From: Tom Moellering <moeller@convex.com>
Subject: FAQ (frequently asked/answered questions)
Originator: moeller@neptune.convex.com
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 14:41:49 GMT
Reply-To: moeller@convex.com (Tom Moellering)
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

Well here it is, a few days earlier than normally scheduled due to vacation.
(for 2 weeks!)

This is the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for the rec.music.christian
newsgroup.  Since this is an unmoderated group, it is not by any means the
only FAQ that could exist, but since there has never been any other, this
one has sprung into existence.

New stuff and/or changes since last posting are indicated by vertical
bars '|' in the first column.

Thanks to at least the following people, whose addresses I remembered to
save, for their contributions:
	jlaplant@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
	clopton5107@iscsvax.uni.edu
	pearsodc@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu
	gt6223b@prism.gatech.edu

Forward any comments, corrections, and/or additions to:
Tom (moeller@convex.com)
	"It's a jungle out there, used to be a garden"
	True Confessions / Tonio K. / Romeo Unchained
--------------------------------cut here-----------------------------------
Index:
	) Publications: (size, price, address, etc.)
	) Where To Buy The Stuff We Talk About:
	) Secular CCM
	) The Alternative (is this too broad of a category?)
	) The all-inclusive released material list
	) Wedding Songs
	) Industrial
	) "Is Christian Rock an oxymoron?" 
	) Artist FAQ


) Publications: (size, price, address, etc.)
  Not intended to be an advertisement.  I do not receive money or
  discounts for mentioning any of the following.  (they probably don't
  even know I exist)

  These are all listed here, in no intended order, for the edification
  of those who can't seem to find a source for information on so-and-so's
  latest release.  Or an interview with favorite musician N.

	Contemporary Christian Music Magazine		1-800-333-9643
	P.O. Box 2070
	Knoxville, IA 50197-2070
	subscription: $19.95 for 1 year, 12 issues.
		This one's scope is rather broad.  They try to hit
		everything and to not be too nasty, although every now
		and then even they have to draw the line.  Positive
		side: once you get to know the reviewers, its a cake-walk.

		They have been accused of mediocrity on the one hand and
		worldliness on the other.  Sounds like they are right on
		target.  You can find Sandi Patti and King's X in the same
		issue.

	Syndicate (used to be Harvest Rock Syndicate)
	P.O. Box 24633
	Nashville, TN 37202
	subscription: 1 Year, 6 issues: $7.50
		Brian Quincy Newcomb is the editor.  Quite a publication.
		This is more of a Christians in rock and roll publication.
		They even include reviews of purely secular material.  (As
		opposed to secular label bands with christians)

	Cornerstone
	939 W. Wilson Ave.
	Suite 202-C
	Chicago, IL  60640
	subscription: $15.00 for 12 consecutive issues (approx. 3-5 times/year)
		Loosely connected with JPUSA.  Not just music here.
		But when they do review and/or interview, they do tend
		to know what they are talking about.

	Heaven's Metal
	P.O. Box 17367
	Austin Texas 78760-7367
	subscription: $12 for 1 year (6 issues)
		The name sez it all.  Published every other month.
		(send $1 for sample issue)

|	Notebored (sorry, I forgot to get the info this ;-(


	The Chicago Trib
		I don't know if I would subscribe to something with the
		word 'Trib' in the title.  For a Christian thats kind of scary.
		But from what I hear, they seem to have a lot of CCM
		interviews.

	ACM Journal
		Literally:  Alternative Christian Music


) Where To Buy The Stuff We Talk About:
  Not intended to be an advertisement.  I do not receive money or
  discounts for mentioning any of the following.  (they probably don't
  even know I exist)

  No attempt has been made here to list the sale-du-jour since that kind
  of thing changes over time.


	Long's Christian Music		407-649-1914 (Mon-Sat 9AM-6PM EST)
	2306 Edgewater Drive,
	Orlando, FL 32804		average CD price: $11.50
		Infinite selection.  Their catalog is a must if you want to
		have a list of everything that is available.

	CDM (Christian Digital Music)	(up to $5.00 credit for trade-ins)
	4051 Berrywood Drive		send a S.A.S.E. for a free catalog.
	Santa Maria, CA 93455		average CD price: $8.99
		Sure the selection isn't as great, but who else is going to
		give you $5 credit for your used CCM CDs?

	Christian Book + Supply		1-800-323-3947 (10AM-5PM  EST)
	481 Great Rd
	Acton, MA  01720
		Their mail order is mostly music, but you _can_ order just
		about any Christian merchandise from them.  Their average
		CD prices are $9.98 to $10.98 (and if you buy five, I
		believe you do get one free).

|	True Tunes			1-800-669-TRUE
	210 W. Front St.
	Wheaton, IL 60187
		Tend to go after the 'alternate' crowd a little more, in that
		they offer sales on artists that mainstream outfits don't.

