Guardian (band)
Encyclopedia
Guardian is an American Christian hard rock/metal band. The band released six studio albums, three additional albums in Spanish
—and toured extensively worldwide. There are also numerous compilations, live records and bootlegs available.
David Bach and singer Paul Cawley plus original drummer Steve Martinez and guitarist Gene Thurston. The group stood out in the burgeoning Los Angeles metal scene due to their unconventional body-armor stage outfits, which were derived from the biblical passage in Ephesians 6 regarding "putting on the full armor of God". Member changes in 1984 included drummer
Rikk Hart and guitarist
James Isham. In 1984, they recorded a six song EP
called Rock In Victory. In early 1985, Isham departed and was replaced by David Caro. Caro arrived just in time for one of the first shifts in the band's trajectory.
The band managed to strike a record deal with Enigma Records
in 1985 after Eric Blair, (who worked for Stryper) pushed the Rock in Victory EP
to Enigma Records President, Wesley Hein. When they found out there was a Spanish band going by the same name, they changed theirs to Gardian - intentionally misspelled to have 7 letters. In early 1986, Caro left the band and was replaced by Tony Palacios. David Caro currently plays guitar at his church in Hesperia, CA. With Palacios, there surfaced a bootleg EP, Voyager in 1987—which were really just pre-production demos recorded in the backroom of an Orange County music store.
In 1988, the band added the "U" to their name while continually touring in California and in 1989 finally released their first official album, First Watch
, produced by Stryper
's Oz Fox
. This release featured a melodic metal sound in the same vein as Stryper
or Van Halen
and was followed by extensive touring
through the United States
and Japan
. Rikk Hart departed the group in the fall of 1989 and was replaced by drummer Jason Sousa for the Japanese tour. In early 1990, founding member Cawley left the band.
, requesting a more Christian-focused label. After they were released, singer Jamie Rowe and drummer
Karl Ney joined the band. They started working with new producers Dino and John Elefante
on their second album, finally releasing Fire and Love
in 1991 under the Elefante's Pakaderm label. The response to the album was overwhelming and one of the videos was included in the MTV
's Headbangers Ball
rotation. After touring with Stryper
in 1992, the band released their third
album, Miracle Mile
in 1993. The album was a departure from their first two releases as the band began to integrate R&B elements into their music. The album quickly rose the charts, and reached the CCM Top Five.
After a new deal with Myrrh Records
, they followed with an experimental
acoustic album Swing, Swang, Swung
in 1994. The album was recorded in producer's (John & Dino Elefante
) garage and featured a stripped down, blues based sound. Also, the band's first Spanish
album Nunca Te Dire Adiós
was released in 1995--rising the band's popularity in Latin America
.
The band then switched to producer Steve Taylor
. Under his direction they returned to a harder sound and released Buzz
in 1995. They supported the release with yet another worldwide tour--including extensive dates in Latin America. In 1997, the band released Bottle Rocket
and their second Spanish
album, Promesa
.
With growing shifts in the rock genre and their ever-growing families, the band decided to take some time off and dedicate time to other personal
projects. During this time, the band released a self-produced tribute to Stryper
called The Yellow and Black Attack Is Back!
. The album is a direct remake of Stryper
's album of the same name. In 2001, the band members (sans Bach) released their third
Spanish
album called Dime
. It featured nine songs written in Spanish
exclusively for this album
and one in English
. Bach was not able to take part due to contractual commitments with EMI.
) on the HM Stage at the Cornerstone Music Festival
near Bushnell, IL. The show was intended to be a tribute to the Christian metal heyday of the 80s and early 90s, however Guardian made the show a reunion of sorts and performed songs spanning their entire catalog.
In 2004, it was announced that the band will start to tour again in 2005, and will probably record a new album in the near future. In December 2005, the band recorded an updated remake of their signature ballad "Never Say Goodbye" with producer Phil Madeira
.
In April 2006, producer Dino Elefante told Jesus Freak Hideout
that Guardian would release Triple Five, a compilation with a couple new songs on the Selectric Records imprint. More recently, Jamie Rowe said that there may be a complete CD of all new material rather than Triple Five. However, these plans were put put on hold when Selectric Records was sold to Weston Entertainment.
In October 2006, Guardian made a rare live appearance at the ARPA Awards in Mexico City
where they performed a medley of some of their Spanish hits.
