Are you listening? This ain't no quiet thing
We're screaming out our lungs Are you listening?
Are you there? Are you listening? Or do you just
not care? Hello friends and welcome to Hey Are
You Listening? This is a podcast exploring the
past, present, and future of Christian music.
My name is Joel and I'm here with my good friend
Brandon and we connected over a mutual love of
some particular artist but have pretty different
tastes when it comes to things as well and so
for us this is a fun journey of getting to experience
Some new things together while sometimes having
some friends along for the ride as well Brandon,
how's it going today? I'm doing really well today.
How are you doing? Joe? I think I'm good. It's
A beautiful day. We're recording this on a holiday
for us. So we get some time off from our normal
things Obviously podcasting we're here because
we're locked into this want to be faithful to
a new episode every week coming out. But it's
nice as well just to have some some time to rest
and spend time with the family. So I'm looking
forward to that. Well today's going to be a little
bit of a different episode for us because we're
not covering a specific album but wanted to kind
of be able to share a little bit of our own stories
and how Christian music kind of entered into
our world. Just kind of Giving a peek behind
the curtains right for people to know a little
bit about who we are But before we start to dig
into that Let's figure out what's going on in
the news All right, so what's been going on in
the world of Christian music Brandon, have you
seen the new Superman movie? I haven't. So one,
I love it and I think you should check it out.
It's probably my favorite superhero movie that
I've seen in like a long time. I've heard a lot.
I was never a big Superman fan, but from what
I've seen, I feel like this is the first one
that I want to give like a chance to. Yeah, it's
uh, I know Superman's kind of like the generic
superhero. But it's got a ton of heart to it,
which is one thing that I really loved. But it's
interesting. I was watching it, and there's a
moment in this movie where Clark, Superman, is
talking to Louis, and they're talking about he's
trying to give off this image that he's not this
straight -laced guy or whatever. And so he talks
about how he listens to punk rock. And she's
like, you don't listen to punk rock. And so he
starts to name drop so that he can get some street
cred when it comes to music. And one of the bands
that he talks about is P .O .D. And so he drops
in this movie, we find out that Superman is a
P .O .D. fan, which is kind of an interesting
thing in a DC movie to reveal breaking Superman.
POD fan. I don't know. How does that make you
feel? I I Love I use I used to love and I love
now whenever I see Like Christian music or like
just those random artists get used and stuff.
Yeah There was a I don't know if you've ever
watched like any of the Breaking Bad universe
type stuff But there's a movie based on one of
the characters He's going to like visit this
kind of clubhouse of some bad guys and when they
walk in Country Gentleman is playing by Family
Force five. It's just like such the like Random
thing to be like these bad guys are is like are
they? Five fans is just like a playlist that's
on but like for me it was just oh that's so cool
that Family Force five is getting this like cameo
in the film. So I Don't I think I've listened
to pod like very little so like I think it's
it's cool to hear that but like if if super if
they like would have name -dropped like House
of Heroes or like John Ruman I would have I would
have gone today to go watch the Superman movie
to be little stuff like that's so cool and I
I have enjoyed seeing online just the people
diving into like What does this mean then for
Superman? Do you think he listened to this one?
Do you think he went to this concert? And so
I, I think stuff like that is just like, it's
such a fun little like nod to the audience. Yeah.
And it makes me wonder a little bit. I mean,
having a band as a soundtrack is like one thing
because that happens a lot, but the mention is
interesting. And so it makes me wonder for like
James Gunn, the director, like how maybe all
of this is part of his history. And obviously,
P .O .D. was, you know, they got to a pretty
mainstream point where it's not just Christians
that are listening to them. But yeah, it does
kind of make you wonder like what's going on
behind the scenes. Yeah. So interesting stuff.
