User Tools

Site Tools


undercover

Undercover

Pogo / New Wave / Punk Rock / Gothic / Alternative Rock
Fullerton, California, USA

Undercover is an American Christian punk band based in Fullerton, California, formed in the early 1980s by Joey "Ojo" Taylor and James “Gym” Nicholson. Through more than two decades and a few lineup changes, the band released eight studio albums and two live albums, and were pioneers in what would later be called Alternative music in the Christian world. The band was known for the spiritual growth shown in their music as their career progressed; CCM Magazine once called them “the band that grew up in public.”

Undercover started as a second-generation Jesus movement based band, associated with Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and its Maranatha! Music record label.

Early Versions: 1972 - 1979

Joey Taylor moved around a lot as kid, but by 9th grade he moved his last time to Fullerton, California. He met Gym Nicholson in a mutual class, but really didn't get to interact with him much. During the last week of their senior year in high school, Nicholson asked Taylor if he would be interested in playing keyboards in a band he was forming. Taylor said yes and they had their first rehearsal in Nicholson's parents' living room in the summer of 1974. The first song they learned was “Highway Star” by Deep Purple. The band changed members and names through the years, but one constant was Nicholson and Taylor. One of these bands ended up being J.C. Rose.

Undercover (and The Lifesavers) formed out of members that came from two earlier bands, J.C. Rose and Boaz. Both bands started in 1978. They were described by John J. Thompson as “edgier than Larry Norman and Love Song.” According to Joey Taylor, Boaz was more rock and J.C. Rose was more progressive. Boaz then decided to venture into punk and new wave and J.C. Rose followed.

Jim Nicholson and Joe Taylor had been best friends since high school and were members of J.C. Rose and Boaz. Chris Wimber was in Boaz before forming The Lifesavors. Both J.C. Rose and Boaz had line-ups that were changing and intermixing. By 1979, J.C. Rose was Jim Nicolson, Joe Taylor, and Dave Hackbarth while Boaz was Chris Wimber, Danny Pavlis, Ray Hersom and Ric Alba (among a few others). J.C. Rose was also noted as having a demo tape, but it is unknown if Boaz ever recorded. Chris Wimber and Ray Hersom formed The Lifesavors.

Gary Olsen tells what he remembers of J.C. Rose in the book God's Not Dead (And Neither Are We). As of 1979, Jim Nicholson and Joe Taylor were both in the band, and they had a tape that Olsen liked. They were eventually able to convinced Olsen to join on drums. About 4-6 weeks after he joined, the band split up.

Ric Alba had this to say about the two bands:

“I played keys in Boaz starting in 1978. I met them when my drummer-since-childhood Frank Pipitone auditioned and joined J.C. Rose. Frank and I had 'got saved' at a hippie bible study group at the home of Ross Mann, and we had a hippy folk trio with Ross that broke up when Frank joined J.C. Rose. Ojo had a friend, Chris Wimber, with a band that needed a singer and keyboard player, so Ross and I joined up and there was Boaz.

“Chris' dad being John Wimber, we found ourselves opening for Lonnie Frisbee a number of times. Then we got some local notoriety for going, (gasp) “New Wave” when I wrote the song, “Francine” in 1979. This was the only Boaz song to outlive the big switcheroo of personnel when J.C. Rose and Boaz became Undercover and The Lifesavors.

“I had secretly idolized Taylor and Nicholson for their prog-rock abilities, as I was becoming a huge fan of Yes and Chris Squire at the time. I would have muscled my way into a band with them sooner but J.C. Rose's bassist, Jerry Davis, had become a good friend of mine and I respected that. Jerry became John's bassist for the Vineyard worship team, which lasted many years after that.”

Early Years of Undercover

Jim Nicolson, Joe Taylor, Danny Pavlis (drums), and Ric Alba (bass) started Undercover in about 1979 or 1980. The band decided they needed a real lead singer, so they put an ad in their church bulletin. After auditioning a number of singers, Bill Walden answered the ad and he completed the lineup. Undercover started rehearsing in a greenhouse owned by Danny's parents.

