Aug. Bonus: Barnabas

Arin Hancock: This is the Rock and Metal Faith Podcast.

Kris plamondon: Wow.

Arin Hancock: Welcome to the Rock and Metal Faith Podcast. It's all about the rock that makes me sing, Christian rock and metal, from the classics to the new. Alright, I'm your host, Aaron Hancock, joined with my co-host Chris Blumanen. How are you doing, Chris?

Kris plamondon: I'm doing good. I this might be an episode where I bop in and out of the box again.

Arin Hancock: Ha ha.

Kris plamondon: But I I will try to stay center the best I can. There we go. I won't move.

Arin Hancock: Yes, for those are watching on YouTube and who have seen past episodes on YouTube, there Chris has trouble keeping his camera angle s stable and then sometimes he's in, sometimes he's out with the camera frame. And if you just listen on audio, none not as relevant to you, I guess.

Kris plamondon: I was thinking of of having episode where I'm like those little what are those called the little not dolls, but they bounce up and down. Yes, yes. That's what I'm thinking

Arin Hancock: the bubble heads. You wanna get

Kris plamondon: I should have, like an episode where I like

Arin Hancock: You want to turn yourself into a bobblehead and

Kris plamondon: That's right, that's right. So what are we talking about today?

Arin Hancock: Well, this is our bonus episode for the month of August. Every month we have a bonus episode where we do birthdays, death anniversaries, album anniversaries, and most of those albums are a striper because it's hard to find exactly what date albums have come out. But before we do get into any of that, we always pick a band that we run through. I kinda thought of this because they're and it's popped up on Facebook again there. about you know people getting into the older bands. You know, like the younger generation actually would get into the older bands if they knew about them. Someone actually had said, if you're in a Christian rock and roll band, why don't you do covers of some of the old classics? And you know they thought, well the younger crowd don't care about that. But some of the younger crowd does care and would get into that stuff if they had heard it. So we like to introduce the classic bands on the podcast. Yeah, if you grew up With the classic bands, then it's a great time to reminisce about your favorites. Today we're gonna check out a band that I actually didn't know. I've heard people talk about. band that well, when were they around? They were around from seventy seven, I believe, to eighty or whatever. Band called Barnabas. they're one of the pioneers of Christian hard rock and heavy metal. I started about the same time as Resurrection Band and Jerusalem. Although they weren't really aware of Res or any other band around the time when they started. they were formed in Los Angeles, California, 77 until and about '86. Formed by Monty Cooley, who plays an ad in guitar center looking for musicians interested in forming a Christian hard rock band. Like I said, at the time there was very few bands doing that. And Rez was around about the same time, but apparently he didn't hear of Rez at the time when he was trying to form his band. The lineup changed throughout the years a little bit. So we're just gonna run down cla what is kind of known as the classic lineup. With Nancy Joe Mann on lead vocals. They had a female vocalist. Brian Balou on guitar, Gary Mann on bass and keyboards, and Chris. Plain Smith on drums. Now if you l look, I said Monte Couli started the band. but he wasn't part of the classic lineup, so he left the band. I don't know much about this band and that's because unfortunately they don't have anything on the streaming services. They don't have anything on Apple or Spotify. the only place you can actually f hear them if you want to check them out is on YouTube. They do have their albums on YouTube. So that's where I heard some of their stuff. I would recommend the album Approaching lightspeed and field of fire. They've got that good hard rock sound. Did you check out any of their music, Chris?

Kris plamondon: Yes, I did. And it was another I just didn't

Arin Hancock: No, you weren't into them?

Kris plamondon: I tried no, no, no, it just didn't it didn't get to me. I couldn't catch on to it. I tried.

Arin Hancock: Okay. You know, I'm like that with a lot of newer bands and and there's a lot of newer bands I want to get into, want to like. And I listen to them going, Okay, well the music's not bad. But I don't know, at the end of the day when I'm done listening to it, I'm going I just got nothing out of it. so I'm with that with a lot of new No, I do give a lot of new bands

Kris plamondon: That that's right.

Arin Hancock: I do give a lot of new bands a try and try to get into them. Especially bands I know that are that are popular. I'm not when these stuck in the mud to say no You'll ban that's all.

Kris plamondon: Yeah, that's right. That's right. It's it's I mean, I've never heard of so I might have passed them on in the old days at the Bible store and you know, I'm glad I did. So

Arin Hancock: might actually I gave it approaching light speed a less listen. you know and I might actually pick that up sometime. I know I can get their stuff off of Amazon. So just to have some of their stuff in my collection I might might do that. I should run down their discography here too. Alright, so first record was in nineteen eighty called Hear the Light. And second was in nineteen eighty two called Find Your Heart at Home. Approaching Light Speed came out in nineteen eighty three and Field of Fire in eighty four. little fa

Kris plamondon: The only thing I did like Aaron

Arin Hancock: yeah.

