Record Deals and the Industry

Glenn on Musicianship

Grrr recordS is our in-house label, and we have a really cool and committed staff of people who work very hard to cover all aspects of the label, serving the Lord, the artists and those interested in our cds and merchandise. We have good contracts in most areas of the world, so distribution seems fairly cool at the moment. Our Web pages are on line, and so products are available. I personally think that the more independent we are able to be, the better. No one is ever going to put the same blood, sweat and tears into ministry/music than you will, so it's a real blessing to have our own professional recording studio, demo studio, label and all, because we can work more on a basis of integrity (on all levels, spiritually and artistically).

It's just too easy to get caught up in popularity contests, making more money so we can all live more comfortably, etc.! I suppose we could work harder at splashing every newsworthy accomplishment (in terms of music ministry) we do in all the magazines and so forth, but we just don't care to feed the hype-mill. We sin, are petty, slack, have to repent just like anyone else in Christian music, and that will never change. But it's a real blessing from God (and pure grace, not righteousness on my/our part!!!) to NOT live the "BIG MUSIC CAREER" thing! I have zero illusions that God is impressed with much that sells and gets hyped to the skies. In fact, I'm sure He's far more interested in my character and everyday life and relationships than with the latest musical "whatever" I'm doing... so... that's what I think about that, ha!

People ask me (as they do everyone else in the music "scene") how to get a contract, shop a project, etc.. The truth is that I get worried that I might somehow encourage them to gain their musical dream and lose their spiritual soul in the process, so I purposely challenge most who ask, to think about the spiritual foundations (Bible study, prayer, solid local church accountability, witnessing and worship) of their lives. It seems to me that those are so easily passed over, neglected, forgotten or shelved in the process of all the other stuff one does in order to "get somewhere". If you're not ALREADY prioritizing properly, the last thing I want to do is to help you get further away from those foundational needs in your life.

This is why I constantly discuss relationships with God and His people, character and biblical ethics rather than the practicalities of music. There is a LOT of reasoning behind it, and the sad fact is that a good number of those who began in Christian music are no longer following Jesus Christ. As the years have passed, many of them have proven to be more disciples of secular culture/comfort than of Jesus and His church. I don't want to help add more lives to the "heap" of spiritual casualties in the music field. I've seen too much and know God holds me responsible for that experience in terms of how I answer people with stars and dreams fuzzing up their brains!

Posted 04/07/01