CPR (Christian Progressive Rock)

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Forum Description: Original interviews with Prog artists (which are exclusive to Prog Archives)
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78339
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Topic: CPR (Christian Progressive Rock)

Posted By: toroddfuglesteg
Subject: CPR (Christian Progressive Rock)
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 12:48

CPR is a http://www.cprogrock.com" rel="nofollow - and resource group promoting progressive rock with a Christian message. CPR has also released four compilation albums with Christian progressive rock. Many of the bands listed in ProgArchives is also members or listed in CPR. In short, I wanted to find out more about them.

I got in touch with them and Randy George from CPR (and http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1690" rel="nofollow - ) answered my questions.

#################################################################################

I have to admit that you have taken an angle to music I did not see at all although I have interviewed many Christian prog bands. Randy George's Ajalon being one of them. But an organised scene and a website was a surprise. I know the story of CPR can be found on your website, but please still give us a distilled/the full CPR history.

It basically started with the internet group mailto:[email protected]" rel="nofollow - . A group of us started an offshoot list to discuss ways of cross promoting each other to our respective audiences. It was decided that a compilation CD would be the best way to achieve this. So the first CPR was born with 18 artists and 2 discs.

Christian rock, hip hop or rap does not make that much sense to me. But the connection between christianity and prog rock makes perfectly sense to me because most, if not all of progressive rock has it's origins in Christian music and imagery. So why buttering up this piece of bacon with even more fat by setting up CPR ? Was it due to hostility from the rest of the scene so you had to create your own Israel in the form of CPR ?

Well I don't think that Progressive rock has really touched at all on Christian themes. I realize many founding prog bands were Church of England guys... but it's a very different thing. I think we are coming more from the western Christian culture bent. It's also more aimed at countering the CCM indistry rather than anything to do with "the rest of the scene" as you put it.

CPR is based on the idea that there is a divide between the secular and the christian progressive rock scene. What is this divide ?

Mainly the divide is the same between believers and non-believers. It's the same with religions and churches vs the rest of the unchurched society.

You are based in the USA and I guess most of your followers are US based. But how is the Christian prog scene in the rest of the world and how big is it in the USA ?

Well it's been more prevailent in the USA cause again I think we are coming more from the western church mindset while the rest of the world still embraces the classic prog relation as you mentioned earlier.

I cannot fail to see your list of socalled Christian Progressive Rock bands. A list which I think is just the top of the iceberg. What is your criteria to include bands on that list and how do you support them, if you support them at all ?

Well we try and help those that struggle with their production skills by either helping to get a better mix and/or performance. I think CPR also affords some a way to release some music when they don't have a full CD or are unable to fund a full CD recording.

You are releasing some self titled compilation albums. So far, four of them has been released. Please tell us more about these compilation albums.

Well after the overwhelming success of the first one more bands were interested and more fans were interested. By the time we got to Volume 4 it has really found it's own legs so we really didn't do much to make it happen. It sort of fell into our laps. We usuall y have about 3 years between volumes. More bands continue to want to be part of it. As long as the bands are there we'll do it. The way it works is each band pays a flat rate to be on it then the total run of CD's is divided evenly amongst the bands and they do their own promotion of it. It's really a promotional tool rather then a frontline release. But since it's a limited run we wanted to make it a keepsake as well so that's why we go for the deluxe packaging.

What is your plans for this year and the future ?

Well like I said if more bands continue to want to be on it and produce the music... we'll keep putting it out! But it will be some time before another is released. It has also been talked about to do a Christmas version as well but that hasn't garnered enough interest to see it through. We'll see I guess.

Thank you to Randy for this interview

Their albums and website is http://www.cprogrock.com" rel="nofollow -

Replies:

Posted By: Jake Kobrin
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 19:08

Oh god...

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Jacob Kobrin Illustration

Posted By: Jake Kobrin
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 19:12

Why do Christians always have to hi-jack genres and make them Christian-specific? Why can't they just like the music, and then if they want they can write their own with maybe Christian inspired lyrics, but without "devoting the music in the name of Jesus" or whatever?

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Jacob Kobrin Illustration

Posted By: colorofmoney91
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 19:19

I initially read Chinese Progressive Rock, and thought "word".

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http://hanashukketsu.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - Hanashukketsu

Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 19:32

Jake Kobrin wrote:

Why do Christians always have to hi-jack genres and make them Christian-specific? Why can't they just like the music, and then if they want they can write their own with maybe Christian inspired lyrics, but without "devoting the music in the name of Jesus" or whatever?

It's music, not an airplane. Relax.

After all, lyrics have to say something, don't they? Are you pissed also about the numerous heavy metal bands that have "hijacked" Christian themes and imagery for the sake of being provocative or downright insulting? Stern Smile

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https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays

Posted By: Earendil
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 20:48

I agree. Christian lyrics should come as naturally as any other lyrics and shouldn't be commercialized into a separate industry. That being said, I do appreciate artists labeled "Christian", like Neal Morse, but many feel shallow to me. Especially mainstream Christian music seems forced and repetitive, selling themselves out for the people that buy it based on its Christian label.

