Comments on: The Devil’s Music http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Crooked Timber » » Cheezeball http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-87540 Crooked Timber » » Cheezeball Sat, 06 Aug 2005 12:32:09 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-87540 [...] Here’s a site I think is fun: Cheezeball . Dedicated to alt.country (whatever that is) and keeping it free of schmaltz and schlock: ’ “It is “cheeze” with a “z,” as in “Muzak.”’. The reviews are often savage (including of a least one album I think is pretty good) and funny and the manifesto is worth a read (and connects with Kieran’s recent post on Christian rock). posted on Saturday, August 6th, 2005 at 7:32 am Post a comment [...] [...] Here’s a site I think is fun: Cheezeball . Dedicated to alt.country (whatever that is) and keeping it free of schmaltz and schlock: ’ “It is “cheeze” with a “z,” as in “Muzak.”’. The reviews are often savage (including of a least one album I think is pretty good) and funny and the manifesto is worth a read (and connects with Kieran’s recent post on Christian rock). posted on Saturday, August 6th, 2005 at 7:32 am Post a comment [...]

]]> By: lalala http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86879 lalala Tue, 02 Aug 2005 19:38:58 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86879 T-Bone Burnett is definitely Christian. But not Christian rock. I think the genre issue pointed out upthread is relevant to a lot of the counter-examples offered, like U2. They may be Christian, but they're not Christian rock. As for the Buddy Miller example, that just goes to show that a lot of the best country (and alt country and so on) music is Christian. As is a lot of the worst. T-Bone Burnett is definitely Christian. But not Christian rock. I think the genre issue pointed out upthread is relevant to a lot of the counter-examples offered, like U2. They may be Christian, but they’re not Christian rock. As for the Buddy Miller example, that just goes to show that a lot of the best country (and alt country and so on) music is Christian. As is a lot of the worst.

]]> By: Uncle Kvetch http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86866 Uncle Kvetch Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:50:20 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86866 <i>The great T-Bone Burnett is some kind of believing Christian as well, but the music he makes has nothing to do with the genre of “Christian rock,” even when it has overtly Christian references.</i> I don't know about T-Bone, but his wife, the most excellent singer-songwriter Sam Phillips, was formerly a Christian pop artist recording under the name Leslie Phillips. Her work as Sam suggests she's turned her back not just on the Christian music industry but on organized religion as a whole. Does U2 still count as a "Christian" band? I mean, do they still talk openly about Christianity/spirituality/faith in interviews the way they did in their early days? And for that matter, here's one I've been wondering about for awhile: the Housemartins. They were unmistakeably (lefty) Christians at first: the inner sleeve of "London 0 Hull 4" is emblazoned with "Take Marx - Take Jesus - Take Hope." But there's certainly no discernible religious content in their subsequent projects (the Beautiful South & Fatboy Slim). Anybody know the story? The great T-Bone Burnett is some kind of believing Christian as well, but the music he makes has nothing to do with the genre of “Christian rock,” even when it has overtly Christian references.

I don’t know about T-Bone, but his wife, the most excellent singer-songwriter Sam Phillips, was formerly a Christian pop artist recording under the name Leslie Phillips. Her work as Sam suggests she’s turned her back not just on the Christian music industry but on organized religion as a whole.

Does U2 still count as a “Christian” band? I mean, do they still talk openly about Christianity/spirituality/faith in interviews the way they did in their early days?

And for that matter, here’s one I’ve been wondering about for awhile: the Housemartins. They were unmistakeably (lefty) Christians at first: the inner sleeve of “London 0 Hull 4” is emblazoned with “Take Marx – Take Jesus – Take Hope.” But there’s certainly no discernible religious content in their subsequent projects (the Beautiful South & Fatboy Slim). Anybody know the story?

]]> By: Jake http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86860 Jake Tue, 02 Aug 2005 15:38:05 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86860 Not to mention Motley Cruee. As Vince Neill once pointed out, it's "Shout AT the Devil", not "Shout WITH the Devil". Not to mention Motley Cruee. As Vince Neill once pointed out, it’s “Shout AT the Devil”, not “Shout WITH the Devil”.

]]> By: Chris Baldwin http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86852 Chris Baldwin Tue, 02 Aug 2005 13:02:29 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86852 No one's mentioned Black Sabbath. After Forever, Lord of This World, Into the Void - those all have Christian lyrics (even if the last one seems to be about escaping from Satan on a spaceship). No one’s mentioned Black Sabbath. After Forever, Lord of This World, Into the Void – those all have Christian lyrics (even if the last one seems to be about escaping from Satan on a spaceship).

