Reviewed by Ian Hayter

Many years ago my parents took me along to Winchester Guildhall one evening to hear a new kind of music. Until that point the cutting edge of Christian music for most people had been CSSM Choruses and the odd foot-stomper from Sankey's collection. But onto the stage came a bunch of young Salvationists (in their uniforms) with guitars and a set of drums. There were even microphones! Joy Webb, Wycliffe Noble, Bill Davidson and the others burst into song and we were treated to something that sounded like the radio but was full of the gospel. For about four years between 1963 and 1968 The Joystrings (for it was they) were in and out of the headlines, and on and off the radio and television, preparing the way for the countless other Christian bands and solo artists who have followed in their wake. They used the rhythms and cadences of the currently popular beat combos, but subverted them just enough to create a distinctive sound, which was then used as the vehicle for the message of the gospel. Much has been written about the genesis of CCM but as such histories are usually penned by Americans they completely ignore groups such as The Joystrings let alone the acts which began to emerge from the British church coffee bar scene as early as the late '50s. For those who have treasured their battered old EPs and albums of The Joystrings' songs, there is now a collection of 22 of their tracks brought together on one CD so that you can relive those happy memories. Kicking off with 1964's pop chart-making single "It's An Open Secret", this selection takes you through the repertoire of no-holds-barred gospel invitations and declarations of faith and obedience. It's a fascinating trip down memory lane and, as a recent BBC Radio 4 programme concluded, shows that Christian pop in the 1960s wasn't just aping the mainstream hits, but had some creative input of its own as well. The CD is well packaged, with a sleeve offering a comprehensive history of the band from its creation to its demise and even though the staunchest Salvationist would have to admit that a few of the tracks here sound very cheesy compared with, say, the Jesus music of the '70s this is still an essential addition to the collection of anyone with even a passing interest in the history of Christian music in Britain.