I actually find that some of the best Christian lyrics come from outside the Christian music circles, like Seven Swans by Sufjan Stevens for example. But still, as long as the music is honest, I don't mind there being an official Christian label on it.

I'll definitely check out the CPR site.

Posted By: MoodyRush
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 22:03

Well, part of the Christian philosophy is to live everyday life for God. Even ordinary activities. So even Christians writing secular music could be doing it in God's name. Either way, I am gonna check out that website!

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Follow me down to the valley below.
Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul.
-Lazarus

Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 15 2011 at 23:04

Kerry Livgren and Kansas were very much a Christian-oriented prog band. The lyrics were thoughtful and very spiritual. My thought is that most people listening to songs like "Dust in the Wind" or "The Wall" were completely unaware of the Christian themes therein. But they sang along anyway.

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...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...

Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 02:43

Here's a link to a related thread started recently: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78089" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78089

Posted By: Sing To God
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 05:34

I thought this was going to be a thread about the band CPR (Crosby, Pevar, Raymond).

Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 07:10

Stayin' alive Stayin' alive....

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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 11:14

I generally feel uncomfortable listening to bands who are using music as a device to promote certain ideas instead of critically examining them.

Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 11:17

Vompatti wrote:

I generally feel uncomfortable listening to bands who are using music as a device to promote certain ideas instead of critically examining them.

I thought you like Rush, though.

Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 11:28

harmonium.ro wrote:

Vompatti wrote:

I generally feel uncomfortable listening to bands who are using music as a device to promote certain ideas instead of critically examining them.

I thought you like Rush, though.

Most of their lyrics aren't conclusive enough to irritate me.

Posted By: Anthony H.
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 15:05

I like music because of its quality, not because of the ideas the musicians present. Although, a band called "Young Earth" is tough to accept...

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Posted By: ozzy_tom
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 20:36

I'm a Christian so I rather enjoy lyrics connected with this religion (Salamander, Glass Hammer, Akacia, Neal Morse etc.). However some of them (especially Neal Morse) like to attack Catholicism ("Sola Scriptura") what is really dumb and some Catolics seem to be quite angry on him and stopped listening to his music becasue of this.

Anyway nice interview toroddfuglesteg!

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Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 16 2011 at 21:21

Vompatti wrote:

I generally feel uncomfortable listening to bands who are using music as a device to promote certain ideas instead of critically examining them.

I am not a Christian, and haven't been since I left Catholic school in my teens. What I find amusing is that many rock fans will readily accept satanic imagery in videos and on albums, but get their panties in a bunch when someone sings about god (or gods if you're Hindu). Don't get me wrong, I love Black Sabbath and such, but I've never denigrated someone for stating their beliefs in a song, even if it's something I disagree with. If the music is excellent and the message is genuine, then it is a worthwhile listen. Again, I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities. There is very little critical examination in music in general, and for the most part thoughtful lyrics are few and far between.

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...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 00:31

The Dark Elf wrote:

I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities.

Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 03:49

The Dark Elf wrote:

Vompatti wrote:

I generally feel uncomfortable listening to bands who are using music as a device to promote certain ideas instead of critically examining them.

I don't mind singing about God as long as its done in a perceptive and emotionally stimulating way. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uny3pYb1fsI" rel="nofollow - A reference .) Most "Christian" rock lyrics I've heard are more or less random combinations of dead clichés that don't tell me anything about the experience of being a Christian. Furthermore, there's a difference between depicting a certain view of the world and presenting it as the "right" one. The latter can only be tolerated if at least some thought is put into succeeding in the former.

Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 07:35

The Dark Elf wrote:

Vompatti wrote:

I generally feel uncomfortable listening to bands who are using music as a device to promote certain ideas instead of critically examining them.

I am not a Christian, and haven't been since I left Catholic school in my teens. What I find amusing is that many rock fans will readily accept satanic imagery in videos and on albums, but get their panties in a bunch when someone sings about god (or gods if you're Hindu). Don't get me wrong, I love Black Sabbath and such, but I've never denigrated someone for stating their beliefs in a song, even if it's something I disagree with. If the music is excellent and the message is genuine, then it is a worthwhile listen. Again, I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities. There is very little critical examination in music in general, and for the most part thoughtful lyrics are few and far between.

Thank you. Clap

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https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays

Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 07:51

The Dark Elf wrote:

Vompatti wrote:

I generally feel uncomfortable listening to bands who are using music as a device to promote certain ideas instead of critically examining them.

Maybe that's because the satanic message usually doesn't really come through all that growling? Tongue

Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 08:14

Even though I'm not a practicing Christian, overtly Satanic lyrics still disturb me. Overtly violent and hate-filled lyrics can bother me as well. I like to have music to turn to where the emotions and world outlook are positive. I totally support Christians' desire to have music that supports them in their beliefs, in whatever style they choose. Some "evil" or "occult" lyrics are also not much different than watching a horror movie or watching a sci-fi / fantasy movie and those don't bother me.

