The Drive To Five: #PlatVnyl4

We conclude our look back at the history of the Platinum Vinyl Awards, our Drive To Five as we call it, with our recap of #PlatVnyl4, more commonly known as last years awards. Since it was the last award, you can catch the nominees and the winners at the appropriate link. At least for now. The nominees page will be updated when the new nominees are announced. For #PlatVnyl4 awards were given in 52 categories, the biggest award year yet, 5 categories greater than #PlatVnyl3. There were 8 video awards, one more than #PlatVnyl3, 15 album awards, 13 song awards, and 16 General Field Awards.

We finally hit the big time with nominees. With the exception of Children's Music Album of The Year, all genre's were able to hit their goal of 7 nominees, and some exceeded it, becoming "genre busters".  The simple result of this abundance of good talent is it pushed the limits of this one man band, and an award ceremony slated for April or May got pushed to August and beyond. Ouch. That should not happen this year.

Another change for #PlatVnyl4 was a more professional look. Awards were handed out by media. First the video awards, then the album awards, and finally the song awards, with the general field finishing it off, with a few of them sprinkled throughout as breaks. That way each winner got a bit of a breather before they had to make their way on stage, get the award from the attractive presenter, and make a boring speech. (We can dream, can't we?)

One part of the awards ceremony improved it by its absence. There was no Fallen Award this year, as there was no major scandal to warrant one. It seems to only strike in odd years, so it should happen this year. (In fairness, the award in #PlatVnyl3 was honorary).

Finally, #PlatVnyl4 was the first Award to fully take advantage of social media. It had been part of the awards since #PlatVnyl2, but it shone here, as nominees and winners were announced four ways. On the Blog, On Twitter, Facebook, and Google+

That gets us off the ground here with #PlatVnyl4. We will get into the meat of the awards next time. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Drive to Five: Rise of The Fallen

Welcome Back to our continuing coverage of the first four Platinum Vinyl Awards as we make our way to #PlatVnyl5, which is sure to be a milestone at +The WENC Night Beat . From the start way back in 2010 we always had a broader view than most as to what constituted Christian Music. Back in the early days of Christian Rock we clung to anyone who remotely sounded spiritual, so among the selections played at WENC was some guys from Ireland called U2 and another band by the name of Mister Mister.

As the industry got bigger, it got a little too big for its britches. It soon started deciding, Walter Martin Like, on the spiritual bona-fides of artists. If an artist got a bit too critical of the industry and saying things like "I'm a Musician Who is a Christian, not a Christian Musician", well, we just couldn't have impudence like that in the industry, so they were Kicked Out Of the Kingdom. The first one I remember was Leslie Phillips, who left the Black and White In a Gray World CCM industry and recorded as Sam Phillips.

Our first K.O.O.K. of the Platinum Vinyl Awards was The Knappster herself, Jennifer Knapp. She came out and was kicked out, but she won a Fallen Award and Folk Rock Album of The Year. Nominations were also given out to crossover artists Evolett, though that wasn't enough to keep them around. And we also had the Clean Secular Rock/Cello artists Apocalyptica make an appearance.

That concludes our look back at our inaugural Platinum Vinyl Awards. When we return we will go on to #PlatVnyl2. Until then, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

A Righteous Babe Set Free

The Platinum Vinyl Awards is celebrating it's fifth birthday, and as we move into that season and collect entries for #PlatVnyl6 we have come full circle, and with a somewhat bittersweet remembrance.

Christendom in general and the Christian Music Industry in specific has had a really tough time violating Romans 14:4. For the Biblically Uninformed that verse reads "Who are you that judge another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand". Whole ministries have been founded on the basis that they alone would decide who was a Christian and who was not (the late Walter Martin and his ilk). As such I have always had a very prized place in my music heart for the K.O.O.K.s (that's Kicked Out Of the Kingdom). It goes at least to Leslie Phillips, at least in m recent memory. However Evanescence was the one who got the last laugh on the industry, and so in the inaugural Platinum Vinyl Award I created the Fallen Award, which honored the K.O.O.K.s in Christian Music.

