Interviews & Media Articles

Source: BBC News
Author: David Sillito
Date: 15 Jan 2003

They're British, they've sold more albums in America than Robbie Williams but most people won't have heard of them. That's because Delirious, are still outside the mainstream because they are Christians.

Our arts correspondent David Sillito went to meet Delirious.

The band members are all from Littlehampton and in seven years have gone from playing church halls to stadia - this Christian band has sold around a million albums in America alone.

Drummer Stew Smith says "For us it's a total package our faith is important to us and the music is as important to us as well. We want to put on a good show but there is a message there as well people come and they receive a little bit of both."

But if you're wondering why you haven't heard of them before, it's not because you are not following the charts but because you are going to the wrong record shops.

Christian record shops feature artistes like Creed, POD, Gospel Gangstaz and of course Delirious but because they're not selling mainstream music they're not contributing to sales needed to get a conventional chart slot.

So Christianity has meant that the band are kept in relative obscurity despite their booming sales.

Things have been somewhat easier though in the US where Christianity has helped to sell Delirious's albums.

Bassist Jon Thatcher says "There's a massive machine that can facilitate our music out there but it also means we get pigeon holed into the Christian section which is great but we want more people than just Christians to hear our music."

But scepticism about rock and religion runs deep: in America Delirious is a rock band who happen to be Christians; in Britain they remain Christians who play guitars.