In February 2007, Guardian joined fellow Christian-metal veterans, Bride
and Tourniquet
onstage in Germany at the Legends of Rock festival.
In December 2008, the band appeared at Rock & Vida in Buenos Aires, Argentina--playing before over 100,000 people with newly-added guitarist Jamey Perrenot.
In 2009, the band released "House of Guardian" - a live video documentary - as well as a complimentary website: houseofguardian.com
Guardian again appeared at the Legends of Rock festival in Germany in 2010...with several Latin American dates scheduled for 2011.
The band most recently appeared in concert in Guatemala on July 23, 2011--with all five current members.
. He also served in the same capacity for Sony/BMG-owned Reunion Records
before reuniting with veteran producers John and Dino Elefante
in a production company called 3.1 Productions. Bach currently works for Apple Inc. Guitarist Tony Palacios
mixes and produces records for a diverse blend of both CCM and mainstream acts. Karl Ney is owner of The Bennett Company, an Artist and Business Management Firm which represents international CCM and mainstream recording artists. His latest act to partner with is a new band out of Boise, ID called A Rotterdam November. Jamie Rowe
remains active as a solo artist as well as lead singer for power pop band The Ruled. He also works as a part time youth minister while running a successful viral marketing business. Jamie Perrenot is a record producer in Spring Hill, TN. Latest rumors have the current Guardian line-up finishing up a 4-song EP for release in early 2012.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
—and toured extensively worldwide. There are also numerous compilations, live records and bootlegs available.
The early years
The band was founded in 1982 under the name Fusion, by bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
David Bach and singer Paul Cawley plus original drummer Steve Martinez and guitarist Gene Thurston. The group stood out in the burgeoning Los Angeles metal scene due to their unconventional body-armor stage outfits, which were derived from the biblical passage in Ephesians 6 regarding "putting on the full armor of God". Member changes in 1984 included drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Rikk Hart and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
James Isham. In 1984, they recorded a six song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
called Rock In Victory. In early 1985, Isham departed and was replaced by David Caro. Caro arrived just in time for one of the first shifts in the band's trajectory.
The band managed to strike a record deal with Enigma Records
Enigma Records
Enigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
in 1985 after Eric Blair, (who worked for Stryper) pushed the Rock in Victory EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
to Enigma Records President, Wesley Hein. When they found out there was a Spanish band going by the same name, they changed theirs to Gardian - intentionally misspelled to have 7 letters. In early 1986, Caro left the band and was replaced by Tony Palacios. David Caro currently plays guitar at his church in Hesperia, CA. With Palacios, there surfaced a bootleg EP, Voyager in 1987—which were really just pre-production demos recorded in the backroom of an Orange County music store.
In 1988, the band added the "U" to their name while continually touring in California and in 1989 finally released their first official album, First Watch
First Watch
First Watch is the first official album of Christian rock band Guardian. It was released in 1989 by Enigma Records and produced by Stryper's guitarist, Oz Fox....
, produced by Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
's Oz Fox
Oz Fox
Richard Alfonso Martinez , better known by the stage name Oz Fox, is the lead guitarist of the Christian glam metal band Stryper. Martinez's high school friends called him Oz in honor of Ozzy Osbourne due to his ability to emulate the vocals of Osbourne while playing Black Sabbath covers in his...
. This release featured a melodic metal sound in the same vein as Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
or Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
and was followed by extensive touring
Touring
Touring may mean:* touring, the estate/wagon version of BMW cars* Bicycle touring* Ski touring* Touring * Carrozzeria Touring* Touring * Touring car racing* a model of Hymer campers* a song by The Ramones* Touring theatre...
through the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Rikk Hart departed the group in the fall of 1989 and was replaced by drummer Jason Sousa for the Japanese tour. In early 1990, founding member Cawley left the band.
