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Interviews with Sixpence None the Richer


 YOU! Magazine
Sixpence None the Richer: The Time Is Ripe

It's no wonder they have a song called "The Waiting Room" on their latest, self-titled album. Sixpence None the Richer went through a "dark night" of sorts while waiting to be released from a contract with their former, struggling record label (R.E.X.). They couldn't make records. They couldn't move on. They were stuck, waiting in a barren darkness.

But now their journey has taken them out of the dark night and into the shining light of day. They' ve been born again into a fresh garden of opportunity and success. American pop radio has picked some juicy fruit with their song "Kiss Me." It went gold faster than a pear at harvest time. Many are in line to take a big bite.

Lead singer Leigh Nash has no shame about who she is, where she's from, or the struggles in her life. She blatantly professes love and devotion for her husband, Mark, her parents, sister, friends, and beyond all else--God. Leigh sees the world through eyes that have suffered a few slings and arrows of Providence's tough-loving hand. But her suffering has borne fruit for the eternal kingdom.

Now YOU! Magazine offers you a onetime chance to get "Richer." It's not a contest; it's an interview.

Patrick Lorenz: On the new album, songs like "Kiss Me" and "You Can't Catch Me" deal with the topic of intimacy. What's the secret to overcoming the obstacles with intimacy?

Leigh Nash: It depends on what your obstacles are. If someone is having difficulty with relationships, whether they be romantic or friendships, God is definitely the place to go for those kinds of answers, because He is the Author of our hearts and designs them, and HE IS LOVE. So, definitely, He is the answer to trying to understand yourself better and get the answers to those intimacy questions.

PL: How have you come to know God?

LN: I grew up in a Christian home, but I didn't have a strife-free youth, one where I had no problems. Not many people do these days. I went through some rough times with my family, but I did have a Christian upbringing, and I was involved with church at a very young age. So I had Christian friends and I have amazing parents and an amazing sister, and saw God work firsthand in our lives, and work in our relationships, even though it was very hard growing up.

PL: What were some of the struggles in your family?

LN: There were a lot of financial struggles. There were a lot of things. Because of the things that my parents were dealing with, they had a lot of financial problems, which can be a very scary thing for a child, not understanding how we were going to get out of those things. Whether it was right or wrong, we dealt with it as a family. My parents didn't whisper behind our backs because they couldn't. Molly and I heard everything that was going on in the house.

PL: You were into serious music at quite a young age. Was that helpful in high school, having that outlet?

LN: Absolutely. It gave me an identity that no one else had. It helped a lot, because I had a hard time with school, keeping focused.

PL: How were you able to make friendships and keep them going?

LN: I don't believe in luck. It was God, early on, nudging me in the right direction, and I was blessed with a good head on my shoulders because of my great parents... well, my mom has a great head on her shoulders. My dad is crazy. I love him. He knows he's crazy.

In fifth grade, I met this girl that I sat next to in physical science and she turned out to be my best friend. We're still great friends now. We were good for each other at different times in our lives. Growing up, we had periods where we weren't very close but she was just always there when I needed her. Then I met another girl at church and she was a great friend to have, too.

PL: What does friendship mean for you?

LN: It means being with someone you can laugh with, and somebody you can trust to be the same, to just be consistent. That's what I need in a friendship.

PL: Right now I've got this Columbine High School thing in mind. What do you think caused the two boys to go on their rampage?

LN: I've heard bits and pieces about their home life, and it didn't sound like they had it too bad. I think it's selfishness, and I'm so angry, I could say a lot of things that I probably shouldn't say. But I feel like they were selfish and ignorant and didn't have anything better to do. A lot of today's youth don't have anything to fight for. We've had a couple of generations of that and not having wars, and I'm glad that we've been peaceful for so long, but I think it's breeding a nation of young people who are spoiled rotten. Just being spoiled and selfish makes people do things like that.

PL: For you, what's the key to your Christian life, what makes it work?

