Weird, Strange, Odd, Unique...Part 3

One Bad Pig

When a Christian bands live show is described as "kind of like a carnival/revival run amok," (CCM Magazine, October, 1990,) you know you're in for a good time!  Their live show was known to include plastic swimming pools filled with water, water guns and lots of silly string. Punk/Thrash band One Bad Pig grew from lead "screamer" Carey "Kosher" Womack's street ministry.  They released their first album, the home made recording "A Christian Banned," in 1986.  They were signed to Pure metal and released "Smash" in 1989.  In 1990, they were signed to Myrrh Records, where they stayed for the rest of their career, releasing three more albums in the early 90's.

Despite the silly image, OBP was a top notch metal band, with a focus on ministry.  Carey Womack was an ordained Baptist minister, and original bassist Brian "Streak" Wheeler was an Assembly of God evangelist.  Womack summed the band up with one statement in an interview in CCM Magazine:  "God has seen fit to use a very foolish thing to proclaim His message." (CCM Magazine, October 1990.)

Although they haven't released any new studio material since the early 90's, they have never officially broken up, and still play reunion shows occasionally.

I first discovered the Pig on Star Song's old Metal compilation cd "Ultimate Metal" back in 1989.  The song "Let's Be Frank" from the "Smash" cd was included, and it sounded like nothing else I'd heard in Christian music at that time.  I've been a fan ever since, and "Let's Be Frank" remains one of my favorite Metal songs of all time. Sung from the perspective of an atheist who "won't believe till they slam hell's gates,"  my favorite line is:"I can't believe that Jesus ever came to save!  I even tried to find Him, He wasn't in His grave!"

On their 1991 cd "I Scream Sunday," OBP recorded a Punk/Metal version of Johnny Cash's "Man In Black" with Cash himself on vocals, proving that Johnny was a good sport with a great sense of humor!

Band website: http://www.onebadpig.com/Pig_Pen.html

Next post: Lust Control.  Got a ski mask on you?

Philly & Landon

Working on a post about pioneering Punk/Thrashers One Bad Pig.  Meantime, kick back, relax and listen to our friend Philly Phil and my son Landon.  Great stuff!

Weird, Strange, Odd, Unique...Part 2

Frank's Enemy

Okay...Yeah.  If the band pic above didn't scare you off, the music may.  Just a little warning here: this band is NOT for everyone.

Not sure what to call this..Death Metal/Grind-core/Hardcore/Punk/Funk/Noise. Even Ambient, at times. One album (Illumination) starts off with a Ska tune. All the ingredients to terrify and offend die hard Adult Contemporary fans, and send them running for the hills.  As much of a Metal fan as I am, I have to be in the right mood for F's E, but there are times I absolutely love this stuff.

Frank's Enemy started off as a one man band solo project for Julio Rey, guitarist/vocalist for the groundbreaking '80's Punk/Thrash band, The Lead, a great band that will get their own post sometime in the future. The name came from a statement Frank Zappa made following the PMRC Senate hearings in the mid 1980's. He said "When you see a car with a Christian fish on it, you've seen the enemy."  Thus, Christians are "Frank (Zappa's) Enemy."  

The origin of the name bother's me, because the fact that he considered Christian's his enemy means he never truly heard the Gospel from any he came in contact with. It indicates that Frank Zappa never heard that Jesus loved him, unless it was thrown out as a challenge, or a brick intended to hurt. That saddens me.  

However, musically, this is a one of a kind band.  Anyone into Extreme Metal should do themselves a favor and check them out.

Band info here:

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Frank's-Enemy-Biography/E0E45425198F695648256E9D000A9FB6


Next post: One Bad Pig...break out the silly string!

Weird, Strange, Odd, Unique...

For the next few posts, I wanted to talk about some of the more obscure, WAY off the beaten path type bands that you've probably never heard of, or, if you have, the band's name probably scared you off before you gave them a listen.  Believe me though, there's some great stuff out there that falls into this category. Read on, and I'll try to explain what's so great about these bands besides their names.