The first award went to a Folk Rock Legend, the original Knappster. +Jennifer Knapp pretty much created modern Folk Rock, and the babe from Kansas grabbed a entire generation of Rockers who thought that RSJ could be a tad too tame. She burned bright for a while and then, burned out by the industry, she retired at the top of her act. She returned in 2010 after a 9 year hiatus with Letting Go (2010). Though the album was initially embraced and promoted by the CCM industry, like Fallen before it, soon information "leaked out" that Knapp announced she had come out of the closet. The only thing the industry didn't do was burn her at the stake. Musically however, there really wasn't that much difference between Letting Go and her "Christian Work". Letting go won (actually Split) the Folk Album award.

The gorgeous Kansan returns now with Set me free [+digital booklet] . Now 40 (my how time flies), this could be her best work yet. It is almost pure Folk, but she does Rock out on Remedy and Why Wait, which show she's still the Top Dog. There is also a song called What Might Have Been, which is probably the most beautiful song on the album. Actually the album most resembles Kansas, her debut. She is coming back home, and let me welcome her with 5 Emeralds. This Righteous Babe (her label, love it) has set the Folk Bar for #PlatVnyl6. 

The Knappster is also an author. She has written her story, appropriately titled Facing the Music: My Story . I would label it a must read. Until next time at the Night Beat Candy Store, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Flashback Friday: The Turning of CCM

If you were here from the start of this blog, or at least from the first Platinum Vinyl Awards, you found out about the Fallen Award. The Fallen Award was named for the debut album by Evanescence. Soon after the CD was released an interview with the band surfaced in Entertainment Weekly in which they swore. Quell Horror! (Hey, I have to make High School French work for me). Evanescence CD's disappeared from Christian Bookstore shelves faster than you could say witch hunt. Evanescence was the most famous, but it certainly wasn't the last (Jennifer Knapp and possibly P.O.D.). It also wasn't the first.

While I can't be absolutely certain about such things (It can be awfully hard, if not impossible, to track down EVERY friendly fire incident), it is probably true that the first witch hunt of the modern era was Sam Phillips, who in the early 1980's as a rising Christian pop star, recorded under the name of Leslie Phillips.

Leslie Ann Phillips (born January 28, 1962) released five albums in the Christian Market: Beyond Saturday Night (1983), Dancing With Danger (1984), Black and White In A Grey World (1985), The Turning (1987) and Recollection (1987), which was a best of album. We'll start with Heart of Hearts from her debut album.
Leslie Phillips "Crime" was to criticize the Christian Music Industry. While she was marketed as the Christian Cindy Lauper, in a long tradition that there must be a "Christian Alternative" to every secular genre or artist. Phillips didn't want to be squeezed into the mold and left the fold, going from Myrrh Records to Virgin Records. This is a youtube audio of Strength of My Life from Dancing With Danger (duet with Russ Taff of The Imperials) I figure I should close with a "Now" video. Suffice itself to say that Leslie's life as "Sam" has been longer than "Leslie". Since assuming the moniker with The Indescribable Wow (1989). she has recorded eight studio albums and five digital EP's. And there have been a few brave Christians out there. From time to time my local Christian Concert Promoter has advertised a Sam Phillips appearance at a Boston area club. This is Holding On To The Earth from The Indescribable Wow.

So a special Night Beat round of applause to all those trailblazers who proved that Christians could make music that crossed the Sacred/Mainstream Divide. Sorry you had to dodge some arrows while doing it. I guess an honorary Fallen Award to Sam Phillips is in order. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The Second Coming of Amy Lee

"A Sudden Vanishing Away", that is one possible definition of the word EVANESCENCE. A possible synonym is Rapture. And for a moment, the fans of the band by that name may have thought is what happened to the band. Well all except for those in the "official" CCM circles. They kicked Amy out of the Kingdom a long time ago.