LN: Trying to stay close to God's heart and being in constant communion with Him, and sha- ring my every fear, my thoughts, my hopes and dreams, and pray that those are in keeping with what He wants in my life. Praying that He is the head of my marriage; that He protects my loved ones; that He's leading and guiding me; repenting of my sins every day and trying to walk with Him all the time. It\rquote s not an easy thing to do.

PL: Have you noticed it is becoming more challenging to walk with the Lord as the success of Sixpence has increased?

LN: Only because we're busier. It's a beautiful thing, though, and it's deepened my faith in seeing what He's done with this band through the label and stuff.... And God doesn't care. I don't think He's orchestrating No. 1 singles, but He's definitely had his hand on this band from the very beginning. We've prayed to be in his will, and some amazing things have happened that are just unexplainable. It's opened my eyes to taking God out of a somewhat small box. He doesn't belong there. You can't put confines around what He can do and what He wants to do, but only pray that you're in his will and helping out, and not being a hindrance.

The Lilith Fair Question

PL: You guys have performed at Lilith Fair. Why?

LN: It's a way to expand your audience. It\rquote s a really large group of people; we're going to do more dates this summer. There are about eight dates at the very beginning of the tour, so we just thought it would be a great opportunity. We're all pretty excited about [Lilith]. It's just a great way to meet new people and be involved in something that's not supporting things that we support, but it almost makes it cooler that way because here are these Christians who are very anti-abortion, and we're up on the stage. I think a lot of people after this year will know that we're Christians, and it's just getting the message out there even more.


Favorites

Leisure activity: "Spending time with my husband, reading, being outdoors, going to the zoo."

Animals to see at the zoo: "Anything you can pet...like a goat."

City in the United States: "Madison, Wisconsin; it's just a really cool little college town; they have all of these shops, coffee shops, there's like an open-air market."

Sports team: St. Paul Saints (minor-league team in Minnesota that Bill Murray owns).

Movie (of all time): "Life Is Beautiful," then "Rushmore" (starring Bill Murray).

Other band besides Sixpence: Radiohead.

A first hand interview with Clarissa Tubig at the San Diego Lilith Fair with Leigh Nash.

Hi... are you Leigh Nash?

The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn After Performance Interview

(After singing "There She Goes.")

Craig: How'd you get that name?

Leigh: It's from a C.S. Lewis book, Mere Christianity

Craig: Cool. You guys had that for awhile?

Leigh: Yeah, we have been together for a little over 7 years now, so it's been with us for awhile

Craig: Was that a tough song to sing? It's a beautiful song. It seems like you have to get pretty high.

Leigh: Pretty high. The range is pretty high. It's nothing like the La's version but we like it okay

Craig: Did you... uh... You're here on a big night. Did you get to see the sports bra backstage?

Leigh: Oh yes. Yes, we couldn't miss that. We watched the whole show

Craig: Did you watch the World Cup thing a few weeks ago?

Leigh: No. I think we were on a plane somewhere

Craig: So this must've been nice to see it.. the sports bra uplcose and getting...

Leigh: Oh it was! It was quite an experience. I will never forget it... never forget that

Craig: Thank you for being here

Leigh: Thanks for having us

Craig: Tomorrow night... Do you remember the New Kids On the Block?

Leigh: Oh yes. I remember Donnie

Craig: Donnie Walberg will be here with us. Good night everybody

Regis and Kathie Lee after Performance Interview

Regis: Sixpence! Nice seeing you guys. Hi Leigh.

Leigh: Hi

Regis: Nice to have you back on the show. The band was started by Matt Slocum and Leigh Nash. What? 1989? Ten years ago, you were just 13 years old.

Leigh: Pretty much... yeah.

Regis: Long while.

Leigh: Yeah, it's pretty crazy on how long it's been.

Regis: Terrific. Isn't that neat. Their song was requested... the last song you sang on the show...

