TIME FOR A CHANGE

TIME FOR A CHANGE

by Rich Carlstedt (The Israelites)

Jah Mark

Mike Roots

For the past four years I have been involved heavily with the Christian Music industry. I have found in this time that there is things that are not right with-in this industry.

After much prayer and searching I feel it is time to expose these things as Jesus exposed false teachers and Pharisees. What I am about to say is not done out of bitterness but out of love. Music is a powerful tool that God has given us to spread His word and I feel that for the most part it's been misused. I've spoken to many people about this and everyone feels the same way but no one is saying anything. It's time for a change.

Christian music as we know it today evolved from the early Jesus people movement in the 70's. Musicians that once played for the world took popular worldly songs and put Christian lyrics to them. As a result many were saved and lives were changed. These musicians were humble. They would take off travelling with a bag of oats and play wherever the door was opened. Of course all has changed now.

There are a lot of Christian bands that are ministry-minded and dedicated to the cause of Christ. For the most part unfortunately most supposed Christian bands are in it to be rock stars. They want big record deals, play for big audiences and on top of it they ask for huge amounts of money. I know of one "Christian" band that has a $40,000 guarantee for one performance. It's not uncommon for most popular Christian bands to ask for guarantees in the thousand-dollar range. I know there are bills to be met but it gets kind of ridiculous most of the time. Did Jesus ever ask for huge guarantees when he ministered? I know of one very famous Christian artist who at the age of about 19 walked out to his two-car garage attached to his 3 bedroom totally paid for home in Nashville and looked at his two brand new Harley's. God spoke to him and told him that this was wrong. He gave everything he had away, quit his band and started over again with a new band. It seems as though most Christian bands want to be like the world. I've heard of some bands asking for crazy things like security guards outside their dressing rooms, certain foods and beverages are only accepted etc. On top of this most of these bands don't even preach the gospel from the stage let alone in their songs. In general it seems as though a lot of these musicians have no idea what Gods' calling is. One band gets called to play a certain type of music and then 100 other bands follow and want to be just like them.

The second thing that's wrong with Christian music is the record labels. Unless you're the flavour of the month they won't pay any attention to you. They have no idea what they are putting out (example; Ska) all they want to do is make money and have no idea what integrity or ministry is and they don't seem to care either. Oh, and by the way did you know that most Christian labels are owned by secular ones.
Many of the promoters and booking agents are the same way. I remember being at Skamania 97 at the Bren Center in Irvine. Just before we were about to go on the promoter came on stage in a suit a proclaimed, "We just sold this place out" as 6,000 kids that paid about $20 a head cheered. Where was the gospel in that? Where did that money go? I doubt it went to people who really needed it. And by the way, what non-Christian is going to pay $20 to go see Christian bands? Christian Bookstores charge way too much for CDs. Why would someone buy a Christian CD at a Christian Bookstore for $18 when they can go to a secular store and buy it for $12?

Most Christian bands have little or no idea what they're doing musically. Most of them play music that doesn't even come close to the real thing. They don't bother to research the roots of the music they're playing. They just want to be rock stars and get caught up in the Christian vacuum playing Christian concerts and festivals. A prime example of a band that is doing the right thing is P.O.D. I know these guys and I know they came from the streets. Not only did they study the roots but they have the right attitude as well. This is why God has blessed them and their ministry and they have respect with their non-believing audience.

On the other hand however non-Christians know a fake when they see it. Non-Christians do not have re-spect for most Christian bands because these bands do not know their music.

In closing, there needs to be a change in Christian music. It's time for us to get back to the it's beginning meaning and ministry. It's time for us to get rid of our Dove Awards, big guarantees, outrages requests etc. and get on our knees and repent for what we have done.

There will come a day when we will all stand before God and give account for what we've done for God. It's time for us to do what Jesus did and go out to the bars, nightclubs and to anywhere that would have us and preach the word in a real way. Get out from behind your church walls and get busy. It's time for change. Are you ready?

