Perry Martins
After the release of their comeback album United, since the return of seminal members Peter Furler and Phil Joel, GRAMMY-nominated, Platinum-selling supergroup Newsboys brings hope and humor in their first concept music video “Love One Another.”
Helmed by acclaimed director, photographer and composer Max Hsu, the clip features singer and songwriter and dcTalk member Kevin Max, as well as a guest appearance by acclaimed pop singer/songwriter Galen Crew. The video was filmed on location around Nashville and finds Newsboys at a birthday party, in the grocery store, on the basketball court, and in an office among other locales encouraging others to put their faith into action by loving one another, no matter the circumstance.
Recently, Jeff Frankenstein, keyboardist of Newsboys, talked with us about the making of the “Love One Another” video as well as how the band is adapting to social distancing recommendations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Congratulations on the recent release of Newsboys’ new music video for “Love One Another”! Can you share a little about the decision to release a new music video for this song?
We hadn’t done a music video for the Newsboys United record yet, even though we’ve been touring with Pete and Phil for three years. We thought it would be a shame if we didn’t actually do a full concept video with them, and it felt like the timing was right for that.
Before the COVID-19 crisis, “Love One Another” felt like a great candidate for a video. It brought us back to some of the older styles of Newsboys, plus the messaging of the song was very timely. I went to my good friend Max Hsu, who a lot of people know from Superchick, but he’s also a brilliant video director. We exchanged ideas, going back and forth about concepts and treatments. We knew we wanted it to be funny and for it to include everybody from our team. We’ve been friends for a long time, so we were trying to dream up whatever we could, even if it was over the top.
The video itself took about four days to make, with eight locations. We had 150 extras and it was all hands on deck! We really relied on everyone to participate and help. The band wives and kids were in it; people donated their houses as locations; and people shared equipment, gear and time. It really was great to see how it came together.
What has the reaction to the video been like so far? Are there any impact stories that have been shared online?
The response has been good! I think people have been surprised. It dropped right as folks were going into quarantine, so we were hoping to bring a smile to all the people at home right now who have a lot of time to watch videos and TV! Obviously, the message is serious, but the video concept is not. We wanted to put the band into various situations they’d never be in, which turned out to be so funny. We just hope it brings people some joy.
What one message of hope are you hoping this music video brings?
We hope it makes people realize the power of going beyond yourself and reaching out to your neighbors with love. Really, that’s what God commands us to do.
One key standout of the music video is that it features all six members of the United lineup. How was it to have the full group together for this first video?
We’ve had a really great time together these last few years, touring and playing a lot of songs we never thought we would again. You know, it’s a brotherhood. We’re a family. We’ve been doing this for a lot of years and have been together for a long time.
The video was a lot of work. We started early in the morning each day and had 12-hour days for four straight days. A lot of it was outside, in the cold of winter, but we’ve done these things before, so it was cool to see everyone band together and laugh like that again.
Has the creation process and reception for this video inspired you to work on other Newsboys United music videos in the future?
I hope so! You know, it had been a while before we did this one, and the reaction’s been great, so we hope to do more in the future. It’s up to the fans!
With all the recent guidelines about social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, how does Newsboys anticipate this changing how you interact with your fans?
We were scheduled to play a theater in Ohio when the “stay in place” order went into effect, so we got to see it happen right before our eyes. It’s interesting how social media has played a big role in all of this. We’ll continue to use our social platforms to stay in touch with everybody right now, but I believe there will be a day when this is all over and the demand is going to be strong for people to get out and see live music again!
While we’re in this holding pattern for the next few months though, we have a really good chance to look inside at ourselves. I think a lot of good can come from this, even though it’s a terrible situation. The time I’ve gotten to spend with my family is awesome. I was just telling my wife that I don’t think I’ve ever been home for the month of April, which is a really beautiful month. This time with our families and kids is something really special for us that we’re cherishing.
Hopefully, even though there are challenges ahead, this will bring us all closer together. Music plays an important role in people’s lives, so we’re going to do everything we can over the next few months to stay in touch with our fans and drop some music and rarities for them. Be on the lookout for that.
Photos via Caleb Cook, Culled from TheChristianBeat
