Description
Ping Pong Over the Abyss is the debut album by the American rock band The Seventy Sevens, released on Exit Records in April 1983, a division of Word. (It was actually the new label’s first release.) As well distributed by A&M Records. The album was recorded January – April 1982 by Larry Hirsch with Daryl Zachman at The Warehouse Ministries’ Sangre Studios in Sacramento, California; with Steven Soles of The Alpha Band fame producing. Mixed by Hirsch at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California.
Most of the songs included on the album were written back in 1980 during the time when The 77s were known as The Scratch Band. Also featuring a cover of Washington Phillips’ gospel-blues classic “Denomination Blues” as well as a cover of “A Different Kind of Light”, a song written by labelmate Steve Scott for his – never released – Solid Rock Records album. (The 77s was actually featured as session band on Scott’s 1983 debut album Love in the Western World, the third album released on Exit Records.)
Trivia: As a teenager back in 1969 lead vocalist Michael Roe was member of a Christian rock band called Brotherhood, which also featured Ron Göllner, later of Northbound fame.
PING PONG OVER THE ABYSS, The Seventy Sevens, Exit/Word ER-0001, Producer: Steven Soles
Marking the debut of the new Exit label, it’s easy to understand why 250 college radio programmers signed up with this Waco-based record company for service during a recent Intercollegiate Broadcasting Society convention. The Seventy Sevens wield a brand of rock ‘n’ roll that molds several diverse influences, including Zeppelin, Springsteen and Talking Heads. The band plays ping pong with the various styles, bouncing back and forth between commercialism, the new wave and pure acid rock, while holding out essentially cerebral lyrical topics. [Cash Box, April 23, 1983 (Album Reviews/Feature Picks)]
The delightful debut album, Ping Pong Over the Abyss (Exit ER-0001), by the 77s is not for your grandmother. Ping Pong lands on the fiery cutting edge of ccm – packed with new wave energy, glittering lyrics, and vocals that sting. In fact, the 77s offer a new music dream-come-true: Police-like music with a message of redemption.
The 77s trace their roots to the Scratch Band, a Sacramento-based group that once found itself disinvited by a church that didn’t appreciate their new music. Apparently, their new name comes from the seventy seven (weeks) of Daniel’s messianic prophecy (Daniel 9).
Ping Pong‘s nine cuts pay tribute to influences such as Buddy Holly, the Stones, and the best of Jackson Browne. The result is a finely crafted, dynamic burst of energy that soars with creative freedom.
There isn’t a clinker here. Ping Pong opens with a flash: «A Different Kind of Light» – an uncompromising put-down of ungodly philosophies of the world. «How Can You Love», «It’s So Sad», and «Falling Down a Hole» complete side one with gusto. This street-wise Christian band pulls no punches.
Side two opens with «Someone New»; enters a crescendo with a Doors-like «Renaissance Man», whose “answers make me ask more questions”; and peaks with the title cut of transcendent rock ‘n’ roll. Steve Miller can’t touch it! After «Time Is Slipping Away», the 77s, bristling with confidence, offer their finale: Washington Phillips’ «Denomination Blues» … “better take Jesus now, that’s all.”
The 77s are Mike Roe on vocals and guitar, Mark Tootle on keyboards, Jan Eric Volz on bass, and Mark Proctor on drums. Produced with aplomb by Steven Soles. [Lee White, CCM, May 1983]
Taking its title from an Allen Ginsberg poem, it was clear right from the beginning that the 77s were a different kind of band. Intelligent Christian rock anybody? Certainly fitting into an indie jangling new wave slot, the band’s debut album from 1983 earned them an appearance at Greenbelt in that year. While these days Mike Roe, the band’s leader, has earned a reputation through the longevity of the band’s career and his work with the Lost Dogs, it’s a revelation to remember how it all started. From the intelligent opener «Different Kind Of Light» written by Steve Scott through to the closing cover version of Washington Phillips’ «Denomination Blues», this still holds up as a pretty stunning introduction. Highlights include the straight forward rocking «How Can You Love» and the haunting «It’s So Sad» which pointed towards future 77s recordings. Songs like «Someone New» and «Renaissance Man» were always fan favourites and still sound fresh here! The band have endured for a quarter of a century by continuing to re-invent themselves and make interesting music, and it all started here. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, December 2008]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/ping-pong-over-the-abyss/378600076)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “A Different Kind of Light” – 4:34
A2. “How Can You Love” – 4:37
A3. “It’s So Sad” – 5:06
A4. “Falling Down A Hole” – 4:12
Side Two
B1. “Someone New” – 4:18
B2. “Renaissance Man” – 3:34
B3. “Ping Pong Over The Abyss” – 4:12
B4. “Time Is Slipping Away” – 5:03
B5. “Denomination Blues (That’s All)” – 4:53
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Exit Records. Re-issued on CD by VIA Records in 1995 as a part of a triple disc box set entitled 1 2 3. Fully remastered and re-issued on CD by Lo-Fidelity Records in March 2012, featuring bonus tracks and housed in a 4 panel deluxe digipak with art restored and inspired by the original vinyl pressing of the album. Available at Bandcamp: https://the77s.bandcamp.com/album/ping-pong-over-the-abyss-deluxe
Ping Pong Over the Abyss, Deluxe Edition (Lo-Fidelity Records 2012)
A full-page advertisement for The Seventy Sevens’ Ping Pong Over the Abyss was featured in the June 1983 issue of CCM Magazine.
