Paul Loader recounts the late '70s, early '80s history of Bristol metal band AMAZIAH

Paul Loader at final Amaziah gig

As we did a heap of gigs we met many wonderful people who did their best to take us under their wings and help us achieve the job that the Lord had sent us out to do. These people included Ishmael, Steve Goddard, Writz, Mike Hook and The Foundation Family, Mike Wood (he wrote "Jesus Is The Saviour Whom I Love To Know"), Garth Hewitt, Rodney Cordner, Gary Gibb and many others. Sadly, even with the loving support and guidance of such people by the end of 1980 we had completely lost our direction. The power struggle between Eric and the band members was getting more difficult to handle, especially with even members of his own family telling us not to trust him. I was struggling with depression and panic attacks. And the four of us were tired of the gruelling rigours of life on the road and were just not enjoying each other's company any more.

We knew it was coming to an end when we bumped into a band called Liquid Gold in a Dutch railway station. They were at number one in Britain at that point in time with a single called "Dance Yourself Dizzy". They were tired, hungry, fed up and wanting to call it a day. and they were number one in the charts! We were about to spend weeks in Holland, and were tired, hungry, fed up and, despite our faith, at each other's throats. We knew the end was in sight. We threw a particularly arrogant adolescent strop and refused to play Greenbelt that year, despite being offered the headline spot in the Big Top, as we had not been given Mainstage. By October we had all had enough and the decision was taken to call it a day. We played one final gig in Bristol to a packed audience and that was it. The irony at the end was that they held an Amaziah finishing party to mark the end of an era. and the four surviving band members weren't invited.

Looking back, was it all a disaster? Proof to those who insist that rock is the Devil's music and nothing good will ever come out of it? Not a bit of it. As I said, many people were introduced to Jesus Christ for the first time through Amaziah, despite our obvious failings. I thank the Lord for that. The Bible shows that he loves to use the unlikeliest of people for his glory and purposes.

For posterity we left behind one album. The Encyclopedia Of Christian Rock described us as "a hard rock British band featuring aggressive guitars and powerful synthesizers" while Jesus Music magazine called 'Straight Talker' "homemade, heavy, monster rock" though with the qualification that Derek Elliot's vocals were "an acquired taste." 'Straight Talker' was later remixed and reissued on red vinyl by a Canadian label, Tunesmith. It had a different lineup Amaziah on the cover pic from the guys who played on the record. But that hasn't stopped collectors seeking it out. I last saw it going for £475 on eBay.

So where are the band members today? I can report that Derek Elliot has been involved in a variety of outreach ministries including managing Sal Solo and Bushbaby. He continues to be involved in the local churches in Somerset. Richard Grinter formed Alias who were an excellent Christian band. He now heads the Youth Alive worship band (part of the Audacious ministry in Bristol) and is regularly seen leading hundreds of Christian young people in worship. Jez Coad gave up medical school after a year of hard work realising that medicine was not for him. He is now a successful record producer and has co-written and produced albums for artists such as Simple Minds and Andrew Strong (The Commitments) as well as producing music for a string of TV shows and films, including Only Fools And Horses, Boon and Gone To The Dogs. We sadly lost touch with Alan Tye as well as Phil Williams (who was last seen touring the Middle East with former members of the '70s glam band Mud).

After Amaziah, Kev and Dave Steel and myself formed a band called Atak to continue our assault on the musical world. However, the inability to promote ourselves still dogged us and we split having only performed one short gig. Kev now is a leading light working for Roland. Dave and I continued to perform together in local churches for years afterwards, until I went off to Bible College and Dave started playing for the girl that was to become his wife. He is also one of the main worship musicians for Christchurch Clifton in Bristol.

Eric Cribb had the most memorable ending to it all. Having had his trustworthiness questioned by several people over our time together he went and did a Reggie Perrin and staged his own supposed suicide (made Crime Watch and everything). He had dumped his car, glasses, clothes, everything by the side of a busy river in Bristol and simply disappeared, leaving his wife and bankrupting his business partner. We all thought Eric was dead until he made contact with his mother many months later. Only the Lord knows where he is now. maybe even reading this article!

Me? Well, God gave me another chance and I formed Mudheads Monkey, a band I adored playing in and one that gave me the opportunity to share the love of a God that I had discovered in a very real and life changing way. Mudheads Monkey made one album that was produced by Jez, and I have to say that although it could have been better I am still very proud of it and it was reviewed very kindly on this very website.

I now lead worship in my local church and the Lord has really blessed me in that I reformed MHM about four years ago under the name The Mudheads (meaning village idiots) and the talented and dynamic lead guitarist is my own son, Aaron. How good is that? And in case you were thinking of emailing me, I DON'T have an attic full of mint copies of 'Straight Talker'!