Hello Again :)

Hello again my new bloggy friends. As promised, I shall now actually write something. I feel like we're at that point in our relationship where we can talk openly and share opinions without getting mauled, yes? Super.

DMK asked me to write a piece on... anything, really. What I'm about to type is something that's been on my heart for a while. I'm hoping that at least one person out there will agree with me on this matter. If not, oh well.

One thing I absolutely cannot stand is when people say these 3 words (or any variation of them): Christian music sucks. I’ll be the first to tell them that, yeah, some of it does. Actually, a lot of it does. That’s how you end up with the $2 rack at Christian bookstores, along with the “boring” stereotype. (I mean, we pretty much walked right into that one with the Gaithers...but hey, old people like music too). I’m also the first to (kindly) retort that most of it DOESN’T. If it all sucked, there would be no Underoath, Relient K, MXPX, Falling Up, Red, Thousand Foot Krutch, As I Lay Dying, Demon Hunter, Flyleaf, Five Iron Frenzy, and of course, Family Force 5 to name a minuscule few. Listen to any of their songs and then try to tell me Christian music sucks. In fact, most of the bands I just listed, if not all of them happen to be a heck of a lot more talented than those offered in typical mainstream markets. Suck on that Metro Station.

KIDDING...ha ha...ahem.

I’m not trying to say that "mainstream" music sucks either, my point was just that "Christian music" doesn't get the credit that's due. I was also leading up to my main point. Trust me, there is one.

Another thing I can’t stand (or understand, for that matter) is when CHRISTIANS THEMSELVES bash Christian bands (mostly adults). They’re loud, or they have tattoos, or they’re screamo or metal or punk or any form of rock, really. Does that make any sense at all? Uh...NO. The big excuse is that it’s “devil’s music.” Interesting, show me where it says that in the Bible.

That’s what I thought. Maybe you should try reading it one time. It's a good read, true story.

Oh, and you know the ones that say, "we're Christians in a band, but not a Christian band" ? That's just a really good tactic to AVOID bull from fellow Christians. Although I don't really think that's a necessary thing to do, because face it, that's kind of like saying, "this is my collection of shoes, but it's not a shoe collection," I can't say I blame them. That's how ridiculous it can get. The label of "Christian music" is a two-faced...dumb thing. But that's another rant for another time.

And then there are people who are rooting for those bands, who say that bands such as FF5, are “pushing the envelope in Christian music,” which quite confuses me. Envelope? Didn’t Stryper already push that envelope back in the 80’s? Envelope pushing should be old news by now, right?

Wrong, and here’s why: Stereotypes. They’ve been there forever, so why stop now? People are still too ignorant to see that music is music, mainstream or not. Good is good, bad is bad, and talent is talent.

Family Force 5 has immense talent. They produce awesome music and treat us to amazing live shows. But sadly, they have endured stupidity in the past and will have to continue to endure it for a long, long time. They don’t deserve it, but hey, no one does. So far, it hasn’t stopped them from being themselves and standing out as one of the best, and I doubt it ever will.

Soul Glow, Fatty, Chapstique, Nadaddy, and Crouton, I am behind you 100%. Thanks for being a huge blessing and for doing what you do every day. Ya’ll rock.

-Done Rawr Done