Also, a thing that's been interesting to watch
is this whole thing with Forrest Frank about
the broken back and him writing songs out of
that, like the song Lemonade. um from his bed
um while that's going on have you followed that
at all i i think i've um i've been in the like
the the bubble of it from just our grade schoolers
at church talking about it it's just been me
like hearing them talk about it so i don't know
how much of a reliable source like seven and
nine year olds are yeah i don't know either um
The interesting thing that's kind of come out
of it though is to see how like other Christian
artists are engaging with it. And they're all
like, there are several of them that have done
their, their own like Weird Al versions of what's
happened with Forrest Frank where like, oh, I
broke my pinky. I'm going to lay in bed and write
a song. So it's kind of interesting because it's
like a little bit of parody, but like you can't
like take the, we're like. sort of making fun
of this out of that. And so the dialogue back
and forth between like a Forrest Frank and a
Corey Asbury or whatever in this has been really
interesting to see them kind of come along on
the same page. And I think definitely from like
different generations too, but I think the fun
thing about it is just to see how quickly like
we can all realize that that we're all broken
people, whether it's like a broken back or whatever
it may be. And so maybe we jump too quickly to
respond to something. And that we just need to
be able to give time and grace and kind words
to each other. And I think that's what I've seen
come out of it, which has been kind of encouraging
to see happen through it. Yeah, that's been interesting
to watch. Well, for you though, what have you
been listening to lately? So I went on a trip
to Charlotte recently, and I like making a playlist
whenever I go on a trip. And I had a couple of
different ideas, but then I Googled prompts,
and one was an ABC playlist, where it's like
you go through a song that starts with an A,
a song that starts with a B. So it was really
cool getting to dig through that because it ended
up becoming this playlist of Stuff that I'm listening
to now and then stuff that I like used to listen
to because I just went on like my like Apple
music, but it's not the one you pay for so I
can Apple library. Yeah, it's I just started
like kind of searching by like alphabetical so
I would plug in like maybe like C and then like
a you know E or whatever and it was cool because
it just kind of like I said just became very
random and after the fact I would find songs
and go oh my gosh why did I not use that like
for like the a like song and all yeah and um
but yeah so I've been I've enjoyed so it's just
26 songs that span a here's something I listened
to 20 years ago here's something I'm listening
to now um so yeah that's pretty much what's just
been on repeat is just yeah let's just see what's
gonna show up now that's cool i like that idea
a lot i'll have to think through that um yeah
there's been an artist for me that i've listened
to a lot over the last year um more kind of intently
than ever before um his name is tyson motzenbacher
have you heard of him i have not yeah so he's
on currently on tooth and nail records which
is interesting and i think where i kind of came
across him to begin with but um he's got uh a
few records out there. He's got a new one that
he's working on right now that he's released
a couple of songs from and his music's really
fascinating in a lot of ways because every record
that he's put out has been very different. But
it all sounds like him at the same time. Yeah,
everything's done with like a lot of a lot of
thought and care But I think he's like been on
tour or been a been a done a bunch of dates with
like John Foreman switch, but okay So but he's
great. I think I think you would like you would
like his stuff a lot So he's a he's got he's
got anyone that's coming out pretty soon So I'm
looking forward to seeing how that one's gonna
turn out All right, so today we wanted to get
to share with you guys just a little bit of our
stories So that you could get to know us a little
better As hosts and we tend when we have guests
on we'll be asking the questions How did how
did Christian music enter into your life and
your story? And so we kind of wanted to give
a little bit of that for ourselves today So that
you could get to know us a little bit. So And
just to kind of set that up so Brandon you and
I met because we both work at the same church
and so I've been a part of this church for a
long time and you and your wife Jordan started
coming Here and so we got to know each other
Through that but there's a lot of history before
that and it kind of brings us to to where we
are so Kind of backing up from like the idea
of Christian music. How did How did just you
kind of fall in love with music for the first
time? Where did music enter in your story? Music,
for my family, music is a huge part of just everyone's
life. And it wasn't like a musician part. My
granddad, he's really the only musician I can
think of. um and he's like been a drummer in
bands so growing up it was cool having like that
granddad that's like oh i have like the the cool
edgy like granddad that's uh you know works on