Kathie: Your first hit from the album

Regis: Was requested by Prince Edward

Leigh: Right

Regis: At his wedding

Leigh: That's right

Regis: Obviously he's been watching us again
(Laughs)

Leigh: Right

Kathie: Where he first heard of you all

Regis: Loved the song and wanted to hear it at his wedding

Leigh: Apparently so. We were really, really flattered by that.

Regis: Ah... so they flew you over there?

Leigh: No, we didn't get to. They just played it... the BBC played it over the montage at the end. But...

Regis: Excuse me!

Leigh: I know! Excuse me! It was...
(Laughs)

I was hoping for more too.

Kathie: You just didn't get the right agent. My agent was at the wedding...

Leigh: Wow. That's pretty cool.

Kathie: If you only knew him

Regis: That was "Kiss Me," right? So now...

Leigh: Right

Kathie: Oh alright! (Kisses Regis)(Laughs)

Regis: You and Matt get along like this?

Kathie Things I have to do

Leigh: We do. We get along really well, actually.

Kathie: I like it (the beard)

Matt: It's still there (Laughs)

Kathie:Yeah, yeah. Still shy too. You can't hide behind that hair, honey

(Laughs)

Regis: Anyway, they formedback in Texas and they went off to Nashville and that's where your homebased now.

Leigh: That's right

Kathie But there's a wonderful story. Weren't you all at some seminar on how to make a demo and the teacher held up yours, the demo you made. This is how you make a demo. And it was yours.

Leigh: Yeah, yeah. Matt, I didn't actually attend that seminar, but Matt was there and saw... and saw him hold up our demo and it was like... wow, that's ours

Kathie: And you got your first record deal from that

Leigh: Yeah. So that's how it happened

Regis: That's terrific

Kathie: Terrific
Regis: Even though this is a difficult name to forget, Sixpence None the Richer

Kathie: Even though you are a little richer now

Leigh: Yeah, just a little, much better now

Regis: Now you're on your way. They are going up to Vancouver uh... Lilith Fair tour. When does it start? July...

Leigh: It starts tomorrow

Regis: Starts tomorrow

Kathie: Different people join it along the way and this is the last Lilith tour this year

Regis: Oh, is that right?

Leigh: Yes it is

Regis: Have a wonderful time you guys. Sixpence None the Richer! We thank you very much

Leigh: Thank you

Kathie: God Bless.

Hip Online Interview
(This interview was taken from Hip Online.)

Why sign with an obscure label like Squint when major labels like Arista were courting you?

We have been doing this for six years and over the years we have had several major labels interested. We've pursued them and they've pursued us. Eventually, for whatever reason, it didn't work out. We heard horrible stories of what has happened to other bands. It is really difficult to get a good shot because they try to sign tons of bands in hopes of getting that one band that will be really great and make them a lot of money. That is just a lot of pressure and more than what we wanted to take on. So, we always liked the indie thing better.

Squint was a dream deal for us because Steve Taylor (owner of Squint Entertainment) is a really great man and someone who we have been a fan of for a really long time. We are very like-minded artistically. It was a really good match up.

Were you nervous about hooking up with another small label after what had happened with your last label?

I guess we were. It was just that one thing outweighed the other. We were more afraid of signing to a major label and getting dropped and then having a record die because it just didn't have a chance.

Do you think it is passe to be called alternative?

I think so. I don't know what to call stuff anymore. It seemed to identify a certain type of music a couple of years ago and now it covers such a broad area that I don't know what it is.

Have the band influences changed?

Yeah. Matt (Slocum, guitarist/songwriter) is inspired by a lot of strings now and is getting into his cello playing. That wasn't the case for This Beautiful Mess and the albums before. This Beautiful Mess was very guitar driven. The last album (Sixpence None The Richer) has a lot of strings. It has changed a lot from record to record.

What about the Christian rock tag? Does it hinder you?

