Infinite Muse

Bands create the type of music that they are inspired to make both in sound and in verse.  It is important to note that they 'feel it'; it comes from inside of them. If it is of value to others, that music garners attention and they make more tunes of similar ilk. First albums and sophomoric attempts are largely driven by the strong desire to make fantastic music and tell a story… often their story.

But lo, the attention they receive brings in a world of fame. They become involved with all kinds of people who get their hooks into them, and the world that inspired their songs becomes: a.) less important, and b.) something they have a hard time relating to any more, particularly if they have made it 'big'.

Consequently, subsequent albums begin to sound contrived or highly produced. Perhaps the artist is trying to create the same sound and the same tone of verse but lacks the original muse. 

Maybe the humble love affairs they sung about are forever a thing of the past. They have been replaced by the fast love of the high life and overly-complicated relationships. Perhaps where once the simple life caught their breath and inspired song, now they can only write songs inspired by being jaded, hurt, confused while going through the motions of love affairs that offer no true value. I've observed it many times.

The fans continue on, but they are of a different sort; fans that are blinded by the fame, hooked on a feeling and sold out for what the music once represented. These fans LOVE lights, t-shirts, pumped-up performances and singing the lyrics over and over and over, thinking they were written just for them, while living vicariously through the artist.

The fans of the original message move on.

I invite you to ponder the comparison to the American christian culture. Return to the top and consider the similarities.

I'm not trying to be cute by being critical of Christians. Because I am part of them, I love them and have conversations that reveal a great hunger and desire for the original message. I have a great desire for that message to be alive for myself and for my Brothers and Sisters.

Most criticism of modern religion is criticism of the lights, the music, and the particulars of how a message is delivered. This criticism comes from fans who are in it for the experience of the culture.

What I greatly desire is for more Indie-Christians. They are dotting the landscape already, but are hard to spot since they don't look like the others. Let me describe what I am hoping for.

I would love for more Christians to be inspired by a simple love affair with their Creator. The kind of relationship that involves talking to Him, hearing from Him regularly who they are and who He is; a relationship that inspires such a raw consideration for existence and meaning that they are moved to pray, live and be changed to look like God's version of them.

I'd love for the story line of believers to get better and more amazing as their faith grows rather than be impressive at the start and then flatline as they get further into the culture of christianity.

After all, if a true Christian's testimony doesn't get better as they continue in relationship with an infinite, all-powerful God, there is definitely something corrupted about their path or source of inspiration.

Believers, return to thy Muse!

~ T. Brygger

"I wanna break on down... but I can't stop now" ~ Jack Johnson (singing about the corruption of moving forward and being out of touch)