You can inquire about booking Billy Lamont and rates by telephoning:
(631) 981-4780.

Billy Lamont performance dates:

Poet Billy Lamont performing "the gallery of light" performance poem at The Mad Donkey in August 2004 in Philadelphia, PA.

 
Poet Billy Lamont performing his new single "insecurity/glisten" a collaboration with The Way Sect Bloom at CBGB's Underground Lounge on Friday,  August 12, 2005 as a benefit to help save CBGB's and for the victims' families of the London bombings. 
Photo by Hardcore Shutterbug Steven J. Messina of The Serial Poets.

More performance dates to be announced soon including Book Signings/Poetry Performances in different states for Lamont's new full length book of poems "strobe light generation."  Please visit this website again soon or e-mail us at:  thepoet4u@aol.com with your e-mail address and we will keep you updated through our Poet Billy Lamont "the peculiar people" e-mail list.   Love and life to you.

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NEW DATES

FALL 2006
(New Dates Just Announced- with more soon) 



Poet Billy Lamont in a Pub before The Alarm gig in Hoboken, New Jersey 2006
Photo by Harcore Shutterbug                  

***
RADIO APPEARANCE!!!

***Thursday,  November 16, 2006-  "Calliopes Corner" AT 4:00-4:30 PM
WRHU 88.7 FM on Long Island in New York. 
wrhu.org streaming live on the world wide web:
WRHU RADIO HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY STREAMING LIVE LINK

Poet Billy Lamont will be previewing tracks from his newly released CD "painkiller" on
Mannequin Oddio Media as a guest of DJ/Poet Paula Cerci on "Calliope's Corner: The Place Where Poet's And Songwriters Meet."

POET BILLY LAMONT'S LISTENING PARTY FOR NEW CD AT SUBCULTURE!!!

***Friday,  November 17, 2006-  Subculture-  8:30-10 PM.  Subculture is located in the Molly Blooms II club on Friday nights at 140 Merrick Road, Amityville,  NY on the corner of Route 110.
Cost: FREE!!!  "Painkiller" CD can be purchased here! BUY POET BILLY LAMONT CD HERE.

Listen to Poet Billy Lamont's newly released ambient/dance electronic music CD "Painkiller" on the powerful Subculture house system.  The CD duration is 72 minutes and will be played in it's entirety- So hang out,  have a drink and party with Poet Billy Lamont and dance,  dance ,  dance!!!  At 10 PM DJ Cody will be spinning the best in 80's New Wave and today's electronic music. 
 SUBCULTURE- Friday Night ALternative Dance Party, Amityville, Long Island
Subculture telephone- 516-322-2698.

THANKSGIVING DAY POETRY READING!!!

***Thanksgiving Day- Thursday, November 23, 2006- Love and Mercy Church,
in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York- 12 Noon.
Poet Billy Lamont will give his annual poetry reading for Thanksgiving dinner with homeless friends as the guest's of honor in this amazing,  compassionate church that runs the Operation Homeless  ministry all year round for Manhattan and Long Island.  It is now over ten years that Lamont has contributed his poetry of hope,  dignity and love to this event led by the two remarkable woman Pastor Debbie Mitchell and Sister Donna.  The dinner and entertainment is a free gift and begins at Noon and goes to about 3 PM.  Love and Mercy church is located on 1420 Union Blvd. in Bay Shore.  For directions please click the following link:  Love and Mercy Church directions or telephone 631-969-7968.

Happy Holidays!  ~Peace and health to you in 2007~

-Love Billy Lamont and The Other Perspective Management-  

LIVE AT AN INDEPENDENT BOOK SHOP!!!

***Friday,  December 8, 2006-  Village Bookshoppe, 7N. Village Ave., Rockville Centre, NY 11570. 8PM- Cost: FREE!!! Poet Billy Lamont will be performing a set of spoken word at this small independent bookstore as opening act for His Might Robot!!!
HIS MIGHTY ROBOT

His Mighty Robot says, "This is a very local and very FREE all ages show. Stripped down,  up close and personal set. We will be playing in a small second hand bookstore using no electricity...very grassroots, which is something we don't get to do too much but love. If you need more info. give them a buzz at 1-516-764-1395--Hope 2 c u!! Also playing will be Poet Billy Lamont and Indie band Vehicles Of Light.   8:15-Billy Lamont 8:45-Vehicles Of Light 9:15-HMR"


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PAST BILLY LAMONT GIG ARCHIVES

***Thursday,  September 14, 2006-  Non-Objective Reality Show at 10 AM-12PM Noon, WUSB Radio-  90.1 FM on Long Island in New York
wusb.org streaming live on the world wide web:  WUSB Radio Live Stream

Poet Billy Lamont will be previewing tracks from his soon to be released CD "painkiller" on Mannequin Oddio Media as a guest of DJ, Recording Artist, Producer John Tacacco.

Non-Objective Reality Show on WUSB info here
NON-OBJECTIVE REALITY SHOW co-hosted by John Tabacco and Nigey Lennon, is a provocative, non-linear broadcast adventure, never the same way twice. Elements include opinion/discussion, wide-ranging interviews, special guests, rare music, live performances, and just about anything else. Co-hosts Tabacco and Lennon are North Shore musicians, writers, and digital studio owners with lengthy resumes and a healthy sense of the absurd.

 

You are invited:

POET BILLY LAMONT TO PERFORM A SET OF SPOKEN WORD
AT M-CRUZ's CD RELEASE PARTY
BEING TAPED LIVE FOR A PUBLIC ACCESS CABLE TELEVISION SHOW

 

***Saturday, August 5, 2006- Lamp Post Cafe
in Port Jeferson,  Long Island, NY- 8:30 PM

Poet Billy Lamont will perform a set as opening act for M-Cruz's CD Release Party for his new "40 Days Prodigal" CD at 8:30 PM sharp.  Lamont is proud to support M-Cruz,  a great artist that is his long time friend,  former Walk On Water bandmate and the person largely responsible for Mastering his "Into The 21st Century" CD. 

 

We were just informed of video footage of Poet Billy Lamont performing "Into The 21st Century" with Mike Peters of The Alarm in California in 1998 on  youtube.com so we thought we would share the link so you can check it out. 
Mike Peters of The Alarm & Poet Billy Lamont Perform in 1998

 

M-Cruz will be performing with full band.  Come join the fun and listen to all new M-Cruz music.

There will be a live taping of the show for a Public Access Cable Television show, so be a part of the audience. There is NO Cover!! And M-Cruz will be raffeling off CD's.

 

Located on the north-west corner of Rt 112 and Nesconset Highway Rt 347

Port Jefferson .

For more information call 631-678-7782.

 Further details check out M-Cruz's link:  M-Cruz Dates

 

***

***Wednesday,  July 19, 2006-  the Cat Club
in Los Angeles/West Hollywood, CA,  on Sunset Blvd.-Doors 7:30 PM/music starts at 8 PM
[exact time to be announced]
Poet Billy Lamont will perform a set of spoken word at the Cat Club located right in the middle of the legendary Sunset Strip.  The Cat Club is owned by the famed Slim Jim Phantom of The Stray Cats.  The club is a popular rock/pop venue that is frequented by locals and the famous alike.  Billy Lamont is celebrating his birthday that night and would love for you to join him!!!
The Cat Club is located at 8911 West Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069.
For further information see this link:
The Cat Club on My Space
The Cat Club Website

***

  ***Friday,  July 7, 2006-  Cornerstone Festival 2006
in Brushnell,  Illinois (near Chicago) -9:20 PM

Poet Billy Lamont will perform spoken word at the HM Magazine (Hard Music Magazine) punk rock stage of Cornerstone Festival.  Lamont will perform at 9:20 PM- 9:35 PM.  You can check out further scheduling information on the Cornerstone website at this link:  Cornerstone 2006 Band schedule as it is announced.  Show headliners:  POD,  Project 86,  Relient K,  MXPX,  Underoath,  The Violet Burning,  The Psalters and the 77's  among many other major/indie rock bands.   Check out HM Magazine link here:  HM Magazine
Cornerstone Festival 2006 is from July 4th-8th. 
More information and directions here:  Cornerstone Festival.

 
***




***Friday, June 16, 2006- Walt Whitman Birthplace
in South Huntington/West Hills, Long Island,  New York- 7:30- 10:30 PM sharp.
Refreshments will be served.

Join Billy Lamont for his special poetry event combining his poetry with performance art and the electronic music artistry of  Descendant in this historic atmosphere.  Lamont  is celebrating his recent appointment as a Board Of Trustee member for the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association with this show.  Lamont will also debut a new poetry promo video experiment that was edited by Jeff Elefterian,  the Editor of numerous major movie trailers and was shot by cameraman,  Rich Martinez,  who has to his credit among other things cameraman for the soap opera "One Life To Live."  Young Film/Videomaker Andy Jimenez will also share a trailer from a documentary he is working on featuring Billy Lamont.  Long Island originated Radio X,  that also streams internationally,  will also be present at the event conducting interviews.

