Read the first review of the Farewell DVD

[calicowriter]

Conversely, if you had not read what the setlist was for the taping and HAD gone to one of the Farewell concerts, not only would you wonder where "Judas Kiss," "Lord I Lift Your Name," "I am a C-H...,"and the rest of John Lawry's and Bob's solos were, but also "Show Your Power" and "We Need Jesus," not to mention Bob's altar call.

And yes, you had better buy it as soon as possible when it comes out. Since it is going to receive NO publicity or marketing of any kind (which means Inpop apparently doesn't care if it sells or not), there probably won't be many made or many stocked in stores, if there are any at all. My guess is you'll probably have to order it from most places after a couple of weeks.

[winterlens]

And yes, you had better buy it as soon as possible when it comes out. Since it is going to receive NO publicity or marketing of any kind (which means Inpop apparently doesn't care if it sells or not), there probably won't be many made or many stocked in stores, if there are any at all. My guess is you'll probably have to order it from most places after a couple of weeks.

Sigh. This is ridiculous. I have tried not to comment on the anti-Inpop postings, but this is getting stupid. Point-by-point analysis follows:


Inpop doesn't care whether it sells or not? I doubt it. First, it makes no business sense. They need to recoup costs for editing, mastering, and so on, which is not a trivial amount of money. In a real sense, this is slander--you're essentially calling Inpop malicious because they haven't done what you wanted to make Petra popular.


No publicity or marketing? What about when the Farewell CD came out? The DVD was mentioned in connection with the CD. And, as Shara has mentioned, they have made information available to the public, which has lost interest. While marketing can change that to an extent, the expense simply doesn't justify it. It would cost an excessive amount of money to expose Petra nationally in a good light.


Not many made? They'll make as many as they think can sell. It's a simple business matter. No one will be left out of getting a Farewell DVD who wants one--otherwise they'll press more. The cost of a DVD is its production.

We have reported 16k units of the Farewell CD selling. Obviously there's a margin of error here, but this goes to show exactly what Brent said when the first inklings of a live recording were mentioned: live CDs simply don't sell well. It's a losing venture. Petra did more shows this past year than they've done in a coon's age, and they still didn't drum up a whole lot of (retail?) sales. Live recordings are a present to die-hard fans.


I'm not privy to the business Inpop does, but it honestly wouldn't surprise me to find that they've taken a loss on Petra. As a business decision goes, I don't think Petra has been a good one for a long time. Inpop is, surprise surprise, driven at least partly by the bottom line. That they have continued to support Petra at all is incredible. That they've bent over backwards for such ungrateful fans has won them quite a bit of respect from me.

Say what you will about what Petra deserves. The monetary rewards, the records, et c., are earthly in nature and pass away. Their principal reward is God's praise for them: well done, good and faithful servants. And that will suffice them. Petra most certainly will be rewarded for their ministry.

You need to realize that the just desserts of ministry are not earthly. Yes, we can say that Petra deserves to be popular (I don't think this is remotely true) and/or respected more in CCM. But those sorts of "desserts" are given for earthly reasons: artistry, innovation, et c. Does God really care whether Petra's music was cutting edge?

Get a grip.

[Shell]

That was a good one Winterlens; it's about time you said something.

[Kirkman]

I agree wholeheartedly with Winterlens' previous post.

Where did all the new songs that they were loaded with go during this time period? Were they too busy? Where are the new songs?

Where did you get this impression that they were "loaded with songs?" 2004 was a year with a pretty solid amount of touring. The reports from the band at the time were that they were working on new material. But I never heard or read anything that said they were "loaded with songs." In fact, I doubt very much that was the case.

Petra and Inpop could not agree on a new album at the beginning of 2005. Then John and Bob decided to hang it up. When that happened, any songs they had written were tossed out the door, according to John.

--Josh

[blod6ett]

Not that I'm too interested in going there since I was merely trying to make a point, but. Going more specifically in the spanish version. Did they tour there?