I think it does. It is going to and it has, but we are not ashamed about what we believe in. We're all Christians in the band, but it is really scary to just come out and say we're a Christian band because you are lumped in with all of the other Christian bands, which we are not exactly proud of being lumped in with. Sometimes because their music isn't very good or they don't represent themselves the way we want to represent ourselves. It doesn't mean they are wrong, I just think music needs to be lumped into the same pile so everyone can hear it. That is what music is for and we want to be heard by everyone.

Do you find that the grass roots approach taken by your label makes the success of your chart climbing single, "Kiss Me", just a little bit sweeter?

It is nice. It feels like a natural progression. I'm very aware that next month it all could dissipate and then we'll just start over with a new record. We've been doing it for a long time, so it's nice. We've worked really hard and these are the results. We learned a lot on the way.

How conscious is Matt about writing lyrics for you?

He just writes. I don't think he has ever said, 'I'm going to sit down and write about this or that.' He is inspired by a book or by something that happens.

How would you describe your vocal style?

I just sing (laughs).

It seems that everyone uses the same word to describe your vocal style…

Yeah, ethereal. Are you gonna come up with a new word?

We were hoping you would have a new word.

No, I'm sorry (laughs). I don't know.

I heard you had some fun in France filming the grave scene for your video to the single "Kiss Me".

Yeah, it was really interesting. I wish we had all that on tape. That would have made for a great video by itself.

I'm a really paranoid person when it comes to messing with the law.

Especially in another country?

Yeah, and the fear of never getting back [to the U.S.]. It was really weird. Steve Taylor is like a seven foot tall, crazy looking man and we were walking around this graveyard together. I was dressed up for the video and he looked relatively normal, but it was probably a strange sight when you have this really young, red headed girl and this huge, tall fellow walking around the graveyard. We had to get flowers twice and bring a potted plant to put on a grave, then go back out again. The guards must have thought it was weird that we had so many people to pay respect to.

What is the funniest memory you have of the band?

There are so many things. It is always a blast. Oh, wait, here it is. We had a talent show on our bus and we were on tour with this girl, Sarah Masen. Her sister was also traveling with us. So, we all had different talents. My husband did this dance for Matt (Slocum), you know, like this personal sort of dance. (snickers). It was just a brilliant night of fun. I wish we had that on tape, too.

What can someone expect when they see you live?

We've worked out the songs differently than they appear on the record so it's not the same old thing. Obviously we can't bring strings, so we fill that with a lot of guitars.

We don't jump around a whole lot. A couple of the guys do move around a bit, but I tend to just not (laughing).

So you're not exactly the Beastie Boys on stage?

No… (breaks out in laughter) I wish I had the moves. And I'm not going to pretend that I do!

If you could sit in with any band, who would it be?

Radiohead.

What would you be doing if you weren't an artist?

I don't know. I have other dreams and the biggest is to have a ranch in Texas where kids can come that are disabled or are not getting along at home. They could just send them to me.

Unfortunately, the call came down and it was time for Leigh to part for her show, so we weren't able to ask what the band was planning for the future. We'll just have to wait and see.At least we got it all on tape.


MUCH MUSIC INTERVIEW With Sixpence None the Richer
(This interview has been borrowed without permission from MUCH MUSIC.)

  • April 13, 1999

Rick the Temp:Back with MUSIC MUSIC. Again, my pleasure to welcome you guys. Your first time here. I'm so glad to have you here. Matt and Leigh from the band Sixpence None the Richer. It's a tough one. I'm having trouble with that one lately, because it's not an easy band name like R.E.M. or U2 or KoRn, Everclear. You're trying to srew uo VJs and DJs worldwide with that. Where did the name come from?

That's our master plan.

Comes from a book named "Mere Christianity." It is kind of a mouthful.
Rick the Temp We'll get the hang of it sooner or later, right?

Yeah.

 Rick the Temp:This one is this third album in your long history, seven years. It's been seven years. You're just starting to get this sudden success; I guess you can say. This album has been out since the end '97, was it?

Yeah.

Rick the Temp:I guess the success is due to the "Kiss Me" song; I guess you can say.

Yeah. Yeah.