After a couple of months of practice, Undercover had their first concert along with The Lifesavors (also their first concert) and another group, The Chosen Ones (which consisted of Chris Pavlis (Danny's brother) and Brian Doidge (who would later join The Lifesavors)). The concert was at a roller skating rink in Yorba Linda sometime late in 1980. In early 1981 after many more concerts, both Undercover and The Lifesavors caught the attention of The Ministry Resource Center (MRC) and were invited to do custom albums. Undercover recorded at a warehouse and live at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.

When Undercover released its first album in 1982, it was described by some as “Christian punk,” characterized by high-energy anthems, rebellious themes, and short, three-chord songs. Mohawk hairstyles, tattoos, and torn jeans did little to convince people otherwise; nor did the next few albums, which contained punk versions of traditional hymns (“Holy Holy Holy”), shouted vocals (“God Rules”), and simplistic, direct lyrics (“Jesus is the Best”). The CCM Magazine review of their God Rules album claimed the band was New Wave rather than punk, as “the anarchy of punk is 180 degrees opposite of these boys.”

The first Undercover album had very limited distribution - mostly local stores and out of the back of the band members' cars). Ray Hersom’s used to have parties at his house that were called “burrito bashes.” Chris Wimber and Clark Edmond also lived at this house. These parties usually happened after church at Calvary Yorba Linda (which was to become The Vineyard). Dozens and dozens of people of all ages, would go to these burrito bashes where they would play the first Undercover and Lifesavers albums over and over and dance like crazy. Other people that came to these parties included Brian Healy of Dead Artist Syndrome and Chris Brigandi.

After the first album, Ric Alba, Ray Hersom, and Danny Paylis all left the band. Alba joined the Altar Boys and also released a solo album called Holes in the Floor of Heaven in 1991. Hersom left The Lifesavors before they recorded their first album and joined Undercover after their first one was recorded… but before the photo session, so he never actually played on Undercover (hence the “After Tracks” credit on the original cover). Hersom also left before God Rules was recorded. Gary Olsen joined on drums, while Taylor filled in the bottom end with keyboard-bass.

“God Rules,” the title track of the second album, is the song that set apart Undercover in the Christian music scene from the rest of the “beginning” bands. With the 1983 God Rules album, the band signed with A&S Records, which brought wider national distribution. They started traveling and playing more outside of Southern California.

In 1984, Undercover continued to grow lyrically with Boys and Girls Renounce the World. Right after the recording of the album, Bill Walden felt a calling to leave the group. Several different reasons probably contributed to his departure, including the growing pains of the band, a hectic road schedule, and starting a family. He remained a close friend to the band, occasionally even joining them onstage. At some point he joined Fourth Watch with Steve Pannier of the Altar Boys. They released one album - Dare to be the One - in 1986. Walden was replaced by Sim Wilson.

Transitions and the Break-Up/Hiatus

Taylor described the two years between Boys and Girls and Branded as “the most difficult of my life…. personal tragedy and shattered ideological expectations stripped me of everything.” Because of that, 1986's Branded took Undercover in a different direction with keyboard-laden melodies and darker, more introspective lyrics. In “Pilate”, sung from the point of view of Pontius Pilate, the persona struggles with the guilt of having crucified Jesus, confessing, “I killed him, I killed him after all.” Other song titles on this album were “Cry Myself to Sleep” and “Darkest Hour.” Taylor's divorce in 1985 influenced some of the darker lyrics, as well caused some controversy at the time. Branded was voted “Album of the Year” by the readers of Harvest Rock Syndicate.

After the release of Branded, the label it was on (Blue Collar Records) went under due to the distributor not paying the label the money it was owed. The band had grown tired of the CCM scene, so they recorded a demo of songs without overt spiritual content to shop to major record labels. They started selling the demo and it became known as the You & I EP.