Some overtly praise and glory lyrics don't do alot for me, but there are alot of Christian musicians let their faith filter into their lyrics from time to time and can be a great aspect of their music. (Moon Safari's Blomljud is an album I really like.)

If you don't like Christian Prog, don't listen to it. But there's absolutely no reason to complain about its existence for the people who do enjoy it.

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You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.

Posted By: timothy leary
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 10:44

^good advice

Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 14:23

harmonium.ro wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

Vompatti wrote:

I generally feel uncomfortable listening to bands who are using music as a device to promote certain ideas instead of critically examining them.

Maybe that's because the satanic message usually doesn't really come through all that growling? Tongue

Yes, the message becomes garbled if you start singing like a highly testoteroned version of Linda Blair from the Exorcist. "Your mother sews socks of hair!"

But then, I usually ignore music with vocals that consist of "Row-row-rowr-row-row-rowr-row!"

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...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...

Posted By: Earendil
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 15:21

Barking Weasel wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities.

Then how is it evil if it's not compared to a standard?

Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 16:12

Eärendil wrote:

Barking Weasel wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities.

Then how is it evil if it's not compared to a standard?

Because no such standard exists.

Posted By: MoodyRush
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 16:23

Originally posted by Any Colour You Like

Any Colour You Like wrote:

Eärendil wrote:

Barking Weasel wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities.

Then how is it evil if it's not compared to a standard?

Because no such standard exists.

There is also the notion of societal evil. Of course that is why there is a system of law, because people accept there is some standard that is needed for a working society.

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Follow me down to the valley below.
Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul.
-Lazarus

Posted By: Earendil
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 21:22

Any Colour You Like wrote:

Eärendil wrote:

Barking Weasel wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities.

Then how is it evil if it's not compared to a standard?

Because no such standard exists.

I often think of evil simply as a lack of good, but even if you consider it a separate power, it still requires some sort of standard. Inherently it's a comparison to a standard. You can't say that a thing is worse without comparing it to something else.

Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 21:50

Eärendil wrote:

Any Colour You Like wrote:

Eärendil wrote:

Barking Weasel wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities.

Then how is it evil if it's not compared to a standard?

Because no such standard exists.

And you need a god for that? Considering that humans have created a countless number of gods, they certainly are capable of creating standards without one. If one considers the ten commandments, for instance, one is struck at just how many concern property. The shrewd Hebrew priests who invented the commandments were certainly intent on ensuring:

1) their jobs, first of all, hence all the religious gobbledy-gook meant to maintain their positions and their status as purveyors of the "true religion" (thou shalt have no other gods before me -- and don't make idols, they are costly and the money is better spent put in our coffers).

2) you didn't kill them

3) you didn't screw their wives

4) you didn't even dare check out their wives' asses over at the well

5) you didn't steal their stuff

6) you didn't even dare thinking about stealing their stuff

7) they were the only ones who could think up various religious lies -- you were not allowed to bear false witness, however.

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...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...

Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 22:58

The Dark Elf wrote:

Eärendil wrote:

Any Colour You Like wrote:

Eärendil wrote:

Barking Weasel wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities.

Then how is it evil if it's not compared to a standard?

Because no such standard exists.

2) you didn't kill them

3) you didn't screw their wives

4) you didn't even dare check out their wives' asses over at the well

5) you didn't steal their stuff

6) you didn't even dare thinking about stealing their stuff

7) they were the only ones who could think up various religious lies -- you were not allowed to bear false witness, however.

Because Hebrew priests wandering in the wilderness were http://niv.scripturetext.com/deuteronomy/18.htm" rel="nofollow - so rich and had land they owned !

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/courts_judges.html" rel="nofollow - Or that they enforced the law themselves!

http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/20020205.htm" rel="nofollow - Or that they formed a majority among their own people!

Gah- such cynical ignorance... Dead

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https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays

Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: May 17 2011 at 23:47

Epignosis wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

Eärendil wrote:

Any Colour You Like wrote:

Eärendil wrote:

Barking Weasel wrote:

The Dark Elf wrote:

I don't believe in god, but I don't believe in satan either. Man is evil enough and needs no external source to commit atrocities.

Then how is it evil if it's not compared to a standard?

Because no such standard exists.

2) you didn't kill them

3) you didn't screw their wives

4) you didn't even dare check out their wives' asses over at the well

5) you didn't steal their stuff

6) you didn't even dare thinking about stealing their stuff

7) they were the only ones who could think up various religious lies -- you were not allowed to bear false witness, however.

