Ben Cotten - Latest Comments in My First Rock Rebellion

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Dshea19 — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:22:48 -0000

I know this thread is WAY old, but I came across it while searching for some music. I didn't become a Christian until I was 19 (37 now). So, up until then I lived on a steady diet of Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Pearl Jam (the first disc) and some other stuff. GUITARS baby! My tastes have mellowed slightly now, but I listen to very little, if any, Christian music. Today, I would much rather throw in some Steve Lukather or Alter Bridge than listen to what is out there in the Christian world... at least what I have come across. Either there is some potential, but they dumb it down to be as vanilla as possible, or it seems the bands are trying so hard to not be like the former that they just come across as spastic. Oh well. What can you do.

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Joseph Cotten — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:28:09 -0000

Yes, classic analogue tape effects masterfully used.

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Claire — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:13:29 -0000

The "Break Out" section was undoubtedly my favorite part.

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

ded — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:24:33 -0000

From the other side of the generational divide, we encouraged Christian rock. We felt like the scare over tribal drums was just that, a scare. Where do other cultures get things like in-born rhythm anyway?

Christian rock seemed a great way to encourage keeping our kids thinking about the Lord Jesus. Some bands and lyrics seemed ... less than glorifying to God, but as a genre, we liked having something to offer the kids.

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Joseph Cotten — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:23:04 -0000

Good old Bob Hartman rocking it out in 1985 and 2005 (not to mention 1975). I saw Petra at their last scheduled show ever, and it was one of my life's highlights. Although, I must say that John Schlitt can look a little funny when he does the old rocker moves, now that he's advanced in years.

"Computer brains, put garbage in
Computer brains, get garbage out
Computer brains, programing YOU
What can you do to break out, break out, break out out out..."

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Rodney M — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:52:44 -0000

Jan, thanking you for making my smoothie turn sour inside my stomach.

My first rock rebellion might have been Quiet Riot in 1984. My parents didn't mind the soft heavy metal (Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, etc.) but they absolutely wouldn't stand for KISS, AC/DC, Ozzie and the like. Poison was pushing the limits. I remember feeling quietly ashamed in high school because I liked AC/DC. In fact, I'm listening to "Who Made Who" right now on iTunes.

I'm so glad that the back-masking controversy went the way of "The Fat Boys".

http://youtube.com/watch?v=...

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Jan — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:53:50 -0000

It was the Christian answer to "We are the World"... I wonder how many of them are embarrassed by it now?!

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Claire — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:27:10 -0000

How right you are, Pastor Ben. I don't think it made it onto any of Petra's "Greatest Hits" cd's.

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Ben Cotten — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:26:55 -0000

Wow, Jan. I had somehow managed to NEVER see that until now...

It's like watching a Coke commercial for Jesus.

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Jan — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:11:33 -0000

http://youtube.com/watch?v=...

Go check it out! Hilarious! So rebellious!

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Jan — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:06:23 -0000

Crack the Sky!!!! I heard that Mylon is finally retiring. Do you think he still has the feathered hair? My discovery of Christian rock music was a relief to my parents, so it wasn't necessarily rebellion, though I was preferential to Steve Taylor and Some Band and Bash and the Code. Ever hear of them? Keyboards galore!

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Ben Cotten — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:58:52 -0000

"Computer Brains" had to be the worst song they ever wrote!

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Priscilla — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:35:13 -0000

I must admit, and i know i'm really dating myself, I do remember well, Hendrix, Joplin, Creedence etc. Not sure if it was a rock rebellion just the music we listened to at the time. Had never heard of christian music during that time-frame. I've been a piano teacher for many years and I've always, always introduced my students to every form of music genre out there. It didn't mean I or the students had to like it all. But I wanted them to learn about it.
Personally, I really like jazz and some forms of rock. I even like classical music. I just don't like one type of music all the time.

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Claire — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:01:54 -0000

I cringe bringing this up... but here's where our age difference becomes obvious. Whereas teenage Ben Cotten listened to Petra and felt (justifiably) hardcore, five-year-old Claire and toddler John listened to Computer Brains from Petra's 1984 Beat the System ENDLESSLY. As in, play it, press rewind on my Fisher Price tape player, and play it again. I'm fairly sure our parents still can't stand to listen to Computer Brains. They got fried on Computer Brains, although Hollow Eyes was on the same tape, and Dad really liked that song.

So... that was my first rock rebellion. It was fun.

Re: My First Rock Rebellion

Jeff — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:19:08 -0000

Right on, dude! I so related to this. Go Petra!! I was so scared spitless over the rock & roll stuff that I got rid of a Johnny Cash record after playing it backwards and imagining I heard something bad. My first rock "rebellion" was Christian rock, too. There was a Christian rock radio program my friends listened to, and I couldn't resist. They even played *gasp* U2 and Kansas! :)

My first venture into "secular" music was in college. My roommate played top-40 stuff whether I liked it or not. We didn't die, I didn't lose my salvation or start doing drugs, and I started to like it....