Interview:

The Bible teaches that music has spiritual significance. Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19 both remind us to sing “spiritual” songs. Of all the arts, music is the most effective at touching the spiritual side of life and even opening doors to new spiritual experiences. The search for new spiritualism is foundational to the occult experience and Christians must be on guard when exploring music genres. The late Jimi Hendrix, one of the most dynamic and influential superstars in rock music history, said: “Atmospheres are going to come through music, because the music is a spiritual thing of its own. You can hypnotize people with the music and when you get them at their weakest point you can preach into the sub-conscious what you want to say.” Mickey Hart, formerly of Grateful Dead, has made the study of drumming his life’s work. In his book “Drumming At The Edge Of Magic” he explores the impact of drumming on people’s spiritual lives and writes: “Drumming is made for trance and for ecstatic states. The basis of percussion is redundancy and redundancy is the basis of trance.”

Beethoven is reported to have said, “Music is the mediator between intellectual and sensuous life… the one spiritual entrance into the higher world.” John Williams, the famed movie soundtrack composer of Star Wars, E.T. and Indiana Jones agreed that music is “something spiritual”. Mickey Hart believes that music can “form a union with the spirit world; it is the preferred medium for communication with the gods”. When performing on stage, Pete Townshend felt “an incredible almost spiritual experience” that was “sacred”. Robert Jourdain went even further stating that “music possesses us — it really is as if some ‘other’ has entered not just our bodies but our intentions, taking us over.” Reflecting back on her part in the original Woodstock music festival in 1969, Grace Slick, lead singer of the rock band Jefferson Airplane, later Starship, asked, “Were we the bands there to invoke the spirits? Were we all shamans (occult priests), channeling an unknown energy?”

Jon Anderson, the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes, understood that music has “always been religious… a passion and a vehicle for understanding why we are here, a remembering of the past and ritual”. To Jimi Hendrix, “Rock music is more than music, it’s like church”. The background of his music was “… a spiritual blues thing. We’re making our music into electric church music, a new kind of Bible you carry in your hearts.” Robbie Kreiger, guitarist for The Doors, saw the band as “revivalists and wanted our audience to undergo a religious experience”. Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors said “I feel spiritual up there. Think of us as erotic politicians.” A Grateful Dead concert was not just a rock event, it was a “place to worship”. One fan wrote that the band was the high priest, the audience the congregation, the songs the liturgy, and the dancing the prayer. Recall here what U2 has also said; paraphrasing a U2 song, “church services and rock concerts are one, but not the same”. In his book “Rave Culture: An Insider’s Overview”, author Jimi Fritz noted that there are probably more ravers today than there were hippies in the nineteen-sixties. He pointed out that this “life-changing ritualistic, cultural phenomenon is as powerful as any spiritual practice from the past or present”. In fact, many young people who have had no previous interest in religion start to develop an interest in spirituality after attending a few raves.

Christian musicians have been well aware of the spiritual significance of music for centuries. Martin Luther wrote, “Together with several others I have collected a number of spiritual songs… in the interest of the young people, who must receive an education in music if we are to wean them away from carnal and lascivious songs and interest them in what is good and wholesome.” John and Charles Wesley’s hymns prompted the saying, “Methodism was born in song” and that at one point there was a measure of spiritual revival in Wales following the publication of an edition of William Williams’ hymns. If music is indeed spiritual and has such power to possess us, it is worth exploring what “spirits” are behind much of rock music. The very word “music” comes from the Greek word for muses, the spirit guides of ancient Greece credited with inspiring men to create art, poetry and music. Many rock artists who have great influence over other musicians believe they are channeling spirits when they create their music; but which spirits — holy or unholy?

Songwriting is a spiritual task and songwriters are in essence the embodiment of other musical influences that have been allowed into their minds and souls. The common thread among songwriters is that each one has been influenced in some way, great or small, by every other musician they allowed into their minds and souls. Dan Lucarini speaks of this from personal experience as he himself has written close to 100 original music compositions. “Sometimes the influence is obvious as we mimic another’s style and someone else points out to us, “You sound just like…!” At other times it is more subtle, showing up in the riffs, the harmonies or the chord progressions we choose without even realizing that we were imitating another musician. This silent transfer of influence is a spiritual thing, and instinctively understood by songwriters, but often we cannot see the wood for the trees and someone else has to point it out for us.”

Since songwriting is a spiritual task and songwriters are in essence the embodiment of other musical influences that have been allowed into their minds and souls, it is perfectly fair to question one’s musical influences, even more so if one feels called to lead music in the church. The editor of WorshipMusic.com seems to agree when he poses this important question: “Is it OK to be influenced by musicians from arenas other than Contemporary Christian worship circles? That’s a great discussion that needs to take place in the Church today.” The basic question we are asking here is whether this religious cloning of the rock music idiom makes it spiritual or leaves it in its worldly state. There is a crucial difference between being worked up by animal spirits and being anointed by the Holy Spirit. We need to ask another question here: is it possible that the manipulative and mind–body–soul altering power of rock music is producing a counterfeit spiritual experience?

Excerpt taken from John Blanchard and Dan Lucarini’s “Can We Rock The Gospel?: Rock Music’s Impact On Worship And Evangelism” (2006) available from Evangelical Press. © 2006 John Blanchard and Dan Lucarini. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

“Of all the arts, music is the most effective at touching the spiritual side of life and even opening doors to new spiritual experiences… Songwriting is a spiritual task and songwriters are in essence the embodiment of other musical influences that have been allowed into their minds and souls.”
– Dan Lucarini, author of “Can We Rock The Gospel?: Rock Music’s Impact On Worship And Evangelism”