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Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind

Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind

Written by: Shayne Brian
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Remember the albums that lived in your cassette deck, CD player or record collection? Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind goes back to the artists, albums and stories that defined Contemporary Christian Music through the 70s, 80s and 90s, and discovers what happened next. Hosted by broadcaster and music interviewer Shayne Brian, each episode goes beyond the familiar songs to uncover the stories behind the music. The Rewind takes us back to where it all began. Out of the Crate pulls a classic album from the collection for a deeper listen. The Missing Years fills in the chapters that disappeared from view. And The Second Verse catches up with the artists, exploring where life and music took them next. From legendary names to forgotten favourites, expect candid conversations, deep cuts, classic albums, reunions, new releases, tours and stories from the people who helped shape a remarkable era of Christian music. Whether you grew up with Petra, Whiteheart, Resurrection Band, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, The 77s, The Choir, Guardian, Jars of Clay and countless others, it's time to put those records back in rotation. The artists. The albums. The missing years. And what came next. Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind. The intro music is Sweet Comfort Band's "Sing for the Music". Written and composed by John Elefante and Dino Elefante. Visit https://www.thesweetcomfortband.com/ Subscribe and Follow to be notified of new episodes and follow us on social media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheChorus Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@beyondthechorusclassicccmmusicCopyright 2026 Shayne Brian Christianity Ministry & Evangelism Music Spirituality
Episodes
  • Mike Roe: The 77s, Faith, Censorship and the Long Road to 7

    Mike Roe: The 77s, Faith, Censorship and the Long Road to 7
    Sep 29 2026

    Mike Roe of The 77s joins Shayne Brian on Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind for a deep dive into more than four decades of one of Christian alternative rock's most influential and fiercely individual bands.

    From their beginnings as a church-backed outreach project in Sacramento to albums including Ping Pong Over the Abyss, The 77s, Sticks and Stones and the controversial Pray Naked, Mike looks back at a band that consistently refused to fit comfortably inside the traditional Christian music industry.

    Unlike many bands from the classic CCM era, The 77s never really went away. Their music moved through new wave, alternative rock, blues, psychedelia, power pop and roots music, building a loyal audience that continues today.

    Mike explains the unusual story behind the name The 77s, his early work on the radio program Rock and Religion, and how the band gradually learned to focus on great songwriting rather than forcing a message into the music.

    For Out of the Crate, we return to the band's 1982 debut Ping Pong Over the Abyss and explore the early sound and identity of The 77s. Mike also reveals why Sticks and Stones may be the best place for a new listener to start.

    We also revisit Pray Naked and the controversy surrounding its title, Christian bookstore censorship and the tension between faith, creativity and the expectations of the Christian music industry.

    Then we move to the new album 7. Mike explains why the record took around 12 years to complete, why "Heart Back" made him want to create another 77s album, and how "Hand to God" evolved from a hard-driving new wave arrangement into the slower, psychedelic version heard on the finished record.

    Mike also talks about how The 77s audience has changed since 1982, his overlooked solo and instrumental work including Daydream and Orbis, and what could be coming next from The 77s.

    For fans of The 77s, Mike Roe, Lost Dogs, The Choir, classic CCM, Christian alternative rock and 1980s Christian music, this is a conversation about faith, creativity, survival and more than forty years of refusing to fit neatly into anybody else's box.

    Timestamps

    00:00 - Why The 77s still matter after four decades

    03:18 - From Sacramento church outreach to The 77s

    08:46 - The dream that gave The 77s their name

    12:00 - Mike Roe on Rock and Religion

    21:43 - Ping Pong Over the Abyss and the early sound of The 77s

    25:39 - Pray Naked, censorship and Christian music

    31:47 - Why the new album 7 took 12 years

    36:44 - How "Heart Back" restarted The 77s

    40:02 - How The 77s audience has changed since 1982

    45:01 - Mike Roe's overlooked solo and instrumental albums

    Connect with The 77s

    Official website:

    http://www.77s.com/

    The 77s music:

    https://the77s.bandcamp.com/

    New album 7:

    https://the77srock.bandcamp.com/album/7

    Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind

    YouTube:

    https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

    Facebook:

    https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheChorus

    Patreon:

    https://www.patreon.com/cw/BeyondTheChorus

    Follow and subscribe to Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, and share the show with anyone who loves classic Christian music and the bands that helped shape it.

