4-4-1
Encyclopedia
4-4-1 are an alternative-pop Christian rock
band who played primarily in the 1980s. 4-4-1 consisted of lead singer/guitarist John McNamara, drummer Steve Giali, lead guitarist John Giali and bassist/keyboardist Glenn Holland.
, the hometown of all four members.
The band recorded their first demo tape of four songs (Judgment Game, Love’s Irony, Mom & Dad and Break Out) in the garage and sent it to youth pastors around southern California. Randy Ziegler, who ran the very popular concert series at Calvary Chapel
Costa Mesa, responded with enthusiasm and immediately met with the band and set in motion high-profile concerts as well as discussions with record labels.
4-4-1’s first performances were as an opening act for a standing-room-only shows for Benny Hester and Undercover
and the band was met with great enthusiasm from the crowds.
The band completed their first record at Doug Doyle's 3-D Studios
under the new label Royal Commandment (later to be named Blue Collar Records) and released it in early November, 1984. Both the song “Break Out” and the self-titled album debuted at the top position on so-cal CCM
radio station KYMS, a first for any act and topping the hugely successful new release by U2
, “The Unforgettable Fire
” and their legendary hit “Pride (In the Name of Love).”
“4-4-1” stayed in the top 40 for several months and the band was named 1984’s “Best New Band” in the KYMS listener music awards.
of Kansas
fame, the disc showed a more mature sound and consistently stronger songwriting.
Joined by groups Undercover
and Adam Again
, the newly renamed Blue Collar Records aggressively promoted their trifecta of bands and “Mourning Into Dancing” debuted on the CCM Magazine
top 40 sales chart and the title track rose to number two on the national rock charts.
4-4-1 toured extensively off the success of their two hit records, playing energetic sets at the Icthus and Cornerstone festivals in 1986.
Blue Collar Records declared bankruptcy in 1987 based on non-payment of record sales from its distributor, leaving the band (as well as Undercover and Adam Again) looking for a home.
on May 1, 1987.
(Undercover
) and Gene Eugene
(Adam Again
) were reviving Maranantha!’s Broken Records and with it, production company Brainstorm Artist International
. Subsequently, the duo came to agreement with Broken for a third 4-4-1 album, with the other two members’ blessing to use the name of the band.
“Sacrifice,” was released on Broken Records/ Brainstorm Artists International
and distributed by Word Records
in 1988. Produced with Gene Eugene
, the project was a departure, with a more introspective and moody feel, largely based on the duo’s strange experiences in the world of Christian music.
The “new” 4-4-1 toured the region on a limited basis in promotion of the record, with Glenn’s brother Kenny Holland on drums (Kenny had played on the studio tracks) and John Gaudesi, Kenny’s bandmate from the L.A.-based hard rock outfit, Cats & Dogs, on guitar.
With family commitments looming, Holland and McNamara elected to no longer aggressively pursue a musical path. Subsequently, 4-4-1 “proper” reformed in the early nineties for several concerts, including a New Year’s eve performance with The 77s
at Calvary Chapel
West Covina in 1992. The band performed their last gig on July 4, 1993.
, The Choir, The Altar Boys
and Crumbächer
. 4-4-1 also played the Spirit West Coast
festival in Del Mar, California
in May, 2006. As of November 2006, the band is working on new material for a possible album project in 2007.
A week before their breakout reunion in 2005, Bassist Glenn Holland was diagnosed with cancer. This album relives the tough times that the band was dealing with through their hits such as "Break Out", "Mourning Into Dancing" and the heartfelt "Is It Enough".
They performed in a concert at Mission Hills Church in Orange County, California on March 28, 2009. They played with up and coming band, Sun From Shadows.
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band who played primarily in the 1980s. 4-4-1 consisted of lead singer/guitarist John McNamara, drummer Steve Giali, lead guitarist John Giali and bassist/keyboardist Glenn Holland.
Formation and breakthrough
Formed in 1983, 4-4-1 discovered their blend of catchy beats and melodies capped with insightful lyrics in Glenn’s parents’ garage in Arcadia, CaliforniaArcadia, California
Arcadia is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and located approximately northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains....
, the hometown of all four members.
The band recorded their first demo tape of four songs (Judgment Game, Love’s Irony, Mom & Dad and Break Out) in the garage and sent it to youth pastors around southern California. Randy Ziegler, who ran the very popular concert series at Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel is an evangelical association of Christian churches with over one thousand congregations worldwide. Calvary Chapel also maintains a number of radio stations around the world and operates many local Calvary Chapel Bible College programs. It presents itself as a "fellowship of...
