2014.12.26: Added August 31, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Chris Stearns for his generous loan of the broadcast materials! On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Repentance" and "Slay The Wicked" on the playlist. Using alternate sources, I restored content lost at tape flips as best I could. THE CRUCIFIED is the band of the month. Dale didn't get the 2nd hour of the program recorded, so instead the second cassette he mailed out included the lighter-fare 3rd hour of his weekly shift at WAYJ. It's worth checking out.
There are now 40(!) vintage broadcasts posted here for your enjoyment. I don't have any more broadcast cassettes to transfer and upload, so if you or someone you know is hoarding some TS cassettes not posted here, please consider loaning your cassettes to the project of sharing the evolution of this particular movement in heavy music. I'll do all the transferring, editing, uploading, etc., and pay the return postage to get your cassettes back to you.
2014.12.19: Added August 24, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Chris Stearns for generous loan of the broadcast materials! THE CRUCIFIED continues on the "band of the month" feature. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour broadcast between "The Skeptic" and "Divided In Truth" on the playlist. A significant amount of material was cut from the cassettes, so I repaired the 7 affected selections as best I could, using alternate sources. "Divided In Truth" now appears in its entirety. 224kbps.
Also did some more editing to the master files of the first 6 broadcasts I posted (July
14, 1990 / October 13, 1990 / January 19, 1991 / January 26, 1991 /
February 2, 1991 / April 20, 1991) and re-encoded them at a higher bit
rate of 224kbps (original files were at 128kbps). Check out the new links.
2014.12.12: Added August 10, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Dale continues interviewing Mark & Jim of THE CRUCIFIED for the "band of the month" feature. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "No Way" and "Boring World" on the playlist. Thanks to Chris Stearns for his generous loan of the broadcast materials. 224kbps.
Also fixed some formatting hiccups around here and put the correct download link in place for hour 2 of the September 14, 1991 broadcast.
2014.12.07: Added December 7, 1991 (23 years ago today!) links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. MORTIFICATION continues as the featured band. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Tale Of Two Cities" and "The Skeptic" on the playlist. Thanks to Chris Stearns for generous loan of the broadcast materials. 224kbps. Updated January 12, 1991 download with scan of actual playlist, also furnished by Chris Stearns.
2014.11.30: Added November 30, 1991 (23 years ago today!) links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. The MORTIFICATION "band of the month" feature continues, and Dale plays THE LEAD's "Wink of an Eye" a bunch of times at random throughout the broadcast. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Watery Grave" and
"The Choice" on the playlist. I repaired a few seconds of "Locked Up In
Chains" lost at the tape flip with an alternate source. Thanks to Chris Stearns for his generous loan of the broadcast materials. 224kbps.
2014.11.23: Added November 23, 1991 (23 years ago today!) links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Dale interviews Steve Rowe of MORTIFICATION for the "band of the month" feature. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Atonement" and "Philosophy of Man" on the playlist. On
this broadcast there was a significant amount of programming lost due
to tape flips, stops, etc., so I repaired any music lost at the tape
flips with alternate sources as best I could. Thanks to Chris Stearns for his generous loan of the broadcast materials. 224kbps.
2014.11.14: Added August 3, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. This was the 2nd anniversary TS broadcast, continuing with THE CRUCIFIED as the featured band of the month. Markus Hauth of BLOODY CROSS calls in for an impromptu on-air chat with Dale. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Internal Pain" and "This Present Darkness" on the playlist. Thanks again to Chris Stearns for generous loan of the broadcast materials. 224kbps.
2014.11.07: Added July 27, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Dale continues talking to Jim & Mark of THE CRUCIFIED for the "band of the month" feature. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour broadcast between "Killing of the Innocent" and "The Fire" on the playlist and repaired, as best I could using alternate sources, any music lost at the tape flips. Thanks to Chris Stearns for generous loan of the broadcast materials. 224kbps.
2014.10.31: Added July 20, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Dale interviews Jim Chaffin and Mark Salomon of THE CRUCIFIED. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour broadcast between "Nausea/Bass Solo Salute" and "The Skeptic" on the playlist, and repaired, as best I could using alternate sources, any music lost at the tape flips. Thanks to Chris Stearns for generous loan of the broadcast materials. 224kbps.
