ACDC's Sound Man Zapped

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Colin Melbourne reviews Singing in the Dark by Barry Taylor

I thought I was a pretty good person, after all, I had never robbed a bank, or murdered anyone. I'd rejected most of the standards of my day. But, something was going to have to change, and soon. Pastor Barry Taylor: Ex-Head-Banger

Remember when Bob Dylan claimed to have been born again, and wrote an album called Saved? His conversion seemed genuine at the time, but it clearly wasn't. Look at the poor man now, he's utterly lost. The same is true of many celebrities who try to follow Christ. I'm sure they come under severe temptation, and unless they are cast-iron for Christ, they don't make it. So it's best not to get too excited when we hear of so and so 'getting saved'. But rather give them space and time, and pray for them. Dan Wooding has co-authored a testimony book with Barry Taylor, a Roadie Sound Man with the ACDC band, that will be useful in your evangelising. Here's our brief summary of Barry's story. Pray that he stands firm for Christ, and doesn't get suckered by Satan again.

As Heavy Metal band ACDC's tour bus crossed America, everybody on board was up to their usual antics; consuming drink and drugs, watching porno videos, and 'living it up'. Everybody, except one man, who was reading his Bible. Englishman Barry Taylor, was determined to prove his 'poor deluded' friend Derek, wrong. Barry had rendezvoused with Derek in LA, to discover his life-long chum had 'become a Christian nut'.

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Worried about his buddy's mental state, Barry bought a Holy Bible for himself, and studied it on tour to convince Derek that Christianity was false.

He rapidly discovered it wasn't as tiresome as he thought it would be. But what really distrubed Barry, was the more he tried to disprove Derek's assertions, the more he found himself agreeing with him.

"I read about Jesus, and found myself really touched by His compassion and concern for ordinary people." he said.

In a few months he had read through the whole Bible.

"I finished it knowing there was a great difference between Jesus and religion. Where I fitted in, I wasn't sure. I knew I hadn't done much to impress God, but viewed myself as a pretty good person. After all, I'd never robbed a bank or murdered anybody."

In heated discussions with the ACDC Band and Road Crew, Barry was shocked to find himself vehemently defending the Gospel.

"Something had touched my heart, and the hard shell of anger and frustration was peeling away."

Barry Taylor's 'night to remember' came in 1979. As the arena lights dimmed over the 18,000 crowd of ACDC fans, roaring in anticipation of a night of musical mayhem, Barry was deep in thought. He was drinking a coke behind a screen on stage during the performance when a thought suddenly came to him;

"Barry, you're going to have to forget all this God stuff, and carry on with the band ... or stop it all, and go on with God."

Barry recalls; "The concert receded into the background, as I reflected on my life. All my efforts to find answers and inner peace had resulted in my becoming hard-hearted, drug-wasted, and cynical. Although, outwardly OK, inside I was desperate, unsettled, and troubled."

"I remembered Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, and other dead stars. I had rejected most of the standards of my day. To me they were shallow and hypocritical, I had my own morality. Then there was all this God stuff!"

"What the Bible said about being a Christian was far removed from what I'd always thought."

"I could now see, that a lot of the mess in the world was blamed on God, when in fact He had not even been invited into the situation. For example, the disease and starvation in India could hardly be blamed on God when the people worship cattle, rats, and monkeys. And then, what about Jesus Christ who claimed to be God in the Flesh, and came to save the world."

"At that moment, as the band rocked on, I decided to give my life to Jesus. I wasn't sure how to. For the first time, I prayed, 'God please get this concert over fast so I can give my life to you.'"

"Once all the equipment was loaded on to the trucks, I ran onto the bus. A rip-roaring party was already in full-swing.

The bus stereo blasted rock music, the porno-video was on as usual. Drinks and drugs were being consumed freely. In the midst of all this I took out my Bible. The only prayer I could recall, was one our school teacher recited quite often in assembly. So I prayed, "Teach me Lord to serve you as you deserve. To give, and not count the cost, to fight and not notice the wounds, to labour and not look for any reward, except that of knowing I do your will. I added,

'Jesus, I want the life you have for me. Whatever it is, and whatever it takes... I want to live for you on Earth. Amen.'

And I meant it

Now what? Barry wasn't sure, but he was sure something was going to have to change, and soon. Unlike many in show business, Barry's conversion was genuine.

He became Pastor of Lake Arrowhead Christian Fellowship, Pasadena USA. A passionate follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, who found Barry, banging his head ... 'Singing in the Dark.' And loved him.

Barry visits Romania and Russia frequently to proclaim Christ and encourage believers.