Brad Olsen, Lead Vocals
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Brad was born in upstate New York and moved to Atlanta
as a child. His musical expressiveness began to
emerge when he started playing guitar at the age of
six. During his high school years, Brad learned to
play the trumpet and began flirting with the drums,
later becoming a solid keyboard player in the late
eighties. With intentions of someday becoming a
teacher, he went on to attend Georgia State University
where he studied history. It was while in college
that Brad began to nurture his singing ability.
Brad's musical influences as a youth ranged from
Peter Gabriel to The 77's to Keith Green.
The New Album by Brad is on sale now at:
http://olsenexplains.com
Todd Olsen, Lead Guitar
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Like his brother, Todd was born in New York and raised
in Atlanta, Todd began playing trumpet at an early
age, eventually receiving extensive training as a
potential symphonic player. During his middle school
and high school years, Todd focused on performing in
jazz bands. At seventeen he began playing guitar and
immediately started forming rock groups with his
brother, Brad. Todd studied literature and firmly
planted himself in the music program at Georgia State
University. During college he had the opportunity to
tour throughout Europe as a member of a University
jazz band. Todd's musical influences were The
Clash, Bob Dylan and The Police. It was Todd's
father who encouraged him and Brad to go into the
studio and make The Waiting's first demo.
Clark Leake, Bass
Hometown: Tupelo, Mississippi
Clark was reared in Mississippi where he first became
involved in music as a tuba player in his junior high
band. He began to seriously pursue the bass in high
school and played the instrument in a college band at
Mississippi State. After obtaining his B.A. in
Psychology, Clark moved to Atlanta where he completed
the Master of Divinity program at Emory University.
There he met Brad and Todd Olsen and in late 1989
joined their band, which soon evolved into The
Waiting. A sports enthusiast (especially baseball).
Clark cites the primary musical influence of his youth
as Van Morrison, Steely Dan, REM and Bob Dylan.
Brandon Thompson, Drums
Hometown: Altoona, PA
Born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Brandon moved to
Atlanta in 1982. In sixth grade he began playing
trumpet, training to be a symphonic player. His high
school interests found him pursuing jazz band,
orchestra and marching band. Brandon later enrolled
at what is now Southern Polytechnic University where
he studied computer science. Soon he met Clark and
the Olsen Brothers, becoming The Waiting's sound
tech for a year before joining them as their drummer
in '93. A self-taught drummer, he cites his
main musical influences as The Police.
Brandon's computer skills have come in quite
handy for The Waiting, as he had the privilege of
designing (and maintaining) the band's web site
at www.thewaiting.org.
“We decided at the beginning that we wanted to make a record from a position of strength in Christ. We wanted to scream from the rooftops that we are full of joy; that we are happy and we are strong. I think we have done that. This record screams hope. It screams joy. It screams strength, and power and fun. And it doesn’t just say it through the glimmer of hope during difficult circumstances that many of our previous records have done.”
The man talking with the pride of a new papa is Brad Olsen, the frontman and primary tunesmith for the Atlanta-based foursome known as The Waiting. And the record he is bragging about is Wonderfully Made, an impressive ten-song collection of original songs that celebrate life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Produced by Bryan Lenox (Michael W. Smith, dc talk, SonicFlood) along with guitarist Todd Olsen, Wonderfully Made is The Waiting’s first new album in three years, since their groundbreaking, Dove-nominated Unfazed, and their first on the inpop label.
Bolstered by critical acclaim, five 1 radio hits, and a pair of Dove Award nominations for Rock Album of the Year for their two previous projects, The Waiting celebrated the close of the 20th century by retreating to their native Atlanta for a period of introspection and inspiration. Now, with Wonderfully Made, The Waiting enters the 21st century in a decidedly more exuberant mood, ready to speak frankly about life, as it should be.
The result is an album full of songs that are at once every bit as introspective as you have come to expect from The Waiting, but that are brighter, richer, more light-hearted than ever before. “We did a large portion of this album at home in Atlanta,” Brad explains. “When you get the guys together in that atmosphere it is going to be more relaxed.”
“And we spent a lot of time digging down to the roots,” Todd adds. “I think that is what is showing up here. It wasn’t so much off-the-cuff songwriting as digging in and really getting at the root of who we are.”
Despite the mood shift, the band still comes out swinging for the fence on "Wonderfully Made," the infectious title cut which was co-penned by Brad and Third Day’s Mac Powell. Brad credits his current stint as youth pastor at his home church in Atlanta with giving him a little extra insight into the minds and temptations of the next generation. “Student years are tough years, and young people struggle with the lies they are constantly being fed,” he says of the impetus for the song. “They struggle with a system that expects to fit them into its mold, even when they don’t feel like they fit. We need to let young people know that they are wonderfully made, inside and out. And it is Christ in them that makes them worthy, so they don’t need to struggle with feelings of unworthiness.”
A remarkably upbeat album musically, for all its lyrical weight, Wonderfully Made investigates and celebrates the events of life—both good and bad—that make it worth living. From the awe-invested prayer “Every Word” (another tune co-penned by Brad and Mac Powell—they co-wrote four of the album’s songs together) to the angst-ridden cry for mercy “Sleepless” the album grapples with complex emotions while compelling you to move-to-the-groove of some of the coolest music your stereo has tasted in years.
Simply put, The Waiting are communicators. Through a canny combination of brilliant songwriting, intuitive musicianship and deft production Wonderfully Made gently reminds you that while life is at times a messy affair, it is possible to live joyfully. And now I can see that Your love’s not such a mystery, Brad sings in “Take Me As I Am.” I don’t have to be anything more than what’s real.