	Rad Rocker's Emporium

	Family Record & Tape Club
	A Division of Word DMS, Inc.
	P.O. Box 10659
	Des Moines IA 50380-0659
                If you don't have any CDs yet, then get in on their
                no-commitment membership.  4 for $1 apiece (+ shipping).
                Selection is limited and prices in general are not that
                great to warrant staying with the club, unfortunately.
                But for the first time CCM CD purchaser, this is a deal
                you shouldn't pass up.

	Christian Music Buyers Club	1-800-695-2622 (Mon-Fri 10AM-5PM CST)
	P.O. Box 121916
	Nashville, Tennessee 37212	average CD price: $10.49
		Never have tried this, but they say they have posters, too.

	Phydeaux
	1482 DeTracey Street
	San Jose CA 95128
		Mostly Larry Norman and/or produced by him.

	Christian Book Distributors
	PO Box 6000
	Peabody MA 01961-6000
		Orders: 508 977 5000 M-F 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-5pm
		Customer service: 508 977 5050 MF 9-5:30
		Technical assistance (for books?): 508 977 5040 MF 9-5:30

		Admittedly, mostly a book seller, but they do sell some music.
		Recent issue (bimonthly catalog) had about 1000,
		predominantely mainstream, titles.

		Don't overlook their W-I-D-E variety of christian books:
			fundamentalist, charismatic, mainline,
			scholarly, devotional, practical

  Don't forget to check out the cut-out sections at your local secular music
  outlets, since they sometimes will be getting rid of CCM at low prices:
  $2.88, $1.44, etc.  Also don't forget to check out the used stores which,
  believe it or not, do carry quite a bit of CCM.  I don't know who buys this
  stuff and then sells it at such a loss to them, but you should take advantage
  of this wherever and whenever you can.

) Secular CCM
  Well, this is a really tough category to write.  Though I consider myself
  to have a rather healthy exposure to this category, I still haven't listened
  to all of these bands.  So I can't really pass judgement on them.  But then
  again that isn't my job description, is it? ;-)

  Suffice it to say that if you ever get to this category you will find
  yourself dealing with one or more of the following questions:

		what am I really listening to music for anyway?
		what makes music christian?

	The Alarm
	T Bone Burnett
	The Call
	Larry Carlton  
	Peter Case
	Ashley Cleveland
	Bruce Cockburn
	Galactic Cowboys
	John Hiatt
	Innocence Mission
	King's X
	Lillian Axe
	Midnight Oil
	The Ocean Blue
	Paul Oversreet
	Sam Phillips
	Ricky Van Shelton
	Ricky Skaggs
	Stryper
	U2
	Victoria Williams


) The Alternative (is this too broad of a category?)
  Alternative is a hard thing to nail down.  One man's alternative, is another
  man's mainstream.  And one man's alternative is another man's amusical trash.
  I know that I have been guilty of the charge of not liking
  anything that was popular.  However, for purposes of categorization, anathema
  to the true outsider anyway, if it isn't available to the buying public
  through normal retail channels, it may be too alternative for its own good.

  These artists tend to have more creative ideas than a label can ever
  hope to contain.  So the various aliases, alter egos and founding member
  names are given for better tracking of their musical careers.
  In no particular order:

	Daniel Amos, DA, Da, da, Swirling Eddies  (Terry Scott Taylor)
	Adam Again (Riki Michelle, Gene Eugene)
	The 77's (Mike Roe)
	Lifesavors, Lifesavers, LSU (Michael Knott)
	The Choir (Derri Daughtery, Steve Hindalong)
	Veil Of Ashes (Sean Doty)
	the violet burning
	Steve Scott
	Charlie Peacock
	Vector
	Mad At The World
	Undercover (Joey Ojo Taylor)
	The Throes
	The Altar Boys (Ric Alba, Mike Stand)
	The Swoon
	Painted Orange
	Breakfast With Amy
	Dead Artists Syndrome (Brian Healy)

) The all-inclusive released material list
  This category is intended to serve as the list of all commercial releases
  for the people who seem to get asked about the most.  Listed from oldest
  to most recent.  I have a feeling that this category will be a mistake,
  but here goes:


  Steve Taylor (everything is sparrow, unless otherwise indicated)
	I Wanna Be A Clone (CD)
        Meltdown
        Meltdown Remixes
        Meltdown & Meltdown Remixes (CD)
	On The Fritz (CD) (out-of-print)
	Limelight (live)
	Transatlantic Remixes
	I Predict 1990 (CD) (myrrh)
	The Best We Could Find + 3 that never escaped (includes entire IWBAC) (CD)
	(for anything more, see Chagall Guevara)