After Blue Collar records went under, Gene Eugene had the idea to start a music label with JoeyTaylor and Barry Hill. The name of the corporation was Brainstorm Artists International, with Marantha Music initially agreeing to sell Broken Records to them. Their first release was Undercover's live album 3-28-87 recorded at Magic Mountain (two songs from the You & I EP were played at the concert). They began signing bands like Daniel Amos and The 77s who had no label at the time. However, they had to revert to the label name Brainstorm when the sale of Broken Records fell through. Brainstorm officially started in September of 1987.

Undercover played what the band initially saw as its last concert as a functioning band on June 5, 1987. Joey Taylor later had this to say about the decision: “the issues with me getting a divorce, Calvary shutting down its concerts, Maranatha releasing artists from their contracts, constant touring, writing and recording, all had taken their tolls on us. We agreed to stop playing for a while or maybe permanently (in my mind it was never a permanent break).”

Taylor recorded and released a solo album as Ojo called Relative in 1988. Gym Nicholson and Sim Wilson formed a band called Boys Club and released several demos. Broken Records released their first 4 albums on cassette as Volume 1 and Volume 2. Former lead singer Bill Walden joined with members of Malcolm and the Mirrors to form The Mirrors and released as album called I am Not Afraid in 1990.

In 1988, Undercover contributed a cover of “Come All Ye Faithful” to The Broken Christmas compilation. It is one of the few studio recordings to feature both Walden and Wilson as lead vocalists.

Reuniting as an Alternative Rock Band

The break up of the band proved to be short-lived. Someone approached the band to do a reunion show at the Roxy, and the response was so overwhelming that they reunited to play shows and release Balance of Power in 1990. This album also went in a dark gothic alternative hard rock direction. They continued changing to various alternative rock styles on their next three albums. However, the band had intended to get away from the depression of Branded. But Nicholson's new wife was tragically killed three weeks before recording started and Taylor's mother was diagnosed with cancer.

Their 1992 album Devotion was viewed as a rebellion to Balance of Power, with the band taking a lighter, but still heavy alternative, rock sound. The lyrics also became even more artistic and less direct. After Devotion, Sim Wilson left the band.

In 1993, Undercover released a new studio version of “One to One” on the Third Wave: Reality Rock Collection compilation. The band recruited Rob Gallas from Black and White World to sing lead vocals. He would remain with the band for their next album Forum as well. However, Gary Olsen left the band at some point after this recording. The band then recorded an acoustic track called “Symbol” for the Brow Beat (Unplugged Alternative) compilation. For this recording, they brought in Chuck Cummings (Common Bond, Dakoda Motor Co., L.S.U., Aunt Bettys, and Fanmail) on drums.

For 1994's Forum, Undercover split drum duties between Chuck Cummings and David Raven of The Swirling Eddies. The album was still alternative, but very eclectic in nature. Some people felt that it did not sound like Undercover, but many fans embraced this change as they had the others. The band toured and played live for some time after the release of Forum. Taylor later recalled a December 1995 tour to Germany as the last tour for the band. They possibly played a few shows after that, but the band kind of wound down after that. Taylor even stopped producing other bands and left the music business totally. Taylor has said on more than one occasion that the band decided sometime after 1995 that “Undercover is Ojo, Gym, Sim, and Gary,” emphasizing that any other lineup, if any, would in the future be called something else.

On their alternative rock releases, the band would continue to explore aspects of Christian life not frequently addressed by the CCM musicians who were finding increasing acceptance on secular airwaves and with secular audiences. These three albums each differed slightly in musical tone from the others, but the introspective lyrics would be a constant through the rest of the band's career.

Reissues and Reunions

At some point by 1996, Brainstorm Artists International was divided between Gene Eugene and Joey Taylor. Taylor created Innocent Media, a label that released Undercover albums and a few other bands. However, in 1997 it became mostly a label for Undercover releases.

In 1996 and 1997, Innocent Media released two box set collections of most of the music by Undercover up until that point. Anthology Volume 1 (1996) was a 2-disc set that contained their first four albums (plus a three bonus tracks). Anthology Volume 1 (1997) was a 4-disc set that contained their live album and final three albums (plus three bonus tracks). The You and I EP was not included on either box set.