cars and plays drums and bands i love that and
um and so but like my dad every time we're in
the car it was listening to you know mix of like
classic rock and then like modern like kind of
the modern station and then for um like my granddad
his body shop it was the same way like he would
have um he had one of those like 10 disc changers
or whatever and so like you would have like a
gospel album and then you'd have like fergie
playing or you know so it was such a like weird
mix um but it was just everyone like listened
to music like it was even my mom like if she
and i think that's what why i have to make a
playlist like if i'm doing anything in the house
is that she always had music playing so like
if she's cleaning in the house we have music
playing if we're just like hanging out there's
music playing um so music was something that
was like just a huge part of like you have to
have it like on um like around um how about for
you yeah i think really similar like i feel like
music was kind of a soundtrack to my life growing
up um in a lot of ways where i felt like there
was always something on in the background and
that's become really important for me too with
my family is not that I don't love quiet moments
because I do but you can have quiet moments with
quiet music too so I've tried to create like
a certain number of playlists that I remember
riding in the car Thanksgiving with my family
and my dad had our Christmas mixtape and it's
like that was the first moment when we got to
listen to it like on the way back from Thanksgiving
it's like it's really cool Thanksgiving dinner
like Christmas season hit and we were just waiting
for it and then we knew every word to every song
and it was just like such a such a big deal for
our family and so I felt like like even with
my kids today like I want to create those kind
of soundtracks for them you know where they can
remember those moments and be excited when, oh,
it's summer. So we get to start like playing
the summer playlist. Yeah. And then what are
songs that we are into now that we can add that
are going to fit well with that? So now going
back to the cassette for a second. Yeah. Like
how how was it something where every year it
was the same one or because I know like like
for us, we had like a CD like I can make cassettes.
but I could play CDs like in there. So like for
your dad, was it something where he's just like
waiting until it comes on the radio and he's
like recording, but also Christmas music isn't
on. So how, how was he like creating that? Yeah,
I think it was the same one every year. Okay.
It's like he made it once off of like he had
the dual cassette. Yeah. thing and so he would
hit play on one and then record on the other.
It used to be so complicated to make mistakes.
That's why I was like hey I think we need to
pause because I feel like anyone under like 25
years old is gonna be like yeah like my dad makes
a playlist too and it's like yeah but you don't
understand like right now I could make a playlist
here whereas like 30 you know whatever years
ago it would have been Hey, Joel, give me a couple
of weeks. I've got to wait till I catch them
on the radio. It's the whole when I was a kid,
we had to walk five miles in the snow to get
to school. Yeah, it's like everything was way
more complicated back in the day. And so you
really had to like care about something to invest
the time and energy into like figuring it out
and making it. And so, yeah, but I think for
us like my dad, there there were like things
that I loved musically that I um learned from
him like my dad was a big um Elvis fan and Johnny
Cash fan and so um there are a lot of takeaways
for me there but um my dad was also like really
in the southern gospel and so he was he actually
sang in a gospel quartet and so um so in that
sense like he was a little bit of a musician
himself and then my sisters were like um really
into like or at least I remember Michael Jackson
and so kind of coming on board of that in that
era and so it's just kind of like music always
felt like it was everywhere when I was growing
up which is cool. So how then did the specific
idea of Christian music kind of make an entry
point into your life? We so like we would like
sing hymns at church and at school we would listen
we would sing like songs but Like I went to this
one of those private schools that was like Toby
Max like the devil type of place So like we didn't
really get any exposure to that until My mom
she stopped listening to like our local like
local but like I guess like the pop radio station
because she's kind of like I don't I don't think
my kids should be listening to this like on the
way to school or whatever. Um, I think that was
the reason. So we started listening to like our,
like the Christian music station. And, um, so
we started listening to that and then she bought
the, um, like wow hits. So we'd get those every
year. So I remember every day waking up to, I
think it was the wow hits 2005. So I just vividly
remember every morning I would wake up and, um,
It was like, Matthew West was on there, but also
it was like Stacey like, or Rico was on there,
Toby Mack. So I remember just like every day
waking up to like third day or Toby Mack or whoever.
