Audio Adrenaline

Audio Adrenaline is a Christian rock band formed in the early 1990s at Kentucky Christian College in Grayson, Kentucky, USA. Along with dc Talk, Newsboys and Jars of Clay, they quickly became one of the most successful Christian pop-rock bands of the 90s. They are best known for their 1993 hit "Big House," and are a main attraction at the annual Creation Festival, Spirit West Coast festival and Agape Music Festival.

History

Early history

The band was formed under the name of A-180 by Mark Stuart, Barry Blair and Will McGinniss. (As of 2005, Stuart and McGinniss are the only remaining original members.) The three men, along with Ron Gibson and Mark's brother, David, became a popular local band—booked by the school nearly every weekend.

The band's big break would come in the form of Bob Herdman. Bob went up to Audio Adrenaline with two songs he had written, "My God" and "DC-10." After "My God" was recorded—under the band name Herdman had created, "Audio Adrenaline"—it was sent to radio stations and scaled the charts quickly. Forefront Records decided to offer a record deal to A-180 but had them change their name to Audio Adrenaline. Bob joined the band, and David left to focus on his family.

1990s

Their first album under Forefront, the self-titled Audio Adrenaline, was released in 1992. The follow-up album, Don't Censor Me, came the next year. In 1996, their third album, Bloom, was released. It marked guitarist Barry Blair's final album with the band.

With Blair gone, Audio Adrenaline needed a new guitarist. Tyler Burkum joined the band at only 17 years old, in time to record 1997's Some Kind of Zombie. Two years earlier, the band got a new drummer in Ben Cissell, just in time for the release of their studio album Bloom and a new studio album Underdog. To this day, Underdog remains Audio Adrenaline's largest critical success.

2000s

Audio Adrenaline greeted the new millennium by releasing a greatest hits album, Hit Parade, in 2001. In the winter of that same year, they released a new studio album, Lift. In the time between the releases of those two albums, Bob Herdman left the band to become president of a new record label, Flicker Records, which he founded along with Stuart and McGinniss. In 2003, the band released its ninth album, Worldwide. It was a more worship-based effort that emphasized their style of ministry and love of mission trips. The band's "Hands and Feet Project" and "The Go Show" tour also served to encourage missionary work. Worldwide, like Lift before it, wasn't as 'rocking' in the traditional sense as their previous efforts, mostly because of the focus on softer and more praise-oriented material.

The band's tenth album, Until My Heart Caves In, was released on August 30, 2005. It received a Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album in 2006.

Among Audio Adrenaline's most notable performances are three of their most popular songs, "Big House," "Hands and Feet," and the live staple "We're A Band," as well as a duet with The O.C. Supertones, "Blitz," from the album Some Kind of Zombie.

On January 18, 2006, Audio Adrenaline announced that they were retiring. The reason cited was Mark Stuart's "ongoing vocal challenges" regarding his voice health. They are planning a farewell album called The Greatest Hits, to be released on August 1, 2006.

They recently started a new project in Haiti called the Hands and Feet Project, in which the band built an orphanage for children.

Book

In June 2006, the band announced that they would be releasing "Hands and Feet", their first book, with Regal Books. This book will be released on September 5, 2006. It will take the reader on a journey to Haiti with the band as they build houses for the children there. The reader will also meet Drex and Jo Stuart, the parents of frontman Mark Stuart. The book will give an explanation of life in one of the poorest nations on earth.

Band members

Current line-up

Mark Stuart - vocals, guitar
Will McGinniss - vocals, bass guitar
Tyler Burkum - guitar, vocals, keyboard (1996-present)
Ben Cissell - drums (1996-present)

Former members

Bob Herdman - keyboard, guitar (1987-2000)
Barry Blair - guitar, vocals (1991-1996)
David Stuart - keyboard, vocals (1987-1991)
Jonathan Schneck - backup guitar (2003-2005. Now with Relient K)

Side projects

Mark Stuart was recently involved in !Hero the Rock Opera, playing as Petrov. !Hero was a modern adaption of the story of Christ performed along with dc Talk band member Michael Tait, presently the frontman of one of dc Talk's solo projects, Tait. Also involved in this production was popular CCM pop vocalist Rebecca St. James, playing the part of Maggie.

Discography

Tapes (A-180)

You Turn, 1989 (Landmark Recording Studio)
Reaper's Train, 1990 (Landmark Recording Studio)

Albums

Audio Adrenaline (self-titled), 1992 (ForeFront)
Don't Censor Me, 1993 (ForeFront)
Live Bootleg, 1995 (ForeFront)
Bloom, 1996 (ForeFront) RIAA Gold, Nov. 1999
Some Kind of Zombie, 1997 (ForeFront)
Underdog, 1999 (ForeFront)
Hit Parade, 2001 (ForeFront)
Lift, 2001 (ForeFront)
Worldwide, 2003 (ForeFront)
Until My Heart Caves In, 2005 (ForeFront)
The Greatest Hits, 2006 (ForeFront)

Awards

Grammy Awards

2003 Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album of the Year for Worldwide
2006 Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album of the Year for Until My Heart Caves In

Gospel Music Awards

1996 Dove Award for Long Form Music Video of the Year for "Big House"
1998 Dove Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year for "Some Kind of Zombie"
2000 Dove Award for Rock Recorded Song of the Year for "Get Down"
2003 Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year for Lift

External links

American musical groups | Christian musical groups | Christian rock | ForeFront Records