Faster

Joshua Perahia, a pioneer in the world of Christian rock. Before there was a Skillet, a Stryper, or Barren Cross had 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 with 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 Hollywood.

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 as a NUMBER 1 HIT!

Joshua with Jake E. Lee

The band’s exposure in Japan also caught the eye of the Japanese Music press.  Japans  # 1 Rock Rag Burrn! Magazine, hailed the band’s debut album and in 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 was picked up by Polydor Records. The result was band’s sophomore 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 Axe mastery, but lauding the depth of the songwriting, arrangements and the message of his well-crafted lyrics.

Joshua with Jeff Fenholt

RCA caught wind of the band and in 1988 put them in the studio with mega-hit producer Dieter Dierks  famous for his amazing work with the Scorpions
 With the addition of new singer Rob Rock to the line-up, JOSHUA recorded what countless metal/hard rock critics called the best melodic metal album of all time, “Intense Defense.” Sales and concerts  throughout Europe and Asia were very successful, Sadly America didn’t play out the same way.

Despite efforts to crossover into the mainstream American market, Joshua never enjoyed the success he had in the Christian market, or 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 Records in various countries.

Intense Defense Line-up
w/ Joshua and Rob Rock

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.  Shortly after the album’s release, the label fell on hard times and closed it doors, such is 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, Olsen was so enamored he 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.

Something to Say Line-up

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. 

Live Onstage in Belgium

Joshua is continuing to create Powerful music Please keep checking in with us to keep up to date!