Friday, May 1, 2009

Hey, why all the Christian bands?

I don't know if you people have noticed or not, but throughout the blog, I've posted a lot of bands that would probably classify themselves as Christian artists.

It's not intentional, but it's just so you know. I don't mean to offend, but I guess it's that some of these bands just have great messages in their songs...some subtle...some, perhaps not so subtle.

I think of a Billboard article that I stumbled upon from big-time modern rock producer Howard Benson. At the time, he was producing Third Day's new record at the time, Revelation, which featured huge crossover artists such as Robert Randolph, Lacey Mosley, and Chris Daughtry.

Benson said this in Billboard:

I personally like Christian artists because they believe in something. As a producer, a lot of times what you're trying to do is find something that the artists believe in or something to be confident in. With a Christian artist, you know what that thing is.

I don't know if I'd go that far, but just look at his past history with artists like P.O.D., Flyleaf, and his most recent work with Skillet. Clearly, he's onto something.

*goes on tangent*

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a great documentary that discusses the history of metal, debunks stereotypes, and plays to stereotypes. The film, in part, discussed satanism's connections with metal. 

However, I'd actually like to see something that discusses modern Christian metal bands such as Demon Hunter and Underoath. You can't have one side of the story without the other and I think it'd make for an interesting spiritual debate when you consider that these artists could be influenced by the same artists but in completely different ways.

I guess a part of why I made this entry is because I don't want people to think that I would only listen to Christian artists. I don't want people to think that I'm any particular type of musical elitist.

Heck, I even listen to Dredg, who's upcoming album in June The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion seems to be inspired by themes of atheism and agnosticism.

I was born and raised a Christian, but I suppose we're all entitled to question or be inspired by our own spirituality from time to time.

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