2014.10.19: Replaced makeshift playlists with actual scans for December 1, 1990 & December 8, 1990 in the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Chris Stearns for loaning copies of the official playlists. Chris recently sent over a box of T.S. cassettes containing 9 broadcasts from 1991 which I plan to begin uploading weekly starting at the end of this month.
2014.07.25: Added links to an hour-long, studio-produced syndication cassette from latter 1991 & an hour-long syndication demo from 1993/94 to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. These 2 uploads are the last 2 I have in queue. If you or someone you know is hoarding more tapes, please get in touch and I'll do all the work to share them here!
The 1991 cassette and play sheet didn't include a date but, based on the songs played and the 1-hour format, this appears to be a syndication cassette from the second half of 1991. Dale says that, in the early going of syndication, he would do a 2-hour live broadcast late Saturday/early Sunday and then spend a few hours at WAYJ producing a 1-hour program to send to other stations which would later broadcast the abbreviated, studio-produced version. For the sake of listenability, I edited out 2 minutes of blank space that was part of the original program. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials.
Thanks also to http://lockjaw-yappy.blogspot.com for originally uploading the 1993/94 syndication demo. I downloaded this from there several years ago and it served as a seed to get me to do the Tempered Steel blog. I pitch-corrected the program & did a bit of other work to it before re-uploading it here @ the T.S. blog. The download didn't include a date but, based on the songs played, the mention of it being a demo, and a conversation with Dale, this cassette, probably produced in late 1993 or early 1994, was sent out to prospective syndication partners.
Both downloads are @224kbps.
2014.07.18: Added October 8, 1994 link to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. I really enjoy these 1994 broadcasts in particular! 224kbps.
2014.07.11: Added September 14, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks again to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. When I transferred this 2-hour broadcast, I split it between "Religious Death" and "The Rising" on the playlist. Doug interviews D.J. from LIVING SACRIFICE. For the sake of listenability I repaired any music lost at the tape flips with alternate sources as best I could. 224kbps.
2014.07.04: Added March 27, 1993 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. When I transferred this 2-hour broadcast, I split it between "Justified" and "Resurrectionist" on the playlist. Doug talks with D.J. about Nonexistent. For the sake of listenability I repaired any music lost at the tape flips with alternate sources as best I could. 224kbps.
2014.06.27: Added October 12, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. When I transferred this 2-hour broadcast, I split it between "See Dick Run" and "No Return" on the playlist. For the sake of listenability I repaired any music lost at the tape flips with alternate sources as best I could. Features some more LIVING SACRIFICE interview segments w/D.J. 224kbps.
2014.06.21: Added October 29, 1994 link to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for his generous loan of the broadcast materials. 224kbps.
2014.06.13: Added October 5, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for the generous loan of the broadcast materials. When I transferred this 2-hour broadcast, I split it between "What Do You Think This Is?" and "He Don't Own Nothing" on the playlist. For the sake of listenability I repaired any music lost at the tape flips with alternate sources as best I could. D.J. & Dale talk about LIVING SACRIFICE's debut album. 224kbps.
2014.06.06: Added March 20, 1993 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks once again to Darren "D.J." Johnson for the generous loan of the broadcast materials. When I transferred this 2-hour broadcast, I split it between "Our Mortal Excrement" and "Sayings Of The Wise" on the playlist. For the sake of listenability I repaired any music lost at the tape flips with alternate sources as best I could. Lots of classic cuts and great obscurities, and Dale talks to D.J. some more about Nonexistent. 224kbps.
2014.05.30: Added September 28, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for the generous loan of the broadcast materials. Dale interviews D.J. about LIVING SACRIFICE's debut album. When I transferred this 2-hour broadcast, I split it between "Final Sign" and "Bathed In Blood" on the playlist. For the sake of listenability I repaired any music lost at the tape flips with alternate sources as best I could. 224kbps.
2014.05.16: Added March 13, 1993 and October 22, 1994 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast
materials. On the '93 broadcast transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Oppression" and "Divided In Truth" on the playlist. LIVING SACRIFICE is the band of the month, and Dale talks with D.J. about Nonexistent. The '94 broadcast features an array of underground classics, L.S. again being the featured band. 224kbps. I uploaded 2 broadcasts tonight because I'll be traveling next weekend. I plan to resume weekly updates at the end of this month, continuing until I've exhausted the contribution queue.
