All Saved Freak Band
Encyclopedia
The All Saved Freak Band was one of the earliest influences in what has since become a distinct sub-category of Rock and Roll, Contemporary Christian Music
. Broadcasting their first recorded songs on WREO radio in Ashtabula County, Ohio in the fall of 1968, ASFB joined Larry Norman
and the California group, Agape, as one of the original "pioneers" of Jesus music
, birthed in that same year.
Unique in many ways, ASFB was a large, ensemble group of 12 musicians. Predating Birmingham's Electric Light Orchestra
' by two years, ASFB was one of the first "rock" bands [It's A Beautiful Day, with violinist David LaFlamme, preceded ASFB in 1967] to use violin and cello as an integral part of rhythmic music. Their song, Seek Him, exemplifies the layering of blues and classical strings that characterized much of their sound. "Garnering acclaim for superior songwriting and instrumentation," ASFB recorded four albums now recognized as classic examples of the earliest "Jesus music." Though courted by RCA and Columbia, ASFB never signed a contract in an effort to maintain control of the band's music and direction - that choice also assuring their esoteric status.
Based out of a Christian commune near Orwell, Ohio, members included co-founders Joe Markko and Larry Hill, Mike Berkey, Ed Durkos, Tom Eritano, Tim Hill, Morgan King, Norris McClure, Carole King, Randy Markko, Kim Massman, Pam Massman, Tom Miller, and rock guitarist Glenn Schwartz. Schwartz was lead-guitarist for the rock group, the James Gang (later replaced by Joe Walsh
) and Pacific Gas & Electric
who recorded a top 20 song in 1969, Are You Ready? Temporary replacements for Glenn Schwartz and Tom Eritano were guitarist Phil Keaggy
of the Glass Harp
and drummer, Val Fuentes
from the California band, It's A Beautiful Day
.
Prior to recording their first album, three band members - Brett Hill [Larry's son], Joe's brother Randy and Tom Miller - all lost their lives in automobile accidents while traveling to concerts. Singing backup and playing piano, Tom "Aquinas" Miller was one of the "Kent-25" and had been featured in Life magazine as part of the protests on the Kent State campus at the time of the Kent State shootings
. Though the music on their first album, My Poor Generation, was written between 1968 and 1972, it wasn't released until 1973 and was dedicated to the memories of Randy Markko and Tom Miller. "The totally essential Jesus rock album featuring some baroque chamber folk with harpsichord, strings, piano and woodwinds, some otherworldly smoky dream psych and some stripped-down electric boogie blues. This was an odd congregation that collectively created an atmosphere representing the best in what was once Jesus rock."
Their second album, For Christians, Elves and Lovers (1976) combined evangelical theology and millennialism with admiration for the fantasy world of Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. Tolkien. A copy of this album remains part of the Tolkien Collection at Marquette University. "And what is the result of this musical fusion? An absolutely incredible album which might well become a classic in the annals of Jesus music. The credit for this record's brilliance belongs to the artists themselves. Because of their talent and versatility, the 14 cuts never suffer from being repetitious or boring. One need only look at the diversity in style from one selection to the next in order to appreciate the creative abilities of these musicians. This is the 3rd album for ASFB and belongs on the shelf of every Jesus music fan."
The band was shaken again in early 1973 when co-founder and guitarist, Joe Markko, was electrocuted with 27,000 volts of electricity in an industrial accident. Losing both hands and massively burned over 55% of his body, Joe remained in the Burn Unit of Cleveland MetroHealth for 9 months. Rhythm guitarist Ed Durkos learned all of Joe's music and the band moved forward. Following Joe's release he continued writing, singing and arranging for the band.
In February 1975, after lead guitarist Glenn Schwartz's family grew concerned about the deteriorating social conditions at the church's communal farm, they had him kidnapped for an intense, three day "deprogramming
" effort by famed cult deprogrammer, Ted Patrick
. The attempt was unsuccessful and the Band issued their third album, Brainwashed in, as what one ex-member termed, "a cynical response" to critics of the band's lifestyle. Brainwashed is listed as album #4 on the "Top 50 Collectible Jesus Music Albums of all Time," compiled by contemporary Church historian, David DiSabatino. "This is a tough band to figure out. With some of the best Christian 70s rock by anyone anywhere their music is stunningly powerful with a dark, creeping psychrock menace achieved via songwriting and guitar/organ arrangements that spell big league all the way. If "For Christians, Elves & Lovers" is the mellower side of ASFB, "Brainwashed" is the flip side of the coin. This album is non-stop sizzling stuff with plenty of heavy organ, harmonica and, of course, Glenn Schwartz's searing guitar fireworks. This is an incredible album folks. So much variety here, too - it never gets boring."
