There is something that I have been thinking about lately. I have been reading a lot of my most favoritist blog: "stuff christians like". It's funny and interesting to see how our "hip" church culture progresses and expresses itself. I know for me personally there are things I notice - like guitar styles (listen to most any Hillsong/Chris Tomlin/Crowder electric guitar. They have LOTS of songs with delays: Coldplay, U2-like sounds. Sometimes it almost sounds like it is the same guy playing on all of them - hmmm, I wonder...); appearance (see the blog from "stuffchristianslike" on grading how metrosexual your worship leader is: wearing them black horn-rim glasses, shirt tucked out, girl-jeans, gel in hair, "designer" coffee on stage, etc.).
I'll describe my personal challenge this way: back when I was learning guitar, everyone, and I mean everyone, who wanted to be a lead player was playing "Eruption" by Eddie Van Halen. You could go into any large music store, like Guitar Center, and hear numerous kids trying to play it. Well, I never learned it. In fact, I know very few Van Halen songs. Why? I wanted to be different - be my own player. It was because the fact that everyone else was doing it that I would rebel against it and NOT learn that stuff. It is probably why in later years (mid 80's) I took to the early "alternative music movement". Until it eventually became popular, it embraced the idea of being yourself and going against the grain. I absolutely loved it when, in the early 90's, grunge overthrew the hair bands of the 80's. It was overblown, pompous, and comical to the point of being absurd. Grunge said "later with that' and went against the grain. Of course, as in many things like that, it eventually became popular to the point of me looking for something else different. And the cycle went on...
So, as I am now in a different environment (at a church), I start to see trends where "everybody is doing it - everyone is looking that way". Electric guitars go delay crazy; too many black horn rimmed glasses looks (in fact, it is almost to the point where if I see someone like that on the street I begin thinking "I wonder what church they go to?"). I get this irrational thing going on in my head that I don't want to do that anymore (no, I never wore the glasses - although my daughter thinks I should!). It is becoming way overdone - kind of like an overdone filet mignion for you meat lovers out there! So now I am wanting to find some different way of playing, for example. The funny thing about that right now is that I am resorting to what a lot of the kids are doing and playing like I did back in the early 80's! I know it won't last (but I'm enjoying it a lot!).
Now, I am not complaining here. In fact, I am all about what is happening now and not living in the past. I always have been. I just think that sometimes I become a bit restless and want change sooner than what the culture presents. I'm not a trendsetter type and, unfortunately, need to see what else comes up. I need to take a lesson from last Sunday's service: have a little patience! Enjoy the moment.
And now I am going to head over to Starbucks to get my grande soy mocha without the whipped cream and listen to the new Coldplay CD (it is great) while I contemplate the newest delay sound I just got on my effects unit. For real.
Did I just contradict myself?
Rats!
No comments:
Post a Comment