The original indie band  His Mighty Robot  's will perform a set.  Their sound will resonate in this museum atmosphere.
Steve Messina singer from the punk/heavy music band The Serial Poets will also kill you with his other personal brand of poison.......his spoken word.  A must see!!!

Cynthis Shor,  Walt Whitman Birthplace Board Of Trustee Member and  Professor at NYU will host the night.

Walt Whitman Birthplace is located at  246 Old Walt Whitman Road.  in South Huntington,  Long island, NY 11746-4148.
For directions click the following link:  Walt Whitman Birthplace directions
or telephone 631-427-5240.

***

POET BILLY LAMONT TO PERFORM ON CABLE TELEVISION ON THURSDAY,  MARCH 30TH

"Peacesmiths Get Involved!" cable television show presents Billy Lamont on Thursday,  March 30th at 12:30 AM on Public Access Cable Channel 20 in Suffolk/Nassau County in New York.  Lamont's poetry and elctronic music performance was recorded on Friday night March 3rd 2006.

***



hello family of friends; ~the peculiar people~

***Satrurday, April 1, 2006- Cross Roads Cafe
1st Baptist Church, Babylon, , Long Island, NY- 7 PM.
Poet Billy Lamont will perform a set,  in his childhood hometown of Babylon,  as opening support act for M-Cruz.  M-Cruz is a talented and seasoned artist who is celebrating the release of his new CD "40 Days Prodigal."  Cross Roads Cafe is located in the 1st Baptist Church at 300 West Main Street,  Babylon NY.  For directions click the following link on M-Cruz's website: M-Cruz dates
or telephone 631-678-7782. 

***

Sorry for the short notice; this one just came in:
***Friday,  March 3, 2006- Peacesmiths (community coffee house)
at First United Methodist Church,  Amityville,  Long Island:  8:30 PM- Midnight
Poet Billy Lamont will be featured performing a 25 minute set on the theme of peace,  justice,  love
and pacifism.  Other performers featured are Laura Mann,  vocalist with auto harp,  a mixed bag from the shores of Africa to the Americas,  with songs of hope,  struggle and life and also Macdougal Rent Party,  a folk rock topical band.  The night will be videotaped for the Peacesmiths public access cable television show.  First United Methodist Church is located at 25 Broadway, Amityville  (back room.)  Take Long Island Expressway to Route 110 South,  bear left at Broadway.  It is on the southmost end of the street,  on the left,  just before Montauk Highway.  For information about the coffeehouse please contact Susan Blake at 631- 798-0778.  $7 donation appreciated.

***Sunday, January 22, 2006- Cafe Portofino
in Northport, Long Island, New York- 3PM-5PM
An invitation from Poet Billy Lamont:  "It is Thursday [and I know this is short notice but...] I would like to invite the raggamuffins-  my family of friends and fans,  the peculiar people, out to a Northport cafe on Long Island, on Sunday for a few hours for a casual,  intimate poetry reading in what feels like almost a living room atmosphere." 

Lamont continues,  "My heart feels grieved with the recent news of violence/sickness/unemployment/poverty and death of many loved in our family of friends.  Yet my heart is filled with hope and this poetry reading is my prayer of hope,  peace,  love,  healing,  prosperity and life in the face of this grotesque darkness.  The darkness only defines the light and allows it to shine brighter in truth.  Poets feel free to bring a poem of healing .  Musicians please bring a song.  Bring an accoustic guitar.  Also there is a nice sounding piano in the cafe available.  If you don't write or play you could bring a favorite poem to read, or have me read if you are shy.  Or you could bring a song on CD that we could play.  Actually it would be really cool if you could bring a little CD  boom box because mine is broken."

"Please bring any prayer requests for yourself or loved ones and pray for the health of my family member Joanne Matheis and close friends Mike Peters of The Alarm and Johnny Phillippidis of Burlap To Cashmere.  If you cannot make it please email me at: thepoet4u@aol.com with your prayer request and I will lift it up to God in my own way.  This reading is free and my gift to you.  My desire is your presence filled with "new life" for the New Year of 2006.  Love and life to you,"  Lamont concludes. 

Cafe Portofino is located at 249 Main Street,  Northport, NY 11768.  Telephone 631-262-7656.
Directions:  Take the Long Island Expressway (495) to exit 51 North (RT. 231/Deer Park Ave. North.)  Proceed North for about 5 minutes and when you pass the Northern State Parkway you will see a blinking light and a fire house.  Folk right at that blinking light and follow that road until it ends (Dix Hills Diner will be on your left.)  Make a right (East) onto RT 25/Jericho Turnpike which is a major road and get to your left as soon as possible because you will need to make a left at the following light after a gas station and before a Blockbuster video store) onto Larkfield Road.  You will take Larkfield road for 10 minutes going North (toward the north shore over railroad tracks, then a major intersection which is Rt. 25 A; you are getting close but keep going North.,)  Soon after this the road you are on will end and folk right into another one.  Continue straight until you hit Main Street 2 minutes later with a church on your left and on the right.  Turn left on to Main Street.  You are now heading into Northport town heading toward the North shore bay in this beautiful,  quiet nautical town where the beats Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg used to hang out.  Kerouac spent many of his last days here because his Mom had a house here.  Cafe Portofino is on your right hand side #249 Main Street before you enter town,  across from a theater and the Post Office.  Hope to see you there.          

***Thanksgiving Day- Thursday, November 24, 2005- Love and Mercy Church,
in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York- 12 Noon.
Poet Billy Lamont will give his annual poetry reading for Thanksgiving dinner with homeless friends as the guest's of honor in this amazing,  compassionate church that runs the Operation Homeless  ministry all year round for Manhattan and Long Island.  It is now over ten years that Lamont has contributed his poetry of hope,  dignity and love to this event led by the two remarkable woman Pastor Debbie Mitchell and Sister Donna.  The dinner and entertainment is a free gift and begins at Noon and goes to about 3 PM.  Love and Mercy church is located on 1420 Union Blvd. in Bay Shore.  For directions please click the following link:  Love and Mercy Church directions or telephone 631-969-7968.

Happy Holidays!  ~Peace and health to you in 2006~

-Love Billy Lamont and The Other Perspective Management-   

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Saturday, September 3, 2005- CBGB’s 313 Gallery,  313 Bowery
New York, NY 10003- doors 7:30 PM, cover charge at door to benefit  "Save CBGB's"
Poet Billy Lamont performance at 8 PM through 8:40 PM sharp.
~Event titled "BILLY LAMONT WITH THE PECULIAR PEOPLE"~
This show is to help raise money to save CBGB's and to celebrate Labor Day weekend with our family of friends!
Lamont will perform as well as honorary peculiar people John Bembenek of Jerky Medicine and Steve Messina of The Serial Poets.  Lamont will also be available after his performance to sign his newly released book of poems entitled "strobe light generation"  that can be purchased that night and to answer any questions fans/our family of friends or media may have.   Hope to see you there!

CBGB's 313 Gallery:  telephone (212) 677-0455.  Directions in Manhattan visit  cbgb.com website and click on directions.  From Long Island:  Take Long Island Expressway (495) West to  Brooklyn Queens Expresswat (BQE) West.  Take BQE West  until the Williamsberg Bridge and then go over the bridge into Manhattan (No toll.)  When you have crossed the bridge you will be on Delancy Street in Manhattan.  Go a few blocks and make a right onto Bowery Street.  Take Bowery Street over the major intersection of  Houston street.  CBGB's 313 Gallery will be on your right at 313 Bowery Street. 

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Friday, August 12th- CBGB’s Downstairs Lounge ,313 Bowery
New York, NY 10003- doors 7:30 PM.  Billy Lamont will perform a set as a guest at 8 PM.  Lamont will have some of his new book of poems "strobe light generation" on hand to sign as well as some of his "the peculiar people" CD's and the "Into The 21st Century" CD that was a collaboration with Mike Peters of The Alarm and the late Allen Ginsberg.  Early Edison,  Loki The Grump and Lamont's long time friends The Serial Poets will all perform sets.  Mike Peters of The Alarm will also make a special guest appearance that night.  $5 cover to benefit CBGB's and the victims of London bombings. Mike Peters will also be performing/hosting a special sold out event at Electric Ladyland studios called Alarmstock the following day on Saturday. 

CBGB's Underground lounge:  telephone (212) 677-0455.  Directions in Manhattan visit  cbgb.com website and click on directions.  From Long Island:  Take Long Island Expressway (495) West to  Brooklyn Queens Expresswat (BQE) West.  Take BQE West  until the Williamsberg Bridge and then go over the bridge into Manhattan (No toll.)  When you have crossed the bridge you will be on Delancy Street in Manhattan.  Go a few blocks and make a right onto Bowery Street.  Take Bowery Street over the major intersection of  Houston street.  CBGB's 313 Gallery will be on your right at 313 Bowery Street.  Hope to see you there.

