Say You Want A Revolution?
By Daniel Brian Abbey

Ever noticed how Petra innovates at roughly the start of each decade? In 1972 they released their pioneering self-titled debut album. In 1981 the put out Never Say Die, their first well-packaged and true "hit" album. 1990 saw the release of Beyond Belief, arguably the most outstanding Christian rock album of all time (not to mention Petra's best studio effort to date). It's now 2002 and if the trend holds up, Petra should be set to release another significant album.

So what's the Petra music revolution we should be gearing up for?

Well, the time has come for Petra to bend the rules again and release a killer rock album. And not just that - they should do it strictly online. Not just in an innocuous text & image, eye-candy HTML format, I mean a trumped up, full-throttle digital-music-revolution of sorts.

Make sense? It should. It's no secret that Petra, the 30-year-old band that is undoubtedly the greatest rock group to come out of the Christian music scene, has had a flagging career as of late. Their most recent release, the marginally successful praise and worship album Revival, was a mixed bag and way short of what they are capable of - and are expected to create. Indeed, their most memorable effort was more than 10 years ago with 1990's Grammy award winning Beyond Belief. That album set the rock standard, even for other Christian bands, and since then, all Petra's efforts have been squared with that record. Unfortunately, their subsequent efforts all fall short of the unprecedented impact BB had.

Sure they made some commendable albums after BB and even won three more Grammy awards as the years wore on. From an artistic standpoint the last decade has been the most rewarding for Petra in terms of mainstream recognition. But critics will argue that it has been a downhill progression ever since the band decided to tome down their sound - literally hold off the guitar riffs and solo's - something that has put a hole in the band's sound to this day.

It's a harsh summary for sure. And no doubt many of us will defend Petra's last 10 years with fierce pride and justification. But the verdict is clear - Petra is not what it used to be. If there's one thing everyone can agree on, fans and critics alike, it's this: Petra simply doesn't rock anymore.

Again, that's another point that can be contested. And sure, it's not all about heavy music, strong album sales, chart-topping tunes and Dove Awards. It's about the will of God, right?

But the will of God is not just some arbitrary concept where Christian's just stand around waiting for a cosmic finger to flick things into motion. We're all involved in making our lives and careers work - Christian rock bands too.

OK, so let's put things into perspective: Petra were formerly the toast of the CCM industry but are now, in short, not so out in front. The debate as to why exactly this happened is an ongoing one, a heated discussion among fans that yields few answers, none of which are really relevant here. The issue is not what Petra should have or could have done but rather what should they do in light of all that's happened to them.

"After 30 years a rock 'n' roll band does not find itself at the top of its game and at the top of the charts without embracing change," said a recent edition of Yahoo Internet Life magazine, reporting on Aerosmith's latest music ventures on the internet. "Aerosmith has explored new technologies with its trademark enthusiasm and creativity - which might explain why it's fans range from the over-50 crowd to uber-wired teens."

Petra has been known for change and has been both praised and criticized for the varied sound tweaking and line-up changes over the years. Change and experimentation are certainly not new to the band. The question is, with flagging sales, a mediocre promotion effort by their record label, a dwindling fan base and the prospect of never making an album again, how should Petra respond?

The answer is simple - rock hard and go online.

Internet Music Revolution

To promote and sell a record album strictly online is a scary proposition. But I believe it's the answer. No more "container makers" (record labels), and no nationwide shop releases. Just 100% web, all the way. Risky? Sure. Insane? Arguably. The right thing to do? You bet.

It's simply the way to go. Musicians and industry analysts have long acknowledged this. Of course labels don't endorse such ballsy music ventures but they sure understand the potential of selling solely through the internet. Al Teller, former chief executive of MCA Music group says, "What the web offers is an opportunity for the artist to go directly to the consumer." Gone are the days when record labels were the only means to reach audiences - the digital age has obliterated many boundaries set up by the traditional music industry by providing an open venue for musicians to sell straight to the fans.

