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Altar Boys

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Not to be confused with S.F. Altar Boys or Altar Boyz.
For the ministers at religious services, see Altar server and Acolyte.

Altar Boys were a Christian punk rock band from California, formed in 1982. They are Mike Stand (vocals, songwriting, and guitar), Jeff Crandall (drums), Steve Pannier (guitars), Mark Robertson (bass), and Ric Alba.

Contents

[edit] Background

The Altar Boys helped pioneer Christian rock music.[1] They were known for their Ramones-style punk music, which was radically different than the Christian music common at the time of their formation.[2] Especially in their early years, they were known for being explicit with their faith in their lyrics.[2] Their sound was heavily influenced by the punk rock scene in Southern California, and they quickly became one of the best known Christian bands on that scene.[3] Their first album sold over 7000 copies without distribution, and their second disc sold 20000 units in its first two months of release.[4]

Their third and fourth releases, Gut Level Music and Against the Grain, propelled them to national standing.[1][2] Gut Level Music was explicitly aimed at a secular audience, and marked changes designed to enhance their credibility with that audience.[4] Their lyrical approach changed toward a more subtle expression of their faith.[5] They also refined their sound in an attempt to distance themselves from the punk "garage band" image that they had acquired early on.[5] They began playing in secular venues more often, and in 1987 toured England opening with The Jesus and Mary Chain.[5]

The band went on an "indefinite hiatus" in 1992.[3] Stand has resurrected many of the Altar Boys songs with a "punktry" project called The Altar Billies.[6]

Former drummer, and Stand's cousin, Jeff Crandall, is currently the worship pastor at Suguaro Canyon Church in Tucson, Arizona.[7]

[edit] Discography

  • 1984 Altar Boys (Broken Records)
  • 1985 When You're A Rebel (Alarma Records)
  • 1986 Gut Level Music (Alarma Records)
  • 1987 Against the Grain (Alarma Records)
  • 1989 Forever Mercy (Alarma Records)
  • 1990 The Collection (Alarma Records)
  • 2000 Live at Cornerstone (M8 Distribution)
  • 2000 Mercy Thoughts (M8 Distribution)

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Newcomb, Brian Quincy (May / June 1998). "History: Altar Boys". 7ball (18). 
  2. ^ a b c Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. pp. 34–35. ISBN 1-56563-679-1. 
  3. ^ a b Thompson, John J. (2000). Raised by Wolves. ECW Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-1-55022-421-4. 
  4. ^ a b Well, Chris (June 1986). "The Altar Boys Come Out of the Garage". CCM Magazine 8 (12): 14–15. ISSN 0746-0066. 
  5. ^ a b c Newcomb, Brian Quincy (December 1987). "Altar Boys Make A Human Sound". CCM Magazine 10 (6): 25. ISSN 1524-7848. 
  6. ^ Un (2011-11-01). "The Altar Billies | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's". Myspace.com. http://www.myspace.com/altarbillies. Retrieved 2012-02-01. 
  7. ^ "Music Ministries – Saguaro Canyon EFC". Saguarocanyon.org. http://www.saguarocanyon.org/ministries/music-ministries/. Retrieved 2012-02-01. 

[edit] External links

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