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POET BILLY LAMONT BOOK SIGNING AT BOOK REVUE IN HUNTINGTON, LONG ISLAND-TUESDAY, JULY 19TH


WHO:  Internationally acclaimed New York poet Billy Lamont.  As seen on MTV,  Lollapalooza 2003 tour and the Cornerstone 2004 festival.
WHAT:  Book signing/poetry recital celebrating the release of Lamont's new book of poems entitled "strobe light generation."    
WHEN:  Tuesday,  July 19th at 8PM.
WHERE:  Book Revue bookstore located at 313 New York Ave. in Huntington,  Long Island,  New York.  Take Long Island Expressway or Northern State Parkway to Route 110 North.  Proceed on Route 110 North (New York Ave,)  pass through Jericho Turnpike (25) intersection and Main Street (25A.)  After 25A look for the Book Revue book store on your left hand side.  Telephone- 631-271-1442.     

"strobe light generation" was just released by Infinity Publishing and is available now at www.buybooksontheweb.com.
Lamont's latest CD/chapbook entitled "billy lamont with the peculiar people" is available through Flaming Fish Music at www.flamingfish.com and is currently on the label/distributors bestseller's list for new releases,  dance and experimental electronic music. 

Billy Lamont's official website is: billylamont.com

Special guest Descendant from True Force Productions will perform his original electronic music at the event.  website:  www.trueforceproductions.com

Please support The One campaign at this important moment in history:  http://www.one.org/addmyvoice.aspx

Latest Dates
***

POET BILLY LAMONT BOOK SIGNING
Tuesday,  July 19, 2005- Book Revue in Huntington, New York at 8PM.  Poet Billy Lamont will be doing a book signing/poetry recital from his newly released book entitled
"strobe light generation."  It is also Lamont's birthday so come out and celebrate in this artsy Long Island town.  Book Revue is located at 313 New York Ave.,  Huntington, NY 11743 (not too far from the Long Island Railroad stop at Huntington Station.)  Telephone 631-271-1442.

***
Friday,   January 28, 2005-  The Vault in Queens,  New York.  Billy Lamont will perform a short set of spoken word opening  for  the talented musician/songwriter/painter/poet Wolfie.  Doors 7PM, Lamont 8PM.  ***Date confirmed***
(We are planning to videotape Lamont this night live as an audition tape for a national television program.  Note:  Lamont will have to run after his set that night and will not be able to hang out,  enjoy the music and chat with everyone like he usually likes to.  Our apologies in advance.)
Directions:  The Vault is located at 90-21 Springfield,  Queens Village,  NY 11428.  Take the Southern State Parkway to Cross Island Parkway north or Northern State Parkway (or Long Island Expressway) to Cross Island Parkway south to RT 25 (Jericho Tnpk/Jamaica Ave.)  At the first light make a left to head west.  Go four more lights and make a left onto Springfield and look for 90-21 on your left by 90th street.  To telephone The Vault:  1-718-479-2594.
 

Friday,  February 18, 2005-  Mad Donkey Cafe near Philadelphia,  PA at 7PM.  Billy Lamont will perform a spoken word set as the opening act for the brilliant singer/songwriter Steven Delopoulos and Johnny Philippidis of Burlap To Cashmere fame.  ***Date confirmed***
Directions:  Mad Donkey is a community coffee house located in a church at 405 N Easton Road,  Willow Grove PA. It is on route 611, 1 mile south of PA Turnpike.   Telephone (215) 659-0544.  $5 suggested donation.  International Justice Mission, (website: ijm.org) whose mission is to help woman and children who suffer abuse and injustice around the world and HOPE Initiative from World Vision, helping Aids orphans, will be in attendence.

Thursday,  December 9, 2004- The Bitter End,  West Village,  7-9PM.
Billy Lamont will be sharing a few spoken word pieces to open the show for singer/songwriter Steven Delopoulos of Burlap To Cashmere and Justin Rosolino in this legendary folk music club where Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs began their careers and started the folk music movement.  Come and check out the very talented Delopoulos perform live.  Also support Lamont who will be videotaped as a demo for a national television show.  Lamont said,  "Let's gather for a pre-Christmas party blast."  Hope to see you there.  The Bitter End is located at :
147 Bleecker St. (West Greenwich Village)
between Thompson St. and LaGuardia Pl.
212-673-7030

***Billy Lamont will not be sharing his poetry at the Love And Mercy Church homeless person dinner in Bay Shore,  Long Island this Thanksgiving due to Lamont recovering at home from recent surgury.  Lamont will be sending his love in a note to be read at the dinner.  This year would have marked 10 years  that Lamont  recited at the dinner.***

Tuesday,  Novenmber 2, 2004 -Election Day-  Union Square,  Manhattan
Billy Lamont will share a few poems between the time of 5-6 pm for "Not In Our Name" gathering event.  Hope to see you there. 

"billy lamont with the peculiar people" CD/Chapbook Release Party
Sunday, October 3, 2004- CBGB's 313 Gallery- 6:30PM-9PM
   This is the art gallery attached to the legendary New York City punk rock club located at 313 Bowery in Manhattan.  The new CD/chapbook will be available that night which is a benefit for our friend The Father Of Christian Rock Larry Norman's Emergency Healthcare.  Billy Lamont will perform his 40 minute performance poem "the gallery of light" with a DJ Circuit ambient electronic music mix which will work well in this atmosphere.  Lamont's new friend Steven Delopoulos from the brilliant band Burlap To Cashmere will also perform a set.  Also Lamont's long time friend Seydina A. Senghor,  one of the founders of Jubilee 2000/USA/International will speak about "Drop The Debt" and social justice issues.  CBGB's 313 Gallery- telephone (212) 677-0455.  Directions in Manhattan visit  cbgb.com website and click on directions.  From Long Island:  Take Long Island Expressway (495) West to  Brooklyn Queens Expresswat (BQE) West.  Take BQE West  until the Williamsberg Bridge and then go over the bridge into Manhattan (No toll.)  When you have crossed the bridge you will be on Delancy Street in Manhattan.  Go a few blocks and make a right onto Bowery Street.  Take Bowery Street over the major intersection of  Houston street.  CBGB's 313 Gallery will be on your right at 313 Bowery Street.  Hope to see you there.

Friday, August 20, 2004-  Mad Donkey Cafe (near Philadelphia,  PA) at 7PM.   Billy Lamont will give a special performance of  his 40 minute spoken word performance poem entitled "the gallery of light" with ambient electronic music.  Singer/Songwriter/Producer Johnny J. Blair will be sharing the night with Lamont.  International Justice Mission, (website: ijm.org) whose mission is to help woman and children who suffer abuse and injustice around the world and HOPE Initiative from World Vision, helping Aids orphans, will be in attendence.  Mad Donkey is a community coffee house located in a church at 405 N Easton Road,  Willow Grove PA. It is on route 611, 1 mile south of PA Turnpike.  Telephone (215) 659-0544.  $5 suggested donation.

Purple Door Festival (see purpledoor.com) -
Saturday,  August 21-Confirmed- Art Gallery Stage
  Billy Lamont will perform from his new CD "billy lamont with the peculiar people."
Purple Door Festival is in Lewisberry,  PA at Ski Roundtop
headliners- Blindside,  Project 86 and Relient K.

Just added:

Friday, July 16, 2004-  Mad Donkey (near Philadelphia,  PA) at 7PM. Lamont is sharing a few poems from his new CD to open for Steve Delopoulos primary songwriter and front man for Burlap To Cashmere.  Lamont said "Burlap To Cashmere's CD 'Anybody Out There' for A&M Records is a favorite of mine.  I listen to it so often that I keep it in my car.  The songwriting and guitar playing is phenomenal."  Mad Donkey is located in a church at 405 N Easton Road,
Willow Grove PA. It is actually on route 611, 1 mile south of PA Turnpike.

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Billy Lamont Summer Dates
 
Cornerstone Festival (see cornerstonefestival.com) -confirmed-
Saturday,  July 3rd  in Marietta,  IL performing with The Alarm as their guest
headliner- POD

Sunday,  July 4th- Billy Lamont reciting with The Alarm filmed at Cornerstone Festival 
airing as a news story all day on HDN News Television (Voom Cablevision Network/ National High Definition Satellite News Network)
You could also check out The Alarm on the Craig Kilborn Show on CBS television on Monday,  June 28 at 12:30 PM.