Their fourth album, Sower, was released in 1980 after all the band members had departed except for Hill and the Massmann sisters. Especially influential on the lyrics of this recording were Larry Hill's apocalyptic visions. "Man, these guys were just so good! Wailing away one minute - folk mood, jazz lightness the next. Seems impossible on paper, but with ASFB it works. Showing maturity in sound and lyric, all tracks are standouts. All their albums are treasures with layers of interest both musically and lyrically."
ASFB mastered their albums at Cleveland Recording. Housed in an older building on Euclid Avenue it was eventually torn down to make way for the burgeoning growth of Cleveland State University. ASFB recorded alongside some well-known "Great Lakes" rock groups. The Outsiders
' "Time Won't Let Me", Wild Cherry
's "Play That Funky Music
", The Lemon Pipers
' "Green Tambourine
", The Human Beinz
' "Nobody but Me", Grand Funk Railroad
's first seven albums, and the James Gang
's albums were all recorded here, using the Cleveland Orchestra
whenever needed. The engineer and owner, Ken Hamann, teamed up with Nashville producer, Rob Galbraith, on all of ASFB's recordings. The band met Rob while on tour in Nashville in 1971 when Glenn, Larry, Randy and Joe taped a demo of a few songs at the Columbia Studio. Rob also recorded an impromptu version of Old Rugged Cross that appears on more than one album.
Independently produced and distributed, the music of the All Saved Freak Band had been played on hundreds of radio stations in more than 14 different countries by the time they disbanded in the winter of 1978-79. Ministering in the street, in concert and across denominational lines for more than a decade, the band's demise was based on irreconcilable differences between band members and the leadership of their home church that involved legally prosecuted charges of child abuse. Larry, Ed and the Massmann sisters would attempt to continue the effort until 1980 but the All Saved Freak Band was gone following the departures of Joe Markko and Glenn Schwartz.
In 2006, after several years of legal efforts, former band members united to regain control of their music and end Hill's 35-year control of their collective efforts. Releasing a "Best of" collection, Harps On Willows, ASFB has established an ongoing musical legacy. The album was honored when selected by Cross Rhythms Magazine as one of the Top 20 CD Releases of 2006 along with releases from Bob Dylan
and Switchfoot
. "Here's a welcome collating of the best performances from one of America's greatest hippie Christian bands. While bands like Petra (band)
and Resurrection Band
spent the '70s perfecting a heavy rock'n'roll, ASFB ploughed a blusier furrow with ace blues guitarist Glenn Schwartz exemplifying his renowned skills. One joy is the fact that they wrote songs that were simple in their message. These are songs to get people to think about the Gospel, an art that seems to be missing in modern Christian music. These recordings are very much of their time so they are a little ragged around the edges production wise but the band certainly fulfilled their ambition to create music that would stop people in their tracks and make them respond to the Gospel."
The 2006 Emmy-nominated documentary, Lonnie Frisbee
: Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher, by David Di Sabatino features two songs by the All Saved Freak Band (Sower and My Poor Generation), and the soundtrack to the documentary also includes Ode To Glenn Schwartz.
The All Saved Freak Band played throughout the eastern portion of North America and Canada. As guests of the city of New Orleans, they played and testified at Mayor Moon Landrieu
's private Mardi Gras reception held at City Hall, playing in Jackson Square
and other venues during the day. ASFB also performed at the 1976 Summer Olympics
in Montreal, playing as headliners at the Man and His World pavilion. Following a series of concerts at "Spring Break" in Fort Lauderdale, national publications as diverse as Christianity Today, Rolling Stone Magazine and the National Courier began carrying articles about the group.
