Question about "Bad Music"

[ALotLessThumb]

I don’t think any music is either good or bad-

But music is used for good and bad purposes due to being very emotive.

The biggest gripe with contemporary popular music is that it is largely performance based. The composer is usually the performer- and so to promote and sell the material, the performer(s) are marketed/market themselves to breed a ‘cult of personality.’ This is where the danger would lie, in my opinion- because people stop just relating to ‘human condition’ in aspect of their own lives, and start associating the views/expressions/Literal message of the
composer/performer(s).

This is the most crippling aspect of ‘Christian rock’ as well- these persons have to establish this following- and the image of their performance art is Christian- but it is still performer based. Which is also why many contemporary Christmas tunes are rather dull and uninspired; because they are used not to emote the composition- but to sell themselves and their vocal ability.

This has good and bad points of course- it is an outgrowth of the current ability for all persons to share their creations. I am not sure the Beatles (for a well known example) would have been viable candidates for fame 100 years before their time- there skill made have been known in local markets; but it would have been lost because they wouldn’t have had the training and backing of the wealthy as most of the composers that we know from the classical/romantic era had. Naturally though, it leads to the abuses we see- because now everyone could be a famous artist, so the market is more aggressive.

Personally, I think Metallica and Slayer and heavy metal in general is hurt by their heavy sound. When one composes /plays in that style, it is hard to emote on many different levels- the heavy sound makes things dark and dull. It is like painting with only three different colors; but it has its place. Just now I was listening to some musique concrete, and earlier it was Turkish techno music, and when I got home from Church I put on Brian Wilson Presents Smile. All these forms are valid expressions of the human condition- one just has to be careful not to get sucked up in their ‘cult of personalities.’

And just for an example of how and why one can appreciate the art without appreciating the personal artist:

here are two songs (one done by an orchestra, another on a piano) composed by Kurt Cobain, a gentleman who had an awful life and made poor and disgusting decisions that wasted his talents and affected his loved ones.

Smells Like Teen Spirit (Orchestra)

youtube.com/watch?v=rEUpKzoEW-E

You Know You’re Right (Solo Pianist)

youtube.com/watch?v=Zjae7IxO5eY

 

[Hastrman]

Personally, I think Metallica and Slayer and heavy metal in general is hurt by their heavy sound. When one composes /plays in that style, it is hard to emote on many different levels- the heavy sound makes things dark and dull.

Spoken like someone who’s never heard more than three Metallica songs in his life. Yeah, some of their stuff (Master of Puppets comes to mind) is “heavy”, but most of their stuff is more Hair/Guitar Rock than Heavy Metal. And even their heavy stuff doesn’t deserve to be put in the same category as much harder bands. The only reason I can even listen to Metallica is that they can sing, which pretty much disqualifies them as *Heavy *Metal.

How about Unforgiven? Or Enter Sandman? Those are actually slightly electrically-reinforced classical guitar.

Sometimes there’s a mix, too, like Wolf and Man or The Thing That Should Not Be (the latter, incidentally, is inspired by the horror stories of HP Lovecraft). Have you heard the cover they did of “Ecstacy of Gold” from the soundtrack of “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”?

Finally, Metallica could play hyperspheres around the Beatles. Me, I try to avoid making arguments that involve comparing Ringo “guy who hangs out with musicians” Starr to Lars Ulrich.

 

[buffalo]

goodfight.org

 

[Patriot]

I’m a 19 year old Catholic and I listen to National Socialist punk and Rock Against Communism. I’m a member of the far-right–as you would call it. And I don’t like the direction that mainstream has taken–it’s overtly left-wing and thus that is why I enjoy listening to that particular genre of music.

Music is self expression. It’s like the way you dress, it defines you as a human being.

But, you know what? Like I stated above… I am Catholic. I’m no Saint by any means but I put all my faith into God through belief and acceptance of Jesus Christ as the worlds savior.

The way I am is the way God created me and intended me to be. It is part of my purpose on Earth to be who I am. He loves me for who I am and just as the book says, “Come as you are.” And I will come to him as I am.

