Rock 'n' Roll Bible Smugglers

The Christian community likes to blow the cover of its cultural secret agents.

Christian media has been trying to wheedle a firm confession of faith out of Creed for a while. The Gospel Music Association gave P.O.D. more than one nomination in their recent Dove Awards, which lead singer Sonny Sandovol called "all politics." Understandably, category-busting bands like these tend to feel uncomfortably cornered and don't want to be pigeon-holed into a religious subculture.

Maybe that's why a new crop of bands are being a bit more vague about their faith. Take the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, a three-piece nu-psychedelic rock band that's getting major attention right now. Their thick, buzzing music features enigmatic spiritual undercurrents, but the band isn't exactly letting on what it's about. "They really don't talk about it," Dan Russell, their U.S. manager, said.

If faith in God in any way gives the band something to sing about, why do its members stay silent about it? "There are contemporary artists out there whose faith is relevant to them," Russell suggests. "However, they are not falling in line behind the pop version of American Christianity just because

not relevant to them." Bands who fall into this category tend to "let the art reflect what it reflects," he said.

When artists take this approach, they don't exactly want to get stuck with Christian labeling. Mark Joseph, author of "The Rock and Roll Rebellion," offers insight into the mind of the believing mainstream artist: "These guys are really trying to fly under the radar screen in terms of getting their music heard without people being afraid to pick it up," he said. "Like Bible smugglers [these musicians] are undercover in the sense that they're trying to get their music heard without being labeled as religious fanatics. If you have a Bible smuggler who's doing great work, you don't out the guy. You want to shut-up and let him do his work."

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