Dougie Adams embarks on part one of the mammoth task of chronicling every release issued by American CCM pioneer LARRY NORMAN. Larry himself sent in his own insights on a number of his best known albums.

1977-81
Larry Norman (& the New Solid Rock Artists), Barking At The Ants (12" EP), Phydeaux (Bone -XOXO), 1981
The start of Phydeaux's batch of compilation albums aimed at the type of fan who sought after rarities with relish! Side one has four Larry Norman songs and recordings each from different unreleased projects. There is a short version of The Tune" in which Larry's vocal overdub is interrupted by his dog Phydeaux requesting to be taken on his walkies, the live version of "Why Can't You Be Good" from the Dominion Theatre, a cover of Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" from Larry's 'Before & After' tribute album celebrating Bob's first 20 years as a recording artist and "Deep Blue" from 'Island In The Sky1. Side two contains songs by Lyrix (better known as the Mark Williamson Band), Alwyn Wall and Shelia Walsh which date from the early days of Chapel Lane. Never issued on CD.

1981
Larry Norman, Larry Norman And His Friends On Tour, (UK) Solid Rock / Chapel Lane (SRX-1117), 1981 Following in the footsteps of 'Barking At The Ants' here is another album where we have Larry Norman songs and
performances on only one side of the LP. Side one features Alwyn Wall and the Barratt Band playing a few songs off albums like The Prize1, 'Invisible Warfare' and 'Playing In The City'. On the second side they back up Larry to good effect on two songs from his 'Something New Under The Son1 album - "I Feel Like Dying" and "Put Your Life Into His Hands" - and turn in a powerful performance of "Why Can't You Be Good" and a zany ensemble rendition of "A Note From Mr God" before finishing with a fairly impressive prog-rock version of "I Wish We'd All Been Ready". Larry jokes about a recent Buzz article and offers his own viewpoint on the threat of nuclear war bringing about the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it Recorded in front of a large enthusiastic audience at the Dominion Theatre, London on 9th May 1981. Less than a week before the Dominion recording Larry had been struck by a virus and the Eastbourne show was cancelled. The following evening in Bristol (6th May) Larry came on stage with crutches which were tossed aside after a few songs! The best of the early live albums by some distance and sadly never issued on CD.

I982
Young Lions, Letter Of The Law, Phydeaux (ARF-86-1), 1982
Larry covers eight Tom Howard songs from the 'A View From The Bridge' and 'Danger In Loving You' albums. In an attempt to finish an album and release it quickly Larry gets the Young Lions to handle all the musical duties and brings in Bob Somma to produce and mix the sessions while Larry concentrates on tackling only the vocals. The soft pop production sound does not go down well and the album is never officially released. 250 copies were pressed and sold in various hand-written and photocopied sleeves and then a couple of years later the album was re-released as part of the 'bArchaeology' boxed set. The very first copies were credited to "The Solid Rock Street Choir & Blues Band" rather than Larry.

1982
Young Lions, Labor Of Love, Phydeaux (ARF-86-2), 1982
Eight more songs from Tom Howard's repertoire and four inconsequential short Larry Norman instrumentals pad out this offering made with the same band and producer as 'Letter Of The Law'. Some nice performances feature on both albums but neither album gives even the keenest Larry Norman fan anything much to get excited about. Also started life as a limited edition 250 copies LP and appeared in the 'bArchaeology' boxed set. The very first copies were credited to "The Solid Rock Street Choir & Blues Band".

1980
Larry Norman, Come As A Child, Phydeaux (ARF-86), 1983
A live solo album I in aid of the Calcutta Mission featuring a few songs which had not been released officially at the time like "I Hope I'll See You In Heaven", "Why Can't You Be Good" and "Strong Love, Strange Peace" plus some old favourites and a humorous story about one of Larry's visits to perform at the White House and a sermonette entitled "Heaven & Hell". Barry McGuire introduces Larry who receives an enthusiastic welcome and is cheered on throughout the opening number "UFO" Re-released on CD in 2000 by Solid Rock and still available from them.

