Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?
I had some reason to believe that WSTDHATGM? would be more than a Christian Rock propaganda flick since I knew that the film had won the Audience Choice Award at the 2004 Chicago Underground Film Festival (which is happening this week as well). This was another reason I wasn't sure that the movie would present the Christian Rock community in a palatable way for my sister.
Actually, I was at the Movie release party at the Hideout back in 2004. At the time I was more interested in seeing what Steve Albini would come up with as the party DJ. Steve Albini happens to be the boyfriend of one of the film's creators and he is interviewed in the movie. Also playing at the release party was the Detholz!, one of the bands featured in WSTDHATGM?.
The Detholz! blew me away. I stood near the front during their entire set with an ear to ear grin. Their lyrics obviously dealt with Christian themes still I had trouble taking them seriously. Operatic glam rock based on the Left Behind series just seemed too hilarious to be genuine. I asked one of their entourage (the bald guy in the photo below) how serious all this was and was assured, in a manner that wasn't believable, that it was.
The show had more of the spirit of Bobby Conn than Jesus Christ and in fact the Detholz! lead singer, Jim Cooper, does occasionally play with Bobby Conn. BC's own lyrics are full of Christian references and he has called himself a new kind of Christian. Jim Cooper also plays bass for an apparently secular outfit called Baby Teeth. The Baby Teeth singer also plays with Bobby Conn but also happens to be Jewish. The plot thickens.
Or is it thinnens?
So anyway, seeing the Detholz! gave me the feeling that something worthwhile is going on in the Christian Rock community. In the past I found it discouraging or perhaps comforting that CR was so bland. Not to put all the blame on the CR thing, the Catholic church music of my youth was horrible. My spiritual community didn't put any soul into the singing, though the pipe organ was mean. The Mexican churches in my current neighborhood are just as bad. All those nasally voices singing in unison is enough to run the rats out of town. I would think that if I held the belief that the music I made came directly from God, then the music He played with my voice and hands better be pretty damn good. But that's just not the way it usually goes down.
At least some in the Christian Rock community can take this sort of criticism with a sense of humor. Like Rese Roper of Five Iron Frenzy who introduced a song this way, "...a lot of bands are always like, 'yeah the lord gave me this song' and then it's a horrible song. but um even if this is a horrible song I love what God does with it." Unfortunately for Mr. Roper (and God), the song sucked. Anyway, I was hoping something in WSTDHATGM? would shine a light where I once was blind.
WSTDHATGM? is clearly a low budget film, shot mostly with hand held cameras with poor sound equipment in a limited number of locales. The equipment was so shabby in fact that the directors confess to having to cut shots that clearly would have helped the film yet were not salvageable for some technical reason or another. That being said, the film is entirely watchable even at times cinematically pleasing.
Most of the footage comes from Cornerstone, an annual Christian Rock festival held in Southern Illinois. This is the Lollapalooza of the CR world. The film starts with the highly charged death metal band Zao which packs some instant shock value. This dark element of the CR world is largely represented by bands from the Tooth and Nail label. The appeal became less and less puzzling as the film moved along. Clearly there is a frightening side to the Christian belief. That young Christian kids want to take the dark side head on really isn't surprising even if it is occasionally humorous. The funniest scene in the movie is when death metal singer Brad Fitzhugh from the band Living Sacrifice picks up his four year old kid during an interview and asks her if she can sing like daddy. She looks broodingly into the camera and belts out a guttural Jesus.
Few of the musicians were familiar though some may be more familiar to the NAP indie contingency; bands like Pedro the Lion whose rambling leader gets a good deal of attention; also Josh Caterer who broke up his up and coming secular Chicago band, Smoking Popes, when he re-birthed. For me, other than the Detholz! I recognized only Stryper and the surprise appearance of Pansy Division.
Pansy Division, the seminal (yuk yuk) San Fransisco based gay punk band, are clearly not Christian Rock but they had the well timed luck of playing a gig at Chicago's Fireside Bowl with the Detholz! during the filming of this movie. The directors were blessed here because Pansy Division gives good interview and a nice segue to a discussion of gay issues within the CR community which turns out to be one of the best sections of the flick and includes the tattooed Jay Bakker (son of Jim and Tammy Faye) and a heartfelt interview with a Christian family whose eldest son has left the flock for the rainbow.