The New Guardian
After Cawley's departure, Bach and Palacios asked to be freed of their Enigma contractContract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
, requesting a more Christian-focused label. After they were released, singer Jamie Rowe and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Karl Ney joined the band. They started working with new producers Dino and John Elefante
John Elefante
John Elefante is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer.-Early years:Born in Levittown, New York, his family soon moved to Long Beach, California. Growing up, he sang and performed drums for his family band, the Brotherhood...
on their second album, finally releasing Fire and Love
Fire and Love
Fire and Love is the second album of Christian metal band Guardian. It was released in 1990 and featured an arena rock sound, described by Cornerstone as "Bon Jovi to the bone"....
in 1991 under the Elefante's Pakaderm label. The response to the album was overwhelming and one of the videos was included in the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
rotation. After touring with Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
in 1992, the band released their third
Third
Third may refer to:*3 , such as the 3rd of something -see also Ordinal number *Fraction , such as 1/3*1/60 of a second, or 1/3,600 of a minute *Third World, economically underdeveloped nations...
album, Miracle Mile
Miracle Mile (album)
Miracle Mile is the third album of Christian rock band Guardian. It was recorded at the end of 1992 and released in 1993. The album was produced by the Elefante brothers, who were also producing albums for legendary Christian band Petra....
in 1993. The album was a departure from their first two releases as the band began to integrate R&B elements into their music. The album quickly rose the charts, and reached the CCM Top Five.
After a new deal with Myrrh Records
Myrrh Records
Myrrh Records, also known as Myrrh Worship, is a Christian music record label. According to Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, the label was instrumental in developing a popular following for Contemporary Christian music as the label that first published music by Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of...
, they followed with an experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
acoustic album Swing, Swang, Swung
Swing, Swang, Swung
Swing, Swang, Swung is the fourth studio album of Christian rock band Guardian. It was released in 1994 by Pakaderm Records.The album takes the band into experimental grounds in folk and acoustic music...
in 1994. The album was recorded in producer's (John & Dino Elefante
John Elefante
John Elefante is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer.-Early years:Born in Levittown, New York, his family soon moved to Long Beach, California. Growing up, he sang and performed drums for his family band, the Brotherhood...
) garage and featured a stripped down, blues based sound. Also, the band's first Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
album Nunca Te Dire Adiós
Nunca te diré adiós
Nunca te diré adiós is the first Spanish album from Christian rock band Guardian. The album features a remake of several songs from the band's previous albums recorded in Spanish....
was released in 1995--rising the band's popularity in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
The band then switched to producer Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
Roland Stephen Taylor , is an American Christian singer, songwriter, record producer and film director.-Early life:Taylor, the eldest of three children, was born in Brawley, California. Taylor's father, Roland Taylor, was a Baptist minister. When Taylor was six years old, the family relocated to...
. Under his direction they returned to a harder sound and released Buzz
Buzz (Guardian album)
Buzz is one of the albums from Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released in October 1995 and was produced by Steve Taylor. The album takes the band into the realms of alternative music and grunge common of the 90s....
in 1995. They supported the release with yet another worldwide tour--including extensive dates in Latin America. In 1997, the band released Bottle Rocket
Bottle Rocket (album)
Bottle Rocket is one of the albums from Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released on August 5, 1997 and was produced by Steve Taylor.This album delved deeper into the alternative and grunge genre the band explored in their previous album....
and their second Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
album, Promesa
Promesa
Promesa is the second Spanish album released by Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released on August 6, 1998 and included Spanish covers of several of the songs from Buzz and Bottle Rocket....
.
With growing shifts in the rock genre and their ever-growing families, the band decided to take some time off and dedicate time to other personal
Personal
Personal may refer to:* Personal hygiene* Personal identity * Personal web pagePersonal may also refer to:* Personal advertisement, an ad, like a classified ad, generally meant to find romance or friendship...
projects. During this time, the band released a self-produced tribute to Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
called The Yellow and Black Attack Is Back!
The Yellow and Black Attack Is Back!
The Yellow and Black Attack Is Back! is a Stryper tribute album by Christian rock band Guardian. The album is a re-make of Stryper's debut EP The Yellow and Black Attack from 1984. This record was released in 1999...
. The album is a direct remake of Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
's album of the same name. In 2001, the band members (sans Bach) released their third
Third
Third may refer to:*3 , such as the 3rd of something -see also Ordinal number *Fraction , such as 1/3*1/60 of a second, or 1/3,600 of a minute *Third World, economically underdeveloped nations...
Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
album called Dime
Dime (album)
Dime is the third Spanish album released by Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released in 2001.The album features several unique characteristics. Whereas the band's previous Spanish albums featured remakes of songs released in their previous albums, this album features only original...
. It featured nine songs written in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
exclusively for this album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
and one in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Bach was not able to take part due to contractual commitments with EMI.