So that was kind of like our first like big push
into it was just wow hits. And then our like,
our radio station on the way to school and all.
so yeah that was the first idea it's kind of
just the this i say surface level not trying
to be like a fence but it's the stuff that you
would hear it's like k -love today like you're
not gonna have like certainly your star flyer
59 is not gonna be on k -love you know so it's
kind of a like our version of k -love growing
up where you got a lot of those types of bands
and all yeah i think really similar for me too
i mean obviously my Like I said, my dad was really
into Southern gospel. And so in that sense, like
Christian music was a part of the soundtrack
of our house. But the stuff that I first started
getting into was a lot of the major CCM stuff,
but like a decade earlier than you. Right. So,
um, because I'm probably, yeah, I don't even
know. Um, but like a decade older. And so I remember
it was. It was like Michael W. Smith, Steven
Curtis Chapman for him, Al Denson, Clay Cross,
these like CCM artists, not really pushing the
boundaries really hard. I mean, you could probably
argue that Michael W. Smith was doing that in
some ways, but... But yeah, I had cassette tapes.
Like I just started buying or borrowing from
my sisters even cassette tapes of these artists
making my own mixtapes and stuff like that early
on. And so for me that's like it started in the
same place just earlier. Like kind of like the
really mainstream kind of CCM stuff. Where for
you then did that transition more into More of
like the alternative or rock or indie like scene
of Christian music. Yeah, I I remember I bought
Toby Max welcome to Diver City and it was funny
cuz I start listening to it I remember turning
it off because at that point rap was just oh
it's and I was like I thought this guy was a
Christian artist in my mind I'm like, oh he's
singing rap. So I know it has to have this certain
content. Yeah So I remember being like, oh my
gosh, my mom's going to be upset with me because
like she's going to be like, why did you buy
this? And so he was like that first jump into
like, oh, wow, this is like, I've never really
listened to like rap. That's OK. I've never really
listened to like rock because it was just kind
of like like my family, like pop, like not pop
rock, like classic rock was really big for them.
But for me, it's like I never really clicked
with it. And So Toby Matt comes along and I'm
like, okay, and then I think the first like album
that kind of like Was this just like this changes
everything was John Rubin's boy versus the cynic
and that whole album is this concept album where
he just pretty much put together an entire album
for very like happy optimistic then just very
like pessimistic and then that album is a like
um merging of the two so it's half the tracks
are very much like hey things get better we're
good we're happy let's party and then the other
half is just like oh man like this is corrupt
like you know pastors are stealing money from
people and um and at the end the final track
is just this like how can we be at a place where
both of these exist like we don't we can't or
we don't need to live in a place where we're
leaning toward one or the other. And it was the
first time that I listened and was like, I feel
heard by an album. And then I think that next
jump was probably a Songs from the Penalty Box
by Tooth and Nell. And because that CD introduced
me to Star Flyer 59, Children 18 .3, Me Without
You, Joan Zetta, Showbred, like there's probably
10 to 12 bands that I like started following
just because of that album and um so that was
probably like the first album that was like wow
but then the first one that kind of made me branch
more into this like alternative and like punk
side of Christian music. Yeah I remember um I
remember in like middle school That one I went
I think I've mentioned this before but at youth
camp Petra played and I was like, whoa Just like
going to my first rock concert and Being exposed
to that but like that quickly like transformed
from there into like a lot of the more like mainstream
like DC talk and audiojournal in Newsboys that
kind of stuff that world kind of entering in
And so I remember a lot of that happening. I
remember buying like New thing by DC talk on
cassette and I remember literally I still remember
walking into the bookstore Christian books family.