That joy is evident on each of the ten tracks that make up Wonderfully Made. You can hear it in the tones of Brad’s signature vocal stylings. You can feel it in Brandon’s elastic drumming and Clark’s rock-steady bass. You can sense it in the textures of Todd’s swirling guitar riffs. Yet rather than being swept away by such evocative emotions, Wonderfully Made is anchored by the unyielding professionalism of producer Bryan Lenox.
“He really goes after, and will not quit, until he has the beautiful music,” Todd says of his co-producer.
“The tracks that I sang for him have a life to them that I didn’t even know I was capable of doing,” Brad interjects. “He is so specific about what he wants, and he works you until he gets that specific thing. The concentration that it takes to do that is amazing.”
The band is also quick to heap accolades on A&R director, Duncan Phillips (drummer for Newsboys). “He has been indispensible to us, pushing our cause and also not letting us put out anything that was not exactly right,” Todd says. “His standard is so high – things that we might have let pass he wouldn’t let pass. It is really good that we have that kind of support.”
“Most of the days we were in the studio, Duncan was there, integrally putting in his opinion as we went along,” Brad adds. “He is a strong musician and songwriter, so he obviously he had some pronounced opinions. It isn’t the most common thing for A&R people from labels to be that involved for that extended period of time.”
At two and a half years in the making, Wonderfully Made may be the album that finally defines The Waiting.
“You don’t always feel the hand of Love weaving everything together until you look back on it,” Todd says of the interval. “We definitely feel a sense of expectation. And I can look back now and see how God has been working on all of us in everything from our personal lives to character issues to our musicianship. This record really has our thumbprint on it. This is our best work ever. We feel very on-the-cusp and a little breathless – like we are on the bubble and ready to pop. But I don’t think we feel everything we are going to feel, because when it is all over and done with, and we look back, that is when we are really going to see that strong hand of Love.”
For More Information: 615-832-1010 or paula17@msn.com
Unfazed.
It's about looking forward; and looking back. About difficult circumstances; and the light at the end of the tunnel. About the struggles in life; and the truth we live by. It is about seeing success and failure for the impostors they are; and loving God in the midst of it all.
"There was a lot of looking back on this record," says Brad Olsen, The Waiting's lead singer and primary tunesmith. "I know we are not supposed to do that. We are supposed to 'forget the past, and keep our eyes on the prize'. But one of the themes that comes from looking back is the realization that as individuals, and as a band, we are still here, still pushing forward. We are unfazed in our love for God, and in our commitment to Christ and each other."
While the Atlanta-based foursome draws inspiration from lessons of the past, and looks toward the future with unbridled enthusiasm, they are not content to dwell in either realm. Instead, their latest release, Unfazed, lands The Waiting squarely in the present, celebrating life as it is; right now; today.
Although the band's self-titled debut project, The Waiting, met with both critical and commercial success (three number one songs, a Dove Award Nomination for Rock Album of the Year, a Billboard Music Video Award Nomination), the band members insist they feel no pressure to try to "top" the last album. Instead they prefer to concentrate on making each album a reflection of where they are, musically and spiritually, at that particular moment in time.
"I'd feel better about failing with something I really believe in, that I really thought was quality, rather than just trying to cash in on some gimmick," explains bassist/songwriter Clark Leake.
"If we do our job right, if we continue to grow as musicians, and as a band, then the progression will be natural," says drummer, Brandon Thompson. "I think everybody on the team, both in the band and at the label, has seen the intensity increase a notch or two."
For The Waiting that natural progression required them to break out of their comfort zone, to challenge everything they knew about making records.
They threw out all the old rules; explored new sounds, new techniques, new collaborations. Instead of the customary twenty songs, they wrote fifty from which to select the ten that made the final cut. They co-wrote with over a dozen songwriters, and drew on the diverse talents of three unique producers: Brian MacLeod (Sheryl Crow), Brent Milligan (Seven Day Jesus), and Jim Cooper (Lloyd). The final product is an amazing statement of faith in the God who remains constant in the midst of an ever-shifting world.
"We approached this album differently," Todd explains. "We had been following a linear path, musically, and we wanted to explore new territory. The way we used to work, we had a little insular thing going. We liked it, the fans liked it, and a lot of the critics liked it. We wanted those insulating walls around us to come down. But wanting something, and having it come about are two different things. It was quite painful, kind of like being raked over the coals."
Tougher, grittier, more intense, Unfazed delivers the signature thought-provoking lyrics The Waiting is famous for with unfeigned exuberance. From the opening crunchy guitars of "Unfazed", through the theological implications of "I Am", to the surprising plea to 'break my leg if you must' from "Close To You", Unfazed reveals a band that has raised the stakes, pushed the envelope, and turned up the intensity a notch or two.
"I hope this record will encourage people to at least think about God," Brad says simply. "And then if I could get really ambitious, I would want it to encourage them to worship God, to see God for who He really is."
Thanks for the add! Our next event is coming up September 3-6 in Nashville, TN. Check out more information at http://www.feedbackconference.com . We would love to see you there!
Brad's solo record "the more i think i understand the less i can explain" is now available for download at olsenexplains.com! produced by oats and very waiting-esqe... todd olsen
we'd love to play in MD! alas since we are kinda spread all over the country now that is difficult. we are, however, playing for WJTL's 25th anniversay in Lancaster, Pa in sept/oct '09. date/venue tba. also Brad Olsen (lead singer for The Waiting and my younger brother) has a solo record releasing on may 8 '09 that was produced by yours truly...
It is such a nice surprise when friends find out that friends know and love "The Waiting" songs! Yeah...by heart at that...and on the guitar!! It made the campfire sing along just glorious!
I just wanted to swing by and thank you for adding me to your list of friends. I appreciate it. If you hear or know of someone looking for a good drummer for Jesus, let me know.
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