'90s Christian Alt-Rock, Gone But Not Forgotten

| By Scott McClellan | Found in Communication | 35 Comments

Body Piercing

For some reason, I decided last week to make a list of all the ’90s Christian alternative/punk/ska/hardcore bands I could remember listening to. It wasn’t long before I decided to ask my Twitter friends to help out because I wasn’t getting very far. The list below is what we managed to come up with. If you have any alt-rockin’ Christian bands to add to the list, leave a comment. (Please note: This list involved no actual research on my part, so please forgive omissions, misspellings, and any other oversights.)

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The Not-Even-Close-To-Comprehensive List of ’90s Christian Alternative/Punk/Ska/Hardcore Bands:

Value Pac
Common Children
Project 86
Blindside
Dakota Motor Company
Strongarm
Everdown
Overcome
Bloodshed
Crux
Blenderhead
Plankeye
Whitecross
The Insyderz
Grammatrain
Hoi Polloi
Sometime Sunday
Everybody Duck
The Corbans
Black Eyed Sceva (aka Model Engine)
Driver Eight
Ghoti Hook
The Dingees
Dear Ephesus
Craig’s Brother
The Channelsurfers
Bleach
Stavesacre
Precious Death
One Bad Pig
Slick Shoes
Fanmail
Fold Zandura
90 lb. Wuss
Travail
Embodyment
Zao
Living Sacrifice
Strong Willed Children
Dogwood
Six Feet Deep
Noggin Toboggan
Hangnail
MxPx
The OC Supertones
Five Iron Frenzy
B.O.B.
Arthur
The W’s
Tragedy Ann
One Bad Pig
Rez
BloodGood
Tourniquet
Pax217

  • http://www.stevansheets.com Stevan Sheets

    you forgot the Extreme Teens – they made an album with another band – Gingerbreadmen – of alt rock with ONLY scripture as lyrics! I was just thinking about them the other day!

  • http://www.stevansheets.com Stevan Sheets

    Also forgot “The Huntingtons” – lead guy is now in a great new band, Main Line Riders (http://www.myspace.com/mainlineriders)

  • http://savingcreativity.com Jon Ackerman

    How about:
    Pedro the Lion
    Danielson Famil
    Squad-5-0
    Joy Electric

  • http://www.stevansheets.com Stevan Sheets

    Yes! Danielson Famile (NOT embarrassed that I own EVERY album)!

    BTW – check out http://www.grooveshark.com to listen to most of these bands via Grooveshark’s greatness!

  • http://www.isenhowers.com Kyle Isenhower

    Love making this list, I was making a playlist the other day, so it made things easier. Here are some more.

    The Prayer Chain
    Kosmos Express
    Silage
    The Juliana Theory
    Seven Day Jesus
    Blackball
    Bloomsday
    Every Day Life (EDL)
    The Violet Burning
    Honey
    Philmore
    Poor Old Lu
    Puller
    Rose Blossom Punch
    Starflyer 59
    Viva Voce

  • Calvin Krause

    If another minute goes by and no one mentions Bride I’m going to be sick…

  • Dean McKenzie

    This might be a fun time to start poking around http://faithnoise.com – “a collaborative Christian Music guide” – Wiki style.

  • http://donovanhouse.com Matt Donovan

    Focused
    The Crucified
    Crash Dog Circle of Dust
    Mortal
    Leader Dogs for the Blind
    XL & DBD
    Desciple
    Johnny Q. Public

  • http://bfalexander.com Brian Alexander

    Nice listing here. What about Audio Adrenaline. Weren’t they a band in the 90s?

  • http://www.awestruckediting.com Teri Heemstra

    flight 180
    Sick of Change (my friends yey!)
    Noise Ratchet (anyone, anyone?)

    and I would just like to say how much I appreciate you mentioning EVERYBODYDUCK!
    come on… “suzies diet” is a classic!

  • http://www.CriesOfTheHeart.com Paul J.

    One Bad Pig rules.
    Paul Q-Pek’s solo album was one of the all-time greats to me also…

    Paul Joseph
    http://www.twitter.com/PAJoseph
    http://www.CriesOfTheHeart.com

  • http://www.timbuktoons.tv Todd

    don’t forget the awesomeness known as “P.O.D.” Saw them at Purple Door in the 90′s on the secondary stage w/ only about 100 people there.

    Oh, …and a lesser known band “Buck”…oh, and Tree63

    glad to see all the major ska bands were listed!!!

    Long live the 90s

  • Emil J Lesner

    Don’t forget 5 Iron Frenzy. And The Juliana Theory is still putting out albums on Tooth and Nail.

  • Emil J Lesner

    Oh, and Burlap to Cashmere.

  • bpinks

    Some others:
    Swirling Eddies
    DigHayZoose
    Noisy Little Sunbeams

  • http://www.missionaryconfidential.com/ C. Holland

    Also add: The Normals and The Frantics…

  • http://www.musesofmegret.com Megret

    How ’bout:
    Luxury
    A Few Loose Screws
    Morella’s Forest

  • http://circle37.com Bill

    I blogged about this very thing not too long ago: http://www.circle37.com/long-lost-christian-bands/473/ I had pulled out a Beanbag CD and was reminiscing.

