The Petra Zone

Just for giggles, what if John, Bob, Greg (Bailey) & Chris went back into the studio to rework a few select tracks off the first 3 Petra albums (à la "Classic Petra") using John on vocals. What 10-12 songs can you imagine they'd use?

Not that this would ever happen, I would hope they would leave the Greg stuff alone and do tracks from the first two albums. Here's my top 10:

Come and Join Us
Get Back to the Bible
Gonna Fly Away
Storm Comin'
Walkin' In the Light
I'm Not Ashamed
God Gave Rock And Roll To You
Ask Him In
Where Can I Go
Woman Don't You Know

Finally, someone's willing to play!

pmal wrote:Not that this would ever happen...

Hey, never say never. Some folks said (on this very forum) that Louie Weaver & John Schlitt would never play together on the same stage again!

First of all, I think the only songs that would be selected for this hypothetical project would be songs written by Bob (with exception to "God Gave Rock and Roll to You.") Case in point, all the songs on Back to the Rock were written by Bob with exception to "Let Everything That Hath Breath (Praise the Lord)" and "Back to the Rock" which were written by Greg X. Volz, who was, at the time, in the newly reunited band.

Secondly, I wouldn't be opposed to hearing John sing a few GXV songs. After all, John has been singing "Judas' Kiss," "It Is Finished," and "Beat the System" for many years now.

That being said, here's are the songs I'd like to see on the list:

• Get Back to the Bible
  Holy Ghost Power
  Why Should the Father Bother?
  Storm Comin'
  Yahweh Love
  Where Can I Go
  Walkin' in the Light
  God Gave Rock and Roll to You
  Taste and See
  Backslidin' Blues
  Come and Join Us
  Gonna Fly Away

My fave from those three albums...

Wake Up
Walkin' in the Light
Lucas McGraw

Come and Join Us
Holy Ghost Power
Woman Don't You Know

Morning Star
(Couldn't Find Love) Without You
Taste and See


Seriously, Come and Join Us would easily make my Top 10 of Petra albums. I love it... and "(Couldn't Find Love) Without You" would easily make a Top 10 of Petra songs for me. That song has grown on me something fierce.

Thief wrote:"(Couldn't Find Love) Without You" would easily make a Top 10 of Petra songs for me. That song has grown on me something fierce.

Ah, the ever elusive Rob Frazier track removed from the re-issued version of Washes Whiter Than "to save space." I must admit, I usually skip past most Rob Frazier songs (even though this is allegedly the "New Improved Petra"). I've never been able to get into this one as a Petra song, and apparently Bob Hartman couldn't either.

dihigo wrote:

Thief wrote:"(Couldn't Find Love) Without You" would easily make a Top 10 of Petra songs for me. That song has grown on me something fierce.

Ah, the ever elusive Rob Frazier track removed from the re-issued version of Washes Whiter Than "to save space." I must admit, I usually skip past most Rob Frazier songs (even though this is allegedly the "New Improved Petra"). I've never been able to get into this one as a Petra song, and apparently Bob Hartman couldn't either.

My understanding the song wasn't used on the reissue was due to publishing rights not because of lack of space.

executioner wrote:

dihigo wrote:

Thief wrote:"(Couldn't Find Love) Without You" would easily make a Top 10 of Petra songs for me. That song has grown on me something fierce.

Ah, the ever elusive Rob Frazier track removed from the re-issued version of Washes Whiter Than "to save space." I must admit, I usually skip past most Rob Frazier songs (even though this is allegedly the "New Improved Petra"). I've never been able to get into this one as a Petra song, and apparently Bob Hartman couldn't either.

My understanding the song wasn't used on the reissue was due to publishing rights not because of lack of space.

I can't imagine it's a rights issue. Morning Star, Mary's Song, Without You and Magic Words are all Frazier-penned songs. The CD release has just over 71 minutes. In the early days of CDs the maximum was 72 minutes and only later on they were able to squeeze up to 80 minutes on a single disc. I think it's just a matter of choosing the least impressive/memorable songs from a fan's perspective and then it makes sense to cut some songs with an obscure one-album member on lead vocals instead of songs with Volz on lead vocals.

p-freak wrote:

executioner wrote:

dihigo wrote:

Thief wrote:"(Couldn't Find Love) Without You" would easily make a Top 10 of Petra songs for me. That song has grown on me something fierce.

Ah, the ever elusive Rob Frazier track removed from the re-issued version of Washes Whiter Than "to save space." I must admit, I usually skip past most Rob Frazier songs (even though this is allegedly the "New Improved Petra"). I've never been able to get into this one as a Petra song, and apparently Bob Hartman couldn't either.

My understanding the song wasn't used on the reissue was due to publishing rights not because of lack of space.

I can't imagine it's a rights issue. Morning Star, Mary's Song, Without You and Magic Words are all Frazier-penned songs. The CD release has just over 71 minutes. In the early days of CDs the maximum was 72 minutes and only later on they were able to squeeze up to 80 minutes on a single disc. I think it's just a matter of choosing the least impressive/memorable songs from a fan's perspective and then it makes sense to cut some songs with an obscure one-album member on lead vocals instead of songs with Volz on lead vocals.

