Contemporary Punk and Rock Bands In Religion Essay

Contemporary Punk and Rock Bands In Religion - Essay Example On the other hand, as science progresses to unparalleled heights, belief in a supreme being soars as well so that in a world of increasing chaos and confusion, the presence of individuals and groups that profess their found peace, calm, and sustenance serve as an oasis, if not an inspiration altogether for those who are in between. In many instances, personal beliefs and interests serve as jumping point for careers such as those who love cuisines putting up their own restaurants, divers serving a diving instructors, and related tasks and forms of occupations. This can be said about musicians, too. It is just a matter of interest and personal inspiration. But to some, it may go deeper, or elsewhere. This essay shall try to establish if faith weighs far more than fame for contemporary punk and rock bands through observation and previous literatures. I myself would have loved to interview bands to find it out but due to time and resources constraints would have to use any available sources. Discussion: Religion and Pop Culture It has been suggested that there was a notable relationship between religion and the construction of the identity of the United States of America as can be glimpsed in literatures (McCloud, 2004; Hendershot, 2004; Chidester, 2005). McCloud (2004) traced news coverage of religious movements from the 1950s banal tone and exoticism to brainwashing and coercion in the 1970s and beyond arguing that these served to reinforce assumptions that traditional Christianity is central in US life. Likewise, it also allowed the perceived "outsiders" of the white, middle class and heterosexual fold to be prejudiced. Hendershot (2004), on the other hand, offered an intriguing rationale traditional adherents engage in the consumption and development of a Christian retail industry, arguing further that "to purchase Christian products is to declare one's respectability in a country in which people are most often addressed by mass culture not as citizens but as consumers," (p 30). She proposed that Christian media have become more ambiguous citing crossover artists Jars of Clay, Sixpence None the Richer, Hansen and Creed in the Christian music industry who attained wider audience using insider language in order to appeal to evangelical supporters. Chidester (2005) suggested that "to recover the religious, creative, and imaginative capacity of America, we need to understand and appreciate the religious work and religious play of authentic fakes in American popular culture," (p vii). Butler's (2003) review on 1970s rock-an-roll band Black Oak Arkansas and their "Lord Have Mercy on My Soul" from the album Black Oak Arkansas had him comment that the "preoccupation with damnation and salvation [] is no aberration in the southern rock movement [] bands [] often expressed a seemingly earnest preoccupation with religious matters. The songs lyrics and personal lives of southern rockers demonstrate a constant struggle between sin and salvation." (p 73). He also noted that the use of evangelical ethos is seemed to be easily camouflaged with the rebellious lyrics. Spiritual Punk Rock But this essay will not look further. The most notable punk rock band Nirvana, or its late frontman Kurt Cobain will be the focus here. Zajicek (2006) quoted lecturer Dennis O'Brien, "I think he was a very religious man. He was very much influenced by Christianity, and if you listen closely enough to Nirvana, you'll find all kinds of religious thematics. You'll find that's true in a lot of rock music," referring to Cobain. In his "Smells Like Teen Spirit" 1991 anthem, Cobain wails, "I'm worse at what I do best With the lights out it's less