Louder Than The Music

Australia's Planetshakers release their latest live album 'Limitless' this month and LTTM caught up with founder, worship leader and Senior Pastor Sam Evans to find out more about Planetshakers and their new album.

Tell us a little bit about your new album 'Limitless' and what the inspiration behind it was?

Limitless came from our recent Melbourne conference April 2012; it came out of the vision that Russell [Evans] was declaring over our church- "With God there is no limitless and He can do anything." Out of that inspiration came songs and declarations that were in agreement with that vision. During the conference God began to stir peoples' faith to believe for greater things.

Which is your favorite track on the album and why?

Limitless is my favorite song it's even the ringtone on my phone! I love it because of the words and every time I sing it, I really fill my heart stir with such faith in God. I also think it's a song that people who don't know Jesus can really connect with and identify with the sound & style of it. That's what I love about our worship -it speaks the language of the day and connects with people who don't know the Lord to bring them into an understanding and a relationship with Him.

What's your song writing process?

Whenever I'm talking to the Lord, in my devotional time & during the day as I go about my everyday life, I'll often just start singing praises to Him and make up melodies in my heart towards Him. Certain melodies will stick and go over & over in my mind. I'll remember the things I've sung to Him, because they stick in my mind and then I record them on my iPhone.

After a few days or a few weeks, if I still remember those melodies I'll go back to my phone and listen to them again and ask the Lord whether it's something I should share with other people. If so, I'll then ring up someone like Joth [Hunt, Planetshakers producer/worship leader], to see if he has any time on his hands to write the song. We'll get together and I will sing the melodies and Joth will either be on the piano or guitar developing chords. He'll ask me if this is what I am thinking and input what might sound good. Gradually the song will evolve, Joth will do up a demo, write the chord chart out and eventually we try it out at church.

If you could work with any song writer, who would it be and why?

Joth Hunt because I really feel he is the voice of this current generation in sound and style, and he has such a soft heart towards God that I don't feel he would push his own agenda upon a song, but be sensitive to really interpret and produce what God is really saying.

Who are your musical influences?

I love bands that are really different to Planetshakers. It's their heart behind their music that I really love and appreciate-that influences me more than their style. I love artists like Michael Gungor, Group One Crew, Toby Mac, Starfield, Leeland and Switchfoot. I really appreciate that they are always progressing and on the cutting edge of music, which inspires me also to press into God for that new song and new sound of the Lord.