People love to slander us. It’s quite funny. Our music is against drugs, communism, crime, sexual promiscuity and other society evils that plague the world.

Take a look at the current state of the U.S. and the world in general. You need us “brownshirts” more than you ever did in the past. Someday you will be thanking us.

But, I think I’ll enjoy my visits here. God Bless!

83!

 

[johnpaul2_fan]

What you listen to will effect you. I am a “revert,” when I came back to the Catholic faith I knew that I shouldn’t listen to all of the popular music that I had been listening to before my reversion. No one told me I just didn’t want to go back to living the life I lived before.

Trust me it wasn’t easily deleting thousands of songs off my computer and throwing away almost all of my Cd’s. But, I knew deep down that listening to this stuff would remind me of my old lifestyle and wasn’t the best influence. I do listen to some secular music, however only as long as the lyrics are not in conflict with my beliefs.

If you don’t think that music with inappropriate content effects you look at this study. canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=fc72c5ce-def7-4f9b-8730-e39267c180af

I also have heard Father Corapi say that many rock bands had black masses and such, cursing anyone everyone who will listen to their music, or something like that.

 

[InTheWilderness]

slightly off topic, but I had to comment…

This is the first time I have ever seen anyone openly identify themselves as being “far-right” or a “brownshirt” and Catholic in the current age.

I for one would stay away from anything promoting “National Socialism” the “far-right” or being a “brownshirt”. Certainly those are ideas which are nearly synonymous with fascism or Nazism in many cases.

While I think the greatest internal threat to the Western world at the moment is from the left, I don’t exactly have warm fuzzy feelings about the far-right, to put it mildly.

I do not believe that extreme political ideologies, either of the left or right, are generally compatible with Catholicism.

 

[Hastrman]

I for one would stay away from anything promoting “National Socialism” the “far-right” or being a “brownshirt”. Certainly those are ideas which are nearly synonymous with fascism or Nazism in many cases.

Actually Nazism is left-wing in almost everything except a few ideas Hitler ripped off from (the much smarter) Mussolini. Its economics really are socialist. Fascism, as in the actual Italian political party, was, paradoxically, centrist totalitaranism–neither left nor right, but oppressive. If anything, it’s almost the Republic of the Jacobins, in totalitarian form.

The extreme right would be Anarchism, not fascism. The extreme left would be Communism, or the thing that basically mimicked it in order to combat it, Nazism.

That clarified, yeah, “National Socialist rock” makes me pretty uneasy too.

 

[mcs7474]

Well what is one to do if they have all this bad music yet do not pay much attention to the lyrics? I have a lot of secular rock bands, rap, soft music, pop, whatever i like it all. The point is I dont pay any attention to the lyrics cause I dont really care what the artist has to say, just make a good beat and make the words flow and i dont care if your words do not make sense. The only time I change a song is if its sexual, those are very hard not to miss. I’m not changing my playlist anytime soon, however I am careful on what I watch. We all have our vices, music isnt one for me, but images are.

 

[havemercy]

I would avoid any sort of music with a negative vibe, that would lead you into sin. Luckily for me, I never got into Metallica (though I can see why some people care for them). Slayer is a guilty pleasure, though I don’t own anything of theirs. Not really a fan of rap either.

Positive Music Alternatives

hahaha

If you like:
Taking Back Sunday, Thursday, Thrice

Try:
Emery, Spoken, Kids In The Way

I know the guys from the band in bold. They ought to be on every Christian’s playlist (at least those who care for their kind of music), not the other way around.

Now do my friend a favor and listen to his new album!

myspace.com/dustinkensrue
http://myspace-869.vo.llnwd.net/01432/96/89/1432809869_m.jpg

 

[theresaforjesus]

Dear Friends in Christ,

I think there definitely is good Christian rock music out there! Stryper is absolutley fantastic - it’s neat that they decided to do heavy metal for the Lord! They’re trying to get through to the people that like that style of music and are listening to the bad stuff. The lead singer, Michael Sweet, has some wonderful solo albums as well.

I just wanted to pass this on…

God bless you all abundantly,

Theresa