Classic Petra - The Upcoming New Album.

[Boray]

Now we know it:
Work has begun in earnest on the first album of original material from Classic Petra. With a planned 10 new songs + new versions of two classic tracks, it's the line-up's first album of 'new' songs since 'Beat The System'. Stand by for additional updates....and there will be plenty! (admin)

facebook...

+

I would like an album that is the opposite to Back to the Rock: All new material plus a remake song at the end!

=

Hooray!

[Dan]

No there are no facts here just opinions...

Incorrect. The fact is that objectively speaking, early Petra albums are the same overall quality as other artists of the day.

That you prefer certain stylistic choices over those employed by early Petra is based on opinion.

That's an opinion.

[brent]

Opinions are like armpits...

I have been reading all of these opinions. The arrangements, tones (and therefore instruments, amps, etc) recording qualities, mixes, mastering, etc have all been lumped together and often confused terminologically. I hope that they have an outside producer and engineer for the new one. I hope they have some money to go to an A-list room and make a great sounding record. There is no doubt the old dudes can write.

[Preacherman777]

Classic Petra manager Bob Bender posted this to his Facebook page on Tuesday Feb. 14th.

It's official... One of my clients, Grammy award winning act "Petra" is heading back in to the studio this spring to record their new album. What a great way to celebrate 40 years together!!!

[executioner]

I hoping ANR is what they are needing, it looks like they will get some support from them. I'm worried that ANR will not have the marketing wherewithall to make it successful though.

[bakersfieldpethead]

I hoping ANR is what they are needing, it looks like they will get some support from them. I'm worried that ANR will not have the marketing wherewithall to make it successful though.

I know rick and I believe he'll do everything he can to make it successful.

[executioner]

I hoping ANR is what they are needing, it looks like they will get some support from them. I'm worried that ANR will not have the marketing wherewithall to make it successful though.

I know rick and I believe he'll do everything he can to make it successful.

I'm not questioning Rick in giving it his all, just wondering if the financial backing will be there and also the ability to market this properly?

[brent]

I recently had a discussion with several very busy Nashville producer engineers, some of them former artists that you guys would know. The topic was Kickstarter. John got in and out at a good time. It seems they are seeing artists that were once able to get 30k to 40k for a project are doing good to get a quarter of that now. They say that it really takes someone like John having a large fan base, actively interacting with them, and a willingness by the fan base to prepay for an album. The days of people being discovered and supported on Kickstart are about over. So, John should have less difficulty convincing someone he can generate sales, when the Kickstarter thing is trending down.

[executioner]

See this is something that has been a huge part in keeping John in the game; he is consistently interacting with his fan base and with the KS program he allowed his fans to be a part of this project. TGC will be a success and his interaction with his fan base will be a huge reason why. I think CP should try this marketing idea(not KS) but just the interaction would do wonders with free publicity; sometimes we go months without any word from CP and in this age that is a big mistake.

[adpetrafan]

See this is something that has been a huge part in keeping John in the game; he is consistently interacting with his fan base and with the KS program he allowed his fans to be a part of this project. TGC will be a success and his interaction with his fan base will be a huge reason why. I think CP should try this marketing idea(not KS) but just the interaction would do wonders with free publicity; sometimes we go months without any word from CP and in this age that is a big mistake.

Classic Petra most certainly should be answering more emails, participating in more forums, and posting on Facebook regularly.

To be fair, so should John. I have never seen (that I know of) a real post John here or on Facebook. Lots of other people do in his name (kind of like Classic Petra), but it is not the same for example as the personal emails I regularly get from Marillion. I have been a Marillion fan just as long as I have been a Petra fan. They are still putting out CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, a quarterly magazine, touring, and regularly email their fans to let us know what is up in their lives. They have created a brand loyalty that has allowed them to repeatedly ask their fan base to pre-purchase collector's versions of upcoming projects at HIGH prices so they have the freedom to create what they want, how they want.

I have never understood why more people have not leveraged the Internetnto help connect with fans. All it takes is some time.

[adpetrafan]

I cleaned up that last post a bit. It was a mess... Sorry. =)

[rexreed]

John and Petra seem to prefer interacting via their own personal sites. My guess is that they can control the content there and perhaps they view this more as merely a fan site. It makes sense to me but I'll always welcome any member of Petra to stop by and say "hi." If Ken Tamplin or Chuckie P want's to visit I would welcome that too, so long as they abide by the guidelines

[sue d.]

Brent wrote:

The days of people being discovered and supported on Kickstart are about over.

Seriously? I kinda find that hard to believe... John Elefante just finished his at $57,040... wow.

John and Petra seem to prefer interacting via their own personal sites.

This is true... we take what he posts/writes on his site and re-post it on all his social sites. "All it takes is time..." yes, and John for one does not have time to sit on the computer all day. He's trying to make a living. I don't either, so I have Sherri to help with these things too.

You gotta remember too -- John & the rest of the Petra clan are from a different era. Interacting with fans was done from on stage or signing autographs after a concert. Their personal lives were shielded - their time was their own. The internet is a new ballgame for these guys.

But he DOES write his own newsletters and do videos. Like this one:

[brent]

Sue, the operative word is "discovered". Kickstarter is working best for established artists like John...and John , who have a following and constantly "work" the following. The people finding the least amount of success are the ones trying to treat it like a record label. "the Johns" had success, because they are somebody already, and enough people know them and know what to expect.

What was tossed around in our conversation was the desire to see artists actually making the buyers partners. The word is that there would be more people willing to belly up, if the artists showed some kind of investment, like 50%, so that the potential buyers really felt like business partners, with some potential perceived increase in success and quality.

[Preacherman777]

I don't know, Guardian is pretty well known and their Kickstarter campaign totally tanked. So I don't think it's just a matter of already being somebody.