Bob confirms it: Petra WILL retire this year

[Jonathan]

I predict a reunion tour and album in a couple years.

[PetfanInCt]

Petras ministry has made an impact on me. Jesus has really spoken to me through Petras songs. They are in my opinion the best Christian Rock band. They are my favorite.

CCM stinks
The Record Companies Stink.

Petra is about music ministry. Record Companies are about money.

Godbless Bob, John, Greg, and Paul and to all the past members as well and thier families

I will miss them. I was looking forward to another studio album..

Godbless to all here

rich

[brent]

1. Let me play the devils advocate here. IF the labels are all about money, and IF there is a big enough demand for the music, don't you think that the labels would seek out the correct bands to sign and distribute?

2. IF there were a demand in the US, people would buy it. People really didn't buy it like they once did in the old days. But then again, Petra is a generation removed from the current consumer (soccer mom in the 20-30s).

3. I am now an indie label. I can't operate in the red. I have to see a return. Profit is most definately scriptural, because that is what you give your offerings from "out of the increase." Increase is anything over and above breaking even. How many of you get free utilities, gas, cars, homes, etc because you are "in ministry"? Everyone of us is in ministry. The labels don't either, and they are the ones who act as a bank, taking a risk on something that they may/may not break even, much less make a profit.

4. My distributor worked for Word for 6 years. He tells me that Petra sells over seas eclipses the US by a ratio of 3:1. What drives the US sales? Radio. Christian monoploized, closed minded, snot nosed kid managed radio. Radio is the one to loath. I say that we boycott Christian radio and their advertisers until they play the snot out of J&H and albums of like kind. Look at the foreign markets. They don't have Christian radio playing the Franklin, Brentwood, Nashvegas Christian poop. Petra has even been on the secular top 10 in foreign markets.

(Death to radio. The people have no choice. Just like US politics, the media, chemically enhanced food, public education, we have no real say, no true choices. It is a matter of taking the lessor of two evils.)

5. I am against the beer and tobacco owned Christian record companies. I am against anything that is not a mom and pop, owned and operated by Christians.

[LexingtonPethead]

I blog on a regular basis. Spent most of today's blog entry on Petra - my response to their decision to call it a day. I won't repost it all here, but if you're interested you can hit the link below.

http://www.xanga.com/item.aspx?user=Mik ... =260339678

I really don't know what to say... I've been mulling this over since I got Josh's email and read his article. I shouldn't be stunned, but I am. I am deeply saddened.

Michael Janke, after reading your written tribute to Petra, I found a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. It is just as you say. Petra had me captivated during those years. God used their music to convict me many times throughout my life. You articulated so well how I feel about Petra and the influence they've had in my life. Thank you!!

I am so full of regret that Petra was here (Ichthus in Wilmore, KY) last year, and I let a busy weekend get in the way of my seeing them. I am praying that they will be somewhere in this part of the country later this year. I will not miss another opportunity to see them.

[LexingtonPethead]

I say that we boycott Christian radio and their advertisers until they play the snot out of J&H and albums of like kind.

(Death to radio. The people have no choice. Just like US politics, the media, chemically enhanced food, public education, we have no real say, no true choices. It is a matter of taking the lessor of two evils.)

Most of the time, I agree with you. I hope you're just ranting and not going off the deep end.

Actually, we do have choices. Not only can we choose among competing Christian radio stations to listen to (in my market - Lexington, KY - we have K-Love, Air1, and a Morningstar station to choose from), but some networks/stations, such as Air1, actually have their listeners vote on the songs they want to hear, even if they are voting from a specific block of pre-selected songs.

However, I am imbittered toward the industry because had they been more supportive of Petra, Petra would be planning their continuance rather than their exit. I'm sure all the Christian stations, in particular the Christian rock stations, were all sent copies of J&H. To me, there was no excuse for them to not play it. Especially Air1. Air1 should have been ALL OVER Jekyll & Hyde. Air1 alone could have had a huge impact on the success of J&H and the overall success of Petra's comeback.

[Shell]

Guys, Brent knows what he is talking about here. And it's a bit late in the game to be blaming anyone. People retire. Think of it as the start of something new.

I always heard you don't really hurt anyone but yourself by being bitter. God isn't done with them. Put some of that energy into praying for guidance for them.

[LexingtonPethead]

I was indirectly saying I'm not going to stop listening to the radio just because Petra is retiring.

I understand that, Shell. But I've personally contacted Air1 by phone and by email requesting Petra. Although they were very nice and polite, nothing happened. With all the repeaters they have across the county, the impact they could have had with J&H would have been HUGE. At least people would have known about J&H. Most people, including people who listened to Petra years ago, still don't know about J&H.

I admit, I'm angry about all this. I really thought this was at least a couple of years down the road.

[adrinux]

are not petra going to record a cd???
How could they retire when they are going to record a new album???

[seichu kaisho]

are not petra going to record a cd???
How could they retire when they are going to record a new album???

Unfortunately (and very much so), Bob and John said they're not gonna make a new album. Petra retiring - well, I can handle that okay, but no more albums???

