Based in London, “The Joystrings were probably the most high profile Christian group during the mid 60s, and they were among the best…All the group members were members of the Salvation Army, and they performed in Salvation Army uniform.” They were unique in having “an even mix of men and women” in contrast to most 1960s groups (www.1960schristianmusic.com).
Sylvia Dalziel, author of The Joystrings: The Story of the Salvation Army Pop Group: “We went into places like the Playboy Club, into nightclubs in Soho - places where you think Christians shouldn’t be. The attack came from the Church, thinking we shouldn’t be going into places like that; but not upon the music itself, because I think young people in the ‘60s were waiting for something new which would communicate with them and with people who needed the Gospel. It meant we had to begin to write lyrics which really communicated the Gospel message from the old Victorian language which was constantly sung in hymns. It was one of the producers in EMI who said, ‘When the Joystrings walked through the doors of Abbey Road studios, they changed the face of religious music forever’” (Cross Rhythms, "Joystrings: The pioneering Salvationist beat group 50 years on," www.crossrhythms.co.uk).
Sylvia Dalziel, author of The Joystrings: The Story of the Salvation Army Pop Group: “We went into places like the Playboy Club, into nightclubs in Soho - places where you think Christians shouldn’t be. The attack came from the Church, thinking we shouldn’t be going into places like that; but not upon the music itself, because I think young people in the ‘60s were waiting for something new which would communicate with them and with people who needed the Gospel. It meant we had to begin to write lyrics which really communicated the Gospel message from the old Victorian language which was constantly sung in hymns. It was one of the producers in EMI who said, ‘When the Joystrings walked through the doors of Abbey Road studios, they changed the face of religious music forever’” (Cross Rhythms, "Joystrings: The pioneering Salvationist beat group 50 years on," www.crossrhythms.co.uk).
The Joystrings “It’s an Open Secret”
The Joystrings “Love That’s In My Heart”
This post first appeared on Rock My Soul: An Audio History Of Rock & Roll, please read the originial post: here