2014.05.09: Added September 21, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Do Not Be Deceived" and "Payday" on the playlist. Using alternate sources, I patched sections of "Do Not Be Deceived" and "Dr. Hatchet" lost at the tape flips. Dale interviews D.J. about the then-new Living Sacrifice debut album. 224kbps.
2014.05.02: Added October 15, 1994 link to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. Includes killer tunes from RITUAL and DISENCUMBRANCE. 224kbps.
2014.04.25: Added October 19, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. This 2-hour broadcast is split between "Condemned To Hell" and "Mortal Agony" on the playlist. 224kbps.
2014.04.19: Added February 20, 1993 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. The program is split between "Hope You Stay Alive" and "Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance" on the playlist. The broadcast was 2 hours but, as noted by Dale, several songs did not get taped. The second "hour" is closer to 45 minutes. 224kbps.
2014.04.12: Added September 7, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. This installment includes a LIVING SACRIFICE interview w/DJ, discussing the then-new debut album. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour broadcast between "New Awakening" and "Choose Today a Kingdom" on the playlist. This broadcast includes an EMPTY TOMB request made by a Mark Fields in Naples, which was kind of weird to hear since that's also my name and I never made any contact w/T.S. until I started this blog 20 years later, many states away. 224kbps.
2014.04.05: Added October 1, 1994 link to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. LIVING SACRIFICE is the featured band, and Dale & D.J. discuss the then-new L.S. album, Inhabit. 224kbps.
2014.03.29: Added February 27, 1993 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Jason Sullivan and Darren "D.J." Johnson for generous loan of the broadcast materials. This 2-hour broadcast is split between "End Of Times" and "Released Upon The Earth" on the playlist. LIVING SACRIFICE is the featured band, & D.J. is interviewed about the then-new L.S. album, Nonexistent. 224kbps.
2014.03.22: Added February 6, 1993 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks to Jason Sullivan for his generous loan of the broadcast cassettes, and to Darren "D.J." Johnson for the playlist. This 2-hour broadcast is split between "Never Coming Home" and "We Must Die" on the playlist. 224kbps.
2014.03.21: Confirmed November 2, 1991 broadcast date & replaced re-created playlist with T.S.-issued copy (thanks, D.J.); updated blog image & download files to include the modified playlist. Blog reader Jason Sullivan has submitted 4 cassettes that I'm working on, and D.J. from LIVING SACRIFICE has entrusted me with his archive of 30+ cassettes. My goal is to upload 1 broadcast per week from this point until I've made it through everything I have, starting with a February, 1993 show by this Sunday night.
2014.02.14: Added January 12, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. The original playlist for this broadcast was missing at the time of
transfer, so I re-created the list as best I could. (If you can contribute a scan of the actual playlist, get in touch.) On this transfer, I
split the 2-hour program between "Kill The Dead" and "Testimony Of Faith" on
the playlist. Thanks again to stevegarveyfan for loaning the broadcast
cassettes. 224kbps.
2013.09.16: Added December 8, 1990 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Includes 4 live cuts from BELIEVER's Cornerstone 1990 performance. The original playlist for this broadcast was missing at the time of transfer, so I re-created the list as best I could and took my best guess at the date. (If you can contribute a scan of the actual playlist or have more accurate information, get in touch.) On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Ms. Jane Doe" and "Human Sacrifice" on the playlist. Thanks again to stevegarveyfan for loaning the broadcast cassettes. 224kbps.
2013.08.12: Added November 2, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Includes interview segments with Steve Rowe of MORTIFICATION talking about the then-new debut album, as well as some other great surprises. Thanks again to stevegarveyfan for his generous loan of the broadcast cassettes. I don't have the original playlist for this broadcast, so I re-created the list as best I could. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Internal Unrest" and "Silent Carnage" on the playlist. 192kbps.
2012.12.23: Replaced my makeshift playlist from last night's posting with a legit T.S.-issued copy, and also updated the download files accordingly. Thank you, Chris Stearns, for the scan. And thanks to Brother John for loaning me the cassettes for the first six programs I posted a few months back. He was the guy who introduced me to Tempered Steel some 20+ years ago.
