Although most of the material here isn’t CCM, it is Steve Bell’s early work, which makes it interesting enough for us. “Help Me Lord” is a notable exception but most of the tracks are love songs of one sort or another. It’s a collection of pop-y folk-y songs that sound a little more 70s than 80s. There are plenty of harmonies, and Steve’s strong guitar work is on display here. Elias, Schritt & Bell were a group that Steve played with before starting his solo career, making Christian music for a few decades, and winning a few Juno awards and nominations along the way, as well as various other awards. This was recorded in “Studio 11” at the CBC studios in Winnipeg and released by the CBC. The group did not have any follow up recordings, but did tour locally. Steve released his first solo album in 1989.
Tracklist 1 – Awakening – 3:01 2 – Feelin’ Just Fine – 3:32 3 – Jenny – 2:36 4 – Once In A While – 3:31 5 – Never Too Late – 3:52 6 – Wipe The Tears – 3:32 7 – Kristy – 3:34 8 – So Long – 3:09 9 – Maureen – 1:47 10 – Help Me Lord – 3:15
Credits Alto Saxophone – John Schritt Bass – Gary Stefaniuk Co-producer – Andre LaRiviere, Norm Dugas Drums – Gord Metcalfe (tracks: Once In A while), Gord Osland Electric Guitar – Paul O’Neill Executive Producer – Mark Goldman Flute – John Schritt Guitar – Steve Bell, Tim Elias Keyboards – Norm Dugas Percussion – Paul Cerilli Vocals – John Schritt, Steve Bell, Tim Elias
Companies, etc. Produced For – Radio Canada International Published By – R.E.S.B. Publishing Recorded At – CBC Studio 11, Winnipeg
“Saved” was Bob Dylan’s second “born again” album. This series, starting with “Slow Train Coming” in 1979, stretches up to the disputed territory of “Infidels” in 1983. It’s a pretty short period of Bob history but a pivotal one that serves as one of the Great Walls of Before and After in his career.
It starts out with a traditional country gospel number, A Satisfied Mind, that was sung by a lot of cowboys before Bob got his hands on it. Maybe this is a leftover influence from his Nashville Skyline or other previous endeavours. Porter Wagoner had a pretty good run with it in 1957.
There is no country music on this album though. The opening track is a strained, rock influenced plea that begs you to listen to the whole album. There are a lot of soul-styled tracks, such as Saved, Solid Rock, and Pressing On. It’s also a lot of jangly piano rock, recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Sheffield, Alabama.
One of the great mysteries of Bob’s born again albums is how earnest they all are. Every bit is on the nose and every lyric so convincing you can’t believe anything but what you’re hearing. And then for some 75 other albums he only hints at spirituality.
Don’t be fooled though, the Gospel according to Bob started some twenty years before this album. His early lyrics, and his later lyrics all talk about God and make direct references to the divine and our human relationship to it.
So with this one, enjoy the pleasure of Bob actually perhaps talking about what he’s talking about for once. Less metaphor in one sense, and more on the nose. That doesn’t keep him from writing fantastic poetry throughout though. “Covenant woman, got a contract with the Lord…” “I’ve been broken, shattered like an empty cup / I’m just waiting on the Lord to rebuild and fill me up / And I know He will do it ’cause He’s faithful and He’s true / He must have loved me so much to send me someone as fine as you”
Now the spiritual talk and divine relationships cross over into human relationships. Nearly the opposite of his “secular” writings.
Lastly, let’s remember Bob’s voice. He has used several different voicings through his career, and this one is fairly nasal, putting some people off. But remember to ask your most highly trained singing friends and they will confirm – he knows how to sing. This is just how he does it. He puts every part of every word where he wants it and it works.
