Phil Joel
Encyclopedia
Philip Joel Urry is a musician known as a solo artist in addition to being the former bassist for the Christian rock
group Newsboys
. He uses the name Phil Joel professionally due to pronunciation issues with his surname.
Phil Joel was born in Auckland
, New Zealand
. He was lead singer and guitarist in the popular New Zealand band Drinkwater.
Though he had little experience with the instrument, the Newsboys
offered him a position as bassist in August 1994. He said at the time, "I already know how to play a guitar with six strings, four should be a cinch." He also sang background and some lead vocals for the band.
In June 2000, Phil Joel released his first solo album, Watching Over You, on Inpop Records
. This release is largely autobiographical, and of experiences with missions
work in Third world countries. He supported this album with the Strangely Normal Tour accompanied by LaRue
, Luna Halo
, Earthsuit
, V*enna & Katy Hudson (now known as Katy Perry
). His second solo album, Bring It On, was released in November 2002 also on Inpop
. His third album, The deliberatePeople. was released on November 18, 2005 in conjunction with Phil Joel and Heather Joel's newly founded Christian ministry, deliberatePeople. The album has been praised for its stripped down rock, reminiscent of the Jesus Music
era of Christian Music.
The deliberatePeople. album follows his critically acclaimed second album, Bring It On. Also in support of the ministry, his ministry website has journals containing a one-year Bible reading schedule and prayer guide. Both 12-month and 6-month Bible reading schedules are available on the dP website free of charge. The ministry also has notes, journal entries, and insights corresponding with the one-year Bible reading schedule starting January 1, 2006.
His wife Heather is a former host of All Access and Hit Trip on CMT
. He met Heather at a radio station in her native Kansas when he'd only been in the country six weeks. They were married in 1996. They have two children: Phynley Elizabeth, born October 15, 2000 and Philip Eden (Eden), born April 5, 2004.
On Dec. 30, 2006, Phil Joel announced that he would be leaving the Newsboys
, in order to devote more time to "personal goals" and family. It was then announced in mid-January 2007, that Phil Joel was in the studio finishing the "deliberateKids." CD, which was scheduled to release May 1, 2007, from Indelible Creative Group.
In September 2008, Phil Joel released his fifth solo CD titled The New Normal. The CD is his third self produced album released on the deliberatePeople label.
He is regularly touring and has joined with Focus on The Family
to produce the Family Fight Night Tour.
In Fall 2010, Phil Joel released a new CD called deliberiteKids2. Long time friend and bandmate Peter Furler played some additional drums for the album.
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
group Newsboys
Newsboys
Newsboys are a Christian pop rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia. They have released 15 studio albums, six of which have been certified gold...
. He uses the name Phil Joel professionally due to pronunciation issues with his surname.
Phil Joel was born in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He was lead singer and guitarist in the popular New Zealand band Drinkwater.
Though he had little experience with the instrument, the Newsboys
Newsboys
Newsboys are a Christian pop rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia. They have released 15 studio albums, six of which have been certified gold...
offered him a position as bassist in August 1994. He said at the time, "I already know how to play a guitar with six strings, four should be a cinch." He also sang background and some lead vocals for the band.
In June 2000, Phil Joel released his first solo album, Watching Over You, on Inpop Records
Inpop Records
Inpop Records is an independent contemporary Christian music record label based in Franklin, Tennessee, USA. It was launched in July 1999 by Australians Peter Furler, Dale Bray, and Wes Campbell...
. This release is largely autobiographical, and of experiences with missions
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
work in Third world countries. He supported this album with the Strangely Normal Tour accompanied by LaRue
LaRue (band)
LaRue was a Christian music band formed by siblings Phillip and Natalie LaRue. Phillip and Natalie are singers and songwriters. Phillip was 17 and Natalie 15 when, in 2000, they came out with their first album LaRue.- Discography :...
, Luna Halo
Luna Halo
Luna Halo is a rock band formed in 1999 by Nathan Barlowe and Jonny MacIntosh, as a replacement for their former band, Reality Check, which was well-known for its hip-hop and rock blend, its dancers, and its trumpet player.-History:...
, Earthsuit
Earthsuit
Earthsuit was a short-lived New Orleans-based Christian rock band formed in 1995. The band consisted of guitarist Dave Rumsey, keyboardist/vocalist Paul Meany, bassist Roy Mitchell, drummer David "Hutch" Hutchison, and vocalist Adam LaClave...
, V*enna & Katy Hudson (now known as Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
). His second solo album, Bring It On, was released in November 2002 also on Inpop
Inpop Records
Inpop Records is an independent contemporary Christian music record label based in Franklin, Tennessee, USA. It was launched in July 1999 by Australians Peter Furler, Dale Bray, and Wes Campbell...
. His third album, The deliberatePeople. was released on November 18, 2005 in conjunction with Phil Joel and Heather Joel's newly founded Christian ministry, deliberatePeople. The album has been praised for its stripped down rock, reminiscent of the Jesus Music
Jesus music
Jesus music, known as gospel beat music in the United Kingdom, is a style of Christian music which originated on the West Coast of the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This musical genre developed in parallel to the Jesus movement...
era of Christian Music.
The deliberatePeople. album follows his critically acclaimed second album, Bring It On. Also in support of the ministry, his ministry website has journals containing a one-year Bible reading schedule and prayer guide. Both 12-month and 6-month Bible reading schedules are available on the dP website free of charge. The ministry also has notes, journal entries, and insights corresponding with the one-year Bible reading schedule starting January 1, 2006.
His wife Heather is a former host of All Access and Hit Trip on CMT
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
. He met Heather at a radio station in her native Kansas when he'd only been in the country six weeks. They were married in 1996. They have two children: Phynley Elizabeth, born October 15, 2000 and Philip Eden (Eden), born April 5, 2004.
On Dec. 30, 2006, Phil Joel announced that he would be leaving the Newsboys
Newsboys
Newsboys are a Christian pop rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia. They have released 15 studio albums, six of which have been certified gold...
, in order to devote more time to "personal goals" and family. It was then announced in mid-January 2007, that Phil Joel was in the studio finishing the "deliberateKids." CD, which was scheduled to release May 1, 2007, from Indelible Creative Group.
In September 2008, Phil Joel released his fifth solo CD titled The New Normal. The CD is his third self produced album released on the deliberatePeople label.
He is regularly touring and has joined with Focus on The Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
to produce the Family Fight Night Tour.
In Fall 2010, Phil Joel released a new CD called deliberiteKids2. Long time friend and bandmate Peter Furler played some additional drums for the album.
Discography
- Watching Over You (Inpop RecordsInpop RecordsInpop Records is an independent contemporary Christian music record label based in Franklin, Tennessee, USA. It was launched in July 1999 by Australians Peter Furler, Dale Bray, and Wes Campbell...
, 2000) - Bring it On (Inpop, 2002)
- The deliberatePeople. Album (deliberatePeople, 2005)
- deliberateKids (deliberatePeople, 2007)
- The New Normal (deliberatePeople, 2008)
- deliberateKids 2 (deliberatePeople, 2010)
External links
- Deliberate People - official site
- www.philjoel.com
- Bring It On review
- deliberateKids. site
- Family Fight Night site