Hey, M�xico (in November, the best concert of my life, ever), Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico. A lot of Latin Petheads wish more concerts, really a lot of Latin Petheads, and really a lot of concerts! I bougth J&H in spanish with a big smile in my face. Very expensive, but was a joy.

The point in this discution is easy to see: Only two months before the breakup, we are a lot of Petheads missing the band, with tears and everything. The DVD is OK, maybe perfect, but we NEED more. Before all those years ago, understan us, it's genetic...

[executioner]

I think alot of us are having trouble letting go. I know 2005 was very painful for me wth the retirement. I got to see them in Irving and I was fine until I heard the first chords of Judas' Kiss, I just broke down right there and starting crying. I saw some others doing the same thing. The emotions for me are very strong when it comes to Petra's ministry. Petra is the only artist that I can go to when I want to here from God, and it is amazing that everytime I listen I here something different or God talks to me almost everytime.

[greenchili]

I got over petra a few years ago until Bob came back and they did J&H.

Anyways to answer your questions it was either the press releases or an interview when it was announced that Bob was back and they did J&H something was said that gave me the impression Bob had alot of songs just waiting to be done.

After that we get J&H (short record), and then they release the spanish version (nothing against spanish petra fans). I'm just surprised that no petra fan seems dissapointed that nothing new was written after J&H, spanish fans notwithstanding.

And believe me yet ANOTHER greatest hits was certainly NOT the answer. Petra has had so many greatest hits albums it's ridiculous. Of course inpop is gonna get their way anyways.. Look what is gonna be coming out soon. I was in a music store last week perusing around in the ELO section for some remixed stuff and almost every place had two or three different greatest hits as well. It just drove me nuts!!

Regardless I choose not to say anything till AFTER petra's final US tour. They've made their decision, that's it. But hey... Gotta have something to talk about.

[greenchili]

ok I kinda wanted to revisit a couple things because I skimped over them.

A) Greatest hits

This was in my initial story about Petra's retirement. Bob said Inpop was floating the idea of a big greatest hits project to revive interest in the band. This was one of the catalysts for the guys deciding to retire. If interest had to be rekindled, then they felt it was time to call it quits.

One of my biggest problems with labels is the mentality that a greatest hits will re-vitalize interest in a group. Bad idea. I dunno about anyone else but when I see a greatest hits album all I can do is roll my eyes. Greatest hits have been overdone. Especially with Petra. This is usually what I think when I see one.

1) The band is changing labels
2) The band is about to break-up
3) Oh no someone yet again trying to make money off of older hits.
4) Oh no, not another GH album I have to buy for one or two new songs.
5) Again??

You get the idea.

A double or triple album to me is far more valuable and meaningful. Especially if it has liner notes.

B) Releases named after the artist

Why? Did people like suddenly forget who the person was. Is the label trying to fool people into thinking the person is someone new in hopes they will pick it up? It never made sense to me.

Maybe it's just me and I'm smarter than the average consumer. But I never fell for these ploys.

I think the industry does not understand the CCM market very well. There is not much public knowledge about the CCM industry, after all, the chosen ARE few.

They need to come up with some way to make people aware of it. It's not like the secular market where most anyone has heard of a group, no matter how arcane.

That is why I say they do not understand the market.

C) Number one "revive interest" does not equate no one dislikes petra. It equates most people have written Petra off because they are not in the public eye anymore. The discrepencies in the taste of the youth's music style is a totally different thing.

One of the reason Petra didn't want to go independent is because it would only cater to their diehard fans which goes against their longheld mission of evangelism. Bob Hartman also expressed concern that it seemed too much like glorifying themselves and less about glorifying God.

Ok. I can understand and respect that. But did they expect? The odds of them keeping their longheld mission of evangelism "in the music industry" is pretty small. Considering how the "music industry" is driven. I guess if your goal is to "win souls" for Christ you aint gonna do it to adults thru a concert. I just wonder if they considered changing with the times and adjusting their roles accordingly. Maybe God does want it that way. If not there are plenty of other ways that have absolutely nothing to do with music at all.