It was family Christian stores and picking up
that cassette tape and then I remember going
and like Sitting in the driveway at my house
and my mom's car with it like in the cassette
player like turning it up um but um but yeah
it was it was that kind of experience for me
that like um allowed me to experience some of
that stuff in a unique way um and then like i
think it probably for me too was as i think about
it probably some of those like those Mix tapes
the CDs the samplers that labels were putting
out. Yeah, I just wanted to experience some different
artists I remember being really in like into
a lot of what I was hearing in in Secular radio
right like the first time I heard smells like
teen spirit by Nirvana. Yeah, man the first time
I heard when I come around by Green Day, I remember
those moments and And so I remember buying one
day, because I saw on one of those, if you like
this, then you'll like, I remember seeing, if
you like Green Day, then you'll like MXPX. And
the only their first record, Poconaccio, was
out. And so I picked it up and I was like, man,
this is blowing my mind. Because it actually
does sound like that. And then that like opened
up a world to me of songs from the penalty box
and buying those. those samplers and then another
one of my favorite labels is five minute walk
and so they put out there they had their own
samplers that they put out there called take
time to listen and so i started buying those
up and that just opened my world up to all different
kinds of stuff from nmx px to a band like five
iron frenzy Um, and all that stuff just really
captured captured my heart in a lot of ways that
like even the mainstream stuff wasn't doing because
there was a lot more authenticity and like realness,
um to what was going on and so um, and I think
all that like that led me to to be like, Oh,
I want to do this. Yeah. Like I started my own
band and we were terrible for like such a long
time and finally got to where we were. Okay.
Um, and got to do that for a little bit and experience
a different side of it. But, um, but yeah, yeah,
that was, it was fun just watching the progression
happen in my life. Um, so with you, like, um,
obviously that's kind of where things started,
but like what's, what is kind of the journey
been like over over time with with christian
music we've talked a little bit about that but
yeah what's the journey felt like for you oh
it's all been good all perfect really nothing
negative uh a really boring answer um no for
me um so like like i said whenever i first started
finding um people like and like john rubin stands
out him and like Him, House of Heroes, then maybe
Me Without You. They were the first bands that
I felt like, I'm like, this is incredible. I
feel heard. I feel like these people are talking
about stuff that I feel. And just stuff like
the Boy Vs. the Cynic album. I remember House
of Heroes the first time I heard it. The end
is not the end. I remember just thinking, man,
it's... It's easy to sit down and make an album
about like breakups or whatever or even like
worship songs It's easy because I feel like it
I feel like worship music has gotten better because
at that time it was kind of just a let's take
an old hymn and just slap on like a chorus to
it and um But I remember like being like this
is a whole album about world war two and it's
about people who are like good people bad people
it's just like It's just here's 15 16 stories
or whatever and I'm like this is so cool like
this is something that you Not just anyone can
make this and like especially make it good So
for me it was like it was so cool to feel heard
and be like man this motivates me that as a like
as a Creator like if I'm if I'm gonna be a Christian
and I'm going to create Why would I not create
like good stuff? Like you don't just sit there
and see like the the sun or the earth or whatever
and be like, yeah jesus was like Well, i'm kind
of focused on like creating these all these dogs
over here. So the sun i'll just I don't know
Like he's not handing it to an angel just saying
hey I don't know. I can't decide which shade
of yellow I want, you know, whatever. Um and
So for me like I was like man, this is so cool
Like I want to be like this. I I can be a christian.
I can do cool stuff. Um it was kind of the same
way I remember being at this at summer camp and
I told people that the best like um like ministry
tool I ever had was professionally wrestling
t -shirts and because there was kids there that
like they didn't listen to Christian music or
like NASCAR but they watched wrestling yeah and
I would show up and they would be like wait you
you do that and I was like well yeah like you
know this wrestler is a Christian or that and
um even like music it became a thing where they
liked their like their music and it was how can
i introduce them to bands that it's not a drop
in quality because i don't want them to say like
hey i know that like you're 10 years old and
you're listening to like 50 Cent or whatever
but like maybe you shouldn't be listening to
that at like 10 years old but it's not just oh
here's a campy christian artist instead it's
like hey here's an artist that Their stuff is
just as good, but it's not gonna have like the
stuff that you maybe shouldn't be listening to.
I don't know why I'm tiptoeing around that. I
feel like there's no one listening. This is gonna
be like, I'm offended. Your kids should not be
listening to that. And it took a turn for me
that, like I said, I was so excited thinking,
man, I wanna be like this. I'm gonna be this
kind of person. And then you start realizing
that, All those people I listed, they don't get
any type of recognition. Like they don't get
the Dove Awards. They don't get invited to, you
know, like any Christian awards. They don't get
played on Christian music. It's like you keep
John Rubin on this little like side stage over
here because it's like, well, there's other artists.