Lollapalooza 2004 dates (see lollapalooza.com) -Lollapalooza tour canceled-
Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15 in Mansfield,  MA at Tweeter Center
Monday, August 16 and Tuesday, August 17 in New York,  NY at Randalls Island
Wednesday, August 18 and Thursday, August 19 in Camden,  NJ at Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
headliner- Morrisey

Purple Door Festival (see purpledoor.com) -to be confirmed-
Saturday,  August 21 in Lewisberry,  PA at Ski Roundtop
headliner- Project 86

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Saturday,  May 15, 2004- Smithtown Rehabilitation Center- 2PM

Sunday,  May 16- Join Billy Lamont as he attends a Rally to Fight Global Aids and Poverty.  1:30 PM,  Independence Mall, 5th and Market Streets,  Philadelphia, PA.  Guest speakers include Bono (DATA co-founder,  lead singer of U2,)  Dikembe Mutombo (NBA All-Star,) Michael W. Smith (Grammy Award winning Musician.)  More information and invitation at www.data.org  

Sunday May 30th-  Join Billy Lamont for a "peculiar people" CD/EP pre-release listening party and poetry reading at Pisces Cafe and Lounge,  in Babylon,  NY. beginning at 10 PM to whenever.  Come,  hang out and give us your opinon of the soon to be released CD/EP.  Additional artists and performers may also share their art.  Pisces Cafe is located on Railroad Avenue in Babylon Villiage, across the street from the Babylon railroad station.  There will be a $5 cover charge at the door.  Telephone (631) 321-1231.  Hope to see you there! 

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Happy Holidays!  Peace and health to you in 2004 from Billy Lamont.
 

POET BILLY LAMONT TO RECITE FOR HOMELESS ON THANKSGIVING

 

Thanksgiving Day Event:  Thursday, November 27, 2003- Billy Lamont will give his ninth annual poetry reading for Thanksgiving dinner with the homeless as the guests at Love And Mercy Church on Union Blvd. in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York . Lamont will share his uplifting poetry of hope and dignity from his upcoming book of poems “strobe light generation.”  The dinner starts at Noon and goes to 3PM. For Directions: (631) 969-7968.

Lamont said,  “Love And Mercy Church is headed by two remarkable women,  Pastor Debbie Mitchell and Sister Donna.  These unsung heroes run Operation Homeless to help the poor on Long Island and in Manhattan all year long and not just on Thanksgiving.”

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Sunday,  November 16, 2003- Starbucks Cafe- Billy Lamont to recite some of his poems of hope and encouragement to benefit a young girl who has the disease leukemia.  Donations will be accepted as a fund for her summer camp.   Her sister will also perform a Celtic line dance (the Irish Jig.) 

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You are invited to join Poet Billy Lamont for the following special poetry events on Saturday, October 25th:

2:00 PM- weather permitting (You can telephone: (631) 981-4780 in the morning for an update if you‘re not sure if the weather is permitting or not) - The Walt Whitman “Paumanok” rock memorial on Jaynes Hill on the Walt Whitman Trail in Huntington,  Long Island.  This is the highest point on Long Island and Walt Whitman wrote and hiked on these trails.  Keep this one on the down low because the park doesn’t know about this and we don’t have permission.  This is an intimate improv event in a beautiful setting for Billy Lamont fans.  The poetry will honor Walt Whitman and feature some of Lamont’s newer nature/outdoors poems. 

-Directions:  Take the Long Island Expressway or Northern State Parkway to Route 110 North to Old Walt Whitman Road in Huntington (by the Walt Whitman Birthplace if you hit Sam Ash Music Store you went too far.)  Make a left on Old Walt Whitman Road and then a left on West Hills Road.  Pass a Jaynes Hill sign on the right.  Make a left on Reservoir Road.  Go to the end and park on the right.  Walk up the hill on the left which is Jaynes Hill,  the highest point on Long Island.  There is a Walt Whitman memorial “Paumanok” rock where the poetry reading will take place.

8:00 PM- Poet Billy Lamont will be performing his Lollapalooza 2003 activism poetry set as a benefit for the not for profit Two Fools Productions Theater in Nesconsett, Long Island, New York.  $5 cover charge.  We will bring a little wine and cheese with us.  Feel free to bring some too. 

This artsy, edgy gig will also feature singer/songwriter Adele.  This benefit is to help keep this theater open because it may be forced to close down.  This gig is also to celebrate the life of our friend Daniel Fazzina that received a miracle healing of cancer after a benefit gig we did for him here last year.  At the time Dan was given three weeks to live without chemo-therapy and three months with it.           

You can telephone (631) 979-5942 for better directions or visit the following website http://www.2fools.org
but these Directions should get you there:  take Long Island Expressway to exit 58 Old Nichols Road. Get off the LIE and make a left at the light to go north. Head North for approximately five more Traffic lights and make a left at the fifth light which is Smithtown Blvd. It is a major intersection with a bank on the right and a shopping center on the left. Travel on Smithtown Blvd. until you come to a shopping center on your right which includes the theater 2 Fools Productions.

Hope to see you there.

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Thursday,  September 11th,  2003- ***in memory of our fallen New York brothers*** Billy Lamont will be interviewed by political scientist Linda Longmire on the "Calliope's Corner" program on Hofstra University Radio from 7:00-7:30 PM.  Then at 7:30-8 PM Lamont will help spotlight musician/poet/painter Mike "Wolfie" Van.  This segment will be hosted by  spoken word artist Paula Curci.  You can listen in on Long Island by tuning in to 88.7 FM or by going to the website: wrhu.org and clicking on the radio station wherever you may live internationally.

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Please note:  We will be sharing our Billy Lamont News and Dates through e-mail whenever possible.  Following the success of Billy Lamont’s performances and activism with the Lollapalooza tour’s Northeast dates our office for The Other Perspective Management has experienced several problems communicating.  We lost two computers within two weeks due to a thunder storm power surge and a computer virus.  Website updates were possible after the first computer loss and we updated some photograph’s on the website but new updates cannot be done until a new computer is purchased.  We have also experienced someone pretending they are from The Other Perspective Management get into our P.O. Box and get access to our mail briefly until we discovered this and notified the Post Office.  If anyone has tried to contact us and hasn’t heard from us please contact us again.  This could be the reason.  We won’t even mention having to cancel Billy Lamont’s performance at the Purple Door festival in Pennsylvania due to double scheduling the date and the two flat tires almost preventing Lamont’s Lollapalooza performance in Boston.    

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NOTE:  Billy Lamont is sad to announce that he has to cancel his Purple Door Festival 2003 appearance in Pennsylvania on Saturday,  August 16th due to unforseen circumstances.  Lamont apologizes to anyone that this may cause an inconveniance to.  Lamont was scheduled to do an experimental poetry performance in the art gallery area.  For more information on the Purple Door Festival you can visit the website:  purpledoor.com.   Lamont last performed at Purple Door in the 1999 and 2000 festivals and enjoys the festival a great deal.
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Billy Lamont performance dates:

New York Poet Billy Lamont will be performing his activist poetry for the rock tour Lollapalooza 2003 in the "World Of Just BeCauses" area for the NorthEast dates below.  Lamont will be accompanied by Seydina A. Senghor,  one of the founders of Jubilee 2000,  that has now evolved into Jubilee International Movement,  Jubilee USA and DATA (Debt, Aid and Trade for Africa.)  Lamont will recite poetry dedicated to and/or inspired by Jubilee,  Amnesty International,  Greenpeace,  DATA,  NetAid,  and Axis Of Justice among others.

Wednesday,  July 23,  2003-  Holmdel
 PNC Bank Arts Center
Holmdel, NJ
(Date Confirmed)

Friday,  July 25,  2003-  Boston
 Tweeter Center
Mansfield, MA  July 25
(Date Confirmed)

 Sunday,  July 27,  2003-  Philadelphia
Tweeter at the Waterfront
Camden, NJ
(Date Confirmed)

Wednesday,  July 30 -  Long Island,  New York
Tommy Hilfiger at Jones Beach
Wantagh, NY
(Date Confirmed)

Jane's Addiction,  Audioslave,  Queens Of The Stone Age and Perfect Circle are featured on Lollapalooza's main stage.  You can get ticket information from lollapalooza.com.  For more information about the "World Of Just BeCauses" area just click:  altenergy on lollapalooza.com.
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Poet Billy Lamont will be appearing on the following television and radio shows to discuss his dates with the rock tour Lollapalooza and the justice organizations he is supporting such as Jubilee Movement International,  Amnesty International and Greenpeace:

Saturday,  July 26,  2003- Billy Lamont will be appearing on the reggae radio show "Saturday's a Party" on WUSB 90.1 FM on Long Island at 2:30 PM.  "Saturday's a Party" is the longest-running reggae-politics mix (RPM) in the USA. Den de Dubwise playyyyyyy, it play, it play!!! Hosted by Lister Hewan-Lowe.  You can listen in on the website:  wusb.org and then click "listen."

Tuesday,  July 29,  2003- Billy Lamont will be a guest on New 12 Long Island's Morning Television Show.  Lamont's segment will air at approximately 9:40 AM on Cablevision.  The segment will then be repeated at approximately 40 minutes after every hour until 5 PM.  You can listen to (but not view) this segment as it airs through the website New12.com then click News 12 Long Island and then click "listen to News 12 live."