  • http://michaelmcminn.extendr.com michaelmcminn

    BIG ONES I See Missing:
    Sixpence None the Richer
    Over the Rhine
    The Innocence Mission
    Mike Knott (LSU, LS Underground, Lifesavers, Lifesavers Undergroudn, The Aunt Bettys, The Strung Gurus, Bombay Babies, Us Kids)
    The Lassie Foundation
    The Lost Dogs
    Steve Taylor
    Further Seems Forever
    Fleming and John
    Hocus Pick Maneuver
    Dance House Children (Rainbow Rider)
    Dime Store Prophets
    Vigilantes of Love
    Joe Christmas
    Havalina Rail Company
    The Halo Friendlies
    Bon Voyage
    Pep Squad

    OTHERS:
    Vengeance Rising
    Seventh Angel
    Chatterbox
    Brainchild/Klank/Argyle Park
    Dietiphobia
    Blackhouse
    Jyradelix
    Virus
    The Prodigal Sons
    Paradigm Shift
    Scott Blackwell
    The Echoing Green
    World Wide Message Tribe
    Souljunk
    Soulfood76
    Roadside Monument
    Frodus
    Curious Fools
    Wish for Eden/Rob Walker
    Common Children
    Fluffy/Duralux
    Breakfast with Amy
    Phantasmic
    Rasberry Jam
    Acoustic Shack
    Love Coma
    The Lead
    Kevin Clay/My Little Dog China
    Robert Deeble/Days Like These
    Delta Haymax
    Furthermore
    The Spivies
    Spudgun
    Royal
    Left Out
    Outer Circle
    Upside Down Room
    The Calicoes
    The Wednesdays
    One21
    Officer Negative
    Blaster the Rocketboy (late Blaster the Rocketboy)
    Chasm
    Black Cherry Soda
    Speedy Delivery
    headnoise
    Shorthanded
    Don’t Know
    The Blamed
    Unashamed
    Stretch Armstrong
    my spacecoaster
    within
    Steamboat
    Ester Drang
    LN
    Pushstart Wagon
    Pony Express
    Sunsites
    The Swoon
    The Danes
    Jettenderpaul
    Jupiter James
    Velour 100
    Fina China
    Sal Paradise

    80′s/90s:
    Adam Again
    Daniel Amos
    The Choir
    Steve Taylor
    77′s
    The Alterboys

  • http://davidhemphill.com David Hemphill

    Here’s a second vote for Seven Day Jesus. I loved those guys!

  • ddrfr33k

    Also include:

    As I lay Dying (yes, they were on MTV. But even before that, they played in the christian music circuit)
    Skillet
    Pillar
    KJ-52 (Pronounced five-two)
    PAX217
    Thousand Foot Krutch
    Kutless
    Nodes de Renvier
    Bloodstained Calligraphy (female screamo. you’ll never hear anything like it again)

    There was a lesser known group that opened for FIF once called “Ska Skank Redemption.” I dunno if they were ever really big, but the lead singer also played trombone.

  • Jonshatter

    Freeto Boat

    Next in Line

    Sucker Punch

  • havalinarailco.

    The Kry!

  • havalinarailco.

    Jawbone Hill
    Rainy Days
    Rainchildren
    Dryve
    The Electrics
    Zilch

  • Drea

    what was the name of the band that had a music video where they kept walking back and forth on moving walkways, and the lead singer was kinda odd looking with i believe white hair

  • Johnny

    The Prayer Chain was my favorite of that era. My new favorite you may not have heard of. Have you heard of Paper Tongues? They are an amazing new band. I saw them on tour with Flyleaf. Check out their stuff:

    h t t p ://papertongues.ning. com/

  • Johnny

    The Prayer Chain was my favorite of that era. My new favorite you may not have heard of. Have you heard of Paper Tongues? They are an amazing new band. I saw them on tour with Flyleaf. Check out their stuff:

  • Johnny

    Sorry for the double post!

  • Kimmers
  • Unashamed

    Whatever happened to the band Outnumbered?
    Did they ever make any CD's?

  • girlofgod03

    there was a song in 98 or 99 that talked about the winged creatures, some of the lyrics may have said with one set they fly and then something elese about a womens belly. The song is beautiful but I can't remember hardly any of the words or the name of the song dose anyone know.

  • Marti

    Wasn't there a band called Children of ? geez can't remember but they sang Flubber, Swim & other insane tunes.

  • kevin

    underoath (old underoath), dc talk (c'mon, now), grits, jennifer knapp, kosmos express, miss angie, sagoh 247, all star united, john reuban, urban disciple, michael w smith, jars of clay, mukula, rebecca st james

  • Acts7

    I can’t believe it took so long for someone to mention. theChoir .
    Also

    EveryBodyDuck

    Morella’s Forrest
    Buck
    Alexa
    Velour100
    Deliverance

  • Acts7

    Bloodgood
    Savior Machine
    Galactic Cowboys
    Kings X