Album art released @ classicpetra.com

[Preacherman777]

it is rock but imo rock to a lesser degree. Not all 5 elements that were in the band at the time were rock. I'm sorry but Greg in no way shape or form can be considered a rock singer. His voice is suited for folk music and currently pop to light rock to AC. Greg's voice just doesn't fit, he is a great vocalist for songs like More Power To Ya, Road To Zion, and Grave Robber, but anything harder I think his voice is out place.

Well, like you said, this is your opinion. There are many including me who would disagree.

[executioner]

it is rock but imo rock to a lesser degree. Not all 5 elements that were in the band at the time were rock. I'm sorry but Greg in no way shape or form can be considered a rock singer. His voice is suited for folk music and currently pop to light rock to AC. Greg's voice just doesn't fit, he is a great vocalist for songs like More Power To Ya, Road To Zion, and Grave Robber, but anything harder I think his voice is out place.

Well, like you said, this is your opinion. There are many including me who would disagree.

And there are also many that would agree with my assessment.

[Shell]

We could debate about that until doomsday, but Greg and John have very different voices that are suited to different styles of music. I think someone pointed out awhile back it's like comparing apples to oranges, and they were right. Greg's voice sounds more trained to my ear (and I've had voice classes and have sung in various choirs over the years so I do know what a trained voice sounds like)

I prefer Greg singing "Judas' Kiss" and "The Coloring Song" and prefer John singing "This Means War" and "Beyond Belief", I think the songs suited them.

But really, in the long run, is the world going to stop turning because of my preferences? I would imagine they chose to do songs they felt suited them.

[Preacherman777]

And there are also many that would agree with my assessment.

Maybe there are some, but I doubt that most would agree with the extreme claim that Greg is not a rock singer. We have to remember that rock is not defined by the sound of the late 80's and early 90's. Rock was around for a long time before that and a singer with Greg's vocal abilities was once a prized thing in rock and roll. There were some great rockers done in the classic Petra years and Greg's vocal gymnastics were a large part of what set Petra's sound apart from so many other Christian rock bands of the time.

Oh, and I've never heard a folk singer who could do the things Greg could do with his voice.

[CatNamedManny]

We all have opinions about everything in life that is what makes us unique, and to be honest no one is right or wrong in this debate.
The style of the Volz Era I liked musically and lyrically, it is rock but imo rock to a lesser degree. Not all 5 elements that were in the band at the time were rock. I'm sorry but Greg in no way shape or form can be considered a rock singer. His voice is suited for folk music and currently pop to light rock to AC. Greg's voice just doesn't fit, he is a great vocalist for songs like More Power To Ya, Road To Zion, and Grave Robber, but anything harder I think his voice is out place.

I wholeheartedly disagree. Greg's voice is very similar to Lou Gramm of Foreigner, among other late-1979s/early-1980s rock bands. It's not a *metal* voice, like John's, but it's definitely rock.

Can't we all agree that Greg had a voice and style uniquely suited for what Petra needed at the time, and that John had the same? John's voice in 1979 would have killed Petra, which at the time needed more than anything acceptance by a Christian community that wasn't ready for truly heavy rock music yet. Greg's voice in 1988 would also have killed Petra, which at the time needed to be a heavier, more aggressive band to keep up with the advancing style. Debating who was better or who should be on a "Dream Team" completely misses the point that God obviously placed these men in these positions at just the right time to do his work.

[Dan]

I don't think Johns voice is metal, I would say it was more a heavy rock voice, and Greg's more a soft rock.. Greg's voice is more remnant of early rock from the 50 & 60, where as John's voice is more like a Bonjovigunsnrosesdefleopard type voice.

Bob said on one of the videos something like, "Johns voice was more of a heavier rock voice, and we wanted the production to go along with that".

[CatNamedManny]

I don't think Johns voice is metal, I would say it was more a heavy rock voice, and Greg's more a soft rock.. Greg's voice is more remnant of early rock from the 50 & 60, where as John's voice is more like a Bonjovigunsnrosesdefleopard type voice.

Bob said on one of the videos something like, "Johns voice was more of a heavier rock voice, and we wanted the production to go along with that".

Sure. I would consider GnR and Def Leppard to be hair metal -- i.e., pop metal or not truly heavy metal, but in that broad genre that tends to be heavier than rock. Petra's style was more hard rock, as opposed to hair metal, but John's voice would have been great fronting a hair metal band, whereas Greg's was more like the Kansas/Foreigner smooth vocal-classic rock sound. That's all I mean.

[Dan]

I don't consider the old GNR stuff metal, just hard rock, melodic rock & pub rock. WUC was getting there as far a metal goes, Underneath the Blood was Metal for sure... J&H was boarder line heavy metal.

Kansas, now that is a band that Greg could have fronted.. imagine him singing Wayward Son. .or Dust in the Wind...

[Preacherman777]

Can't we all agree that Greg had a voice and style uniquely suited for what Petra needed at the time, and that John had the same? John's voice in 1979 would have killed Petra, which at the time needed more than anything acceptance by a Christian community that wasn't ready for truly heavy rock music yet. Greg's voice in 1988 would also have killed Petra, which at the time needed to be a heavier, more aggressive band to keep up with the advancing style. Debating who was better or who should be on a "Dream Team" completely misses the point that God obviously placed these men in these positions at just the right time to do his work.

I agree with this as well as what you said in your last post. I would put Greg's voice as most suitable for the classic rock sound that was most popular from the late 60's and thru the early 80's and that sound (in various forms) is exactly where Petra was at until the late 80's. I've never done the Greg vs John things cuz I think it's a stupid debate. They are both awesome singers with different styles. John is a hard rock singer, though he did sing classic rock in his Head East days. I wouldn't really call John a true metal singer, but definitely a great hard rock singer.

[Timbo]

I agree with most everything said here. Petra was/is a God ordained ministry and God used Greg and John at just the right time in history to bring glory to His name. Because that is what this has, is, and will always be about. I just personally like the John Schlitt style of Petra better. I think it is because of my age and when I got into Petra around the This Means war/ Onfire time frame.

[sickasadog]

I think people are getting bogged down in semantics. Stop taking offence so easily. We're all Petra fans. Just agree to disagree. Let the other person get the last word. Blah.