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After meeting as members of the worship team at Evangel Christian Fellowship in Longview Washington, Wilson, his wife Blurr and Zurn started a band that found itself opening for acts like Collective Soul and Seven Mary Three. As a serious buzz began to build around them, the three suddenly found themselves on a radically different course. "I woke up to the ugliness of my own heart," Wilson recalls, "how blown out of proportion my ego had gotten, and how truly far I had drifted from my real calling which was to lead worship." Blurr and Zurn came to the same conclusion and beginning in 1999, the band focused solely on writing creative and excellent worship songs and serving their home church. "We had learned what it took to move people's hearts," Wilson says, "but our new passion was to find how we could touch the heart of God."

For a six month period, the band laid everything else aside. They also recruited Solo, a young guitar prodigy who had been playing and leading worship in their congregation since he was seven years old. With the members in place, the band began charting a new course.

Though they never sought outside concerts or a major record deal, doors seemed to open left and right. After a month long mission trip to Kenya, the four decided to make worship their vocation. They began to accept invitations to share their music at churches and concert venues from Canada all the way down the Pacific coast to Southern California. "It seems weird that God would take us all the way to Kenya to show us what He wanted us to do. The whole concept of presenting worship and evangelizing through worship music became very clear to us."

Eventually succumbing to the need for a name, the band referred back to the earliest days of their time as worship leaders at Evangel. "Our church is right behind a homeless shelter," Wilson explains. "We had people coming in off the streets who were drunk or high. Some would come in just to disrupt the service and they would end up getting saved. We could never predict what was going to happen. We saw people who had walked away from God come in and drop to their knees and repent. There were people laughing, crying and rejoicing because they had been set free. It was a total circus."

Wilson and his crew headed out into the highways and byways inviting anyone who was interested to come check out the 'worship circus.' "Tons of people were getting saved. It was crazy. We wanted to take that 'circus' thing with us wherever we went. We wanted God's presence to be with us everywhere." Wilson is quick to emphasize that it wasn't about developing an identity for a band at all. "It was never like we were the circus," he insists. "The revival was the circus. We saw ourselves more as an event that everyone was involved with, not just a band. We aren't the four members of the Rock 'N' Roll Worship Circus. Everyone's a member."

Eventually, the band began to record their new material for friends and their church family. That special chemistry which is always present at Worship Circus events was captured on tape and immediately garnered attention around the world via a custom CD release and MP3s on the Internet. Musically the band tapped the best elements of classic seventies style power pop ala David Bowie, The Kinks and Cheap Trick and the more atmospheric sounds of Pink Floyd, The Beatles and U2 to great effect.

"We wanted it to be a great record that had great pop songs that would get into people's heads and cause them to sing to Him," Wilson says matter-of-factly. "The result, I feel, is a better record than we could have ever come up with on our own. I know our limitations as artists, producers and as players and we pushed past them." Beyond the musical accessibility of the songs, the band resolved to focus each and every moment on glorifying God lyrically. The result is a record that pushes all known musical and spiritual envelopes well past the breaking point. The early returns have been overwhelmingly positive. "We keep hearing from people that it draws them to God," Wilson says, "regardless of their age or background, and that's what it's all about." It is not uncommon to see ages from six to eighty-six enjoying the good loud worship that happens at The Circus, and now a similarly broad range of ears are hearing the experience on disc. "I know that what we set out to do was totally impossible without God."

The indie release, Big Star Logistics, drew the attention of several record labels as well as the enthusiasm of a whole new group of fans. Eventually the band settled on Vertical Music (a division of the pioneering worship label Integrity Music), which places them alongside Lincoln Brewster, Jami Smith, Darrell Evans, Ten Shekel Shirt and Kara. Their Vertical debut, Welcome To The Rock 'N' Roll Worship Circus, combines all new material with five songs from the critically acclaimed Logistics.

Though the record certainly charts new territory in both rock and roll and worship music, the live experience remains the most shockingly exuberant facet of the Circus. "Sometimes the 'concert' part gets shut down and more of a prayer service begins," Wilson confesses. "The music becomes a backdrop for prayer and praise. People might tend to look at us, but we try to make sure people know that it isn't about us, it's about God moving on them." With the full support and covering of their pastor and home church (where they still serve as worship leaders) they are excited about what the future holds.

It takes no more than a few minutes to grasp that from top to bottom this group is about worship first. Wilson utters a repeated phrase. "It's about moving the heart of God," he says with absolute conviction. "Like Moses appealing to God on behalf of the Israelites or David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant, we want to bless the Lord and move His heart."

In the end, the seeming surface conflict between the aesthetics of rock and roll and the heart of worship only adds urgency and spark to the band's basic mission. "The two extremes of Rock and Roll and Worship seem so opposite," Wilson muses. "The image of rock and roll is somewhat rooted in rebellion and the glorification of man while worship is about the glorification of God. The two clash, but in a way it's like a combustion engine. That appearance of conflict has drawn people in closer because they want to see how it works.

"We've played some shows where the vast majority of the audience is unsaved and have gotten some of the most amazing responses - - even more so than in some church settings. They know that it's real and they crave it. It fills that hole that only God can fill."

Whether bringing believers into the intimate presence of their savior, or lifting His light high in dark places, the members of Rock 'N' Roll Worship Circus have surrendered themselves to the always-moving breath of the Holy Spirit. With their talents lying on the altar, these young ministers are shaking more than just the walls when they bring their Circus to town.

Members:
Gabriel(Gabe)Wilson - Vocals, guitar
Blurr - low end, keyboards, vocals, percussion
Zurn P. Praxair - drums
Solo Greely - guitar, vocals

Home Church: Evangel Christian Fellowship, Longview, WA

Discography:
Big Star Logistics (2001)
Little Star Logistics (2000)
Live at TOMfest (1999)

EXW: We love this new project from Circus. Classic rock with quality music and great lyrics. You can't go wrong with this CD.

Information on how you can get Circus to come to your church, please contact Chaffee Management Group at 615-599-9445.

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