Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

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brent
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Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by brent » Sat Feb 20, 2016 8:03 am

1. Is it true that because of your work with Bon Jovi, they wanted to call the album Slippery When Wet, Slickery When Wet?
2. If you put Obama and Hilary side by side, flip polarity on Hilary, they will null?

Enough of that, how about some Petra stuff.

1. Just how long did that Yamaha bass cab Mark Kelly played through get carried around in the cardboard box? I was amazed at how well preserved the box was when you came through Tulsa/The Brady Theater.
2. Looking back now, what instruments would you have used live, if you would have had the money?
3. What instruments have you kicked yourself for letting go?
4. If you could go back in time and fix only one song, what would it be and why?
5. What music do you listen to now, if any?
6. Just how comfortable were those white shirts with the LEDs? How were they powered? Who made them? Whose idea was that?
7. What happened to the Camo van?
8. If you could do session work today, who would you like to play with?
9. Have you recorded any of your own stuff for the heck of it?
10. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?
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jmslick
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by jmslick » Sat Feb 20, 2016 11:45 am

brent wrote: 1. Just how long did that Yamaha bass cab Mark Kelly played through get carried around in the cardboard box? I was amazed at how well preserved the box was when you came through Tulsa/The Brady Theater.
2. Looking back now, what instruments would you have used live, if you would have had the money?
3. What instruments have you kicked yourself for letting go?
4. If you could go back in time and fix only one song, what would it be and why?
5. What music do you listen to now, if any?
6. Just how comfortable were those white shirts with the LEDs? How were they powered? Who made them? Whose idea was that?
7. What happened to the Camo van?
8. If you could do session work today, who would you like to play with?
9. Have you recorded any of your own stuff for the heck of it?
10. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?
1. I don't remember a cardboard box. But knowing how fastidious Kelly was, I can well imagine a pristine box.

2. Hammond B3 with two 122 Leslie speakers, Oberheim synth and expander module, Rhodes with good action.

3. Memorymoog, Les Paul guitar with pearl inlay all around the edge of body, Fender precision bass with wide maple neck,
145 Leslie with floor pre-amp (rare). But... I DO have a 1957 Fender Champ amp in tweed, for which I paid the princely sum of $25 (all original, except for the JBL spun aluminum dust cap) And a 1974 Minimoog, and a 1963 Hammond B3 living room queen, and an old truck with a bad transmission and a NOBAMA sticker.

4. Annie... record the strings IN TUNE for a change.

5. I listen to a wide array of jazz, classic rock, country. The only gospel-related stuff I listen to is occasional songs off the only three Petra albums ever recorded, and black gospel choir.

6. The idea for the white shirts came from "the black box" of LED's which I posted somewhere else. I made that box while fooling around at the tech workbench in the Starsong studio. The box has a 555 op-amp timer, a couple of 9v batteries, and nine LED's. The pot controls the speed of the 555 timer, which flashes the lights in sequence. I used to wear it on my belt as a curiosity gadget. I guess one or two people might have asked about it. More often, they'd ask "What's that thing spinning around behind you?" (The horns on the Leslie speaker). So, I'd tell them it's a radio transmitter and we're broadcasting live into Russia. Yeah, I really told them that.

7. The "camo" van you mention must have been the dark green box van. I guess we sold it when we "upgraded" to an ancient 5014 bus which was a huge waste of money. After a short while, we discovered that the frame was cracked and not worth fixing. Our driver left it somewhere, and we rented a couple of cars and drove home from Virginia.

The dodge van was acceptably comfortably for a while, because we'd built four bunks to rest in on long trips. We used to play euchre card game a lot while riding. Someone, I think it was Kelly, had bought a cantaloupe and put it in a cabinet on the back wall of the truck. Then we parked it for a month in summer heat. You don't want to do that. Rotten cantaloupe smells horrible, and it made a huge mess.

We blew the engine in that van in Yreka, CA and had to sit in a hotel a few days while it was being replaced. We used to pull a 5x8 trailer too, and late one Sunday afternoon on a remote highway in Wyoming, I heard a funny grinding noise. We discovered that the trailer had sheared an axle and lost a wheel... somewhere, way back there... out in that wheat field beyond that distant ridge/

Louie and I stayed with the trailer and the others drove into a town. Luckily, there was a guy who "just happened" to have a suspension shop open on Sunday afternoon. So we got the axle fixed and the suspension strengthened and went on our way to the Black Hills of Dakota... saw Rocky Racoon there, too. Weeks later, that overly strengthened suspension had caused the floor frame to break so we dumped the trailer and rented another.