Every song is about like Jesus or it's about
how church is cool. Or it's like House of Heroes.
It's like that's like. it's always like we would
celebrate you if all these songs was about like
Jesus as a soldier or something and like me without
you is their whole other thing and so for me
I went through this phase where it was just like
just really sad to be like oh so it's like if
you want to be recognized or whatever you got
to um you have to almost like sell out or stop
being creative so it's like if you're going to
um like work at a church even it's like well
you got to fit into this mold because you can't
mention whatever um and i mean like i i remember
telling jordan even before i started working
like at our church this was probably a month
or two beforehand so it probably been right before
i even applied for here i remember being like
i'm never gonna work at a church again because
like the moment you do like it's like i can't
watch nascar because here's all the roles and
then music wise it's like well you can't really
like listen to like a me without you because
some of those songs are kind of like is it christian
is it not is it attacking the church is it and
it's like me just thinking man i don't want to
have this label that yeah i or like even christian
music if you tell people yeah i listen to christian
music or podcasts like this they probably think
okay so you guys are just gonna cover all of
the new stuff where it's like yeah we were listening
to Caleb the other day and there's nothing wrong
with that yeah but it's like this i just started
finding this gate that was like okay if you give
up your originality and like questioning stuff
you can be let in the club and so for me it kind
of just took this like really just oh i don't
want to be a part of this because none of the
people i like are being recognized um so I think
like for me it took like this kind of this this
is a bummer yeah yeah it's it's been I feel like
an interesting journey for me too because like
you said I think when I was in a Christian band
and we were pretty we tried to be pretty like
Forward -facing about that. Yeah, and have there
not be questions that like for us this this is
this is what this is Like we want people to know
and meet Jesus. Yeah, but like our Music didn't
fit in on like really cut. Yeah, I like world
for that, right and so So we kind of fell in
more with The guys that are a little on the outside
and weren't let in those nice squeaky clean doors.
Yeah Um, but I, I found a lot of value there
in the fact that, um, it's okay to like stand
inside the kingdom of God, um, and be a part
of the church, but, but also like point fingers
at ourselves and say, we don't have it all together
and we're not perfect. Um, and we've got a lot
of things to work on and figure out. And so for
me, music that was doing that just had. a real
weight to it that was meaningful. And artists
like Five Iron Frenzy, that is probably, I was
telling my wife the other day, just because I
went on a two -day stint of listening to nothing
but Five Iron, and I'm like... I'm pretty sure
Five Iron is the most Christian band ever. I
can't think of another band that was as forward
-facing about their faith in their lyrics. Just
so straightforward. But at the same time, they
were constantly pointing the fingers at the church
and saying, we've got to do better. And I just
love that. I love the willingness to take that
on. and always say, yeah, we are a community
of people together, but how can we be better?
Let's not sweep stuff under the rug. Let's deal
with the realities that are there and press deeper
into what it really means to walk with Jesus.
And so because of that, I feel like I got pretty
cynical for a while with standard CCM stuff because
it... there were gatekeepers to it. Yeah. And
it's kind of like, you do this, like you've got
to mention Jesus at least two and a half times
in your song. Yeah. Like whatever. Um, which
is interesting. Like we, we just covered, um,
six minutes, none the richer. And so like, how
can you have a song about kissing that like doesn't
talk about Jesus? That's not Christian music.
And I want us I want us in the future sometime
This would be a great conversation to like sit
down and talk about what actually like what makes
something Christian music And dig into that as
an idea, but but for me I got a little cynical
with all of that and then at the same time I
kind of felt like that's when Christian music
kind of began its decline and and it all kind
of transitioned over into like what we know is
like worship music. And so, and that's probably
another topic for a day ahead too. But yeah,
so today for you, like sitting where you sit
now, kind of looking back on all of that, where
do you consider yourself to be? Like what, when
you think about this whole idea of Christian
music, like where are you today with it? Yeah,
I think but the last question ended on a very
like sad note but I was like I knew this is the
next question so like um I think for me it went
from being very like um upset I think it's like
a um having one of those like um it's like Elijah
I always get him and Elisha mixed up and I feel
like it's it's okay that I do because like um
but I remember like him um Being like in the
cave and it being like, oh, what was me? This
is sad. What am I gonna do? And I'm being like,
you know, other people are out here like doing
stuff like it's not all about you and um, I think
uh for me, I take that like Annoyance and all
and it motivates me. Um, I guess like two parts
like it motivates me to think Okay, well these
bands aren't being promoted. How can I help promote?