Tracklist 1 – A Satisfied Mind – 1:58 2 – Saved – 4:00 3 – Covenant Woman – 6:03 4 – What Can I Do For You? – 5:54 5 – Solid Rock – 3:55 6 – Pressing On – 5:11 7 – In The Garden – 5:58 8 – Saving Grace – 5:01 9 – Are You Ready – 4:42
Credits Artwork [Cover] – Tony Wright Bass – Tim Drummond Drums – Jim Keltner Engineer – Gregg Hamm Engineer [Assistant] – Mary Beth McLemore Guitar – Fred Tackett Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica – Bob Dylan Keyboards – Spooner Oldham Keyboards, Vocals – Terry Young Mastered By [Engineer] – Bobby Hata Mastered By [Supervisor] – Paul Wexler Photography By – Arthur Rosato Producer – Barry Beckett, Jerry Wexler Vocals – Clydie King, Mona Lisa Young, Regina Havis
Beam is a band from the Netherlands that Larry toured with in 1998 on a European tour. The studio sessions “Breathe In, Breathe Out” were released as a double CD, revealing their rehearsals for the tour. This is a live recording, also noted as “Flevo 2” on the CD itself. Larry’s “Live at Flevo” with Q-Stone was a success and this recording is just as good as that one. Again, Larry is fronting a tight band here, and a more modern sounding one than the 60s groups he built up in the past to perform material from the People! years and the trilogy albums that followed that. This is a solid 90s sounding band backing Larry on some of his classic songs as well as some newer ones from that era. “God part 3” is a rock version here. We have heard Larry perform and record it in almost every style imaginable, from solo acoustic/folk to studio versions with some bite. Beam adds something here that isn’t in any of the other recordings with upgraded guitar riffs. “Six Sixty Six” is changed from a 70s folk song into a 90s grunge ballad with Larry’s distinctive voice still adorning. The closing track is Larry and Beam covering “Jesus Freak” which was a 90s anthem thanks to both DC Talk and Newsboys. “Shot Down” is remembered as a piano rock song from its original In Another Land release, however there is no piano here. Beam’s full guitar sound make a great update on this classic.
Tracklist 1 – Heaven Wants To Bless You – 4:57 2 – God Part 3 – 4:09 3 – Six Sixty Six – 6:06 4 – Shot Down – 2:23 5 – Let The Rain Fall Down – 7:29 6 – Sweet Song Of Salvation – 4:58 7 – Goodbye, Farewell – 4:00 8 – Let It Go – 6:20 9 – Bombs – 8:03 10 – The Rock That Doesn’t Roll – 4:56 11 – Jesus Freak – 6:08
Credits Bass Guitar – Hans Sigmond Design [Booklet] – Jason Carter, Wavelength Drums – Gert Koudijs Engineer – Johan Van Loo Executive-Producer – Gerrit aan’t Goor Harmony Vocals – Beam Lead Guitar – Robert Riekerk Lead Vocals – Larry Norman Mastered By – Sander van der Heiden Mixed By – Johnny Hulst, Larry Norman Photography By – Bea Riekerk, David Carter, Nathalie Riekerk Producer – Larry Norman Promotion [Concert] – Gerrit aan’t Goor Recorded By – Alpha Mobile Studio Rhythm Guitar – Tommy Riekerk
Companies, etc. Distributed By – GMI Music Partners Produced For – Solid Rock Records Produced For – The Street Level Cafe Produced For – White Trash Communications Published By – Ordure Blancu Music Published By – Universal Published By – Alliance 4K Mixed At – Hulst Recording Studio Zwolle Mastered At – Wisseloord Studios
OVTP is part 1 of Larry’s trilogy, which contains his iconic songs that lasted throughout his career. He never stopped performing “Reader’s Digest” and “The Outlaw” in concerts. Also included is the second studio release of “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” which is his most famous song for people who don’t know who Larry was. The first was on Upon This Rock, released through Capitol Records before he started releasing music through his own channels. In its original form, these are protest songs and relationship songs intertwined. The setting is 1972 and Larry went into the studio with the ideas that were floating in the air in California. Larry’s desire to be as counter-cultural as the hippy movement, but as a Christian drives the content. The songs are highly contemporary musically, ranging from folky in “The Outlaw” to rock in “I Am The Six O’Clock News.” The content gets deeply personal in songs like “I’ve Got To Learn To Live Without You,” and “Pardon Me.” These songs were confusing for Christian music fans because they did not talk about Jesus. The refreshing part here was that Larry was actually willing to talk about human problems. This extended into his political and social protests in the rest of the songs. Larry makes no attempt to hide the Gospel in his music, but also makes no attempt to pretend that human issues don’t need to be addressed, spoken about, preached about and sung about. This is truly what made Larry stand out as an artist.
Tracklist 1 – Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus – 4:03 2 – The Outlaw – 3:55 3 – I’ve Got To Learn To Live Without You – 3:36 4 – Without Love You Are Nothing – 3:33 5 – I Wish We’d All Been Ready – 5:21 6 – Six O’Clock News – 6:06 7 – Great American Novel – 4:31 8 – Pardon Me – 3:38 9 – Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music – 2:40 10 – Readers Digest – 2:42 11 – Oh, How I Love You –
Credits Acoustic Guitar – Gordon Giltrap, Roger Hand Arranged By [String Arrangements] – Chris Gunning Backing Vocals – Rod Edwards, Roger Hand Bass – John Wetton Drums – Keith Smart Engineer – Bill Price Lead Guitar – Mickey Keen Photography By – Pam Norman Piano – Bob Brady, Larry Norman, Rod Edwards Producer – Jon Miller, Rod Edwards, Roger Hand Written-By – Larry Norman
Companies, etc. Produced For – Triumvirate Productions Produced For – Street Level Productions, Inc. Phonographic Copyright ℗ – MGM Records, Inc. Pressed By – H.V. Waddell Co. Manufactured By – MGM Records, Inc. Published By – Strawbed Music Published By – Jace Love Music Pub. Co. Published By – Beechwood Music Corp.
