The Petra Zone

Hello Petheads. The Viktor website is up. Thanks you SOOOOOOOO much for waiting. The record is going well. It will be released in early summer. Check out a clip on www.viktorband.com
You will be able to o pre-orders soon. John Lawry is producing the entire CD as well a co-writing. Viktor will be at GMA week in Nashville on 4/10-12, 2005 doing radio and magazine interviews. Come and hang out with us. IF you have any questions email us at [email protected].

Always seek Him!!

Tommyb

Very cool site! I read the bio. I saw the name "Ruscha" come up.
I saw them live in 1988. The "Come Alive" album was cool if I remeber right. had it on cassett and wore it out.
Definitely looking forward to the album, so keep us posted. Love Louie's drumming. Should prove to be a good band with all the heavy hitters playing in it.

the design is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! though it was a little scary to go in through that dark door hehehe.

The Victor band will be a great band.

Tommy, can you post a list of the magazines you interviewed with?

It would be great to put those on the Viktor website as scans... sort of a beginning history chronological.

If you guys don't get copies - maybe someone here does and can scan then so we all can read 'em.

very cool site, and the music sounds great. this band has the potential for being big..

I saw Viktor in the lobby of the Rennaisance hotel today, and then John Lawry came up and joined them... didn't really have the time to talk to them, but they all seemed pretty excited to be there.

An older group of guys, which is something you don't see in a debuting band these days... but because it IS so difference, it could be a help and not a hindrance... maybe. Time will tell. Musicianship usually has a chance of being a quantum leap ahead of the norm when you have older players...

Whatcha doing over there, Ryan? I thought you had gone in a different direction, job-wise...

You know, I'd like to see this GMA hoopla one day. I hate to say it, but the whole scenario still rubs me the wrong way. I understand the need for publicity, airplay, all that - I really do, having pushed and promoted 'till I'm blue in the face myself, but I still wonder about it all.

With the advent of more and more mainstream companies buying up Christian labels.. it can only get worse.

I'd love to hear Jesus' comments on it all. One day I'll ask him.

I do believe his band was playing....

I hope Viktor works for them. I really do. I hear a bit of Godfixation in that single. Louie say that it would be pop. It sure is.

Is that Viktor playing in the background on their website? I really like it.
And when can we buy merchandise and the CD?

Whatcha doing over there, Ryan? I thought you had gone in a different direction, job-wise...

Are you talking about the record distribution company I used to work for? I left that job about two years ago. However, I've been a hired gun for an EMI-CMG distributed band called Kainos for almost a year, now. So far, it's been a very fun ride and I've gotten to meet a lot of cool people while learning and growing in what I love doing, at least for this season in my life.

You know, I'd like to see this GMA hoopla one day. I hate to say it, but the whole scenario still rubs me the wrong way. I understand the need for publicity, airplay, all that - I really do, having pushed and promoted 'till I'm blue in the face myself, but I still wonder about it all.

I've shared my convictions extensively with you before, Sue... and in turn, I still believe what I have said on those occasions. Anytime you involve fallible man, it's got a really good (some may contend inevitable) chance of getting screwed up. I hope it never comes to a point where it DOESN'T rub me the wrong way, because that could mean I've been completely numb to the schmoozing, conniving, pride, and greed that admittedly DOES go on there.

At the same time, there are some people with some wonderfully pure hearts. I was amazed when I talked to some folks out of Minnesota and after really getting to know each others' hearts, they asked if they could pray for Hunter (who I had with me at GMA yesterday). I about fell over when this guy asked my two and a half year old if he could pray for him and Hunter just hugged the man and held very still while this guy prayed over him... and then what COMPLETELY took my breath away is how he was praying some of the same things over Hunter that my church had prayed over him at his birth. I was floored.

Is this the case with everyone there? Far from it. But when I was reluctant to join Kainos for the very reason of all the GMA commercialism, corruption, whatever you want to call it... a very good friend of mine asked me , point blank... "What if you are part of the solution?" I really had to chew on that for awhile (a great song by the Newsboys called 'Lights Out' was played quite heavily in my car during that time) Again, my hope and prayer is that I never rationalize or make excuses to justify and and all aspects of GMA.

Nevertheless, whether it involves cleansing of the GMA, or whether it involves a whole new entity that takes the GMA down a couple of notches, I believe that God is truly rallying a new generation of 'historymakers' to carry the standard of His name and invade cities, cultures, and nations for His glory. I have been very encouraged by many of the artists I have met at GMA... by everything from lyrical content all the way to some new business models for records labels some artists are starting. Of course, we could easily contend that that is how GMA / CCM started in the first place way back when. But the more you stray from the narrow road, the more you realize how lost in the wilderness you are... perhaps that is the point where we are now and there are more than a handful of people who want to get back on track.

More than anything, I covet your prayers... mostly for guidance, wisdom, and discernment. As much as I want to see change, I realize that I am just as fallible and prideful and selfish as anyone else with good intentions. Whatever my involvement with CCM / GMA brings, I'm very interested in keeping my spine. The prospect of blowing around like a leaf in a high wind just doesn't have much of an appeal to me. What really rocks is that I have a wonderful wife and family, and a super awesome mom and dad... all who would not hesitate to smack me around a bit should I start to lose focus or get out of line. And of course, even if we're on the road for as little as two or three days, I'm always dying to get back to see Hunter.

I've yapped for far longer than I intended to, and I've got things to do and more importantly, food to eat.

PS... Yes Shell, we do have a showcase tonight in downtown Nashville. We're playing with about 7 other bands, including Bryan Duncan, Daniel's Window, and Fusebox. The stage is VERY VERY small, so I'm a bit disappointed that I'm going to have to take my monthly bath a whole week early... and on top of that, I've heard many people muttering in under their breaths in my vicinity about somthing called "deodorant"... what gives?!?

Hehe, Ryan, you are too funny...I remember a post where you told Brent you were playing there...I have a good memory. That's totally awesome about Hunter.

I feel pretty much the same way you and Sue do about CCM and GMA...There really needs to be more people who will kick some rear, tell us maybe we're not as great as we might think we are and ask us who we're really serving. That's on any level anywhere, not just with GMA/CCM.

Ryan wrote

Are you talking about the record distribution company I used to work for?

I knew you had quit that, but I didn't remember about Kainos.
Yes, we've talked about this subject many times, and I too still question it all.

I have been very encouraged by many of the artists I have met at GMA... by everything from lyrical content all the way to some new business models for records labels some artists are starting

But that's encouraging and I'm glad to hear you're seeing more in the line of Godly behavior/actions.

It will be interesting to see in the years to come what all happens with this industry called Christian music.

Sam - you should jump in here and tell us about what you experienced with the INDIE HEAVEN conference and all the indie artists. I'd be interested to hear comparisons.

how can i explain this? sam has become too "pro" for posting here (hahahahahahahahahahaha j/k) and according to her I was hired to answer all her emails hehehehehehehe so i`ll tell her you ask that and i`ll let you know what she has to say about it. Prolly would be a "no comments" and runs away to her limo with a gigantic sunglasses hehehe.