Rick the Temp:Although the whole album is amazing, but that song has really catapulted you guys.

Yeah.

Rick the Temp:How is it reacting to this sudden success? How are you dealing with it?

Well, it's great. I mean, like, so we had a lot of time to sort of not have success and really trudge it out, and so I think it's really sweet right now, you know, that it's all culminating now. It makes it more special.

Yeah definately.

Rick the Temp:You'd rather have the success rather than--

Not!

It's a lot better.

Rick the Temp:Because the song is on-- in the movies "She's All That." It's a part of a soundtrack now to "Dawson's Creek" and that other stuff. SO the exposure is just amazing for you guys.

It's exploded.

Timing has been wonderful. It's great.

Rick the Temp:The song you performed here before the break, "There She Goes," is not yours. It's a cover. Why did you decide to do that?

Matt chose it awhile ago, and we've been playing it live for awhile, and it's just worked out really well. The crowd reaction at our shows is there's always people cheering when they hear it, because they know they know it from somewhere, but they're not sure where. It's a song by the La's.

Rick the Temp:That was probably the La's most famous song. 1990 was that?

Early '90s. Almost a perfect pop song.

It really is.

Rick the Temp:It is. It's not on the album here?

I think they are going to re-release the record with the song on it. I don't know if they will actually release that single for sale, so in order to get the song, you can get a new copy of the record, and it will be there.

Rick the Temp:Cool. Cool. Talking about the album, Matt, you say it's like a journey. You're taking the listener on a journey. What kind of journey are they in for here?

I think... sort of each record is like documenting where you are in your life, so it's like a journey in the fact that it's sort of documenting our lives. We hadn't done a record for two or three years before this one came out, so it feels like a journey for us. It was documenting, like, a few years worth of writing and all kinds of stuff.

Rick the Temp:Cool. You guys have been to Toronto before. You haven't performed here, but you wre saying before the break, one of your band members, you passed by the ChumCity building. How did he put it? "There was some sort of dance party going on."

Dancing happening. Yeah.

Yeah.

We were on our five-mile trek to a restaurant I wanted to go to.

Down to Spadina Avenue for Chinese food.

It was good. It was really good.

Rick the Temp:The action was part of our "Electric Circus" every Friday night. Feel free to step on in and dance with the kids there.

We do like to dance, don't we? (Laughing)

Rick the Temp:We are going to be getting to "Kiss Me" very soon, the video. It's a very beautiful song, melodic song. How can you guys describe that song? The sound. What it's all about? You wrote it?

Yeah, it's very Sunday-ish. They are a big influence and a great band. I think that's kind of sort of a tip of the hat to them... just, you know, jangly twelve-string guitars and just really melodic and really focusing on the voice, so...

Rick the Temp:I did promise we're going to get to that. We're going to get to that video very soon. The gigging, though... you're gigging. You're doing something with the BareNaked Ladies, I read, couple of shows. Is that still on?

We already did.

Rick the Temp:You just finished it. How was that?

It was great. They're amazing live.

We did one date in New York City with them. THat was just us opening for them. We played in Houston at a big festival where they headlined.

Rick the Temp: Fun guys, eh?

We haven't met them still, but I think we could have. We were just kind of rushing around. They didn't get there 'til late. They are a fantastic band.

Rick the Temp:They are. And something else I read... Lilith Fair. Is that still happening?

I'm not sure, but hoping for it.

Rick the Temp:Sorry. I hope I didn't jinx it there.

Oh, no, no.

Rick the Temp:You did one of the shows in NashVille last Lilith Fair.

Yeah.

Rick the Temp:And, again, congratulations. Amazing, amazing CD. Here... Sixpence None the Richer, self-titled CD. Right there. We're going to get to the latest video, the only video I guess you can say. Well, there's two versions of it.

There's two versions, but this is the one that's playing.

Rick the Temp:It's "Kiss Me" right here, Sixpence None the Richer. Thanks, guys.

Thanks

Thanks

Rick the Temp:Thanks very much. ("Kiss Me" video playing.)