2012.12.22: Tonight I'm adding January 5, 1991 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below. Thanks again to stevegarveyfan for his generous loan of the broadcast cassettes. As with the previous update, the original playlist for this broadcast was missing at the time of transfer, so I re-created the list as best I could, although I was unable to ID two songs from the final set (if you can ID them, please get in touch!). On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Progressive Change" and "The Insult Circus" on the playlist. 192kbps.
2012.10.30: Tonight I added December 1, 1990 links to the "Classic broadcasts" post below,
featuring 4 live BELIEVER cuts performed live at Cornerstone 1990, and
killer tunes from DELIVERANCE, THE CRUCIFIED, IMMORTAL, SACRAMENT,
SUMMONED, ARMAGEDDON, and many more. Thanks to stevegarveyfan for his
generous loan of the broadcast cassettes! The original playlist
for this broadcast was missing at the time of transfer, so I re-created
the list as best I could. I noticed some inconsistencies after the
fact... I'll try to get future re-creations closer to Dale's format!
The specified week for this broadcast is an educated guess, but it was
in early December, 1990 for sure. On this transfer, I split the 2-hour program between "Haven of Blasphemy" and "Kill Satan Mosh" on the playlist. 192kbps.
This blog is a tribute to Tempered Steel, the ground-breaking Christ-centered heavy music radio program which was broadcasted on WAYJ in Fort Myers, Florida from 1989-1999.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Classic broadcasts for download
Classic broadcasts are available for download, listed chronologically by original broadcast date. If you have any TS broadcast cassettes in your collection that aren't here, get in touch to send me your tapes; I'll do all the transferring/pitch correction/etc. and upload them (and return your tapes to you, of course):
Download October 13, 1990 (hour 1)
Download October 13, 1990 (hour 2)
Download December 1, 1990 (hour 1)
Download October 13, 1990 (hour 2)
Download December 1, 1990 (hour 1)
Download April 20, 1991 (hour 1)
Download April 20, 1991 (hour 2)
Download July 20, 1991 (hour 1)
Download July 20, 1991 (hour 2)
Download April 20, 1991 (hour 2)
Download July 20, 1991 (hour 2)
Download July 27, 1991 (hour 1)
Download July 27, 1991 (hour 2)
Download September 7, 1991 (hour 1)
Download September 7, 1991 (hour 2)
Download September 14, 1991 (hour 1)
Download September 14, 1991 (hour 2)
Download September 21, 1991 (hour 1)
Download September 21, 1991 (hour 2)
Download September 28, 1991 (hour 1)
Download September 28, 1991 (hour 2)
Download October 5, 1991 (hour 1)
Download October 5, 1991 (hour 2)
Download October 12, 1991 (hour 1)
Download October 12, 1991 (hour 2)
Download October 19, 1991 (hour 1)
Download October 19, 1991 (hour 2)
Download February 27, 1993 (hour 1)
Download July 27, 1991 (hour 2)
Download August 3, 1991 (hour 2)
Download August 10, 1991 (hour 1)
Download August 10, 1991 (hour 2)
Download August 24, 1991 (hour 1)
Download August 24, 1991 (hour 2)
Download August 31, 1991 (hour 1)
Download August 31, 1991 (hour 2)
Download August 10, 1991 (hour 2)
Download August 24, 1991 (hour 2)
Download August 31, 1991 (hour 2)
Download September 7, 1991 (hour 2)
Download September 14, 1991 (hour 2)
Download September 21, 1991 (hour 2)
Download September 28, 1991 (hour 2)
Download October 5, 1991 (hour 2)
Download October 12, 1991 (hour 2)
Download October 19, 1991 (hour 2)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Interview with Dale Early, host of T.S.
What did you grow up listening to?
When I was growing up, there was no such thing as "Contemporary Christian Music." The Christian radio stations played only music that you would hear in churches on Sunday morning. As a result, I would listen to mostly secular music such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, AC/DC, etc.
Then some Christian bands began to come on the scene, such as Stryper, Petra, and Rez Band. As Contemporary Christian Music became more popular, some other bands began to form such as Barren Cross, Bride, Whitecross, etc. Then in the 90's, the market was flooded with many bands that fit into the category of punk, hardcore, thrash, and death metal. Most of those bands were considered "underground" bands until some of the record labels began signing them to record contracts.
What prompted you to create Tempered Steel?
Back in 1987, I began as a volunteer DJ at WAY-FM (WAYJ) here in Fort Myers, FL. I started out doing the overnight shift (12am-6am) while still working a full time job. As I began talking to a lot of the listeners, there was a definite interest in the "heavier" style of music.
