Barnabas (band)

Band history

He placed an ad at Guitar Center seeking to form a Christian heavy metal band, and bassist Gary Mann and drummer Lance Johnson joined. Cooley wanted Darrell Mansfield as vocalist, but Mansfield declined, so Carolyn Joy was recruited. Lance Johnson and Carolyn Joy performed live briefly, and second guitarist David Storrs was also involved, but all three left within the first year. A drummer known as Roy was briefly in the band before Kris Klingensmith (Kris k.) took over on drums.

Nancy Jo Mann (later Nancyjo or NJo) joined on vocals after responding to an ad in a local paper. The band recorded their first album, Hear the Light, in 1980 in a Los Angeles studio. Afterward, they briefly visited Highway Missionary Society in Rogue River, Oregon, then moved to Jesus People USA in Chicago for a short stay, and next to Schaumburg, Illinois. Monte Cooley left after the first album, replaced by Michael (Mick) Donner.

A second album, Find Your Heart a Home, was recorded in 1981. Both Mick and Kris Brauninger left after that album, and Brian Belew joined as guitarist. The band then relocated to Edmond, Oklahoma.

Style and legacy

Barnabas helped shape Christian rock during the 1970s Jesus Movement, standing alongside groups like Agape, Daniel Band, DeGarmo and Key, Petra, Resurrection Band, Servant, and Sweet Comfort Band. The band is recognized as an early force in Christian metal and hard rock, appearing on the timeline after Resurrection Band and Jerusalem but before Daniel Band. Their early work mixed hard rock, heavy blues, and metal, but they shifted to a full metal sound with a science-fiction and futuristic feel on their standout album, Approaching Light Speed.

The Phantom Tollbooth e-zine once labeled their style punk rock. Singer Nancy Jo Mann brought a powerhouse vocal approach, influenced by Wendy Kaiser and Janis Joplin. After the band dissolved, Mann focused on Women Exploited by Abortion, an organization she founded in 1982. Her story later appeared in Jerry Wilson’s book God’s Not Dead (And Neither Are We), which highlights pioneers of 1980s alternative Christian rock. Barnabas kept a loyal following until their breakup ended their run.