Joshua (band)
Encyclopedia
Joshua is a Christian metal
band that formed in 1980. The band re-formed many times under differing names, but has remained centered around guitarist Joshua Perahia. Despite being based in Los Angeles
, California
, they are best known internationally - in Europe
, Japan
, and South America
.
in 1983, the single "November Is Going Away" was the band's biggest hit, achieving #1 status in Japan. Front man Perahia had a religious experience at a Hal Lindsey
-lead bible study in 1983, and converted to Protestant Christianity from his Greek Orthodox upbringing.
Perahia put together a new band for Surrender which involved Jeff Fenholt
. Surrender was released on RCA Records
in 1985. Lyrically, the album marked a change in the band's style to lyrics which were evangelical and confrontational in nature. Rob Rock
was involved with their final album as Joshua, Intense Defense. Intense Defense, which was produced by Dieter Dierks
, was characterized by the editor of HM Magazine as being "probably the best melodic metal album in the universe." It sold well worldwide, but not in the United states. Following Intense, Perahia reformed the band as Jaguar. Jaguar included Robin Kyle Basauri on vocals Joe Tafoya on drums and Bryan Fleming on Bass. The band changed members while entertaining record deals and never released material under this name.
In 1995, the group re-formed as M Pire. They released one album under this name, Chapter One, though it was never released in the US. The band then changed names again, to Joshua Perahia. Perahia states "We went back (from MPire to Joshua) to re-fire.... re-ignite what we had before." The band found themselves without a permanent vocalist, and hired Alex Ligertwood
of Santana
to fill the spot on Something to Say. However, while in production the band recruited Jerry Gabriel and re-recorded the vocals. As a result, the album (except one track) contains the Gabriel lead vocals, and the Ligertwood vocals are available in the DVD release. One song, "The First and the Last" appeared on the Larry Buchanan
directed movie The Copper Scroll of Mary Magdalene in 2004.
was the former lead singer of the broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar
. Beyond his involvement with Jesus Christ Superstar, Fenholt was briefly in Black Sabbath
and later made regular appearances on the Trinity Broadcasting Network
. Bassist Robin Kyle Basauri was later in the Christian metal band Die Happy
and Red Sea. Rob Rock
had briefly been involved with Impellitteri
, and would later return to the band. The Christian band Shout
was formed in 1987 by three members of Joshua - Joseph Galletta, Loren Robinson, and Ken Tamplin
, who also had a successful solo career.
Several members were also in metal bands, mostly based in the LA area. Mahlon Hawk formed Centerfold in 1987 with Kurt Wada. Steve Fontaine briefly participated in Uriah Heep
, and Rich Ortz later provided vocals for Sixty Nine. Donnie Gougeon joined White Sister in 1985, and Emil Lech appeared on the final Sound Barrier
album, Speed of Light (1986). He was also in the band Driver, which at one point also included Rob Rock and Greg Shultz.
As M Pire:
As Joshua
M Pire to present
1985 - Jaguar
Second LP
First LP
Band Profiles:
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
band that formed in 1980. The band re-formed many times under differing names, but has remained centered around guitarist Joshua Perahia. Despite being based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, they are best known internationally - in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
History
The band's first release was entitled The Hand Is Quicker Than The Eye, which referred to Perahia's well known guitar skills. Released by Enigma RecordsEnigma Records
Enigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
in 1983, the single "November Is Going Away" was the band's biggest hit, achieving #1 status in Japan. Front man Perahia had a religious experience at a Hal Lindsey
Hal Lindsey
Harold Lee "Hal" Lindsey is an American evangelist and Christian writer. He is a Christian Zionist and dispensationalist author. He currently resides in Texas.-Biography:...
-lead bible study in 1983, and converted to Protestant Christianity from his Greek Orthodox upbringing.
Perahia put together a new band for Surrender which involved Jeff Fenholt
Jeff Fenholt
Jeffrey Craig Fenholt is a singer noted for his performance as the title character in the original Broadway theatre adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar and for his appearance on the cover of "Time Magazine"...
. Surrender was released on RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in 1985. Lyrically, the album marked a change in the band's style to lyrics which were evangelical and confrontational in nature. Rob Rock
Rob Rock
Robert Rock is a heavy metal singer and songwriter. He is best known for being the lead singer of the band Impellitteri from 1992 to 2000, and now in 2008. He has also released four albums as a solo artist.-Biography:...
was involved with their final album as Joshua, Intense Defense. Intense Defense, which was produced by Dieter Dierks
Dieter Dierks
Dieter Dierks is a German record producer mostly known for his collaboration with the rock band Scorpions.- Youth :...
, was characterized by the editor of HM Magazine as being "probably the best melodic metal album in the universe." It sold well worldwide, but not in the United states. Following Intense, Perahia reformed the band as Jaguar. Jaguar included Robin Kyle Basauri on vocals Joe Tafoya on drums and Bryan Fleming on Bass. The band changed members while entertaining record deals and never released material under this name.