CCM Magazine Interview
CCM Magazine
Exit to Eden
by Gregory Rumburg

After two years in the wilderness, Sixpence None the Richer reclaims its freedom.
December 1997 Maybe it was like childbirth," says Leigh (Bingham) Nash as she sits on a wooden, straight-back chair, her cropped strawberry blonde hair hovering slightly above her loose-fitting, white dress. "You know how women say they can't remember the pain after it's over? Well, I can't really remember exactly how I felt about all the trouble."

Yeah, but a two-year birthing process? Somebody call a doctor.

But that's the funny thing about second chances, new life. It mercifully clouds the memory of trouble without blocking out the energizing resolve that lifted you from the darker times. You move on.

Sixpence None the Richer is moving on, beyond record label conflicts, beyond personal fear and doubt.

Yes, Christian music's 1996 Dove Award winner for Modern Rock Album of the Year seriously contemplated packing-up its instruments, calling it quits.

Instead, Sixpence enjoyed a surprising season last summer of playing the mainstage of some of Christian music's biggest festivals, not-so-small-time gigs like Creation, Cornerstone and AtlantaFest. It fought--seemingly in great David & Goliath fashion--for artful integrity and business independence, only to discover that its struggle more poignantly was that of Old Testament, Jacob-esque proportions, down by the river Penuel.

The first act to sign with Steve Taylor's new Squint Entertainment company, the band musically chronicles its redemptive struggle to new life in its latest release, Sixpence None the Richer.

On the Dark Side

If core members Matt Slocum (guitar, cello, principal lyricist and arranger), Leigh Nash (vocals) and Dale Baker (drums, percussion) weren't so holistic in their quest for truth, justice and the American rock 'n' roll dream, this artsy trio would have been connected to the mother of all musical respirators for the last two years. They were living the nightmare of any band: the repressive financial insolvency of its record label. If the label closes, the artists, too, may be out of work.

Such a story is told repeatedly in the annals of rock history--with a variety of endings.

Pushing aside quick fix cure-alls and complicated procedures of legal resuscitation, Sixpence waited it out, relentlessly starving what it perceived as a fever of greed infecting its record company and jeopardizing the future of the band.

Sixpence' story is told today as we gather in the home of Leigh and her hubby Mark Nash (formerly with PFR). It's a brightly lit comfortable apartment. The afternoon sun is reflecting off tasteful lime green walls smartly decorated with black & white photos and colorful graphics. Certainly the apartment complex managers are unaware of the non-standard issue, bright red painted windowsills and door frames, complimented by adhesive glow-in-the-dark stars equidistant apart across facing boards. The place reflects the guileless yet strong-willed personality of the band's lead vocalist.

"We're so happy!" smiles Nash. "I'm not saying like we're so happy we can't remember [the bad times], but the truth is, compared to what other people are having to deal with these days and throughout history, it wasn't that bad."

Enviable perspective, all things considered.

The band released its critically acclaimed sophomore project, This Beautiful Mess, in May 1995. The Nash-Slocum team--which formed in Texas in 1992--had expanded to include Baker, J.J. Plasencio (bass) and Tess Wiley (on rhythm guitar and vocals). On release day the band embarked on a two week mini-tour with The Smithereens, garnering the group significant general market exposure--a situation akin to its spring 1994 mini-tour with 10,000 Maniacs.

"Back then we were excited," recalls Slocum, perched on the edge of the futon covered in purple velvet. Matt is a thinking person's person, meticulously choosing each spoken word, occasionally touching a black sideburn as he speaks, barely changing cadence, unveiling little emotion. "We had ideals and dreams and all that kind of stuff--hope for the future. Then the vehicle that was going to bring this about just kind of shut down and left us in the doldrums."

That vehicle was a complex machine of the usual music industry biz components, none more significant than the band's record label, R.E.X. (then home to others such as Tammy Trent, The Waiting and Jeff Johnson). While This Beautiful Mess eventually did win a Dove Award and yielded sonically delightful poetry like "Angeltread" and "Within a Room," its title became a self-fulfilling prophecy over the next two years.