It could be some of both. I know for a fact that when Classic Petra got together and was researching a playlist & set list Mark & Greg wanted to include "Not By Sight" but Bob couldn't get the rights to it; that and "Occupy" were written by John Slick. I do have some inside knowledge with someone that was and still is very close to not only Petra during the 80's but also has a lot of info from the Star Song or record label perspective. BTW little inside info when the label decided to reissue WWT & NSD, Bob wanted NSD to stand alone on the reissue and told the label that he would prefer that WWT never see the "digital side" of the market.

dihigo wrote:

Thief wrote:"(Couldn't Find Love) Without You" would easily make a Top 10 of Petra songs for me. That song has grown on me something fierce.

Ah, the ever elusive Rob Frazier track removed from the re-issued version of Washes Whiter Than "to save space." I must admit, I usually skip past most Rob Frazier songs (even though this is allegedly the "New Improved Petra"). I've never been able to get into this one as a Petra song, and apparently Bob Hartman couldn't either.

I like most of Frazier songs, even a lot of solo songs he has released after his stint with Petra. This one in particular has become a recent favorite.

executioner wrote: It could be some of both. I know for a fact that when Classic Petra got together and was researching a playlist & set list Mark & Greg wanted to include "Not By Sight" but Bob couldn't get the rights to it; that and "Occupy" were written by John Slick...

That's a shame. "Not by Sight" is one of my favorite Volz era songs.

executioner wrote:It could be some of both. I know for a fact that when Classic Petra got together and was researching a playlist & set list Mark & Greg wanted to include "Not By Sight" but Bob couldn't get the rights to it; that and "Occupy" were written by John Slick. I do have some inside knowledge with someone that was and still is very close to not only Petra during the 80's but also has a lot of info from the Star Song or record label perspective. BTW little inside info when the label decided to reissue WWT & NSD, Bob wanted NSD to stand alone on the reissue and told the label that he would prefer that WWT never see the "digital side" of the market.

Meaning that Slick wasn't willing to let them use it for less than a certain amount of $$ and Bob and Classic Petra weren't willing to fork out the $$ needed. Or Slick didn't want to let them use it at all, which would fit with the way he has avoided claiming his Petra history. Perhaps there are some issues them.

NSD would've been worth a standalone CD, but if this was the only way to get a CD release of WWT I'm sure we'd rather have it like this than not at all.

p-freak wrote:

executioner wrote:It could be some of both. I know for a fact that when Classic Petra got together and was researching a playlist & set list Mark & Greg wanted to include "Not By Sight" but Bob couldn't get the rights to it; that and "Occupy" were written by John Slick. I do have some inside knowledge with someone that was and still is very close to not only Petra during the 80's but also has a lot of info from the Star Song or record label perspective. BTW little inside info when the label decided to reissue WWT & NSD, Bob wanted NSD to stand alone on the reissue and told the label that he would prefer that WWT never see the "digital side" of the market.

Meaning that Slick wasn't willing to let them use it for less than a certain amount of $$ and Bob and Classic Petra weren't willing to fork out the $$ needed. Or Slick didn't want to let them use it at all, which would fit with the way he has avoided claiming his Petra history. Perhaps there are some issues them.

NSD would've been worth a standalone CD, but if this was the only way to get a CD release of WWT I'm sure we'd rather have it like this than not at all.

I agree with you on the WWT/NSD CD combo, but I guess either Bob didn't think much of anything from WWT was worthy of the process or maybe the styles contrasted so much that by putting them together would take away from each other. IMO it would be like putting On Fire and Godfixation in the same package and try and sell it as being the same artist.
The other subject between Slick and Petra I don't think is a personal dispute just that Slick wants nothing to do with the CCM machine, but on the same note he could have offered it up at a price too high for CP; too be honest not really sure what the going rate is for a song of that nature.

executioner wrote:...it would be like putting On Fire and Godfixation in the same package and try and sell it as being the same artist.

Kind of like the majority of Petra's Greatest Hits albums?

executioner wrote:The other subject between Slick and Petra I don't think is a personal dispute just that Slick wants nothing to do with the CCM machine, but on the same note he could have offered it up at a price too high for CP; too be honest not really sure what the going rate is for a song of that nature.

Any price is too high when you're Bob Hartman, and you have a ready-made catalog of hit songs to choose from.

I know one side of the Slick departure story. Given the fact that Petra fans already know who wrote the tunes, and songwriters are not thrown into the spotlight when songs written over 30 years ago are released on compilation albums (that relatively few are going to buy)....I would put money on Slick "sticking' it to the man" more than wanting to cut ties with CCM. Heck, all of the re-issue albums are out there forever. The history of Petra is out there forever. I think he might not want anything connecting him to the band and the business now. He might not want to mess with the attorney and accounting fees, audits, etc.

brent wrote:I would put money on Slick "sticking' it to the man" more than wanting to cut ties with CCM.

More than likely, Slick got a "real job." I live in Nashville and know many "starving artists" with families to feed. Christian music is a hard road financially (especially when you are a pioneer paving the way for others). Like in The Godfather, Slick was probably made an offer he couldn't refuse (with benefits) and never looked back. I've heard Bob say that in the early days, all the members worked side jobs. That, I'm sure, gets old real quick while on tour.