The Null Device
2001/7/11
A Newsweek article looking at the bizarre parallel universe of Christian pop music and pop culture, where things look just like the outside world, only with subtle yet pervasive threads of Bush-voting, Bible-belt values, and a curious absence of the usual rock'n'roll larrikinism:
Yet there's something about the ethos of alternative rock--staying true to your beliefs, never bowing to mainstream pressure--that is oddly simpatico with conservative Christian culture. "I think rebellion and Christianity go together," says Mark Stuart, 33, lead singer of Audio Adrenaline... "Singing about sex and drugs is the easiest thing to do. ItÂ’s old by now. So pretty much the most rebellious rock-and-roll person you can be is a Christian-rock frontman because you get people from every side trying to shut you down"
Moms are to Con Dios what strippers are to a Kid Rock show. While secular-minded teens would rather sit at home and do their math homework than attend a show with Mom and Dad, here whole families sit on blankets in the main-stage area under a local sponsor's banner
When being passed overhead by the crowd, these teens just can't relax. They sit straight up, stiff as a church lady in a pew, bobbing and listing until they topple sideways into the crowd. But in the mosh pit, spiky-haired boys do a fine job of knocking the bejesus out of one another, stopping midslam only to let a bunny-hopping conga line slip through. Then it's over. Newsboys leave their Con Dios brethren with a prayer, the lights come up and the kids begin picking up trash--voluntarily--before boarding their buses for home.
(Which reminds me of Harmon Leon's account of a Christian Hardcore Punk concert, which he recounted at the Comedy Festival)
I just noticed that Israeli psy-trance outfit Astral Projection have a lot of downloadable MP3s on their MP3.com page. They're one of the best acts in that genre, and good for when you feel like that kind of music.
Not quite sure what this is, but it's pretty, in an introspective, shoegazing kind of way. He certainly has admirable taste in music...
Miguel de Icaza (of GNOME fame) on his plans to embrace and extend Microsoft's .NET with a GPLed implementation, which, of course, will not be bound to things like Passport or Windows.
If Mahir Cagri was Scandinavian and really into 80s hair-metal and Neighbors (!), his page might look something like this.
Chicks - what is Rock if no for Chick! So I am think yeah we not rock without chick in skirt short of leather and leopard bra man. We need blond chick like see in magazine man (I have many magazine with blond chick) who like to rock at us. Here in Schwedernorske, I am not knowing chick except sister for sure but she not rock (that not what Meat think but, he tell me he want rock at my sister and now she scared of USA).
(via Grouse, which you should all check every day)