I was once in a club band which abandoned its old school bus on I-80 in Iowa because the brand new $1500 engine had thrown a rod. The world is littered with old band vehicles.

8. Hammond B3.

9. I don't record anything.

10. Ask Mickey Mouse.

Thanks for the interesting questions!
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by cvs2kids » Wed Feb 24, 2016 12:38 pm

They were good questions. I'll add a few.

1) Do you still play? If you do, what instrument do you go to most?

2) What do you prefer, writing your own tunes, or adding your touch to those written by someone else?

3) Did you like touring, or was it more a necessary evil?

4) When listening to recorded music, can you enjoy the performance or are you always concentrating on the technical side of it?

5) Who would you say were your biggest musical influences?

6) Was their a particular highlight from your Petra days you would like to share? Anything from a funny moment or a point where you said "Yea, the sacrifice has been worth it".
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by jmslick » Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:07 pm

cvs2kids wrote:They were good questions. I'll add a few.

1) Do you still play? If you do, what instrument do you go to most?

2) What do you prefer, writing your own tunes, or adding your touch to those written by someone else?

3) Did you like touring, or was it more a necessary evil?

4) When listening to recorded music, can you enjoy the performance or are you always concentrating on the technical side of it?

5) Who would you say were your biggest musical influences?

6) Was their a particular highlight from your Petra days you would like to share? Anything from a funny moment or a point where you said "Yea, the sacrifice has been worth it".
1) Off and on, inconsistently. Takes a lot of time to remain any good. I don't have anyone to play music with, so I get bored. But the go-to instrument is the 1963 Hammond B3. I could easily join a local Nashville band and play gigs on weekends, but I have not had interest due to the time requirement.

2) I prefer just trying to develop a bit more skill as Hammond jazz trio player. It's very difficult.

3) I liked touring. There were lots of funny stories, especially with Servant... losing their trailer "30 miles back", tipping their box truck over, driving in the wrong direction for six hours, showing up 1 hour before downbeat, burning holes in the backdrop screen with their green laser, etc, etc. But they were really nice well-meaning people. After that first 3 month tour with Servant, we did our own booking and planned the routes much better.

4) Both.

5) The "Three B's"": Bach, Beethoven, Brahms. Also, Fats Waller, Oscar Peterson, and the usual assortment of 60's and 70's rock bands.

6.1) When I see comments on Youtube from someone who seemed to have been genuinely touched, motivated, encouraged, inspired by our music and ministry.

6.2) When a primary founding member told me in an email about 10 years ago that he always felt that the music we made when I was in the group was the best, and that is no bad reflection on anyone else, before or after. But, as I noted elsewhere, there are only three actual Petra albums: NSD MPTY, NOTW; all the rest were recorded by impostors or southern gospel bands trying to cross over to rock.

I've typed up a few text documents regarding various topics. Have not posted them yet.
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by fiendik » Thu Feb 25, 2016 3:33 pm

One thing I find annoying about former Petra members is their insistence upon shunning the albums they weren't on; We all know that there were at least six different bands all claiming to be Petra; Bob Hartman had many bands, and named them all the same thing. But constantly bringing it up makes you seem irritable and egotistic. I would also say that Beat The System is similar enough to NOTW that it would be considered the same band (even BTTS is remarkably similar). Furthermore, your statement "southern gospel bands trying to cross over to rock" is obviously spoken out of ignorance, since their sound after your departure went first to synth, then to "air" or "arena" rock, then to CCM; only the albums before NOTW have any resemblance to "southern gospel". As for "impostors", they didn't start hauling in random people until after Bob left, and that isn't Petra (you're correct there).