Hmmm...ignorance? I think it's a matter of perspective, thank you. Personally, I consider kindly old bearded gents talking out of burning bushes to be an ignorant fairy tale meant to edify and frighten superstitious shepherds, but to each his own. And as far as Hebrew priests, if you follow history (or even read the bible), you'll find them zealously protecting their prerogatives throughout the history of Israel, even to the point of pledging allegiance to foreign powers and being elected via the dictates of Rome and their puppets, like Herod. It's a good thing maintaining one's dignity wasn't the 11th commandment.

Of course, this is not a knock against the Hebrews, the Egyptian priests were much the same; in fact they took very unkindly to Akhenaten (the pharaoh previously known as Amenhotep IV) trying to practice his brand of monotheism. Eventually, all his temples were destroyed and his named erased from public buildings. The moral: don't screw with religion.

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...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...

Posted By: JesusisLord
Date Posted: May 18 2011 at 02:15

Think not that i have come to send peace on earth, I came not to send peace but a sword......

Jesus Christ...Matthew 10:34

The sheer mention of God or his Son, Jesus Christ, immediately brings division, especially here to our beloved ProgArchives.....Thats the way it has always been and always be....God divided the light from the darkness all the way back at the beginning and in the fullness of times he will divide the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the tares, the saved from the lost....You are bothered by the mention of his name because you are not one of His. It doesn't bother you when they sing of pixies, fairies and all assortment of other gods, but mention His name and your immediately on the defense. Why? Be honest, It's not the "preachy Christians" that bother you but rather, it's the fact that you just don't like or want the GOD of the Bible.....

Jesus said unto them, If GOD were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from GOD... John 8:42

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And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:11

Posted By: progkidjoel
Date Posted: May 18 2011 at 05:50

JesusisLord wrote:

Think not that i have come to send peace on earth, I came not to send peace but a sword......

Jesus Christ...Matthew 10:34

Jesus said unto them, If GOD were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from GOD... John 8:42

You're very judgemental and condemning for a Christian. Please refrain from telling people what they do and don't like about your religion, you're not helping the case of preachy Christians by telling me that I don't like God...

I would like to quote Second Kings: 2:23-24

And he, Elisha, went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up that way, there came forth little children of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; Go up, thou bald head.

And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood and tare forty and two children of them.

Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: May 18 2011 at 06:57

Discussion continued http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=56485&PN=46" rel="nofollow - here .

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https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays

Posted By: jude111
Date Posted: May 19 2011 at 03:24

The fact is, many truly gifted musicians have been neglected or dismissed because they were Christian, so it makes sense that Christian record labels were started to support these musicians and bands and get their work out there. For example, most of us have heard of, say, BEGGAR'S BANQUET, LAYLA AND OTHER LOVE SONGS, and HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED; most of us could easily identify the artists as the Rolling Stones, Derek and the Dominoes (re: Eric Clapton), and Dylan. But how many here have heard of Larry Norman's masterpieces like "Only Visiting This Planet" and "In Another Land," from the early 70s - albums which I will match against any other great rocks albums of the period? How many have heard of the Daniel Amos band's prog masterpiece about, of course, the end of the world, "Shotgun Angel"? And this same band managed to continue to make challenging albums, even as they made the transition to a somewhat more new wave/post-punk outfit.

Speaking of post-punk or alternative music, while R.E.M. got all the press (along with, say, Bob Mould and Sugar), who has heard of Adam Again, with their spate of excellent 80s and 90s albums, beginning with the masterful "Ten Songs by Adam Again" and ending with "Perfecta" - any one of which, had they been released by REM or Mould, would be considered important albums.

The thing is, the ones I have mentioned are those whose appeal would seem to be much wider than a strictly church audience. How about those whose music is much more directed towards worship, but who have managed to make amazing and incredible music? Artists like Rich Mullins and Phil Keaggy (whose Paul McCartney voice and Beatlesque melodies would have made him a bonafide star of the highest caliber if he had chosen to be a secular artist). If it weren't for the Christian music industry, these important artists would probably never have had the chance to pursue their craft and calling.

Posted By: progpositivity
Date Posted: July 13 2011 at 21:01

For a list of high quality Christian Progressive Rock bands with active links, check out this page:
http://www.cprogpositivity.com/" rel="nofollow - http://www.cprogpositivity.com/

If you wish to "try before you buy", to hear Christian Progressive Rock online 24 hours a day - 7 days a week,
http://loudcaster.com/channels/674-cprogpositivity" rel="nofollow - http://loudcaster.com/channels/674-cprogpositivity

Medium Heavy

Rob Perez
Pursuit
Revelation Project
Visual Cliff
David Walliman

Medium

Akacia
Dave Beegle
Brighteye Brison
Cruciform Soul
Divine In Sight
Fall of Echoes
Mike Florio
Glass Hammer
Kinetic Element
Kerry LIvgren
Neal Morse
Orphan Project
Proto-Kaw
Salem Hill
Fred Schendel
Syzygy
Ty Tabor
Ten Point Ten

Lite (but interesting and quite often very proggie nonetheless)

