Dream Album

By Daniel Brian Abbey

Carlos Santana, the famed guitar lord from Mexico, has had a very colorful and distinguished career as a musician. Yet before the wild success of his last record, his fame was largely confined to old fogies (sorry Dad!) and baby-boom-era rock n rollers. Young people didn't quite dig the man and his Latin music - he wasn't exactly as "in" and exciting as the ruling one-hit wonders that parade MTV these days.

That was until he actually collaborated with some of the better talent of Generation X on his last record. Teaming up with Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, rapper/singer Lauryn Hill, and a few other of today's hottest performers, his resulting masterpiece Supernatural blasted to the top of the charts. Santana eventually romped away form the 2000 Grammy's winning most of the night's top awards, including the coveted Album Of The Year.

Collaborating with young and fresh talent, as well as jamming with a few older but nonetheless celebrated music greats, Santana did a good job of getting in touch with a juvenile and very discriminate audience. He effectively managed to gain the affections of a younger generation with his mega-release, even though he wasn't exactly the youngest and coolest person around at the time.

Now although Petra isn't a group concerned with fame and fortune, I don't think it would hurt them to experiment with the same kind of formula - working with young bands and solo artists to make their next album more "relevant" to today's Christian young people.

After all, reaching out to young people has been a slight struggle for them lately. John Schlitt, Petra's lead vocalist, has noted in recent interviews that Petra's concerts are more dominated by older people (loyalists of the Beyond Belief and Volz eras) than youth. The band has exerted effort in trying to balance this trend by infusing younger players into their lineup and pulling out an album of "modernized" Petra classics (the recent Grammy winner Double Take). Both moves have indeed helped the band get back to a younger fan base. But I'm convinced that doing a "Santana" with their next record will result in a broader and much more effective campaign.

And besides, it'll be great fun. The Godfathers of Christian Rock teaming up with the latest Christian artists - yummy!

If I were Bob Hartman (or their current producers), I would push for a 14-track album (to really satisfy the senses!) that boasts of the following:

1) An introductory rock number very reminiscent of the late 80s/early 90s HARD stuff that Petra did - except this time they can techno-orient it or something for a more up-to-date sound.

2) Hints of the new Millennium throughout the album - crunch and dissonance glued together with the odd record scratch and/or deep-throat rap that I know John Schlitt is capable of.

3) Six collaborative songs with other bands and solo artists. My suggestions? A rock anthem with Audio Adrenaline; a duet with dcTalk's Kevin Max Smith (now that'd be way cool!); a bouncy pop-rock tune with the Smalltown Poets; another duet, this time with Jennifer Knapp (not a mellow song - a rocker would suit them fine!); a slow-rock song featuring Pete Stewart, formerly of Grammatrain, on backing vocals and guitar; a soulful guitar instrumental showcasing Pete Orta (or if he does leave, Petra's next guitarist), Bob Hartman and guitar legend Phil Keaggy; an eerie, Not of this World-style acoustic song with Greg X. Volz assuming lead vocals once again (I'm getting goospebumps all over at the very thought!); and lastly (and best of all) a closing rock-fest-of-a-song featuring Petra's "Beyond Belief" era lineup (Ronny Cates on bass, John Lawry on Keyboards, Bob Hartman on guitars along with mainstays Schlitt and Weaver).

4) Another awesome flying guitar cover!

5) An accompanying world tour that kicks off in the U.S. and stops by the PHILIPPINES so I can get my first and probably last live taste of them!

Oh, and the title. Hmmm, it'd have to be something long and enigmatic. Like "Prophets, Craters and the Skies of Turbhan" (What on earth does that mean? I haven't the slightest idea!)

Whatever - that's something they've been good at anyway.

Ok, that's what I'd go for if I were at the helm of Petra's next album. It may be rather unorthodox for the band but I've no doubt something like this will solve their audience woes and make them the toast of the CCM scene again. More Power To Ya guys!

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