To my dearest and loyal friend Steve Brownlee; I deeply love and appreciate your kindness, and generousity you have happily sacrificed all these 25 years, my brother. You have always been here for my band with selfless honor and dedication. It is seldom people give of themselves, to uplift and walk side by side with a higher cause and belief in something greater than ourselves. I thank God for the love and dedication you have shared with my band and our mission. Thank you and God bless you Steve.
~ Joshua
Joshua Perahia
Stephen Fontaine
Donnie Gougeon
Mahlon Hawk
Tony Zaccaglin
Joshua Perahia
Jeff Fenholt
Robert Basauri
Larry Cox
Eric Norlander
Eric Tuttobene
Ken Price
Bryan Fleming
Craig Otsbo
Joe Galletta
Joe Tafoya
Loren Robinson
Patrick Bradley
Ken Tamplin
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Joshua Perahia (pronounced Pûr-i-yä) is pioneer in Christian rock. Before there was a Stryper, before Barren Cross appeared on the scene, there stood alone one band, and that was JOSHUA. Through his faith and desire to share his love of God, Joshua made it his life's mission to realize his musical vision and JOSHUA was born.
Joshua hanging backstage with his friend Michael Schenker
The original line-up of JOSHUA, featuring vocalist Stephen Fontaine, was assembled in Los Angeles and in short time took the Sunset Strip by storm. Show-after-show were sell-outs at all the top venues in town. Bands like Great White, Ratt and other future successful metal bands were opening up for JOSHUA.
Joshua and his buddy Jake E. Lee
The band's debut album "The Hand is Quicker Than the Eye" on Enigma Records was released in 1982 and spawned the Los Angeles Radio hit "November is Going Away". Metal radio stations across the country were adding the epic classic. To say the album caught on in Japan would be a understatement. "November is Going Away" went all the way to the top at NUMBER 1!
The band's exposure in Japan also caught the eye of the Japanese Music press. Burrn! Magazine, the 1 rock magazine in Japan, hailed the band's debut album and in BOLD PRINT declared Joshua "The World's Fastest Guitarist." Metal press around the globe followed suit, complimenting Joshua for his note-for-note perfect guitar virtuosity. Joshua was even voted Kerrang Magazine's "Guitarist of the Year" in 1982.
In 1985 the band were picked up by Polydor Records. The result was band's sophmore effort, humbly entitled "Surrender." The line-up for "Surrender" included notable Christian rock artists Jeff Fenholt and Ken Tamplin. The album featured the Joshua classics "Hold On" and "Your Love is Gone." Again, music press was more than favorable, not only praising Joshua's mastery of his instrument, but lauding the depth of the songwriting, arrangements and message of his well-crafted lyrics.
Joshua Perahia and Jeff Fenholt
RCA caught wind of the band and in 1988 put them in the studio with mega-hit producer Dieter Dierks (Scorpions) With the addition of new singer Rob Rock (Impellitteri, Driver) to the line-up, JOSHUA recorded what countless metal/hard rock critics called the best melodic metal album of all time, "Intense Defense." Unfortunately, it did not get the label support it deserved here in the United States, but throughout Europe and Asia it was very successful.
Although the band tried hard to crossover into the mainstream American market, it seemed that they were popular in the Christian market, but only had success in the secular markets overseas. The band toured throughout Europe in support of the album, playing arenas in front of crowds in excess of 40,000 people. The band's success overseas was highlighted with JOSHUA earning 11 Gold albums in various countries other than the States.
The "Intense Defense" line-up was short lived however, so Joshua regrouped under the moniker Jaguar with singer Robin Kyle Bassuri and made some incredible demos, but the collaboration never went much further than that. Joshua formed a new band called Mpire with Joshua, Joey Rochrich (bass) and Eric Stoskopf forming the core of the band. They released the album "Chapter One" on Long Island Records in Japan and Europe, but not in the United States. Shortly after the album's release, the label filed for bankruptcy and went out of business.....such is the the nature of this beast we call the music business. But through faith in Christ and the burning desire to continue spreading the word through his music, Joshua picked up and carried on..........
In 1998, Joshua reteamed with his MPire bandmates Joey Rochrich and Eric Stoskopf under the band name JOSHUA PERAHIA. The band began recording their new album "Something to Say" with acclaimed producer Keith Olsen (Scorpions, Heart, Santana) without a vocalist, so Keith asked his friend, former Santana vocalist Alex Ligertwood, to lay down the vocals for the album. Alex was happy to oblige. Keith also brought in Jason Scheff (Chicago)to sing back-up vocals and Santana keyboardist Richard Baker.
Before finishing the recordings, the band happened to find a lead singer by the name of Jerry Gabriel (hailed by the press and compared to David Coverdale). Instead of launching the new band with an outsider's vocals on the record, the label (M&K Sound Entertainment) decided to record the vocals over again with Jerry at the helm. It was then finally decided to release the album with Jerry on 8 songs and retain 4 songs from the original Ligertwood sessions.
"Something to Say" was a return to form for the band. Released in late 2001, the CD re-introduced the band to the American Christian music scene, where the band had had some moderate success with in the states over a decade before, and sold well throughout Germany, Scandanavia, and Japan. The press were again enthusiastic, many magazines calling "Something to Say" the "Melodic Rock Album of the Year."
Joshua is continuing to create magical music and will be making announcements in the near future about new material and unreleased recordings. Please keep checking in with us to keep up to date!
Biography by Steve Brownlee
Joshua and son David at the Angels on Earth Awards Ceremony.
HI, Thanks for the friendship! Looking forward to meeting you and please visit my personal "My Space". New live Mp3's and videos. Lots of information about me. Please read my blog message to all Musicians! Looking for a new music adventure!
"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV)
ha.. "Rap//Crap"" he he!! One Note,, from my 32- 12'S 8-18'S AND 12 15'S WOULD BURY THAT NOIZZEE.. ASK JEFF!!,,,,RRROOCCCKKKKK... BOOOYYZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thankks My Booyyzz.!!.. I'd Love to Lay Down Some Thunder under My Fav Guys!!! You and Jeff,, are Soooo Amazzzing,, Just Imagine,, What We Could Do..!. We have Shook,, some Coliseums In our Lives...Its Time..!!.... Craig.. The BoomSlanger!!!
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