1976-83
Larry Norman, The Story Of The Tune, Phydeaux (ARF-99), 1983
The Tune' is perhaps Larry's greatest achievement as a songwriter, performer, recording artist and producer. Side one of this short LP is taken up with this musical parable which tells the story of creation, the fall, the giving of the law, Christ's incarnation, crucifixion and ascension and the doctrines of redemption and grace. This 14 minute long masterpiece was recorded in the studio with a band and orchestra in Hollywood in 1977 and was originally intended to be the third side of the double LP version of 'Something New Under The Son'. Side two collects together other studio recordings which were lying around in the vaults. "Country Church, Country People" would reappear on two more albums and two spirituals "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" and "If I Got My Ticket" accompany a unique version of "Soul On Fire" in which the lyrics refer to Elderidge Cleaver's conversion experience rather than Larry's own spiritual autobiography on the more familiar version of the song. Originally released in aid of the Calcutta Mission. Re-released on CD by Phydeaux in 1995 with the same songs but much longer mixes of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" and "If I Got My Ticket" than the LP and cassette version. The track order on the CD is also slightly different. Sadly this limited edition CD sold out very quickly years ago.

1969-82
Larry Norman, bArchaeology (3 LP boxed set), Phydeaux,1984
The original nine song version of 'Street Level1, letter Of The Law' and labor Of Love' are re-packaged and re-released along with posters and flyers for different albums and tours in a boxed set release.

1969-82
Young Lions, Quiet Night, Stress Records (ARF-864), 1984
Another compilation. This was intended as a 'best of the bArchaeology boxed set. The only thing new about this release is that it was apparently given a new European remix by Tim 'Jellybean' Jacquette. According to Larry it was greeted with the same apathy which the previous releases of 'Letter Of The Law', 'labor Of Love' and 'bArchaeology' had met on their release.

1984
A Conversation With Larry Norman (Greenbelt '84 seminar), (UK) GB45,1984
Stewart Henderson lands in the unenviable position of trying to interview Larry in front of a captive audience and ends up mercilessly having his leg pulled for his troubles. Topics broached include that year's US presidential election campaign and Olympic games and the effect of Larry's travels in the third world upon his worldview, life in the shadow of the nuclear bomb and Larry's views on the gospel music scene at the time. The session ends with Larry fielding questions from the floor along the lines of 'when are you going to release a new album?' and 'aren't your songs outdated?'. Part nonsense yes, but also a very interesting listen especially as Larry articulates his own thinking about squaring an all powerful God of love with the problem of suffering and injustice in his creation. Sold as one of Greenbelt's seminar tapes from the 1984 festival where Larry also performed with the Young Lions.

1967-84
Larry Norman, Down Under But Not Out (Double LP), (Australia) Stress cassette (1984), Phydeaux ARF-377,1986
First released in Australia in 1984 then two years later by Phydeaux. Intended to give an overview of the way in which Larry's songwriting had changed and developed over the years. A patchy 20 song compilation of tracks from the People! era, finished studio recordings from old deleted albums and unreleased album projects, demos recorded with Charly and electronic new wave Numanesque instrumentals. It is only fair to point out that this was made with collectors in mind rather than being intended for the general public. There were two different versions of this on cassette from Phydeaux with three additional bonus tracks. ("We Need A Whole Lot More Of Jesus" and "Think" appear on both Phydeaux cassettes as bonus tracks while "Organ Grinder" is on the first version and a nite lite mix of "Righteous Rocker" is on the second). The most interesting songs are probably the studio version of "I Hope I'll See You In Heaven" from the 1973 'So Long Ago The Garden' sessions, "Why Can't You Be Good" and the previously unheard pop song "If The Bombs Fall". The soon to be released live versions of "Stop This Flight" and "Out Of My System" have more energy than the initial demo versions found on this collection. In 1996 Phydeaux put out a disappointing CD version of the album. Quite a few tracks come complete with noticeable tape hiss or vinyl pops and clicks and once again the variety of rock opera tracks from the People era juxtapositioned with recordings from the 70s and 80s doesn't really sit well. Whereas the LP and tape versions contained 22 songs the CD version only has 14. That said it's still nice to have the studio recordings of "I Hope I'll See You In Heaven" and "Why Can't You Be Good" on CD for the first time. Solid Rock still have copies of the CD going cheap.

1979-85
Larry Norman, Back To America (12" EP), Stress Records ST-001,1985
At the time this little EP must have set the average Larry fan's pulse racing! The front cover mentioned that Larry was returning to America to settle for the first time since 1980 and that a 200 city tour was planned along with a May 1986 release for a new album Behind The Curtain' with another series of releases scheduled for 1986 entitled Thirty Years 1956-1986'. The music previewed a number of songs due out on the aforementioned albums. Side one opened with the live version of "Messiah" (from 'Stop This Flight') and the studio version of "It's Only Today That Counts". On the flip side Larry gives an interview with snippets of new material playing in the background. The live versions of "Out Of My System" and "Stop This Flight" are premiered here in vignette form in the company of "A Woman Of God" and promising sounding studio versions of "And We Sing 'The Tune'", "If The Bombs Fall" and "Letter To A Friend" (later to become "Letters To The Church"). The interview ends with Larry musing, "And now things have changed so much. The music scene seems so wide open, I feel like it's time to come back with all of my albums and get them all out". Sadly, 'Behind The Curtain' never was released in 1986 and 'Home At Last' would be delayed until 1989 while the other releases in the 30 Years series were greeted with disappointment.

