Ric Alba with the Altar BoysRic Alba is a legend to fans of 1980s alternative/punk/new-wave Christian rock. He played bass on Undercover's eponymous debut album, then went on to play with the Altar Boys. He released one solo album before coming “out of the closet” and disappearing from the Christian music scene. As you are about to find out, Ric's musical journey is almost as eclectic as his personal journey – a search filled with certainty, denial, confusion, spiritual manipulation, emotional abuse, acceptance, and hope and love.
Today, Ric and his partner own an interior design firm in California. Ric still plays music, most notably recording a new Dead Artist Syndrome (D.A.S.) album with a fellow legend of the alternative Christian music genre, Brian Healy.
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Back in the 80s, folks sometimes promoted Christian artists “the Christian alternative” to secular artists. As in, “if you're a Christian and you like this secular artist, then you should be listening to this Christian artist.” Were you thinking about that while you were a part of the CCM scene?
I think nearly all bands are in one way or another doing what somebody else started, while sometimes pointing fingers and calling others derivative. But it’s no crime. Just as in the secular world, bands take after other bands that inspired them, and so did we. We played the way we felt inspired to play.