Like how can I go to people who are like me and
go? Hey, like I know you're asking a lot of questions.
Like here's bands that helped me work through
stuff and then also just finding like newer bands
that are doing that because I feel like you know,
I I don't like when people do the thing where
it's like there's no good music nowadays or all
the good music and I'm like no every Every group
every decade has stuff that's like good and bad
like, you know, we look at like people I don't
know if people say the golden age is like the
70s or 80s of like, you know, like rock or whatever
But it's like yeah, you can go back and say here's
the top guys But I feel like there's probably
ten times as many artists that you'd be like,
I can't stand those guys and um so for me, I
think I think about like who are people nowadays
that are doing that thing and What I have found
is that there are bands that are, at least in
my opinion, that are going above what's asked
of them. I think, for instance, like a Josiah
Queen, and it might be something where other
people are like, Brandon, he's the worst example
of that or whatever, but just having the kids
in our grade school, seeing how much they love
him or a Forest Frank. and then listening and
going okay here's not a guy that's just like
out here just to say oh just write whatever and
i can like make money like it's stuff where it
feels like there's an effort being put forth
um and then even like you know i've mentioned
them on here before but like gable price and
friends to me they are such a good example that
like they are a um like they're on a christian
label and all but like not every song has to
be about Jesus. So there's songs about that.
And to me, what's amazing is I look at a band
like that or Switchfoot and I think back to like,
I mean, me and Jordan went to music conference
months ago, not music, what do you call it? Not
a conference, a festival. I don't know what a
music conference is. But like thinking, man,
there's so many people here that probably would
not. They're not going to be at church on Sunday
or like maybe these people have never stepped
foot in church. Yeah, but then they see someone
like a gay price from friends and they're like,
man, that guy's cool. That guy like he reminds
me of me and you have this conversation. So for
me, like I've there's there's still an annoyance
that it's like, you know, I look at someone like
a house of heroes and sometimes I think these
people should like be headlining like Madison
Square Garden, you know, or whatever. But it's
cool for me. also on a way maybe thinking like
that's what makes it so special is that if they
would have gotten big does it change music or
does it make it to where it's like oh this guy's
just putting this out because they feel like
they have to or they're being pressured to yeah
so i think for me i'm in a place where i i love
celebrating what has happened and getting to
just be thankful for those bands for like just
changing my life But then also being there to
like appreciate newer bands that are going to
be like, you know, like 10 years from now, there's
going to be a teenager or college student. It's
like Gable Price and friends like change this
for like, man, like I hated worship music, but
then like Josiah Queen showed me like, oh, this
can be like, it doesn't have to be this like,
let's say the same line 20 times or whatever.
