Mark Nash - Drums, Vocals
History
PFR (aka Pray For Rain) was a influencial Christian music group in the mid 1990s. Founded in 1989 as the Joel Hanson Band at a Christian Youth Camp in Minnesota by Joel Hanson, who was a camp counselor. In 1991, the band, now known as Inside Out, was signed to Brown Bannister's newly founded Vireo Records. After signing, Patrick Andrew suggested the band change the name to Pray For Rain after a line from a poem. In 1992, the band released Pray For Rain, and gained some attention with the song Do You Want To Know Love. Shortly after releasing the first album, an existing group known as Pray For Rain threatened a lawsuit, leading the band to settle on the name PFR. The first album was reissued with a slightly modified cover to reflect the change. In 1993, PFR released their second album, Goldie's Last Day, inspired by the passing of Patrick Andrew's golden retriever. The album, showcasing both PFR's classic rock influences and sense of humor, while remaining serious, solidified their presence in Christian music.
PFR released their third album, Great Lengths in 1994, drawing comparisons to White Album-era Beatles with diverse songs such as Merry Go Round and Last Breath. The album also had the band's biggest hit, The Love I Know, inspired by I Corithians 13. The Great Lengths tour also introduced a new band, Jars of Clay, who would become one of the most popular Christian groups.
Having changed musical direction with each album, PFR moved into an edgier, heavy sound for 1996's Them. While the album was well recieved, the band shortly afterward announced that they were splitting up. In 1997, The Late Great PFR was released, a greatest hits album containing three new songs, with one (Forever) becoming a Christian radio hit.
Over the next 5 years, the band reunited for an occassional benefit concert, and in 2000, the band returned to the studio to contribute to Steve Taylor's Roaring Lambs project, inspired by the book by Bob Briner. Working on the project inspired the band to sign to Taylor's Squint Records, and record 2001's Disappear. The album did not gain much exposure, however, due to Squint Records selling to another company, which also displaced artists such as Chevelle and Sixpence None The Richer.
The band did not release any further material as PFR until 2004, with The Bookhouse Recordings, an album of PFR classics rearranged in a lighter musical setting. (Correction: in 2002, PFR recorded a cover of Livin' Thing, originally by Electric Light Orchestra.)
Joel Hanson released two solo albums, Broken and Captured. Patrick Andrew formed Eager following the 1997 break-up of PFR, and was signed again to Vireo, releasing a self-titled album in 1998, before Eager also disbanded. In 2004, Patrick Andrew released his first solo album, There and Then It's Gone.
Discography
Studio Albums
| Year |
Title |
Label |
| 1992 |
Pray For Rain (PFR) |
Vireo |
| 1993 |
Goldie's Last Day |
Vireo |
| 1994 |
Great Lengths |
Vireo |
| 1996 |
Them |
Vireo |
| 1998 |
The Late Great PFR |
Vireo |
| 2001 |
Disappear |
Squint |
| 2004 |
Bookhouse Recordings |
Fuseic |
Compilation Appearances
| Year |
Title |
Label |
| 1995 |
Come Together: America Salutes The Beatles |
Capitol |
| 2000 |
Roaring Lambs |
Squint |
| 2002 |
Lynne Me Your Ears: A Tribute to Jeff Lynne |
Not Lame |
Related Artists
