SERVANT - SWIMMING IN A HUMAN OCEAN / 1985 DISCOGRAPHY / BIOGRAPHY / REVIEW

THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(9-TRACKS)
1-POWER
2-THE DANCE
3-TIMELESS LOVE
4-LOOK THROUGH HIS EYES
5-HUMAN HEART
6-I WILL
7-HARDER TO FINISH
8-MILLION
9-LOVE NEVER FAILS
SERVANT-LIGHT MANEUVERS/1984
















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-POOLSIDE LOGIC
2-SURRENDER
3-WE ARE THE LIGHT
4-ONE AT HEART
5-NEIGHBORHOOD
6-BORN IN THE FIRE
7-BATTLE CRY
8-COURAGE TO BURN
9-ZERO MINUS ONE
10-WAR DANCE
SERVANT-CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF LOVING HIM/1983















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-BURNING BRIDGES
2-THANK GOD
3-FALL OUT
4-NOW IS THE TIME
5-HOLDING ON TO YOU
6-HEART TO HEART
7-GAUGES
8-SOMETHING RIGHT FOR YOU
9-TIED DOWN
10-CAN'T GO BACK
SERVANT-WORLD OF SAND/1982















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-TWO MASTERS
2-NEW REVOLUTION
3-LONG HARD NIGHT
4-JUNGLE MUSIC
5-WALL OF LOVE
6-CHEAP TALK
7-SUDDEN DEATH
8-COME JESUS COME
9-COG IN THE WHEEL
10-TREEPLANTER STOMP
SERVANT-ROCKING REVIVAL/1981
















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(9-TRACKS)
1-LOOK OUT BABYLON
2-ROCKING REVIVAL
3-ISOLATED
4-HEIDELBERG BLUES
5-LISTEN
6-JEALOUSIES
7-SUBURBAN JOSEPHINE
8-AD MAN
9-I'M GONNA LIVE
SERVANT-SHALLOW WATER/1979
















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(9-TRACKS)
1-SHALLOW WATER
2-RICH MAN
3-HERE COMES DAVID
4-REJOICE
5-JESUS STAR
6-WATER GRAVE
7-CUP OF WATER
8-HOLY ROLLER BLUES
9-FLY AWAY
CREDITS:
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
Matt Spransy: Keyboards (1981-1986)
Eric Odell: Lead Vocals,(1984-1986)
Tim Spransy: Lead Guitar (1985-1987)
Sam (Evan) Evans: Drums, Backing Vocals (1985-1988)
BIOGRAPHY:
A band that was formed out of a Milwaukee Jesus community that later relocated to Oregon, and called their community the Highway Missionary Society, Servant played rock music initially, then eventually added new wave and pop into their sound. Two principal members were husband and wife, Owen and Sandie Brock. Another member, guitarist Bruce Wright passed on to glory. Servant scored some Christian radio hits in the early 1980s when they were signed to Myrrh Records. Their evangelistic rock music was important in the development of contemporary Christian music.Servant was a 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" (originally sung by Mary Damrow of Sheep), "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 Jesu 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.

