Newcomer Steve Taylor landed a deal with Sparrow Records and released I Want To Be A Clone, a mini-LP that ushered in the early Alternative era with humor, intelligence, biting lyrics, and fast sonics.  Taylor was soon headlining all the festivals with his high energy concerts which included various theatrics never seen by Christian audiences.  (Check out this video of Steve Taylor and Some Band, who were the first dudes to play at the Cornerstone Festival in 1984.)

 

Probably the biggest champions of the New Music and Alternative scene that year, though, came out of Sacramento, California.  The Warehouse, a Christian artist community, started up a new label called Exit Records, producing three important, debut albums that radically changed the landscape.

 

Leading the way was The 77s and Ping Pong Over The Abyss, a cutting-edge project that brought a fresh sound to the table, propelling frontman Mike Roe to rock stardom during the ensuing months.  Using both guitar and synth elements to generate their revolutionary "New Music", the Sevens began booking gigs across the country and garnering a growing, avid fan-base.

 

The Sevens' Exit Records partner, Vector, also came out with their initial release Mannequin Virtue, which had the critics raving.  The third Exit release was Steve Scott's Love In The Western World, which featured several of the Warehouse musicians.  All three albums propelled Exit to the top of the cool heap, in terms of labels.

 

Another classic album of 1983 was Undercover's God Rules, which championed teen punk like none other...and inspired a new bumper sticker in the process.  Ojo Taylor and company would soon join the front-running pioneers of New Music in the Christian world.  Following them and the Exit gang were bands like Quickflight, which released their brilliant Decent Beat in 1983, as well as the Lifesavers, who put out their second album (and the first with Mike Knott on board).

 

The top album of the year, though, had to go to U2 and their landmark War, which gave us classic songs like "New Year's Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday".  This project certainly put them on the American radar and Top 40, with no promises of future success.

 

Live Forever by Mylon LeFevre and Broken Heart was another top album of that year, which captured the energy and feel of the genre's top live concert experience.  The disc helped fill the Skynyrd gap that lots of fans yearned for in the Christian Rock scene.  Broken Heart, Petra, and DeGarmo and Key became the Big Three of Christian arena rock during the early 1980s.

 

Petra's Not Of This World (Starsong) became a huge seller and helped get many teens and collegiates into the whole Christian revival that took place during the 1980s. 

 

1983 also brought in rookies David and the Giants, Whiteheart, and in 3D..who all contributed minor, but important roles in the development of the Christian Pop Rock industry.