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--- altar_boys [2018/08/05 20:41] – admin
+++ altar_boys [2026/11/07 02:24] (current) – admin
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 Punk Rock\\
-California
+California, USA
 Altar Boys were Christian punk rock band from California formed in 1982. The original members were [[Mike Stand]] (vocals, songwriting, and guitar), Jeff Crandall (drums), Steve Pannier (guitars) and [[Ric Alba]] (bass, background vocals). Mark Robertson would later replace Alba on bass.
+The formation of The Altar Boys, according to [[Mike Stand]]:
+"In 1980 I committed my life to Jesus Christ and began working on my salvation with “fear and trembling”. I began playing in a Christian rock group called “Image” with my cousins Jeff and Bill Crandall and a guy named Armand Barocio. We were not really that good, but it was a start. The band lasted for about two years.
+Anyway, Bill and Armand kind of dropped out of Image after about a year and we got a different bass player along with Ken Tamplin from Shout but that really didn’t work either. Jeff and I decided to form a different band – the Altar Boys name came later. Ironically, we auditioned lead singers, and someone who could be a front man. I had no intention of being the main songwriter, singer or front man – it wasn’t even on my radar. As you might guess we couldn’t find anyone who fit the bill, so at some point I decided just to do it – I suppose it worked out in the end and was meant to be.
+I remember in 1981 I went to see my brother’s band “The Lifesavors” play and became inspired. I became good friends with the guys in Undercover and began writing songs with a more punk feel to them. I kind of felt that I was just writing Beatles music that was sped up. We did experiment with ska and light pop, but I think we did the “power punk” (or whatever you want to call it) the best. Hence, you see the results of what I was really going for on //Gut Level Musi//c, //When You’re a Rebel// had hints of it as did //Against the Grain//. By the time we recorded //Forever Mercy// we had kind of strayed from our original sound – bad move.
+Our first bass player came as a recommendation from Undercover, he stayed with us for about 2 years until Ric joined the band – that change improved the band greatly. Steve auditioned for the group in May of 1982 – he was a real good fit.
+We played our first gig at First Baptist church in Fullerton in July of 1983. I have some great photos from that gig. We were well received. After that first performance the band sort of took off and we played anywhere and everywhere, about 10 times a month… I suppose the rest is history (With a small h).
+We sought to be a little more melodic on //Forever Mercy//. But our fan base loved the hard driving stuff. With that said, the //Forever Mercy// project was just so different, it had its good moments but everyone wanted to hear //Gut Level Music//. In the end, the music did not “work” very well in the live setting. Hence we pulled mostly from our older material.... We were hoping to do a 6th record called //No Substitute// that really was basically more in line with //Gut Level Music//, but we just could not seem to get back into the studio. Some of those songs were used on the [[Clash of Symbol]]’s first recording while others are not going anywhere."
 ===== Discography =====
 | 1983 | Demo |
-| 1984 | [[Altar Boys]] | [[Ministry Resource Center]] |
+| 1984? | Live Demo |
-| 1985 | [[When You're a Rebel]] | [[Alarma Records]] |
+| 1984 | Altar Boys | [[Ministry Resource Center]] |
-| 1986 | [[Gut Level Music]] | [[Alarma Records]] |
+| 1985 | When You're a Rebel | [[Alarma Records]] |
-| 1987 | [[Against the Grain]] | [[Alarma Records]] |
+| 1986 | Gut Level Music | [[Alarma Records]] |
-| 1989 | [[Forever Mercy]] | [[Alarma Records]] |
+| 1987 | Against the Grain | [[Alarma Records]] |
-| 1990 | [[Mercy Thoughts]] |
+| 1989 | Forever Mercy | [[Alarma Records]] |
-| 1991 | [[The Collection]] | [[Alarma Records]] |
+| 1990 | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2026/11/07/altar-boys-mike-stand-mercy-thoughts/|Mercy Thoughts]] |
-| 1992 | [[No Substitute]] | (unreleased) |
+| 1991 | The Collection | [[Alarma Records]] |
-| 2000 | [[Live at Cornerstone]] | [[Millenium Eight Records]] |
+| 1992 | No Substitute | (unreleased) |
-| 2018 | [[No Substitute]] | [[Lo-Fidelity Records]] |
+| 2000 | Live at Cornerstone | [[Millenium Eight Records]] |
+| 2018 | No Substitute | [[Lo-Fidelity Records]] |
 ------
@@ Line 35: / Line 50: @@
   - You're Lost (1:36)
   - Anytime at All (2:21)
+------
+==== Live Demo ====
+? Independent
+  - I'm Into God
+  - Ballad of Chucky
+  - Oh Nancy
+  - Alright
+  - Take in the Son
+  - Come Along and See
+  - Where's it Gonna Lead You
+  - Now Your Mine
+  - Mary Ann
+These are all live recordings. The band would hand these out at their shows along with a business card.
 ------
@@ Line 288: / Line 321: @@
 Lo-Fidelity Records
-The unreleased demos from 1992 were cleaned up, finished, and to be released soon.
+The unreleased demos from 1992 were cleaned up, finished, and finally released.
+  - Rebel Rock (4:38)
+  - No Substitute (4:00)
+  - Let Me See Your Hands (3:32)
+  - Light of Freedom (4:01)
+  - Outside in the Distance (3:25)
+  - History Comes Back to Haunt This World (5:18)
+  - The Kids Cry (3:58)
+  - Surround Me (4:34)
+  - Thousand Miles (4:27)
+  - Devotion (4:28)
+  - Give Our Hearts Back to God (4:16)
+  - Revolution of Love (2:53)
 ------
+===== Links =====
+  * [[http://downthelinezine.com/archives/mike-stand-and-the-altar-boys/|Down the Line interview with Mike Stand]]
+{{tag>punk_rock california united_states 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1989 1990 1991 1992}}