In 1983 Dale and Troy Thompson started a band named Matrix in Louisville, Kentucky. Matrix recorded four self-financed demos, which were distributed at live shows and through the mail via Contemporary Christian Music Magazine (CCM) and various fanzines of the day. Their ministry continued to grow in the Christian rock underground but it was not until 1986 that they managed to break into the mainstream. Opening for Daniel Band in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Matrix caught the eye of the representatives of Refuge Records who were forming their subsidiary label Pure Metal.
In the latter part of 1986, there were two events that occurred simultaneously that would ultimately be a major turning point for the band. It had been nearly six months since Refuge Records expressed serious interest in the band. In an effort to expedite an impending offer from Refuge, Dale and Troy mailed to the Refuge office all of the hundreds of letters from fans all across the United States. Additionally amid the growing popularity of the Ohio based secular Matrix, the decision was made to change the name Matrix to Bride. Shortly thereafter, Bride became the second band to be signed to the Refuge Records subsidiary label Pure Metal.
In October 1986, Bride began work on the first album of a three album-recording contract. The three albums recorded for Refuge/Pure Metal were, Show No Mercy, Live To Die, and Silence Is Madness. In late 1990, Star Song Communications purchased Pure Metal Records. Bride believed that Star Song, a powerful force in the industry, could take them in directions never before possible. Not all of the former Pure Metal acts were retained. But Bride was immediately signed to a one-album contract to produce a Best of… project with two bonus tracks. “Everybody Knows My Name”, would rapidly rise to the top of both the CCM and Pure Rock Report charts and occupy that #1 position for several months. Needless to say, Star Song went on to sign Bride to a multi-album contract.
While their first Star Song release entitled “Best of Bride, End of the Age”, signals the end of a chapter in Bride’s history, it more importantly signals a new beginning in Bride’s future. Bride went on to record 3 albums with Star Song – Kinetic Faith, Snakes In The Playground, and Scarecrow Messiah. Star Song even compiled another “best of” from these three albums and released it in 1995 under the name Shotgun Wedding. The 11 songs on Shotgun Wedding were the #1 radio hits that Bride had. During the four years that Bride worked with Star Song, they were awarded 4 DOVE awards, 11 #1 radio singles, and numerous awards from SESAC, their performing rights organization.
Once Bride’s contract with Star Song was over, they decided to sign a one album deal with a new independent label called Rugged Records. With this label, Bride recorded, what they felt, was a much-needed lighter sounding record – “Drop.” Being a small independent label, Rugged did not have the resources or capabilities to exploit “Drop” to its potential. Additionally, Bride’s ministry has become more focused and aggressive. As always, Bride’s message goes out to anyone who will listen, but has been specifically targeted to reach the “misfits” of society. These “misfits”, are those people that cannot be reached through conventional means. Bride’s music also provides a source of strength and edification to those already a part of the body of Christ, by dealing with socially relevant issues from a biblical perspective in terms that everyone can understand.
Bride left Rugged in pursuit of God’s direction for the future. It was not long before another label sprang up on the horizon. Being encouraged by Producer and friend Dino Elefante Bride was courted by “Organic” records. “Organic” too was an independent label but had a lot of promise. Bride was soon back in the studio under a new recording agreement laying down fresh tracks under the producing direction of Dino and John Elefante and the result was “The Jesus Experience.” “The Jesus Experience” modernized Bride’s sound forever and the stigma of old style rock was shed for a more acceptable mainstream rock sound. This marked Bride’s eighth full length recording. This record would also provided the touring fuel to send Bride out for 2 years on their most extensive tour schedule ever.
Bride then released the second CD on “Organic” called “Oddities.” With Dino, John and Bride as producers this ninth release “Oddities” marked another pinnacle in the evolution of Bride’s sound and lyrical direction. This record was hard to achieve but the final result brought Bride into a refreshed anointing. Bride became the clay in God’s hands during the song writing and recording of this record and the resolve is there is no resolve, it is another new beginning.
As time came for Bride’s 3rd project with Organic Records Bride learned that Organic was changing gears. Bride was not willing nor led by the Holy Spirit to change with them. Bride asked for a release from Organic and it was granted. This left Bride without an worldwide release for future projects. It was not long before long time band mates Jerry McBroom and Steve Curtsinger were drawn away from Bride into other projects. The dilemma would have been devastating if God had not been orchestrating all of the moves and changes. The Lord soon rebuilt the band bringing Lawrence Bishop and Michael Loy into the band. The work began to write the next Bride CD but now without a record company whereby they could release it.
There was much talk between the band members about a possible self-release and distribution. God was not finished with Bride and this was evident when Dez Dickerson, an acquaintance from the Star Song recording days (Snakes in the Playground A&R rep), emailed Dale out of the blue. Dez was now the head of his own record company, Absolute Records. After lengthy talks and meeting between Dez, Dale and Troy Bride and Absolute joined together in the next chapter to Bride’s journey. Reuniting with Snakes in the Playground producer Plinky Giglio and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Bride began the process of recording a brand new release with the most powerfully anointed songs and with a refreshing sound. The blend of metal and creative mixing has produced “Fist Full of Bees” the Absolute pinnacle in Bride’s lengthy ministry.
Bride went on to record This is it which most fans believed was a farewell CD. Because after releasing it to the public Bride seemed to have vanished from the planet.
But now Bride has re-emerged with their most intense release to date. Skin for Skin takes the band forward with a writing maturity never seen on previous CD’s and yet the raw power of METAL again! Skin for Skin was written over a 6 month period of time as Bride searched for a drummer. It was simply crazy how the CD came together in the studio says Dale. Everything that Troy and I had written just started falling into place and something incredibly special happened to make us realize that what we were hearing back through play-back was a monstrous CD.
Bride now expects to tour Brazil and Europe as soon as Skin for Skin is released. There is a Bride Street team now cutting a path for the band and soon you will hear these new songs on your local hard rock radio program. Bride never went away, they just re-loaded.
Bride will tour and stay the course that God has ordained for them. Bride’s vision for the future is to awaken those who sleep to the revelation of Jesus Christ that God will receive the glory. Bride will be traveling throughout the United States, Brazil, Europe, and Scandinavia with a consistent message. This message can be summed up quite simply in a quote that Dale made in the early days of Matrix which still rings true today in the growing ministry of Bride. “If it wasn’t for Jesus Christ, we wouldn’t be playing music. He is the music. He is why we play”.
