WELCOME TO PETRASPECTIVE!
Petraspective's aim is to support and enhance Petra's ministry. This is done by creating an overview of all the music from Petra that has been released since the band was founded in 1972, till after the band retired in 2005. The structure of this website is simple. There are currently three main sections:
This site and its images are designed to be viewed with a resolution of 1024 x 768.
1. PETRA DISCOGRAPHY
- Studio & Live Albums
- This section features 21 regular studio albums (including II Guys From Petra), 2 Spanish studio albums and 2 live albums.
- Albums Featuring Previously Unreleased Petra-Material
- This section features various artists albums with songs recorded in the studio by Petra that were at the time not available on a Petra-album. It also includes a song recorded together with Carman.
- Greatest Hits Albums
- This section features all (!!) greatest hits albums, including a rare Brazilian release.
- Digital Greatest Hits Releases
- This section features digital greatest hits releases that are not available on CD.
- Petra DVDs & Videos
- This section features videos with all Petra-material.
- DVDs & Videos Featuring Previously Unreleased Petra-Material
- This section features various artists videos and DVDs with videos that are not available on a Petra-video.
- Petra Publications
- This section features all kinds of publications from Petra. It consists mainly of songbooks. There are also a few devotionals.
- Accompaniment Tracks
- This section features a list (no details) of accompaniment tracks that have been released over the years. I don't collect trax myself, so the list is not complete.
- Youth Choir Resources
- This section features albums with English or Spanish youth choir arrangements and accompanying songbooks.
- Other Artists Performing Petra-Songs
- This section features instances of other bands / artists covering Petra-songs.
2. PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
- Petra: 7" 45rpm Vinyl Singles
- This section features 21 7" 45rpm vinyl singles that were sent to radio stations, 2 Australian and 1 New Zealand vinyl single and a commercially available European vinyl single.
- Petra: 12" Vinyl Singles
- This section features 4 12" vinyl singles that were sent to radio stations and 1 commercially available Australian vinyl EP.
- Petra: 12" Vinyl Radio Specials
- This section features 2 LPs with a radio special about Petra.
- Petra: 12" Vinyl Crosswalk Programs
- This section features several episodes from the Crosswalk Program that were released in the 80s by the International Lutheran Laymen's League. Every LP contains two 30-minute programs with music and interviews.
- Petra: Cassettes
- This section features 5 cassettes that were sent out as promotion and 1 commercially available cassette single.
- Petra: Advance Releases
- This section features 6 full-length radio-releases of Petra's albums, usually with different packaging.
- Petra: CD Radio Specials
- This section features 4 CDs with a radio special about Petra and 1 CD with a radio special featuring Bob Hartman.
- Petra: CD-Singles
- This section features 22 CD-singles that were sent to radio stations in the USA and 3 European CD-Singles.
- Petra: Test Pressings, Demo's and Rough Mixes
- This section features several rare and unique items.
- Petra: Radio Commercials
- This section features all radio commercials that were not available on a CD-single.
- Petra: Promotional Videos
- This section features 7 very rare videos that were sent out to music stores and tv-stations.
- Videos Featuring Petra
- This section features several videos featuring interviews or live-recordings by Petra. These videos were not commercially available.
- John Schlitt: Advance Releases
- This section features 2 full-length radio-releases of Schlitt's albums, with different packaging.
- John Schlitt: Cassettes
- This section features 1 cassette that was sent out as promotion.
- John Schlitt: CDs
- This section features 4 CD-singles that were sent to radio stations.
- John Schlitt: Videos
- This section features 2 very rare videos that were sent out to music stores and tv-stations.
- Greg X. Volz: 7" 45rpm Vinyl Singles
- This section features 3 7" 45rpm vinyl singles with songs from Volz' albums and 2 singles with unique Christmas-recordings. All of these were not commercially available.
- Greg X. Volz: 12" Vinyl Singles
- This section features 3 12" vinyl singles that were sent to radio stations.
- Greg X. Volz: Other Vinyl Singles
- This section features 1 rare square 8" flexi-disc that was sent to radio stations.
- Greg X. Volz: CDs
- This section features 5 CD-singles that were sent out to radio stations.
- Greg X. Volz: Videos
- This section features 1 very rare video that was sent out as promotion.
- Rob Frazier: Vinyl Singles
- This section features 2 7" 45rpm vinyl singles and 2 12" vinyl singles, all sent out to radio stations.
3. SOLO DISCOGRAPHY
- Bob Hartman: Songwriting
- This section features 2 songs from Mastedon that were written by Bob Hartman.