Costa Mesa, responded with enthusiasm and immediately met with the band and set in motion high-profile concerts as well as discussions with record labels.
4-4-1’s first performances were as an opening act for a standing-room-only shows for Benny Hester and Undercover
Undercover (band)
Undercover is an American Christian punk band based in Southern California.-History:Formed in the early 1980s by Joey "Ojo" Taylor in southern California, Undercover brought a new sound to the Contemporary Christian Music scene that differed from the Christian rock and Christian metal bands of the...
and the band was met with great enthusiasm from the crowds.
The band completed their first record at Doug Doyle's 3-D Studios
3-D Studios
3-D Studios was the name of a recording studio in Costa Mesa, California in the 1980s.3-D Studios, which was built by audio engineer Doug Doyle, was the recording studio which was home to a large number of California-area albums in the 1980s, including albums by 441, Daniel Amos and others.Albums...
under the new label Royal Commandment (later to be named Blue Collar Records) and released it in early November, 1984. Both the song “Break Out” and the self-titled album debuted at the top position on so-cal CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
radio station KYMS, a first for any act and topping the hugely successful new release by U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, “The Unforgettable Fire
The Unforgettable Fire
U2 feared that following the overt rock of their 1983 War album and War Tour, they were in danger of becoming another "shrill", "sloganeering arena-rock band". The success of the 1983 Under a Blood Red Sky live album and the Live at Red Rocks video, however, had given them artistic—and for the...
” and their legendary hit “Pride (In the Name of Love).”
“4-4-1” stayed in the top 40 for several months and the band was named 1984’s “Best New Band” in the KYMS listener music awards.
National exposure
The band completed their second album, Mourning Into Dancing in the summer of 1985. Produced by Dino and John ElefanteJohn Elefante
John Elefante is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer.-Early years:Born in Levittown, New York, his family soon moved to Long Beach, California. Growing up, he sang and performed drums for his family band, the Brotherhood...
of Kansas
Kansas (band)
Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
fame, the disc showed a more mature sound and consistently stronger songwriting.
Joined by groups Undercover
Undercover (band)
Undercover is an American Christian punk band based in Southern California.-History:Formed in the early 1980s by Joey "Ojo" Taylor in southern California, Undercover brought a new sound to the Contemporary Christian Music scene that differed from the Christian rock and Christian metal bands of the...
and Adam Again
Adam Again
Adam Again was a rock band founded and led by vocalist Gene Eugene, with Riki Michele on vocals, Paul Valadez on bass, Jon Knox on drums, Greg Lawless on guitar...
, the newly renamed Blue Collar Records aggressively promoted their trifecta of bands and “Mourning Into Dancing” debuted on the CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine was a monthly magazine published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. It was first published in July 1978, and it has always been a Christian music magazine. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the...
top 40 sales chart and the title track rose to number two on the national rock charts.
4-4-1 toured extensively off the success of their two hit records, playing energetic sets at the Icthus and Cornerstone festivals in 1986.
Blue Collar Records declared bankruptcy in 1987 based on non-payment of record sales from its distributor, leaving the band (as well as Undercover and Adam Again) looking for a home.
Breakup
With the failure of their label and new priorities for several of the members, 4-4-1 consequently chose to end their run as a group in mid-1987. 4-4-1 played their last concert at Knott's Berry FarmKnott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm is a theme park in Buena Park, California, now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, and a line of jams, jellies, preserves, and other specialty food, now part of The J. M. Smucker Company based in Placentia, California....
on May 1, 1987.
Sacrifice
John McNamara and Glenn Holland, the songwriters for the band, continued writing. At the same time, Ojo TaylorOjo Taylor
Joey "Ojo" Taylor is a bassist, vocalist, and keyboardist best known for his work with the Christian rock band Undercover.Taylor co-owned the Brainstorm Artists Intl record label with songwriter and Adam Again frontman, Gene Eugene. He received his MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles...
(Undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
) and Gene Eugene
Gene Eugene
Gene "Eugene" Andrusco was a Canadian born actor, record producer, engineer, composer and musician. Andrusco was best known as the leader of the funk/rock band Adam Again, a member of The Swirling Eddies and as a founding member of the roots music supergroup Lost Dogs.-Acting:Andrusco was a child...
(Adam Again
Adam Again
Adam Again was a rock band founded and led by vocalist Gene Eugene, with Riki Michele on vocals, Paul Valadez on bass, Jon Knox on drums, Greg Lawless on guitar...