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DATA Press Release

Contacts:
Jen Bluestein - (202) 639-8010
jenbluestein2001@yahoo.com

Lindsay DiLorenzo - (917) 406-9248
ldilorenzo@rubenstein.com
 
 

STATEMENT FROM DATA ON PROPOSED
FUNDING CUTS TO AFRICA

Jamie Drummond, Executive Director of DATA, states:

"It is deeply disappointing that the House turned away from America's promise to Africa by proposing deep cuts in spending promised to fight AIDS and poverty. As the cameras are clicking in Africa, the House is cutting funds in Washington, DC.

We call upon the Congress and the President to show real leadership in response to the AIDS emergency--an emergency which President Bush all this week is seeing with his own eyes. The next step taken by the House and Senate, with full support from the President, must be to keep their promise to Africa by fully funding the AIDS initiative without cutting other key lifesaving programs.

While the President is holding the hands of people in Africa, he needs to be forcing the hands of people in Congress. This is what the President has asked for, and now the President and the Congress must work together to make good on their promise by delivering the resources that will save millions of lives.

Americans know the difference between promises made and promises kept--real leadership means keeping your promise."

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DATA is a new organization which aims to reduce poverty in Africa by raising awareness of the DEBT, AIDS, and TRADE crisis in Africa, and by suggesting policy changes to tackle these crises.

DATA also aims to raise awareness of the importance of DEMOCRACY, ACCOUNTABILITY and TRANSPARENCY in African governance to make sure that assistance for African people goes where it's intended and makes a real difference.
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Friday,  April 11,  2003- Billy Lamont will give an intimate spoken word performance at the Moda Cafe in Park Slope,  Brooklyn at 8PM-10PM.  Lamont will have a special guest appearing Poet/Painter Doreen Stathis who will recite some of her poetry.  Also Wolfie (Mike Van) will be stopping by to recite a few poems.  Moda Cafe is a really cool cafe/bar that serves munchies,  beer,  wine and coffee.  Moda Cafe is located at 294 5th Avenue,  Park Slope,  Brooklyn between 1st and 2nd Streets,  telephone (718) 832-8897.  Directions:  by car- take 495 to BQE west (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway) and get off at exit 29 which will be Tillary Street.  Make a left on to Flatbush Ave and then take Flatbush Ave to 5th Ave and make a right.  Moda Cafe is between 1st and 2nd Streets.  by train- take 2 train towards Brooklyn and get off at Bergen Street.  Walk a block over to 5th Ave and then follow 5th Ave about 10 more blocks to Moda Cafe between 1st and 2nd streets.
  $5 donation accepted (unless you don't have the money then come as our guest.)  Hope to see you there.

Saturday,  April 26,  2003- April is poetry month and Billy Lamont will be the featured poet at Barnes And Noble Bookstore located at 5001 Jericho Turnpike in Commack,  Long Island.  The reading starts at 7PM sharp and will include an open mike poetry reading.  So bring your poems.  For directions telephone (631) 462-0896.

Saturday,  May 10, 2003- Billy Lamont will perform at The Vault in Queens,  New York.  Lamont will open the show for Wolfie (Mike Van.)  The show will be from 7:30-10 PM.  A $2 donation will be collected at the door with 100% of it going to "Hope For The Children Foundation."  The Vault is located at:
90-21 Springfield,  Queens Village,  NY 11428.  take the Cross Island Parkway north to RT 25 (Jericho Tnpk/Jamaica Ave.)  At the first light make a left to head west.  Go four more lights and make a right onto Springfield and look for 90-21.  To telephone The Vault:  1-718-479-2594.

Thursday,  May 29th,  2003- Billy Lamont will be interviewed and perform on the "Calliope's Corner" program on Hofstra University Radio from 7:30-8 PM.  "Calliope's Corner" is hosted by spoken word artist Paula Curci and political scientist Linda Longmire.  You can listen in on Long Island by tuning in to 88.7 FM or by going to the website: wrhu.org and clicking on the radio station wherever you may live internationally.

Friday,  June 13th,  2003- Billy Lamont will perform a set of spoken word at The Vault in Queens,  New York.  The show will begin at 9 PM and also include Wolfie (Mike Van.)  The Vault is located at (New and improved direction,  sorry!) 90-21 Springfield,  Queens Village,  NY 11428.  Take the Southern State Parkway to Cross Island Parkway north or Northern State Parkway (or Long Island Expressway) to Cross Island Parkway south to RT 25 (Jericho Tnpk/Jamaica Ave.)  At the first light make a left to head west.  Go four more lights and make a left onto Springfield and look for 90-21 on your left by 90th street.  To telephone The Vault:  1-718-479-2594.
 

When:  Tuesday, June 24th, 2003
Where:  Gunther’s Pub, located at 84 Main Street, Northport, NY 11768,
Telephone (631) 754-4156.
Time:  7-9 PM Sharp
Poet Billy Lamont will perform a spoken word set remembering the late Allen Ginsberg (who was so kind to him while he was alive.)  This performance will be taped live to air on Hofstra University’s radio station program’s "Visions And Choices" and "Calliope’s Corner."  You can listen in on Long Island by tuning in to 88.7 FM or by going to the website: wrhu.org and clicking on the radio station wherever you may live internationally on Thursday nights 7-8 PM.

The late Jack Kerouac will also be remembered with special jazz poetry guest poets including Mike "Wolfie" Van,  Dwight O. Carson and Billy Capozzi.

Ginsberg and Kerouac used to live in Northport,  Long Island and hang out at Gunther's so this adds to the atmosphere for this gig.

$5 love offering will be accepted (unless you don't have the money then come as our guest.)
 

Saturday,  September 21, 2002- You are invited to join poet Billy Lamont for a special free poetry reading in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village,  Manhattan at 12PM Noon.  This reading is Lamont's way of remembering the September 11th tragedy.  You may recall he recited in Union Square for the victim's families on September 16, 2001.

Friday,  October 18, 2002- Poet Billy Lamont will be giving a poetry reading at The Westminster Theological Seminary Cafe in Glenside,  Pennsylvania (close to Philadelphia PA) on Church Road at 7PM.  For directions or more information please e-mail:  joshua_lickter@hotmail.com

Thursday,  November 7, 2002- Poet Billy Lamont will be reciting his performance poem "the gallery of light" for his friend Daniel Fazzina,  who has lymphatic cancer,  at Two Fools Productions Theater in Nesconsett,  Long Island,   New York at 7:00PM.  Daniel has limited healthcare benefits for his natural wholistic approach to healing.  Please bring your prayers and a gift for him if you can.  The very talented Mike Van will also perform and Ken Grimball from News 12 Long Island and radio fame will share an Opera piece for our friend Daniel.   Play writer Lew Yedwab will also stop by.  You can telephone (631) 979-7599 for directions or take Long Island Expressway to exit 58 Old Nichols Road.   Get off the LIE and make a left at the light to go north.  Head North for approximately five more Traffic lights and make a left at the fifth light which is Smithtown Blvd.   It is a major intersection with a bank on the right and a shopping center on the right.   Travel on Smithtown Blvd. until you come to a shopping center on your right which includes the theater 2 Fools Productions. You can also visit their website:  www.2fools8k.com. Hope to see you there.

Wednesday,  November 27, 2002- Billy Lamont will be a guest of Mike Van and perform a set at the Zen Den Cafe in Babylon to benefit their friend Daniel Fazzina who has lymphatic cancer.  Showtime is 8:30PM and will last to whenever.  Zen Den Cafe is located directly across from the Babylon train station on Railroad Ave. The talented musician, Mike "Wolfie" Van organized this show and his
band, "Fire Made Flesh" will be performing.  Also featured for the night will
be folk singer John Bembenek,  the musical talent of Jay Williams, and the offbeat solo guitarist, Paul Cama.  Zen Den Cafe (tel 631.422-9085) is located on
Railroad Avenue in Babylon Villiage, across the street from the Babylon
railroad station.  There will be a $3 cover charge at the door.  Please
bring your prayers and a gift for Daniel if you can, and enjoy a fun night
of artistry and soulful jazz music.  Hope to see you there!
 

Thursday,  November 28, 2002- Billy Lamont will give his eighth annual poetry reading for Thanksgiving dinner with homeless people as the guests at Love And Mercy Church on Union Blvd. in Bay Shore,  Long Island, New York .  This starts at about Noon and goes to 3PM.  For Directions:  (631) 969-7968.
Friday,  February 14th,  2003-  Join Billy Lamont for a special Valentine's Day reading at Starbucks located at 246 Route 25A,  East Setauket,  Long Island,  New York at 7PM sharp.  Lamont's selected poems will be celebrating love,  upholding life and also encouraging anyone feeling lonely and alienated during this holiday.  A donation of $3 is requested.  For directions telephone (631) 941-0446.

