Christian Rock is a joke.

[Dr. Jonah Rainwater]

So, I got a haircut the other day. Nothing drastic, just taming the beast a bit. On the drive back home, I'm flipping through all the radio stations for something that piques my interest. (there's not much) On 89.7, I hear the opening riff for U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Excited, I leave it there.

After a few seconds, it starts sounding kind of wierd...distorted and heavy...and after fiddling with the audio controls for a bit, it dawns on me that this is probably a cover song. However, I like what this new band has done with it, so I kept listening to this cover version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday".

Overall, the song wasn't really changed around very much, except that U2's trademark Irish sound and Bono's incredible voice were replaced with more of a low, growling American contemporary rock sound. And near the end, the verse with the lines "And the battle's just begun, to claim the victory that JESUS won...", the battle yell of "JESUS!" was thrown in there. Didn't think too much of it - I didn't even remember if U2 might have had that in there all along.

The song after that was too high-pitched and irritating for my tastes, so I changed it to JackFM... When I got home I decided to go onto 89.7's website and check their playlist so that I could download this song. Turns out 89.7's a Christian station - oops - but I don't really discriminate against Christian Rock as long as it isn't that high-pitched musical white bread that stereotypes most Christian Rock, and doesn't preach too much. And Christian Rock stations sometimes The playlist had a link to the band's website. Pillar is the band's name. My Internet quest takes me to the official band website of Pillar, which is filled with Flash graphics and hardcore font styles. Typical nu rock band, basically. My questions were quickly answered by the exclamations in their Headlines section - "'Sunday Bloody Sunday' has reached #1 on the Radio&Records Christian Rock charts!!!!!" and "Click here to request 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' on your radio station NOW!"

A bit dejected, I closed the window. My radio and Internet journey had come to an end.

What is the point of this story, you may ask? Well, I think it brings up a pretty important question - what is it that makes a band 'Christian'? Does the song actively have to preach Christianity or praise God? Do the members merely have to be practicing Christians, regardless of their content? I know many bands who occasionally talk about God and their feelings about Him, but aren't classified as being "Christian", probably because they don't fit the stereotype or because they reject the label. I know other bands whose members are all Christians, but they don't feel their music is the place for religious discussion, so they also are not "Christian" bands. But what makes Pillar, and in particular, "Sunday Bloody Sunday", a Christian Rock song? Merely interjecting one line of your song with the cry "JESUS!" does not make this a Christian song. Is there a Jesus quota that all Christian bands are required to meet? Maybe the band is a well-known Christian Rock band (I wouldn't know), but this song does not belong on the top of the R&R Christian Rock charts.

I couldn't find the song at all on the R&R Rock chart, which goes down to 20, and the song isn't anywhere on Billboard's top 20 either, even in Christian. (Billboard doesn't have a Christian Rock chart) Maybe they threw in the word "JESUS!" for no other reason than so that they could get on the Christian chart? Certainly being #1 on the Christian Rock chart sounds ALOT more impressive than being #54 on the Rock charts. I don't know if that's actually the reason, but it does seem kind of fishy. Is all Christian Rock this secular? If it is...is there any point to having the classification? I'm no expert on Christian music. It just bothers me that, while I tend to avoid Christian music in general, I've been avoiding it for the entirely wrong reason. I no longer avoid it purely because of the overbearing religious zealotry....now I avoid it because it seems just as hokey as all other forms of commercial music. Christian bands have been hailed by many in the Heartland as being a pure form of pop, that children can listen to while their parents feel proud. But this feels just as corrupt as "gangsta rap" coming out of $10mil. mansions.

Comments are appreciated.

If anyone's interested in Pillar, here's their website. http://www.pillarmusic.com/

[southerngale]

I'm not familiar with Pillar or that song, but there is a lot of good Christian rock out there, and no, it's not a joke. Some of it sounds really good and if you weren't listening to the words, you wouldn't know it was Christian. However, most people do listen to the words, particularly if it's a song you like and you play it over and over or buy the CD, download it, whatever. A lot of these songs that sound nice to the rock fan, also give a good message.

Remember that many teenagers like rock music and the Christian bands are trying to appeal to them so they have flashy websites and an interesting look. If the song/band doesn't grab their attention in the first place, they're not going to listen long enough to get a message from it anyway.