Few bands introduced to me in WSTDHATGM? were intriguing enough to want to delve further. The exceptions are Larry Norman (whose song names bless the title of this documentary as well as the Pixie's first release "Come on Pilgrim"), Steve Taylor (who the directors refer to as "the David Byrne of the Christian Rock world"), Victoria Williams (a twangy Loretta Lynn type figure who may already be familiar to Alt-Country types) and the Danielson Famile.
The Danielson Famile get about ten seconds of exposure in this film but that was enough to pique my interest. Their sound is like something from a Pentecostal Tent Revival. They wear nurse outfits with big red hearts on their sleeves. My sister hated it. I wanted more but I couldn't understand why they were given so little time. Turns out the directors knew that a full length Danielson Famile documentary was in the works.
Though WSTDHATGM? largely deals with the soul searching complications (and there are many) within the Christian Rock community, secular beliefs are given space in the form of Steve Albini (always a vocal interviewee), John Tolley (who gives a funny telling of being evanga-bribed with free pizza and rock and roll), and Dan Sinker (co-founder of Punk Planet who looks like our DD but with sideburns). The secular views give the film balance but I can't help agreeing with the criticism that these guys are just grumpy old men. Dan Sinker's interview especially sounds like misplaced bitterness. Take this quote: "as amazing as I'm sure some of the christian rock bands are, there's a lot more amazing 'real bands.'" Does Dan Sinker make similar exclusion statements for reggae bands and rastafarianism or the Beastie Boys and the Buddha? What is a real band anyway? I'm sure Sinker would say his quote was taken out of context and it might be true. In most of the secular sound bites we don't have the benefit of hearing the interviewer's question, which works to the detriment of the interviewee.
It isn't quite clear in watching WSTDHATGM? if the directors are Christian or not, though it becomes clear in listening to the commentary track that they are not. This is to their credit. Indeed, the directors faced personal challenges in the filming of this movie. Vickie Hunter says she threw up behind a tent at Cornerstone because she was so nauseated by some aspects of the event. Fortunately they were mature enough to present the CR community without polluting it with their own beliefs. That would have made the film ironically preachy. This earned them a thumbs up from the Christian Science Monitor. Clearly it works for secular viewing as well, since it won the Audience Award at the Chicago Underground Film Festival. Also my sister and I were able to enjoy this movie together.
Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? gets a Sweeney thumbs up. Check it out at on Netflix or wherever good movies are sold.
Songs
Larry Norman - Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?
the Danielson Famile - Pottymouth
The Detholz! - Club Oslo
Baby Teeth - Celebrity Wedding
photos are all PR shots - first is the Detholz!, then the Danielson Famile and the last one is Larry Norman with pictures of Farah Fawcett.
24 Comments:
Ok, I might get in trouble for this: it seems to me that the nihilism and angst felt by punk/hardcore/metal bands and expressed through their paranoid/loud/discordant music, clothing, lyrics, venue choices gets turned into cocacola light when co-opted by christian rock groups- dumbed down into a mere aesthetic. May I suggest Beyond Good and Evil as a primer to the people somehow missed most of the philosophy of the 20th century?
Sorry, Kilian, I know the point of your post is to be open-minded and to realize that we could learn from the Christians as well. It's just that I'm in Leipzig where they've built things like this as a monument to the pride and nationalism of the German people which may have also landed them in a heap of trouble a few years later. And, to the Neo-Nazis who would like to march in front of this monument and continue to misread Nietzsche, I'd also like to direct your attention to this little article for clarification purposes.
I guess my question is: is it just the lyrics that make the music Christian? Or, is there a spirit within the music which somehow makes it Christian? And, what if I said that the classification of Christian vs. non-Christian is absolutely meaningless to me?
Kilian Wrote: "as amazing as I'm sure some of the christian rock bands are, there's a lot more amazing 'real bands.'" ..... What is a real band anyway?