Pre-77s: The Scratch Band
“Different Kind of Light” (MUSIC VIDEO)
The Seventy Sevens, “Ping Pong Over The Abyss”, Live at the Greenbelt Festival, 1983.
Live at the Greenbelt Festival, UK 1983.
Live at Cornerstone Festival, US 1984 (The Seventy Sevens + Daniel Amos + Steve Taylor)
Rock & Religion Radio Special, 1980: The Scratch Band (77s)
NEW LABEL, NEW STRATEGI: Word Unveils Plans For ’83
Billboard Magazine (Gospel Section), March 5, 1983
by Melinda NewmanDALLAS – Plans for a new label and a series of sales strategies were unveiled by officials of Word Records here during the company’s annual Press Days, Feb. 14-15.
The new label, Exit Records, will feature primarily new wave and punk-style acts, according to Stan Moser, Word’s executive vice president. “Exit Records will be a label that will produce products by artists whose ministries are evangelically oriented,” said Moser. “These groups won’t play in churches but rather in high schools and parks.”
The label’s first album, by the 77s, a California-based band, is scheduled for early April release. Two other projects are planned for the label. The albums will list for $6.98.
Moser said he anticipates problems in marketing the records, admitting that some Christian bookstores may not realize that the music is still Christian-oriented. “The only way to make it succeed is to have the Christian public understand that they can use the record as an outreach,” he said.
Lynn Nichols, director of marketing, agreed. “The idea could be rejected in Christian bookstores,” she said, suggesting that this type of label might find less resistance in secular record stores
Added Nichols, “A lot of our music is very much pop, but our lyrical content often uses particular terminology – ‘Christianese’ – understandable only to the churchgoers. With Exit, we’re producing something without these characteristics. The main focal point is to speak to the person in his own language.” Marketing will include regional promotion, personal appearances and attempts at gaining college radio airplay, Nichols said. ++
Dropping the Needle on Electric Jesus: Interview with Michael Roe of The 77s
Ep. 16: Michael Roe (The 77s) Interview! 11 Dec 2021
MegaJeff’s Rock Hard Vinyl, 14 Sept 2018 – Artist Spotlight: The 77’s.
“Renaissance Man” (77s cover by The Ocean Blue, featured on the multi-artist sampler The Laughtour EP)
CREDITS. Produced by Steven Soles. Production Engineer: Larry Hirsch. Assistant Engineer: Daryl Zachman. Recorded at Sangre Studios, The Warehouse/Sacramento, CA, January – April 1982. Mixed by Hirsch at Paramount Studios, Hollywood, CA. Mastered at K Disc Mastering, Hollywood, CA. Cover Design/Title by Mark Swanson. Logo/Cover Design/Layout by Nancy Barnet. Special Consultant/Layout by Andy Tipple. Photography by Tom Goodeluinas and Bob Jacobs. Executive Producer: Mary Neely. Executive Coordinator: Jan Eric Volz. Special Thanks: Don McKenney, Rob Carter, Steve Griffith. “…these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.” Acts 17:6
Musicians: The 77’s – Mike Roe (Vocals, Guitars), Mark Tootle (Keyboards, Guitars, Vocals), Jan Eric Volz (Bass, Guitars, Background Vocals), Mark Proctor (Drums, Vocals). Additional Musicians: Steven Soles (Additional Vocals on track B2), Chris McDonald (Additional Vocals on track A1), Tom Goodeluinas (Additional Vocals on track A1), Larry Hirsch (Additional Percussion).
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