Take Prince (or whatever name, sign or acronym he's using now). After his bitter break up with Warner Bros Records he turned to his website and released Crystal Ball, an extraordinary five-CD boxed set available for delivery by mail. Online sales figures came in at 250,000 and at $50 apiece, Prince walked away a very happy and wealthier man to say the least.

Massive Attack, the awesome British electronica band, has perhaps an even more impressive story. In 1998 they released the whole of their third album Mezzanine online - all 11 tracks, for free, three weeks before shop availability. Their website received 1,313,644 hits and the songs were downloaded 101,673 times before Mezzanine hit the stands on April 20. A further 1,602,658 hits were registered a month after the shop release. And even thought the entire album was available for free online, Mezzanine went straight to number one on the British album chart.

Third case: a lesser-known outfit, another electronica band called Underworld, once offered a free, full -length MP3 file on its site and recorded 400,000 hits in one day, a remarkable - and revealing - response to a band only reasonably famous.

These are but a few stories and sure they involve big time names. But the fact is clear - the internet is a medium that offers great opportunity and few limits for artists. With the right amount of creativity, planning and faith, Petra can use the World Wide Web to an exciting and revolutionary advantage.

To be fair and reasonable, not everything will be peaches and cream with such a move. There will be disadvantages. Record labels are comfort zones and obviously offer invaluable recording/promotional services - if backed and seen to properly. But in Petra's case, it seems the last couple of labels have had little faith in what the band can accomplish.

Granted, Petra's current label inpop has done a great job in remarketing Petra and getting them back in the game. But there still seems to be a leash on the band - inpop pushed for a moderate rock praise and worship album, something the fans were hardly interested in. They didn't want to gamble with an all out rock record, choosing to play safe with yet another subdued pop-rock album. The result was a mixed bag - the tunes were okay - but overall it was another let down. The only saving grace was that they didn't name it Petra Praise III.

Inpop tried valiantly to help Petra get back on track, doing a far better job than Word Records and they should be commended for that. Their efforts have been instrumental in keeping Petra alive. But it's time to move on again.

Petra needs to get back into the driver's seat - in pioneering mode, if you will. They blazed the way back in the 70s, 80s and 90s - why not do so in the new millennium? It's expected of them to break free and do something new. For Petra, trailblazing should be second nature. It goes without saying.

The tools are certainly in place. The internet is a given. Studio time and facilities shouldn't be a problem (there's even a Christian "no fee rehearsal/recording studio" called Michael J's Sound Studio that offers its services in the name of spreading the gospel). The fans or "Petheads" as they are known, have never been more devoted to Petra's cause. And this is one of Petra's key strengths - fan loyalty. It's the help and noise that Petra die-hards create that will buoy such an internet venture to success.

There are roughly 20+ Petra fansites out there and at the drop of a hat all webmasters are willing to plug and support a new Petra album via the internet. There's even talk amongst webmasters of pooling together resources and coming up with more concentrated ways of promoting Petra and advancing their ministry.

The rest of the fans are more than capable of creating an online stir - all you have to do is check out the Petrazone to see just how passionate they work together in supporting the band. Earlier this year, in a fit of ecstasy that their favorite band was back with Revival, fans swamped rollingstone.com's poll for best band and put Petra on top, besting heavyweights like the Beatles and Led Zeppelin.

And let's not forget that the internet virtually runs on hype which again, when harnessed properly and dispensed by the fans, can be used to great advantage.

The talent, passion and creativity are all there. It's just a matter of tapping people and getting them involved. Is it too much to envision a central website, designed, created and maintained by a group of Petra webmasters, that's dedicated strictly to a new album and backed and promoted by the legion of battle-hungry Petheads?

Is it too hard to imagine Petra fans spearheading a catchy email campaign that promotes the new album? Is it too much to ask that we drop by every conceivable music forum/message board to plug/promote/scream the return of the greatest Christian rock band on the planet?

Is it inconceivable for fans to place large signs in the rear windows of their cars announcing the release date of the new record?

I don't think so.

The machinery is there. Careful planning and collaboration between the band and Petheads will most surely yield constructive and stimulating results.