R.E.X. would go south by January 1996 (the same month Slocum optimistically moved to Nashville from his native Texas to focus more on the band), resulting in a twisted, tangled contractual mess of legal wrangling over the one remaining album on the band's contract. In the fracas, Wiley and Plasencio would seek greener pastures (Wiley to pursue a solo career, and most recently playing with Velour 100; Plasencio to Plumb, although he plays on Sixpence). The band would also amicably part ways with its producer/manager Armand John Petri.

Says Slocum, "We thought we were going to take off somewhere, and then it just kind of petered out, and there's nothing really to do about it except wait."

Baker, a somewhat unorthodoxly-styled drummer hunched over his kit, is at times more quiet than Slocum; his piercing eyes balance his otherwise gentle personality. "I think the best part of the album was the process, though--that we were able to take more time," he says of the band's self-titled November release. "It wasn't rushed. It seemed like on This Beautiful Mess we definitely tried to do too much in too little time, whereas with this album we had the time--whether we liked it or not."

Through the trouble that followed This Beautiful Mess, the band emerged like a butterfly from its cocoon to Sixpence None the Richer, a splendid but not flamboyant musical organism--brooding yet hopeful, alterna-pop yet classical, influenced by expressive composition.

"It's not drastically different [from previous projects]," says Slocum, "but there are a lot of pop melodies on the record... more complex arranging. I think it's definitely a step up, just as far as our musicianship and performance."

The opening trilogy ("We Have Forgotten," "Anything" and "The Waiting Room") chronicles the emotions of the process.

Producer Steve Taylor (Guardian, Newsboys) explains the significance of the set.

"As we were putting the record together, we made a conscious decision not to downplay what was going on. They are songs that translate to all of us when we go through the valley. I think that the resolution and finding God in all of that is all the more powerful because of how dark that valley became."

"We Have Forgotten" reflects the band's frustration:

"Dreams, inconsistent angel things/Horses bred with star laced wings/But it's so hard to make them fly/Fly, fly."

Disillusionment is evident in "Anything":

"This is my 45th depressing tune/They're looking for money as they clean my artistic womb/And when I give birth to the child I must take flight/'Cause the black in our pocket won't let us fight a proper fight."

Nash, whose airy vocals breath life to the lyrical poetry, says, "I feel like the lyrics are more literal, just plain man's English. You can read it, and it's just like somebody's talking to you, more so than I felt like they were on This Beautiful Mess. I enjoy that so much because it's just so deeply honest about what we've all been going through. It tells such a great story."

Going to (General) Market

Although R.E.X. legally retained the band to its contract--effectively denying them opportunities to seek asylum in another Christian label--the band's former manager Armand Petri was able to secure permission in the fall of 1995 to talk with general market labels. East and West Coast showcase audiences included moguls from labels like I.R.S., Island-West Coast and Lava (a division of Atlantic), Almo, Capitol, RCA, EMI Publishing and a variety of high-powered entertainment lawyers.

Petri is clear to point out that--with only one exception--the band's faith perspective did not affect label interest. "I never felt I had to make an apology for them being a Christian band," says Petri. "[Labels] were excited about the existing fan base. They were excited by great music."

Unfortunately, the band only came close to signing, and close only counts in horse shoes, hand-grenades and drive-in movies.

Meanwhile, as an economic asset in the midst of financial hardship, R.E.X. kept Sixpence on its roster. Citing that R.E.X. was unable to properly fulfill its contractual obligations, the band sought the right to be released. The tug-of-war waged on.

"Essentially what they were doing," says Slocum of R.E.X., "was keeping us as their little card that they could sell to the highest bidder. That happens with so many bands; we're one of the many that these companies just think they can move around like little pawns or playing cards."