One Response:
I get several newsletters and such and ran across these two things and thought of your article, Rich.
->Chevrolet will be the title sponsor for the highly-anticipated Michael W. Smith/Third Day Come Together and Worship Tour, which hits the road in November.
The tour has also added author Max Lucado as special guest and Compassion International and World Vision as ministry partners. The Come Together and Worship Tour, brought to
fruition by the artists along with their management companies, will visit 16 markets in November. The tour venues will range from 12,000-22,000 seats in each market.
-> CMCentral.com reports that Michelle Branch will be on MTV all week as she helps gear up for the Video Music Awards. Michelle will be a guest on the 'Countdown to the VMAs' show throughout the week. She will also decide what to wear during the 'Opening Act' which airs prior to the Award Show. For exact airtimes, head to mtv.com. Branch will also perform on the ABC Family special Teen Choice Presents: Summer Music Mania 2002 which airs at 8M ET on September 2. In related news, Branch has recently been filming a video on in Chicago with the legendary Santana. No word yet on what this video is for. [Santana isn't a Christian and to the best of my knowledge, combines many different things into his belief system]
->Michael Smith & Associates will again host their Conference on Artist Management in the Nashville area on September 27, 28 and 29, 2002. This intensive course is designed to teach the A-Z techniques of everything there is to know about managing artists' careers by the heavyweights in the Christian industry.
Ask veteran artist manager Michael Smith, who helmed the careers of top artists such as Salvador, Chonda Pierce and Charles Billingsley, what the biggest need is in the musicindustry today and he will quickly respond, 'more well-trained artist managers.'
[Not something like salvation, accountability, ministry....]
As Smith explains it, 'The manager is the one component of an artist's career that interfaces with every aspect of the industry. A talented manager knows how to balance the requirements and demands of a successful career with the needs of the artist, and is responsible for building the most effective team around the artist-including publicists, accountants, labels, booking agents, writers and producers.'
The purpose of the Conference on Artist Management is to teach the fundamentals of artist management and advanced management strategies including the 'art' of artist management.
Enrollment is limited with discounts to early birds. Curriculum information, complete list of panelists and registration forms can be obtained by calling 615-794-5763 or check out the website at www.michaelsmithandassociates.com for more details.

So that is it from just one newsletter. The 'industry' that I see is seriously secularized and not interested in ministry, but the same thing that the rest of the world is in: money, ratings, who is #1.....
We need to stand together and not fight the system, so to speak, but to show others that there is a difference and that difference is Yeshua, who had no money, wasn't interested in who is the most popular, and hung around with the 'low lifes', not the religious establishment.
Mark Ragsdale

Another Response:
Bro.Mark, I couldn't agree with you more- I think that's a great point! What I find disturbing about this article you've shared is the emphasis is put on "business" and not on what the true purpose should be. What is the reason for it all? Sure there's a need to manage one's affairs, be it touring, promotion, finances, etc.- but my perception is that some lose focus of what the whole point is, as Rich aptly talked about in his article- to minister to people, to share the gospel of Christ and to help build and strengthen the church. There are a number of groups/singers
who eschew the "Christian" label. I can understand the perspective of not putting a label on yourself because you don't want to be relegated to the strictly "Christian" or "Gospel" music racks, BUT it seems to me that there is this idea that to reach the world we must become the world. That's not what Jesus said! He said you ARE NOT of this world, though you ARE IN this world. If a Christian artiste hits the pop charts- SO WHAT, if they are not reflecting the presence and love of Christ! If it gets to the point where management and marketing strategies,
"strategic public appearance" and the like are pushed in order to achieve "success" on the charts and in the arenas, we have lost our focus. I read the book "No Compromise" from Keith Green about a year ago and though I don't agree with the way he went about handling some situations, I have respect for him in that his heart was absolutely in the right place. I remember an incident where he stepped up on stage at a big festival and was disheartened by what he saw and perceived to be a people who were so caught up in "the show" that it was if it all became just a big party. He shared a scripture verse with them in regards to their feasts and festivals being detestable and an abomination. I forget where that verse is but I could find it quick enough. He then went under his piano and wept- people just weren't getting it. Today, it seems that many industry types are serving to foster this type of atmosphere by focusing on image and trying to create the next Brandy, N'SYNC or Britney of Christian music. That's a shift in focus that I regret to see, yet I know is inevitable. For Christ shall not come and the anti-Christ shall not be revealed until their be an apostasy first- a falling away from the true Christian faith. I just hope that some wake up before it's too late and as you say it is up to us to stand united in Yeshua to should that indeed there is a difference- and it is HIM.
Higher Heights In Christ Jesus...EVERYTIME,
Mike Roots