    Drop the needle. Press play. We're going beyond the chorus.
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    56 mins
  • Kim Boyce: Classic CCM, Family, Faith and a 40-Year Full-Circle Moment

    Kim Boyce: Classic CCM, Family, Faith and a 40-Year Full-Circle Moment
    Sep 22 2026
    Nearly 40 years ago, Kim Boyce was my very first artist interview.I was 19, she was touring Australia with David Meece, and after sitting down and completing the interview, I discovered I had made one fairly significant mistake: I hadn't pressed record.Kim graciously sat down and did the entire interview with me again.Now, almost four decades later, we've come full circle.In Episode 4 of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, I reconnect with Kim Boyce, one of the distinctive voices of 1980s and 1990s Contemporary Christian Music, to talk about the songs, albums, faith, family and unexpected turns that shaped her life both inside and outside the CCM industry.Kim takes us back to her early years growing up around Southern Gospel music, discovering artists including The Archers, Sweet Comfort Band, Andraé Crouch and The Imperials, and the unusual path that took her from Miss Florida and the Miss America pageant to a recording career in Christian music.We talk about her early work with Carman on The Champion, signing with Myrrh Records, touring Australia with David Meece, and what it was like discovering that people on the other side of the world already knew her songs.Kim also goes behind the music of her 1986 self-titled debut album, including “Love Resurrection,” “Darkened Hearts” and “Here,” and reflects on working with musicians and songwriters including Brian Tankersley, Tom Hemby, Tim Miner and Cindy Cruse.We revisit one of Kim's favourite albums, Time and Again, its classic Hollywood-inspired imagery, and her dance-pop reinvention of Rare Earth's “I Just Want to Celebrate.”But this conversation goes well beyond the records.Kim talks candidly about why she eventually stepped away from the relentless CCM cycle of albums, radio, touring and television after becoming a mother, and why choosing her family became more important than chasing the next hit.We follow her story through a new chapter in Branson, Missouri, where she returned to the Southern Gospel music of her childhood, performed for a decade and later created an all-gospel show with her husband Gary.Kim also shares some deeply personal reflections on faith, grief and family, before bringing us up to date with her life today.And, of course, I had to ask the question longtime Kim Boyce fans will want answered:Could there ever be another Kim Boyce album?For me, this is one of the most personal episodes of Beyond the Chorus so far. Kim was there at the very beginning of my journey as an interviewer, and getting the chance to sit down with her again nearly 40 years later feels like closing a very special circle.Thankfully, this time I remembered to press record.In this episode:Kim Boyce remembers touring Australia with David Meece near the beginning of her recording career.How Southern Gospel, The Archers, Sweet Comfort Band, Andraé Crouch and The Imperials shaped her musical world.From Miss Florida and Miss America to a career in Contemporary Christian Music.Singing with Carman on The Champion and the road to signing with Myrrh Records.The stories behind “Love Resurrection,” “Darkened Hearts,” “Here” and “Not Too Far From Here.”Why Time and Again remains one of Kim's favourite albums.Turning Rare Earth's “I Just Want to Celebrate” into an 80s CCM dance-pop favourite.Why Kim Boyce walked away from the CCM touring and recording cycle to focus on family.Her years performing Southern Gospel music in Branson and the album that was never released.The renewed interest in classic 1980s Christian music and whether Kim could record again.Timestamps00:00 - Revisiting Kim Boyce and the music of classic CCM01:22 - My first interview with Kim and the forgotten record button02:59 - Touring Australia with David Meece06:04 - Southern Gospel, Miss Florida and Miss America11:18 - The 1986 debut album and “Love Resurrection”13:45 - Writing “Darkened Hearts” with Tom Hemby21:35 - Why Time and Again remains a favourite23:47 - Reinventing “I Just Want to Celebrate”24:36 - Why Kim stepped away from the CCM industry35:11 - Could there be another Kim Boyce album?Follow Kim BoyceFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/kimboycemusicFollow Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM RewindYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusicFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheChorusPatreon:https://www.patreon.com/cw/BeyondTheChorusSupport Beyond the ChorusIf you love the stories, artists and albums from the golden years of Contemporary Christian Music, you can help support Beyond the Chorus by joining the Patreon community for $5 a month.Patreon members can get access to bonus behind-the-scenes content, extra discussions, special discount offers and giveaways, while helping me continue tracking down the artists and stories that made classic Christian music so important to so many of us.Join here:https://www.patreon.com/cw/BeyondTheChorusAnd if you know somebody who still loves the Christian music of the 70s, 80s and 90s, ...
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    44 mins
  • Ojo Taylor: Undercover, Faith, Doubt and the Road to Behold

