Barnabas was a Christian rock band that performed during the 1980's. Noted for strong vocals and hard driving guitar work, their sound was primarily hard rock with influences ranging from punk rock early in their career to heavy metal which dominated the sound of later albums. Christian rock is a form of rock music played by bands where the musicians are openly Christian. ... Hard rock is a form of rock and roll music which finds its closest roots in early 1960s garage rock. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... It has been suggested that metal music be merged into this article or section. ...

The name of the band was taken from that of the New Testament disciple Barnabas. Barnabas was an early Christian mentioned in the New Testament. ...

Monte Cooley and Gary Mann founded the band in southern California in 1977, before they were aware that any other Christian hard rock bands were in existence. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 402. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

After the completion of the first album, Monte decided to leave the band, but his creation continued with a new line up.

Barnabas went on to record what are considered by some to be the best Christian metal albums of the mid 1980's. Barnabas was a ground breakers for the heavy metal Christian music scene in terms of their look, their sound, and the content of their lyrics. Christian metal is a form of heavy metal music with explicitly Christian lyrics and themes. ...

Controversy

During the mid-80's, Barnabas clashed with some church organizations who disapproved of a heavy metal sound being used in a Christian context. Noted critics included Bob Larson, Jimmy Swaggart, Bill Gothard and Jerry Falwell. Bob Larson (born 1944 in McCook, Nebraska) is a radio and television evangelist, later based in Colorado. ... Jimmy Swaggart (born March 15, 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana) is a Christian preacher and pioneer of televangelism who reached the height of his popularity in the 1980s. ... Bill Gothard (born November 2, 1934) is a Christian conference speaker and founder of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), based in Oak Brook, Illinois. ... Jerry Falwell Jerry Lamon Falwell (born on August 11, 1933, Lynchburg, Virginia) is an American Fundamentalist Baptist pastor, televangelist, founder of the Moral Majority & Liberty University, and a prominent Conservative activist. ...

Perhaps the controversy finally took it's toll, as Barnabas broke up after the recordings were completed for Little Foxes in 1986. 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Since then several of their albums have been re-released on compact disc. Interference colors. ...

Discography

Hear the Light (1980) 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

Find Your Heart a Home (1982) 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Approaching Light Speed (1983) 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Feel The Fire (1984) 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Little Foxes (1986) 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Line Up

Ultimately, the four members of the band were:

Brian Belew (guitar)

Nancy Jo Mann (vocals)

Kris Klingensmith (drums, percussion and lyrics)

Gary Mann (bass and keyboards)