) were reviving Maranantha!’s Broken Records and with it, production company Brainstorm Artist International
Brainstorm Artists International
Brainstorm Artists International formerly Broken Records , was an artist-run record label founded in 1987 by Gene Eugene, Ojo Taylor, and Barry Hill. The label was distributed globally by Sony/Epic Music, among others, and closed in 1997 due to distribution issues.Located in Fullerton, California,...
. Subsequently, the duo came to agreement with Broken for a third 4-4-1 album, with the other two members’ blessing to use the name of the band.
“Sacrifice,” was released on Broken Records/ Brainstorm Artists International
Brainstorm Artists International
Brainstorm Artists International formerly Broken Records , was an artist-run record label founded in 1987 by Gene Eugene, Ojo Taylor, and Barry Hill. The label was distributed globally by Sony/Epic Music, among others, and closed in 1997 due to distribution issues.Located in Fullerton, California,...
and distributed by Word Records
Word Records
Word Records is a Christian record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a division of Word Entertainment , which, itself is co-owned by Warner Music Group and Curb Records...
in 1988. Produced with Gene Eugene
Gene Eugene
Gene "Eugene" Andrusco was a Canadian born actor, record producer, engineer, composer and musician. Andrusco was best known as the leader of the funk/rock band Adam Again, a member of The Swirling Eddies and as a founding member of the roots music supergroup Lost Dogs.-Acting:Andrusco was a child...
, the project was a departure, with a more introspective and moody feel, largely based on the duo’s strange experiences in the world of Christian music.
The “new” 4-4-1 toured the region on a limited basis in promotion of the record, with Glenn’s brother Kenny Holland on drums (Kenny had played on the studio tracks) and John Gaudesi, Kenny’s bandmate from the L.A.-based hard rock outfit, Cats & Dogs, on guitar.
With family commitments looming, Holland and McNamara elected to no longer aggressively pursue a musical path. Subsequently, 4-4-1 “proper” reformed in the early nineties for several concerts, including a New Year’s eve performance with The 77s
The 77s
The 77s are an American rock band consisting of Michael Roe on vocals/guitar, Mark Harmon on bass, and Bruce Spencer on drums.-Scratch Band:...
at Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel is an evangelical association of Christian churches with over one thousand congregations worldwide. Calvary Chapel also maintains a number of radio stations around the world and operates many local Calvary Chapel Bible College programs. It presents itself as a "fellowship of...
West Covina in 1992. The band performed their last gig on July 4, 1993.
Reunion
In 2005, after a long period of inactivity, the group once again began to play some concerts in southern California, including the Broken Reunion show on August 19, 2005 with UndercoverUndercover (band)
Undercover is an American Christian punk band based in Southern California.-History:Formed in the early 1980s by Joey "Ojo" Taylor in southern California, Undercover brought a new sound to the Contemporary Christian Music scene that differed from the Christian rock and Christian metal bands of the...
, The Choir, The Altar Boys
Altar Boys
Altar Boys are a Christian punk rock band from California, formed in 1982. They are Mike Stand , Jeff Crandall , Steve Pannier , Mark Robertson , and Ric Alba.-Background:...
and Crumbächer
Crumbächer
Crumbächer was an American Christian new wave and synthpop band in the 1980s, headed by Stephen Crumbächer.-History:After five years of friendship, Stephen Crumbächer, Dawn Wisner and Jim Wisner played their first performance as Crumbächer at a New Year's Eve show in 1983...
. 4-4-1 also played the Spirit West Coast
Spirit West Coast
Spirit West Coast is a Christian music festival that features Christian artists from several different genres. It also features lectures, workshops in tents, kids' shows, petting zoos, and comedians....
festival in Del Mar, California
Del Mar, California
Del Mar is an upscale beach town in San Diego County, California. The population was 4,161 at the 2010 census, down from 4,389 at the 2000 census. The San Diego County Fair is hosted on the Del Mar Fairgrounds every summer. Del Mar is Spanish for "of the sea" or "by the sea", because it is located...
in May, 2006. As of November 2006, the band is working on new material for a possible album project in 2007.
A week before their breakout reunion in 2005, Bassist Glenn Holland was diagnosed with cancer. This album relives the tough times that the band was dealing with through their hits such as "Break Out", "Mourning Into Dancing" and the heartfelt "Is It Enough".
They performed in a concert at Mission Hills Church in Orange County, California on March 28, 2009. They played with up and coming band, Sun From Shadows.