- Bob Hartman: Other Appearances
- All the albums and videos that feature Bob Hartman in any way. If you know of any additions, please let me know.
- John Schlitt: Head East
- All of Head East's album featuring John Schlitt on lead vocals.
- John Schlitt: Albums
- All of John Schlitt's solo efforts.
- John Schlitt: Other Appearances
- All the albums and videos that feature John Schlitt as a guest vocalist. If you know of any additions, please let me know.
- Greg X. Volz: e
- This section features all Volz' pre-Petra recordings.
- Greg X. Volz: Xavier
- This features the ultra-rare album Xavier (alias for Greg X. Volz).
- Greg X. Volz: Albums
- This section features all of Greg X. Volz' solo efforts.
- Greg X. Volz: Videos
- This section features 2 videos, one with a live performance, one with video clips.
- Greg X. Volz: Other Appearances
- All the albums and videos that feature Greg X. Volz as a guest vocalist. If you know of any additions, please let me know.
- Rob Frazier: Albums
- All of Rob Frazier's solo efforts.
- John Lawry: Joe English Band
- John Lawry was a recording and touring member of the Joe English Band in the early 80s.
- John Lawry: Forerunner
- This album is a 'solo'-recording by the Joe English Band without Joe English.
- John Lawry: Albums
- This section features 2 albums by John Lawry.
- John Lawry: Other Appearances
- All the albums and videos that feature John Lawry on keyboards. I haven't included any of his production and editing work. If you know of any additions, please let me know.
- Louie Weaver: The Randy Matthews Band
- Louie Weaver was a recording and touring member of the Randy Matthews Band for a few years.
- Louie Weaver: Fireworks
- Louie Weaver also played drums for Fireworks for a short period.
- Louie Weaver: Drum Instructional Video
- This section features Louie Weaver's drum instructional video.
- Louie Weaver: Other Appearances
- This section features all albums with a guest appearance by Louie Weaver. If you know of any additions, please let me know.
- Louie Weaver: Viktor
- After he left Petra, Louie Weaver joined the band Viktor.
- Original Petra-Members: Greg Hough, John DeGroff and Bill Glover
- This section features all albums with performances by Greg Hough, John DeGroff and Bill Glover. If you know of any additions, please let me know.
- Solo Albums By Other Petra-Members
- This section features solo-albums by other Petra-members, such as Pete Orta, Trent Thomason and Kevin Brandow.
- Other Albums Featuring Other Petra-Members
- This section features album to which any other Petra-members has contributed to in any way.
BONUS
- Petra Collection
- This is a complete and detailed list of my Petra collection.
- Wantlist
- This is a list of items I would like to add to my collection.
- Bootlegs
- This is a list of all bootleg-recordings that I have. Contact me if you're interested in a trade.
- Memorabilia & Bonus
- This is a page that features several autographed items and some items that don't belong on a Petra-website, but that I still would like to show.
- Songfinder
- This is a list of all Petra's songs and where to find them.
- Music Collection
- This is a list of the music I have and it includes detailed discographies of Jars Of Clay, Third Day, All Star United, Randy Matthews, Keith Green, Luna Halo and the Prayer Chain.
Short history of Petra
In 1972 Petra was founded in Fort Wayne, IN. Guitarist and lead vocalist Bob Hartman was to remain the band's leading member during the next 33 years. The seventies were a rough decade for Petra. They were pioneering in the area of Christian rock music. It was not until 1979 till Petra scored their first #1 hit with "Why Should The Father Bother?" from their third album, which had more of a pop-sound to it than the two previous albums. As Petra picked up the rock-sound in the early eighties with lead singer Greg X. Volz, more success followed, both national and international, culminating in the immensely sought after live-video "Captured In Time And Space".
In 1986 John Schlitt replaced Volz as lead singer and was to sing on the band's most successful albums "Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out" and "Beyond Belief" which both went Gold. Petra was celebrated as the best Christian rock-band in the early nineties and received several Grammy and Dove Awards. Late nineties the band mellowed out on the albums, while their live-shows were still rocking loud. Petra started to fade out of the general audience's memory and seemed to fail to secure the listening ear of the new generation. After a time of struggle and a lot of personel changes Petra found their final culmination in the Grammy nominated album "Jekyll & Hyde", which was followed by "Petra Farewell", a registration of one of the shows in the Petra Farewell Tour.
Petra has played around the globe in many countries. These include the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, India, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Zwitserland, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Hungary and many more.
