Talking Cannons with Phil Wickham
10-02-2007
by Kevan Breitinger

My talk with Phil Wickham in the week of Cannons release covered, appropriately, releasing our worship to an explosively creative God.

CMCentral (Kevan Breitinger): Hey Phil, here’s something funny: I happened to listen to the title track for the first time the other night on a plane, looking at the stars. As I listened I thought, wow, God, thanks for arranging this!

Phil Wickham: Very cool.

I only had that one track, from the Relevent podcast, but it really stirred my heart toward awe. Then when I came back I was reading a quote from you where you said you saw the world, or creation, as our own worship leader?

Exactly, that’s what the song actually came out of. I led worship at this high school camp and one of the speakers had done this amazing message about how God’s love reaches beyond the heavens. To help us understand that love a little bit more, he started explaining the solar system to help us see the immensity and the massive beauty of God’s love. The further out we go, the more we realize we’ll never get to the end. So that was fresh in my mind when I was outside that same night, and it dawned on me how creation, its beauty, shows us bits of His brightness in the stars, and His strength in the mountains, and His vastness in the oceans. To think that He created all this showed me just a peek at His depth, and His character, how everything just explodes with the glory of God. I wrote that song so people would be able to sing along and enjoy God in response to the inspiring worship He’s given us in creation.

That explosive element came across strong. I really dig the title because the album gave me a real sense of majesty and immensity as I listened.

I’m so blessed to hear that, because we had a drummer come in here and there, and a violin player, but for the most part it’s just me and the producer playing all the instruments. I remember the first time we heard “Beautiful,” we had just finished all the instrumentation. It was around 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning and we were kind of tired, sitting back and listening. I was being ministered to by the Holy Spirit so much that I didn’t want to look up. I started tearing up, and I didn’t want to look up because I was kind of embarrassed. But then Pete looked at me and said “Man, I’m in tears right now. The Lord’s hand is all over this project, and I feel like He’s so pleased.”

It was such a special moment. I feel like everything from the cover art, to the title, to the songs themselves, just couldn’t have been orchestrated better, with, like you said, the theme of grandness and majesty, and the responsibility we have to respond to that. I just hope it all comes across.

 I thought it did, and I can’t imagine aiming for anything higher in a worship project. It’s funny, Phil, I was thinking about this as I listened to these songs: I have friends tell me, “Kevan, you’re just so intense.” (laughing) As I listened to your music I wondered if you hear the same thing from your friends?

The biggest thing I’ve heard is that the songs express what hearts want to say but were unable to express. And that’s the biggest compliment, you know? But I wondered at the end of the record if it was too intense, if it needed some kind of pop-py song to ease it up a little bit. But then we just thought, no, it is what it’s supposed to be. It’s funny, because I definitely have my moments of intensity, especially when it comes to music, the art of everything. And when it comes to ministry, I take that very seriously. But everybody who knows me think I’m the biggest goober out there, you know? (laughing).

Yeah, same with me, but I also see intensity, in the right places, as a virtue. So I certainly didn’t mean like it was too heavy or anything. I actually found an element of abandon in it that felt very freeing. Not at all heavy, just more of a release.

Good, I’m glad. That’s what music is for me. I think at my core, if I can get a little psychological here (laughing), I’m a little bit of a people-pleaser, I just want people to be happy and comfortable and just to be up. So if there’s anything to bottle, I bottle it and stuff it down. But it comes out in my songs, and it comes out when I’m leading worship. That place is my outlet.

I can hear that, Phil. Well, let’s end this on a lightweight, fluffy note, so people don’t think we’re complete maniacs (laughing). Tell me, what’s on your nightstand?

Well, I haven’t been home in 4 or 5 weeks, but on my hotel nightstand I have a new book, “Into the Wild.” It’s a bit morbid at first, but definitely something I can learn from, about this body found out in Alaska. A journalist writes about him, tracking this guy’s life after he gives away his fortune and hitchhikes across the country. I’m about halfway through it, but he leaves it up to the reader to try to figure if this guy is crazy or just what is he up to? It’s very interesting.

Well, I’m laughing because now we just look even more intense! (laughing)

Oh yeah, (laughing) wait a minute, a clock? A radio? Ask me one more fluffy question.

OK, favorite coffee drink?

I enjoy the Americana, if I’m going to Starbucks. Well, it’s not my favorite taste, but it’s good for coffee…

See, you just can’t do it! Even in your favorite coffee drink, you’re still intense (laughing).

Yeah, (laughing) sorry.

Hey, don’t be sorry, brother, it’s who you are and it’s why your music works the way it does. I’m really just teasing you, it’s all good. We gotta be who we are, and it’s what comes across on this album that makes it so great.

Well, thank you so much.

Next time we’ll just tell jokes or something. Thanks so much for your time, Phil.