The Crucified

Did You Know?

• The band has cited Minor Threat and Metallica as musical influences.
• Their Fresno location inspired a tongue-in-cheek note: 'funny what one can accomplish when surrounded by miles of nothing.'
• The band opened for non-religious punk and metal bands like D.R.I. and Pantera during their initial tenure.

History

Four high school friends in Fresno, California—drummer Jim Chaffin, guitarist Greg Minier, bassist Kirk Palmer, and vocalist Wayne Stonecipher—formed a band called K.G.B. in late 1984. They picked the initials simply because they sounded cool, with no deeper meaning. When Stonecipher left in early 1985, Minier brought in his friend Mark Salomon to audition. After singing a few existing songs, Salomon got the gig. Under pressure to give K.G.B. significance, the band claimed it stood for Kids in God’s Blessings, but they quickly found that name too childish. Chaffin then brainstormed names suitable for a Christian band, landing on The Crucified. The band always wrote the name alongside the Bible verse about being crucified with Christ. After nearly a year of writing and rehearsing in the Palmer family living room, they recorded ten songs on a demo under the K.G.B. name, though it never saw release. Kirk Palmer then left, and his brother Trevor took over bass. In 1986, with a small budget, The Crucified recorded fifteen songs for a demo called Take up Your Cross, distributing it locally and by mail. The following year brought a second demo, Nailed, and growing exposure. After high school graduation, Palmer departed again, replaced by Mark Johnson. The band recorded Live at the New Order in March 1989.