Why Quest for Christian Music? Part 1
Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) suffers from a stereotype of being sticky-sweet soft-edged stuff that someone brought up on Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and the like could hardly call "music." Larry Norman sang, "Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?" (a 50s style rock and roll song). The purpose of this topic is to show that the Devil DOESN'T have all the good music! So you'll have some sort of reference on which to base your opinion of my opinion, here's where I'm coming from, musically:
I didn't get to see the Beatles the first time they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, because my parents wouldn't let me stay up that late. I got to see 'em the second time, and I thought it was well worth the doing of my chores, making my bed and being nice to my sister, in the meantime (actually, I don't remember what softened my parents -I just guessed at a possibility). Back in those days, I remember being home from school with strep infections a few times. Those times, I got to listen to that new rock music on the radio. I heard such groups and artists as Tommy Roe, Three Dog Night, the Archies, Rolling Stones, and, of course, the Beatles.
I don't remember quite how old I was when I bought my very own AM/FM clock radio for my headboard. Around that time, the heavy metal pioneers were becoming popular on FM. I recognized it as a different sound, but had no idea what it was called, so I coined my own term for it. I called it "late-night-music" since I listened to it as I was falling asleep each night. Late night music came to include: Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Cream, the Doors, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper -you know, all the great classic rockers.
Some of my friends had a different sort of musical taste. One fell for those "new" groups, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Loverboy. Another bought, and even admitted liking, a female vocalist, Carol King and Tapestry. Another went high-tech and put an 8-track in his '62 Ford wagon and we listened to "The Joker" and Steely Dan, over and over. I eventually learned to like Steve Miller. My musical taste got into a rut, but it was my own, comfortable self-created rut.
I listened to KQRS 92FM (Golden Valley, Minnesota) and their Disco Destruction Army. I didn't like Motown, but I did learn "Rockin' Robin" on the harmonica by listening to the Jackson 5 on KDWB 63AM, if I remember correctly. Summing things up, I didn't like country, soul, disco, Motown, easy listening, teen-idols, or certain kinds of bubblegum music. I liked what was then called rock, hard rock and heavy metal. I sort of took a liking to the newer synthesizer and other electronic sounds, too. I was narrow, but I knew what I liked. I stayed in that rut, or canyon, for many years.
Latest Articles