Ajalon
Azure
Dave Bainbridge
Everlasting Arms
Farpoint
David Fitzgerald
Iona
Jeremy
Jeff Johnson
Phil Keaggy
Music for Missions
Navigator
Charlie Peacock
Marcangelo Perricelli
Simon Apple
Soulful Terrain
Supernal Endgame
Unitopia
Vertical Alignment

Heavy
Amaseffer
Uli Jon Roth
Thrice (agree or disagree? Let the debate begin!)
Vera Domine

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Positively the best Prog and Fusion 24/7!
http://www.progpositivity.com

Posted By: criticdrummer94
Date Posted: July 13 2011 at 23:26

Just listen to Jesus Knows Me by Genesis

Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: July 14 2011 at 10:34

From a 30,000 foot view....I honestly don't understand the issue with CPR and what it stands for or what the bands that are tagged to this genre are singing about.

I have no interest in listening to anything Cannibal Corpse has recorded...but I will not trash them for it.

So these same people would have issues with Yes's Close To the Edge?

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Posted By: progpositivity
Date Posted: July 14 2011 at 20:37

For anyone sincerely wondering "why" artists would create "CProgRock"....

If you can, try to imagine something or someone becoming so meaningful to you that it motivated and inspired you far above anyone and anything else! As an artist, how could that source of meaning and inspiration NOT manifest itself within your art?

Consider too that many Christians are evangelical - which means they are actively on the lookout for opportunities to "share the good news" that Jesus Christ - who had no sin - died to pay the price for sins - and that He was raised to life to show that He brings victory over sin and death to those who follow Him! Some of the most zealous evangelicals are standing at American football games holding signs that say "John 3:16". It is only natural that some evangelical Christians would wish to take advantage of the opportunity to express uniquely Christian ideas through their music!

Finally, for many Christians, music is most often a vehicle for expressions of praise and worship. Some Christians even feel that in order for the music they create and/or experience to have any real purpose or meaning, it must in some way relate to the source of all their life's purpose and meaning - God!

Prog fans usually love to invent sub-genres, don't we? From Krautrock to RIO... from Experimental and Industrial to Zeuhl and "Italian" - we just can't wait to think up new ways to "slice and dice" our Prog collections. It is only logical that Christians would notice and designate some bands and songs as "CProgRock".

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Positively the best Prog and Fusion 24/7!
http://www.progpositivity.com

Posted By: Swandezvous
Date Posted: September 08 2017 at 11:32

Awesome, I'm definitely going to submit my band, Good God Father. We're pushing our recent performance from the Skamania County Fair Grounds in Stevenson, WA, as the Red Cross were staging victims of the Eagle Creek Fire.

https://youtu.be/InDvIJYKCbk

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 08 2017 at 23:07

Negoba wrote:

If you don't like Christian Prog, don't listen to it. But there's absolutely no reason to complain about its existence for the people who do enjoy it.

Yeah, good post.

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 08 2017 at 23:08

progpositivity wrote:

For anyone sincerely wondering "why" artists would create "CProgRock"....

Right on.

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 08 2017 at 23:14

I gotta check some of this stuff out. I love prog, and I love Contemporary Christian(Amy Grant, Chris Tomlin etc). So chances are good that I'll love this!

Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: September 09 2017 at 04:38

Swandezvous wrote:

Awesome, I'm definitely going to submit my band, Good God Father. We're pushing our recent performance from the Skamania County Fair Grounds in Stevenson, WA, as the Red Cross were staging victims of the Eagle Creek Fire.

https://youtu.be/InDvIJYKCbk

I listened before and checked out your bandcamp, I guess you don't have an album yet. Hyperlinking your video to make it easier for people to listen.

https://youtu.be/InDvIJYKCbk" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/InDvIJYKCbk

By the way, I love quite a lot of Christian freak folk.

And Lalo Schifrin's Rock Requiem is one of my favourite Christian themed albums.

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Just a fanboy passin' through.

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 09 2017 at 16:12

Logan wrote:

That youtube song was good.. funky with Christian lyrics. Right on. Thanks for posting it.

Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: September 09 2017 at 17:45

I need CPR when listening to CPR

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A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta

Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: September 09 2017 at 18:44

The Danielson !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypvoDPPm20g

Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: September 09 2017 at 23:59

I can see Neal Morse taking the cake for this ideal.
Amusingly enough, there's plenty of 'Christian' Death-Metal in existence. A bit laughable, might I say.........

Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: September 10 2017 at 00:04

Jesus Built My Progrock.

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Soldato of the Pan Head Mafia. We'll make you an offer you can't listen to.
http://bandcamp.com/jpillbox" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp Profile

Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: September 10 2017 at 08:46

YESESIS wrote:

Logan wrote:

That youtube song was good.. funky with Christian lyrics. Right on. Thanks for posting it.

It's one of those albums that takes me back to another time, and that is probably the most "out there" track on the album (love the whole album-). I was once helping to put together a religious-themed playlist, and that plus Thomas Tallis' Lamentations for Jeremiah were two of my picks. There is so much great Christian-themed or inspired music through the ages. Christianity has, of course, been a massive inspiration for music, literature, and art and helped to shape Western culture generally.

