Thursday
Feb222007
No Man's Land, part 2
Thursday, February 22, 2007 at 12:15AM
Once again, let me say how much I love you people. I love that an actual discussion is being had, and that you don't all agree! If you haven't been around in a while I'm talking about my previous post and the comments that have followed.
In the meantime, the interview I mentioned last post has been put up, as has a review of my latest record The Morning. Here is the interview and here is the review.
I want to expound on a couple points brought in the above articles, as well as stuff I said last night. In no particular order, here are my thoughts, as always, open for discussion...
- Thanks to the bulk of you who advised and encouraged me to keep on doing what I'm doing. I appreciate that more than you know, and it's what I'll be doing.
- My big concern, however, is that people who might really like my music are turned off if they hear about me as a "christian artist". This is what the interviewer, A.L. Harper says, and it's why she wouldn't have done the interview had I been brought to her attention that way.
And she's right. Completely. I'm exactly the same way. I don't really listen to "christian" music, and if you give me some music to check out and you call it that, I probably won't listen to it. It carries with it a connotation of not being good, and of being music I won't like. That's a stereotype, but stereotypes don't spring up at random. They're hasty judgments based on previous experience, and while some are terribly wrong, they are also often accurate.
Most "christian" music I have heard, and believe me, I've heard more than most of you, will tend to be simplistic, preachy, poorly made and shallow. There are wonderful, incredible exceptions, but that's just what they are: exceptions. I've had enough experience to know that, as a genre, "christian" music rarely affects me and often offends me.
There are two major problems with a genre defined not even by lyrical content but by the religious belief of the artist. One is that the content has to be very surface-y to cover a wide variety of actual beliefs. Secondly, it makes great assumptions on the artist's purpose and allegiances.
Most people assume that "christian" music is evangalistic, meaning its a means to an end to convert people. And most people would, historically, be right. Until very recently that was the main goal of the genre.
Most people then also assume that the artist is pro-life, voted for the Bush family, has perfect kids (who will soon rebel) and that they don't drink, smoke or watch R movies. And again, they may be right. Sometimes. But not all the time. Just like any other group in any situation, people are people, and they are all incredibly unique and will continue to surprise you with what they think.
This broad canvas over every artist who professes this certain faith implies so much, and I don't want that, and that's what I want to know how to be rid of.
Hear me now: I am not ashamed to believe in Jesus. I am ashamed of Pat Robertson hijacking my faith for his crazy political agenda. I am ashamed of a President who confuses good vs. evil with "they have oil and I want it". I am ashamed of Jerry Falwell and Benny Hinn. I called Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Prayer of Jabez, a liar and a crook to his face. I would do it again today. Because he, like these other guys, is taking what I believe and twisting it for money and for power and, in their headline-grabbing foolishness, making the truly faithful and honest believers look like idiots.
This is the main reason I am scared of "christian" music. I don't want to listen to it, because I assume it will be shallow, preachy and offensive to those who don't agree. I don't want to be called it, because I like my music and I want others to hear it, without the Left Behind-reading, Harry Potter-burning stigma.
BUT I'm here, so what do I do?
ALSO there is a great need for the Church to overcome this negative image. The links I posted last night to Dalit Freedom, Compassion, Blood:Water are what we should be seeing. I wish that the image people thought of when they thought of Christianity was feeding the poor and freeing the oppressed instead of picketing gay-rights parades.
That is the main reason I play for Caedmon's Call. They are a "christian" band, without a doubt. And they're doing amazing things for the people in India, and they're getting the Church involved, using music to get in the door. That, to me, is incredibly worthwhile.
So I'm left with this: I don't want to play "christian" music if it means I'm expected to believe and act one way and only that one way. I don't want to NOT play "christian" music if it means I have to do the same thing with an opposite set of rules. I guess I stay where I am and make the best music I'm able.
But I don't want to just "let the chips fall where they may". Again, I have a wife and two very adorable little girls to care for. And I would like my music to have a bigger, wider audience. Suggestions? Opinions? Further discussion?
