More than simply another Christian rock band, Paid in Full, comprised of Yaneka Rose, Drew Cassels, and Shay Tabitha Townsend are set about changing the way that believers and non believers alike view God, life, and the world they live in. And while they have been tucked away from the world writing what has been described as 'music of the new generation', I was lucky enough to ask Yaneka and Drew a few questions about how it all began.
The roots of Paid in Full reach far back to a surprisingly more acoustic background. Guitarist Drew Cassels and vocalist Yaneka Rose started the band after a stint as a two piece acoustic outfit known as Dreeka. But fate -and production problems- set in. A long string of 'unconventionalities' left them with the choice to re-record and stay with the two-piece acoustic, or start afresh, with a new style for a new day.
(Drew) "We had all the tracks (for the Dreeka EP 'I Close My Eyes'), funding and production worked out so that when i got back from America (a 4 month stint camp counselling in North Carolina), all we had to do was get out and do some shows... By the time i did get back, the acoustic stuff really wasn't what i wanted to do. Besides that, we lost all the recorded songs, so we really couldn't do anything other than start over again."
(Yaneka) "I was getting a bit tired of the 'pretty' music as well, i was after something more, something new that hasn't really been done in Australia yet and we were irresistibly drawn to this style of music, I knew that was what we needed to be doing.."
So in October of 2007 the new Christian rock outfit Paid in Full was born; all that was remaining now was to find the rest of the band. This was soon to be formed with the inclusion of bass master Shaylene Tabitha. All three members were going to the same church (Christian City Church Kawana Waters), and were close friends, so her inclusion into the band was no real surprise to anyone.
(Drew) "Yeah, Shay was definitely a good choice. The three of us had worked together musically for a long time, and we all got along really well. Yaneka and I both felt that a bassist of her talent could be a huge factor and defining point in our sound.'
(Yaneka) "Shay and I have become really close friends from this journey. She's an amazing and rather multi talented musician, and she's a very dedicated songwriter... thats one thing i really love about Paid in Full, we're all songwriters. We're all influenced by different styles, and we all have our own backgrounds and experiences to draw from, so everything we've ever been through somehow ends up in our music. I really believe that because of that our music will connect with and touch such a broad audience, that maybe we actually will make a difference in peoples lives."
So what now for Paid in Full? Yaneka answers, "For us, originality is something that's really important; creating a sound thats never been heard before. So we're not rushing ourselves in the writing process. The next little while will be full of writing whenever and however we can, until we get what we're after and you know, the delay will definitely pay off in the end."
José Conswéilos
'Interview with Drew and Yaneka of Paid in Full'
December 2007
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