Petra is whatever Bob Hartman makes it, and just because you quit doesn't make it any less. Here are the "Petras" grouped based on sound rather than opinion:

1: 1972-1977 Hartman, Hough, DeGroff, Glover
2: 1978-1979 Hartman, Frazier, Volz
3: 1980-1985 ("real") Hartman, Volz, Slick/Lawry, Kelly, Weaver
4: 1986-1993 (also real) Hartman, Schlitt, Lawry, Weaver, Kelly/Cates
5: 1994-2000 Schlitt, bunch of session players
6: 2003-present: Hartman, Schlitt, Bailey, Simmons/Borneo

I myself would only describe #3 and #4 as "true Petra", but they made at least ten real albums, not three. Otherwise, I suppose you could classify #1 and #2 as "southern gospel bands trying to cross over to rock", and #5 and #6 as "Impostors".
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by brent » Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:36 pm

No it doesn't make them egotistical. All of the members claim an era as being "THE" era. Louie played until the end, and HE said the same thing as J Slick. Nobody claims Petra as Petra, not even John, as any version past Bob playing live. Even John complained the young guys could not and would not play the music straight, with the same groove, with the same solos and licks that made the songs identifiable to the fans.

As for fans, It all comes down to when you began listening to the band, and when you were at an impressionable age. I accept most of it, because I was a fan from day two. I quit listening and started gagging when they made the Sonic Flood weed record.

You have to understand, bands are like marriages. If you and your wife got married, worked it out for 10 years, but suddenly hate to make a break for some reason, you would not continue being involved in her next marriage. You would not want to know all of her stuff. Your relationship and marriage would be unique to you. Her new marriage would be unique to her and her new mate.

It is a very hard thing to be part of a band and one day be ousted. Especially when the Slick era band was reformed with a core group of people involved in other things together. It would be awfully hard for me to sit and watch from the side lines. It would be hard for me to want to stay excited about the CCM business, when the very people holding your CCM band future in their hands were out buying prostitutes, doing drugs and all sorts of stuff in and out of the office, with label money. The hypocrisy was HUUUUUGE!

Until you have walked in those shoes, I would say you have no experience to form an opinion from. There is so much behind the scenes BS the average fan will never and should never know. Be thankful you have the music you have, and quit hammering people because they couldn't stomach the bull crap surrounding them.
Last edited by brent on Thu Feb 25, 2016 7:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by jmslick » Thu Feb 25, 2016 6:45 pm

fiendik wrote:One thing I find annoying about former Petra members is their insistence upon shunning the albums they weren't on;
:roll:
You're right, Mister Helper. We ex-Petrats should get our priorities in order.
fiendik wrote:But constantly bringing it up makes you seem irritable and egotistic.
:?:
Other than a couple of other obvious joke posts about there being only three real Petra albums, please list in detail my "constantly bringing it up" so that I can correct it right away.
Don't forget to add details of where I've spoken of Petra in an irritable and egotistic fashion.
fiendik wrote:Furthermore, your statement "southern gospel bands trying to cross over to rock" is obviously spoken out of ignorance, since their sound after your departure went first to synth, then to "air" or "arena" rock, then to CCM; only the albums before NOTW have any resemblance to "southern gospel".
:idea:
Gee, thanks for that fascinating exploration of Petra historical esoterica!
At first, I thought that YOU were ignorant about this pressing matter, for you see, I really understood that there were only three "real" Petra albums, the others being made by southern gospel groups or impostors... maybe even aliens, cuz isn't that word in one of the songs?
I can't recall, but I'm sure you would know which song.
I think it goes something like, "We're il-leeeee-gals, we are aaaaaa-leeee-ensssss..." something like that.

There is one other thing I'm unsure of... maybe you can explain: I had the silly notion that there was just a hint of synth stuff on those three "real" albums. Was that stuff added later, like maybe in a bootleg overdubbing process?

Also, you're right about the "arena" rock... those back-to-back 8,000-seat shows in Dallas were really not in an arena; it was really just a dusty old rodeo park with dirty bleachers and popcorn stands.
fiendik wrote:Petra is whatever Bob Hartman makes it, and just because you quit doesn't make it any less.
:shock:
Is that a natchral fack? I never knowed that... why, who'da thunk it?
That doesn't sound like the Bob I used to know, so maybe you're talking about some other Bob.