The later years
In the summer of 2001, Guardian joined other legendary Christian hard rock bands (including BrideBride (band)
Bride is a Christian heavy metal/hard rock band formed in the 80s, by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson. During the band's peak years it was known for covering a wide range of musical styles and remains popular in places like Brazil...
) on the HM Stage at the Cornerstone Music Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
near Bushnell, IL. The show was intended to be a tribute to the Christian metal heyday of the 80s and early 90s, however Guardian made the show a reunion of sorts and performed songs spanning their entire catalog.
In 2004, it was announced that the band will start to tour again in 2005, and will probably record a new album in the near future. In December 2005, the band recorded an updated remake of their signature ballad "Never Say Goodbye" with producer Phil Madeira
Phil Madeira
Phil Madeira is an American songwriter, producer, musician and singer from Nashville, Tennessee. He was raised in Barrington, Rhode Island and attended Taylor University, which he graduated from in 1975....
.
In April 2006, producer Dino Elefante told Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
that Guardian would release Triple Five, a compilation with a couple new songs on the Selectric Records imprint. More recently, Jamie Rowe said that there may be a complete CD of all new material rather than Triple Five. However, these plans were put put on hold when Selectric Records was sold to Weston Entertainment.
In October 2006, Guardian made a rare live appearance at the ARPA Awards in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
where they performed a medley of some of their Spanish hits.
In February 2007, Guardian joined fellow Christian-metal veterans, Bride
Bride (band)
Bride is a Christian heavy metal/hard rock band formed in the 80s, by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson. During the band's peak years it was known for covering a wide range of musical styles and remains popular in places like Brazil...
and Tourniquet
Tourniquet (band)
Tourniquet is a Christian thrash / heavy metal band that was formed in 1989 by Ted Kirkpatrick, Guy Ritter and Gary Lenaire in Los Angeles, California, USA. They are known for incorporating elements of thrash, neo-classical and progressive metal into their music...
onstage in Germany at the Legends of Rock festival.
In December 2008, the band appeared at Rock & Vida in Buenos Aires, Argentina--playing before over 100,000 people with newly-added guitarist Jamey Perrenot.
In 2009, the band released "House of Guardian" - a live video documentary - as well as a complimentary website: houseofguardian.com
Guardian again appeared at the Legends of Rock festival in Germany in 2010...with several Latin American dates scheduled for 2011.
The band most recently appeared in concert in Guatemala on July 23, 2011--with all five current members.
Post-Guardian
After the band went on semi-hiatus in the late 90s, bassist David Bach served as VP of A&R for 5 years with EMI's ForeFront RecordsForeFront Records
ForeFront Records is a Christian Music record label founded in 1987 by Dan R. Brock, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, and Ron W. Griffin. It was purchased by EMI in 1996 from current owners Dan R. Brock and Eddie DeGarmo and is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group.In 1998, ForeFront released a 2-CD...
. He also served in the same capacity for Sony/BMG-owned Reunion Records
Reunion Records
Reunion Records is a Christian music record label based in Brentwood, Tennessee and operating under the Provident Label Group. The label was founded in 1982 by Dan Harrell and Mike Blanton.-History:...
before reuniting with veteran producers John and Dino Elefante
John Elefante
John Elefante is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer.-Early years:Born in Levittown, New York, his family soon moved to Long Beach, California. Growing up, he sang and performed drums for his family band, the Brotherhood...
in a production company called 3.1 Productions. Bach currently works for Apple Inc. Guitarist Tony Palacios
Tony Palacios
Tony Palacios is the lead guitarist of the Christian hard rock band, Guardian. Palacios joined the band in 1989 and has remained with them since, releasing nine studio albums, including three in Spanish....
mixes and produces records for a diverse blend of both CCM and mainstream acts. Karl Ney is owner of The Bennett Company, an Artist and Business Management Firm which represents international CCM and mainstream recording artists. His latest act to partner with is a new band out of Boise, ID called A Rotterdam November. Jamie Rowe
Jamie Rowe
Jamie Rowe is the lead vocalist of the Christian hard rock band, Guardian. He is also the lead vocalist for power pop band, The Ruled...
remains active as a solo artist as well as lead singer for power pop band The Ruled. He also works as a part time youth minister while running a successful viral marketing business. Jamie Perrenot is a record producer in Spring Hill, TN. Latest rumors have the current Guardian line-up finishing up a 4-song EP for release in early 2012.
