4 Classic Petra Samples.

[separateunion]

Why are there so many Greg haters here? This sounds incredible.

So, disliking it means you hate Greg?

[separateunion]

I think I am just gonna be done with this board. What am I reading in to this?

Well, first of all, he didn't say that he hates Greg or even that he prefers John. He simply said he didn't like the samples and was hoping for a new John solo album. I'm not sure what's so offensive about that. Just because you like it doesn't mean that everyone else has to or that the people who don't care for it hate Greg.

[rexreed]

Greg's voice still sounds good to me. I prefer Petra from the John years but let's face it, John's voice is all over the place these days. Just listen to J&H or Farewell, or even the Alakrity video. I was just hoping that the new recordings would have some arrangement improvements and really jump out at me. The samples have not, but I am still hoping. Still, I'm buying it the day it comes out.

[prem]

That full version of More Power To Ya that bakersfield posted gave me chills...it sounds way better than the sample on the blog...so I would hesitate to use those blog samples to judge anything.

As far as the John vs. Greg argument that keeps popping up here, there, and everywhere, let's get this straight: Petra is Bob. Bob is Petra. The lead singer is there to channel the 'bobness' (and, we are all thankful that Bob is not that lead singer, bless his heart)...Greg did a great job during his stint with Petra and John did a great job as well. I am thankful to both of these men for being vessels for delivering the songs with their respective voices (and, I think, more importantly, with their hearts)...I am a better man for having heard the songs that they fronted. I do realize that I am oversimplifying -- Greg, John, Jon, and many others did pen some songs as well, but I think you all get my point.

---Prem

[onyx]

I love the new demos! It's so great to have Greg back!

As for the nonsense of this version of Petra having only been together for a year and a half that's simply not true. They may have only done a few albums together but I saw them (specifically these five guys together) numerous times from 84-88. I was a HUGE fan and the fans who remember the era of NSD to CITAS remeber JL as the keyboardist. Even when JS was on keyboards he always stayed in the background. But whatever. I'm just so thrilled to have *my* Petra back I can hardly stand it.

[p-freak]

I'm almost starting to think that they should've waited releasing samples or whole songs until they're properly mastered.

About the whole John/Greg debate. I've never been able to see Greg in concert, and I've seen 11 concerts with John, the first one in 1997. John is Petra, Greg is Petra: I love both, because both are fabulous singers. I'm so happy we're going to have a new Petra album again. Jekyll & Hyde is their last studio album. It's been seven years and finally my favorite band is releasing new music! I don't care if it's Greg or John. I'll buy it anyway because I love the songs and the message. If Bob is playing it doesn't matter who's singing!

Maybe we should conclude the debate by a quote from Backstage Pass: 'I think Petra is a good singer.'

I can't imagine that those of us who prefer John's voice over Greg's, wouldn't buy this new album or wouldn't support Petra.

[Timbo]

Just to set things straight, I will be buying Back to the rock, probably twice like I have every other Petra record. I do like the songs from that time. I do not hate Greg. Yes I would have prefered they continue on with John. But lets face it, both singers can not sing like they use to which is expected. I simple did not like the samples. It was probably cause I was just listening to them through my crappy computer speakers. Didn't mean to offend anyone. This has been a rough week and I think I just took it out on this board.

[bakersfieldpethead]

This has been a rough week and I think I just took it out on this board

A guess a lot of us do. Sorry ya had a rough week.

[Preacherman777]

Bob is Petra. The lead singer is there to channel the 'bobness' (and, we are all thankful that Bob is not that lead singer, bless his heart)

LOL! That was hilarious, but so very true.

Anyway, honestly people, I think it's kind of a cheap shot to say this version of Petra was only around for a year and half. You're pulling that out based on one man...John Lawry. Otherwise, this version was around for a lot longer than that and you know it. Let's not pretend that Greg was some pit stop along the way and doesn't deserve to be there. Comments like John is the true voice of Petra and without John Petra should not continue are just begging for a fight, so let's not pretend that the ire of the Greg defenders has not been provoked. I really don't care if anyone doesn't like the samples or even if they don't like the album (once it's out) but this is Petra and we are suppose to be the Petheads. There was plenty about Petra's later albums that I didn't like and I talked about that, but I never trashed John or anyone else in the band or the band itself. Heck, during the Farewell concert, personally, since Greg was there, I thought it would have been much better to have Greg sing his songs and John his songs, but it wasn't done that way. We still had to hear John sing Greg's stuff even though Greg was there, didn't make sense to me, but I didn't make a big stink about it. I didn't trash on anybody because of it. I love both of these singers and think they are both extremely talented. I would love to hear new or reworked Petra music with either of them or even both of them. This is why I can't understand why more people are not thankful for what we are getting. Too many of us are acting like we'd complain if our ice cream was cold.