By the way, you mentioned Amy Grant, the first CD I bought for my wife was Amy Grant's My Father's Eyes, produced when Amy Grant was still a teenager (beautiful album).

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Just a fanboy passin' through.

Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: September 10 2017 at 10:33

I can actually think of two Christian religious / devotional prog albums that I hold fairly dear, Wapassou's Messe en ré mineur and Jukka Gustavson's Yksin yhdessä...jaloa ylpeyttä yletän...ylevää nöyryyttä nousen. Both a pretty far cry from Neal Morse, though.

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Soldato of the Pan Head Mafia. We'll make you an offer you can't listen to.
http://bandcamp.com/jpillbox" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp Profile

Posted By: mechanicalflattery
Date Posted: September 10 2017 at 11:45

There's plenty of excellent religious music out there, so I certainly have no objection to progressive rock or any genre being spiritual in tone or subject matter, but it seems silly to suggest a new genre or subgenre based purely on lyrical content. I know a lot of people consider the variety and breadth of subgenres pedantic, but there are legitimate musical distinctions between each classification on this website, some of which are even still too broad (RIO/Avant, Progressive Electronic).

Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: September 10 2017 at 18:09

Edu Lobo - Kyrie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x25rfzbN5pI

Résultat de recherche dimages pour "edu lobo album"

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 10 2017 at 20:22

Logan wrote:

By the way, you mentioned Amy Grant, the first CD I bought for my wife was Amy Grant's My Father's Eyes, produced when Amy Grant was still a teenager (beautiful album).

It is a beautiful and great album, no question. I love her first album also.

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 10 2017 at 20:33

hellogoodbye wrote:

The Danielson !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypvoDPPm20g

Oh man, that's really good too. Thanks for posting.

Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: September 11 2017 at 01:27

This one is great

Résultat de recherche dimages pour "danielson block"

Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 11 2017 at 03:19

The finest CPR ever produced. The Trees Community - The Christ Tree. Noticed its in the archives. Good work by whomever fixed that. As beautiful as music gets:

I kind of collect 70's xtianpsych-folk - especially of the innocent-sounding but often apocalyptic and judgement day-oriented kind. Here's the masterful opening of season three of Leftovers (so much better than the resurrected Twin Peaks). The Good News Circle - I Wish We'd All Been Ready

Loveliest doom-laden tune ever. Gotta love that deep bassline:

-It is very unfortunate that everyone will associate the genre with cardiopulmonary resuscitation. How about you progressive christians change the C to an X as well? Voila! - you change from literally begging to be ridiculed to become awesome in an instant.

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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 11 2017 at 18:50

Saperlipopette! wrote:

The finest CPR ever produced. The Trees Community - The Christ Tree. Noticed its in the archives. Good work by whomever fixed that. As beautiful as music gets:

Loveliest doom-laden tune ever. Gotta love that deep bassline:

Thanks for posting these. The second one I know from DC Talk. And for the record I spell Christmas just like that. No X.

Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: September 13 2017 at 16:13

YESESIS,

Up in the Appreciation forum we've got a Twelfth Night thread.

TN were led on two studio albums and one live album by the sorely missed Geoff Mann, one of the best vocalists and lyricists with which the world at large is unfamiliar.

After TN, Geoff fronted a couple namesake bands (A Geoff Mann Band, Eh! Geoff Mann Band) and one called The Bond, and also performed solo. These were all Christian prog/rock bands (The Bond was more straightforward).

Here's a great song from Loud Symbols. an album by A Geoff Mann Band.

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https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 13 2017 at 18:39

verslibre wrote:

YESESIS,

Up in the Appreciation forum we've got a Twelfth Night thread.

TN were led on two studio albums and one live album by the sorely missed Geoff Mann, one of the best vocalists and lyricists with which the world at large is unfamiliar.

Here's a great song from Loud Symbols. an album by A Geoff Mann Band.

Once again, you know what I like. Thanks for posting that!

Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 14 2017 at 00:28

YESESIS wrote:

Thanks for posting these. The second one I know from DC Talk. And for the record I spell Christmas just like that. No X.

I googled DC Talk and just by looking at them I know that I never want to find out what they did to that poor song. Yes I guess i occasionally judge a book by its cover.

Anyway I spell Christmas with a J and certainly not with an X but was simply trying to be a good samaritan and help some CPR-brothers out with a new/better name for their genre (although no one asked).

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Posted By: Thatfabulousalien
Date Posted: September 14 2017 at 02:29

JPR is better, but BPR is too.

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Classical music isn't dead, it's more alive than it's ever been. It's just not on MTV.

https://www.soundcloud.com/user-322914325

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 14 2017 at 20:58

Saperlipopette! wrote:

YESESIS wrote:

Thanks for posting these. The second one I know from DC Talk. And for the record I spell Christmas just like that. No X.