This is volume 2 of the ¡Alarma! Chronicles. Between volume 1 and 2 of the Chronicles they switched record labels and got a new bass player. Terry Taylor’s guidance clearly held things together though. This release is peak 80s culture. It fit the model of what was happening in music at the time, even if nothing of the sort was happening in CCM outside of DA. This visionary album was on par with everything else in the scene at the time, but limited by being marketed to the CCM audience.
Tracklist 1 – Hollow Man – – 2:15 2 – Mall (All Over The World) – 3:13 3 – Real Girls – 2:57 4 – New Car! – 2:00 5 – Do Big Boys Cry – 2:05 6 – Youth With A Machine – 2:42 7 – The Double – 3:50 8 – Distance And Direction – 2:48 9 – Memory Lane – 3:48 10 – Angels Tuck You In – 2:38 11 – Little Crosses – 2:35 12 – Autographs For The Sick – 1:40 13 – I Didn’t Build It For Me – 2:48 14 – Here I Am – 3:18 15 – Hollow Man (Reprise) – 0:43
Credits Arranged By [Keyboards] – Jerry Chamberlain, Terry Taylor, Tom Howard Backing Vocals – Ed McTaggart, Jerry Chamberlain, Terry Taylor, Tim Chandler Backing Vocals [Occasional] – Derald Daugherty, Dori “Game Show Girl” Howard, Emelia Emulator, Janet McTaggart, Mark Cook (2), Randy Stonehill, The Three Women From Istanbul, Tom Howard Bass Guitar – Marty Dieckmeyer (tracks: 1), Tim Chandler Bass Guitar [8-string] – Tim Chandler Bass Guitar [Fretless] – Tim Chandler Drums [Skins, Tubs, Traps] – Ed McTaggart Engineer – Thom Roy Engineer [Second] – Derald Daugherty* Keyboards – Jeff Lams (tracks: 3,13), Mark Cook (2) (tracks: 8), Marty Dieckmeyer (tracks: 1), Rob Watson (tracks: 2,3,5 to 7,14), Tom Howard (tracks: 4,7,9 to 11,14) Lead Guitar – Jerry Chamberlain Lead Vocals – Jerry Chamberlain (tracks: 11), Terry Taylor Mastered By – Steve Hall Percussion – Alex MacDougall, Ed McTaggart, Jerry Chamberlain, Terry Taylor, Tim Chandler Performer [Da Is] – Ed McTaggart, Jerry Chamberlain, Terry Taylor, Tim Chandler Producer – Jerry Chamberlain, Terry Taylor Remastered By – Doug Doyle Rhythm Guitar – Terry Taylor Saxophone – Bill Colton
Branded was a turning point album for Undercover. It has a mature sound but it certainly leaves behind some of the elements that set Undercover apart in their early days. Their first album featured Ric Alba on lead vocals, then on the follow up Bill Walden took over, as Ric had moved on to Altar Boys. Bill recorded lead vocals on two albums for Undercover before this, their fourth where Sim Wilson took over the mic. The mature sound is very dark compared to the original upbeat, peppy happy-go-Jesus songs on their first two albums. The third record started to get more serious, but not brooding like Branded is. Sim’s vocals are powerful and booming, begging you to take seriously everything he says, ensuring you that the drama is all worth it. Most of the band did stick together, so they still have some signature sounds, although this could have been a different band. The band obviously didn’t see it that way because on this, their fourth album they labelled the record “side 7” and “side 8.” Maybe that was apologetic. There are a lot of introspective tracks such as “I’m Just A Man,” “Cry Myself To Sleep,” and “Come Away With Me.”