[bakersfieldpethead]

I agree with Preacherman

The Farewell should have been a set of Greg and a set of John. And to add to that Farewell could have had a lot more, I mean Louie and Ronnie and even the Origiinal Members could have been there. I mean if they wanted to say Farewell the right way, they could have went through the history a lot better.

This isn't about Greg vs John. Let's face it; this has been about people throwing a fit because they can't get what they want.

[CatNamedManny]

I think I've said enough about Greg vs. John. I like 'em both, John more than Greg, but I love and appreciate what each brought to Petra and what he meant for the band's success.

That said...

Someone saying, "These songs are perfect for John," well, I'm not sure what response you expect with comments like that. Maybe it was innocuous, and maybe it wasn't. Whatever it was, it was ill-considered and ill-timed. Also ill-considered, ill-timed and misleading, to boot, was the comment that this version of Petra had only been around from 1984-85. Technically true, but also unnecessarily inflammatory and obviously misleading for anyone who knows anything about Petra history. Not a way to win an argument, at any rate.

Let's try to be a little more respectful of each other's feelings and not egg on arguments we know are just waiting to come to the surface if they can be avoided. Criticizing the record's sound is fine, and we need to not be so sensitive that disliking an album's sound automatically is conflated with disliking Greg, but we also need to be aware that people are sensitive about the topic and not go throwing around comments like the ones I cited above.

Just my $.02.

[Dan]

I agree with Preacherman

The Farewell should have been a set of Greg and a set of John. And to add to that Farewell could have had a lot more, I mean Louie and Ronnie and even the Origiinal Members could have been there. I mean if they wanted to say Farewell the right way, they could have went through the history a lot better.

This isn't about Greg vs John. Let's face it; this has been about people throwing a fit because they can't get what they want.

I think Louie was invited, but declined naturally as it was still fairly fresh.


I would like to see a head to head drum solo play off against Paul & Louie..

[Preacherman777]

I think I've said enough about Greg vs. John. I like 'em both, John more than Greg, but I love and appreciate what each brought to Petra and what he meant for the band's success.

That said...

Someone saying, "These songs are perfect for John," well, I'm not sure what response you expect with comments like that. Maybe it was innocuous, and maybe it wasn't. Whatever it was, it was ill-considered and ill-timed. Also ill-considered, ill-timed and misleading, to boot, was the comment that this version of Petra had only been around from 1984-85. Technically true, but also unnecessarily inflammatory and obviously misleading for anyone who knows anything about Petra history. Not a way to win an argument, at any rate.

Let's try to be a little more respectful of each other's feelings and not egg on arguments we know are just waiting to come to the surface if they can be avoided. Criticizing the record's sound is fine, and we need to not be so sensitive that disliking an album's sound automatically is conflated with disliking Greg, but we also need to be aware that people are sensitive about the topic and not go throwing around comments like the ones I cited above.

Just my $.02.

Well said, Cat.

[Dan]

I think I've said enough about Greg vs. John. I like 'em both, John more than Greg, but I love and appreciate what each brought to Petra and what he meant for the band's success.

That said...

Someone saying, "These songs are perfect for John," well, I'm not sure what response you expect with comments like that. Maybe it was innocuous, and maybe it wasn't. Whatever it was, it was ill-considered and ill-timed. Also ill-considered, ill-timed and misleading, to boot, was the comment that this version of Petra had only been around from 1984-85. Technically true, but also unnecessarily inflammatory and obviously misleading for anyone who knows anything about Petra history. Not a way to win an argument, at any rate.

Let's try to be a little more respectful of each other's feelings and not egg on arguments we know are just waiting to come to the surface if they can be avoided. Criticizing the record's sound is fine, and we need to not be so sensitive that disliking an album's sound automatically is conflated with disliking Greg, but we also need to be aware that people are sensitive about the topic and not go throwing around comments like the ones I cited above.

Just my $.02.

Yeah I am the one who said those things... everyone else has their thoughts on here. So yeah I am sorry if I offended you I will try to filter my thoughts in the future to some degree. So lets move on Brothers.

[fcollazo]

This is so great! I am crying as I am listening to Terje's clips on his website! This is beautiful! Best thing that has happened to Christian Music in over 15 years. They are back with a vengeance. Louie is playing live drums! MPTY full version does not sound compressed. Greg sounds incredible !