I think this all comes down to the main purpose of the musicians. If the intent is to make good music first and Christianity just happens to be such a big part of their lives that it dominates their lyrics, that's fine. Unfortunatly the impression one gets from many Christian rock bands is that this is no more than a marketing ploy to "reach the kids" on their product so they adopt all the tropes of rock or hip-hop but never come off as anything more authentic than a used car salesman from some 70's b-film.
To be fair if your main intent in making music is to be famous the results are no different.
First a little metal dorkery: Zao is more metalcore than death. Phew, that was embarassing. Ok, moving on. I loved this post, K. I am well familiar with some of the extreme metal Christian bands through a friend who is quite devout in his views. So I am aware of the desire for young Christians to adopt the styilzations of extreme metal towards their own ends. It doesn't bother me at all. I won't make the mistake of trying to qualify what is and isn't Christian music, but I will say that not being the slightest bit Christian myself means that this subject in general is totally irrelevent to my enjoyment of music overall. On an anthropological level, however, I find this fascinating. There is a very real cloying and stultifying facet to organized religion that really chaps my ass, so in a sense I find it encouraging that people struggle to find a creative voice that they feel doesn't clash with the rigors of their value system. I do feel that anyone is capable of making good music. In other words, being a bible thumping Christian with an axe to grind may limit your palette, or perhaps unfairly balance your motivations, but it doesn't have to categorically force you to make shitty music.
On a technical note, K, I enjoyed your voice and your phrasing much more this time around than usual. I felt your narrative flowed well, and your choice of words were pretty natural.
Sorry, I know I sound like a fucking professor. Let's just say, great post.
Jesus, Heidi, might I suggest a nice beach and some Danielle Steele on your next trip? Nietzsche and Nazis? Always a fun combination.
You're right John, Zao is metalcore. I meant to go back and change that. Also to speak to Heidi's Nazi comparison, the Zao set does have that creepy affect especially since there's a big Aryan dude in the band. That being said, I went to more than a couple of punk metal shows at the Cabaret Voltaire that felt like the place had been co-opted by the neo-nazi movement.
Still Heidi your point(and Ramon's) about co-opting an aesthetic for evangalistic purposes is expressed in the movie by Steve Albini. But you don't get that from the movie so much in part because most of the footage is from Cornerstone where there is little need for evangalism since that would be preaching to the choir. It's just kids trying to make the music they like fit what they believe. Led Zeppelin and Def Leppard and like bands get brought up just as if they were interviewing bands at Ozzfest or something.
is it just the lyrics that make the music Christian? Or, is there a spirit within the music which somehow makes it Christian? And, what if I said that the classification of Christian vs. non-Christian is absolutely meaningless to me?
I can answer your (possibly rhetorical) question Heidi, this way - the movie explores those questions but doesn't necessarily try to answer them. A pleasant surprise from this movie was to find that these kids are not exactly righteous zombies. They have their own set of dilemmas within the community about how they approach music and belief just like any other musician really. To less abstractly answer your question, some of the bands don't sing about Jesus at all and some bands are completely instrumental so the lyric question is mute. And yeah Christian v. non-Christian is ultimately meaningless. It's about whether or not the music moves you. I totally expected all the music to suck except the Detholz! since I already knew them but I found a few more gems in the bunch so that was a nice surprise.
Besides that, I was glad to find that there is a broad range of types within this community and many folks I would feel very comfortable spending a day with or what have you. I was glad to see that there is discussion within the community. It isn't all zombie-ish.
Oh and thanks John. I guess :|
there is some pretty crazy xian psych out there. some weirdo outsider stuff too (dave bixby comes to mind), but a lot of that is a bit too zonked philosopically to qualify as 'christian'.
anyway- check out fraction, one of the most blown out doomy heavy psych records there is. totally xian.
and although i don't dig it so much, a lot of people swear by 'the christ tree' by the trees, sort of a psych folk opera based on the psalms. a super deluxe reissue just came out. i can see the appeal but it's not really my 'bag'.
then there's lamb (xian prog), all saved freak band (xian southern boogie psych), ad nauseum. i like the first larry norman record OK.
best xian band was the manson family (does it count if someone thinks he's christ)?