Several of the band members were credentialed ministers, licensed with the Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches and Ministers International in Irving, Texas. With evangelistic fervor, they were obsessively focused on the work of "winning the lost," stressing personal evangelism at all concert events. Indian reservations in Canada, mental institutions in Maine, prisons in Ohio, rotundas and halls of State office buildings, International Exposition Halls, camps of migrant workers, tents at County Fairs, Churches in most states east of the Mississippi, open-air platforms, Music Halls, military bases, colleges, amphitheaters, nursing homes, parking lots, street corners and hay lofts ― the band's flexibility allowed it to present a variety of musical expressions best serving the needs of evangelism. Creating their own label, Rock the World Enterprises [changed to War Again on the final recording], the group was entirely self-financed.
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
. Broadcasting their first recorded songs on WREO radio in Ashtabula County, Ohio in the fall of 1968, ASFB joined Larry Norman
Larry Norman
Larry David Norman was an American Christian musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer, who worked with Christian rock music...
and the California group, Agape, as one of the original "pioneers" of Jesus music
Jesus music
Jesus music, known as gospel beat music in the United Kingdom, is a style of Christian music which originated on the West Coast of the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This musical genre developed in parallel to the Jesus movement...
, birthed in that same year.
Unique in many ways, ASFB was a large, ensemble group of 12 musicians. Predating Birmingham's Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
' by two years, ASFB was one of the first "rock" bands [It's A Beautiful Day, with violinist David LaFlamme, preceded ASFB in 1967] to use violin and cello as an integral part of rhythmic music. Their song, Seek Him, exemplifies the layering of blues and classical strings that characterized much of their sound. "Garnering acclaim for superior songwriting and instrumentation," ASFB recorded four albums now recognized as classic examples of the earliest "Jesus music." Though courted by RCA and Columbia, ASFB never signed a contract in an effort to maintain control of the band's music and direction - that choice also assuring their esoteric status.
Brief history
Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
) and Pacific Gas & Electric
Pacific Gas & Electric (band)
Pacific Gas & Electric was an American blues rock band in the late 1960s and early 1970s, led by singer Charlie Allen. Their biggest hit was "Are You Ready?"-Career:...
who recorded a top 20 song in 1969, Are You Ready? Temporary replacements for Glenn Schwartz and Tom Eritano were guitarist Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
of the Glass Harp
Glass Harp
Glass Harp is a Youngstown, Ohio based power trio consisting of guitarist Phil Keaggy, drummer John Sferra and bassist Daniel Pecchio.-Early years:...
and drummer, Val Fuentes
Val Fuentes
Val Fuentes is the original and current drummer for the psychedic folk-rock band It's a Beautiful Day...
from the California band, It's A Beautiful Day
It's a Beautiful Day
It's a Beautiful Day is a band formed in San Francisco, California in 1967, the brainchild of violinist David LaFlamme.LaFlamme, a former soloist with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, had previously been in the band Orkustra, and unusually, played a five-string violin...
.
Kent State shootings
The Kent State shootings—also known as the May 4 massacre or the Kent State massacre—occurred at Kent State University in the city of Kent, Ohio, and involved the shooting of unarmed college students by members of the Ohio National Guard on Monday, May 4, 1970...
. Though the music on their first album, My Poor Generation, was written between 1968 and 1972, it wasn't released until 1973 and was dedicated to the memories of Randy Markko and Tom Miller. "The totally essential Jesus rock album featuring some baroque chamber folk with harpsichord, strings, piano and woodwinds, some otherworldly smoky dream psych and some stripped-down electric boogie blues. This was an odd congregation that collectively created an atmosphere representing the best in what was once Jesus rock."
Their second album, For Christians, Elves and Lovers (1976) combined evangelical theology and millennialism with admiration for the fantasy world of Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. Tolkien. A copy of this album remains part of the Tolkien Collection at Marquette University. "And what is the result of this musical fusion? An absolutely incredible album which might well become a classic in the annals of Jesus music. The credit for this record's brilliance belongs to the artists themselves. Because of their talent and versatility, the 14 cuts never suffer from being repetitious or boring. One need only look at the diversity in style from one selection to the next in order to appreciate the creative abilities of these musicians. This is the 3rd album for ASFB and belongs on the shelf of every Jesus music fan."
The band was shaken again in early 1973 when co-founder and guitarist, Joe Markko, was electrocuted with 27,000 volts of electricity in an industrial accident. Losing both hands and massively burned over 55% of his body, Joe remained in the Burn Unit of Cleveland MetroHealth for 9 months. Rhythm guitarist Ed Durkos learned all of Joe's music and the band moved forward. Following Joe's release he continued writing, singing and arranging for the band.