1984
Larry Norman, Stop This Right Phydeaux (ARF -607) 1985 / (Sweden) Royal Music (RMLP 021), 1986
Fantastic live album with Larry and the Young Lions on the third world tour. Most of this set was recorded on 15th June 1984 at the Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne, Australia. Arguably the first truly great live album to be issued by Larry. Best remembered for being an album of almost totally unreleased songs. (Fellow anoraks will be aware that"I Hope I'll See You In Heaven" had been issued on the 'Come As A Child' live album by this time and the studio version of the same song had been available in Australia in 1984 where 'Down Under But Not Out' had been released first)! On top of that 'Stop This Flight' was the first concept album delivered by Larry since the rough mix version of 'Something New Under The Son'. Larry's relationship with the gospel music industry is explained in the title track and then that attention shifts to love relationships in songs like "A Woman Of God", "And We Sing The Tune'" and "Out Of My System #1" while "Don't You Wanna Talk About It?" and "I Hope I'll See You In Heaven" reflect on broken friendship. Relationships within the church are the focus of "What's Wrong With This Body?". The closing song "Messiah" portrays Christ as a conqueror on his second coming and showed that Norman was still capable of writing powerful apocalyptic songs in addition to the raft of more personal songs which were dominating the albums released since 'In Another Land'. An album with focus, great songs, skilful playing and well recorded... one of Larry's best efforts for quite a while to come. Reissued by Solid Rock on CD in 1997 with the original nine songs from the LP and cassette release accompanied by a radio interview in which Larry talks about the meaning of each song and the album concept as a whole. As a secret bonus track a dance remix studio version of 'What's Wrong With This Body" (with a different set of lyrics) is added along with new cover artwork and lyrics in the CD booklet. Still available on CD from Solid Rock.

1978-86
Larry Norman, Rehearsal 4 Reality, (Sweden) Royal Music RMLP-023,1986
The first release in the 30 Years Series begins herewith 12 recordings which were demos or rough mixes of songs destined for other official albums... which never saw the light of day. "Why Can't You Be Good", 'Woman Of God" and "It's Only Today That Counts" all stand out as being very good even in their demo form while "If You Don't Love The Lord, You'll Fall" sports some epic drum machines and ace guitar sounds and cool vocoder effects. Five instrumentals pad out the proceedings (including the catchy "Voices In The Night' where Larry and Charly can only remember the words to the chorus). Larry descends to the level of Shakin' Stevens on the rambling '50s-style rocker "Gonna Write A Song About You For The Radio" and Steve Scott goes uncredited as the composer of "More Than A Dream". Larry later blamed the owner of Royal Music for this turn of events: "When this song first came out on 'Rehearsal For Reality' in Europe, the man who owned the company took Steve's name off as composer and put Larry's name on it so he could keep all of the royalties... The man also took Charles' name off all his co-writing credits." Never been issued on CD.

1967-86
Larry Norman, Down Under, (Sweden) Royal Music RMLP-025,1986
Part of the 30 Years Series and quite different from the Australian and American release 'Down Under But Not Out'! Opens with Larry joking about the quality of his early songwriting efforts before bashfully attempting to sing an early cowboy ditty "Riding In The Saddle". It's hello again to a few songs from 'Something New Under The Son', two People! B-sides (complete with vinyl scratch noises!), "Shot Down" (from 'In Another Land') and "Country Church, Country People" (from 'The Story Of The Tune) and hello to a re-recorded "Righteous Rocker" and the nite lite mix of "Soul On Fire" plus the bizarre live punk stab at "Why Should The Devil..." and a rather nice studio version of "If The Bombs Fall". Then there are instrumental demos of "Give It Up", "More Precious Than Jewels" (a jazzy variation on "A Woman Of God") and a piano vocal take of the half-finished or partly forgotten new song "Trinity". The mix of ancient rock opera material, good sounding new songs, half finished demos and Gary Numan-esque electronic instrumentals might ably highlight the various musical genres which Larry has dabbled in with his best known work but sadly this does not add up to the kind of compilation album to enhance his reputation as a songwriter or professional recording artist. One for enthusiasts with a generous and forgiving disposition! Came with a 4 page insert of an extract from the On Being magazine feature on Larry. This version has never been released on CD.