Thursday,  February 20,  2003- Billy Lamont will be attending an open mike poetry reading at Munchaba Lounge located at 58 Gardiners Ave in Levitown,  Long Island,  NY and sharing a few poems.  Lamont welcomes anyone who would like to come and hang out with him.  This night will feature the talented artist
Beth Magazzo's artwork.  Doors open at 7PM.
For directions telephone (516) 735-6827 or visit Munchaba Lounge website:  www.munchaba.com and click on calendar and go to the bottom of the page.
 

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Check out Mike Peters of The Alarm's new radio station on the website:  www.thealarm.com and join the resistance.  In Billy Lamont's opinon "Mike Peters solo or with The Alarm is one of the greatest songwriters and performers of our time.  His songs and performances bleed with pure soul."

Buy Jerky Medicine's new CD "Man or Beast" on the website: www.jerkymedicine.com
In Lamont's opinon "the best underground rock band in a long time."
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The Father of Christian Rock Larry Norman who has been backing Billy Lamont the last few years is very sick.  Norman recently had quadroople bypass heart sugery and needs further urgent healthcare but has limited healthcare benefits.  Please help our friend Larry Norman if you can.  You can send donations for Larry Norman's health care to:  "Larry Norman Trust Fund," 3760 Market Street NE- PMB#306,  Salem OR 97301, USA.  Thank you.

Enjoy the article written below by rock journalist Joshua Lickter on Larry Norman.  It is one of the best pieces we have seen written on Larry Norman and one of the few articles that we know of that captures Larry.  Billy Lamont added his comments to this paper through correspondence with Lickter prior to it being written.

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Larry Norman: Fellow Sojourner "In Another Land"
 

Christianity and The Arts
Dr. William Edgar
AP 433
Westminster Theological Seminary
Spring, 2002
Joshua Lickter

 I was there, on stage, when history was made.  After twenty years of virtually no communication Larry Norman and Randy Stonehill were talking again.  That afternoon, they weren’t just talking; they shared the stage together.  In the middle of Randy’s acoustic set at the Cornerstone music festival, Larry ran out on stage and joined him for an adrenaline filled version of "Good News," a classic rock song from the pinnacle of the Jesus music era. I stood there, awestruck, on stage, off to the right taking pictures with my trusty point and click.  My goose-bumps even had goose-bumps as I watched and listened to history in the making.  After a few seconds, I noticed responses from the packed audience, who suddenly realized that the figure on stage with long, blond hair, right beside "Sir Stonehill" was none other than the father of Christian Rock himself. It was the closest thing to Beatlemania you could see at a Christian show.  I experienced one of life’s perfect moments for five minutes.  Time seemed to stand still.  The euphoria lasted me through the rest of the dusty middle-American rock festival.  It only left me when I got the festival pictures developed and found out that all my photographic records from this historic event had been double exposed.  The goose-bump inducing mental pictures will have to suffice.
I have known Larry for a long time.  Eleven years ago I brought him to West Chester University for a concert. That was a weekend I will never forget.  That night, after witnessing his cameo performance with Stonehill, I spent several hours with his 15 year old son, Michael, while Larry and Randy went off to catch up and discuss philosophy, theology, and whatever else you talk about to someone you have hardly spoken to in twenty years.
Michael is a very intelligent young man, very much like his father.  He has strong opinions about the state of Christian music, most of them not good.  I can’t help but agree with him on most points.  Like his father, he is a big fan of U2 and DC Talk.  DC Talk, more so than any other "Christian Contemporary Music" artist, has done a great job adapting their music to modern times.  The tendency for most Christian music is to be three or four years behind the times.  Sometimes even more.  Not so with DC Talk.  They can not only compete with their mainstream counterparts, they aren’t afraid to take musical risks that their "Christian" audience may not approve of.  And in Larry and Michael’s opinion, God has blessed that.
 U2 is an entirely different topic.  Mike tells me they are absolutely the best Christian band of all time.  Mind you, not a CCM band, but the best group of rock musicians collectively making music for the glory of God on the market today.  More Christians should follow their example in terms of approach to music and songwriting.  They have done more to further the "Kingdom of God" than any band could who tried to operate within the limited confines of the CCM genre.  And why is that a genre, anyway?  Every other genre of music is based on musical style.  CCM is based on lyrical content.  Sounds like someone’s been influenced by Francis Schaeffer.  Wise words from a fifteen-year old.
After three hours of great discussions, Larry returned.  He asked what we were doing and I said discussing the secrets of the universe.  Larry smiled.  "Oh, well, I can tell you the secret to the universe.  That’s easy. The secret is…(Ack! Ugh!)," and he grabbed his throat and threw his head to the side and was silent for a moment.  "Sorry, I can’t tell you.  I died!"  "OK," Mike said. "How about you tell us how to make a million dollars?"  "That’s easy," he responded. "Just…(Ack! Ugh!)…"  To have Larry as a father must be great.  He knows the secrets of the universe, but still has a sense of humor.  I never did get the answer from him. Maybe "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe" was right, and the answer is simply "forty-two."
   I say all of this as a preface, because viewing Larry’s influence upon individuals will paint the best portrait of the way he has influenced the world. Larry is many things to many people. Not just an entertainer, he has served the role of poet, prophet, and teacher to many a fellow sojourner, "In Another Land."  Give a philosopher a guitar, and you can change the world.  At least the world of those who listen. All of that being said, let’s look at how Larry’s enigmatic career began.  The best place to start is with his autobiographic songs.

"When I Was a Young Boy/ In An All Black Neighborhood/ Where It Was a Rough and Tumble/ In a Concrete Jungle/ It Was Hard To Do The Things You Should/ I Tried To Walk The Straight And Narrow/ I Kept Looking Higher/ Because Jesus/ You Set My Soul On Fire…"  -Soul On Fire

 Larry was born in 1947 and grew up in a black neighborhood in San Francisco.  The only music he knew was his grandfather’s collection of 78’s:  Mahalia Jackson, Bert Williams, and many other blues and Black Gospel singers. His obsession with music manifested dramatically at age five, when he began playing piano and writing his own songs.  He wanted to play guitar, but his hands were too small, so he learned the Ukelele instead.
Larry first heard Elvis Presley at age 6, and was told this was some new form of music called "Rock and Roll."  But Larry knew better.  This music belonged to the church.  It was the black gospel music he heard every Sunday, except instead of singing about Jesus, Elvis sang about girls and hound-dogs.  Elvis had stolen this music from the church. Young Larry couldn’t accept that.  It wasn’t right.  He decided to steal it back. So he wrote his own rock songs based on what he had learned in Sunday school.  One of them was about Moses.

"Moses Tending Sheep in the Fields One Day/ Thought He Heard a Burning Scrub-brush Say/ Got to free Your People From the Pharoah’s hand/ Got To Take Them All To The Promised Land/
"Moses Knew That God Was Talking To Him/ So He Set Off To Egypt With A Vigor And Vim/ And Moses Bugged The Pharoah/ And He Bugged Him And He Bugged Him/ Till He Let His People Free…He Used Real Bugs
"Yes Indeed/Ow Ow Ow Ow/ He Got His People Freed/ Ow Ow Ow Ow…"
  –Moses in The Wilderness

In concert he often humorously recounts the tales of his early childhood.  One afternoon, one of his black friends told young Larry to avoid going in to upper San Francisco.
"Don’t go up there…that’s where the JEWS are…"
"Oh, well, good for them," he naively responded, looking up at all the nice houses constructed along telegraph hill. "I guess their loans finally went through…" He simply figured they needed to borrow money to build houses, since they had been wandering around in the desert for forty years without jobs!

 "After 40 Long Years In The Wilderness/ They Finally Saw Their Potential Metropolis/ They All Gave Thanks/ And They All Praised The LORD/ And Even Though It Took Time/ He Kept His Word…But It Seems To Me Like An Awfully Long Time/ To Be Looking For A Home…Ow Ow Ow Ow…Never borrow money needlessly…"
–Moses In The Wilderness

By the time Larry turned nine, public song performances were commonplace.  Larry knew what he wanted to do with his life.  He wanted to write rock music and tell people about Jesus, however, his father was not supportive at all, and thought that Rock didn’t make any sense.  This kind of statement from his father never made sense to Larry.  His father listened to songs like "Fly Me to the Moon," with lyrics like "I’m in the mood for love…simply because you’re near me." Commenting on songs like that in concert, Larry has said "That guy (singing the song) doesn’t have much self control. If that’s what my parents listened to, no wonder there are so many of US!"
By 1966, eighteen year old Larry had written over 500 songs. He and his band People! were quickly signed to Capitol Records.  Larry still insists that his music then wasn’t really Rock and Roll.  "I didn’t sing Rock and Roll, I sang Black music.  But I wasn’t black, so it sounded like Rock and Roll!"
People! had a number three hit with their cover of the Zombies’ "I Love You."  They toured relentlessly, and Larry found himself sharing the stage with such musical greats as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, and The Grateful Dead. He was already quite influential.  During a mutual tour with the WHO, People! performed the world’s first "rock-opera," an allegory about a Ruler’s son who redeems his people called "The Epic."  Pete Townsend has credited this show with providing the inspiration for "Tommy."
People!’s success and popularity grew, but as their debut album was being prepared for release, the label pulled a fast one on Larry.  He had wanted the original name of their debut album to be "People need a whole lot more of Jesus and a lot less Rock and Roll," a tongue in cheek stab at the religious establishments and "storefront churches" that were saying rock and roll was evil.  Ironically, the powers that be at the label felt this was too controversial.  Rock and roll was born out of controversy, but insert the controversy of the Gospel, and you have gone too far. Capitol changed the title and artwork unbeknownst to him.  It was simply called "I Love You," after the million selling single released earlier.  The day the album hit stores, Larry left the label.

