After The Fire

After The Fire was originally formed in 1971 by keyboard player Peter Banks.  Guitarist Andy Piercy would join in 1974.  Piercy and Banks would be the core of ATF for the rest of the first phase of their career.  The band would go through many personnel changes, even disbanding once, before recording their first album.  1978's "Signs Of Change" was a Progressive Rock album, very reminiscent of the material bands like Yes, Genesis and Nektar were performing at the time.  In 1978, ATF signed with CBS Records, and released three excellent New Wave/Pop records while with the label: Laser Love (1978,) 80-F (1980) and Batteries Not Included (1982.)  Only one album was released in the U.S., a compilation titled ATF, which included the best songs from the previous three UK albums, plus their recording of Austrian musician Falco's song "Der Kommissar."

Der Kommissar would be ATF's only hit in the U.S.  The band had broken up by the time the single was released, so that is the song they are known for.  That's a shame, not that it's a bad song, (it's an anti drug song,) but their original material was so inventive, and lyrically was a refreshing change from the banal stuff that was around in the Disco era.

Andy Piercy went on to become a producer, producing modern Worship albums by Delerious? and Matt Redman.  In 2004, Peter Banks reformed the band, and is the only original member still in ATF.  They are currently still active touring, though no new material has been recorded.  A groundbreaking Christian band that really was not a part of the "CCM culture," ATF does not need to fall through the cracks.

(Laser Love is a single from 1978, but the video shows current band members.)

Band web site: http://www.afterthefire.co.uk/

Wanted to share this...

Very insightful blog post by Bill Walden, former lead singer for Undercover, currently Senior Pastor at Cornerstone Ministries, Napa California.  I've toyed with the idea of writing a post about this subject for quite some time, but Bill says it all, better than I ever could.

http://calvarychapel.com/blog/what-did-you-leave?f

Gabriel

Gabriel were an Inspirational group active through the entire decade of the 80's.  Their album "Standing Strong" was one of the first featured on my friend Allen's local radio broadcast "Change The World" back in 1985.  Musically, they were cut from the same cloth as Harvest (post pending) but with less "southern" influence.  The group originally consisted of  Robin Lyle (keyboards, vocals) and Jeff Walter (vocals.)  They released four independent albums as a duo, the best of which, "Out Of The East," is pictured above.  In 1988, they signed with Home Sweet Home records, added drummer Robert Noland, and released their self titled major label debut, which was simply a rearranged version of "Out Of The East" (two songs deleted, two new songs recorded with Noland added.)  In 1990 they released "Long Line Of Love" on Urgent records, with Noland sharing lead vocal duties with the others.  "Long Line..." showed them heading in more of a (then) modern "Pop" inspirational direction, but to my knowledge they never released another album.

"Out Of The East" is easily one of my most listened to CCM releases.  Unfortunately, no youtube videos for any of those songs seems to exist.  The entire "Long Line Of Love" disc is available for streaming at Myspace, however.

"Long Line Of Love:" http://www.myspace.com/gabrielsage/music/albums/long-line-of-love-12934725

*Slight Update*  Thanks to my friend Chris for tracking down a couple of live videos of Gabriel.  Here's "I Want To Be Your Light," a track from Out Of The East.

This one's from Standing Strong.

Deviating from the norm...Again

This was inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien.  And the Apostle Paul.  The drawing is Phil Keaggy.

Return

And so it is...

I saw through the shadow...

I caught a glimpse of secrets in flight

And the Flame that created it all

And the desire of Gollum

That withered the leaves of the Tree of Life

And the pain of the King

And the Blood

That restored them.

Breakfast With Amy

Discography:
"Everything Was Beautiful And Nothing Hurt"  1990
"Dad" 1991
"Product # bvcd 3482 (Love Gift)" 1992
"Live At The Hawleywood Bowl!" 1995

What was this stuff?  Glam?  Punk?  Psychedelic?  Dadaist? (look it up, kids!)  Whatever it was, it was unique.  If the word "Alternative" ever truly fit any band, it was this one. There never was, or ever will be, another Breakfast With Amy.  

