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Rock Evil?


© Paul Landkamer

For the sake of this article, let's assume the rock-critics are right. If rock music is of the devil, rock that sweeps you in, changes moods, makes you stomp your feet, sing, and even dance, must be really bad. Well, let me share something with you. I discovered a source of most-foul evil on a CD!

I work for a public library, but frequently alone and in a warehouse-like building where I can listen to music of my choice in a fairly uninhibited manner. I say "fairly uninhibited" because I do get an occasional visitor.

I was swept in. I played said-rock-music. I sang a simple chorus out loud. I smiled a lot, and even found my feet doing dance-like moves as I pushed the book-cart. Yes, the evil overtook me.

OK, I'm also guilty of spreading this evil around. I played it and got smiles from my family. I played it one evening again for my daughter and the demonic sounds brought smiles of delight to her face. She even began to sing along when she saw the lyrics. The next morning, I spoke one line and she answered with the next, and we both broke out in smiles and song.

When I got to work, I asked two employees if they'd like to get a grin out of my daughter. They eagerly inquired, "How?" I told one she needed to say, "I'm so happy" and the other needed only reply with "feeling snappy." They both laughed when I finished the chorus (spoken, not sung). I shared the lyrics with one and she began chuckling. Yes, rock music which is this kind of infectious must be of the devil.

So if the rock-critics are right, you'd better avoid Hokus Pick at any cost: especially their Greatest Picks CD!


WARNING

According to Mark Allan Powell's Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (see recommended books), Hokus Pick has seven other albums to avoid!

They're:

  • The Independents, 1989
  • Pick It Up, 1992
  • Brothers from Different Mothers, 1994
  • Bookaboom, 1995
  • Snappy, 1997
  • The B-Sides, 1999
  • Super Duper, 1999

Hokus Pick's entry in the Encyclopedia includes such things as:

  • ...belongs to the genre of '90s "fun music"
  • compared to The Monkees, due to the retro, catchy sound
  • more-than-music package of video, drama, and stage antics
  • consciously makes what they call "happy feet music"
  • "lots of audience participation and stupid band tricks."
  • One goal of a Hokus Pick concert, Russ Smith says, "is to make sure the audience has a very, very fun time. And the other is to tell them that Jesus loves them."

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The copyright of the article Rock Evil? in Christian Rock is owned by Paul Landkamer. Permission to republish Rock Evil? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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