Platinum Entertainment, who had begun working with the label earlier that year as its strategic partner, purchased R.E.X. in June of 1996. Eventually, the parties entered into talks of a renegotiated contract for the remaining album. Sixpence refused. They wanted out.

Tom Leavens, chief general counsel for Platinum Entertainment, says, "I think that we got painted with some of the things that were wrong with R.E.X. They saw us as somehow being involved with its failure. We don't accept any of that, but I think from their perspective it was probably something that they could not be convinced was otherwise.

"We really wanted them to be on the label for a lot of reasons. I personally was very supportive of the group. I like them, I like their music.

"We could not make a connection with them," concludes Leavens.

"Who in their right mind is going to stay in a situation like this?" asks Baker. "You're questioning your sanity. You're like, 'What am I giving up?' You're questioning all the decisions and choices that you've made to get you to where you are!"

Stuck in the Middle with You

The mess was enough to cause anyone to throw arms to sky, wailing, "Hello? Are You there, God?"

"The whole tension was that we had these standards and this integrity that we were trying to live up to," says Slocum. "And we were trying to be obedient to the fact that we were serving God through this. But on the other hand, keeping our standards and obeying God was making us suffer."

"We're all dying and we'd like to know/If we should pack our tents, shut down the show/Yes, we should like to see a burning bush type sign/But anything would be fine" (from "Anything").

Step aside Goliath, er, Platinum. It's not about you or your contract or your money. Give Sixpence a brand new name, that of Genesis' Jacob. Give them new resolve, that of wrestling at the river's edge struggling with the mystery of God.

Finally, in June 1997, Platinum and Sixpence agreed on a settlement.

Nash is right. It was something like childbirth. Sixpence finally has new life, but it's not just about a new record deal.

"Well, for me," says Nash, "I've felt very spiritually stretched. I think that's a really good thing because that means you're questioning. You've got to have [struggling] times to ever get those questions answered, to be honest with yourself spiritually. It's really cool if I'm coming out of those questioning periods loving Him even more, understanding Him a little bit better and coming out with a little bit more wisdom.

"Mark, my husband, and I have been so incredibly taken care of this whole year. The band got to know each other better, too. I think we're probably more sure than we've ever been that this is what we definitely wanted."

"Who are you putting your trust into?" wonders Baker. "I was looking at the wrong people to put my trust into: a record company, or Matt, or a manager, or fate or whatever. Who's going to take care of me? God is, if you trust Him."

Says Slocum, "The whole process typified having hope for your future and watching that get dashed to the side, then having the light rekindle that future. The whole process of doing that is hard sometimes because you'd just rather not hope for the future anymore because you think it's not going to work; it's all gonna get screwed-up. It's so easy to fall in love with the fact that you're not going to care anymore; nothing works anyway, so why give a darn.

"It's easier for you to not hope because in hoping you're taking the risk of things going wrong and experiencing the pain of all that," says Slocum. "So I think a lot of people would just rather not care and not hope because they don't want to feel the pain when it doesn't come through. I found myself saying, 'I was excited once, I'm not going to get excited again because I'm just not going to deal with it.'"

And in that situation, you question the position of God in the conflict.

God was near, though. Like Jacob, the members of Sixpence discovered the presence of the Divine more closely in their lives.

Nash says, "I feel like God's called for me [to be in the band]. I doubted so much His involvement in my life during this stuff. I can't always see the other side of the tapestry, but sometimes you get a look, and you get back perspective."

"It's like you kind of make up your own plans of how you want God to work," says Baker. "'All you've got to do, God, is just sign off on it, and we'll be fine.' But He doesn't do that, and I walk around like, 'God, why's this happening? It's not right.' But then a few months down the road you look back... God was there working things out. You didn't need to complain throughout the whole thing--He's totally blessing your socks off!"

"We emerged on the other side," concludes Slocum, "free, and having recorded another record while working with some people we really liked working with. I think that this record is a statement to say you should never give up hope. God will ultimately come in and redeem you and give you a new start. That's just kind of personified in the whole life of this band."