I googled DC Talk and just by looking at them I know that I never want to find out what they did to that poor song. Yes I guess i occasionally judge a book by its cover.

Ok, right on.

DC Talk is actually very good if you ever get a chance to listen to them.

Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 15 2017 at 00:03

^ok - it was a stupid comment

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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: September 15 2017 at 20:32

Oh I've made a few of those lol.

Posted By: micky
Date Posted: September 16 2017 at 08:47

TORMAN MAXT!!!!! the kings of CPR hahah..

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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip

Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: September 16 2017 at 10:23

Kerry Livgren first solo album Seeds of Change was CPR before there was CPR.

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https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay

Posted By: noni
Date Posted: September 16 2017 at 17:39

verslibre wrote:

YESESIS,

Up in the Appreciation forum we've got a Twelfth Night thread.

TN were led on two studio albums and one live album by the sorely missed Geoff Mann, one of the best vocalists and lyricists with which the world at large is unfamiliar.

Here's a great song from Loud Symbols. an album by A Geoff Mann Band.

I have this album and Second Chant too!... Smile

It's a shame Geoff Mann died. Cry

Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: September 27 2017 at 14:38

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"It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno

Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: September 27 2017 at 20:18

Barraba

Posted By: brainstormer
Date Posted: December 09 2017 at 22:31

Check out the Xian keyword with psych on eBay and YouTube.

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--
Robert Pearson
Regenerative Music http://www.regenerativemusic.net
Telical Books http://www.telicalbooks.com
ParaMind Brainstorming Software http://www.paramind.net

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: December 10 2017 at 20:16

^ I'll have to check those out. Thanks a lot.

Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: December 10 2017 at 21:41

The Dark Elf wrote:

Kerry Livgren and Kansas were very much a Christian-oriented prog band. The lyrics were thoughtful and very spiritual. My thought is that most people listening to songs like "Dust in the Wind" or "The Wall" were completely unaware of the Christian themes therein. But they sang along anyway.

Not correct, Dust in the Wind and The Wall have nothing to do with Christianity

Let's go to the facts:

1.- Kerry became a Christian in July 1979

CS [Cornerstone Magazine]: To begin, could you tell us exactly how you became a Christian?

KL: I've always been a very religious person, although at this point I didn't know which one to believe in and I dabbled in about every Eastern religion you could think of. I sort of moved from one thing to another, from Hinduism, Baba Ram Dass, Zen; finally I ended up in a... belief centered on the Urantia Book. At that point I thought I had really found the answer.
...

But I did do that a few days later, in a hotel room - in Indianapolis, Indiana, about 3 o'clock in the morning. And the moment I did that, the Spirit swept me like a flood and I cried like a baby. I knew I'd really found the Lord.

CS: How long ago was that?

KL: That was July 29, 1979.

http://www.adherents.com/people/pl/Kerry_Livgren.html

2.- Dust in the Wind is from 1977 and The Wall is from 1976.

3.- In 1980 or 1981, he was invited to the 700 Club, and they attacked him for the lyrics of Dust in the Wind, he said that in 1977 he was some sort of Budhist and he believed we were dust in the wind and an that when he died, everything would be over.

As a fact, Steve Walsh made fun of him

K2K: ... and had come upon the realization that "Dust In The Wind, lyrically, was bulls*** because it was anti-Christian, and the fact expressed was that we really are nothing and there is no God and we're just dust in the wind.
SW: Oh man, he was on the 700 Club and they grilled him. It was embarrassing. Oh, it was Pat Robertson sitting right across from Kerry and he said that exact thing. "If you're a Born-Again Christian, how could you write this?" I was sitting there watching it thinking, "S***, I sure am glad that I'm not sitting there."

K2K: But he wrote that before he became Born Again, didn't he?

SW: Yes.

4.- Later he became a follower of the Book of Urantia and just after that a Christian.

5.- Kansas only recorded his first Christian song in Audio Visions in 1980 ad it was "Hold on".

6.- This was enough for Steve Walsh who left the band saying he didn't agree.

K2K: So is that part of the reason why he quit the band?
SW: The reason was that the lyrics were just getting... Kerry, at that point when he was writing "Dust In The Wind" and "The Wall" and "Carry On My Wayward Son" and all, he was on a journey, man. I was along because he wrote some great stuff. But, once he found himself, I just couldn't empathize with the salvation that he was trying to get me to put across to masses and masses of people. It just didn't fly.

http://www.kaos2000.net/interviews/stevewalsh/

7.- At this point, Kerry hired John Elefante (Another Born Again) and with Dave Hope (Who is part of the clergy now), they took control of the band and released the terrible Chrsistian Rock album "Vinyl Confessions", and that was enough for Robby who left the band.

8.- They released "Drastic Meassures" and it was a failure, Livegren and Hope formed AD and left the the band, leaving Phil Ehart and Rich Williams with contracts signed and a lot of debts (Very non-Christian), luckily Steve accepted to return when he knew that the fanatics had left and he brought his friend Billy Greer with him.