In the meantime, the interview I mentioned last post has been put up, as has a review of my latest record The Morning. Here is the interview and here is the review.
I want to expound on a couple points brought in the above articles, as well as stuff I said last night. In no particular order, here are my thoughts, as always, open for discussion...
- Thanks to the bulk of you who advised and encouraged me to keep on doing what I'm doing. I appreciate that more than you know, and it's what I'll be doing.
- My big concern, however, is that people who might really like my music are turned off if they hear about me as a "christian artist". This is what the interviewer, A.L. Harper says, and it's why she wouldn't have done the interview had I been brought to her attention that way.
And she's right. Completely. I'm exactly the same way. I don't really listen to "christian" music, and if you give me some music to check out and you call it that, I probably won't listen to it. It carries with it a connotation of not being good, and of being music I won't like. That's a stereotype, but stereotypes don't spring up at random. They're hasty judgments based on previous experience, and while some are terribly wrong, they are also often accurate.
Most "christian" music I have heard, and believe me, I've heard more than most of you, will tend to be simplistic, preachy, poorly made and shallow. There are wonderful, incredible exceptions, but that's just what they are: exceptions. I've had enough experience to know that, as a genre, "christian" music rarely affects me and often offends me.
There are two major problems with a genre defined not even by lyrical content but by the religious belief of the artist. One is that the content has to be very surface-y to cover a wide variety of actual beliefs. Secondly, it makes great assumptions on the artist's purpose and allegiances.
Most people assume that "christian" music is evangalistic, meaning its a means to an end to convert people. And most people would, historically, be right. Until very recently that was the main goal of the genre.
Most people then also assume that the artist is pro-life, voted for the Bush family, has perfect kids (who will soon rebel) and that they don't drink, smoke or watch R movies. And again, they may be right. Sometimes. But not all the time. Just like any other group in any situation, people are people, and they are all incredibly unique and will continue to surprise you with what they think.
This broad canvas over every artist who professes this certain faith implies so much, and I don't want that, and that's what I want to know how to be rid of.
Hear me now: I am not ashamed to believe in Jesus. I am ashamed of Pat Robertson hijacking my faith for his crazy political agenda. I am ashamed of a President who confuses good vs. evil with "they have oil and I want it". I am ashamed of Jerry Falwell and Benny Hinn. I called Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Prayer of Jabez, a liar and a crook to his face. I would do it again today. Because he, like these other guys, is taking what I believe and twisting it for money and for power and, in their headline-grabbing foolishness, making the truly faithful and honest believers look like idiots.
This is the main reason I am scared of "christian" music. I don't want to listen to it, because I assume it will be shallow, preachy and offensive to those who don't agree. I don't want to be called it, because I like my music and I want others to hear it, without the Left Behind-reading, Harry Potter-burning stigma.
BUT I'm here, so what do I do?
ALSO there is a great need for the Church to overcome this negative image. The links I posted last night to Dalit Freedom, Compassion, Blood:Water are what we should be seeing. I wish that the image people thought of when they thought of Christianity was feeding the poor and freeing the oppressed instead of picketing gay-rights parades.
That is the main reason I play for Caedmon's Call. They are a "christian" band, without a doubt. And they're doing amazing things for the people in India, and they're getting the Church involved, using music to get in the door. That, to me, is incredibly worthwhile.
So I'm left with this: I don't want to play "christian" music if it means I'm expected to believe and act one way and only that one way. I don't want to NOT play "christian" music if it means I have to do the same thing with an opposite set of rules. I guess I stay where I am and make the best music I'm able.
But I don't want to just "let the chips fall where they may". Again, I have a wife and two very adorable little girls to care for. And I would like my music to have a bigger, wider audience. Suggestions? Opinions? Further discussion?