Deprogramming
Deprogramming refers to actions that attempt to force a person to abandon allegiance to a religious, political, economic, or social group. Methods and practices may involve kidnapping and coercion...
" effort by famed cult deprogrammer, Ted Patrick
Ted Patrick
Theodore Roosevelt Patrick, Jr. is widely considered to be the "father of deprogramming." Some criminal proceedings against Patrick have resulted in felony convictions for kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.-Early life:...
. The attempt was unsuccessful and the Band issued their third album, Brainwashed in, as what one ex-member termed, "a cynical response" to critics of the band's lifestyle. Brainwashed is listed as album #4 on the "Top 50 Collectible Jesus Music Albums of all Time," compiled by contemporary Church historian, David DiSabatino. "This is a tough band to figure out. With some of the best Christian 70s rock by anyone anywhere their music is stunningly powerful with a dark, creeping psychrock menace achieved via songwriting and guitar/organ arrangements that spell big league all the way. If "For Christians, Elves & Lovers" is the mellower side of ASFB, "Brainwashed" is the flip side of the coin. This album is non-stop sizzling stuff with plenty of heavy organ, harmonica and, of course, Glenn Schwartz's searing guitar fireworks. This is an incredible album folks. So much variety here, too - it never gets boring."
Their fourth album, Sower, was released in 1980 after all the band members had departed except for Hill and the Massmann sisters. Especially influential on the lyrics of this recording were Larry Hill's apocalyptic visions. "Man, these guys were just so good! Wailing away one minute - folk mood, jazz lightness the next. Seems impossible on paper, but with ASFB it works. Showing maturity in sound and lyric, all tracks are standouts. All their albums are treasures with layers of interest both musically and lyrically."
ASFB mastered their albums at Cleveland Recording. Housed in an older building on Euclid Avenue it was eventually torn down to make way for the burgeoning growth of Cleveland State University. ASFB recorded alongside some well-known "Great Lakes" rock groups. The Outsiders
The Outsiders (American band)
The Outsiders was an American rock and roll band from Cleveland, Ohio, that was founded and led by guitarist Tom King. The band is best known for its Top 5 hit "Time Won't Let Me" in early 1966, which peaked at #5 in the US, but the band had three other hit singles in 1966 and released a total of...
' "Time Won't Let Me", Wild Cherry
Wild Cherry (band)
Wild Cherry was a funk/rock band best known for their funk song "Play That Funky Music".-History:Rob Parissi was raised in the steel mill town of Mingo Junction, Ohio. Parissi graduated from Mingo High School in 1968. Rob formed the band Wild Cherry in 1970 in Steubenville, Ohio, one mile north of...
's "Play That Funky Music
Play That Funky Music
"Play That Funky Music" is a funk song written by Robert Parissi and recorded by the band Wild Cherry. The performers on the classic recording included the members of the band at the time: lead singer Parissi, guitarist Bryan Bassett, bassist Allen Wentz, and drummer Ron Beitle, with session horn...
", The Lemon Pipers
The Lemon Pipers
The Lemon Pipers were a 1960s psychedelic pop band from Oxford, Ohio, known chiefly for their song "Green Tambourine", which reached No. 1 in the United States in 1968...
' "Green Tambourine
Green Tambourine
"Green Tambourine" was the primary hit by the 1960s Ohio-based rock group The Lemon Pipers, as well as the title track to their debut-album Green Tambourine. The song has been credited as being the first bubblegum pop chart-topper. Released towards the end of 1967, it peaked at number one on the U.S...
", The Human Beinz
The Human Beinz
The Human Beinz is an American rock and roll / frat rock band from Youngstown, Ohio. Originally known as The Human Beingz, the band initially featured John "Dick" Belley , Joe "Ting" Markulin , Mel Pachuta and Gary Coates -Early career:The Beinz started in 1964 as The Premiers, launching their...
' "Nobody but Me", Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad
Grand Funk Railroad is an American rock band that was highly popular during the 1970s. Grand Funk Railroad toured constantly to packed arenas worldwide. A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them...