Is there something wrong with releasing an indie album from time to time, just for the fans?

As for the 2nd part. I think most of us are old and mature enough not to loose site of who is really behind it all (God/Jesus). After all we are no longer geeky pimpled faced teens anymore.

I'm not trying to pick on Petra or anything. I apply this thinking to any christian band who is no longer "in style". I really do think there is a market for them. Just not the same market that people think there is.

Now whether this makes sense from the viewpoint of evangalism well probably not. But I think these older groups do not give themselves enough credit for the impact that they still have. It's just not as visible as they would like.

Believe me it's just not Petra's retirement and the industries "defense" of their thinking that has got me irked. I've heard churches say that they primarily focus on teens because statistically teens are more likely to get saved than adult 30 and over.

Huh? Now all of a sudden God is interested in statistics? 30 somethings are less valuable the teens?

Anyways I'm just throwing out some ideas, thoughts, and concern. I don't expect anyone to take me seriously. But at least think about it.

[Mountain Man]

In many ways, I enjoy this DVD more than CITAS. It is not the world's greatest DVD or the world's greatest concert video. It certainly could have been improved.

It's obviously unfair of me to start criticizing the editing of the DVD until I've actually seen it. All I know for sure is that I wasn't impressed with the editing in the preview clip which tended to obscure the band rather than showcase them. But I guess I'll just have to wait and see how the whole thing flows together.

[Mountain Man]

I had hoped at least some of the comraderie and brotherly love these guys had for one another might be expressed through rehearsal film or interviews. Or to have each share from his heart. None of that is on this DVD.

This project had the potential to be special. It could have included footage from previous years. It could have more clearly documented what Petra has done to advance the cause of Christ. This is not hour of music that will bring someone into an intimate relationship with Jesus. Instead what we are getting is a low budget, low cost snapshot of one evening...

Well said. I'm excited about the DVD, and I love the album, but it does bug me that we fans are having to settle for the "better than nothing" treatment.

[Mountain Man]

So the big reason for leaving songs off was that the quality wasn't up to snuff without requiring major time and effort to repair.

I think the argument being put forth by some is that Petra should have been given the time and resources to "repair" those tracks, that they deserved nothing less than InPop's best efforts to produce the best album and DVD they possibly could. I can't say I disagree.

Think about it: If InPop had put a little money into this project and produced a primo double CD with well-written liner notes and a souvineer booklet, and a feature length concert DVD with quality extras (archival footage, band documentary, interviews with current and former members, etc.) and then gave it the promotion it deserved, I think they could have had a very successful product on their hands and Petra would have gone out on a very high note.

But all we can really do at this point is imagine what could have been.

[Jonathan]

I think this is a high note.

I can't wait to get the DVD. It will be exciting, amazing.

I think I'm over Judas' Kiss not being on there. It's not the travesty we're making it out to be.

Would a hundred-country 250-date tour be a necessary end?

Does this desired fanfare, honor and reward somehow validate OUR fanaticism?

It would make a great storybook ending, but the library is closed.

[js3971]

I think a hundred country tour only would have been good had it included the following countries: Mongolia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Trinidad & Tobago, Guam, Myanmur, and Iceland.

[spottacus]

Originally posted by greenchili:

I just wonder if they considered changing with the times and adjusting their roles accordingly.

I think that's what retiring the band is all about. It's no longer viable, and Bob and John felt there were better ways to spend their resources and expend their energies.

I agree with Jonathan, this is the high note we've been waiting for. It isn't as good as it could have been, but it would be foolish for Inpop to invest a ton of resources in a project that will most likely flop. I'm grateful for what we're getting.

By the way, I'll miss all three of the missing songs, and the drum solo too, for different reasons. I might have edited this project differently, but I don't have the opportunity because I didn't start a record label and sign Petra to it. I'm at peace with that.

[JMBJR72]

It does sound like it will be like Back Stage pass. Iam interested in how inpop produced it and match with the video. I would not be surprised if Word were to release Back Stage Pass in DVD.