Tracklist 1 – I’m Just A Man – 3:24 2 – The Fight For Love – 3:00 3 – Where Can I Go – 3:13 4 – Tears In Your Eyes – 2:05 5 – Pilate – 3:00 6 – Build A Castle – 3:25 7 – Cry Myself To Sleep – 2:31 8 – Prelude – 1:55 9 – Darkest Hour – 3:26 10 – Interlude – 0:35 11 – Come Away With Me – 4:44 12 – If I Had A Dream – 5:02
Credits Arranged By – Undercover Art Direction – Harry Barnes, Ojo Taylor Crew [Road] – Buzz Bolton, Kenny Olson Design [Album] – Undercover Engineer – Mike Mierau, Joey Engineer [Second] – Bobby Saucedo, Paul Abajian Executive-Producer – Harry Barnes Illustration, Typography [Lettering] – Dave Gibson Keyboards, Bass – Ojo Taylor Layout – Graphics Gloria Mastered By – Bernie Grundmann Mixed By – Dino Elefante Photography By – David Gomez Producer – Ojo Taylor Vocals – Sim Wilson Vocals, Drums – Gary Olson Vocals, Guitar – Gym Nicholson Voice [Additional] – Gene Eugene, Glenn, Riki Written-By – Gym Nicholson, Ojo Taylor
Companies, etc. Distributed By – Lexicon Distribution Recorded At – Pakaderm Studios Mixed At – Pakaderm Studios Published By – B-1 Music Published By – Royal Commandment Music
Larry apparently released this album almost grudgingly because he did not have many decent live recordings from this era of his touring and there were bootlegs making the rounds that he didn’t like. Larry stopped distributing Roll Away The Stone (although he continued to encourage people to buy it if they could find it), and he considered Live At The Mac a better version of that. The combination of bad recordings and bad timing haunted Larry’s late 70s work. He was touring but never did get good recordings done with a full band. Later works like the Live At Flevo recordings made up for it in a way, but they are not the same as Larry in this era. To hear it as it was, all we have are some bootlegs and some primitive recordings. This concert was August 18, 1979 in Eugene, Oregon. This CD was released in 1998 through Solid Rock Records and apparently only 200 were made, although some later versions were evidently sold by Solid Rock that were done up as CD-R with the same packaging.
Tracklist 1 – Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus – 4:58 2 – I’ve Searched All Around The World – 5:33 3 – Soul On Fire – 6:48 4 – Watch What You’re Doing – 8:36 5 – Let The Tape Keep Rolling – 5:00 6 – UFO – 10:16 7 – The Outlaw / If God Is My Father – 8:26 8 – Song For A Small Circle Of Friends – 3:37 9 – Shot Down – 2:41 10 – Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music – 2:44 11 – The Rock That Doesn’t Roll / Exit – 3:25 12 – Lonely By Myself – 6:15
This album is generally known as Larry Norman – The Israel Tapes, but it is really Larry Norman and People!, and the record calls itself “The Israel Tapes 1974 AD.” Not much difference really, but the labelling and the timing are both important. The release came out from Phydeaux Records in 1980, after Larry had established his own distribution company, which was primarily a mail order business run out of San Jose. Larry added some of the People! recordings to his catalog and so this is the first time some of these recordings were made public. The musicianship of this group is excellent, and has distinctly different characteristics than the group of studio musicians he worked with in the 1970s and 80s. This concert was done at UCLA for the benefit of The Israeli Fund. The Recording quality is not great, but for a 1974 live record it’s passable. What’s noteworthy here is that this 1974 live performance included a lot of songs that eventually became part of Larry’s core material. The album consists of songs from Upon This Rock as well as the Trilogy, along with a couple of others. This seems to be a reunion concert of sorts. Larry left People! several years prior, and here they are performing with him on subsequent songs. There are 2 different versions of “I Love You,” neither of which is quite the one that appeared on the In Another Land album in 1974, although you can hear the progression that got it there. “I Am The Six O’Clock News” was an anchor song on 1972’s Only Visiting This Planet, and here we get a slower, grittier version of it. “Sweet Song of Salvation” and “Forget Your Hexagram” get some updated arrangements from their original Upon This Rock versions, with great contributions from this band. All in all, a good spin on some classic Larry songs.
Tracklist 1 – Fly, Fly, Fly – 4:47 2 – I Love You (1967) – 4:36 3 – I Love You (1974) – 3:43 3 – I Am The Six O’Clock News – 5:59 4 – Lonely By Myself – 4:08 6 – Baroquen Spirits – 5:32 7 – You Knew What You Were Doing – 4:57 8 – Forget Your Hexagram – 3:49 9 – I’ve Searched All Around The World – 3:05 10 – Sweet Song Of Salvation – 5:21
This EP was released in 1985 when Larry made his big announcement that he was moving back to America after spending a lot of time working in Europe.
Between about 1980 and 1985 he worked with a lot of artists from UK and Western Europe, including Alwyn Wall, Bryn Haworth, Lyrix, Q-Stone and a lot of others. Larry really wanted to find a home for himself again where he grew up, on the West Coast.
