Bride (band)

Bride
Origin Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres Christian metal,[1][2] hard rock,[3] heavy metal,[3] glam metal[4]
Years active 1983–2013
Labels Pure Metal, Star Song, Rugged, Organic, Retroactiv
Website bridepub.com
Past members
  • Dale Thompson
  • Troy Thompson
  • Steve Osborne
  • Frank Partipilo
  • Rick Foley
  • Scott Hall
  • Steve Curtsinger
  • Stephen Rolland
  • Andrew Wilkinson
  • Lawrence Bishop
  • Michael Loy
  • Jerry McBroom
  • G.D Watts

Bride was an American Christian metal band formed in the 1980s, by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson. During the band's peak years it was known for covering a wide range of musical styles and remains popular in places like Brazil. Their song "Same 'Ol Sinner" is on the Digital Praise PC game Guitar Praise.

Band history

Bride was formed in Louisville, Kentucky in the early 1980s, by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson. Going by the name Matrix at first, the brothers started writing music and recording demos in 1983. They recorded four demos and started selling them at concerts and through magazines. In 1986, the band opened for the Canadian group Daniel Band in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. This performance caught the eye of an agent of Refuge Records. He decided to sign them to their new label, Pure Metal Records, which was oriented to metal music. At that time, the band consisted of guitarist Steve Osborne (1966–2011), bassist Scott Hall, and drummer Stephen Rolland. They officially changed its name to Bride and went on to record Show No Mercy. In 1988, bassist Frank Partipilo joined the band and with this line up they recorded Live to Die and Silence Is Madness (1989).[5]

With their contract with Pure Metal Records about to end, the band released End of the Age in 1990, which is a compilation album of hits from their first three albums, as well as two new songs that would go to become Bride staples - Everybody Knows My Name and Same Ol' Sinner. Ironically, the album indeed signaled the "end of an age" as the band shifted away from the heavy metal of their past towards a Guns N' Roses' influenced hard rock sound.

In 1991, Rick Foley (bass) and Jerry McBroom (drums) joined the band. With a new record deal with Star Song Records, the band released Kinetic Faith. The album spawned some hits in commercial radio. In 1992, it was announced that Dale would leave to join Stryper to replace Michael Sweet, but this never took place.[5] They followed Kinetic Faith with Snakes in the Playground and Scarecrow Messiah (1994) before releasing yet another compilation, Shotgun Wedding: 11 No. 1 Hits and Mrs., and finally parting ways with Starsong in 1995. All three albums produced many successful hits in Brazil, where the band has toured and been received with enormous crowds and fanbase.

That same year, the band decided to sign a one-record deal with a new label called Rugged Records. They also welcomed a new bassist, Steve Curtsinger. The band departed from its straightforward hard rock sound and went in a different direction with Drop in 1995. Drop featured an alternative rock-oriented sound which included banjo and mandolin.[5] Following recommendations of producer and friend John Elefante, the band went on to sign with Organic Records, another up and coming label that was eager to pick them up. In 1997, they released The Jesus Experience which continued their alternative style leanings, however, with a slight grunge and post-grunge overtone.[6] The next year, they released Oddities. Although intended to be a return to their roots, the album was more of a blend between alternative rock and hard rock.[5]

After some differences with the label, the band asked to be released from its contract. Some time later, Curtsinger and was replaced with Andrew Wilkinson before Lawrence Bishop took the spot, McBroom also left and was replaced with Michael Loy. Being picked up by Absolute Records and veering into rapcore territory,[5] the band released Fist Full of Bees in 2001. The album was quickly disparaged by fans for containing nu metal and rapcore elements.

In 2003, the band independently released This Is It, which marks a return to a more rock-driven sound, however without the melodic elements of their earlier hard rock albums. It was re-released in 2006 under Retrospective Records, digitally remastered and with bonus tracks and a new cover.

In 2006, Bride released Skin for Skin, continuing with the new sound debuted on This Is It. It also contained guitar solos from former Bride guitarist Steve Osborne. The album was praised by Bride fans, most prominently Scott Waters of Ultimatum, who said it was "a logical step from 'This Is It' and is an honest and successful attempt to progress without worry of what is popular."[3]

The band has reunited with former members, Jerry McBroom and Steve Osborne, to record their latest album, Tsar Bomba, which was released on October 27, 2009.[7]

In 2011, Retroactive Records remastered and re-released the band's first three albums (Show No Mercy, Live to Die, Silence Is Madness) in a series called "The Originals". In addition, 2003's This Is It was also remastered to support the re-releases.

Original guitarist Steve Osborne committed suicide on November 16, 2011.[8]

In December 2013, after 30 years, Dale Thompson announced that the band was coming to an end.[9]

Band name

The name of the band is a reference to the Bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2,9; 22:17).

Band members

Final line-up
Former
Timeline

Discography

Main studio albums
Compilations and other releases

Awards

Bride has received four Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association. Three were for "Hard Music Song", in 1992, 1993, and 1994.[11] The fourth was at the 25th GMA Dove Awards in 1995, for "Hard Music Album" for Scarecrow Messiah.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Weinstein, Deena (2000). Heavy Metal: The Music and Its Culture. Da Capo Press. p. 54. ISBN 0-306-80970-2.
  2. ↑ McGovern, Brian Vincent (September–October 1998)."Okay... here they are... the Album Reviews!". Archived from the original on July 13, 2001. Retrieved 2007-04-24. . HM (73). ISSN 1066-6923.
  3. 1 2 3 Waters, Scott. "Bride". No Life 'til Metal. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
  4. ↑ Strother, Eric (2013). Unlocking the Paradox of Christian Metal Music (PDF). University of Kentucky. p. 41.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Powell, Mark Allan (2002). "Bride". Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. pp. 110–112. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
  6. ↑ Long, Andy (December 1, 2000). "Bride - The Best of Bride". Cross Rhythms (60). Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  7. ↑ Skid (June 13, 2009). "Bride Finishes New CD 'Tsar Bomba'". Sleazeroxx. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  8. ↑ Bride's Facebook page (November 18, 2011). "Steve Osbourne suicide". Facebook. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Bride says Farewell and Lightout | Christian Metal and Rock Online-Magazine". Untombed.com. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  10. ↑ Van Pelt, Doug (November–December 1998). "Album Reviews: BRIDE Oddities". HM Magazine. 78 (74): 131. ISSN 1066-6923.
  11. ↑ "Dove Award Recipients for HARD MUSIC RECORDED SONG OF THE YEAR". Published by the Gospel Music Association. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
  12. ↑ "Dove Award Recipients for HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR". Published by the Gospel Music Association. Retrieved February 5, 2007.

Further reading

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/8/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.