“Sort of makes you want to treat me with more respect, doesn’t it?”

I can’t find the exact Peanuts comic strip online, but there is one in which Charlie Brown remonstrates with Patty calling Pigpen a mess by musing about how he could be carrying the soil of ancient civilizations. Pigpen responds to it all by saying to Patty, “Sort of makes you want to treat me with more respect, doesn’t it?”

I usually identify more with Linus or Charlie Brown than Pigpen, but after reading this review of God’s Not Dead (And Neither Are We) by Chris MacIntosh (a/k/a Grandfather Rock) in the Phantom Tollbooth, it’s more than a little tempting to quote Pigpen:

Actually this is more than one book, it is a number of stories told by a number of participants. What I want to do though is look a two main aspects of this collection of memories. The individual stories vary from person to person yet they hold onto a common theme running through many of the tales. The book is comprised of remembrances of some of the major players in the Christian alternative music scene during the ’80′s. Some of these artists are still very active in the music business, while others have moved on to different areas of their lives. Some, but not all of the artists interviewed for this book include members of “Daniel Amos,”  “Undercover,”  “The Altar Boys,” “Crumbacher” & “Veil Of Ashes.”

The first aspect of this book includes tales of the passion and fire that drove these men and women to create some of the best rock n roll heard during the ’80′s and beyond. Artists who not only wanted to share their faith with fellow seekers of truth, but wanted to create vital and lasting examples of great music. These people wrote and performed music that stands right along with some of the best music created by their contemporaries in the mainstream marketplace. Music that some thirty years later still causes me to stop and take notice.

Unfortunately, another common thread that runs throughout most of this book is that of a thoroughly corrupt music industry. An industry that stole royalties, cast off artists who were at their prime in favor of the next flavor of the month. An industry whose moguls got rich while their artists basically lived the lifestyle of the traditional starving artist. What disgusts me the most about this industry is that it was done all in the name of spreading the gospel of Christ.

This book is excellently researched and put together, it is a must for any fan of passionate music or anyone who wants to know the roots of the current Christian music scene. Author Jerry Wilson need to be highly commended on an excellent job. The forward to the book written by one time Crumbacher member Beth Jahnsen sets the pace for the rest of the book perfectly. Check out the author’s blog at www.goldfishandclowns.com.

Is there something stronger than “thank you” available?

P.S. The above provides as good an excuse as any to post this classic Undercover video:

[video http://www.diecast-dude.com/gac/undercover_time.flv nolink]