A moment in history.

I write music reviews for a website called ‘Cross Rhythms’, which to be honest isn’t as exciting as it sounds. Sure I get sent loads of free CD’s, however the tendency is that if it is a good one I have to return it for the CR library.

The biggest drag with reviewing at this point in history is that Christian music on the whole tends to be going down the ‘Cold Play’, ‘Keane’ mellowed out, intellectual angst route. Whereas 20 years ago, if you were middle aged and middle class and wanting to show that you were ‘cool’ you listen to ‘Dire Straights’ (I know by which I speak, I used to run a Hi Fi shop and those persons that I described ALWAYS brought along their prized copy of ‘Brothers in Arms’ to demo their intended purchase.)

It got to the point that my staff began playing ‘The Wurzals’ over the shops music system as an act of rebellion.

Nowadays, it’s the day of the ‘Glastonbury’ headliners (stop me if you disagree).

The trouble is, the world and his wife are producing bands that sound just like they have finished having a full depressive breakdown. Hordes of corduroy wearing, unshaven, long haired college types, hammering away on their un distorted guitars and pub pianos about the bleakness of existence.

And I have to review it.

As somebody who absolutely refuses to slag off somebody else’s work, I try my very best to find something good and laudable to pen in each review. Believe you me I am getting very good at ‘creative’ writing. However, I am currently staring at two CD’s that without actually ‘lying’ could result in me hurting somebodies feelings.

So you can imagine my joy when a re-released classic fell on my doorstep and contained a bonus track recorded live at a gig I was actually at.

The album was ‘In another land’ and the artiste is ‘Larry Norman.

Now for those of you not in the know (which presumably are the majority of you) Larry Norman was the first Christian ‘Superstar’.

An American that started his career in the 60’s, Norman penned some classics that most church kids who owned a guitar in the 70’s cut their teeth on.

However, to that gig I mentioned.

Myself and my good friend ‘Bassbin’ travelled to a festival called Greenbelt in 1979 in Darren’s dark blue escort van (I only mention that van because I am sure it is going to feature in several other blogs in the future and so I thought I ought to take this opportunity to introduce it to you).

This was quite a moment for me as Bassbin has always declined to get involved in all things ‘God Bothering’ by nature and so to get him to come along with me to a ‘Christian Festival was a result.

Now it was a great festival and left a mark in history, and I promise I will give you a proper account of the weekend as there were some truly hilarious as well as revolting moments.

However, for this particular article there were two stand out moments. One was the realisation that when two blokes sleep in the back of a van, you need to keep the windows open just a tad….or you suffocate.

The other was the headline gig on the Saturday night.

The headliner was one Cliff Richard. Now I know that he has come in for a lot of stick over the years, but he is actually a very good performer and back in 1979 he was at his peak.

Half way through his set he introduced a singer from America and much to the delight of the 25,000 strong crowd, Larry Norman strolled onto stage, his long blond hair shining in the spot lights and blowing in the breeze.

They then launched into a song that Bassbin and I had been trying to perfect for years ‘The rock that doesn’t roll’…….pure rock & roll magic. The already over excited crowd went utterly bonkers, and it is a memory that stays with me today.

So as I said, I was delight at having to write a review for not only a classic album (his whole back catalogue is being re-released as Norman sadly died at an all too young age this time last year), but at finding that somebody had recorded that same song from 30 years ago, re-mastered it and here it was……..on my Hi fi.

Beats the heck out of ‘Dire Straights’ and ‘Cold Play’ I can tell you.

Altogether now!

“Well, it’s good for your body and it’s great for your soul, he’s the rock that doesn’t roll”.