t h e   s c e n e

  by Kurt Morris

  I hate the "Christian" music scene.  Yes, I work in it
  and it's how I get my paycheck, but I hate it.  And yes,
  I know it must seem terribly ironic for me to be saying
  this, but nevertheless, let me continue and explain.  
        
  The first reason that I hate the "Christian" music
  scene, is because of the spineless, weak leaches that
  run it and think they know something, but don't.  These
  people seem to all live in Nashville for some unknown
  reason and out of this little Mecca they run their
  little made-up empire of "Christian" (please show me
  the verse in the Bible where it describes how CDs and
  cassettes receive salvation) music that they think
  serves some purpose.  And year after year, these people
  once again show us how stupid they are for two reasons.  
  1)  They not only have so little originality as that
  they have to rely on xeroxed copies of one main band
  (MXPX, Supertones) but then these turn into trends
  and 2) these trends aren't even original.  These
  trends are behind the "secular" (note:  I use all
  these terms in quotes, because these aren't my terms,
  I use them for the sake of clarity.  I personally
  despise such terms, but do realize that they exist,
  so I quote them for the sake of understanding)
  trends which are pathetic in and of themselves.  
        
  Let's take these two points, though, and expand
  upon them.  The first deals with how the "CCM" market
  takes a band such as the Supertones and then finds
  a billion other bands that sound like them and sign
  them all right away, hoping that they all have at
  least some sort of loose sounding connection to the
  Supertones so that mindless maggot kids will buy
  this crap.  Now I'm not blaming the bands, I'm blaming
  spineless individuals for this.  People who are furious
  right now from reading this are the problem, because
  I'm speaking to you specifically.  People like you
  were probably listening to Nirvana a few years ago,
  got saved, then suddenly had a "revelation from God"
  that you had to listen to only "Christian" music
  for some unknown reason and therefore decided to
  listen to MXPX, because they're "punk rawk".  Then,
  you "found out" about ska and now that's currently
  your favorite genre of music.  And to you I say,
  "grow up!"  Quit being so spineless and find out
  who you really are.  I was once like you.  I listened
  to punk and hardcore because that's what my friends
  listened to and that's all I knew.  But then I found
  emo music and I love it.  And yes, I still listen to
  other types of music including some punk and hardcore,
  but for so long I was only listening to punk or
  hardcore, because I wanted to be accepted and cool.
  Hey, guess what?  It's all a joke.  Be yourself and
  tell everyone else to shut up.  
        
  Now I'm gonna move on into the second point I
  brought up, and that's how the "CCM" industry copies
  everything from the "secular" industry.  Ever notice
  that Green Day was big, and THEN MXPX was big?  Or
  notice how Nirvana was big and THEN Grammatrain and
  Sometime Sunday got noticed?  Or how Mighty Mighty
  Bosstones were big and now suddenly the Supertones
  are just the biggest craze that we could've cared
  less about, but the kids dig it so who gives a rip?
  See where I'm going with this?  The "CCM" industry
  is so unoriginal.  I don't mean this against any of
  the bands, because frankly, it's the morons in
  Nashville that do this.  But more so, it's the
  mindless fans.  Gosh you people make me sick.
  I'm gonna go puke right now...okay, I'm back.
  The unfortunate thing is that when there IS an
  original "Christian" band such as Jetenderpaul
  or Roadside Monument, the "CCM" industry doesn't
  care, because they don't sell.  Mark my words kids,
  and mark them well.  The next trend in the "secular"
  music business will be electronic music, with
  Prodigy, Chemical Brothers and more leading the
  way and a year or two later the "CCM" industry
  will catch up and realize, "Well, I'll be darned!
  That stuff we didn't care about sold in the
  'secular' business, so let's find a cleaner,
  more Christ-like version and get it out to those
  kids so that we can make some money!"  Yup, that's
  the world we live in. 

  I'm not stupid, though.  I know that it always
  has been and will always be about money, but for
  some reason, the people in Nashville seem to want
  people to think it's about "ministry".  What the
  heck is up with that?  "Ministry"?  Good Lord!
  Labels don't minister...bands do!  And not even many
  of them do that anymore, but that's another editorial,
  one that I most likely will never write since all of
  you will be bitter and hateful at me for writing
  this one.  Anyway, the point is, don't be fooled,
  the people in "Nashvegas" (that's what I refer to it
  as...remember:  Money) are in it for the cash.  All
  they see is green. 

  Maybe at one time someone back in the 60s or early
  70s said, "Man, I want someone to hear this good
  music that the Ressurection Band, Larry Norman, or
  Petra are putting out so that it can minister to
  them."  Unfortunately, as soon as someone paid money
  for that vinyl record of Petra or whoever, that's when
  the "Christian" music industry ceased to be a ministry
  and started as a business.  And that's where we are
  today.  
        
  So what does this all mean to us?  Well, for one,
  I propose that each of us read Francis Schaeffer's
  book, "Art & The Bible".  That is a good place to start
  because Schaeffer is a genius at clearing away a lot
  of the crap that modern society throws at us and
  getting us back to the bible and it's truth in this
  modern, humanistic world.  I would also suggest that
  we pray for clear minds and a ministering spirit
  before we read such a book.  That way, God can open
  our minds to His truth through His servant.  After
  that, I suggest that we do all we can to see music
  as just what it is...a medium to minister and to
  influence, but when it comes down to the heart of the
  matter, it's about money.  Never forget that and don't
  be fooled by people that say otherwise.  Money makes
  the world go around.  And there's really nothing wrong
  with that.  I can already see red flags flying up and
  people whining, "but Kurt!  The bible says..."  Well
  kids, let me tell you what the Bible DOES say
  concerning money.  It says, "The love of money is the
  root of all kinds of evil."  There's nothing wrong
  with money in and of itself, just loving it and
  putting it before God.  There, I'm glad that we
  got that cleared up.  :-)  

  In conclusion I say to you, find out what you
  really like (don't follow some trend) and then go buy
  it whether it be "Christian" or "secular" and enjoy it
  and tell people who rip on you to shut up.

  [Kurt's opinions do not necessarily reflect those of
   (whirl)...well, actually, yeah, they do. That's all.]