Biography
Josh White, who handled vocals and acoustic guitar as the frontman of the Christian alternative outfit Telecast, had previously ventured into darker musical territory. As a casualty of Seattle’s early post-grunge stagnation—the quiet stretch after Soundgarden and Alice in Chains faded and before Modest Mouse ascended—he fronted Man Ray, a sleekly dressed, heavy-hitting ensemble that fused gothic atmosphere with loud yet tuneful modern rock. The group’s polished first release, Casual Thinking, arrived in 1997 amid considerable anticipation, yet it remained their sole album; Mercury Records offered virtually no marketing support, sales failed to materialize, and the band dissolved.
White next assembled the fleeting glam-rock project Medicate alongside musicians from Super Deluxe and later issued an elusive solo recording. Troubled by the downward spirals he witnessed among peers in the rock world, he rediscovered comfort in scripture and reaffirmed his Christian convictions. He exited both Medicate and the Seattle scene altogether, relocating to Spokane where he led worship services at Calvary Church. There he encountered guitarist Brian Ortize; the pair began collaborating, a direction later expanded by the addition of Adam Breeden on guitar, Marquis Ashley on bass, and Nick Tibbetts on drums.
Telecast emerged as the vehicle for White’s renewed faith following the collapse of the local grunge ecosystem. Intent on creating a band that could convey his beliefs without alienating non-Christian listeners, he steered worship-oriented material toward the sonic palette of mainstream alternative radio rather than typical Christian formats. The resulting pretty, atmospheric approach—echoing David Bowie, the Verve, and Coldplay—yielded the group’s debut, The Beauty of Simplicity, issued on White’s BEC Records imprint in 2003.
White next assembled the fleeting glam-rock project Medicate alongside musicians from Super Deluxe and later issued an elusive solo recording. Troubled by the downward spirals he witnessed among peers in the rock world, he rediscovered comfort in scripture and reaffirmed his Christian convictions. He exited both Medicate and the Seattle scene altogether, relocating to Spokane where he led worship services at Calvary Church. There he encountered guitarist Brian Ortize; the pair began collaborating, a direction later expanded by the addition of Adam Breeden on guitar, Marquis Ashley on bass, and Nick Tibbetts on drums.
Telecast emerged as the vehicle for White’s renewed faith following the collapse of the local grunge ecosystem. Intent on creating a band that could convey his beliefs without alienating non-Christian listeners, he steered worship-oriented material toward the sonic palette of mainstream alternative radio rather than typical Christian formats. The resulting pretty, atmospheric approach—echoing David Bowie, the Verve, and Coldplay—yielded the group’s debut, The Beauty of Simplicity, issued on White’s BEC Records imprint in 2003.
Albums