Kris plamondon: was the name of that of that album. That's the only thing I liked. I

Arin Hancock: What feel the fire?

Kris plamondon: thought that was yeah, I thought that was a different title to an al to an album. I thought that was pretty cool.

Arin Hancock: and the last record they put out was called Little Foxes in nineteen eighty six. apparently there's a reissue. There's a record out out there call or a CD out there called The Gospel According to Barnabas. Came out in ninety two. It's a C D compilation of remixed versions from Approaching Light Speed and Field of Fire. Maybe I should look for that one. And stuff like that. And a few reissues and stuff like that. labels like doing that and reissues and I don't know. I suppose it's good for attracting new fans to buy their stuff. If I'm an old fan who bought the originals, I don't I don't know if I go for reissues. But you know worth checking out. And the first Elm apparently was kind of more of a blues rock base, kind of like the stuff that Early Reds was doing. And the later elms got to be a little more traditional heavy metal. So there you go. if you want to check out Barnabas, like I said, look for them on YouTube. Alright, on to birthdays, album anniversaries, and all that. One album that we talked about, one we haven't. August first in 2005 was the release of Striper's album Reborn. You remember we had covered that one there? That was the record of Stripers. After their Little Breakup. And A Michael Sweet solo record turned into a striper record. also the same day, but in a year later, was a Michael Sweet solo record called Him. This was some laid back metal songs. Actually, I think this was like gospel hymnals that Michael Sweet did on like acoustic guitar or or something like that. So a little more s laid back, a little more subtle, kinda like what he did with his latest. Offering all the latest offering sounds more like a 70s rock record, the master plan. but anyways, yeah, so those two records came out like a year apart, and because they just released Reborn, and then a year later comes out with a solo. I imagine this was stuff that he had sitting in in the archives. But yeah, Reborn's a good album. We we talked about that. Go back in our archives and look for that record, and that episode talking about that record. August tenth we have a birthday for Martin Herensam and he does the keyboard for Nornia. Narnia's got a new record out now too recently. We haven't actually talked about that one in depth, but I've been enjoying I've got a copy of that one and I've been enjoying that quite a bit. If you're a fan of Narnia, it's a great elbow. Alright, August 14th. We have Eric Gillette or Gillette. He does guitars with the band called Triton. Has also done vocals with Neil Morse. Eric was born in 1984. Tritons a good band, new band. They've got a bit of a prog sound, kind of like a Christian version of Rush. that's about the that's about the closest thing I could say to that. August nineteenth, we have our death anniversary. Let's remember one of the great drummers, Ted Kirkpatrick. Who did drums with Tourniquet from nineteen ninety to two thousand twenty two when he passed away. Not too much to say about that other than go and listen to some some of the second half of Tourniquin's career and enjoy the great drums of Ted. August twentieth, we have birthday for Rob Beckley, who does ro vocals and rhythm guitar with Piller. And Rob was born in nineteen seventy five. The same day, in nineteen seventy-one, august twentieth, Brad Avery, who was with Third Day on guitar for from ninety five to two thousand eight. So get you some third day and some pillar there. Also with pillar, August twenty first, another birthday, Michael Wittig, who does bass with them. And he was born nineteen seventy six. And august twenty first, another striper release, nineteen ninety Against the Law comes out. That was you know, it wasn't bad. It was Michael's least favorite record 'cause the band was kind of backsliding. striper against the law.

Kris plamondon: yeah, that's awesome album. It rocks. Did

Arin Hancock: Yeah.

Kris plamondon: did you see this week that I think you mentioned it on your during the week about Michael now ready to find a vocalist to take over for himself, that he he feels that he's ready to start

Arin Hancock: I know I know he's talked about that, and it's just been really just talked around. It it's more of a what-ifs scenario. I don't think he's saying it's happening for sure, at least I hope not. I'd still like to see Striper with Michael on vocals. But if it ever comes down to the fact that he can't and they find somebody else, and he's been talking around. I think we talked about this last time too with with the Gospen to Hell with podcast, and they're gonna be on an episode this month with us. So stick around for that. But so yeah, we were kicking around ideas, who could replace Michael and Vogel, but he would still be part of the band. He'd just play guitars for a while.

Kris plamondon: I I will add for

Arin Hancock: you know yeah.

Kris plamondon: with the striper thing, I am so impressed with how open they are as a band. I mean, it seems like every other day I'm getting short videos from them. I mean, probably to show their fans that they're okay and

Arin Hancock: Right.

Kris plamondon: that Michael's okay. But I like the idea like they're they were I think yesterday it was it or something, they were in Oregon and they were showing us their soundtrack and I

Arin Hancock: Okay, yeah.

Kris plamondon: thought that is pretty cool.