What's wrong with Christian bands trying to be successful anyway?

Btw, there are some bands that play both Christian music and secular music, and they're played on both Christian and secular stations. Just a FYI.

I think it's a bit extreme to say that all Christian rock is a joke based on one song and band though.

[Dr. Jonah Rainwater]

Well, I did some research, and I discovered that U2's original version has the same line with Jesus in it. But nobody considers that to be a Christian song, or U2 to be a Christian band, even though all the members are Christians.

To me, the whole classification just seems to be a bit odd...but this is why I wanted to get a discussion going.

By the way, I know I made an unfair generalization in my topic, and I stopped and thought about it for a moment, and then decided that I'd get more attention to the thread by titling it so. You could say I'm no better than Pillar, as far as using attention-grabbers with little foundation to lure you to the content.

[GalvestonDuck]

IMO, "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a song with a Christian message. The lines you quoted are, in their entirety, "The real battle just begun to claim the victory Jesus won on Sunday, bloody Sunday."

From what I've read (mostly in the 80's), most members of U2 consider themselves Christians. However, I think what makes "Christian rock" Christian rock sometimes is the label. No, I don't mean the label "Christian." I mean the record company label. Same for other Christian music. Just as secular music has different styles, so does Christian music. There's southern, country, rap, pop. It can range from mellow to metallic. And just because a musician is on a Christian label and performs Christian music doesn't make him or her perfect. Look at Sandi Patty. Gary Chapman. I'm sure there are others.

And, there is an "Adult Contemporary Christian" chart on Billboard.

[southerngale]

Yeah, I agree about "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2 as well. Since I'm not familiar with Pillar or their version of the song, I didn't know if it had been altered in any way, but I've always thought of U2's song as a Christian song that made it big in the secular world.

[GalvestonDuck]

And isn't "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" considered another song with something of a Christian message also -- "one man betraed with a kiss" -- although it's predominantly about MLK.

Also, IMO at least, a Christian artist can share the message without necessarily (or always) mentioning Jesus or God. Amy Grant does it in some of her songs. They can have a positive message and get the point across to an audience who might tune out something they deem too "preachy." But if the message gets there and the heart is opened, chances are the next song might just hit a home run.

[coriolis]

I guess that I have to wonder about christian bands having all the secular trappings to attract people. Some of the heavy metal trappings are anything but christian. I don't listen to it but it seems that they're over reaching a bit, and there's a risk of being seduced by the fame.

A christian is called to be separate from the world, and to imitate the world to get the message across is a bit misguided.

some of the old bluegrass music is very spiritual and IMO is more christian than some of the contemporary bands.

[Skywatch_NC]

I never have been into the Christian contemporary myself...folks and I both like the more traditional hymns so to say.

Eric

[stormie_skies]

Jonah, I think I understand what your question is, so let me know if I'm on the right track, k?

I don't think anyone was trying to say that having music with a Christian message was in and of itself bad or a joke or anything else - Christian musicians have as much right to speak their mind as, well, the Rolling Stones or Green Day...

But how does one word change a song from "Christian" to "secular"? If thats all it takes to make the difference, why classify them as seperate at all?

And if U2 has written songs that can clearly be interpreted as Christian, and if the members of the band are Christians, then why isn't U2 a Christian band? Does getting airtime on regular radio automatically disqualify you as a Christian musician?

All the follow up posts have referred to Christan and secular music as two completely seperate things, like there is some boundary there that is clear and definate....but I don't see how it is being defined.....or that its even necessary at all.

Edit: Ackkkkk....I must have overlooked your comment, Duckie. So its the label, then??? That seems kinda silly to me .... a band doesn't give up their identity (spiritual or otherwise) when they sign a record contract, do they?

If thats the case, I guess its a lot like the indie scene .... hardcore indie devotees are very label-oriented.....and Ive always thought that was silly as well. Its the sound and the message that count, not whose logo is on the back of the CD...

[vbhoutex]

Very nicely put Stormie!!!! And thanks to Duckie, I may have learned something today.