Current members
- David Bach - bass (1982–present)
- Tony PalaciosTony PalaciosTony Palacios is the lead guitarist of the Christian hard rock band, Guardian. Palacios joined the band in 1989 and has remained with them since, releasing nine studio albums, including three in Spanish....
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1986–present) - Jamie RoweJamie RoweJamie Rowe is the lead vocalist of the Christian hard rock band, Guardian. He is also the lead vocalist for power pop band, The Ruled...
- vocals (1990–present) - Karl Ney - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1990–present) - Jamey Perrenot - guitar (2008–present)
Former members
- Paul Cawley - vocals (1982–1990)
- Gene Thurston - guitar (1983–1983)
- David Caro - guitar (1985–1986)
- James Isham - guitar (1983–1984)
- Steve Martinez - drums (1982–1983)
- Rikk Hart - drums (1984–1989)
- Brent Jeffers - keyboards (1985–1985)
- Pat Dewey - vocals (1985–1985)
- Jason Souza - drums (1989–1989)
Studio & Official Albums
- First WatchFirst WatchFirst Watch is the first official album of Christian rock band Guardian. It was released in 1989 by Enigma Records and produced by Stryper's guitarist, Oz Fox....
(1989) - Fire and LoveFire and LoveFire and Love is the second album of Christian metal band Guardian. It was released in 1990 and featured an arena rock sound, described by Cornerstone as "Bon Jovi to the bone"....
(1991) - Miracle MileMiracle Mile (album)Miracle Mile is the third album of Christian rock band Guardian. It was recorded at the end of 1992 and released in 1993. The album was produced by the Elefante brothers, who were also producing albums for legendary Christian band Petra....
(1993) - Swing, Swang, SwungSwing, Swang, SwungSwing, Swang, Swung is the fourth studio album of Christian rock band Guardian. It was released in 1994 by Pakaderm Records.The album takes the band into experimental grounds in folk and acoustic music...
(1994) - BuzzBuzz (Guardian album)Buzz is one of the albums from Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released in October 1995 and was produced by Steve Taylor. The album takes the band into the realms of alternative music and grunge common of the 90s....
(1995) - Bottle RocketBottle Rocket (album)Bottle Rocket is one of the albums from Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released on August 5, 1997 and was produced by Steve Taylor.This album delved deeper into the alternative and grunge genre the band explored in their previous album....
(1997)
Compilations
- Smashes: The Best of GuardianSmashes: The Best of GuardianSmashes: The Best of Guardian is a compilation album released by Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released in 1999 by Myrrh Records.The album includes the band's hits since 1993 when Jamie Rowe and Karl Ney joined the band.-Track listing:...
(1999) - Guardian: The Definitive Collection (2007)
Spanish Albums
- Nunca Te Dire AdiósNunca te diré adiósNunca te diré adiós is the first Spanish album from Christian rock band Guardian. The album features a remake of several songs from the band's previous albums recorded in Spanish....
(1995) - PromesaPromesaPromesa is the second Spanish album released by Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released on August 6, 1998 and included Spanish covers of several of the songs from Buzz and Bottle Rocket....
(1997) - DimeDime (album)Dime is the third Spanish album released by Christian rock band Guardian. The album was released in 2001.The album features several unique characteristics. Whereas the band's previous Spanish albums featured remakes of songs released in their previous albums, this album features only original...
(2001) - La Casa de Guardian: Volumen Uno (2009)
Independent Releases
- Kingdom of Rock (1996)
- Delicious Bite-Size Meat Pies (1997)
- The Yellow and Black Attack Is Back!The Yellow and Black Attack Is Back!The Yellow and Black Attack Is Back! is a Stryper tribute album by Christian rock band Guardian. The album is a re-make of Stryper's debut EP The Yellow and Black Attack from 1984. This record was released in 1999...
(1999, Reviews: HM Magazine, The Phantom Tollbooth) - Sunday Best (1999, Review: HM Magazine)
- Live! (1999 Review: HM Magazine Later issued with two fewer tracks in 2000 by Forefront Records.)
- Live at Cornerstone (2001)
- Voyager and Fusion: The Early Years' (2001)
- House of Guardian: Volume One' (2009)