The Blind Teeth Victory Band

I don't know much about the personnel of this band, other than they came from Texas, and they're led by singer/songwriter Delbert Nave.  The Violent Femmes "Hallowed Ground" era might be a good reference point for their sound.  Psycho-Folk-Funk-Punk. Virtually no production.  Sounds like it was recorded in someones basement, because more than likely it was! Truly unique, one of a kind band.  Just hearing them makes me smile. Albums include "Trilogy" (shown above,) "Kill A Baby, Save A Dog," and "Cheesecake In A Can."

In spite of the silliness (or maybe because of it) this band was very ministry oriented.  Very few of their albums were available on cd, and it seems even those are now out of print.  Rare stuff, but well worth searching out.

Next post:  Frank's Enemy.   Be prepared...

*Update* Band founder Delbert Nave passed away March 2nd, 2014.  Our prayers are with his family.  R.I.P. Delbert. Thanks for the music.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=delbert-nave&pid=169964060&fhid=17899

Uthanda

Uthanda were a Rock band based in Nashville, Tennessee in the late 80's to early 90's.  They released two excellent, if not well known, albums in the Christian market.   They were constantly labeled "Alternative Rock" by critics, but to me they were just Rock, plain & simple.  When I hear the term "Alternative," I think of bands like The Choir, Daniel Amos or The 77's.  To me, Uthanda has more in common with Novella than The Choir, and sounds like a non-Metal version of Guardian.  Singer Robert Beeson can sound a lot like Jamie Rowe.  Tony Palacios playing lead guitar on their first album helps solidify that comparison, as well.  The band broke up when Beeson wanted to concentrate on his new Essential Records Group, home to Third Day, Jars Of Clay, and many others. (Yes, that's where you've heard his name.)

Some band details can be found here:
http://www.knottheads.com/bvdetail.php?id=ut

Larry Norman

For those Larry Norman collectors out there, this is the most complete discography I've found.  Great resource.

http://www.meetjesushere.com/Discopho.htm

Undercover: Branded/3-28-87

Undercover started life as a pogo-Punk/New wave band from southern California. They performed lightweight, but catchy songs, with simple, easy to understand, childlike lyrics.   As proof of the childlike aspect, my son loved songs like "Excuse Us," "Jesus Girl" and "God Rules" when he was a toddler.

"Branded" signaled a definite change in direction for the band, as they would progress further into Goth/Hard Rock territory.  The addition of new singer Sim Wilson definitely added a "Goth" vibe, even though the music was still rooted in New Wave.  The Keyboards were heavier, the music darker overall, and the subject matter weightier than before.

Branded is basically a concept album dealing with things like doubt and guilt, loneliness and ultimately faith in God.  Songs like "I'm Just A Man" have a Psalm like quality, however I'm thinking of the darker, questioning Psalms.  "Tears In Your Eyes" and "Come Away With Me" are written from God's point of view, wanting to draw the person close who only pushes Him away. "Pilate" addresses the guilt Pilate felt over crucifying Jesus. The album closes with "If I Had A Dream," basically a worship song, albeit a heavy one, here the singer finds himself in God's presence, free and forgiven.

If the albums before this were too simplistic, those that followed, while musically inventive, were too dark, and somewhat impenetrable lyrically.  Undercover hit their creative zenith with Branded, and the live album 3-28-87.  Even the older songs like "God Rules" and "Three Days" were given new life in the live setting, and Sim Wilson's vocals give them a maturity they seemed to lack before.

These two albums easily make my top twenty list of favorite Christian albums, but listening to them is bittersweet.  Keyboard/Bass player and primary songwriter Ojo Taylor now proclaims himself an atheist.  Taylor wrote all the songs on Branded, except for "Cry Myself To Sleep," written by guitarist Gym Nichols.  The fact that a man that could write such beautiful proclamations of the faithfulness of God in difficult times could somehow lose his faith is frightening, and sobering.  It should serve as a warning that we all should make our "calling and election sure." (2 Peter 1:10)