To Rock or Not to Rock

Of course, all this means nothing if Petra come up with a crap album.

No matter how slick a website and ad campaign, the project will fall flat on its face if the record doesn't live up to its sales pitch.

Whether Petra can deliver what the fans want is a hazy issue. The general sentiment is that everybody wants a hard rock album, harking back to the late 80s early 90s sound that dominated Petra albums. It's not that we want an exact reprisal of the admittedly dated rock sounds of On Fire! and Beyond Belief - most of us will settle for a modern hard rock sound.

It's just that fans have put up with enough experimentation with pop and keyboard-over-guitar music that another "soft" album will hurt too much. What happened to the blistering solo's that Bob Hartman is capable of? The heavy riffs that made Petra such a monster hit way back when? The often-ominous sounding anthems that flew in the face of traditional Christian music and brought thousands of curious listeners to the throne of God?

They did it with Judas' Kiss and a host of other early 80's rock songs. On Fire! and Beyond Belief made no apologies. Petra means rock and for quite a time, they did exactly that.

It's not a question of lyrics - Bob Hartman has always delivered the goods in that department and continues to tower above the rest of the CCM industry with his ability to write powerful, though-provoking songs. It's the music. There simply hasn't been enough muscle pumping, die-for-Jesus rock anthems on the past few Petra albums.

Some claim that Christian rock music doesn't sell. I don't buy that argument. It's absurd. All the fans demand a hard rock album. Petra was designed to reach a rock-loving audience. How on earth are they to connect with the lovers of Creed, Linkin Park, Incubus and other bands of the moment? Certainly not by playing weak, watered down music.

John Schlitt has repeatedly expressed interest in creating a hard rock record again - in his interviews you literally feel the guy just itching to get to work. They say when Hartman reentered the studio for Revival, he hadn't "lost his chops". Yet both seemed to have "held back" on the last few Petra albums. Indeed, Hartman's website boasts more sound clips of crunchy guitar than recent Petra records do.

Petra needs to make some crucial decisions. They are not getting any younger and if they end their careers in Petra soon, fans expect them to at least go out with a bang.

We want a rock record! Think the gustiness of Come and Join Us. Think the cutting-edginess of More Power To Ya. Think the raw power of Beyond Belief. Petra means rock. Rock will put them on top again.

It might be worth remembering the success of Santana's 1997 hit Supernatural. A powerhouse collection of songs featuring contributions from young and talented artists like Dave Matthews, Lauryn Hill and Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas, Supernatural captured the hearts and minds of listener's not just because of the nifty solo's and samba rhythms but because of the dynamic chemistry between Santana and his young colleagues.

There's no reason Petra shouldn't experiment with a similar concept. It hasn't been done extensively by a Christian band yet. Petra can be the first.

Bring in dcTalk's crooning Kevin Max and have him duet with Schlitt on a power ballad. Let Hartman alternate guitar solo duties with Pete Stewart. Feature the talents of Jennifer Knapp, Jars of Clay and other "big" names in the CCM industry. Maybe they could even try a reunion number with John Lawry as special guest - or even bring the original 70s lineup back for a live recording of the 20-minute ego-fest Backsliding Blues. The options are endless.

Bottom Line

It's all down to God and Petra. God will ultimately take care of the success of the entire venture, from concepts to recording to sales and promotion. It's all His business, it always has been. As far as trusting God is concerned, Petra knows what it takes to heed the guidance of the Lord.

As for Petra, the ball is in their court. Selling an album online is a frightening prospect. But it's not impossible. The options are there, and the fans have made clear what they want too. It's all back to a simple matter of faith. The band has been striking out in faith for years. What's one more gutsy charge into new and dynamic musical territory?

As for the rest of us, we'll just have to sit tight and wait. Personally, I'm ready willing and able to help the band to the best of my abilities. My creative juices are poised, just as my $19 is for the killer Petra CD I've long been waiting for.

Care to rock anyone?

~ Daniel Brian Abbey