  Chagall Guevara
	Pump Up The Volume soundtrack: Tale Of The Twister (on the CD only)
	Chagall Guevara	 (CD)

  Tonio K.

|	Life in the Foodchain (pre-conversion)
|	Amerika (post-coversion)
	Romeo Unchained
	Notes from the lost civilization
	(Current status: supposedly fronting an unsigned band
			 called 16 Tons of Monkeys)

  Bruce Cockburn (there is a email group for him:
			 humans-request@death.corp.sun.com)

	Bruce Cockburn
	Further Adventures of ...
	Joy Will Find A Way
|	Sunwheel Dance
	Salt Sun and Time
	High Winds White Sky
	Circles in the Stream
	In The Falling Dark
	Inner City Front
	Night Vison
	Stealing Fire
	Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws
|	Resume
	World of Wonders
	Humans
	Bruce Cockburn Live
	Trouble with Normal
	Waiting for a Miracle
	Big Circumstance
	Nothing But a Burning Light

  Sam (Leslie) Phillips
	Beyond Saturday Night
	Dancing With Danger
	Black and White In A Grey World
		significant_style_change_at_this_point
	The Turning			(myrrh)
	The Indescribable Wow		(virgin)
	Recollections			(myrrh)
	Cruel Inventions		(virgin)

) Wedding Songs
	This list is posted monthly, usually the first Monday of each month by
	ee2g@andrew.cmu.edu


) Industrial
	I have chosen just to suck in an arcticle from the net instead on
	this section, since clopton5107@iscsvax.uni.edu keeps up with this
	better than I.  He writes:

        R.M.C. INDUSTRIAL UPDATE

        The answer to the question which resurfaced recently "Is there any
	Christian industrial music?" is "yes."
        Here is a list.  Not all of these bands fit everybody's definition of
	industrial, but most of it is at least of interest to most fans of
	industrial music.

		Mortal
		Deitiphobia
		Circle of Dust
		Blackhouse*
		Mental Destruction*
		Global Wave System*
		Gadget/ Mark Planquet*
        
	*These bands have music for sale, but it is not as easy to get as
	the first three.  These bands have either indi releases, or demos.
	Mail me for more data.  The first three bands have fully distributed
	albums that can be gotten in Christian bookstores.  Circle of Dust may
	not be on the shelfs yet, but is is on REX Records, and is coming, and
	will be HUGE!

	A good purchase for Christian's who like techno and or industrial music
	is the SLAVA Music sampler avialable on Blonde Vinyl records called
	"Voice of the People."

|        Blackhouse:  Hard, Dark, and controversial.  Pagan industrial fans seem
|	to want to claim them as their own, claiming that they are actually mocking
|	Christianity.  Nobody on the net seems to actually know the facts on them,
|	except that they have a really rad, largely undancable, and very powerful
|	sound.  Lots of drums, lots of distortion, lots of instrumental material.
|
|        Mortal:  Kinda' pop, kinda metal, kinda dance, but plenty of vocal
|	distortion, and hard enough that my wife hates them.  Sound like
|	Minstry, Skinny	Puppy, Nine Inch Nails, and totally origional at
|	various times.  The songwriting is very good, and resembles a
|	traditional format more than a lot of industrial music.  They do not
|	consider themselves to be an industrial band, but many industrial
|	fans like them, and the industrial influence on their music
|	is unmistakable.
|
|        Dietiphobia:  Very dance oriented, and often compared to Front 242,
|	these guys were the first indusrial act on a widely distributed Christian
|	record company.  While to pop for many, they consider themselves to be
|	industrial, and do get some hard grooves going at times.  IMHO, buy
|	"Digital Priests-The Remixes" if you can only buy one of their albums.
|	They use some very cool spoken word samples, and write good, if
|	sometimes trite, lyrics.
|
|        Circle of Dust:  I have not heard their entire album yet, but what I
|	heard at the album release party, and concert at Cornerstone gave me
|	an idea of what's up with them (him).  Hard, lots of vocal and guitar
|	distortion, nasty drums.  Very agressive.  Not unlike Ministry, but not
|	a ripoff either.  Good production (from what I heard).
|
|        Gadget
|        Mark Planquet/Gadget:  Low budget, expirimental, noizy.  Sometimes
|	repetitive unto irritation and boredome, other times brilliant and,
|	dare I say, touching.  This is what you can do if you don't have
|	record execs watching over your shoulder.  Lots of samples, lots of
|	noize.  Lots of scripture (on my tape anyway--and in concert at
|	C'Stone 90')
|
|	Mental Destruction:  I have only heard one song from this band.
|	That number is featured on ACM Journal's 2nd aniversary compilation.
|	If I have my facts strait, this band is Swedish, which, along with
|	tons-o-distortion, would explain the totaly uninteligability of that
|	song's lyrics.  The music is hard, chaotic, and discomforting.  It
|	combines a drum sequence that makes very little musical sense
|	(conventionally speaking) with heavily distorted vocals to create
|	an effect that is interesting, but not pretty.  This band's
|	album, "Intensity of Darkness" is available through Rad Rocker's
|	Emporium (Mike Delaney) and True Tunes Etc.. And is already considered
|	highly collectable among Christian record collectors. 
|
|        Global Wave System:  Again, I have only heard one song, "Commitment,"
|	which is featured on the "Voice of the People" sampler, other than
|	catching part of their impromptu set at Cornerstone.  GWS's key member is
|	the net's own Christian E.  He says that one should not judge the
|	band by "Commitment" alone, and that the band's range includes some
|	dance material, as well as more "ambient" songs.  He sights Cyberactif
|	as an influence, while I personally hear Skinny Puppy but primarily
|	find that they stand on their own stylistically.  Distorted vocals,
|	droning synths, and heavy drumms.  Mail Christian E for a custom demo
|	of the band, or wait for an album on Blonde Vinyl--it is likely.
|
|        X Propagation:  This band is a spinnoff from Dietiphobia.  It is
|	made-up of Brent Stackhouse, and at least one other person.  They
|	are featured on "Voice of the People."  Distorted vocals, and
|	Ministry-ish guitars.  Harder than Dietiphobia, but not as chaotic and
|	noizy as Mental Distruction or Blackhouse.  Not unlike Circle of
|	Dust, but with less of a metal feel.