And A Related Story:
2001 was very much a nightmare for Rick [Wakeman] in so many ways, most of which has been more than well documented All this he feels is now well behind him and that it's time to move on. It's also given him a chance to start life yet again with a "blank sheet of paper" and rethink both his musical future as well as his personal life.
The first major decision involves touring and concert performances. It's pretty well known that there have been managers, agents and promoters who have "stitched" Rick up in the past, whilst lining their own pockets, and indeed this has happened as recent as the last South American tour and even some of the UK tours of recent years.
The last South American tour for example was a huge musical success, but Rick is still waiting for the final payment from the agent and promoter, so currently he is making a considerable loss on the dates which he can ill afford. There hasn't been a profitable UK tour now for years, the only profit being for the agents concerned who have all creamed their 15% off of the gross, whilst Rick loses money on many of the dates. Even some of the churches involved on the "Church Tours" have failed to pay even the basic expenses to put the show on and have kept the money for themselves. So what are the immediate changes?
Working backwards, all church shows in the future will have to have the expenses paid a minimum of three weeks in advance of the performance. Whilst there are considerable
expenses in putting the show on, Rick takes no fee himself and so if a church fails in its commitment as regards the contract then Rick has an immediate huge loss. You can't very well sue a church and the "dodgy ones" well know that. Rick is not the first to be caught this way in the Christian music scene as many other artists who perform in Christian places have their own horror stories to tell!
This upcoming UK tour will definitely be the very last of its kind and possibly the last tour of any kind in the UK for the foreseeable future.

Even More From Another Newsletter:
Katy Hudson has officially confirmed the rumours of her signing with mainstream label Island/Def Jam Records. In a message posted to her forum at management agency Alabaster Arts (www.alabaster.com), Hudson writes: I start my new record on Island/def jam next week. I have the wonderful opportunity to work with one of the most credible producers in music history, Glen Ballard. For some of those that don't know his work it includes...Jagged Little pill, Alanis.. and No Doubt, and Dave Mathews. So I'm pretty friggen excited..." Hudson, who turns 18 on October 25, further reported that she is currently sharing an apartment in L.A. with none other than Jaci Velasquez, while both work on their respective careers.

Malcolm L. Mimms Jr., president and COO of Word Entertainment, announced late last week that the Word Label Group would move forward under the new company name 'Warner Bros. Records, Christian Division.' This strategic step further identifies the label group with parent company AOL Time Warner. Since joining the Warner Music Group in January 2002, the fifty-year-old Word Entertainment has implemented new strategies designed to foster the growth and development as the Christian Music arm of Warner Music Group (WMG), while drawing upon the global resources of WMG and its parent, AOL Time Warner. Word Entertainment will now encompass Word Distribution, Word Print, Word Publishing, and the Warner Bros. Records, Christian Division. The record labels included within the Warner Bros. Records, Christian Division -- Word Records and Squint Entertainment -- will still be identified by those
imprints along with the Warner Bros. name. Barry Landis, president of the division, was placed at the helm of the label group earlier this year. "I am so glad for our artists," said Landis, "This renaming of our record division now reflects the continued commitment and further linkage of our label and artists to the strength and legacy of Warner Bros. Records."

[This just goes with what Rich has written in his article. Warner Bros. Records, for those who don't know, releases some of the most vile stuff imaginable, and they don't care who it affects, as long as they make money]
In efforts to discover the final member of up and coming Latin girl group Chica, Word Entertainment launches the second phase of a nationwide talent search and web contest today with the website www.pickachica.com. Three teams of record label representatives recently criss-crossed the nation and held open-call auditions in the Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, San Juan, Lakeland, Miami, Dallas, Houston, and McAllen markets.
Christian radio stations were given the chance to do their part in finding the final member of Chica by doing on-air promotions and remote broadcasts from the talent search event in their area. On September 6, participating radio stations opened voting polls on their respective station websites for supporters to vote one of the five semi-finalists from each local talent search to the final nation-wide voting round.........
On Friday, September 20, Word Entertainment will announce the final five contestants with the highest number of votes via www.pickachica.com as well as local Christian radio stations. These five finalists will be flown to Nashville, TN to showcase for the record label staff with a shot at becoming part of Latin girl group Chica, made up of Emille Gandara (22, San Juan Puerto Rico), Cuban-descent Jessica Matos (18, Miami, FL) and Mexican-descent Monique Ximenez (18, Sacramento, Ca), are poised to redefine and impact the music industry. Their debut album will release on Warner Bros. Records Christian Division in 2003.
[Sounds like the American Idol show instead of ministry....]

And some encouragement in the midst of all this:
On October 22, Tree 63 will release its sophomore album, The Life and Times of Absolute Truth. Produced by Nik Fairclough and lead singer John Ellis, the CD reflects the changes the band has been through over the past couple of years, both personally and professionally. Due to continual mainstream success in South Africa, they have been offered numerous opportunities in the South African rock market if only they will change their lyrics. More and more, Tree63 realizes that these are the times to stand up for what they believe, spoken about clearly in the project's song, "All Because." "We live in a society where the notion of absolutes is unacceptable. It's a very tough environment in which to be a Christian. This is The Life and Times of Absolute Truth." Ellis said, "Our title invites all that accept there is an absolute to stand and declare it to the world and say, `Your collection of lies is unacceptable; there is one truth, and His name is Jesus.'"