In 1995, the group re-formed as M Pire. They released one album under this name, Chapter One, though it was never released in the US. The band then changed names again, to Joshua Perahia. Perahia states "We went back (from MPire to Joshua) to re-fire.... re-ignite what we had before." The band found themselves without a permanent vocalist, and hired Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood is a Scottish singer, guitarist and drummer, best known as the lead vocalist of Santana...
of Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
to fill the spot on Something to Say. However, while in production the band recruited Jerry Gabriel and re-recorded the vocals. As a result, the album (except one track) contains the Gabriel lead vocals, and the Ligertwood vocals are available in the DVD release. One song, "The First and the Last" appeared on the Larry Buchanan
Larry Buchanan
Larry Buchanan was a film director, producer and writer, who proclaimed himself a "schlockmeister". Many of his titles have landed on "worst movie" lists, but all at least broke even and many made a profit.Buchanan was born in Mexia, Texas. He was orphaned as a baby, and was raised in Dallas in...
directed movie The Copper Scroll of Mary Magdalene in 2004.
Other projects
Members of Joshua have long been involved in various musical scenes. Surrender vocalist Jeff FenholtJeff Fenholt
Jeffrey Craig Fenholt is a singer noted for his performance as the title character in the original Broadway theatre adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar and for his appearance on the cover of "Time Magazine"...
was the former lead singer of the broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
. Beyond his involvement with Jesus Christ Superstar, Fenholt was briefly in Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and later made regular appearances on the Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
. Bassist Robin Kyle Basauri was later in the Christian metal band Die Happy
Die Happy (band)
Die Happy was a Christian metal band that formed in 1990. The band was formed when Vengeance Rising members Larry Farkas, Doug Thieme, Glenn Mancaruso, and Roger Dale Martin split the band, citing unrest with that band's front man and vocalist, Roger Martinez...
and Red Sea. Rob Rock
Rob Rock
Robert Rock is a heavy metal singer and songwriter. He is best known for being the lead singer of the band Impellitteri from 1992 to 2000, and now in 2008. He has also released four albums as a solo artist.-Biography:...
had briefly been involved with Impellitteri
Impellitteri
Impellitteri is a heavy metal band from USA formed and led by guitarist Chris Impellitteri. Since inception, the band has released numerous albums to critical praise, mainly due to Chris Impellitteri's speed/shred style of playing....
, and would later return to the band. The Christian band Shout
Shout (band)
Shout was a Christian glam metal band formed in 1987 by Ken Tamplin. Musically the band was similar to Stryper, but the Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music cites them as being "more competent than Stryper". Lyrically, their songs were generally more straightforward than other Christian...
was formed in 1987 by three members of Joshua - Joseph Galletta, Loren Robinson, and Ken Tamplin
Ken Tamplin
Ken Tamplin is an American Christian rock performer and vocal coach. Tamplin is known for his 4 octave vocal range and has composed music for television and movies.-Early years:...
, who also had a successful solo career.
Several members were also in metal bands, mostly based in the LA area. Mahlon Hawk formed Centerfold in 1987 with Kurt Wada. Steve Fontaine briefly participated in Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
, and Rich Ortz later provided vocals for Sixty Nine. Donnie Gougeon joined White Sister in 1985, and Emil Lech appeared on the final Sound Barrier
Sound Barrier
Sound Barrier was a heavy metal band from Los Angeles from 1980 to 1987.-Biography:Sound Barrier was most notable for the fact that all four original members were African American, which gained them significant publicity, but did not result in commercial success. They were signed by MCA Records;...
album, Speed of Light (1986). He was also in the band Driver, which at one point also included Rob Rock and Greg Shultz.
Discography
As Joshua Perahia:- 2001: Something to say (M&K records)
As M Pire:
- 1995: Chapter One (Long Island records)
As Joshua
- 1995: Double Trouble (Long Island records)
- 1988: Intense Defense (RCA Records)
- 1985: Surrender (Polydor and Virgin Records)
- 1983: The Hand Is Quicker Than The Eye (Enigma)
Members
All eras- Joshua Perahia - guitar (1980 - Present)
M Pire to present
- Michael O'Mara - vocals (-01)
- Eric Stoskopf - Drums
- Jerry Gabriel - Vocals
- Joey Rochrich - Bass
1985 - Jaguar
- Rob RockRob RockRobert Rock is a heavy metal singer and songwriter. He is best known for being the lead singer of the band Impellitteri from 1992 to 2000, and now in 2008. He has also released four albums as a solo artist.-Biography:...
, vocals (88+) - Billy Green, vocal
- Emil Lech - bass
- Greg Shultz - keyboard
- Tim Gehrt - drums
- Greg Velasco - vocals (86+)
- Ken Layers - guitar, vocals
- Robin Kyle Bassuri - vocals (-91)
- Joe Tafoya - Drums (91 - 92)
- Bryan Fleming - Bass (91 - 93)
Second LP
- Patrick Bradley - keyboard
- Joseph Galletta - drum
- Ken TamplinKen TamplinKen Tamplin is an American Christian rock performer and vocal coach. Tamplin is known for his 4 octave vocal range and has composed music for television and movies.-Early years:...
- guitar, vocals - Jeff FenholtJeff FenholtJeffrey Craig Fenholt is a singer noted for his performance as the title character in the original Broadway theatre adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar and for his appearance on the cover of "Time Magazine"...
- vocals (85-88) - Rich Ortz - vocals (-84)
First LP
- Mahlon Hawk - bass
- Donnie Gougeon - keyboard
- Michael Ingles - guitar
- Anthony Zaccaglin - drums
- Steve Fontaine - vocals (-85)
External links
- Official Website
- Official MySpace Page
- Review of Something to say at The Phantom Tollbooth
Band Profiles:
- Profile at Rock Band Lounge
- Joshua at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...
- Profile at No Life Till Metal
- Profile at vampire-magazine.com