A live reunion with Sim Wilson happened at the Echoes of Faith concert in July 1997. Wilson had moved to Florida by then but the reunion went so well that Wilson would call up the band each year he was in California to play a reunion concert, often with Echoes of Faith. It was five days after one of these concerts in March 2000 that Taylor got the phone call that Gene Eugene had passed away.

After the funeral for Eugene, Dan Michaels of The Choir convinced Taylor to let him try to get Undercover a show at the upcoming Cornerstone Festival. Taylor said that if that concert would happen, he would take it as a sign that he should be making music again. That concert did happen. The Cornerstone 2000 set was initially released by M8 music, but was quickly released with a new cover and the You and I EP as bonus tracks by Innocent Media in 2000. In the liner notes for the re-issue, Taylor spoke about how the band would be making music, but he wasn't sure how.

Undercover also played a set at the Gene Eugene Benefit concert in 2001. This concert was also released as a CD-R by Galaxy 21 Music and Innocent Media with one new studio track - a cover of “Everyday People.” The 2001 cover track also ended up serving as a prelude to an entire new album by the Nicholson / Taylor / Olson / Wilson line-up. In 2002, Undercover released I Rose Falling, an album that pushed farther into complex, artist rock.

Undercover played two reunion shows in California in August 2005. In a message posted on the band's forum that month, Taylor wrote, “We are internally, as a band, trying to figure out where to go from here and what that might look like, given our life realities and burning desire to fulfill whatever musical calling we might have, too. We appreciate your prayers.”

Around 2010, Joe Taylor and Gym Nicholson had been working on an Undercover re-worked version of the Boys Club song “I Love You.” A rough version of the song with Rob Gallas on vocals and Ric Alba on bass was posted to the band's MySpace page, with plans to get Sim Wilson to record some vocals as well. At the time, Down the Line magazine asked if there were new plans for music, but Taylor responded they were working on occasional singles but no album.

In 2011 Intense Millennium Records released a newly remastered stand-alone CD of Branded. It contained three bonus tracks - a demo of “I'm just a Man” and two live tracks from Cornerstone 2000. The artwork was also re-imagined for this release.

In 2018, Lo-Fidelity Records completed a successful KickStarter for deluxe vinyl and CD remastered reissues of Devotion. In 2020, they also successfully funded deluxe vinyl and CD remastered reissues of Balance of Power.

Outside of Undercover

Joey Taylor received his MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles and MM from California State University, Fullerton. He moved to the East coast in 2007 to teach at James Madison University is Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he his classes have included History of Rock, Artist Management, Songwriting, Marketing of Recorded Music, Legal Aspects of Music Industry, and Entrepreneurship. He is now a self-proclaimed atheist. Around 2010-2011 he began working with the Meus Music Group / the newly re-formed Frontline Records to help legally re-issue older titles. He also releases songs occasionally, as well as worked on the final Dead Artist Syndrome album.

Lithium Saints was a 2012 collaboration between veteran alternative Christian rockers Sim Wilson of Undercover, Jesse Sprinkle of Poor Old Lu and Todd Olsen of The Waiting. They created a BandCamp page featuring a painting from Chris Taylor, but have released no music yet.

Ric Alba independently released a second solo album called Butterflies in Caterpillar Drag in 2017.

Bill Walden teamed up with Allie Hammond to release The Long Winter in 2018. He has also been working on new music since then.

Gym Nicholson formed a band called Moral DK with Rob Gallas, Ric Alba, Jeff Sheets, and Gary Olsen. Their first release was Cold in August in 2019 - produced by Joe Taylor. The band is currently working on a follow-up release.