So, Kansas only was a Christian band during 1982 and 1983, when nobody cared for them.

All of their great themes were done when none of them even thought in becoming part of a Christian band.

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Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: December 10 2017 at 21:51

Now to the point.

I'm a Catholic and forv that reason a Christian, but I don't agree with Christian Rock, in the same way I wouldn't like a Prog song made to suppotrt a candidate

I love spiritual lyrics, but in the moment they tell somebody "You have to believe in this", it changes from a rock song to a jingle.

I love the music of Silvio Rodriguez, but I don't listen it, because it's created to support the Castro regimen in Cuba, he lives like a king while people starve.

Rock has to be free, not an instrument of propaganda.

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Posted By: M27Barney
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 05:16

I was christened in 1965 - but obviously that wasn't my choice as I was four months old! - My cultural up-bringing had strong christian influences - My mother became born-again at the age of her retirement and her best friend is a female cleric......But.....I am with Ivan all the way - preachy lyrics are awful, but perhaps I should merely find them amusing - like some of the awful satanist lyrics of thrash metal I used to listen to as a teenager - I grew out of it and just find those lyrics comical. Some people say early Rush lyrics are crypto-facist - I don't subscribe to that opinion at all.

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Play me my song.....Here it comes again.......

Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 05:27

I don't think there is something like "Christian Progressive Rock": a musical genre is defined by the music, not by the lyrical content. Moreover, the major part of the parallel subculture of so-called "Christian music" overlooks progressive rock - deliberately. They do not - or hardly - regard Neal Morse (preachy) or Iona (not preachy) as some of their own.

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Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 11:17

If CPR has anything to do with the Trinity Broadcasting Network, hell no!

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"It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno

Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 11:37

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

Rock has to be free, not an instrument of propaganda.

Rock isn't truly free if there are guidelines to lyric-writing one must adhere to. ;)

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https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay

Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 11:41

Rednight wrote:

If CPR has anything to do with the Trinity Broadcasting Network, hell no!

If I were Kerry, I would have never gone on The 700 Club or any show of that sort. They shouldn't have grilled Kerry over anything he did before he became a Christian. That itself is very in-Christian. And it's in line with televangelism, which I despise.

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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 11:42

verslibre wrote:

Rednight wrote:

If CPR has anything to do with the Trinity Broadcasting Network, hell no!

If I were Kerry, I would have never gone on The 700 Club or any show of that sort. They shouldn't have grilled Kerry over anything he did before he became a Christian. That itself is very un-Christian. And it's in line with televangelism, which I despise.

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https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay

Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 12:13

verslibre wrote:

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

Rock has to be free, not an instrument of propaganda.

Rock isn't truly free if there are guidelines to lyric-writing one must adhere to. ;)

There should not be guidelines, but turning rock to propaganda, kills it.

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Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 12:16

verslibre wrote:

Rednight wrote:

If CPR has anything to do with the Trinity Broadcasting Network, hell no!

I'm 100% sure that Pat Robertson didn't had a clue about who Kerry was 10 minutes before the program.

He probably only knew Kansas for Dust in the Wind.

At the end...What can you expect from a guy who says Rock is used to summon demons:

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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 13:56

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

verslibre wrote:

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

Rock has to be free, not an instrument of propaganda.

Rock isn't truly free if there are guidelines to lyric-writing one must adhere to. ;)

There should not be guidelines, but turning rock to propaganda, kills it.

If you go by the hard definition of propaganda, that rules out a lot of bands, whether they're singing about God, the devil, the IRA, sleeping with lots of women or how thuggin' it on the streets is the best way to live.

My advice is listen to instrumental music! Much to like there. (:

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https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay

Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: December 11 2017 at 14:05

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

I'm 100% sure that Pat Robertson didn't had a clue about who Kerry was 10 minutes before the program.

Kerry should've brought the Elf LP with him to show Pat who Ronnie Dio is. LOL

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https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay

Posted By: brainstormer
Date Posted: January 12 2018 at 05:13

Check out this YT playlist by searching on Private Label Christian Xian Psychedelia and Folk.

Xian Psych genre has a lot of Christian Prog.

It's hard to embed playlists, try:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT9Jfa5Vw48&list=PLSy5RdStL1uixC5HP1dWTjtYai697UY16

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--
Robert Pearson
Regenerative Music http://www.regenerativemusic.net
Telical Books http://www.telicalbooks.com
ParaMind Brainstorming Software http://www.paramind.net

Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: January 12 2018 at 17:31

brainstormer wrote:

Check out this YT playlist by searching on Private Label Christian Xian Psychedelia and Folk.

Xian Psych genre has a lot of Christian Prog.

It's hard to embed playlists, try:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT9Jfa5Vw48&list=PLSy5RdStL1uixC5HP1dWTjtYai697UY16

I was just listening to some of this, it's really nice. Thanks for posting.