The band formed in 1986 to fill in at a Saturday night concert at La Habra Four Square Church in La Habra, California , and consisted of  Dave Koval (vocals,) Jeff Beahn (bass,) Chris Colbert (guitars,) and Paul Pelligren (drums.)  They recorded a couple of demos with Beahn, who was replaced by Caryn Colbert (Chris Colbert's wife) but did not release their debut album until 1990. Between 1990 and 1992, BWA released three of the most bizarre albums to ever hit the Christian music community.  The best was 1991's "Dad," possibly the only Christian album ever released to include a song with lyrics that consist of pithy sayings read from Christian t-shirts. ("Mermelstein And The Disappearing Sink.")

I don't know what happened to most of the members of this band.   Guitarist Chris Colbert and drummer Paul Pelligren formed the Punk band Fluffy (later called Duraluxe,) which also included bassist Jeff Beahn.  Colbert also worked as a producer and engineer on several albums.  Caryn Colbert was in the band Plague Of Ethyls, but all this activity occurred while BWA was still active.

The "Live At The Hawleywood Bowl"  disc was released in 1995 (I've never heard or even seen a copy of that one.  If anyone could help me out there, I would appreciate it.) and then the band disappeared down Mermelstein's sink.  But I'll always love them.

This one isn't for everyone:

Hope you have a sense of humor:

Band Info:  http://www.knottheads.com/bvdetail.php?id=bwa

Fluffy: http://www.knottheads.com/bvdetail.php?id=fluf

Plague Of Ethyls: http://www.knottheads.com/bvdetail.php?id=poe

Tom Howard

Often heard but seldom recognized, Tom Howard was an important figure in the development of modern Christian music.  He was one of Larry Norman's brilliant Solid Rock artists in the late 1970's, along with Randy Stonehill and Mark Heard, and after the dissolution of Solid Rock, he helped Daniel Amos (another Solid Rock act) form the Alarma! record label.

View From The Bridge

Although he recorded three excellent vocal pop albums, Howard is more known for the instrumental albums he has released since the mid 80's, and as a session musician, composer and conducter, appearing on albums by artists like The Choir, Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill, Jars of Clay, Rich Mullins' Ragamuffin Band and many more.  You would have a hard time finding a Christian album recorded in the 80's or 90's that Howard didn't work on, in some way.

Danger In Loving You

Although in one of his final interviews he joked that no one would miss his singing, he had a pleasant, soothing voice, reminiscent of Supertramps' Roger Hodgson.  Musically, his first two albums, "View From The Bridge" (1977) and "Danger In Loving You" (1981), were firmly rooted in 70's pop, but he could throw a few curve balls, too. "Danger In Loving You" opens with "Horizen," a progressive rock instrumental that would have fit on the first Emerson, Lake and Palmer album.  The title track was another prog rock masterpiece.  ("Horizon" was re-recorded in 1985 as a solo piano piece titled "Horizon Storm.)

In 1985, Tom released a final vocal album with fellow CCM pioneer, Bill Batstone titled "One by One,' which yielded a hit in the tune "When The Curtain Falls," and thereafter concentrated on his instrumental albums and his work for other artists.  Of his instrumental works, the Windham Hill-like "The Harvest"(1985,) and "Solo Piano"(1987) are some of the most listened to albums in my collection.

Tom in 2008.

In January 2010, when Tom and his wife Dori were hiking at a State park in Nashville, Tennessee, he suffered a fatal heart attack.  He was 59 years old.  

Few "celebrity" deaths affect me on a personal level, although I mourn for anyone who passes on.  Tom's death, like Dana Key, Mark Heard, Rich Mullins, Dan Peek and Larry Norman, was like losing a friend, who I never really met.  R.I.P. Tom.

Cross Rhythms interview, 2008:  http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Tom_Howard_From_Jesus_music_pioneer_to_behindthescenes_virtuoso/34447/p1/

Philly Phil & Landon (Church Boi)

This is my son landon and his friend Philly Phil on Philly's new track.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZpOVA4D8y8