The Missionaries (band)

The Missionaries are an American pop punk band who were formed in, in 1991. Assembled by a group of young people living on the of, the band are considered among the pioneers of the personality-punk subculture and associated music scene. Lead vocalist Adam Otten was known for his songwriting tactics and unique singing voice, while bassist/co-lead vocalist Heather Ceravolo combined pop diva stylings with punk fashions.

Beginnings: 1989-1990
The nucleus of the Missionaries formed in late-1989, when Americans Adam Otten (lead vocals), Heather Ceravolo (bass/co-lead vocals), Joshua Brunton (lead guitar), and drummer Scotti Eekhout (drums), along with Serbian Mladen Cvetković (rhythm guitar) came together as a power pop band entitled the Brites, a name inspired by Ceravolo's love of the Rainbow Brite franchise. Their parents were employed by in the late-1980s and resided on the, and the original five members met while attending high school at the  across the border in ,. The band first began performing at hangouts in and around the Residential Camp, playing a combination of popular hit songs and original songs penned by Otten to rowdy crowds and Saudi Aramco employees. A while after their foundation, the band added keyboardist Miles Ceravolo, Heather's younger brother.

Becoming the Missionaries and first albums: 1991-1993
By early 1991, the band had evolved into the Missionaries. After leaving Saudi Aramco, the lineup of Otten, the Ceravolos, Brunton, Cvetković, and Eekhout moved to, and signed with manager Donald Mackeben, who had previously signed -based party band Johnny Dee and the Rocket 88's to a recording contract in  with. The Missionaries' first American show was at the on September 25, 1992. At a show at, they were discovered by an A&R man for , who was interested in breaking into the rock market. Despite threats by several Jive artists to leave the label if they signed the rowdy pop punk group, Jive signed The Missionaries for their debut album, The Missionaries, which reached no. 12 on the Billboard 200.