An old onion article that REALLY HAPPENED to me

[BayStateBass]

That's a funny story! I can totally see where, as a young pup, you get starstruck by the chance to play and don't ask the right questions....or pick up on the right cues.......

I don't think it was wrong to leave. Depends on the person. You finished the show and told them you wouldn't be back, so in my mind it's all good. The cornerstone of being Christian is forgiveness and understanding.....so I doubt they held a grudge...

I'm not big into bands that push a political or religious agenda.....those are things I typically keep to myself and work not to judge others based on their belief system. I have my own beliefs and opinions on these things and they have no place on this forum......

But the lesson to be learned here is.....find out what you can about your bandmates and be realistic as to whether or not you can fit with them.......or any of you can fit with each other.....

 

[electracoyote]

I've heard of this happening. If the band isn't up-front about it, and if the lyrics are kind of veiled, you can get sucked in without realizing it until the ministry begins at show time.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Did any of the songs have any Christian references in the lyrics? Nobody mentioned their faith? Sorry, it's just hard to understand how they could hide the fact that they were hard core Christians for an entire month - not saying it couldn't happen, just trying to understand.

If I hadn't known my current bandmates before I joined my band I wouldn't of known their religion as that kind of stuff doesn't just randomly pop up in conversation, usually. Likewise, and maybe it's just my experiences in bands, I have usually no clue what the heck the singer as singing, as vocals are usually covered up by loud drums and guitars.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I've heard of this happening. If the band isn't up-front about it, and if the lyrics are kind of veiled, you can get sucked in without realizing it until the ministry begins at show time.

I would of laughed if he was told that their first gig was at 9am on a Sunday. I know I would been like, "that's a weird time for a rock gig."

 

[Crater]

Not exactly the same thing, but I was in a couple of original retro-psychedelic band back in the early 90's. Singers in BOTH bands snuck in a couple of P&W-flavored tunes under our noses. One song was called "Gather 'round", a tune the other band played was "the Prophet". It was mildly annoying, but I didn't really have a big problem with it.

For some people, finding Jesus seems to be the only thing that keeps them from being being on the junk.

 

[MonkeyBass]

I do soundguy gigs for all sorts of things. Christian, Jewish... whatever. If I know what it is going in, and the check doesn't bounce then I don't care.
I'm not a Christian, not really anything. Whatever floats your boat. But one time I got hired to do a show and it turned out it was for this hardcore Christian rally. I never felt so out of place but I was cool with it until they started asking me to pray with them and sign petitions for causes I don't agree with.

Also, I got hired for Glen Campbell's orchestra playing upright bass, maybe, 10 or 11 years ago. I knew he was born again, and it was at a church so I knew what I was in for. But what made me laugh was during rehearsal I had my bow on the music stand. I reached down to grab a pencil or something and knocked my $1,200 bow on the ground. Out of habit I said "God damnit!". The entire cello section turned around and just glared at me. That was the last gig I ever did with them. Never got a call back.

 

[mbelue]

If you liked the music enough to play with them for a month, why would you let the fact that they were Christians change your mind? You say you left and never called them back again. Does this mean you didn't even man up and tell them you were done and why?

I dont believe the point is related to being a Christian band. Its more about being open and honest about political and social (or religous) agendas. The gentleman spoke for the group without checking to make sure his statement was representative of the group. Some folks dont want their reputation to be affected by their musical outlet. For example my last musical project has a terrible time keeping a drummer. Lots auditioned, one in particular stood out. Very skilled, meshed great with my bass. The dude was a racist, and I wouldnt stand for it.

 

[Sketchy]

Bahaha, I remember that article well.

 

[AltGrendel]

Let's see. Maybe I'm not a Christian. Did that occur to you? They should have been up front with me from the get go and confirmed that I would be willing to play in a faith based band. I don't care whether they're Christians or not; I just don't want to play in a Christian band. And yes, I let them know at the intermission that I would finish the gig, and then that would be that.

You're really in no position to criticize the way I handled things. Might I suggest watching your tone with people in the future?

I pretty much agree with this whole comment. I wouldn't care about them being Christian, but not being upfront about it to all the member is lying and taking advantage of KLC for their own purposes. I would have done the same thing.

 

[lfmn16]

If I hadn't known my current bandmates before I joined my band I wouldn't of known their religion as that kind of stuff doesn't just randomly pop up in conversation, usually. Likewise, and maybe it's just my experiences in bands, I have usually no clue what the heck the singer as singing, as vocals are usually covered up by loud drums and guitars.

I kind of view the singer as another instrument and don't pay close attention to the lyrics. Hard core Christians usually try to convert everyone which is why I was surprised a whole month went by without the subject coming up. However, the only absolute is that there are no absolutes.

 

[hrodbert696]

Just to point out, too, that there are a lot of Christian bands out there these days (and I mean over the last 20 years) that are NOT all that preacherly, it's not like back in the 80s. There are a lot of "crossover" bands where the Christian message is subdued or coded. You could get through an album by Switchfoot, Sixpence None the Richer, or Cold War Kids and come away without any particular sense of them being religious. U2, for that matter. Of course, you also don't hear those bands doing altar calls like the OP's did, so maybe he really was just plain oblivious.

I have no problem with the OP quitting a band when he didn't agree with the message. I'm a little curious about the "never called them back" line, if that's meant literally. I would have thought an explanation of why he was abruptly quitting was in order.