Discography

1982 Undercover Ministry Resource Center
1983 God Rules A&S Records
1984 Boys and Girls - Renounce the World! A&S Records
1984 Slaughter of the Innocents ‎(7-inch) A&S Records
1986 Branded Blue Collar Records
1987 You & I EP B-1 Music
1988 3-28-87 Broken Records
1988 Volume 1 Broken Records
1988 Volume 2 Broken Records
1990 Balance of Power Broken Records
1992 Devotion Brainstorm Artists International
1994 Forum WAL / Brainstorm Artists International
1996 Anthology Volume 1 Innocent Media
1997 Anthology Volume 2 Innocent Media
2000 Live at Cornerstone 2000 Millennium 8
2000 Cornerstone 2000 Innocent Media
2001 Gene Eugene Live Benefit Concert Galaxy 21 Music / Innocent Media
2002 I Rose Falling Galaxy 21 Music
2011 Branded (25th Anniversary Edition) Intense Millennium Records
2018 Devotion (deluxe remaster) Lo-Fidelity Records
2021 Balance of Power (deluxe remaster) Lo-Fidelity Records

Undercover

1982 Ministry Resource Center (MRC010A)

Bill Walden - Lead vocals, alto sax
Jim “Nuclear” Nicholson - All guitars, vocals
Ray Hersom - Rhythm guitar “After Tracks”
Rick Alba - Bass guitar, vocals
Joey Taylor - Organs, piano, synthesizer, Casiotone, vocals
Danny Paylis - Drums, kinding, vocals

Benjamin Taylor - Giggles
Chris Pavlis - Additional musician
Dave Hackbarth - Additional musician

  1. Excuse Us (2:45)
  2. Heal Me (2:15)
  3. I'll Be a Fool (1:15)
  4. Francine (2:45)
  5. It's Official (2:20)
  6. Turn Your Head (2:45)
  7. Look It Up (2:40)
  8. Read It in a Letter (2:05)
  9. Daddy-O (1:15)
  10. Tonight (1:47)
  11. Stop (2:50)
  12. He's in Love With You (2:45)
  13. I.C.U. (2:40)
  14. He Gives We Have (2:25)
Bonus Track Added to Later Compilations
  1. Dying in Love (4:28)

God Rules

1983 A&S Records (A&S0005)

Bill Walden - Lead vocals, tenor sax
Gym Nicholson - Guitar, BGVs
Joey Taylor - Keyboards, synthesizer-bass, BGV, lead vocals on “God Rules” and “Wait a Minute”
Gary Olsen - Drums, BGVs

Debbie Waldon - Alto saxophone on “New Creation”
Chris Brigandi - Backing vocals on “He Takes Care of Me” and “Jesus for Me”
Mark Krischak - Backing vocals on “He Takes Care of Me” and “Jesus for Me”

  1. New Creation (2:40)
  2. Closer to You (3:03)
  3. He Takes Care of Me (3:00)
  4. I Still Want You (2:16)
  5. I Never Knew (2:28)
  6. Jesus Girl (2:10)
  7. His Love (1:59)
  8. Jesus for Me (1:38)
  9. Jesus is the Best (1:49)
  10. I am the Resurrection (2:26)
  11. God Rules (1:01)
  12. Wait a Minute (1:57)
  13. I Love God (4:04)

Boys and Girls - Renounce the World!

1984 A&S Records (AS 0008)

Bill Walden - Lead vocals, sax
Neel Down (Gym Nicholson) - Guitar, background vocals
Turner Burn (Joey Taylor) - Keyboards, background vocals
Gary Olsen - Drums, background vocals

Dave Hackbarth - Additional trumpet

  1. Boys & Girls (3:37)
  2. Talk to God (2:49)
  3. Holy Holy Holy (1:45)
  4. One of These Days (2:23)
  5. Three Nails (3:23)
  6. The Anthem (2:24)
  7. He Lets Me Know (2:00)
  8. Glorified (2:38)
  9. Is Anyone Thirsty? (3:05)
  10. I'd Rather Stay (3:05)

Slaughter of the Innocents ‎

1984 Ministry Resource Center (MRC045)

  1. Slaughter of the Innocents (1:45)
  2. Boys & Girls (3:37)

“Slaughter of the Innocents” was originally recorded as the intro track for Boys and Girls, but left off of the recording. It was released as a separate single in 1984. Additionally, it was included as a pre-gap track on Anthology Volume 1 in 1996 with these instructions: “To hear Slaughter of the Innocents, manually 'rewind' the CD once Boys & Girls starts. There is no song ID for it because some may not want to hear it every time they listen to the record.”


