Guitarist Joshua Perahia quit his studies in pre-med at UCLA in the late seventies in order to pursue a full time career in music. Joining forces with his brother Leon, he formed the first incarnation of Joshua and in 1982 released the bands full length debut The Hand is Quick Than The Eye on Enigma Records. As Joshua was about to get a deal on Gold Mountain/A&M Records in 1983, Perahia became a Christian, and upon advising the band about his new faith, all its members either quit or were let go. Perahia subsequently created a new version of Joshua that included future Shout members Ken Tamplin, Loren Robinson and Jo Galletta. With vocalist Jeff Fenholt rounding out its line up, the band recorded its 1986 release Surrender on Polydor Records. Joshua got its break during the Surrender tour of Europe when Perahia set up a meeting with hit producer Dieter Dierks. Dierks arranged for Joshua to spend time in his own studio, and after recording nine songs in only one week, he put together a contract which led to the band signing to RCA six months later. Before Joshua could begin recording, however, the band had to wait two years for the Scorpions to get out of the studio. During this period all the members from the Surrender era left which forced Perahia to form the line up that went on to record its 1988 RCA debut Intense Defense.