Great post Kilian.
I have to admit that I am not in love with god. Watching everyone toss him around and trying on new faces is pretty interesting though. The documentaries Jesus Camp and The Devil's Playground come to mind. I'm pretty closed minded about supporting music made by people who will approach me on the street and tell me in all sincerity that they are praying for me, without knowing shit about me... even if the music is "good"... I have to give Satan the upper hand on this one. I just don't have that open of a mind, and frankly... not enough time to play THAT nicely. While walking through one of these airports, a guy walks past us in a airbrushed t-shirt reading "JESUS", and he says, "Hey. Can I ask you guys something?" We keep walking. He says, "Aw. Come on guys." Do I feel bad for him because I ignored him and he feels like I am one more soul lost to the pit? Sure. That would be a shitty reality. Peddling imposter salvation to the damned. But guess what? I'm not where his energy needs to be focused if he was all that together and I'm over having debates about religion with complete strangers. How did I get there? I wish I could download the songs before they get taken down Kilian. Maybe you could send me some Christian tunes to check out. Really good post, didn't mean to ramble.
A whole Christian rock post with no mention of Sufjan Stevens?
Damien Jurado is also worthy of mention, particularly given the content of his narratives. "Medication" has a prayer to God to take his brother's life, for instance.
In the broader sense, Christians have been responsible for absolute shitloads of great music. Hi, Albert Ayler! Hi, Louvin Brothers! Hi, Sunny Day Real Estate's first two albums! Hi, Blind Willie Johnson! There is however a feeling I get from a lot of contemporary Christian music that it's wearing fashionable clothing to appeal to others and suck them in rather than playing that music because it's an expression of who they are.
Whatever "who they are" means, identity being the fluid construct it is, but hopefully that makes some sense.
HS - I'll send you something and thanks.
I should point out that WSTDHATGM? focuses solely on bands that played the Cornerstone Festival, er except Pansy Division. Apparently the film makers went to the Fireside to shoot the Detholz! because they weren't happy with the footage from Cornerstone (Jim Cooper's Statue of Liberty costume didn't film well). Pansy Division happened to be playing the same gig. It's a fairly small corner of the Christian music world but the one that gets the most criticism, much of it deservedly I'd say.
dd, I get your point about the evils of manufactured music, but don't you get that feeling from most contemporary music, christian or not?
And actually I wouldnt mind someone doing some research on the concept you mention of playing music as an expression of who one is. Something about the differnce between the one being the individual self and the one being the social/cultural group one belongs to. that sort of stuff.
Great post kilian. I second John's opinion.
dd, I get your point about the evils of manufactured music, but don't you get that feeling from most contemporary music, christian or not?
yes, but I find it slightly more sinister when it has ulterior motives (c.f. the missionary intentions of Christianity) besides naked greed.
I suspect doctoral theses have been written on the nature of music, community, belonging, and identity.
Hmm. I dont know dd, i think naked greed is most often a front for the real darker motives behind much manufactured music... think of lou pearlman for instance, or Disney, i'm not sure naked greed is what's motivating these music manufactures. When someone is claiming pure greed as their purpose, I immediately think they're fronting for something much more sinister. Except for maybe Mick Jagger.
I don't know if I'd call it ulterior motives. I mean, I've been pretty damn annoyed on the highway flipping through the radio stations, find a good beat and then the lyrics come in and realized I was on the Christian Rock channel. But that is far from ulterior. It's straight up in your face.
I guess it's ulterior if the station is part of some conspiracy to control a large political base and take over the country. But conspiracy would imply that it's secretive and in actuality that stuff is going on in broad daylight. Not to mention that we're not talking about a minority group either. Apparently the whole countryside is in on it!
Doug, you've been gone a while. Do You know they talk about God on the Country stations back here!?! That's actually more bothersome to me because at least the CR world can't hardly break the top forty on the pop stations. Plus the Country songs have a real comforting way of tying God to Country to Army, etc.
But forget the Top 40 Pop stations, the folks who listen to that garbage don't vote. And these back country J freaks are actually controlling the vote over here.