Branded

1986 Blue Collar Records (BCR003A)
2011 Intense Millennium Records (IMR 007)

Sim Wilson - Vocals
Gym Nicholson - Guitar, vocals
Joey Taylor - Keyboards, bass
Gary Olson - Drums, vocals

  1. I'm Just a Man (3:24)
  2. The Fight For Love (3:00)
  3. Where Can I Go (3:13)
  4. Tears in Your Eyes (2:05)
  5. Pilate (3:00)
  6. Build a Castle (3:25)
  7. Cry Myself to Sleep (2:31)
  8. Prelude (1:55)
  9. Darkest Hour (3:26)
  10. Interlude (0:35)
  11. Come Away With Me (4:44)
  12. If I Had a Dream (5:02)
2011 Bonus Tracks
  1. I'm Just a Man (demo) (3:41)
  2. Tears in Your Eyes (live 2000) (2:06)
  3. Cry Myself to Sleep (live 2000) (2:29)

You and I EP

1987 B-1 Music

  1. You and I (3:16)
  2. Blood & Tears (3:43)
  3. Just a Man (3:39)
  4. One to One (4:09)
  5. How Far (3:48)

3-28-87

1988 Broken Records (BRKR 0500)

Sim Wilson - Lead Vocals
Gym Nicholson - Guitar
Joey Taylor - Bass, keyboards
Gary Olson - Drums

Jim Chevalier - Support singer
Joy Broome - Support singer
Riki Michele - Support singer

  1. Is Anyone Thirsty 4:12
  2. I'am Just A Man 3:46
  3. God Rules 1:22
  4. Three Nails 3:27
  5. Boys & Girls 3:43
  6. I Love God 4:08
  7. Cry Myself To Sleep 2:32
  8. Darkest Hour 3:32
  9. Build A Castle 4:00
  10. Pilate 3:07
  11. You And I 2:55
  12. I'd Rather Stay 2:58
  13. One To One 3:59
  14. Come Away With Me 4:42
  15. If I Had A Dream 5:22

Volume 1

1988 Broken Records (7-10-050467-8)

Contained the entire Undercover and God Rules albums, plus one bonus track at the end of Undercover called “Dying in Love.”


Volume 2

1988 Broken Records |

Contained the entire Boys and Girls and Branded albums.


Balance of Power

1990 Broken Records (7100516676)
2021 Lo-Fidelity Records (LOFILP026 / LOFICD060)

Sim Wilson - Lead vocals
Gym - Guitar, vocals
Ojo Taylor - Bass, keyboards
Gary Dean Olson - Drums, vocals

Dennis Murphy - Other voices
Inki Svensson - Other voices

  1. World Come Crashing Down (5:14)
  2. The Way of the Rose (5:01)
  3. The Eyes of Love (4:54)
  4. Land of Luxury (4:41)
  5. Time (6:28)
  6. Love Me Dangerously (3:03)
  7. Light of Day (3:06)
  8. Last Rites (There is no Sky) (4:32)
  9. Bridge of Life (3:29)
  10. I Love You So (5:33)
  11. Mea Culpa / Remember Me (6:21)
2021 Bonus Tracks
  1. You and I (You and I EP)
  2. Blood and Tears (You and I EP)
  3. Just a Man (alternative mix) (You and I EP)
  4. One to One (You and I EP)
  5. How Far (You and I EP)
  6. The Way of the Rose (Live @ C2K)
  7. World Come Crashing Down (Live @ C2K)
  8. You and I (Boys Club)
  9. Time (Boys Club)
  10. Love Me Dangerously (Boys Club)

Devotion

1992 Brainstorm Artists International (7100530679) 2018 Lo-Fidelity Records (LOFILP016 / LOFICD054)

Sim Wilson - Vocals, cardboard box on “All That I Am”
Gym - Guitar, wooden box on “All That I Am”
Ojo - Bass, keyboards, plastic box on “All That I Am”
Gary Dean Olson - Drums