So I think for me, like, it's definitely a Happier
place than it was because it's almost like instead
of just sitting there and feeling sorry It's
using that cynicism to be like, okay. Well, how
can I help other people like myself who are searching
for those bands? Yeah, that's really good. I
I feel really similar I love the fact that you
mentioned like a Josiah Queen and he's a great
example of The fact that there's a lot less gatekeepers
out there now, right? And so you find a guy like
him who is finding a lot of success in this world
of Christian music. But like, he doesn't have
a label over him telling him, no, you've got
to do it this way, or this is the only way it
works. Or if you want us to release your CD,
like this has got to happen. And I think that's
so refreshing and really hopeful for the future
because the music industry is a completely different
animal than it was 10, 20 years ago. And I like
the fact that today I can look back on my history
with all of this and at the points where I was
pretty cynical that I don't feel those feelings
so much anymore that I feel like I can turn on
any of those albums and find like a lot of appreciation
for them and remember how impactful that they
were in my life along the way. And so I feel
like and it's probably because I'm you know in
my mid 40s But I feel like a lot of nostalgia
the stuff that's behind. Yeah, but also like
really excited for the stuff That's ahead and
I love seeing the artists that are coming out
and doing their own thing That they they really
get to express who they are in a meaningful way
and that there are less restraints for them And
I just can't wait To see like what stories get
to be told because I believe that we are on the
cutting edge Of seeing God use music Meaningful
in our culture again And I think it's a big reason
for us like why we wanted to step into doing
this of saying how do we look backwards? Yeah
a lot of love for what's behind. But how can
we create some momentum for what's happening
now at the same time? And because we realize
how impactful this music was on us back in the
day. And I want that same thing for my kids,
my kids that are 12 and 10 right now. I want
them to find something that they can just fall
in love with musically that's going to help guide
and transform them as they kind of step into
the future. so I think that's a fun thing about
about getting to do this and so and that's the
journey that we want to invite you guys our listeners
onto with us is is how can we how can we look
back with a lot of love but look forward with
a lot of hope for what's to come so I'm excited
to kind of dig into that more and more over time
but right now it's time for the lyric of the
week Brandon I think you have a lyric for us
today. Yeah, so today's lyric comes from Star
Flyer 59's album Dial M It's from the song Taxi
and it goes late walks make my mind overwork
So 15 has never been the cure of a broken back
a broken neck a broken heart a broken dream I
love Dial M Mm -hmm. It is one of my favorite
star flyer records And so that's one that I've
enjoyed listening to a lot lately and that's
a that's a great tune I appreciate you bringing
that to us today. Yeah Since our cast is inspired
by star flyer when we find random weeks like
this where we're not covering a specific album
You will find that we are talking about star
flyer leaders. So Um, that's a lot of fun. I
think that kind of brings us to a wrap. You have
anything that you want to kind of closing thoughts
on any of this? No, I think it's um, I think
stuff like this was really cool. And um, you
know, I think going back to the cynicism stuff
like this podcast, I think it's awesome to get
to have these conversations because there are
going to be albums down the road that I feel
like there's going to be eventually that one
day where one of us is this is five stars this
is mount rushmore greatest CDs ever and the other
one's going to go man this is barely a two but
I think that it just teaches you to have that
respectful um um like look and like tone and
be like hey like I didn't care for this but hey
um you know it affected you and I think, you
know, like you said, looking back, there's bands
that I think are very cheesy. I don't care for
them. But I know that they're the reason why
other people, like, you know, had their life
changed. Or maybe it's their, you know, they
became a better father or they got back in the
church, you know, whatever. And so sometimes
I do have to step back and think that. And I
think that's what's cool about this. And I look
forward to it. Hopefully on those days. I'm the
one with like bringing the two and not the vice
versa because We'll see how it goes Yeah, I kind
of had a closing thought as we were talking through
that too. It reminded me of just the power of
this music and how How I believe God can use
it for his kingdom I was at last year at at furnace
fest and one of my favorite bands five iron frenzy
was playing mm -hmm and they have a song every
new day which is they've just kind of come to
like end all of their um all their shows with
it over over the years it's really powerful and
um and so they were closing with that and um
i just remember it was this really cool moment
and i saw later that night somebody post on the
furnace fest page that um it's it's been years
since i believed in jesus But being there in
that moment and hearing that song made me want
to believe again. And I think that's the hope
that's found in all of this. And I'm just, I'm
thankful that we get to have these conversations
and talk through these things and maybe help
people engage into artists and music that they've
never engaged with before so that they can experience
the hope that's found there. You guys, if you
haven't yet, can find us on the internet. We're
on X at Hey Are You Pod? Facebook, our page is
Hey Are You Listening? And we'd love for you
to engage with us there. Have these conversations
with us. That would be a lot of fun for us. But
also, subscribe anywhere you listen. Like, rate,
review, we would love and welcome all of that.
We're thankful that you're with us for this journey
and look forward to maybe even having you come
and sit down and join us for one of these conversations
sometime. So, thankful for you guys and we will
see you next week.