Joshua (band)

Joshua is a Christian metal band that formed in 1980.Harvnb|Hale|1993|loc="1496 Joshua", pp. 171-172] The band broke up and re-formed many times under differing names, but has remained centered around guitarist Joshua Perahia. Despite being based in Los Angeles, California, they are best known internationally - in Europe, Japan, and South America.

History

The band's first release was entitled "The Hand Is Quicker Than The Eye", which referred to Perahia's well known guitar skills. Released by Enigma Records in 1983, the single "November Is Going Away" was the band's biggest hit, achieving #1 status in Japan. Front man Perahia had a religious experience at a Hal Lindsey-lead bible study in 1983, and converted to Protestant Christianity from his Greek Orthodox upbringing. After this, the band broke up for the first of many times.

Perahia put together a new band for "Surrender" which involved Jeff Fenholt. "Surrender" was released on RCA Records in 1985. Lyrically, the album marked a change in the band's style to lyrics which were evangelical and confrontational in nature. Rob Rock was involved with their final album as Joshua, "Intense Defense". Following "Intense", Perahia reformed the band as Jaguar. Jaguar included Robin Kyle Basauri on vocals Joe Tafoya on drums and Bryan Fleming on Bass. The band never released material under this name.cite book |last=Powell |first=Mark Allan |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music |year=2002 |publisher=Hendrickson Publishers |location=Peabody, Massachusetts |isbn=1-56563-679-1 |edition=First printing |chapter=Joshua (Los Angeles) (and M Pire a.k.a. Joshua Perahia) |pages=459]

In 1995, the group re-formed as M Pire. They released one album under this name, "Chapter One", though it was never released in the US. The band then changed names again, to Joshua Perahia. Perahia states "We went back (from MPire to Joshua) to re-fire.... re-ignite what we had before."http://vampire-magazine.com/showband.php?bid=7489, Parts reprinted from "HM Magazine".] The band found themselves without a permanent vocalist, and hired Alex Ligertwood of Santana to fill the spot on "Something to Say". However, while in production the band recruited Jerry Gabriel and re-recorded the vocals. As a result, the album (except one track) contains the Gabriel lead vocals, and the Ligertwood vocals are available in the DVD release. One song, "The First and the Last" appeared on the Larry Buchanan directed movie "The Copper Scroll of Mary Magdalene" in 2004.

Other Projects

Members of Joshua have long been involved in various musical scenes. "Surrender" vocalist Jeff Fenholt was the former lead singer of the broadway musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Beyond his involvement with "Jesus Christ Superstar", Fenholt was briefly in Black Sabbath and later made regular appearances on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Bassist Robin Kyle Basauri was later in the Christian metal band Die Happy and Red Sea. Rob Rock had briefly been involved with Impellitteri, and would later return to the band. The Christian band Shout was formed in 1987 by three members of Joshua - Joseph Galletta, Loren Robinson, and Ken Tamplin, who also had a successful solo career.

Several members were also in metal bands, mostly based in the LA area. Mahlon Hawk formed Centerfold in 1987 with Kurt Wada.Harvnb|Hale|1993|loc="0508 Centerfold", p. 61] Steve Fontaine briefly participated in Uriah Heep,Harvnb|Hale|1993|loc="3156 Uriah Heep", p. 369] and Rich Ortz later provided vocals for Sixty Nine.Harvnb|Hale|1993|loc="2685 Sixty Nine (US)", p. 319] Donnie Gougeon joined White Sister in 1985,Harvnb|Hale|1993|loc="3336 White Sister", p. 396] and Emil Lech appeared on the final Sound Barrier album, "Speed of Light" (1986).Harvnb|Hale|1993|loc="2763 Sound Barrier", p. 337] He was also in the band Driver, which at one point also inciuded Rob Rock and Greg Shultz.Harvnb|Hale|1993|loc="0913 Driver", p. 104]

Discography

As Joshua Perahia:
*2001: "Something to say"As M Pire:
*1995: "Chapter One" (Long Island records)
*1995: "Double Trouble" (Long Island records)As Joshua:
*1988: "Intense Defense" (RCA Records)
*1985: "Surrender"
*1983: "The Hand Is Quicker Than The Eye" (Enigma)

Members

*Joshua Perahia - guitar (1980 - Present)

M Pire to present
*Michael O'Mara - vocals (-01)
*Eric Stoskopf - Drums
*Jerry Gabriel - Vocals
*Joey Rochrich - Bass

1985 - Jaguar
*Rob Rock, vocals (88+)
*Billy Green, vocal
*Emil Lech - bass
*Greg Shultz - keyboard
*Tim Gherd - keyboard
*Greg Velasco - vocals (86+)
*Ken Layers - guitar, vocals
*Robin Kyle Bassuri - vocals (-91)
*Joe Tafoya - Drums (91 - 92)
*Bryan Fleming - Bass (91 - 93)

Second LP
*Patrick Bradley - keyboard
*Joseph Galletta - drum
*Ken Tamplin - guitar, vocals
*Jeff Fenholt - vocals (85-88)
*Rich Ortz - vocals (-84)

First LP
*Mahlon Hawk - bass
*Donnie Gougeon - keyboard
*Michael Ingles - guitar
*Anthony Zaccaglin - drums
*Steve Fontaine - vocals (-85)

References

Citations

*Citation |last=Hale |first=Mark |title=Headbangers |publisher=Popular Culture, Ink |place=Ann Arbor, Michigan |publication-date=1993 |isbn=1-56075-029-4.

Further reading

* "KERRANG!" #133 (13/11/1986)

External links

* [http://www.joshuaperahia.com Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/joshuaperahia Official MySpace Page]
* [http://www.tollbooth.org/2002/reviews/jperahia.html Review of "Something to say"] at "The Phantom Tollbooth"

Band Profiles:
* [http://www.rockbandlounge.com/band.asp?sbn=joshua-perahia Profile] at Rock Band Lounge
* [http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=3326 Joshua] at "Encyclopaedia Metallum"
* [http://www.nolifetilmetal.com/joshua.html Profile] at No Life Till Metal
* [http://vampire-magazine.com/showband.php?bid=7489 Profile] at vampire-magazine.com