    Ojo Taylor: Undercover, Faith, Doubt and the Road to Behold
    Sep 15 2026

    Undercover helped push the boundaries of Christian rock in the 1980s. But what happened when the songwriter behind the music began questioning the beliefs that shaped it?

    In this episode of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, I’m joined by Joseph “Ojo” Taylor to revisit Undercover’s beginnings, the story behind “Boys and Girls Renounce the World”, and the long personal and musical journey that led to his new solo album, Behold.

    Ojo takes us back to Southern California’s punk and new wave scene, where Undercover brought an unexpected sound and attitude into churches. We discuss the pressures placed on Christian musicians, how divorce affected his songwriting, and his changing relationship with Christianity.

    We also explore the missing years: raising five children, returning to education, working in corporate finance and becoming a music industry professor. Then we dig into Behold, from forgotten guitar recordings and familiar collaborators to “The Altars”, “May It Be So” and finding the courage to sing his own songs.

    It’s an honest conversation about classic Christian music, changing beliefs, creative freedom and allowing an artist’s story to keep moving forward.

    In this episode

    • Undercover’s origins and Ojo’s early musical influences.
    • Bringing punk and new wave into the Christian music scene.
    • “Boys and Girls Renounce the World” and a turning point in his life.
    • Divorce, doubt and the expectation that Christian artists should have all the answers.
    • Fatherhood, education and life beyond Undercover.
    • The twenty-year journey behind Behold.
    • Reconnecting with Gym Nicholson on “The Altars”.
    • “May It Be So”, its choir and its message for children.
    • Making music with the freedom to reflect who you are today.

    Timestamps

    00:00 Introduction: Undercover, Ojo Taylor and Behold

    03:37 Becoming Ojo: early influences, punk and new wave

    10:51 Forming Undercover and bringing a new sound into churches

    20:28 Boys and Girls Renounce the World, divorce and artistic honesty

    34:26 Faith, doubt and Ojo’s changing spiritual path

    39:19 The missing years: fatherhood, education and teaching

    47:28 Creating Behold: forgotten recordings and musical collaborators

    57:22 The Altars, Gym Nicholson and the crossed-out album title

    1:02:42 May It Be So: a prayer for children

    1:05:12 A new chapter: creative freedom and finding his voice

    Connect with Ojo Taylor

    Website: https://ojotaylor.com/

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ojotaylor

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ojo_taylor

    Buy Behold: https://shop-thechoir.myshopify.com/collections/ojo-taylor

    Follow Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind

    Discover the artists, albums, missing years and new chapters behind classic Christian music with Shayne Brian.

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheChorus

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BeyondTheChorus

    Follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share the show with someone who loves classic Christian music and the stories behind it.

    #BeyondTheChorus #OjoTaylor #UndercoverBand #ClassicCCM #ChristianRock #Behold
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    1 hr and 12 mins
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