) "Is Christian Rock an oxymoron?" 
   One possible response that should be considered:
	"only people can be Christians"

   We will not attempt to answer this question here, but instead refer
   your questioning to other (more-complete) treatments of the subject:

	Steve Lawson		_Rock Reconsidered_
	Francis Schaeffer	_Art and the Bible_
|	Frankie Schaeffer	_Addicted to Mediocrity_

) Artist FAQ
	This section is meant to house all of the silly little questions
	that seem to get asked about specific artist:

	Q: What's Steve Taylor up to?
	A: He's in a band called Chagall Guevara on the secular label MCA.

	Q: Who are the people in Chagall Guevara?
	A: Steve Taylor, Lynn (Arthur) Nichols, Dave Perkins,
|	   Mike Mead, Wade Jaynes

	Q: What's King's X mean?
	A: Like all good Rock & Roll, it has multiple meanings, but
	it seems that for the members of the band it has no intended
	meaning.

	In Vol. 19, Issue 94 of the Christian magazine 'Cornerstone', two of the 
	band menbers were interviewed by Chris Ramsey, Dave Canfield, and Brian
	Grover.  Doug Pinnick, lead vocalist and bass player, and Ty Tabor, lead
	guitarist, had this to say when asked "What does the name King's X mean?

	Doug: Actually, I wanted a name that didn't mean anything, a name that
	you can't pinpoint.  And we thought it didn't mean anything when we
	started, but when we moved to Texas we found out that king's X is a
	safety . . . you know, in the game of tag.

	Also we found out that in medieval times in England there was a practice
	where a messenger would go to another kingdom to give a message to the
	king.  And if the king receiving the message didn't like the message, he
	would kill the messenger . . . unless he had the mark of the king.  It
	was called the king's X.

	Ty:  The X simply translated a message from one king to the other king.
	It said, "Please spare my messenger; it's not his fault if the message
	is not what you want to hear."

	Q: Is Amy Grant possessed?
	A: Not to the best of our knowledge.  If your opinion is that
	she is going after filthy lucre, pray for her.  If you think what
	she is doing is great, support her (and pray for her, too.)

	Q: Whatever happened to Leslie Phillips?
	A: She is recording on the secular label Virgin under the name
	Sam Phillips.

	Q: Did Leslie (Sam) Phillips backslide?
	A: Depends on your point of view I guess.  If you can believe
	what she has to say of herself, no.

|	Q: Did Petra write "God Gave Rock and Roll to You?"  
|	A: No, Russ Ballard of the band Argent wrote the song in 1973.  Petra
|	covered it (for the first time) in 1976 on their "Come and Join Us"
|	album and Kiss covered it in the eighties.

|	Q: Are the members of Kiss Christians?
|	A: Give me a break.  When people use the word 'God' they can mean all
|	kinds of things, including but not limited to: themselves, some other
|	deity besides the Judeo-Christian acknowledged one, women, money, etc.

|	It is not probable, to the best of my understanding of the bible, for
|	someone to boast of their continuing multiple-hundreds of illicit sexual
|       encounters (as one of the members of KISS does) and be an actual
|       Christian.

|	Q: Did Petra write the song for "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?"
|	A: see above.