Servant (band)

Servant was a Canadian Christian rock group that grew out of the counter-culture Jesus Movement of the sixties and seventies. The band was founded by evangelist Jim Palosaari in Victoria, British Columbia in 1976 and performed to audiences throughout North America, Europe and Australia for over 12 years. Originally named “Higher Ground”, the group quickly changed their name to Servant. They were known for challenging the Christian church to repent and turn back to social justice and caring for the poor. A Servant rock concert was like a festival event. The band was known to incorporate comedy and short skits in their sets on stage. Servant was also the first Christian rock group to use laser lights, flame tubes, fireworks, fog machines, in addition to an extensive light show and quadraphonic sound.

Servant toured extensively throughout America, Europe and Australia in concert halls and at music festivals like "Creation" and "Greenbelt". They recorded 6 studio albums with songs that ranked in the Top 40 Contemporary Christian Music Charts including "Come Jesus Come", "Holding on to You", "Thank God", "We are the Light", and "Surrender."

From 1981 to 1985, bands that fronted for Servant included Petra, DeGarmo & Key, Joe English (of Paul McCartney & Wings fame), Will McFarlane (recorded with Jackson Browne), Randy Matthews, Jerusalem, and Steve Camp. Grammy award winning Petra opened for Servant on tour in late 1981 and early 1982 just as Petra's breakthrough album, Never Say Die was being released.

Formative Years: Servant has some origins in 1973 from “Lonesome Stone”, a Christian rock musical touring Europe that Palosaari billed as a multi-media production of the Jesus generation portrayed in music, film and drama to rival the likes of the musical Godspell. Lonesome Stone was an outreach of Jesus People Europe, which came out of Jesus People Milwaukee. (Jesus People Milwaukee also formed the basis of what eventually became Jesus People USA in Chicago.) After Jesus People Europe broke up, a year later some members formed the Highway Missionary Society based in B.C., Canada. By 1976, Servant was an outreach of the Highway Missionary Society, which was later named The Servant Community in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Band Line-up

* Sandie Brock: Lead Vocals
* Bob Hardy: Lead Vocals (1979-1984)
* Bruce Wright: Lead Guitar, backing vocals 1977-1985)
* Owen Brock: Rhythm Guitar, backing vocals
* Rob Martens: Bass, backing vocals
* David Holmes: Drums, backing vocals (also lead vocals on early albums)
* Matt Spransy: Keyboards (1981-1986)
* Eric Odell: Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, 12-string Electric (1984-1986)
* Tim Spransy: Lead Guitar (1985-1987)

Discography

* "Shallow Water" (1979), Tunesmith
* "Rockin Revival" (1981), Tunesmith
* "Remix" (1981), Horizon
* "World of Sand" (1982), Rooftop Records
* "Caught in the Act of Loving Him" (1983), Rooftop Records
* "Light Maneuvers" (1984), Myrrh Records
* "Swimming in a Human Ocean" (1985), Myrrh Records

External links

* [http://www.servantband.com Servant Official Home Page]
* [http://www.christianmusicarchive.com/artist.php?id=6199 Christian Music Archive, Servant]
* [http://www.geocities.com/abdulmuhib Palosaari's Page]