Arin Hancock: Well not only that, they opened up one of the shows recently with I believe it was loud and clear. And we're talking the first song from the first album. So how's that for a starter? You know, and talking about old

Kris plamondon: Wow.

Arin Hancock: talking about old school striper, August twenty third in nineteen eighty five was when Soldiers Under Command came out. So we got another striper anniversary there with soldiers. Ha ha ha.

Kris plamondon: Is Michael with his brothers? Or does he just have one?

Arin Hancock: Well no no he he's got it he's got one brother. He's got Robert Sweet who is who's the drummer for Striper.

Kris plamondon: Okay.

Arin Hancock: Now the one thing I don't know about I know there wa I can't remember his first name now. I think it was Steven Sweet. There was a member of the band Warrant who had Sweet as a last name. Now I'm not sure if he's part of Michael's family. Maybe he's a cousin, maybe he's an extended family. Or maybe maybe he's not related at all. I don't know if he is or isn't. You know, if anybody out there knows, does Michael have any other siblings besides Robert? And you know, are they musicians as as well? Let us know. We love to hear feedback. We love you guys to again touch through email, through comment, or whatever. or even through our Facebook page. We have we're on Facebook. We have a Facebook group, which I just changed the name so it wasn't confusing with the page. The group is now called Rock and Metal Faithful. I

Kris plamondon: Yes.

Arin Hancock: was actually gonna shorten it just down to Rock Faithful, but anyways, I left that in there. Alright, August 26th, we have Peter Orta, who was with guitars with Petra from 1996 to 2000. I believe this is probably the period of time that Bob Hartman wasn't with the band. There was a period of time where he left the band. He was going to still write the records and write the songs. Maybe record on the records, I don't know, but he wasn't touring with the band. So I'm guessing Peter Orta came in to tour with Petra for this this time. He was born in 1971. If anyone can clarify exactly what Peter's or Pete's position with Petra was at this time, let us know. And what do we got here? 19. yeah. also same day we have Ludic Duhar who does vocals for a band called Munsting, but you might know him as a drummer of Cygnum Regis from 2008 to 2009. Cygnum Regis is his band out of Europe. trying to think exactly where in Europe they are. And I can't remember offhand. I've got one of their elms, not bad. Kind of a heavy power metal band. If you're into that, check them out. And they've actually gone through a few lineup changes over the years, too. But Ludic Duhar was born in 1968. And that same day, August 26th, we have a Michael Sweet release. The album One Sided War was released in 2016. That's a good heavy record of Michaels probably one of his best. And then August 27th, Matt Smith, who is the man behind the band Theocracy. He's the one who

Kris plamondon: Wow.

Arin Hancock: he's the one who started Theocracy. He was doing guitars at first and then set the guitars start sorry set the guitars aside to someone else so that he could focus on the vocals. And stuff. But yeah, so Matt Smith, who is the voice behind Theocracy, basically the man behind the creation of Theocracy. August 27th. So there you go, and enjoy some Theocracy.

Kris plamondon: Yeah.

Arin Hancock: That's about it for our birthdays and anniversaries. It's a little short, although we talked a little longer.

Kris plamondon: I wanted to thank all of our five hundred followers for hanging out with me and Aaron and just listening to us and we hope that you w continue to enjoy and maybe that you'll find friends to come along and we'll have a thousand or ten thousand

Arin Hancock: Yes,

Kris plamondon: a year from now. So thank you very much.

Arin Hancock: And well the number is 200 on Spotify, although it might be 500 total because we've got Spotify, we've got Apple, we've got YouTube, we've got I think there's a few of them that are crossing over between multiple platforms. But yes, we've got 200 subscribers on Spotify, which is a milestone. Unfortunately, the other platforms don't let me know of the milestones and unless I go in and luck. And I don't always check what's going on on the others there. But yeah, once again. Like Chris said, thanks for joining us on the program and we hope you stick

Kris plamondon: We I I I never imagined that we would have, let alone five hundred. I you know, about maybe

Arin Hancock: Ha ha ha.

Kris plamondon: maybe I could coax my family, I could have maybe fifty. Yeah.

Arin Hancock: Well, you know what? Get the word out and keep sharing it. There is lots of people out there that are listening to Christian Rock and Metal. We want to get them listening to the Rock and Metal faith as well. As well as all the other podcasts are out there. We support everybody who is doing something. Now whether it's Rock for Him, whether it's to Hell with the Podcast or the Christian geeks, get out there and support your favorite podcast and let them know you're listening. once again let us know you're listening through comments on the Facebook page through our Facebook group, the Rock and Metal Faithful. Thank you. And if you so are interested, we have a Patreon page now where you can support us financially. We have a link to buy me a coffee. And we'd encourage you to do so if you feel like it. We are not trying to push it on anyone. Just we know th there are people out there who would like to support the podcast, and so now you can do so. So