I truly felt the Lord prompting me to start a Christian heavy metal show. The station agreed to allow me to air a show once a week on Saturday night from 12am-2am. After broadcasting the "live" show for 2 years, I syndicated the program and started recording a studio version. I sent the show to several radio stations around the country for airplay. One of those stations included a shortwave network. Then the Lord led us to end the show in 1999.
What was the inspiration for the show's name?
The primary purpose of the show was not simply about the music. I believe the Lord led us to start the show to proclaim the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our main objective was to share the "Word of God," which in scripture is referred to as the "Sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17).
In focusing on the "sword" itself, the idea was that the sword is made out of "tempered steel." When a metal object is "tempered," it involves the process of hardening the metal.
Simply put, our desire was that the show be a type of sword, or the "Word of the Spirit". We wanted that "sword" to be used as a strong & powerful tool to reach the listeners with Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:12).
When did you first have the idea to record and distribute cassettes of the broadcasts?
I began recording the "live" show when we first went on the air back in 1989. I gave the tapes to our listeners who in turn passed them out to their unsaved friends. This enabled us to reach many more people beyond those who tuned into the show each week.
After we were on the air for 2 years, we came into contact with several radio stations that expressed an interest in broadcasting the show. I agreed to go into the studio and record a weekly 1 hour show.
Was this around the time that it became too expensive to mail out cassettes to everyone on your mailing list?
When we first started airing the "live" show, I sent cassette tape copies of the show to those on our mailing list. I eventually had to stop due to the lack of funds to cover the cost. It was around this time that we made contact with a few radio stations that were interested in airing the show.
How far away was your furthest cassette subscription?
Our mailing list consisted primarily of those living here in the U.S. However, we also mailed tapes to several countries such as France, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, etc. We came into contact with a number of people overseas by running ads in several Christian heavy metal magazines. The main magazine was Heaven's Metal.
How many stations picked up your pre-recorded show?
When I first decided to syndicate the show, I prayed that the Lord would lead us to the radio stations that HE wanted us to air the show. I recorded a demo tape that I mailed out to several stations. I eventually ended up airing on about 10 stations. Although I truly wanted to obtain far more stations, I simply left the results in God's Hands. I felt that the Lord accomplished His purpose for the show. I always told the Lord that I would work just as hard whether we had 1 or 100 stations!!!
How did you go about discovering bands to use on the show?
One of the primary objectives of TEMPERED STEEL was to promote as many bands as possible. Our effort to discover bands for the show was accomplished mainly by getting our hands on all of the Christian metal mags. I would read all of the album reviews and determine which bands fit our format. I focused primarily on the "underground" bands who had not yet signed a record contract. Since they did not receive any promotion from a record label, we did everything we could to try to give them as much exposure as possible. It was also our desire to provide our listeners with a wide selection of bands. Our constant prayer was that the Lord would lead us to the bands He wanted us to use on the show.
Tempered Steel had a run of about 10 years. What prompted its departure after such a long time?
When we first started TEMPERED STEEL, we did it as a result of the direct leading of the Lord. Although the Lord had not called me into radio as a full-time career, I do believe He opened up the opportunity for me to do this Christian heavy metal show. Since I felt that the Lord was behind the forming of this ministry, I always told Him to use it however He sees fit. It is clear to me now that the Lord's intention was that this would only be a temporary ministry. Then in August of 1999, He revealed to me that the show was to come to an end. There was no specific circumstance that brought about the end. It was simply in God's divine sovereignty that it was over.
What kind of surprising resistance did you encounter? What kind of surprising support?
I must say that the overall response to the show was quite positive. Although the church community in our area was not really used to this type of format, they understood that we were trying to reach the "heavy metal" crowd with the Gospel. They also knew that to accomplish this you had to use the type of music that they liked.
Although they did not prefer this music themselves, they were tolerant of it because they knew our objective. You simply have to meet people where they lived. It is best explained by Paul when he wrote, "And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews..." (I Corinthians 9: 20-22).
However, I did on a few occasions have a parent tell me that what I was doing was absolutely WRONG!! They even said that they felt the music I was using was from Satan!!!! I just simply tried to explain to them the vision behind T.S.