"Ummm.... we do?" On mic? THAT's funny.

 

[hrodbert696]

I kind of view the singer as another instrument and don't pay close attention to the lyrics. Hard core Christians usually try to convert everyone which is why I was surprised a whole month went by without the subject coming up. However, the only absolute is that there are no absolutes.

Well, not to turn this into a religious discussion per se, but suffice for TB purposes to say that like all religions, Christianity - even "hard core" Christianity - is a big diverse tent with lots of different beliefs and personalities under it. Not everyone with serious faith is obnoxious about it.

 

[paganjack]

I do love it when the Onion comes true. It's weirdly prophetic.

 

[Bassamatic]

Great story - thanks for sharing. Agree that they should have been more upfront - perhaps they thought they had make it clear?

Anyway - sometimes life gives you lemons, and sometimes Onions.

 

[maxiegrant]

If you liked the music enough to play with them for a month, why would you let the fact that they were Christians change your mind?

It's the lying that gets me. I was once misled to a "rock" concert which was actually a "save some addled kid" concert. I was at a mall with a friend minding my own business talking about music, when someone leaned over the partition between our seats at the food court, and invited me to a "concert." Gave an address but curiously not that Denver's own Grace Chapel was at that address (on Colfax for you Denverites). I arrived at the show and was pretty soon surrounded by a bunch of a$$-holes who berated me for being worldly, and would not let me leave until a the friends I was with literally dragged me out of there.

It was the deception plus the bullying that really turned me off, in a very very permanent way.

I'd be ticked if someone hired me for a gig without providing me this very crucial information. A "Christian" band is not really there to play rock, it's there to wrap a preachy and out-of-date message in a current and relevant-sounding package. A band with no religious agenda is going to get a very different variety of gigs than one with a specific agenda such as the one the OP's singer revealed during his show.

It's this fundamental dishonesty that turns me off. Unlike the OP, I would have packed my sh`t right then and left them hanging. Of course, I have some pretty deep scars left from my last encounter with those folks. It was almost 30 years ago but I have not even come close to forgetting.

 

[pgolliher]

This would be a way better Onion story to come true...

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[ksandvik]

Didn't the lyrics in the first place clearly show what kind of band this was? Anyway, I've played as a temp hire in many Christian bands even as an non-Christian, usually the musicians are pretty good and good songs and you could learn to separate your own beliefs from the music content. But I would of course never play in bands that promote violence and otherwise suffering, that's for sure.

 

[TimBosby]

Hahahahaha I love the Onion so much - and it's native to my home state of Wisconsin so I grew up with it. We finally got it here in uptight Omaha and I remember both of the "area bassist" articles discussed in this thread.

I almost had the "lol whups they're a Christian band" thing happen to me once. There's a pretty groovy funk/rock/pop band in town that was looking for a bassist. I was going to audition until I took a closer listen to the lyrics of the songs I was trying to learn. Although what killed it mostly was the fact that I didn't have a shred of the talent necessary to play those kind of bass parts.

Actually now that I think of it that happened TWICE here. There's a great rock band that asked me to join, but some of the lyrics... man. I don't mind Christian or religious-inspired lyrics, but please, make it less obvious. That really goes for ANY lyrics. Clever wordplay and tongue-in-cheek metaphor goes a long way...

I'm not a Christian, and I don't care if others are, bandmates or anyone, but just don't expect things from me. I had an old bandmate in Wisconsin who was very Christian but made a very particular point not to rub it in people's faces. Great guy, great guitar player.

 

[electracoyote]

I agree with maxgrant, the "bait and switch" is always a bit of a buzzkill, especially when you feel deceived or the band was withholding information because they suspected you'd object or walk away.

This goes for everything, beyond issues of morality or religion. I once joined a band that later revealed that I in fact wouldn't get paid, would be expected to travel long distances at the drop of a hat, probably wouldn't be the guy in the studio, and if I didn't like it, they had a long line of other bass players ready willing and able.

I've since learned to ask a LOT of questions and take a HARD LOOK at every detail, including the lyrical content of the songs and the general vibe the band portrays through those lyrics.

If you're not familiar with contemporary Christian pop/rock, there are a lot of bands in the genre that carefully and cleverly veil the evangelical angle of their lyrics in an attempt to clandestinely spread their message without blatant or offensive Bible thumping, expand their circle of influence, cross over to mainstream audiences, etc. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's actually pretty smart, but you have to listen critically and ask questions.

 

[Timmah]

Just to point out, too, that there are a lot of Christian bands out there these days (and I mean over the last 20 years) that are NOT all that preacherly, it's not like back in the 80s. There are a lot of "crossover" bands where the Christian message is subdued or coded. You could get through an album by Switchfoot, Sixpence None the Richer, or Cold War Kids and come away without any particular sense of them being religious. U2, for that matter. Of course, you also don't hear those bands doing altar calls like the OP's did, so maybe he really was just plain oblivious.

I have no problem with the OP quitting a band when he didn't agree with the message. I'm a little curious about the "never called them back" line, if that's meant literally. I would have thought an explanation of why he was abruptly quitting was in order.

"Ummm.... we do?" On mic? THAT's funny.

+1. As a christian, even I can see where people might get a little (lot) preachy. However, switchfoot is still good. Their bassist is very talented.