petra going to retire?

[LexingtonPethead]

Lex, on this one, I'm with you 100%!!!!

I knew we could agree on something.

[executioner]

It won't be a best of album. Inpop has given them a go on a full length all new material album to be released this year. When we went to Shoutfest last fall that is all Bob could talk about is a new album and that they would be back. Bob has even said that being back on tour was very fresh and new and he felt like he was starting over again with the guys. There are NO plans on retiring in the near future, but they will take it album by album and see.

[LexingtonPethead]

It won't be a best of album. Inpop has given them a go on a full length all new material album to be released this year. When we went to Shoutfest last fall that is all Bob could talk about is a new album and that they would be back. Bob has even said that being back on tour was very fresh and new and he felt like he was starting over again with the guys. There are NO plans on retiring in the near future, but they will take it album by album and see.

I am really glad to hear that. I know these guys are probably getting tired of it all, but I know they have a lot more great music to do. Even if they retired from the road, they could still put out music.

At least until Bob gets arthritis!

[Auspet]

Aaaaaagghh!! What a subject to make my first post on. Hi guys, this is my first time using a forum, so please forgive me if I'm not up to speed with the way everything works.

Petra to retire! Humanly speaking it has to happen at some point, but my heart says, please not just yet! Their music and their message has had so much influence in my life and walk with God that it pains me to even think about it. But in God's time (hopefully later rather than sooner) it will happen. All good things must come to an end except Christs' love and His Kingdom.

What ever happens in the next few years, God will have used these four guys (and the many past band members) to show the world His love and message through them. Thankyou Petra for making yourselves available to minister to countless people across the globe, and for entertaining us Beyond Belief.

Now! Bring on the next Petra rock album!

[LexingtonPethead]

Here's an idea... maybe when Bob and John do retire they could bring in another guitarist and vocalist, but they would stay involved in songwriting and as overseers of the band for overall direction. Petra would continue with new blood, maybe even a new sound to recapture the younger market, but Bob and John would never be totally out of the picture, just out of the studio and off the stage. And to satisfy the Petheads out there, the CD booklets would contain their pictures and describe their involvement in the new Petra. That way, they could retire without completely being uninvolved.

After all, Bob sort of did that anyway in the mid-to-late-90s. Even if John had joined him on that hiatus or sorts, it still would have been Petra because of Bob's songwriting and influence in the studio as well as John's input.

[joe]

My friends is time to us pray for Petra and everyone. God will lift this call in the heart of John, Bob, Greg and Paul. Stand in the Gap.

[Arni!]

I play in Braquet, the band who opened for Petra at their Faroese gig last night. The rumours have been going around about Petra retiring for a week or something and I thought I'd ask John about it. He said that he and Bob have been talking about it. Their reason was, I qoute, that they were "tired of fighting the youth." Apparently the situation in the states is pretty bad. They play bad venues at bad times and are, I qoute again, "not discriminated for our music anymore, now it's our age." People in the states won't get over the fact that half of the band is in their 50's. John said this battle for attention in the states was getting old and was the reason he and Bob were talking about quitting. On a lighter note, he also said they were reconsidering, as their situation in the rest of the world was as good as always. The play big venues and sell lots of cds. He said this last tour had given them new things to consider. It had encouraged them. He said that they would definately last to the end of this year. If not more.

About a new album, I spoke to John several times and he kept mentioning a live cd they have been wanting to do for years. They want to do it this year. They wanted to do a live album, but were forced to do Double Take by the label when that one came out (don't remember the year). I also heard someone talking about them releasing a big box-set with all the records in it, but I didn't hear from the band themselves.

[calicowriter]

Thank you so much Arni for talking to the band and for posting here about the retirement rumors.

Well, I think it is crystal clear what we Petheads need to do.......PRAY!

We all know that there is a niche out there somewhere for Petra, we need to pray that they find it. We need to pray that Bob and John stay encouraged and inspired; that they are able to clearly and definitively understand God's plan for their futures, unclouded by all of the negativeness here in the US. We need to pray that the body of Christ may come to realize what a valuable resource Petra is, both as a ministry and as a part of Christian music.

I think we all want what is best for the band, and obviously we all want to be in the will of God. But at this point, I think it would be wrong to go down without a fight.

[brent]

It sucks getting old.

What also sucks is the FACT that American industry, radio, etc is run by people that would know a good piece of music if it bit them in the butt! I REALLY wanted to use the donkey word.

Americans are spoiled. We have too much access to excess, and little to no education in the arts and history. Almost every rock band does much better in Europe than in the US. Check out www.melodicrock.com and look at all of the European activity from secular bands, on projects that will never see the light of day in the US.

We are discriminatory whether we like to admit it or not.

Personally, I think that if you were to put Petra on stage with a young three chord "punk" band like Reliant K, or a VERY average band getting stellar reviews like Pillar (local Tulsa boys), make the audience close their eyes, people would hear the difference in lyrical depth, hear actual music that requires skill, etc.

The worldly mindset of "if it is old, it needs replacing or elimination" is spooky. It is prevalent in our trends, in our churches, and soon to come to our healthcare systems.

