Showbread

Showbread is an American Christian hardcore band formed in Guyton, Georgia, in 1997. The group has gone through a number of lineup changes since its initial formation, but maintains its two core members, Josh Dies and Patrick Porter. The group built an underground fanbase in the late 1990s and early 2000s through word-of-mouth exposure and frequent touring. In 2004, the band signed with Tooth & Nail Records and released their major-label debut, No Sir, Nihilism Is Not Practical. In 2010, the band left Tooth & Nail and joined Come&Live!, an independent record label that releases music via free downloads. Throughout their career, the band has been subject to much controversy among Christian listeners, over their lyrical themes and personal lifestyles. The members of Showbread have labeled their musical sound as "Raw Rock". According to former guitarist Matt Davis, the band's name comes from "a biblical reference that Jesus used to show how Christianity isn't so much about rules but about love." Showbread released their final album, Our Fathers Were Models For God, on November 15, 2022. The band was formed in 1997 by Patrick Porter and Travis Riner, as a worship band for the Southern Baptist church they attended. Their church ultimately asked them to leave when they started playing music the church viewed as Satanic. Eventually, Patrick's younger brother Josh joined the band, serving as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter after starting as the drummer. The band went through line-up changes, including the addition of Eddie Ortiz as vocalist, and began playing local and regional shows, which garnered the attention of musicians in other Georgia-based Christian rock bands. It was through these meetings that the additions of Mike Jensen (guitar), Matt Davis (guitar), and John Giddens (synthesizer) took place. Ortiz left the group in 2001 but does appear as vocalist, and is credited, on the independently produced and released record The Dissonance of Discontent and plays guitars on the album "Goodbye Is Forever", he returned briefly to tour and run merchandise for the band in 2004. With their new line-up, Showbread toured independent of management, booking agents, and record labels for two years before signing to Tooth & Nail / Solid State Records in 2004. Showbread played at the Cornerstone Festival in summer of that year and quickly gained a strong following. In fall 2004, they released their debut album for Tooth & Nail Records, titled No Sir, Nihilism Is Not Practical. No Sir was produced by Sylvia Massy, who has also worked with Prince, Tool, and Johnny Cash. Showbread's Age of Reptiles, was released on August 1, 2006. On this album, Showbread departed drastically from the spastic, screeching style of their previous albums, to a more alternative rock sound, while keeping with their trademark lyrical style and keytar. Also produced by Sylvia Massy, it was recorded in Weed, California at RadioStar Studios. On March 4, 2007, Showbread posted on their official website that they would be writing a new record in the spring that they hope to record in the fall and release in 2008. Showbread announced on April 2, 2007, that Ivory Mobley would be leaving the band in May, his last show being Cornerstone Florida. Ivory then later rejoined the band several times. Two months later, on July 13, 2007, they announced that they asked drummer Justin Oblinger to step down from the band. Oblinger was replaced by Ricky Holbrook, the former drummer of Our Heart's Hero. On May 1, 2007, the band's blog became home to bizarre videos and messages filled with codes and hidden messages leading to more clues and hidden messages about the band's new record. Fans worked together to connect the puzzle pieces that they believe coincide with the new album. Anorexia Nervosa was announced by the band to be released May 13, 2008. The "album" was released as two separate albums, one called Anorexia and the other Nervosa. Soon after the joint-release of Anorexia and Nervosa and shortly before the start of the band's "You Can't Save Yourself Tour", John "JG" Giddens, the keytar player, left the band to pursue other interests. Guitarist Matt Davis also left around this time, however Josh decided against announcing his departure. Matt Davis's guitar role was replaced by Landon Ginnings, also known by Landon D. Mise (formerly of The Wedding) for the tour and JG's by Garrett Holmes. Both members were released after they completed the tour, but returned in 2009.[citation needed] On August 11, 2009, Showbread released the album The Fear of God. Recording began in April at RadioStar Studios in Weed, CA. Frontman Josh Dies has said in a recent interview, "This is a record we've wanted to make for a long time but in the past we've had so many opinions in the band that made it difficult. It's about energy, and passion, and aggression. It has a punk rock spirit to it.. There are elements of all the Showbread styles involved, but put together in a new and interesting way... It isn't about trying to be anything but raw and just letting it all come out....." On March 29, 2010, Showbread announced signing with independent label Come&Live!. The band stated, "At this point in our lives as Showbread, we have decided to withdraw from many elements of the industry that have been a part of our band for years, sign with Come&Live! and trust God to provide ways for us to offer our music and our performances as free gifts in order to expand the scope of our ministry." As "musicinaries" the band relies completely on donations from supporters to fund recordings, tours, and basic sustenance. 2010 also marked the departure of guitarists Mike Jensen and Landon Ginnings, with the band continuing as a four-piece.[citation needed] Showbread created a Kickstarter account for the purpose of funding the debut Come&Live! album on May 17. Their original goal was to raise $13,000 by August 14, so they could record the album. On May 26, they made that goal. By the end of the fundraiser, they raised $33,322. The rest of the money was used for other purposes, such as the upcoming free tour. On September 21, 2010, Showbread headed down to Weed, California to record the album with Rich Veltrop and Sylvia Massy Shivy at Radio Star Studios. During the recording session, August 10, Showbread announced on their website that the album was going to be titled, "Who Can Know It?". The band shot a lot of footage from this recording session. They compiled all of the videos and released it as a DVD titled it "Showbread: An Awful Void". This video also available to stream on the band's official YouTube channel, as of March 2014. "Who Can Know It?" was released on November 16, 2010, through Come&Live!. The album was released in multiple versions. Besides the free digital download through the Come&Live! website, they put out three different physical copies, the standard edition, the special edition, and the vinyl edition. In February 2011, Josh Dies released a book titled "The Joke That We Play on the World." The book is a biography of the band's history from their beginnings up until the end of 2010. The book contains makings of albums, tours, faith, funny moments, biographies of each band member, past and present, some interviews and articles. The book also contained a digital photo album, which has photos of the band past and present, such as photos of the original lineup. Showbread were a part of four tours in 2011. From mid-February to April 2011, Showbread went on their first free national tour, "Raw Rock Theology 2011". At the beginning of the summer Showbread hopped on the second leg of the "Ad Astra Per Aspera Record Release Tour" with Abandon Kansas, Quiet Science, and The Wedding. In mid-summer, the band was a part of "Arrows Are Deadly: Missional Tour" with Ascend the Hill, White Collar Sideshow, and The Ember Days. In the fall, Showbread embarked on a headlining European tour called "Showbread Goes To Europe" with Safemode and