Rez Band speaking at Greenbelt - new video

Something a little different today - we have found an amazing audio recording of the Rez Band (Resurrection Band), sometimes called the first Christian metal band, speaking at the Greenbelt festival in 1984.


We've put it up in Youtube with a video, sandwiched by their song Skyline, and here it is.

The Rez Band are interesting, not just for being early metallers, but because they emerged directly from the Jesus People movement of the early 70s. The commune they were involved with still exists in Chicago as Jesus People USA and still does social support and outreach work in a deprived part of the city. (click heading for more....)
Parchment in turn were present at the outset of the Greenbelt Festival in a field in Suffolk and gave their last performance at Greenbelt in 1978, singing an anthemic version of Light Up The Fire.

Both bands were driven by a similar passion: that their music should be high quality and relevant to all people, Christian or not; that this did not mean they were compromising their own Christian faith; that they wished to be lights to the world. In this video, the Rez Band are outspoken about many things - and very clear about their own passion. This seems to be a rare recording of a Jesus Music band speaking in depth about these issues.

Unlike Parchment, the Rez Band were able to keep going - making umpteen albums until disbanding in 2000 - and played several reunion gigs afterwards. They were backed by the size of the US market and the supportive commune in which they lived. Jesus People USA  ran a major music festival in the USA for many years, the Cornerstone, up to 2012 and still continue in Chicago. They seem to have had ups and downs and some controversies but they still continue with their basic mission of providing social services and shelters.

* There must be umpteen recordings made at Greenbelts over the years out there.  There doesn't seem to be an archive on them prior to the Year 2000. Even then, from our experience, this was a rare event at which a band talked in depth about their experience and their vision. YouTube has detected the Rez Band track on this album and assigned copyright earnings from any ads to EMI. Hopefully, some of this will find its way to the band.

More about the Resurrection Band:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_Band