Katholicus is Adam Miller and friends. The lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter for Katholicus, Adam Miller, was formerly the lead guitarist and song writer for numerous unsigned bands including: Iron Cross (1975), Wanted (1976-78), Atom (1978-79), Wysh (1980-82), Shockwave (1985, 1986-1990), Both Worlds (1985-86), RPM (1991-94), and now Katholicus (2005-). Miller studied guitar formally (both classical and jazz-fusion) for five years. In the past he has recorded in a number of studios along the East Coast, and has toured from the Atlantic to the Rockies.
Miller has been influenced by such guitar greats as Phil Keaggy, Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO, MSG), Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Jeff Beck, Rick Emmitt (Triumph), Vinnie Moore, and Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Steve Moorse Band, Kansas), but his music sounds like none of them. It is in his guitar solos where you can hear such influences. He also has been told that in some of his songs his guitar solos sound like those of Stratovarius guitarist, Timmi Tolkki. In the solos of other songs you can hear the influence of the other guitarists mentioned. This means that those who may not be inclined to listen to the Catholic/Christian rock genre, but appreciate these and other guitar greats, will also enjoy the music of Katholicus.
Here are the main bands over the years that have inspired and/or influenced the music (not necessarily the lyrics) of Katholicus:
Bad Finger, Blackmore's Rainbow, Crack The Sky, Dream Theatre, Foreigner, Iron Maiden, Kansas, Led Zeppelin, Michael Schenker Group, Night Ranger, Petra, Resurrection Band, Rush (concept albums), Scorpions, Stratovarius, Triumph, UFO, White Cross, Yes.
Miller used to jam with former Danzig lead guitarist, John Christ, when they were teenagers in the late seventies and early eighties. Says Miller, "Yes, I taught John Christ a few guitar riffs. He is younger than I, and back then looked up to me as a guitarist." Also in the early 80s, at a music festival at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., Miller's band Wysh once opened for Derek St. Holmes, former lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Ted Nugent.
Miller’s hard rock group of the 1980’s, Shockwave, was offered an opportunity to sign by a Geffen Records A & R rep back in 1987, but they turned it down. Says Adam, "We would have been 'raped,' both financially and of our honor, had we accepted and submitted to their conditions… We decided to keep our integrity and our souls."
Miller and Shockwave appeared on Manhatten cable's popular "Citi-Rock" program back in 1988 and also were interviewed and had their music featured on the "Sagamore Satellite Music Program," the very first such program with world-wide audience potential before the internet. Miller appeared with Shockwave on the 1987 "Beast From the East" compilation album along with such nationally known groups as Child's Play and Wrathchild. Miller has written hundreds of songs and has recorded more than seventy of them in various studios along the East Coast.
Back in 1993, Miller released the “Lift Him Higher” cassette tape and song book as part of the Rock Praise Ministry (RPM) outreach of the Mother of God Community near Washington, D.C. This project was possibly the earliest to use actual original rock music compositions as prayer and praise music to help Catholic youth come to know Christ more deeply and know that a person’s relationship with the Lord should be the most exciting one.
Miller's latest project, Katholicus, brings his years of experience as a guitarist, songwriter, and producer together to reach out to young (and not-so-young) Catholics (and anyone else who likes to rock) with high-energy rock music to inspire, motivate, and affirm them in the faith. The music of Katholicus is meant to take the place of the secular music that is harmful to the hearts and minds of those who love to rock.
The songs of Katholicus have found regular airplay on the following radio stations:
Catholic Jukebox.com,
Catholic Music 24/7 (The Pulse),
Celebrate Radio,
Christian Mix INet,
Christian Indy Radio,
Glori Radio,
Indie Life Radio,
Praise Radio,
Pelican Radio (FL),
Radio Electric.com,
Rule Radio (NC),
Solid Rock Radio (SC),
Sunshine 365,
The Spirit Radio,
WWOW (Ohio).