REVIEW FOR THE ALBUM(WORLD OF SAND)
Building on the experience and success of their first two classic rock–n-roll albums, the band’s third release hit the streets in 1982. WORLD OF SAND truly hit a nerve with the public,Selling 20,000 albums in just the first two months alone! World of Sand combined Servant's muscular rock with a serious recording budget and major-league production. Offering up 10 polished rock tunes that sometimes hinted at the new wave direction the band would embrace on future albums. The Christian rock, apologetic 'Jungle Music' appeared on that album, complete with references to nearly all of the other Christian rock bands on the scene. The song poked fun at the critique still being lobbed by anti-rock preachers. The chorus chanted, 'Jungle music, Can God really use it?' Their answer was a resounding yes. When the band toured the nation for this release, Christian rock icons, Petra were their opening act. ‘Jungle Music’might be described as an eerie, haunting hard rock tune, with a message that hit as hard as the music. The quasi-metal sounding ‘Cog In the Wheel’ proves to be every bit as heavy as Resurrection Band, Aerosmith, and Led Zeppelin. The rest of the album features classic after classic of hook-filled rock and roll that fought the good fight against lukewarm Christianity. Ahead of it’s time, WORLD OF SAND is a must purchase for fans of Cheap Trick, DeGarmo & Key, Joe English Band, Resurrection Band, and Petra.That said, I love Servant. After all these years, they remain my favorite band. We were all part of a Jesus Movement commune, HMS. We didn't really have a lot of written theological texts. But after the Bible, the songs of Servant really became our systematic theology. Servant didn't just preach- they lived it. They toured constantly because they saw it as ministry. They didn't earn anything from their work, and the concerts were cheap or free, so that people could experience the music. It was the band who tore down and set up, following the mandate of their name. And there was so much theatre involved in their productions it spoiled all concerts afterward for me, as I discovered that most bands just played music! "Two Masters" was classic Servant, suggesting that actually following what Christ says is quite a different thing from merely claiming His name. "New Revolution" is a rallying cry to joy that will inspire, and a haunting, bittersweet melody can be found in "Long Hard Fight". "Cheap Talk" uses the same theme as "Two Masters", but with stuttering inspiration that is a pleasure to listen to. Much of the money that supported our commune and allowed us to eat came from the treeplanters, who sacrificed their backs and hours of work for the good of the whole. "Treeplanter Stomp" is Servant's only instrumental, and an homage to them. "Jungle Music" uses wit to preach against those who consider rock n'roll the devil's music- and there was a lot of them back in the day. It speaks of the fear that the naysayers have of those who aren't following Christ.And "Sudden Death" still makes me cry when I listen to it, but you must continue to listen with the next song, "Come, Jesus, Come".

REVIEW FOR THE ALBUM(Shallow Water)
The Oregon-based band Servant began with a classic rock sound featuring the twin Lead Vocals of Sandie Brock and Bob Hardy on blues-based songs that sometimes recalled Jefferson Airplane. Shallow Water was originally released in 1979 on the Canadian label Tunesmith Records, and was a hard-edged rock album forged in the same tradition as fellow pioneers Barnabas and Resurrection Band, though not as heavy. It was a breath of fresh air at a time when most CCM was cheesy, superficial, and lacking a social conscience. Known for their theatrics, dazzling light show, and smoke-bomb filled performances, many critics of the time considered them too raucous to be authentically Christian. Yet years of tireless touring garnered the band legions of fans over time. Their fame peaked in 1982 when Petra headlined for them on a national tour! Bob Rock (later of Metallica, Motley Crue, Skid Row) produced the album, but it fell into obscurity when it went out of print before CDs came along. Retroactive Records released this Limited Edition digitally re-mastered re-issue May, 2006. This is the first time it has ever been available on CD. Liner notes, including reflections on the band's history, are written by founding member Owen Brock. For fans of Rez, Barnabas, Jerusalem, and all fans of AOR/arena rock. Songs include: 'Shallow Water,' 'Rich Man,' 'Here Comes David,' 'Rejoice,' 'Jesus Star,' 'Water Grave,' 'Cup Of Water,' 'Holy Roller Blues,' and 'Fly Away.' .I like folk rock. I miss it. Well, I grew up on it. This was decidedly a folk rock album. Pleasant music that you could understand all the words to- and you really wanted to, for the words were that good. Well, for many the words were too cutting and dangerous to listen to, for who wants to hear a call to repent, that you, the church, are not actually following Jesus Christ? Isn't contemporary Christian music supposed to just make Christians happy, and be a safe outlet to dance? Servant was cutting edge- the first Christian band with an extensive light show, the first to use lasers, and the band that gave Petra their start. A lot of what made Servant what it was comes through in this album. The words speak to the foundational elements of our commune, HMS. The Jesus Movement never produced a tome like the Westminster Confession; for us, our theology was expressed in our music. Even today, when I contemplate an ethical action, I consult the Bible, and the music I grew up with. So Shallow Water speaks of how Christians don't take their faith seriously. As Ghandi said, if only the Christians actually did what their religion called for, it would truly change the world. Rich Man speaks of the loneliness that accompanies wealth, when Christ calls us to give up all we have to the poor and come follow Him. Cup of Water reminded us of our call to care for the poor first, and not only be the poor. Here Comes David and Rejoice are praise songs- but the lines of Here Comes David unique and wonderful. "David had a wife who stayed in town/from the top floor window she was looking down/she said, 'Hey David what do you mean, by causing a ruckus, by making a scene?/He said, 'Going to praise the Lord so go back inside/Shut the door." Truly, we need more songs in praise of dancing publicly in underwear. Jesus Star was an homage to some of the wonderful music from the musical Lonesome Stone that toured Europe long ago. Holy Roller Blues was true Jesus Freak vintage, using the Blues to ask "Whose freak are you?", and sung wonderfully raw by Bruce, God rest his soul. He gave his testimony on stage during the tour, that lead directly into this song. It was something that made Servant unique, and spoiled all future concerts for me. Because of my dad's background in theatre, they would often have short skits interspersed throughout the songs. I came to think of this as normative in rock music. Then later I found out most concerts are so boring, for they only have music! Not so Servant, a lost art form, using theatre and music to call the Church to be what it was always meant to be.the blues based rock and roll, and thunderous guitar work make this CD a uniquely vital and alive experience -- like a sonic treasure recalling a time before CCM was dipped in donkey dust. I will always remember the original lineup of Servant, pioneers similar to Larry Norman who cannot ever be replaced, though sometimes imitated today.

