Thank you very much for all of your letters, we really appreciate them. We're glad to see that most people are quite impressed with Tracks Of Creation. We'll keep doing our best to put out a high quality magazine as long as you keep coming back to read it.
Below are a couple of more interesting comments we received.
--Randy Streu (rs2367@cs.arbor.edu)--
hi...
i respect your beliefs and what you are trying to do. However, i don't see how these lyrics you quoted are (a) propoganda, or (b) offensive. i am a Christian - have been for several years. i listen to all styles of music. my question is this: do you know for sure the motives behind these bands' songwriting? ask yourself this before you put it down. thanks.
--randy streu
--Jason Sorens--
Randy,
I am the author of the article you are referring to, and I was forwarded your comments. Thanks for writing.
I will say that I myself am also a Christian, and I used to listen to a lot of Christian music. However, I have since found out that 1) most Christian music isn't very good musically; 2) many Christian lyrics are propagandistic.
A couple of the lyrics I quoted in the article weren't very propagandistic, actually. I wrote the article quickly and didn't look as hard as I might have for offensive lyrics. However, one doesn't have too look far in the albums of bands like Mortification and Vengeance. Early Deliverance songs threaten unbelievers with hell. You don't see how Mortification's "care, share, be fair, be aware," is cheesy and preachy? They also express ignorant opinions on politics: "Privatization--selling our world away." Vengeance propagandizes in the song "Human Sacrifice."
The point is that arguments about opinions, political and religious, do not belong in an aesthetic medium like music. Would you agree with that statement? If so, then our only dispute is over whether particular lyrics are indeed propagandistic or not. And that is a subjective judgment. If you do not feel that Mortification fits this definition of propaganda, then it is fine for you to listen to them, but you should be aware that other people will be offended by their lyrics. I think the best kind of music is one that has objective appeal to anyone with particular tastes. It is a telling sign if people who are not Christians cannot enjoy Christian music simply because it is Christian. It means that Christian beliefs have been integrated into Christian music, and this is not a good state of affairs. I strongly feel that beliefs should be segregated from music.
Again, I welcome your opinions on this matter. We will publish a response from you if you so desire.
--Randy's Response--
thanks for writing. well, I'd like to start off by asking you a couple questions: do you believe music is art? Is songwriting poetry? I am a poet, and fancy myself a songwriter. I do hold strongly to the two points that (a) Music is art, and (b) songwriting is poetry. I feel that one should and must believe in the things he or she is writing/singing about. The author's personal beliefs are the essence of a poem, and of a song. The cheesy musicians are the ones who print the word "Jesus" in order to sell an album to a "churched" crowd. These are the songs that are sappy. (as an aside, i do find those particular lyrics by Mortification fairly gradeschool, but that really isn't the point :) ) As far as writing about hell, well, Keith Green, I believe, said that he felt Christians were too soft in their songwriting. Yes, we have to write about Salvation. Yes, we have to write about Grace. It is an honor to talk about the love of Christ. But, the concept of Hell is an essential part of the Christian doctrine. I don't know Jimmy Brown's (deliverance) Christian walk, but I have been taught and blessed by the lyrics to many of his songs.
I do agree with you that Christian music is often not able to stand among secular albums, as far as talent, and I often wonder if the Christian music industry isn't too easy to break in to. I mean, let's face it; if I can get more out of the lyrics by Seven Mary Three, or the Jewel than I can out of much of today's Christian music, there is certainly a problem. Lack of substance is often a clue that the author has no point, and no real belief.
Well, thank you for writing. I hope to hear from you again. And I want you to know that I disagree with you, but I don't hold any personal dislike for you or your ideas. I actually hold a lot of respect for both. --randy.
--Lacky1@aol.com--
Music is a way to express thoughts, ideas, and opinions. If a person wiriting a song is not allowed to argue a point that he strongly believes what then is the point of self-expression in music. I am a Christian and believe that Christian music that advertises my faith is another way to reach lost people. You are limiting an artform that can not be limited by any rules. Music is just as much a part of the person that writes it as it is "something to listen to". Perhaps guilt plagues you when listening to music that causes an emotional response. The music might make you want to get involved in something. I end on this point: Many of the songs of the early seventies persuaded people to "make love, not war"!! Is it not right to persuade people in music.
--beneita@mbox.vol.it--
Kevin Trout you're an asshole, and that's the truth. You really should take a look at music history, DUMBASS! How the fuck can you diss AC/DC? You're unbelievably ignorant! Back In Black is the biggest selling hard rock album of all time! AC/DC have sold about 90 millions albums! They are still BY FAR the top touring hard rock band in the world, after nearly 23 years. Dave Mustaine, Pete Townshend, Keith Richards said AC/DC are their favourite band! Stop doing fuckin' stupid, shitty, non sense reviews, you motherfucker!
--Trout's Response--
I have just been called an asshole for expressing an opinion in a music review. Perhaps the reader does not realize that not everybody shares the same views as he or she does. I have been told to respect a band for longevity; that's fair enough. I admit it takes skill to play the same song for 23 years, while making little or not musical advances along the way. I've been told I should like AC/DC because they've sold a large quantity of albums. This leads me to believe that the reader also demands that I show respect to the likes of Michael Jackson and Barbara Steisand, for they too have sold lots of albums. It is claimed that I should who listens to this band. I'll make this perfectly clear, I couldn't fucking care less what band Keith Richards listens to. I'm told to respect a band whose lead guitarist, in his 40's, still wears a schoolboy outfit, a band whose childish lyrics make Motley Crue seem harsh by comparison. If the reader would actually read the whole review, he or she would notice that I in fact stated that AC/DC fans should enjoy the band's new album. Maybe I was wrong to state that AC/DC fans would enjoy the "Ballbreaker" album, for after all, the review was a "fuckin' stupid, shitty, non sense review".