:?:
Finally, Mister Helper, I never knew that I had "quit". Can you please enlighten me on the facts?
Last edited by jmslick on Fri Feb 26, 2016 3:46 pm, edited 10 times in total.
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by Dan » Thu Feb 25, 2016 9:58 pm

I wouldn't justify a response to people like that John, there are a few overly sensitive people hiding behind an alias here that get wound up about the most trivial things. I'm glad you're posting here John! I actually like to visit the site now, was boring before you joined.
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by jmslick » Thu Feb 25, 2016 10:18 pm

Dan wrote:I wouldn't justify a response to people like that John, there are a few overly sensitive people hiding behind an alias here that get wound up about the most trivial things. I'm glad you're posting here John! I actually like to visit the site now, was boring before you joined.
8)

It's been fun to read stuff, chat a bit, learn some new things. It has helped me to have a more complete perspective on old history. I have lately been watching a lot of Petra stuff on Youtube, and the comments are constantly surprising and humbling... but not that I have anything to be proud about.
Last edited by jmslick on Fri Feb 26, 2016 12:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by sue d. » Thu Feb 25, 2016 11:10 pm

I don't know how you happened to come into this board (I'm sure someone must have invited you) but it's a real pleasure hearing about the past history from someone who was there.

There IS a lot of garbage that goes/goed on behind the scenes... just because guys are in a band - or the Christian music scene - doesn't mean they're perfect. But they are held to a higher standard by the fans, right or wrong, and when they fail to live up to those standards... it's not pretty.

As Brent said, "the average fan will never and should never know." And no, I'm not talking about anyone or anything in particular - just a generalization.
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by jmslick » Thu Feb 25, 2016 11:36 pm

sue d. wrote:I don't know how you happened to come into this board (I'm sure someone must have invited you) but it's a real pleasure hearing about the past history from someone who was there.

There IS a lot of garbage that goes/goed on behind the scenes... just because guys are in a band - or the Christian music scene - doesn't mean they're perfect. But they are held to a higher standard by the fans, right or wrong, and when they fail to live up to those standards... it's not pretty.

As Brent said, "the average fan will never and should never know." And no, I'm not talking about anyone or anything in particular - just a generalization.
I don't recall how I stumbled onto this blog... maybe got curious about some old Petra thing, Google, etc.
You're right about Christian "arteests" being held to a higher standard. The behind scenes garbage is petty, not worth worrying about.

:arrow: As an old saying supposedly goes, "They only kill their wounded."

:arrow: And as my saying goes, "The church would be alright, if it weren't for the people."
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by fcollazo » Fri Feb 26, 2016 8:44 am

fiendik, please take a breath and relax. I understood from fay one the tongue in cheek joking of John Slick. He obviously knows that the rest of the Petra clan are not impostors, and that Petra had a life before and after him. He is saying in a funny way that he is proud of the 3 records he was in. Good grief. Chill out buddy.
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by jmslick » Fri Feb 26, 2016 11:25 am

fcollazo wrote:He obviously knows that the rest of the Petra clan are not impostors, and that Petra had a life before and after him.
WHAT? You knew about this?
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by Thief » Fri Feb 26, 2016 6:40 pm

To me, Petra is Petra. Although I have my preferences, I like/love every single album, regardless of who plays in it.
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Re: Done w/Lyrics, Questions for John Slick

Post by Dan » Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:25 am

jmslick wrote: It's been fun to read stuff, chat a bit, learn some new things. It has helped me to have a more complete perspective on old history. I have lately been watching a lot of Petra stuff on Youtube, and the comments are constantly surprising and humbling... but not that I have anything to be proud about.
Cool John, there sure are some great video on Youtube with live stuff from the classic period of the band when you guys were breaking ground. The first Petra record I ever heard was This Means War! 1987. It wasn't until years later I was in a record store and found Never Say Die and though this can't be the same Petra surely? I remember clearly looking at the members of the band on the back of the record slip.. Bob Hartman, Mark Kelly, John Slick... I was like Slick.. I think they misspelled Schlitt, anyway got the record anyway took it home... played it my Dad walks in... did you say that was Petra? I was like came out in 1981.. Dad was like that is amazing audio quality for 1981... Finally got hold of a text based internet service at school, and found the history of Petra. Funny thing is I had heard the song Chameleon on TV in the 80's on a Christian commercial about homeless.

(this all took place in a small town in Australia, hence having no idea about Petra for years)
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