Then again, if they were still making new albums, then that would mean I would be impatiently awaiting their release dates. It was awful waiting an entire summer until the release of Jekyll and Whatever - and wasn't even till 3 days after August 19 that I finally found a copy!

[micah]

Have to agree with Lexington about Air1. Did they once play anything from J&H? If not, that's flat out insane. And yes, they alone might have been able to save the band.

[Dan]

It is sad that Petra's huge home country doesn't support them anymore.

EVERYONE ON THE ZONE NEEDS TO EMAIL ATTACK THE RECORD COMPANYS MAGAZINES TV AND OTHER MEDIA THAT HAS IGNORED PETRA THE BEST ROCK BAND ON EARTH FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS -THIS MEANS WAR

I USUALLY DON'T LIKE WHAT BRENT HAS TO SAY BUT HE IS RIGHT THIS TIME.

[brent]

And watch for this. Today is the day that the press release is supposed to go out, right? Listen to the stations. Make note of how many do not run the story this week. On those stations that DO NOT play Petra, see if they run the press release. Of those that run the release, see how many play some old song behind it, say pre-Word or pre-InPop. I believe that it will be eye opening. Here, all that they played up until the Legends concert in 98 was The Coloring Song, and then they stopped cold.

BTW, I haven't gone off of the deep end.

Surely you guys can see, Bob and John would validate (John did yesterday on the phone), that radio killed Petra. Bob was burned out from trying to get ignorant, self-serving people to play the best album in years, so that the tour demand would increase, so that they could make a living. Radio wouldn't play it, so Petra had to play low-pay festivals (and paid to play in Europe) to captive audiences. Once the people heard it, they loved it. But the band that once made radio around the world looks of goolosh, now is run by kids with their heads in a very dark place.

I would still recommend calling or going to visit the radio stations in your towns, to tell them what is imprtant to you. They will listen if you hit them in the wallet. They are low-grossing usually, and need every penny to operate.

K Love, Air1, etc are big machines. Not quite as big as a Clear Channel or Cox network. They are very formatted. Air1 is a bit more hip, and maybe offers some flexibility here and there. But for the most part, these are owned by publishing companies. KLove is in with CCM Magazine, etc. If you are not in their family, it is hard to get in. If you are in, you are IN. I actually listen to Air1 every now and then. So don't think that I am a complete radio fascism spokesman.

[Preacherman777]

You know all this talk about don't blame anyone. Don't blame the record companies and don't blame radio because it was just time for Petra to retire and it's nobody's fault. Well, that seems a bit short sighted to me because the fans who are upset about these things are just taking their cues from the guys themselves who are saying this is why we can't continue. I really don't think its fair to accuse people of being bitter because they are discussing the very things that Petra themselves are saying is responsible for causing them to retire. If you really have a problem with this, you'd best go to the source and tell the guys in Petra not to blame anyone.

[brent]

Ok people, this is my last post here. It has been really wild talking with fellow fans from around the world. I hope to see some of you in the future at Petra shows, or maybe at a PDC show. FYI, if PDC goes out, John, Greg and Paul will be in the band pending availability/scheduling.

When I said that we shouldn't point fingers, I meant at InPop. Of course they were doing their thing. Petra's mananger and Inpop are blood. They did their best to preserve Petra IMO. Point fingers at radio all you want.

Lookie here, even ClearChannel has recognized that only appealing to the female in that age group is a mistake. They alienated 60-70 percent of the real radio listening public, the male. Males listen intently to music. Females listen passively yet longer to radio. There is a difference! They lost mucho profit dollars in advertising last year as a result. They recently (over night) went back to the 80's and 90's music (and current music from 80's and 90's stars) in 4 major markets. Why? Todays music has no longevity. There are no long-term, real rock and roll stars anymore. There are no musical hero's that will be remembered forever like Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Satriani, Led Zep, The Who, etc, etc.

To quote a small obscure band, "Dance with the one who brung ya". I will forever be one who appreciates a bunch of saved hippies getting together to jam, and what would grow out of that. Petra and a few others were my only musical influences for a year or two, during some troubling teen years. My family life was literally hell. Petra has always been a bunch of well rehearsed guys, with a great message, and good music. Had it not been for them, I don't know what I would have listened to at that time. God bless the guys past and present, God bless all of the Petheads past and present, and God bless (PLEASE!?!) the "christian" music industry before it goes completely to hell.

[pmal]

I've heard all the stuff about radio not playing Petra and most of it is true. My station here in Greenville 89.3 HIS Radio plays Petra though but they are more of an adult cotemporary station. Most of it is pre-Schlitt era but they do play Petra from Petra Praise II, most notably Lord I Lift Your Name on High and they did play Till Everything I Do if it was requested and even some from Revival. This is in their 24 hour a day rotation/format. However, on their contemporary, three hour show on Saturday night, the Sound of Light, they played a J&H song pretty much every week after it was released for basically up to a year so I have to hand it to them. They seemed really open to Petra (maybe the staff were old fans) and the listeners did also. But, its hard to gain a following without a tour anywhere near here. I think if they would have had a real tour, they could have made a comeback because as was mentioned, everywhere they played the people liked the show. But, you never know, it might not have made a difference ...