REVIEW FOR THE ALBUM(Caught in the Act of Loving Him)
Admittedly, top-40 rock isn't my scene; but this album, along with 1982's World of Sand and 1984's Light Manuevers, surely proves that program directors were playing whatever the corporate titans shoved down their throats instead of seeking out fresh, new bands in 1983. A track like "Thank God" may not have mass appeal, but take a listen to "Burning Bridges", "Fallout", "Heart to Heart", or "Can't Go Back" and tell me that it didn't belong in heavy rotation next to 1983 hit-makers like Journey, Duran Duran, and Kenny Loggins. Sadly, Servant remained trapped in the CCM ghetto and their music never made it far beyond "Christian" book stores. Still, maybe that's all for the best. If you like 80s pop music but want to hear something that hasn't been blaring at you in elevators for 25 years, Caught in the Act of Loving Him might be just the thing. The sound quality isn't perfect, but it's surprisingly good for an indie release of the period. And let me allay your fears about the lyrics: this isn't preachy Christian propaganda, it's well-crafted pop that even us open-minded "non-believers" can enjoy. One other word of praise for this CD re-release: Retroactive Records didn't cheap out on the liner notes. Full lyrics, as well as a short history of the band, are included. There was and still is something sweet about Servant. Their music is a testimony to the way we used music to reach the lost back in the 1980's. Christian music then was really exciting...bands were making music no Christian bands had done before, and Servant put on quite a show to go with their earnest preaching. This album, "Caught IN The Act Of Loving Him" is I think the best of the Servant records, although "Light Maneuvers" was a close second. I always liked Sandy Brock's Vocals, even though they were an acquired taste. These people were sold out for Jesus, and used rock music to excite and inspire teens and 20 somethings, of which I was one. Salute, Servant! Great music and great memories! .If you want to be technical and wanted me to list my favorites from the album, I could list ten of them. Considering this is a ten song album, that obviously includes all. But besides the one I mentioned, I'll also include "Holding On To You" (written by Guitarist Bruce Wright, and arranged by my favorite keyboardist Matt Spransky), "Heart To Heart" (I enjoyed the performance of this song live), "Gauges" and "Something Right" (both of which have a fun sound), and "Tied Down."(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)