Music Industry Discussion

Yo. Thanks. I can be a mean bastard sometimes. That ideal, though I may not totally agree, helped me get my mind set back on track.

ya i am to folks

I am a christian musician, with oppurtunities coming up for a deal down in nashville if you know what I mean. I hate when people say there are no good christian musicians. Look at steven curtis chapman, lincoln brewster, or vocalists like Bart Millard, or Natalie Grant. If anything, christian musicians are the better, because they have the spirit of God in them.

WHO??!?!?!?!??!!!

The Cap said it. If these ppl can't or won't sing a regular song, chances are I won't hear them or pay them much attention. That doesn't mean they're any better or worse, but in all honesty, if they are so great & god's on their side & all, I figure I woulda heard of 'em somewhere, KT.

Yeah, Michael W Smith is an incredible keyboard player, but it would be nice if he could write a straight up tune once in a while, rather than making his music so jammed up with key changes & time signature changes. He could cause a traffic jam in a corn field with a single tractor. It's one of those things that really bugs me. I only know him from when I was playing the "gospel rock" about 25 years ago.

Amy Grant is a passable singer, & I only heard of her cuz she crossed over. I wouldn't say she's great, though, by any stretch of the imagination. She faded out pretty quickly, too, & I don't think it's cuz she wouldn't do the stripper dance that so many do. She just doesn't have good enough material.

I don't hear any great material in this genre. Lots of slogans & praises, but no real great musical stuff. It probably exists, but I've not heard it. There's things I like until I hear the lyrical content, at times, but it isn't good enough to stick in my head or make me wanna go back & really listen to it. I do hear it by accident occasionally in the car, cuz my born-again wife has it tuned on her radio. I do try to keep from being too polluted by it, as a rule, but some leaks through in spite of me.

I aint goin to claim God's guiding my fingers, cause if he is, he needs to practice more
I will say he helped me to help myself in finding the right musicians for my band. And good friends in my life.
I know I brag on the boys a lot, but to find such chemistry so easly.
Not a coincedence imo.

I went to this open mic once and met this guy who looked like Jesus.

He was a singer and as he began to sing, I was painfully reminded that I was mistaken in thinking he was the son of god.

He, on the other hand, thought he was on that level. lol

I used to have long hair and a beard. A lot of people thought I looked like Jesus. I had a woman actually stalk me for a while. I've never played or sang any Christian music but I do listen to an old time Christian music radio station here in the K.C. area. I really do like what I hear. Some of the famous singers who have done some Christian tunes are Johnny Cash, Randy Travis, and Roy Clark. There are others who almost everyone has heard of. Some of the songs and particularly the vocals are SPECTACULAR. I have a great deal of respect for anybody who has achieved a high degree of technical proficiency in ANY genre of music. I also listen occasionally to New Age (Zen) music. There's one piano player named Tom Barabas who is MIND BOGGLING INCREDIBLE and I'll bet the vast majority of people have never heard of him. Just because somebody plays a genre of music that is not in the mainstream doesn't in any way shape or form make them less of a musician. Later...

If you make a mixture of music and religion, all you get is a mud slide with no booze in it. lol

Mudslide? Maybe in some opinions. No booze? I like a cold one as much as the next guy. It just dosen't run my life anymore.

Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant are both from the early 90's.

Switchfoot and Kutless are both great bands with great musicians who have crossed over. To these artists, music isn't about writing a "straight up tune." Songwriters write about things that consumes them, or things that influence them or inspire them. God, in all his infinite wisdom, power, and glory, has inspired christian artists for years. Being a christian musician doesn't automatically mean you are awesome, but then again, it doesn't doom you to never being world class. Like I said.
If the people on here would get with modern times, and get out of the classic rock years and see that there are some real, great musicians in christian music.

Ok... So I was under the impression that rock-n-roll was the devils' music? Or is that just until the church found out they could make money off it? Please understand that this is not an attack on religeon, but a very hypocritical insitiution. Why don't they have Allah rock? Or Buddah metal? Perhaps even a ballad of 27 virgins? Well now I'm just being silly.

Actually, there has been some Moslem rap. I dunno if I'd call it music, though. Buddhism has been in lots & lots of rock songs, as has Hindi influences. Christianity doesn't have a monopoly on religious rock music. Yes, witty, rock was the devil's music until the christians decided to use it for their needs, to bring their message to the ppl in new ways. Still, even you will recall the Hindi-inspired "hare krishna" chants that George Harrison incorporated in his songs there for awhile.

As far as the "classic rock years" is concerned, KT, I was only mentioning the ppl that I could recall. Smith & Grant are still recording & performing, last I checked. The new stuff I'm hearing has had so little effect on me that I haven't a clue who does what anymore, even though I hear it far more often than I'd like.

I do take issue with your remark, "If anything, christian musicians are the better, because they have the spirit of God in them." I think it's a rather elitist take on things, considering the amazing amount of truly great songwriters & performers in the secular area of music, but what the heck. I guess I've seen far too many sneaks & snipes who claimed to be christians, both in music & many other endeavors, who tend to put a wary eye in my face whenever I see someone claiming to be doing anything at all for the glory of his/her god.

I'll check my wife's CD's for Switchblade or Clubfoot...er...Switchfoot and Kutless...& I'll try to keep an open mind about the stuff. I'll get back to you later after I've heard some of this.

CLUBFOOT. That would be a fun name for a band. LOL

(no dance music tho)

I thought thats what you got if you stood to close to the stall wall in the bar.