A few days ago Christian Music Zine posted a question on their twitter account as to what Album you were looking forward to. Since I heard of it, this was it.

Evanescence came to everyone's attention through the movie Daredevil (2003). Now as a movie, well, it pretty well stunk up the joint, now the soundtrack was pretty good. Evanescence contributed two songs to the movie. Bring Me To Life and My Immortal had me hooked on the new band, and I eagerly awaited the debut album, and put in an pre-order at Christian Book Distributors. In full disclosure, this is the only time I have ever made a pre-order.

Release day arrived and my order didn't. I checked. The album was on back order for weeks and then finally the product was dropped from the website. Wondering what was up, I decided to do some research. As part of their promotion for the album, Amy and band did an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Among the shocking things they said in the interview was that "They weren't a Christian Band". I know, can you believe it. It's not like it was never heard before. I believe DC Talk, Audio Adrenaline, Creed, U2, Skillet, Paramore, Evolett and just about every band not in the modern worship genre has said that they are not a Christian Band at least once. It's all about the restrictiveness and boneheadedness of the CCM Industry at large. I think they also said damn. Once. Such filth could not be tolerated. And the purge from Christian Outlets began. I bought my copy of Fallen from the local Target.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Tar and Feathering. Fallen went platinum, and then double platinum. As is usually the case, Christian Protests usually are a great source of cash for those getting protested. Everybody wants to know what the kerfuffle is about. Fallen is now listed at Septuple-Platinum (7x) in the United States and 17x Platinum in the World. Amy laughed all the way to the bank. Good for her. Their success prompted me to name one of my Platinum Vinyl Awards the Fallen Award.

Fallen was followed up by Anywhere but Home (2004), the bands first live album, and then The Open Door (2006). Neither album was as good, but it is hard to attain those heights on a regular basis. Soon after the Open Door, like their name implies, they vanished. I can hear the industry laughing, "I knew they wouldn't last."

"Hello, Hello, Remember Me. I'm everything you can't control...." So says Amy on What You Want, the opening song on Evanescence, their self titled release. The break has done them good. This is an awesome album. Amy's vocals have never been more haunting or spine chilling. The band has responded to their rush of copycats by upping their game. The use of strings on this album has exploded.



Did I ever tell you I am a sucker for strings. This is no exception. The layers are just gorgeous. As is Amy herself. Some shallow individuals on youtube were commenting that they think she's fat. Well, they're blind. Just watch the video. She's fit as a fiddle. There isn't a bad song on this album, and not a bad word in sight. Note to the mainstream. You can put out awesome music without a parental advisory.

October 1 Started the nominations for the Thrid Platinum Vinyl Awards and we already have our first shoo-in for Best Rock Album. I am giving Evanescence a perfect 5 Emerald Rating. I am not just a fan. This has the potential to go as far as Fallen, though that may be quite a stretch. I have Fallen as #1 on my list of the top CCM Albums of all time, and with songs like What You Want, Lost in Paradise, Sick, Oceans, and Swimming Home, I think this is a fair lock for number two. That's my vote and I'm sticking with it. Agree? Disagree? Comment Below. As always, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

We are here, We are here

During the latter half of the 1990's Christian Music was about to come full circle. Though most of the "pop" music of the Jesus Music era would be classified as Folk (or even Folk Rock) by today's standards, beginning with the 80's, CCM focused on the emerging Rock genre, purging Folk from its repertoire. The biggest "folk star" of the early CCM era was Amy Grant. In the beginning it was One Girl and her guitar playing "My Father's Eyes". As the industry changed, Amy became the first bonafide Pop-Rock Star that CCM had. Except for the Messianic Music sub genre (Lamb), folk was dead.

