The Petra Zone

I can't believe they're gone. Not GONE gone, but just not there anymore. Not putting out albums anymore ...not touring anymore. I didn't know where else to go, so I came here ...to say goodbye.

A very, very, very long time ago, when I was 13 years old (wow ...a really long time ago), my mother got tired of me listening to bands like DIO and Rush ...Twisted Sister anyone? Anyway, she came home with this record. Yes, work with me, they were the large, round plastic disks we put on a player. It had this cool looking shield on it and said "This Mean's War!"

I thought, 'neat ...my mother is getting cooler' and put it on. To my surprise, it was Christian music, but not just that ...it was ROCK AND ROLL!!! I listened to it so much that I had to get a new one. Shortly thereafter, I went to my first Petra concert, it would be one of many.

I went, and I still remember it so clearly, even to this day. I remember the Beyond Belief concert, were the friend I took with me was saved and adamently wanted to meet the band. I remember waiting with my back to the entrance, in the cold and not realizing anyone was behind me until John (Schlitt) grabbed me. I also remember finding myself speechless for the first time in my life.

These men, who had just finished a concert and had to have been exhausted, stood out in the cold with the few of us who remained behind to wait for them for almost 2 hours. John Lawrey gave us laundry tips (had to be there).

Over the years, Petra has been my rock when I was down. When I didn't think I could go on anymore, their music was my salvation. When I had to sing SOMETHING, I sang Creed, because it reminded me why I was alive and Who loved me.

So while I know they deserve this retirement, in a big way, I still feel a sense of loss. I owe a good portion of my belief structure and faith to Petra and I will always be grateful. To me, they are the greatest band ever. They contributed more to Christian music than perhaps anyone else I have listened to. They opened the doorway for Christian Rock.

Enjoy your retirement, guys. You deserve it. Know that the fans out here will always, always be here.

Okay, and now that I've said that ...hello to everyone here on the board. I'll be around, I imagine. I love Petra (as you can see), always have.

Take care

PJ

Welcome, great to have you here. Nice to hear your Petra story, it was really interesting.

Hey Puddle Jumper,
Hey I am new to the board and what you just wrote sums up the way I feel....I have been a longtime Petra fan as well since about 1982 or so and just have this tremendous feeling of loss in some ways. Their music has just meant so much to me in my own walk with Christ.....There is just no other band that could ever take the place of Petra....

I became a Petra fan in 1984. Enjoyed several concerts over the past 22 years. My biggest disappointment with the guys calling it quits is that my son, who is a fan, only got to see them live one time....Farewell Tour. I know that he would have enjoyed seeing them again and again like most of us.

Thanks for 33 great years...22 of which I have been a fan!

Hey thanks for sharing that story. I became a Petra fan around 93-94 my first Album was Rock Block then came Petra Means Rock.

Never was able to see a concert. Not many Christian concerts up this way anyhow. They turned out to be my favorite Christian Rock band..with Whitecross being a very close second.

Hey PJ,

Welcome to the board and thanks for posting your story. I totally feel the same way! Creed is one of my favorite songs and one that I sing in concert quite often!

It's always nice to read other people's stories of how this band has blessed their lives.

Thanks for all your greetings. There is definitely a feeling of family here I have rarely found on message boards.

I work a great deal, so I'm not around a lot, but when I'm here I'll pop in to say hello. Petheads huh? I came into the fandom before the whole Pethead thing ...guess I'll be one now, tho.

Cheers!

God Bless

PJ

Oh, I liked their music since 82 - didn't really hear of the "Pethead" name till - oh, gosh, I forgot when that came out.

Sue - I'm sure you know if you happen to see this link. But it was around 99 or so maybe earlier.

The name PETHEAD was born February 25, 2000, by Nancy Kucharski of Indiana.

you're just bored, aren't you Jonathan?

Just being helpful.

Jonathan cheated -- the whole story on how the name came to be is written above at the top of the site.

Click on the link "The Place for Petheads" which goes here: http://thepetrazone.net/petheads.html and you can read the tale... written by yours truly. I remember that like yesterday...

Puddle, glad to see you here. You'll find that nearly everyone has a story on what Petra's music, and the people in the band have meant to them, their children -sometimes even their grandchildren. Thanks for sharing yours.

Ask Sue about John and some Petheads eating Sue's cookin' at her house, 911, Hazmat, the Health Department, hospitals, etc.

Anyone else notice that Sue welcomed this guy three years later? Or maybe the posted: thing is messed up. I had a good laugh.

Yeah Sue. Enough with digging up 3-year-old posts.