"…Capitol Records/ Hollywood and Vine/ I was playing guitar/ I was feeling fine/ I was more poor than I’d ever been/ And I was living like an angel in the City of sin…"
 -Nightmare #49

So describes Larry’s life shortly after leaving Capitol Records.  Sure, he was despondent and disheveled, but his main interest then was the same as it is now: sharing the love of his Savior with the world. Larry has been accused of doing many things, but he has never been silent about the Gospel.

"My hair was a mess/ I might have dressed like a bum/ But my music made it clear where I was coming from/ And where I was going to/ When my life was done…"
       -Nightmare #49

Capitol Records hadn’t known what to do with him; his music was too "religious" for the regular world. They weren’t sure what to do with this "new" type of music, "religious rock." It hadn’t yet proved itself as sellable. And the church?  Forget it.  It would be years before anyone in the church saw rock and roll as a viable medium for the Gospel. The religious community saw him as an infidel and troublemaker.
After leaving Capitol, Larry never stopped writing.  He took at stab at writing music for theatre, which met with mild success.  Some producers even offered him the lead in the musical "Hair," but he turned it down for fear of compromising his witness. He continued performing throughout California, gaining quite a following, and eventually Capitol Records asked him back, this time granting him full artistic autonomy.  The result is what many people argue to be the first Christian Rock album, "Upon This Rock."  Released in 1969, it was a great album, full of the witty and poignant lyrics Larry is now famous for.

"You Can Take Away My Kids/ Take Away My Wife/ You Can Take Away My Job/ You Can Take Away My Life/ You Can Take Away My House/ Take Away My Ford/ But You Can’t Take Away The LORD…Now Listen To Me, Satan!…
"You Can Take Away The Pill/ And The Atom Bomb/ Take Away Einstein’s Theory/ And The Things All Yet To Come/ You Could Have Took Away The Wheel/ With The Dinosaur/ But You Can’t Take Away The LORD!"
 – You Can’t Take Away The Lord

But he wasn’t famous yet, and record labels are rarely in the business of taking risks. Capitol still wasn’t sure what to do with him, and eventually dropped Larry due to what they saw as poor sales. Being dropped from a major label is usually the death of an artist’s career, but Larry refused to quit. He continued to walk the razor’s edge, making music that was too religious for the world, and too worldly for the religious.
Larry didn’t miss a beat though, and formed his own independent record label and put out his albums on his own.  Today, any burgeoning band that wants to make it big understands the important of DIY: Do It Yourself.  Make your own albums, market them, promote them, tour, and sell, sell, sell!  The best way to get money from a major label is to first succeed and make money on your own. Today’s artists also have the benefit of the internet.  In Larry’s day, the World Wide Web was something you’d read about in a Spiderman comic. Forty years ago, DIY was still a relatively new concept.  Larry had to break new ground. As if that weren’t enough, he was breaking new ground with a new genre that still had not found it’s mainstream niche.  It would be ten years before any hint of CCM existed, let along an accepted market for "Christian Rock."
To make matters even more difficult for Larry, he refused to write songs that dealt exclusively with the "prettiness" of life.  He spoke the language of the streets to people of the streets.  Many Christians didn’t like this approach. These critics probably wouldn’t have liked the idea of hanging out with tax collectors or prostitutes in the first century much, either.

"You’ve Got Gonorrhea on Valentine’s Day/ You’re Still Looking For That Perfect Lay/ You Think Rock and Roll Will Set You Free/ Honey/ You’ll Be Dead Before You’re Thirty Three
"Shooting Drugs Till You’re Half Insane/ A Broken Needle In A Purple Vein/ Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus/ He’s Got The Answer…"
-Why Don’t You Look into Jesus

When I promoted the Larry Norman concert at West Chester, I spent the entire weekend with him.  He shared with me many stories about his life and experiences within various Christian circles, and how much those circles either embraced or rejected him.  He mentioned that he once turned down an appearance on the 700 Club. He felt a song like "Why don’t you look into Jesus" would not go over well with that kind of audience. He was probably right. These were the same people who would later "boo" off the stage a newly born-again Donna Summer, just because she was wearing a mini skirt.  Legalistic, pharisaical Christians were not his target audience.
 But many Christians did pick up his music and catch on.  Larry became a staple for the Jesus movement of the early Seventies.  His independent releases "Street Level" (1970) and "Bootleg" (1971) uncompromisingly spoke the language of the rock and roll subculture. He held up his finger at the end of each song, a gesture that eventually became the famed "One Way" sign.  His songs "I Wish We’d All Been Ready," and "Sweet Sweet Song Of Salvation," became part of the soundtrack for the Jesus Movement. Many churches even incorporated "Sweet Song" into their worship services.  "That is," Larry now jokes, "until they found out that I wrote it!" As the Jesus movement spread, and more and more former hippies and rockers converted to Christianity, Time Magazine called Larry "the top solo artist in his field."
MGM records, seeing the success of other "religious" songs, like "Turn, Turn, Turn" and "Bridge over Troubled Waters," signed Larry in 1972. They figured a viable market for religious rock now existed. They released "Only Visiting This Planet" (1972) and "So Long Ago The Garden" (1973) to rave reviews.
 Larry produced "Planet" with the help of none other than Sir George Martin of Beatles fame. Billboard’s review of the album called Larry the "most important songwriter since Paul Simon."  It is credited today by CCM Magazine as "the most important gospel album to be released in the history of modern/contemporary music." Bono of U2 has even said that it was after listening to "Planet" that he and The Edge decided to form U2.  "Planet" featured "Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music," a humorous response to his Christian critics who felt that rock music was evil.

"I Want The People To Know/ That He Saved My Soul/ But I Still Like To Listen To The Radio/ You Say That Rock And Roll Is Wrong/ Well Give Me One More Chance/ I Say I Feel So Good I Want To Get Up And Dance…
"I Ain’t Knocking The Hymns/ Just Give Me A Song With A Beat/ I Ain’t Knocking The Hymns/ Just Give Me A Song That Moves My Feet/ I Don’t Like None Of Those Funeral Marches/ I Ain’t Dead Yet…All I’m Really Trying To Say/ Is Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music?"
 – Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music?

He even had to defend his appearance.  He was infamous now for his long, flowing blond hair. He looked the part of a rock and roller.  And so what? This was his mission field.  If an American wants to be effective as a missionary in China, he learns the language and takes on the appearance of a China-man.  Otherwise he won’t be able to gain an audience for the gospel.  Larry was doing the same thing.

"They Say To Cut My Hair/ It’s Driving Me Insane/ I Grew It Out Long To Make Room For My Brain/ Some Times People Don’t Understand/ ‘What’s A Good Boy Doing In A Rock And Roll Band?…Jesus Told The Truth/ And Jesus Showed The Way/ There’s One More Thing I’d Like To Say/ They Nailed Him To The Cross And They Laid Him In The Ground/ But They Should Have Known You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down…"
 - Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music

Larry had very high standards.  He wanted to make sure that his music sounded as good as possible.  It was God’s music. When MGM tried to have him "tone down" his religious views on future albums, Larry left them and re-started his own label, "Solid Rock Records."  This time, he didn’t tour as much, but put considerable amounts of his own time and money into developing other artists. He wanted to help out some fellow believers who shared his vision.  He helped establish the careers of Daniel Amos, Steve Camp, and Randy Stonehill, just to name a few.
His goal for Solid Rock was to avoid putting out substandard, culturally irrelevant, "schmaltzy" music.  He certainly didn’t want to reach those who couldn’t relate to his methods. So whom was he trying to reach?  Obviously his core buying market were Christians who identified with him and his approach; people who were products of the rock subculture.  However, throughout his entire career, he primarily targeted his music to an unbelieving audience.  He had the following things to say about that in his liner notes for "In Another Land" (1976):
"First of all, are Christian records made as entertainment for the Christians or as an evangelistic outreach for non-Christians? If they are created to reach the unsaved world, you immediately run into a paradox. Christian albums are only sold in Christian bookstores... and that's not where non-Christians go when they're looking for records. And when they're used to paying $3.77 discount for Led Zeppelin or Jackson Browne, why are they going to pay $5.98 or $6.98 for somebody they've never heard on the radio? I mean I hate to be the one to bring this up, but I never hear anybody else admit it.... My music has always been for the non-Christians. I don't even know if you can find my albums in very many Christian bookstores. And what with all the rumors, I don't know if they'd even special-order them for people."
Rumors did begin to abound about him, both from Christians who objected to his methods, and from people within his own camp.  It has been said that Christians are the only religious people who eat their own wounded, and unfortunately they decided to make a banquet out of Larry Norman. His closest friends turned on him. Bands he helped establish were now refusing to pay him.  Many of his label-mates, and Larry himself, experienced difficulties in their private lives. Marriages fell apart.  Professional jealousy abounded. Larry became everyone’s scapegoat.  He and Randy Stonehill’s friendship ended, and it would be almost twenty years before they spoke again. Slandering Larry Norman became commonplace.
 