I will have to say that the most surprising support we received was from the "older generation" (those in their 50's & 60's). Although they could not stand the music, they understood what we were trying to do. They stood behind us 100%!!!
What were a couple of highlights & disappointments that really stand out in your mind?
One of the main highlights of the show was the opportunity to broadcast on a shortwave network. It was sort of like the equivalent of airing on satellite today in that you could pick up the show anywhere. You didn't have to broadcast the show on a local AM or FM station. But, of course, you needed a shortwave radio which most people didn't have and the quality wasn't nearly as good as regular radio.
However, the most rewarding accomplishment to me was the opportunity to reach the unsaved. It was tremendously gratifying when a Christian kid would tell me that they were able to get their unsaved friends to start listening to the Christian metal bands. They may not have been able to get them to go to church but they were able to introduce them to the bands which proclaimed the Gospel. My prayer was always that someone would accept Jesus as a result of listening to the show.
The only real disappointment I experienced with the show was not being able to get on more radio stations. However, I simply had to accept the fact that the Lord was in control and that He would get the show on the stations that HE chose. Unfortunately, it wasn't as many as I would have liked!!!
After 10 years of hard work, what was it like to have that weekly block of time back?
I must admit that it was quite an adjustment after leaving the radio station. After spending every weekend recording the show for 10 years, it was kinda like, "OK, NOW what do I do??!!" Anytime you do something for that long, it feels rather strange when you stop.
However, I must add, doing the show every week was NOT at all like I was making this huge sacrifice. Although it required a lot of time and effort, it was never like "work". I never felt like I was giving up my weekends when I really wanted to be doing something else. In fact, there was NOTHING else that I would rather be doing!!
Since the show ended back in 1999, I believe the Lord is in the process of preparing me for what He wants me to do next. HIS will...NOT mine!!!
When I was growing up, there was no such thing as "Contemporary Christian Music." The Christian radio stations played only music that you would hear in churches on Sunday morning. As a result, I would listen to mostly secular music such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, AC/DC, etc.
Then some Christian bands began to come on the scene, such as Stryper, Petra, and Rez Band. As Contemporary Christian Music became more popular, some other bands began to form such as Barren Cross, Bride, Whitecross, etc. Then in the 90's, the market was flooded with many bands that fit into the category of punk, hardcore, thrash, and death metal. Most of those bands were considered "underground" bands until some of the record labels began signing them to record contracts.
What prompted you to create Tempered Steel?
Back in 1987, I began as a volunteer DJ at WAY-FM (WAYJ) here in Fort Myers, FL. I started out doing the overnight shift (12am-6am) while still working a full time job. As I began talking to a lot of the listeners, there was a definite interest in the "heavier" style of music.
I truly felt the Lord prompting me to start a Christian heavy metal show. The station agreed to allow me to air a show once a week on Saturday night from 12am-2am. After broadcasting the "live" show for 2 years, I syndicated the program and started recording a studio version. I sent the show to several radio stations around the country for airplay. One of those stations included a shortwave network. Then the Lord led us to end the show in 1999.
What was the inspiration for the show's name?
The primary purpose of the show was not simply about the music. I believe the Lord led us to start the show to proclaim the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our main objective was to share the "Word of God," which in scripture is referred to as the "Sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17).
In focusing on the "sword" itself, the idea was that the sword is made out of "tempered steel." When a metal object is "tempered," it involves the process of hardening the metal.
Simply put, our desire was that the show be a type of sword, or the "Word of the Spirit". We wanted that "sword" to be used as a strong & powerful tool to reach the listeners with Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:12).
When did you first have the idea to record and distribute cassettes of the broadcasts?
I began recording the "live" show when we first went on the air back in 1989. I gave the tapes to our listeners who in turn passed them out to their unsaved friends. This enabled us to reach many more people beyond those who tuned into the show each week.
After we were on the air for 2 years, we came into contact with several radio stations that expressed an interest in broadcasting the show. I agreed to go into the studio and record a weekly 1 hour show.
Was this around the time that it became too expensive to mail out cassettes to everyone on your mailing list?
When we first started airing the "live" show, I sent cassette tape copies of the show to those on our mailing list. I eventually had to stop due to the lack of funds to cover the cost. It was around this time that we made contact with a few radio stations that were interested in airing the show.
How far away was your furthest cassette subscription?
