Undercover (band)
Encyclopedia
Undercover is an American Christian punk
band based in Southern California
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scene that differed from the Christian rock and Christian metal bands of the time. Through more than two decades and a few lineup changes, the band released eight studio albums and two live albums, and is considered by many to be pioneers in what would later be called Alternative music in the Christian world.
"God Rules," the title track of the second album, is the song that established Undercover in the Christian music scene.
While the band has seen several members come and go (and come again), Taylor has said on more than one occasion that the band decided sometime after 1994's Forum that "Undercover is Ojo, Gym, Sim, and Gary," emphasizing that any other lineup, if any, would in the future be called something else.
Undercover played two reunion shows in California in August 2005. In a message posted on the band's forum that month, Taylor wrote, "We are internally, as a band, trying to figure out where to go from here and what that might look like, given our life realities and burning desire to fulfill whatever musical calling we might have, too. We appreciate your prayers."
s, tattoos, and torn denims
did little to convince people otherwise; nor did the next few albums, which contained punk versions of traditional hymns ("Holy Holy Holy"), shouted vocals ("God Rules"), and simplistic, direct lyrics ("Jesus is the Best").
1986's Branded took Undercover in a slightly different direction with keyboard-laden melodies and darker, more introspective lyrics. In "Pilate", sung from the point of view of Pontius Pilate
, the persona struggles with the guilt of having crucified Jesus
, confessing, "I killed him, I killed him after all." Other song titles on this album were "Cry Myself to Sleep" and "Darkest Hour."
Branded marked a turning point for the band, as on future releases it would continue to explore aspects of Christian life not frequently addressed by the CCM
musicians who were finding increasing acceptance on secular airwaves and with secular audiences. The next several albums each differed slightly in musical tone from the others, but the poetic, honest, introspective lyrics would be a constant throughout the rest of the band's career.
Christian punk
Christian punk is a form of Christian music and a subgenre of punk rock with some degree of Christian lyrical content. Much disagreement persists about the boundaries of the subgenre, and the extent that their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies among bands...
band based in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
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History
Formed in the early 1980s by Joey "Ojo" Taylor in southern California, Undercover brought a new sound to the Contemporary Christian MusicContemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
scene that differed from the Christian rock and Christian metal bands of the time. Through more than two decades and a few lineup changes, the band released eight studio albums and two live albums, and is considered by many to be pioneers in what would later be called Alternative music in the Christian world.
"God Rules," the title track of the second album, is the song that established Undercover in the Christian music scene.
While the band has seen several members come and go (and come again), Taylor has said on more than one occasion that the band decided sometime after 1994's Forum that "Undercover is Ojo, Gym, Sim, and Gary," emphasizing that any other lineup, if any, would in the future be called something else.
Undercover played two reunion shows in California in August 2005. In a message posted on the band's forum that month, Taylor wrote, "We are internally, as a band, trying to figure out where to go from here and what that might look like, given our life realities and burning desire to fulfill whatever musical calling we might have, too. We appreciate your prayers."
Music
When Undercover released its first album in 1982, it was described by some as "Christian punk," characterized by high-energy anthems, rebellious themes, and short, three-chord songs. Mohawk hairstyleMohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
s, tattoos, and torn denims
Blue Jeans
"Blue Jeans" is a sentimental popular song written by Harry D. Kerr and Lou Traveller in 1920. In the song, the singer is reminiscing about a long-ago young love that happened somewhere in the "hills of the old Cumberland." The chorus echoes the singer's longing:* The Parlor Songs Collection.* by...
did little to convince people otherwise; nor did the next few albums, which contained punk versions of traditional hymns ("Holy Holy Holy"), shouted vocals ("God Rules"), and simplistic, direct lyrics ("Jesus is the Best").
1986's Branded took Undercover in a slightly different direction with keyboard-laden melodies and darker, more introspective lyrics. In "Pilate", sung from the point of view of Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilatus , known in the English-speaking world as Pontius Pilate , was the fifth Prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26–36. He is best known as the judge at Jesus' trial and the man who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus...
, the persona struggles with the guilt of having crucified Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, confessing, "I killed him, I killed him after all." Other song titles on this album were "Cry Myself to Sleep" and "Darkest Hour."
Branded marked a turning point for the band, as on future releases it would continue to explore aspects of Christian life not frequently addressed by the CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
musicians who were finding increasing acceptance on secular airwaves and with secular audiences. The next several albums each differed slightly in musical tone from the others, but the poetic, honest, introspective lyrics would be a constant throughout the rest of the band's career.
Current members
- Ojo TaylorOjo TaylorJoey "Ojo" Taylor is a bassist, vocalist, and keyboardist best known for his work with the Christian rock band Undercover.Taylor co-owned the Brainstorm Artists Intl record label with songwriter and Adam Again frontman, Gene Eugene. He received his MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles...
(also credited as Joey Taylor, O-Joe Taylor, and Turner Burn): bass, keyboards, occasional vocals - Gym Nicholson (also credited as Jim Nicholson and Neel Down): guitars
- Sim Wilson: vocals
- Gary Dean Olson: drums/percussion
Former members
- Ric Alba: bass, vocals
- Danny Pavlis: drums, vocals
- Bill Walden (also credited as B): lead vocals, saxophone
- Dave Hackbarth: handclaps, vocals
- Rob Gallas: vocals
- Chuck Cummings: drums
- Dave Raven: drums
Original releases
- Undercover. 19821982 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
, MRS Records. - God Rules. 19831983 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization...
, A&S Records. - Boys and Girls Renounce the World. 19841984 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
, A&S Records. - Branded. 19861986 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place...
, Blue Collar Records. - 3-28-87 (live album). 19881988 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
, Broken Records. - Balance of Power. 19901990 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
, Broken Records. - Devotion. 19921992 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
, Brainstorm Artists InternationalBrainstorm Artists InternationalBrainstorm Artists International formerly Broken Records , was an artist-run record label founded in 1987 by Gene Eugene, Ojo Taylor, and Barry Hill. The label was distributed globally by Sony/Epic Music, among others, and closed in 1997 due to distribution issues.Located in Fullerton, California,...
. - Forum. 19941994 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
, WAL. - Live at Cornerstone 2000. 20002000 in musicSee also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
, Millennium 8. - I Rose Falling. 20022002 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
, Galaxy21 MusicGalaxy21 MusicGalaxy21 Music is a record label founded in 2001 by Dan and Lisa Michaels.Galaxy21, based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, started as a "family label", composed entirely of bands that had been friends and had worked and toured together for many years....
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Solo projects
- Relative (Ojo Taylor, as "Ojo"). 19881988 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
, Broken Records.
Re-releases and anthologies
- Volume 1 (compilation of Undercover and God Rules). 19881988 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
, Broken Records. - Volume 2 (compilation of Boys and Girls Renounce the World and Branded). 19881988 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
, Broken Records. - Anthology Volume 1 (compilation of first four original releases). 19961996 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
, Innocent Media. - Anthology Volume 2 (compilation of next four original releases). 19971997 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
, Innocent Media. - Cornerstone 2000 (re-release). 20022002 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
, Galaxy21 MusicGalaxy21 MusicGalaxy21 Music is a record label founded in 2001 by Dan and Lisa Michaels.Galaxy21, based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, started as a "family label", composed entirely of bands that had been friends and had worked and toured together for many years....
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