's first seven albums, and the James Gang
James Gang
The James Gang was a rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. Though the band was not a huge commercial success, except in the Northeast Ohio area, the fame garnered by guitarist Joe Walsh has since made the group more notable.- History :...
's albums were all recorded here, using the Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
whenever needed. The engineer and owner, Ken Hamann, teamed up with Nashville producer, Rob Galbraith, on all of ASFB's recordings. The band met Rob while on tour in Nashville in 1971 when Glenn, Larry, Randy and Joe taped a demo of a few songs at the Columbia Studio. Rob also recorded an impromptu version of Old Rugged Cross that appears on more than one album.
Independently produced and distributed, the music of the All Saved Freak Band had been played on hundreds of radio stations in more than 14 different countries by the time they disbanded in the winter of 1978-79. Ministering in the street, in concert and across denominational lines for more than a decade, the band's demise was based on irreconcilable differences between band members and the leadership of their home church that involved legally prosecuted charges of child abuse. Larry, Ed and the Massmann sisters would attempt to continue the effort until 1980 but the All Saved Freak Band was gone following the departures of Joe Markko and Glenn Schwartz.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and Switchfoot
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
. "Here's a welcome collating of the best performances from one of America's greatest hippie Christian bands. While bands like Petra (band)
Petra (band)
Petra is a music group regarded as a pioneer of the Christian rock and contemporary Christian music genres. Formed in 1972, the band took its name from the Greek word for "rock"...
and Resurrection Band
Resurrection Band
Resurrection Band, also known as Rez Band or REZ, was a Christian rock band formed in 1972. They were part of the Jesus People USA Christian community in Chicago and most of its members have continued in that community to this day. Known for their blend of blues-rock and hard rock, Resurrection...
spent the '70s perfecting a heavy rock'n'roll, ASFB ploughed a blusier furrow with ace blues guitarist Glenn Schwartz exemplifying his renowned skills. One joy is the fact that they wrote songs that were simple in their message. These are songs to get people to think about the Gospel, an art that seems to be missing in modern Christian music. These recordings are very much of their time so they are a little ragged around the edges production wise but the band certainly fulfilled their ambition to create music that would stop people in their tracks and make them respond to the Gospel."
The 2006 Emmy-nominated documentary, Lonnie Frisbee
Lonnie Frisbee
Lonnie Frisbee was an American Pentecostal evangelist and self-described "seeing prophet" and mystic in the late 1960s and 1970s...
: Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher, by David Di Sabatino features two songs by the All Saved Freak Band (Sower and My Poor Generation), and the soundtrack to the documentary also includes Ode To Glenn Schwartz.
Ministry
Moon Landrieu
Maurice Edwin "Moon" Landrieu is a Democratic politician from Louisiana who served as Mayor of New Orleans from 1970–1978. He also is a former judge...
's private Mardi Gras reception held at City Hall, playing in Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Jackson Square may refer to:United States* Jackson Square, New Orleans* Jackson Square, San Francisco* Jackson Square, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts** Jackson Square * Jackson Square * Jackson Square Park, New York City...
and other venues during the day. ASFB also performed at the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal, playing as headliners at the Man and His World pavilion. Following a series of concerts at "Spring Break" in Fort Lauderdale, national publications as diverse as Christianity Today, Rolling Stone Magazine and the National Courier began carrying articles about the group.
Several of the band members were credentialed ministers, licensed with the Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches and Ministers International in Irving, Texas. With evangelistic fervor, they were obsessively focused on the work of "winning the lost," stressing personal evangelism at all concert events. Indian reservations in Canada, mental institutions in Maine, prisons in Ohio, rotundas and halls of State office buildings, International Exposition Halls, camps of migrant workers, tents at County Fairs, Churches in most states east of the Mississippi, open-air platforms, Music Halls, military bases, colleges, amphitheaters, nursing homes, parking lots, street corners and hay lofts ― the band's flexibility allowed it to present a variety of musical expressions best serving the needs of evangelism. Creating their own label, Rock the World Enterprises [changed to War Again on the final recording], the group was entirely self-financed.
Discography
- My Poor Generation, 1973 (Rock The World)
- For Christians, Elves, and Lovers, 1976 (Rock The World)
- Brainwashed, 1976 (Rock The World)
- Sower, 1980, (War Again)
- Harps On Willows: Best of the All Saved Freak Band, July 4, 2006 (Hidden Vision)