[PDX]

I don't like to hear the rumor of Petra retiring. They have been such a great ministry tool in my life. I do like hearing that there might be a live album in the works though. It has been almost four years since I have seen them in concert, so I haven't heard any of Jekyll & Hyde live and would love that chance. They don't make it out to Oregon, or the Northwest for that matter, much anymore. I have a feeling some other fans feel the same way about their part of the world too.

[Michael]

The worldly mindset of "if it is old, it needs replacing or elimination" is spooky. It is prevalent in our trends, in our churches, and soon to come to our healthcare systems.

In Eastern countries, if it is old, it is considered wise and worth paying attention to. In the Star Wars universe, if it is old, it is... well, it's Yoda. Listen to him or he'll lightsaber your butt!!

[LexingtonPethead]

Their reason was, I qoute, that they were "tired of fighting the youth." Apparently the situation in the states is pretty bad. They play bad venues at bad times and are, I qoute again, "not discriminated for our music anymore, now it's our age." People in the states won't get over the fact that half of the band is in their 50's. John said this battle for attention in the states was getting old and was the reason he and Bob were talking about quitting.

This is really upsetting to me. But I understand why Bob and John feel the way they do. I would feel the same way. But they have to know they have many fans out there who want them to keep making music and who will keep buying their music.

Being on the road is one thing. I understand how frustrating and demotivating it is for them to play bad venues here in America. But what if they retired from the road but continued to record new music? Why should they stop putting out new music just because the road shows are a struggle?

And if age is that much of a factor and they really do want to retire, why don't they find a young Bob-esque guitarist and a John-esque singer and direct the new Petra from behind the scenes? It would be a shame for Petra's ministry to grind to a halt due to retirement. Their ministry is larger than that.

[separateunion]

Personally, I think that if you were to put Petra on stage with a young three chord "punk" band like Reliant K, or a VERY average band getting stellar reviews like Pillar (local Tulsa boys), make the audience close their eyes, people would hear the difference in lyrical depth, hear actual music that requires skill, etc.

I can't really speak for Pillar, since I've only heard one song, but I can tell you flat out that people enjoy Relient K a lot more because of their witty, tongue in cheek lyrics as opposed to (what they consider) the preachy lyrics Petra uses.

But a comparison between the two bands isn't really fair because they are two completely different genres. Relient K is more of a teeny bopper punk band while Petra is a blues rock, more adult style band.

[Historymaker]

make the audience close their eyes, people would hear the difference in lyrical depth, hear actual music that requires skill, etc.

Despite that I know where you are coming from and your point can be readily evidenced by the abundance of tripe on the airwaves (both Christian and secular), I also think that it can be pretty subjective to a degree though. Especially in the instances of both Reliant K and Pillar. Pillar played right before we did at the Christian music weekend in Atlanta, and one of my favorite songs they have is one called 'Rewind'. To me, it has HUGE lyrical depth because I can relate so much to that song... whether it was written as a prayer to God or not, there WAS once someone in my life who I loved very much but yet it was someone that I hurt, lied to, and wronged to an immense degree... to the point of this person falling away from Christ. There I am watching Pillar from backstage, about to go on in 15 minutes, and I'm teetering on the threshold of breaking down and sobbing on the spot. To me, that's lyrical/musical depth. Not everyone may agree because maybe not everybody can CONNECT with the song the same way I can (and vice versa, perhaps many modern music listeners cannot CONNECT with Petra songs the same way many people here can.)

As for Reliant K, I have to agree with Mr. S. Union when he assesses their lyrical content. Very witty, very current, and very RIGHT. Notwithstanding the fact that they have matured quite a bit from the three chord punk band that I would agree they started out as (Marilyn Manson ate my girlfriend?!?). As for musicianship, they are one of the only touring rock bands (if not THE only) I've ever seen to bring a xylophone out on the stage. Sure, probably more showmanship than actual musicianship but I think that runs right into the point that it is hard to compare Petra with Reliant K, although when they (RK) played in Atlanta, there WERE a surprising number of adults in the crowd rocking out.

Petra is and I believe will always be remembered as a band with an unwavering message and powerful ministry. I don't think that necessarily makes any other band that isn't Petra chop liver... if that is our mentailty, our road is no higher than those who discriminate against Petra for reasons like age, trendiness or whatever reason has been conjured up for that particular day.

[LexingtonPethead]

Petra is and I believe will always be remembered as a band with an unwavering message and powerful ministry. I don't think that necessarily makes any other band that isn't Petra chop liver... if that is our mentailty, our road is no higher than those who discriminate against Petra for reasons like age, trendiness or whatever reason has been conjured up for that particular day.

That is an excellent point, History. There are many great bands out there besides Petra. I think some of us just get a little defensive because out of all the great bands out there, Petra is our favorite, and we get tired of seeing them take it on the chin at every turn it seems.

I still say that when you consider everything Petra has been ministry-wise to so many people, I could easily envision Petra becoming a studio band rather than a studio AND touring band. Of course, being on the road is one way to promote their music, but it hasn't accomplished much here in the states anyway to encourage CD sales and certainly does nothing to encourage radio airplay or promotion. They could probably sell just as many CDs with a few magazine write-ups and in-store promotion at the retail level. Petheads will always buy Petra CDs.