiler, Scott MacLeod,
Elinor & Kate & Madeline, Rob Marshall, Kirke Martin, Simon &
Hilary & Benjamin, Mark Maxwell, Annie McCaig, Glenda McNalley, Evy &
Miles & Meaux, Patti Mead, Jeff & Carmen, Gerd Muller, Eric Mullett,
Lynn & Kathy Nichols, Stuart Ongley, Rebecca Palmer, Ben & Elaine
& Derek & Aaron & Cari, Phil Perkins, Sue Perkins, Lars Peterson,
Lee Plumley, David Ponak, Scott Rath, Deb Rhodes, Dan & Allison, Darcy
& Fred & Joe & Rubin, Trace Scarborough, Susan Skaggs, David
Smallbone, SOS Management, Dona Spangler, Jeff & Kim, Norman Stone, Marlin
Summers, Lee Swartz, Curtis Swartzentroder, Tim Swife, Mom & Dad, Dawn
Taylor, Jim & Terri & Kylie & Cody, Jim & Kim Thomas, Dave
& Debbie & Cole, Matt Wallace, Jack Wallin, Eric Wyse, Brian Williams,
Martin & Meg, John & Jo & Willie, Christopher Wyant, Mike &
Karla, Luke Yang, Peter York
And special thanks:
To Norman Miller (The Vision Came)
To Neal Joseph (He saw the odds)
To Scott Smith (I may get there late, but I am listening)
For B, always
Art direction/design: Buddy Jackson/Jackson Design
Photography: Ben Pearson
Management: Norman Miller
Proper Management
P.O. Box 5157
Virgin Beach, VA 23454
Mark Hollingsworth
1905 Bernard Ave. #2
Nashville, TN 37212
The Law: Richard Greene
Booking: The William Morris Agency
Fan Club (USA)
P.O. Box 150669
Nashville, TN 37215
Fan Club (UK & Europe)
P.O. Box 94
London SW 1V 4PH
England
REVIEWS
Billboard Magazien says: (review 1/8/94)
CRITICS CHOICE - Contemporary Christian music's manic lyric genius returns
after a foray in Chagall Guevara with a bristling collection of sardonic,
hummable tunes. 'Squint' finds Taylor in the top of his game, mixing wry,
witty observations with beat-heavy music.
'Bannerman' -- with its incredible
video -- sounds like a crossover smash, especially on alternative and college
stations, but every track is a winner.
The All Music Guide says:
The cutting-edge CCM artist returns with a vengeance on this, his only solo
release of new material in the '90s. Targeting the Christian market more
than the critically acclaimed Chagall Guevara eponymous release, Taylor has
a few surprises for his fans. Most notable is a tribute to (not a satirization
of) the guy at all the football games with the "John 3:16" sign on
"Bannerman." Apparently he is satirizing
listeners for being so cynical. The energy is high and the production is
well done. The opener, "The Lament
of Desmond R. G. Underwood IV," is a hard rocker with an uncompromising
Christian message of the need for salvation and
"Easy Listening," a
reggae/ska-influenced number, satirizes the milk-toast nonactivist types
who lack the courage of conviction. A fun album from beginning to end —
an end which features a dramatic "rock opera in three small acts" entitled
"Cash Cow." Yes, Taylor has a knack
for releasing one album every few years too many, but when they come, they
deliver