Roots of Rock: Take 2
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    http://www.spiritdaily.org/rock3.htm

    No one commented on the first post about this subject. Everyone is either indifferent, afraid to speak up or apprehensive... yes? no? maybe?
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    While somewhat related (music) I think this falls out of the normal purview of discussion here, and this forum is about music in the liturgy, not musical sociology.
    Also I found the scholarship of the original piece to be a bit.... well, goofy.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I FIND IT HARD TO TAKE SERIOUSLY IN THE FIRST PLACE ANY ARTICLE THAT HAS THE TITLE LIKE THIS AND THE NAME OF THE PAGE IN ITALICS!!!!!!!  

    Seriously, is this the Worldnetdaily "Christian" edition or what? I haven't seen scholarship this bad since.. well, the last time I looked at WND.

    I'm amazed (though I shouldn't be) that people would offer as valid sociology a) in 2011 the view that the Beatles are the most awfullest music ever, and b) racist diatribes about "jungle music".
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    I think they're imitating Drudge with the graphics. And if somebody said the Beatles are the worst music ever, they haven't been paying attention.

    Anyway, "Spirit Daily" tries to keep its readers up to speed on the latest signs of the apocalypse. It's where you go if you want scary news items that are supposed to be the fulfillment of mystical warnings from apparitions, locutions, etc., all without any regard to whether the private revelations have Church permission or approval. The site's editor sells his books, and goes around giving talks and conferences on this sort of thing. I presume he gets paid to do it, so the website serves as marketing.

    So if you expect that God will be sending down fire from the heavens sometime soon, and you want to be ready to give other people advice, or at least say "I told you so", in that situation, this is the website for ya.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    hmmm

    I am not interested in the website or the author of the website in the least. Just the content of the article on spirituality in music. But I guess vehicles of content discount truth or falsehood? Very curious!
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Gavin

    What do you mean by the name of a page in italics? ...and why do you use large type to make your point? It comes across that you may be angry. Or dors it mean something else?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    in fact the opening statement warns us:

    One must always be careful not to over-reach, and not to lump any one thing into a category. The same is true with music of the past six decades: not all of it is nefarious, or at least that would be our current way of expressing it. The matter is difficult to discern. The fruits have not been grand. The artists themselves -- for the most part, certainly not evil, ill-intended persons themselves -- were a mixed bag, as there is a mixed bag in the world of Hollywood, finance, politics, education, and most fields.


    So why the visceral reaction from something we have not even discussed?
  • Jonathan
    Posts: 2
    I have had this sort of discussion before.

    Anyway, this historical treatment of the roots of rock seems to make sense to me. I've also heard and read things which say rock music has it's origins in ancient voodoo practices, and the like. That's also said about jazz; but I think the two kinds of music are somewhat related.

    But when I have these discussions, I prefer to rely more on the philosophical, rather than historical, aspects of it. Rock music (and it's many siblings) is very often all about feeling, passion, emotion, desire, etc.; the music represents the passions becoming the rule, even over right reason. But virtue is achieved by a kind of restraint and ordering of the passions by right reason. So this type of music seems to represent vicious behavior. That's just one thing about it. I could go on, but then this post would turn out to be quite long.

    For a more in depth, philosophical treatment of the music itself, and its effect on the listener, this might be a good place to start: http://catholiceducation.org/articles/arts/al0221.html

    Jonathan
  • JDE
    Posts: 588
    It doesn't matter where rock and roll originated. Some fellow tenors I have heard made me wonder if bel canto started with the Comanche War Cry. That doesn't mean that robust singing is in and of itself forbidden in church, Comanche-War-Cry vocal production notwithstanding. We start with chant. We do polyphony after that. And other sacred music follows.

    The only Rock that belongs in the church is Simon Peter.

    And Yes, Spirit Daily is a scare site. It's the Catholic equivalent of those people who are always going on about the Rapture. Everything that rises must converge, I suppose. You could also say it's a Catholic Gallus minor.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    How come no one's brought up the venerable, quintessential (HT to Benedictgal) example of convergence/divergence in this thread? I mean Bart Simpson's switching of the hymn pamphlet and organ score one Sunday to a bogus one featuring the famed "In the Garden of Eden, Baby" by I. Ron Butterfly?
    If I remember correctly, the congregation sang it just fine, and the matron organist held forth her fifteen minute "improv" quite deftly.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I wasn't talking about rock music during Mass. I was just interested in the subject on a sociological level, and its effect on our culture in general as a spiritual force to be reckoned with. There are two sides to the Church militant when it comes to music -- that which is performed in our sanctuaries, but also that which we allow in our living rooms. One of my sons is into rap of all things and I don't repress his playing it, but wow, there is certainly a demonic (blatant) element to it that really shatters the air when it is up and about. Another thing that is fascinating to me is the alter of sasha fierce (Beyonce). If music can be "inspired by the demonic", I think we are seeing and hearing it loud and clear these days. And, if we are to keep it out of the sanctuary, it is important to recognize its roots and educate ourselves and our children about its impact.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    was joke, Francis.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Wasnt referring to your post Charles... just in general.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    francis,
    Why did you not just edit your earlier Discussion subject
    and "bump" it with another comment?

    I think many Forum readers said to themselves "we already discussed this"
    where "this" is "rock" not "spirit daily".

    Having several years worth of posts to this Forum available,
    I find it very useful to use the Search button.
    Holy Week is a busy time (at least for me);
    I do not have the energy to summarize (a special term from usenet days)
    and ruminate to offer a new angle on this.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    eft

    two different articles... they have a series going... no worry... we can talk about it later... we certainly are in the thick of holy week...
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