Hostage (album)

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Hostage
Hostage cover
Studio album by Rez Band
Released 1984
Recorded Tone Zone Studios, Chicago, Illinois, 1984
Genre Christian rock
Length 40:37
Label Sparrow Records
Producer Rez Band
Professional reviews
Rez Band chronology
The Best of REZ: Music to Raise the Dead
(1984)		 Hostage
(1984)		 Between Heaven 'N Hell
(1985)

Hostage is the eight release, and sixth studio album, from American Christian rock band Resurrection Band (known at this time as "Rez Band"), released in late 1984.

Contents

[edit] Recording history

Hostage was a radical departure into keyboard-driven New Wave stylings which dominate the record, and this is due in large part to the fact that bassist and keyboardist Jim Denton took over much of the songwriting. Although the leadoff track, "S.O.S.," was hugely popular on Christian radio, long-time Rez Band fans were extremely divided over the band's new musical direction, especially with strange sonic experiments like "Armageddon Appetite."

At the same time, "Attention" and "Crimes" are typical Rez Band hard rock efforts, which indicated to surprised listeners at the time that the band hadn't completely abandoned the sound for which they had become known. Besides, the lyrical themes of war, inner-city violence (of which the band was intimately familiar) and the spiritual and moral confusion of youth are once again front and center.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Jim Denton unless otherwise noted

  1. "S.O.S." – 4:03
  2. "Attention" (Glenn Kaiser, Jon Trott, Roy Montroy, Stu Heiss) – 3:45
  3. "Souls for Hire" (Kaiser) – 3:30
  4. "Defective Youth" (Denton, John Herrin, Trott, Heiss) – 2:57
  5. "Who's Real Anymore" – 4:06
  6. "Armageddon Appetite" – 1:26
  7. "Beyond the Gun" (Kaiser, Denton) – 4:20
  8. "Crimes" (Kaiser, Denton, Herrin, Montroy, Heiss) – 3:38
  9. "It's You" (Trott) – 2:02
  10. "Tears in the Rain" (Denton, Herrin, Trott, Heiss) – 6:00
  11. "Walk Away" (Kaiser, Denton) – 4:50

[edit] Personnel

  • Glenn Kaiser - Lead and background vocals, guitars
  • Wendi Kaiser - Lead and background vocals
  • Stu Heiss - Lead guitar, keyboards
  • Jim Denton - Bass guitar, guitar, keyboards
  • John Herrin - Drums
  • Steve Eisen - Saxophone
  • Tom Cameron - Lead snoring
  • Greg Jacques - Door

[edit] Production

  • Producer - Rez Band
  • Engineer - Roger Heiss
  • Assistant engineers - Roy Montroy and Greg Jacques
  • Mastering - Steve Hall at Future Disc
  • Album cover concept and art - Cornerstone Graphics, Janet Cameron and Dick Randall
  • Photography - Pat Peterson and Tom Wray

[edit] Miscellanea

  • Hostage is notable for being the first Rez Band album from which the band recorded a music video--"Crimes," filmed in the same run-down urban neighborhood in which the Jesus People USA community is located. It received limited airplay on MTV.
  • This is one of only two Rez Band albums that have never been released on CD. The other is Live Bootleg.