[Swimdude]

Remember that many teenagers like rock music and the Christian bands are trying to appeal to them so they have flashy websites and an interesting look. If the song/band doesn't grab their attention in the first place, they're not going to listen long enough to get a message from it anyway.

So here's an opinion from a teenager who doesn't care what the websites look like.

First of all, Christian music is classified as such when the group or artist devotes their music to God. Almost as if God is always their main dedication. Let's take for example, Thousand Foot Krutch. Not ALL of their songs are constantly saying, "PRAISE JESUS!" At all. In fact, a few are simply about the success of the band. Yet, they're still Christian. Why? They devote themselves and their music to the cause.

Now, I am in agreement with that U2 re-mix. Sounds horrendous. But Christian Rock is NOT a joke. It's just another genre. Teenagers and adults alike listen to the Houston-based Christian station; 89.3 KSBJ.

You've made assumptions opon hearing one song. Not all songs in ANY genre are wonderful.

Ok, i'm ticked. I shouldn't write anymore.

[GalvestonDuck]

Just to make sure I was clear -- I'm not saying they AREN'T Christian just because they aren't on a Christian label. I'm just saying music business-wise and Billboard chart-wise, they don't consider them a "Christian" group or singer unless they're on a Christian record label (Myrrh, Reunion, to name a couple). Of course, there are also crossover hits.

Ed, I gotta agree. Christian metal just doesn't seem right. But if it's the sound the brings the listener to the message, who can complain? (Actually, I'm not sure there are still Christian metal bands. Remember, I'm a child of the 80's. I remember Stryper. ).

[Swimdude]

I agree with the notion that 'Christian metal' sounds ridiculous.

[southerngale]

I like Thousand Foot Krutch.

swimdude, I know that not all Christian teenagers care about the flashy websites, but there are many who aren't as strong as you and can be influenced by something as simple as that, something that looks "normal" to them, particularly if they're a new Christian.

Good description regarding why some bands are called Christian and others are not.

[Bob the Leprechaun]

Most Christian marketed music is now owned by the major secular record labels. Most of the major record labels have a Christian sub-label, so what makes a band "Christian" from the perspective of the charts often has more to do with what is on the band's contract, sad to say.

I don't think Pillar is a good choice to base all opinions on Christian rock on. IMO, they're only a mediocre band. Personally, I'd suggest the newest Relient K album, or anything from them for that matter, as well as Kutlass and Switchfoot.

[The Big Dog]

Just to make sure I was clear -- I'm not saying they AREN'T Christian just because they aren't on a Christian label. I'm just saying music business-wise and Billboard chart-wise, they don't consider them a "Christian" group or singer unless they're on a Christian record label (Myrrh, Reunion, to name a couple). Of course, there are also crossover hits.

Ed, I gotta agree. Christian metal just doesn't seem right. But if it's the sound the brings the listener to the message, who can complain? (Actually, I'm not sure there are still Christian metal bands. Remember, I'm a child of the 80's. I remember Stryper. ).

Stryper also had the benefit of NOT being on a Christian label, so they got the airplay on commercial radio and MTV. (They were on Hollywood/Enigma.) I can't think of any Christian artist who made the crossover while still on a Christian label. Nobody knew Amy Grant until she got picked up by A&M.

BTW, Stryper is back together. Any of these dates near you? I see Fort Worth, and a bunch of open dates right before that, so they could add more.

http://www.pollstar.com/tour/searchall. ... earch.y=12

Had the chance to see them last year, but I didn't care for the club they were playing at, so I passed. I wouldn't say that I'm into Christian music by any means -- not sure what I'd consider myself to be, nowadays -- but I'll see any hairband at least once.

[Lindaloo]

CREED is/was a good example of excellent Christian Rock. As I am sure most know, Scott Stapp left the band to pursue a solo career. He gets no airplay now because he is totally Christian music. He has a great voice no matter what he sings, plus it also helps that he is eye candy.

[senorpepr]

Okay... I know this is mostly off topic of the orginial topic, but I had to post this.

Speaking of U2's "Sunday, Bloody Sunday," there is a remake of it using actual voice clips from President Bush.

Of course, it's not the smoothest song since the words are from random speaches, but it still is good for a chuckle.

http://www.audiostreet.net/artists/006/407/rx.html