Our mailing list consisted primarily of those living here in the U.S. However, we also mailed tapes to several countries such as France, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, etc. We came into contact with a number of people overseas by running ads in several Christian heavy metal magazines. The main magazine was Heaven's Metal.
How many stations picked up your pre-recorded show?
When I first decided to syndicate the show, I prayed that the Lord would lead us to the radio stations that HE wanted us to air the show. I recorded a demo tape that I mailed out to several stations. I eventually ended up airing on about 10 stations. Although I truly wanted to obtain far more stations, I simply left the results in God's Hands. I felt that the Lord accomplished His purpose for the show. I always told the Lord that I would work just as hard whether we had 1 or 100 stations!!!
How did you go about discovering bands to use on the show?
One of the primary objectives of TEMPERED STEEL was to promote as many bands as possible. Our effort to discover bands for the show was accomplished mainly by getting our hands on all of the Christian metal mags. I would read all of the album reviews and determine which bands fit our format. I focused primarily on the "underground" bands who had not yet signed a record contract. Since they did not receive any promotion from a record label, we did everything we could to try to give them as much exposure as possible. It was also our desire to provide our listeners with a wide selection of bands. Our constant prayer was that the Lord would lead us to the bands He wanted us to use on the show.
Tempered Steel had a run of about 10 years. What prompted its departure after such a long time?
When we first started TEMPERED STEEL, we did it as a result of the direct leading of the Lord. Although the Lord had not called me into radio as a full-time career, I do believe He opened up the opportunity for me to do this Christian heavy metal show. Since I felt that the Lord was behind the forming of this ministry, I always told Him to use it however He sees fit. It is clear to me now that the Lord's intention was that this would only be a temporary ministry. Then in August of 1999, He revealed to me that the show was to come to an end. There was no specific circumstance that brought about the end. It was simply in God's divine sovereignty that it was over.
What kind of surprising resistance did you encounter? What kind of surprising support?
I must say that the overall response to the show was quite positive. Although the church community in our area was not really used to this type of format, they understood that we were trying to reach the "heavy metal" crowd with the Gospel. They also knew that to accomplish this you had to use the type of music that they liked.
Although they did not prefer this music themselves, they were tolerant of it because they knew our objective. You simply have to meet people where they lived. It is best explained by Paul when he wrote, "And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews..." (I Corinthians 9: 20-22).
However, I did on a few occasions have a parent tell me that what I was doing was absolutely WRONG!! They even said that they felt the music I was using was from Satan!!!! I just simply tried to explain to them the vision behind T.S.
I will have to say that the most surprising support we received was from the "older generation" (those in their 50's & 60's). Although they could not stand the music, they understood what we were trying to do. They stood behind us 100%!!!
What were a couple of highlights & disappointments that really stand out in your mind?
One of the main highlights of the show was the opportunity to broadcast on a shortwave network. It was sort of like the equivalent of airing on satellite today in that you could pick up the show anywhere. You didn't have to broadcast the show on a local AM or FM station. But, of course, you needed a shortwave radio which most people didn't have and the quality wasn't nearly as good as regular radio.
However, the most rewarding accomplishment to me was the opportunity to reach the unsaved. It was tremendously gratifying when a Christian kid would tell me that they were able to get their unsaved friends to start listening to the Christian metal bands. They may not have been able to get them to go to church but they were able to introduce them to the bands which proclaimed the Gospel. My prayer was always that someone would accept Jesus as a result of listening to the show.
The only real disappointment I experienced with the show was not being able to get on more radio stations. However, I simply had to accept the fact that the Lord was in control and that He would get the show on the stations that HE chose. Unfortunately, it wasn't as many as I would have liked!!!
After 10 years of hard work, what was it like to have that weekly block of time back?
I must admit that it was quite an adjustment after leaving the radio station. After spending every weekend recording the show for 10 years, it was kinda like, "OK, NOW what do I do??!!" Anytime you do something for that long, it feels rather strange when you stop.
However, I must add, doing the show every week was NOT at all like I was making this huge sacrifice. Although it required a lot of time and effort, it was never like "work". I never felt like I was giving up my weekends when I really wanted to be doing something else. In fact, there was NOTHING else that I would rather be doing!!
Since the show ended back in 1999, I believe the Lord is in the process of preparing me for what He wants me to do next. HIS will...NOT mine!!!
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