Steve Griffith - Backing vocals on “Devotion”
Doug Webb - Saxophone on “Man, Oh Man”
Clay Jenkins - Trumpet on “Man, Oh Man”
Terry Scott Taylor - Additional vocals and vocal arrangements on “Promenade” and “All That I Am”

  1. Work It Out (4:25)
  2. Man, Oh Man (5:40)
  3. Sea of Tranquility (3:47)
  4. Purple Flowers (4:56)
  5. Devotion (6:17)
  6. Promenade (4:46)
  7. Where I Should Be (3:11)
  8. Dark Night (4:28)
  9. All That I Am (3:42)
  10. So Wonderful (6:09)
Bonus Tracks on 2018 Reissue
  1. Cry Myself to Sleep (Gene Eugene Live Tribute) (3:06)
  2. Witch Hunt (Gene Eugene Live Tribute) (4:47)
  3. Devotion (Gene Eugene Live Tribute) (8:08)
  4. Promenade (Acoustic Live) (4:41)
  5. Devotion (Cornerstone 2000) (7:28)
  6. So Wonderful (Cornerstone 2000) (4:12)

Forum

1994 WAL / Brainstorm Artists International (701151502X)

Rob Gallas - Vocals
Gym - Acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Ojo Taylor - Bass, organ, Fender Rhodes, keyboards

Chuck Cummings - Drums on “Spill,” “The Moon and the Blue Around,” “Pocket Full of Money,” “The Overlook (Hosanna),” and “(Tell Me) Everything About You”
David Raven - Drums on “Forum (Lullaby),” “Symbol,” “Carmenita,” “Whoa Nelly,” and “Union”
Squid Taylor - Additional keyboards on “Forum (Lullaby),” and “Union”
DJ Cut No Slack - Programming on “Forum (Lullaby)“
Nick Ariondo - Accordion on “Carmenita” and ”(Tell Me) Everything About You”
Jim Sitterly - Violin on “Carmenita” and “(Tell Me) Everything About You”
Inki Svensson - Backing vocals on “The Moon and the Blue Around” and “Forum (Lullaby)“
Fred McGregor - Backing vocals on “Pocket Full of Money”

  1. Spill (4:41)
  2. The Moon and the Blue Around (5:19)
  3. Forum (Lullaby) (7:32)
  4. Symbol (4:36)
  5. Carmenita (3:44)
  6. Whoa Nelly (4:09)
  7. Pocket Full of Money (4:34)
  8. The Overlook (Hosanna) (3:45)
  9. (Tell Me) Everything About You (4:00)
  10. Union (4:55)

Anthology Volume 1

1996 Innocent Media (IMD8403)

Two CD collection. CD1 one contained the entire Undercover and God Rules albums, plus one bonus track at the end of the Undercover tracks:

  1. Dying in Love (4:28)

CD2 contained the entire Boys and Girls and Branded albums. The Boys and Girls tracks had two bonus tracks. “Slaughter of the Innocents” (1:45) was included as a pre-gap track with these instructions: “To hear Slaughter of the Innocents, manually 'rewind' the CD once Boys & Girls starts. There is no song ID for it because some may not want to hear it every time they listen to the record.” Additionally, they included one bonus track at the end of Boys and Girls tracks:

  1. Boys & Girls (Sim Wilson vocals) (3:32)

Anthology Volume 2

1997 Innocent Media (IMD8408)

Four CD collection. CD1 contained the entire 3-27-87 album plus three bonus tracks:

  1. One to One (studio version 1993) (4:52)
  2. Symbol (acoustic version 1993) (3:57)
  3. O Come All Ye Faithful (1988) (3:28)

CD2 contained the entire Balance of Power album, CD3 contained the entire Devotion album, and CD4 contained the entire Forum album.