]]> By: bad Jim http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86756 bad Jim Tue, 02 Aug 2005 10:36:19 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86756 As long as I'm already going to hell, I ought to damn myself for omitting Handel in the shortlist of catchy Christian tunes. "As We Like Sheep" ought to be the Australian national anthem. As long as I’m already going to hell, I ought to damn myself for omitting Handel in the shortlist of catchy Christian tunes. “As We Like Sheep” ought to be the Australian national anthem.

]]> By: bmj http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86728 bmj Tue, 02 Aug 2005 01:49:47 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86728 <i>While 31 and 32 are likely engaged in a poorly-fought battle of funny, it should be pointed out that Mormons are Christians, though of a restorationist rather than protestant orientation.</i> True enough, on both counts. While 31 and 32 are likely engaged in a poorly-fought battle of funny, it should be pointed out that Mormons are Christians, though of a restorationist rather than protestant orientation.

True enough, on both counts.

]]> By: mq http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86629 mq Mon, 01 Aug 2005 23:47:18 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86629 Check out Iris Dement, "Wasteland of the Free" for some good left wing Christian stuff. Check out Iris Dement, “Wasteland of the Free” for some good left wing Christian stuff.

]]> By: lago http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86623 lago Mon, 01 Aug 2005 22:21:07 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86623 While 31 and 32 are likely engaged in a poorly-fought battle of funny, it should be pointed out that Mormons are Christians, though of a restorationist rather than protestant orientation. While 31 and 32 are likely engaged in a poorly-fought battle of funny, it should be pointed out that Mormons are Christians, though of a restorationist rather than protestant orientation.

]]> By: Slayton I. Mustgo http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86616 Slayton I. Mustgo Mon, 01 Aug 2005 20:31:14 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86616 I think it is the same as with "Women's Music". Women singing music, fine. Women folk-singers, fine. Women singer-songwriters, fine. But "Women's Music" always sucks. SIM I think it is the same as with “Women’s Music”. Women singing music, fine. Women folk-singers, fine. Women singer-songwriters, fine. But “Women’s Music” always sucks.

SIM

]]> By: Scott http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86615 Scott Mon, 01 Aug 2005 19:48:34 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86615 Is it because they aren't Christian that Mormons don't count? Does this mean they are more or less likely to make good music, bmj? Is it because they aren’t Christian that Mormons don’t count? Does this mean they are more or less likely to make good music, bmj?

]]> By: bmj http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86592 bmj Mon, 01 Aug 2005 16:29:14 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86592 <i>Low is a pretty good example of a Christian band that rocks, albeit very, very slowly.</i> I thought they were Mormons. That doesn't count! Low is a pretty good example of a Christian band that rocks, albeit very, very slowly.

I thought they were Mormons. That doesn’t count!

]]> By: Jake http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86588 Jake Mon, 01 Aug 2005 16:06:45 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86588 Ah, I see Dan in #23 has made the comment I was going to make. The rules of this straight camp were also laid out in this month's Harper's. I comment only so I can add my personal bit of derision to the notion that Bach is a secular composer. I wonder, would they even let you listen to Palestrina? Gregorian Chant? If not, is it because they recognize deep down that making one listen to what they regard as "Christian music" is something akin to torture? Golgotha! That goes up to 11! Ah, I see Dan in #23 has made the comment I was going to make. The rules of this straight camp were also laid out in this month’s Harper’s.

I comment only so I can add my personal bit of derision to the notion that Bach is a secular composer. I wonder, would they even let you listen to Palestrina? Gregorian Chant? If not, is it because they recognize deep down that making one listen to what they regard as “Christian music” is something akin to torture? Golgotha! That goes up to 11!

]]> By: The Navigator http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86587 The Navigator Mon, 01 Aug 2005 16:03:06 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86587 Personally I love The Innocence Mission, especially the sublime beauty of their last LP of original material 'Befriended'. They even set a Gerard Manley Hopkins poem to music. Personally I love The Innocence Mission, especially the sublime beauty of their last LP of original material ‘Befriended’. They even set a Gerard Manley Hopkins poem to music.

]]> By: Jon http://crookedtimber.org/2005/07/31/the-devils-music/comment-page-1/#comment-86584 Jon Mon, 01 Aug 2005 15:39:47 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=3626#comment-86584 Evanescence are (or were) a pretty overtly Christian group. Check out the written lyrics to "Wake Me Up". U2 keep it more in the background. Evanescence are (or were) a pretty overtly Christian group. Check out the written lyrics to “Wake Me Up”. U2 keep it more in the background.

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