Our longtime readers will know we try to dig pretty deep into the diversity of what independent Christian music really means. While the connection from psychedelic rock of the 1970s to the indie rock and punk of the 90s and beyond isn’t obvious, it is real nonetheless. Psychedelic rock and acid rock was directly influential on the development of heavy metal, and indirectly on the development of punk rock–even if it was as a reaction to it.
One of the best and most iconic artists of the Jesus Music era was Concrete Rubber Band. The three-piece band from Kansas formed in the late 1960s and recorded one and only one full-length for Springfield, Missouri-based label American Artists. The album was chock full of psychedelic/acid rock songs all pointing to the Risen Savior, as the title suggested.
One has to remember that prior to the early 80s (somewhere around 1982, to be precise), there was no such thing as the “Christian music industry.” Bands who played rock, jazz, or folk styles in the 70s did so without label support, and often without support even from their local churches as the music was too weird, too loud, and/or too radical. And yet these artists pressed forward, speaking the language of their generation to point people towards a radical faith in Jesus with a radical sound.
Just listen to the chord progression in “Hosanna” and see for yourself. This is crazy stuff–even more so considering this was released in 1974!