Live at Cornerstone 2000

2000 Millennium Eight Recordss (M8D-1074)

Sim Wilson - Lead vocals
Gym - Guitar, vocals
Ojo - Keyboards, liner notes
Gary Dean Olson - Drums, vocals

  1. Spill (4:59)
  2. Daddy-O (1:16)
  3. Holy Holy Holy (1:54)
  4. Resurrection (2:48)
  5. One of These Days (2:47)
  6. God Rules (1:09)
  7. Tears in Your Eyes (2:04)
  8. Way of the Rose (5:20)
  9. Cry Myself to Sleep (3:12)
  10. One to One (5:31)
  11. Man O Man Part 1 (0:56)
  12. Man O Man Part 2 (5:47)
  13. Wonderful (4:23)
  14. (Talking) (1:38)
  15. Devotion (7:35)
  16. (Audience Noise) (1:16)
  17. World Come Crashing (Balance of Power) (5:44)
  18. Come Away With Me (6:05)

Cornerstone 2000

2000 Innocent Media

Sim Wilson - Lead vocals
Gym - Guitar, vocals
Ojo - Keyboards, liner notes
Gary Dean Olson - Drums, vocals

  1. Spill
  2. Daddy-O
  3. Holy Holy Holy
  4. I Am The Resurrection
  5. One of These Days
  6. God Rules
  7. Tears in Your Eyes
  8. Way of the Rose
  9. Cry Myself to Sleep
  10. One to One
  11. Man O Man
  12. So Wonderful
  13. Devotion
  14. World Come Crashing Down
  15. Come Away With Me
  16. You and I (You and I EP)
  17. Blood & Tears (You and I EP)
  18. I'm Just a Man (You and I EP)
  19. One to One (You and I EP)
  20. How Far (You and I EP)

This CD was a re-issue of Live at Cornerstone 2000 with a different cover, a different break down of the tracks numbering, expanded liner notes, and the You and I EP as bonus tracks.

“Cry Myself To Sleep” and “The Witch Hunt” were also released on A Live Tribute Recording for Gene Eugene (2001 Northern records).


Gene Eugene Live Benefit Concert

2001 Galaxy 21 Music / Innocent Media

  1. Spill (5:15)
  2. Mark 16:1-2 (0:22)
  3. The Way of the Rose (5:08)
  4. Tears in Your Eyes (2:19)
  5. Love Me Dangerously (3:06)
  6. Fall (5:32)
  7. Psalms 116:15-16 (0:15)
  8. Cry Myself to Sleep (2:41)
  9. Luke 9:51-55 (0:32)
  10. The Witch Hunt (4:08)
  11. Matthew 9:20-22 (0:25)
  12. Devotion (7:41)
  13. God Rules (1:36)
  14. Everyday People (3:44)

Note: some copies of this CD-R appear to have the cover track as the first track.


I Rose Falling

2002 Innocent Media

Sim Wilson
Gym Nicholson
Ojo Taylor Gary Olson

Jillian Michael-Lae Taylor - Vocals on “Belle-Laide” and “Svper Terram”

  1. Behold (5:04)
  2. Medicine (5:18)
  3. Heaven Forbid (4:17)
  4. Line of Thinking (6:32)
  5. Belle-Laide (4:35)
  6. Svper Terram (6:53)
  7. Fall (5:36)
  8. Hurricane (5:23)
  9. True (Things I Know) (5:38)
  10. Remembered (For Gene) (5:25)

Compilation Appearances

The Broken Christmas (1988 Broken Records)
02) Come All Ye Faithful (3:28)

Sim Wilson - Vocals
Bill Walden - Vocals
Gym - Guitar
Ojo - Keyboards
Gary Olson - Drums

Third Wave: Reality Rock Collection (1993 Essential Records)
12) One to One (4:50)

Rob Gallas - Vocals
Gym Nicholson - Guitar
Ojo Taylor - Bass
Gary Olson - Drums

Brow Beat (Unplugged Alternative) (1993 Alarma Records)
10) Symbol (3:54)

Rob Gallas - Vocals
Gym - Guitar
O.Jo - Bass, piano
Chuck Cummings - Drums

Innocent Sampler (1996 Innocent Media)
09) Promenade (live) (4:41)


undercover.txt · Last modified: 2021/06/01 03:08 by admin