Reader Comments (79)
*But there's still no historical proof for any of it. Having 'faith' is not proof of anything. We have fallen unto evil times, and now Religion is a place for unstable people to go to when Disneyland is closed. Never mind the 'Christian music', never mind the money-makers like Bruce Wilkinson, Oral Roberts, Benny Hinn, Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggart, and the rest. If you seek God, look not for an intermediary but open your heart to Him directly. Someone once observed that people were growing 'closer to the Church and further from God'. Seek not the Church for it has become a synagogue of Satan.
Agreed that lots of "Christian" music stinks - both in depth and style.
But I find that a lot of secular music that is artistically good is also poisonous to me. Ben Folds, for example - musically amazing, lyrically clever and often funny, frequently heartbreaking. I like him a lot.
Still, I can't listen to him. Many of his songs have such a hopeless undercurrent that emotionally, they move me away from my hope in Christ. I feel depressed and agnostic when I finish listening.
Same for lots of TV shows. Family Guy is hilarious, but how do the sexual jokes affect my thoughts? The Shield is exciting, but how does savoring violence affect my disposition?
Let's not be too quick to run to secular music as our artistic standard. There are times when even silence is better - be still and know that God is God.
Interesting talk, the problem I see with mainstream Christian music is that yes, it is watered down but too controlled by the industry standards, lyrically waterted down and does anybody know what the artist really believes? No spiritual accountability at all just CD sales, I played on a CD for a major label christian so called artist this guy had more vices (and still does)than broke musicians at a coffee house. then you take the "edgy" Christian bands with there silly tattoos and "attitiude" and I think you know Jesus never had to dumb it down for anybody why do these people think they need to? And nobody really seems to stand on anything, if anybody says that homosexuality is a "racial" problem is falling for the worlds philosophy not God's I of course do not advocate gay bashing or even neccesarly picketing gay events but we are called to suffer in this world if need be so, the Christian artists when asked needs to let people know the Godly stand on this and other issues where are we as Christian musicians/artists being salt? I have lived and played in Nashville and have seen this whole nonsense played out I now live back up north but a warning to Christian artist and music if the Christian music industry is still stuck on being cool, making money and has no heart for the gospel or accountability of it's artist it will be as God told the Idolotrous Israelites in the old testament "I don't want to hear the noise of your songs"
I don't know what happened to people like Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Benny Hinn, but as an African American, when I used to listen to them speak back in the late seventies (back in the days of groups like 2nd chapter of Acts) they were never considered conservatives. They were just plain ole christian people. And to be honest if I came to either one of these guys and asked for prayer, they would not cast me away. But I, like Andy, does not consider myself a member of the christian right. Yet I don't like the "Us Against Them" mentality among christians (of course this is not what Andy's comments were implying).
But I really wanted to comment about Contemporary Christian Music. I just don't understand it. I'm very liberal in my music listening. I'll listen to black folks, white folks, and anybody else. I spent like 2 years mostly listening to white CCM stations, and I have become convinced that the people that run these stations are doing everything they can to intentionally find the worst possible music, and then play it to death. And I'm not blaming the artist either. Some of these artist are trying so hard, and may God bless them for their efforts. And I'd like to point out another mystery. Every now and then CCM radio will play a good song. But if you call and request the song, they will play it, and then, for some reason, never play the song again!! This has got me convinced that they are actually looking for bad music to play only. How bizarre. I am serious folks. I heard a song by "Switchfoot" that I enjoyed. I called later to request the song. The song was played at my request, but I never heard the song again after that. They used to play (and I'm talking about stations here in Atlanta) songs from "Out of The Grey"s Gravity Album. I called once (not having learned my lesson) and told them how much I had enjoyed the songs. The songs were never played again (as far as I can tell) after that.
AS for stations that play black gospel. When there is a white artist who can sing soul pretty decently they may get played like one time (again I'm talking about Atlanta stations), and then it's like they sweep them under some rug and never play them again. And the only difference between White CCM and black gospel stations is that we get live bad music sung with a lot of soul. And if you even act like you don't like the music you all but get fire and brimstone called down on you.