From: ajw@cbnews.cb.att.com (andrew.j.whitman)
Subject: Christian Punk (was Re: Is there any "progressive" Christian music?)
Organization: AT&T
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 16:34:35 GMT

In article <BxDrF9.H5y@ucunix.san.uc.edu> tothmd@ucunix.san.uc.edu (Michael David Toth) writes:
>In article <1992Nov4.152920.13477@cbnews.cb.att.com> ajw@cbnews.cb.att.com (andrew.j.whitman) writes:
>>In article <1992Nov3.190950.9008@rtsg.mot.com> young_dick@macmail2.rtsg.mot.com (Dick Young) writes:
>>
>>I too spent a lot of time listening to Kansas, Yes, ELP, early Genesis,
>>early Pink Floyd, and so on.  I liked the music a lot at the time.  I 
>>still think it's okay, although I don't listen to it that much anymore.  
>>
>Some Christian "Art Rock" acts that I found impressive without being too
>pretentious:  Arkangel and Emerald Vein.  Arkangel's classic _Warrior_
>has just been reissued on CD, and Blonde Vinyl next month releases a
>compilation of Emerald Vein's two LPs released on a Belgian label.
>Also, a lot of Jeff Johnson and some Terry Taylor/DA would fall into
                                      ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^
>this catagory.

You think so?  I always thought that one of the prerequisites of a
progressive rock band was that you had to leave any sense of humor
behind at the door.  Terry seems too sarcastic/satiric/satanic
to fit the bill.  

>>The reason?  I got hooked on a bunch of bands who couldn't play their
>>instruments - bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash and The Ramones
>>and Pere Ubu and Television and Poly Styrene and X-Ray Specs.  And
>>they made great music.   
>>
>>And just to tie this in with the charter of this newsgroup, can
>>anyone recommend Christian musicians (musicians?) who ascribe
>>to the punk aesthetic?  Something similar to the early U2
>>or Alarm sound would be just fine.  Anybody?
>>
>Well, Andrew, I know you're already familiar with the Alarma!-era DA
>and the pre-Romeo Unchained Tonio K. stuff like _Amerika_, 
>but here are a few other new-wave/punk raw aesthetic LPs that I all
>like in some degree:
>
>Vector - Mannequin Virtue  (VERY much in the U2 Boy/October/War vein)

Sounds good, and it's definitely the period of U2's existence that 
interests me most.  Thanks, I'll check it out.

>Breakfast With Amy - (all)  (this band is currently probably closest to
>        the raw, dadaist spirit of punk, along with Fluffy)

I've liked what I've heard, but I haven't heard that much.  I need to
pay more attention to them.

>Lifesavors - Us Kids (pre-Knott songwriting, very Ramones-ish)

Now *this* sounds intriguing.  Is this one readily available?  Gabba
gabba hey for Jesus!

>Altar Boys - most early albums
>Youth Choir - (VERY early Choir)
>Undercover - first few albums.

I take it that their sound has changed, right?  I wasn't too impressed
by the little bit that I heard of their latest album.

>A lot of the early '80s Orange County punk bands (Lifesavors, Altar
>Boys, Youth Choir, Undercover, etc.) had a Christian lyrical base
>proportional to their musical sophistication.  Sometimes the simplistic
>platitudes are annoying, but sometimes there's a real endearing honesty
>and energy in stuff like Undercover's "God Rules:"
>
>(Machine-gun drums and violent guitars with my lyric example presented
>to simulate mood:)
>
>There'sMoreToLifeThanGettingStonedandSittingInTheTwilightZoneandJesus'z-
>ComeToTakeUsHomeSoDon'tBeLeftHereAllA-loooooooooone!!!!!!!
>God Ruuules. (guitar riff) God Ruuuules.  (guitar)
>HeyGodRuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuullllllllezzzzz!

Just a minor typo.  Should be "Rooooooooooooooooooollllllzzz!"  It's
not quite "Crown Him with many crowns/The potentate of time," but it's
a good start. 

>And some of the stuff (especially LS:Us Kids and Altar Boys) sounds SO
>much like the Ramones that it almost gets annoying.  But they're a lot
>of fun when you're in the mood.  
>
>The following actually came out of the real punk movement in the UK in
>the late-70's/early-'80s (as opposed to suburban Christians trying to
>act like punks because "it will minister to the youth" but the youth can
>smell 'em a mile away)  Some of these albums are so-so, but all of them
>have some MAGNIFICENT individual songs on them: 
>
>Ishmael United - If You Can't Shout Saved

I used to own this one and tossed it for some reason.  Now I wish I 
had it back.  At the time it struck me as really raw and amateurish.
These days I'll take raw and amateurish over slick and soulless nine 
times out of ten.  Can this one still be found?

>Ishmael - Ishmael's Antique Collection (Sort of Monty Python meets The
>          Pogues Christian "pub" music)

Related to Ishmael United, I assume?  As an unabashed Monty Python,
Pogues, and Graham Parker/Dave Edmunds/Nick Lowe/Rockpile fan, how can 
I not get suckered in?  Okay, where do I find this one?

Thanks for the suggestions, Michael.

>Michael Toth
>University of Cincinnati
>mtoth@headcheese.daa.uc.edu
>tothmd@ucunix.san.uc.edu
>
>"...and we don't even do drugs!  Just chocolate and Dr. Pepper..."
>		-Dave Koval of Breakfast With Amy 

Andy "Beelzebub" Whitman
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio
att!cblpn!ajw  or
ajw@cblpn.att.com

(rotating head and projectile vomit show at 11:00)
Newsgroups: rec.music.christian