Frail Jars from Kansas Revive Folk

The resurrection began in 1995 with the release of "frail", the debut release by Jars of Clay. (#22 on CCM Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music) "Was it an acoustic based alternative band or a cleverly disguised folk act?" they asked. The answer was folk, but then it alternative, and now, with the release of The Shelter (2010), it's folk again.

1997 saw two radically different sounds take over folk music. First out of the gate was Christian music's original junkyard band, Caedmon's Call and their self-titled release. (I don't think they ever played old bottles or metal garbage cans, but I don't think they wouldn't have tried them). The year ended with the Amy Grant's "girl with a guitar" mantle being passed to a girl from Kansas named Jennifer Knapp. Kansas (1997) (#80 on the CCM list) was full ahead folk-rock. Though she would later be more rock than folk, and she would later be disowned by the CCM industry at large for personal issues, three of her four albums would make my greatest album list: Kansas, The Way I Am (2001) and Letting Go (2010) Which won the First Ever Platinum Vinyl Award Best Folk Rock Album, and also garnered Jennifer the Comeback Artist of the Year Award as well as the Night Beat Fallen Award. I Would encourage you all to visit my Platinum Vinyl Award Homepage for the complete list of winners and the description of the various awards. Though not marketed to the CCM industry as a "Christian Album", there is nothing objectionable in Letting Go. And, as in other Christian matters, count me as one of the "Once saved always saved" crowd, with one caveat. If you intentionally renounce Jesus, you are doomed. Unless you do that, you're still saved. I never read that Jen renounced Jesus, so she's still in the kingdom.

Basic Instructions for Musical Domination

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (that's BIBLE f.y.i) took over the airwaves the following year and the phenomenon known as Burlap to Cashmere took the throne. 1998's Anybody Out There? was a fusion of Greek-Mediterranean-Middle Eastern influences with Folk Rock. Founders Steven Delopoulos and John Philippidis influences are most evident on the opening track entitled Digee Dime, as well as Basic Instructions, Divorce, and the martial-sounding Scenes. Then, almost as quickly as they rose to the top, they vanished.

Fast forward thirteen years. Christian Music is experiencing a period of reunion. (I would say renewal but that sounds a bit too ecumenical). Bands (or artists) who either through an official disbandment or just a long period of inactivity have disappeared from the public consciousness have orchestrated their comebacks. It is no surprise that BTC are among the returnees. Their self titled release, which came out July 19, is like a cool drink of water to a thirsty soul. Though more standard folk rock, with even some Jars like influences, the Greek sound can still be heard in cuts like Build a Wall, Orchestrated Love Song, and Santorini.

After repeated listening, I have to say this is one of the best folk albums of 2011. Where I thought that The Civil Wars would be runaway winners this year, I am not so sure now. I am giving Burlap to Cashmere a just short of perfect 4.75 Emeralds. Welcome Back Burlap to Cashmere, and, until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

The 2010 Platinum Vinyl Awards: General Field Minor Awards

The Dove Awards are over, and suddenly I don't feel so bad about not being able to make a decision a few times. I'm only one person, they have a committee. And they still have two ties? We move on to the General Field with some minor awards.

• Comeback Artist of The Year: Jennifer Knapp
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael W. Smith
• The Night Beat DJ's Choice Award: Apocalyptica - Given to a Clean Secular Release worthy to receive widespread Christian airplay.
• The Night Beat Fallen Award: Jennifer Knapp - Awarded to a Christian artist who, despite, or because of a Controversy in the Christian Music Industry, has had a successful release. Named for the Debut Release by Evanescence, which, despite getting "Kicked out of the Kingdom", has sold over Seven Million Copies in the United States and is 7x Platinum 
• The Night Beat CROSS/over Award: Evolett - Given to a Christian Band with high Crossover potential.
• The Night Beat Keaggy Award: Lincoln Brewster - Given to a supremely talented guitarist 

Next up: Male Vocalist of the Year at 9:45