Presumably he was hoping for a warm welcome this time after having a hard time releasing some of the music he wanted to put out in the 1970s.
The live version of “Messiah” showed off a mature sound compared to his early rock days. “It’s Only Today That Counts” is one type of prophetic song that Larry liked to write, urging people to make take life very seriously.
Side two is music and interview intertwined. Larry never gave up any opportunity to get his own words in about his own words. Rather than wait for interview requests to come in, he put this record out there with his side of the interview recorded. All that was necessary for anyone to use it was to set up the questions by either introducing them, or by fake-interviewing Larry using this material.
Here are some excerpts from the interview portions:
“I’m coming back to America, with the Young Lions. We’re going to do 200 concerts, go to all 50 states. There’s anew album coming out. there’s a live album and video from my foreign tours. That will be available next year.”
“When I was nine I got real serious about music and started writing about my feelings, my beliefs, things that were happening to me and my friends at school.”
“When Elvis Presley came along, he wasn’t doing anything new. He was just doing Black gospel music, only instead of talking about his saviour he talked about his ‘baby.'” Rock’n’roll came from the Church. It belongs to the Church. Rock’n’roll seems now to be providence of non-believers while the Church sits on the side and denounces rock’n’roll, says that it’s ungodly music and that if you play it backwards you hear secret satanic messages.”
“Certainly the lifestyles of the people performing rock’n’roll doesn’t coincide with the moral overviews of the Christian church but rock’n’roll was Black music and it came from the early American Black church. and I don’t know why we should let anyone steal it from us. It belongs to us I think we should steal it back.”
Tracklist 1 – Messiah (Live) 2 – It’s Only Today That Counts Side 2 – Interview If The Bombs Fall Letter To A Friend Woman Of God (Proverbs 31) Soul On Fire (1968 Version) and more.
Credits Bass – Charly Norman Drums – Kenny Bam Boom Guitar, Keyboards – Larry Norman Lead Guitar – Jon Linn Rhythm Guitar – Bill Romansky Written-By – Larry Norman
Companies, etc. Phonographic Copyright (p) – Stress Records Copyright (c) – Stress Records Published By – Six Blue Lions Mastered At – Sheffield Lab Matrix – △11008
Tom Howard was another one of the Solid Rock posse that circled around Larry Norman throughout the 1970s. This 1981 release was on NewPax records, produced by Terry Taylor of DA, after his debut on Solid Rock with Larry. Danger In Loving You has some strong rock songs and also a lot of the softer side that Tom became known for in his career. “Power Play” is radio single material, while “This Quiet Place” is a song that lives up to its name. “The Serious Occupation of Fish” is a quirky tune that uses humour to get at a profound point. Randy Stonehill also makes an appearance on this album. He’s uncredited, but you can hear his voice come out of the background vocals in places.
Tracklist 1 – Horizon – 2:35 2 – Shine Your Light – 3:35 3 – House Of The Father – 3:32 4 – Passing In The Night – 4:24 5 – Run The Race – 4:30 6 – This Quiet Place – 3:24 7 – Strong Love – 4:15 8 – The Serious Occupation Of Fish – 3:15 9 – Power Play – 2:54 10 – Danger In Loving You – 4:40
Credits Art Direction – Ronald Thomas Backing Vocals – Bill Batstone, Dori Lynn Howard, Elsa Harris, Gerry Limpic, Jerry Chamberlain, Jessy Dixon, Linda McCreary, Randy Stonehill, Sam Allen, Terry Taylor, Tom Howard Bass [Alembic Five-string Base] – Flim Johnson Drums – Bill Berg Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Wayne Johnson Engineer – Thom Roy Lacquer Cut By – Wally Percussion – Alex MacDougall Percussion [Percussive Embellishments] – Bruce Brown Photography By [Black and White] – D.C. Riggott, Kim Halliday Photography By [Color] – Marlene Nelson Millican Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Oberheim Polyphonic; Moog], Lead Vocals – Tom Howard Producer – Terry Taylor, Tom Howard Saxophone, Oboe – Jon Clarke Typography, Design – Kim Halliday Written-By, Arranged By – Tom Howard
Companies, etc. Produced For – Rebel Base Productions Recorded At – Whitefield Studios Mastered At – Capitol Mastering Pressed By – PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc. Copyright (c) – NewPax Records Phonographic Copyright (p) – NewPax Records Copyright (c) – Tongsongs Music Copyright (c) – Lifesong Music Press Copyright (c) – Joyful Road Music Published By – Tongsongs Music Published By – Lifesong Music Press Published By – Joyful Road Music Published By – The New Benson Music Company, Inc.