What am I getting at? I don't know. No it's this...in rhetorical format...Why do we enjoy learning about foreign societies whether it be the inner world of Metallica, the Christian Rock community or the bonobo apes?
goddam blogger ate my very long comment.
Suffice it to say that by "ulterior" I don't mean hidden (which might mean I'm using the word "ulterior" wrong) but that their primary motive is not love of the genre but desire to convert the heathens. In fact, in order for this desire to succeed, the Christianity has to be present in the lyrical content.
Obviously I don't think every band that has Christian lyrical content is working in a genre principally for missionary reasons, but I suspect that many steer in a "hip" direction in order to increase their reach.
Carlos, please amplify what reasons beyond greed you're referring to.
Okay, I just determined I don't know ulterior means. What I meant to say was that the principal motive of many bands (playing in a style that they like) was subjugated to the seemingly secondary but in this case primary motive of spreading the gospel.
If anyone knows a word that describes that, let me know.
I'm going to go cook lentils quietly now.
DD - don't take my comments personally. I get what you're saying but I wanted to hash something out. Anyway that some Christian bands are in it as a ministry isn't so much an issue for me as the fact that it usually sucks. This isn't the word you're looking for but the word that I'd use for why I change the dial when I realize I've stumbled upon the Christian Rock station is cornball.
I cooked lentils this week. Used a dal mix from the Indian grocer in a crockpot. Easy and dee lish us.
Oh I thought I'd mention that my sister didn't care for any of the hard stuff or anything where she couldn't understand the lyrics. She said she liked when she could hear the words because then she could "worship" with them and that was enough, the music becomes beside the point for her. That sort of says to me that the stuff works more within the community rather than as a form of evangelism maybe even if that's their ultimate intention. Silly C-Rockers.
hmm lentils... we're making green beens and kuorn patties...
ok, other motives beyond greed, in Lou Pearlman's case for example,maybe the desire to molest young boys... and in the case of many who manufacture young kids music in the old factory ways there seems to be a lot of underlying issues of manipulation of minors that is way more sinister and often appears to be the true motive hidden by the appearance taht all they want is fame and money. in disney's case, i'm not sure, but i really get the feeling they're not in it just for the money... does that expand enough? maybe i'm wrong, but it seems the history of music is filled with secret or ulterior motives disguised as a desire for fame and fortune, although maybe fame and fortune are more of a means to those ulterior motives.
Now, to go back to your initial point, i would call what you were referring to not as ulterior but as extramusical motives. music that is being manufactured with motives other than musical in mind. this however can get kind of fuzzy cause there is tons of music being put at the service of non-musical motives (a lot of movie and tv music for example).
Disney is not in it for the money? Hmmm. Never even considered that.
John- yeah, next time I will travel to the beach- i don't read ms. steele, tho, it'll be trash magazines instead. Leipzig is being taken over by artists looking for cheap rent, full of cafe culture and people biking around lakes to get to all-night dance parties hidden in the woods. I would consider moving there. But, there are a few incongruous things in that city- like that monument. My honest, first reaction to seeing it was "of all the things the Allies managed to firebomb and flatten in wwii, how could they have missed this?"
I could continue with Nietzsche and the Christians, but someone else needs to use this computer. Later.
Hi,
I'm a friend of Head Staplers that has been reading your site for awhile, I really like it and it's turned me on to some good music.
In response to BBDG's comment on "Beyond Good and Evil", it's the only Nietzsche book I've been able to read start to finish. You can actually read it in it's entirety here on google books. for free. pretty awesome.
Also the Sufjan Stevens thing, ... Christian connections aside, I found this short (it's actually a commercial) to be pretty cool, if not a little moving. I work as a 3d artist in nyc, and watching it made me realize that crafting something passive connected to religion, for a 'good cause' is far easier to stomach than the vapid commercial peddling I spend my days on. I suggest you check it out, it's only 59 seconds long.
Thanks for the links BJ. Dug the animation too.
I've posted a Sufjan Stevens here before but I didn't know anything about his faith. I did have some suspicions after looking at this site.
dd - could prosyletizing be your word?
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