Former ‘Powerplant’ musicians change emphasis from secular to Christian music
Sacred Agent band members rehearse last week at Living Waters Assembly of God Church, W5696 Schmidt Road. The group, which held its first concert on Sunday, includes (from left) Eric Graff, Diane Dickerman, Gordie McDonald and Robin Anderson.
By John Koski
Staff Writer
Back in the early 1980s, Powerplant was a well-known band in southeastern Wisconsin. Consisting of just three members – two guitarists and a drummer – the secular rock-n-roll band enjoyed widespread popularity.
Then, as bands often have a tendency to do, the three musicians decided to go their separate ways.
Thirty years later, after some dramatic changes in their lives, two of the original Powerplant band members reunited, recruited three other like-minded musicians and are performing under the name Sacred Agent.
The band’s resurrection is directly attributable to the religious conversion of original Powerplant musicians Eric Graff, of Elkhorn, and Gordie McDonald.
Last month, both men were attending a National Day of Prayer rally at Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan.
“Gordie came up to me,” Graff recalled, “and said, ‘I think it’s time we got the band back together.’ Since leaving Powerplant, both of us had become Christians and had come to Christ in our own way.”
With that impetus, the two musicians – Graff plays rhythm guitar and is lead vocalist, McDonald is the lead guitarist – recruited Keith Dickerman on drums, his wife Diane Dickerman for back-up vocals and Robin Anderson on bass guitar.
Depending on the song, all of the band members can and do provide lead vocals and be the lead instrumentalist.
As for its musical style, Graff said, “We are primarily Christian rhythm and blues, but do stray into rock-n-roll and the blues – and we try to appeal to all ages.”
“When we play rock,” Anderson said, “we use clean language and praise God at the same time. The band speaks to our audience in both directions – both earthly and heavenly. We feel we are on a mission from God to share Jesus Christ with others.
“I’m the primary writer of the songs we play,” Graff continued, “but we also play some popular Christian music. We plan to release our first CD this summer. It will contain 16 songs and be titled ‘The Light Direction.’
“When we formed Sacred Agent we looked to where the needs are,” Graff said. “As a result, we are trying to fill a void that is not being filled in this area.
“We want to reach out to those who knew us 30 years ago,” Graff continued, “and for them to see us now – to see how we have turned our lives to Christ. We want them to see that Christ can be fun and that there is no wrong way to worship.
“Religion doesn’t need to be stuffy where you just sit on your hands on Sunday morning,” he said. “Religion is not just about Sunday, it is a part of our lives each and every day.
“We want to reach out to our former fans and to show them that they can have fun with their faith. We are all just thrilled to be able to do this.”
Forming the band didn’t come without sacrifice.
“We’ve invested in our own sound equipment because it will make us more mobile and versatile,” Anderson said, noting that it will enable them to perform outdoors and at other venues that may not have readily available sound equipment.
“We receive no compensation for what we are doing,” Anderson noted. “We store our treasure in heaven, not here on earth.”
Upcoming performances include:
• July 20 – The Upper Room Christian Community, 1125 North 8th St., Sheboygan.
• Aug. 24 – The Overflowing Cup Total Life Center, 310 State St., Beloit.
• Aug. 29 – Delavan’s Phoenix Park Band Shell, 7 p.m., intersection of S. Main and E. Wisconsin Streets.
For more information, contact Graff at (262) 742- 3972, or (262) 903- 6972, or via email at amsterdam_road@yahoo.com.
