Newsboys keyboardist/bassist Jeff Frankenstein knew there were pitfalls to the idea of the group reuniting with its original singer, Peter Furler when the idea surfaced in 2017.
Furler left the group in 2009, after leading the Newsboys to the top of the Christian music scene. Over that span, the group from Queensland, Australia won five Dove Awards (the Christian music industry's equivalent of a Grammy) and released nine straight albums that all went top five on the Christian music chart (with four hitting number one). He was replaced by another notable figure in Christian music, former DC Talk singer Michael Tate.
So when the idea started gaining traction in 2017 for reuniting with Furler, as well as long-time bassist Phil Joel (who had left the band in 2006) to create what is being billed as Newsboys United, several issues had to be considered.
Did the current Newsboys want to create a situation where they were competing with the original group? Would there be confusion over what group was the "real" Newsboys? Would they want to deal with the questions about whether Furler would replace Tait or if a group that included both Furler and Tait would be a long-term situation?
In the end, one factor made the idea of bringing together the two eras of the Newsboys make sense.
What's more, Frankenstein said the group realized this might be the last best chance to try a reunion with Furler and Joel.
It already looks like the Newsboys United reunion will last longer than some may have expected. The six-man lineup of Furler, Joel, Tait, Frankenstein, guitarist Jody Davis and drummer Duncan Phillips began touring in February 2017 and continued through much of the years. Now the group is headlining this year's edition of Winter Jam, the annual package tour that has become the biggest regular concert event in Christian music each winter.
And perhaps the biggest news of all is that a new studio album featuring the full Newsboys United lineup is on the way, which means Winter Jam is just the start of more touring. A run of concerts for April and May has been announced, and it looks likely that shows could continue through the end of the year and possibly further into the future.
The headlining shows Newsboys United have done have been generous affairs, running nearly three hours and featuring some 30 songs. Winter Jam, though, features short sets from each of the acts, with the Newsboys allotted about 45 minutes to close the evening, creating plenty of challenges in crafting a set list for the tour.
Frankenstein said there's a chance the group will even play a song or two from the forthcoming Newsboys United album. He is eager for people hear the new album and said a new single may be out in time for the Winter Jam tour.
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