"I’ve Been Shot Down/ Talked About/ Some People Scandalize My Name/ But here I am/ Talking ‘Bout Jesus just the same…I’ve Been Rebuked/ For The Things I’ve Said/ For The Songs I’ve Written/ And The Life I’ve Led…They Say I’m Sinful/ Back-slidden/ That I have Left To Follow Fame/ But Here I Am/ Talking Bout Jesus Just The Same…"
– Shot Down

Even in midst of great personal and professional crisis, he always put focus back on Jesus.  He knew he was imperfect.  He admitted it publicly and in his songs. His own sinfulness was part of his gospel presentation. This kind of honesty only seemed to get him in trouble. The more the CCM market developed, the more negative rumors about Larry surfaced.  Then in 1978, tragedy struck.
On his way home from a tour overseas, Larry’s plane overshot the runway.  The ceiling panel in the plane jolted loose and came crashing down on Larry’s head, causing extensive injury.  Miraculously, Larry survived, however he suffered mild brain damage. Unfortunately it went undiagnosed for years. He experienced extreme mental duress following the accident preventing him from writing or recording any new songs. He was able to tour, but did so mostly overseas, and kept a very low profile.  He simply could not expend the mental energy to defend himself against his critics any more. During his absence, for better and for worse, the Christian Contemporary Music scene took off by leaps and bounds.
Finally, after ten years, Larry was diagnosed with a bipolar trauma, and began receiving proper treatment. He released "Home at Last" in 1989, which was a compilation of unreleased songs he had written throughout his entire life. It was well received overseas, but garnered little acceptance from the established CCM community. It was as if they were saying, "Thanks, Larry, but we won’t be needing you anymore…"
Larry went back to doing what he first did; touring and promoting himself independently.  His son Michael had recently been born, and being a father, perhaps more than anything else, helped him ascertain what things were really important in life. Acceptance from the CCM community was not high on the list.
I first began following Larry’s career around this time.  A fairly new Christian at the time, the Christian music I heard thus far left much to be desired. What I had heard sounded dated, behind the times, and lyrically simplistic.  I heard Christian music saying how great God is, but not much that involved real life issues.  Then friends gave me a copy of "In Another Land."

"I Was Lost And Blind/ Then A Friend Of Mine/ Came And Took Me By The Hand/ And He Led Me To His Kingdom/ Which Was In Another Land/ Now My Life Has Changed/ It’s Rearranged/ When I Think Of My Past/ I Feel So Strange/ Wowie Zowie/ He Saved My Soul/ He’s A Rock That Doesn’t Roll…
"I Was All Alone/ Like A Rolling Stone/ I Was Going Nowhere Fast/ I Was On The Road/ So Far From Home/ Till The Future Touched My Past…
"I Wanna Be Like Him/ Yes That’s My Goal/ Like A Rock That Doesn’t Roll…"
-The Rock That Doesn’t Roll

  I couldn’t believe it.  Not only was his music contemporary, he possessed unbelievable lyrical wit.  And did I actually hear the "unspiritual" words "Wowie Zowie" in a Christian song?  I knew I had to see him in concert.
 I saw him in concert for the first time at Eastern College in St David’s PA. His stage presence grabbed me almost instantly.  Here was a man, standing on stage by himself, who could hold the entire audience in the palm of his hand.  Not only that, he confessed faith in Jesus, yet he spoke of things that I thought were too taboo for Christians.  Politics, feeding the poor, UFO’s, masturbation, divorce, legalism; he had no sacred cows. He spoke candidly of his struggles, oftentimes in a humorous, self-deprecating manner, yet he always managed to bring his listeners back to the Gospel.

"I Need a Woman Who Doesn’t Take Drugs/ Or Mess With Men/ Believes The Bible/ And Despises Sin/ Builds Me Up Instead of Knocking Me Down…I Haven’t Found Her/ But Until I Do/ I’ll Be Looking For A Woman Of God/ A Woman With A Righteous Heart/ I’ll Be Looking For A Woman Of God Who Doesn’t Easily Fall Apart…"
 – Woman Of God

 Not only was this man open about his own life’s struggles, he was one of the funniest performers I had ever seen.  He spoke of the persecution the church has suffered worldwide, and could make the crowd laugh and cry within the span of a few seconds. He talked about going to Russia and being poisoned by the secret police. "In Russia, they have people called ‘felchers’ who dress up as doctors, but they are really secret police who take away political dissidents, most of whom are never seen again.  They poisoned me and my brother.  Now that’s persecution." Then he added quite sarcastically, "In America, Christians think it’s just as bad.  They have more music to choose from, and then they have to pay more for Christian music, and that’s not good. I guess that’s punishment and persecution…"
Too often it embarrassed me to share my Christian music with friends, because of the substandard quality.  However, Larry’s music I shared with everyone I could.  What a great way to entertain and share the Gospel at the same time.  I had a friend named Jim who was quite cynical when it came to Christianity.  One day, after a long conversation about music and religion (Jim was quite a proficient musician,) I decided to give him one of my Larry Norman tapes.  He took it, said thanks, and promised to listen to it.  A few months later, I found out he had become a Christian, so I invited him to come and spend some time with Larry and I after the show in West Chester. He happily obliged me.
Jim told Larry the story of how he had become a Christian, and how this "Jesus Rock" tape had watered the seeds of his conversion.  Part of Jim’s experience had been watching a video called "Rock and Roll: The Search For God," one of those anti-rock propaganda videos Christians tend to be so fond of.  Jim said he wasn’t too impressed by the video, but there was one song he recognized, Larry’s "Watch What You’re Doing."  He said hearing that really blessed him and helped him along in his newfound faith.  I’ll never forget Larry’s response.
First thing, the video made illegal use of other people’s songs.  None of the artists whose songs were played received any money for its use; furthermore, they used Larry’s song without his permission.  This epitomized the way the music business had treated Larry his entire life. Sadly, the Christian industry treated him the worst  However, when Larry heard how much God used this particular violation to help someone else, he said the pain, heartache, and loss of money was worth it.  Just to help that one person.  Again, Larry’s main interest was helping people know Jesus. Anyone who knows Larry knows that’s just the kind of guy he is.
Every once in a while, he gets a good opportunity to lash out at his attackers in a somewhat subtle, humorous manner.  I’ll never forget his addition to the song "Selah" from that weekend.  It was what I would call a "judge not, lest ye be judged" rebuke, done in a Saturday Night Live kind of way.  Considering the scandalous televangelist Jimmy Swaggert fell for the second or third time a week prior, I’d say it was justified.

"Me and my songs promote fornication/ That’s what I heard the TV Preacher said/ Well I suppose he would be an expert/ I hear he wrote some sermons from a prostitute’s bed" -Selah

A few years later, Larry had a heart attack that put him temporarily out of commission.  The doctors misdiagnosed him again, and said he had heartburn.  In concert, he makes light of his misfortune in a Forrest Gump kind of way. "Then I went back to the hospital… again. And they told me it was heartburn…again. So I went back home… again." His pain increased, so he decided to go to a different doctor.  "This time, I passed out in his office.  When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed.  The doctor said I had a heart attack, and I started to praise God.  He said ‘Why are you doing that? You almost died.’ I said ‘Yes, but at least I know it was a heart attack.  I was afraid I was going to have indigestion the rest of my life.’"
His medical bills were quite exorbitant, and he didn’t have adequate health insurance to cover all the expenses.  Fans and friends from the music community pulled together to help, putting on benefit concerts and releasing a benefit album, "One Way: The Songs of Larry Norman."  He had to cut back on his performance schedule drastically, but refused to stop performing completely.  He applied for federal money to help pay for future heart related medical costs, but the government refused him.  If he stated on his applications that he had used drugs, or that the heart attack was drug related, they would have paid for everything. Larry, however, refused to lie.  "If God wants me to be with Him, then I will.  If He wants to heal me, he will.  But I know He doesn’t want me to lie, so I won’t."
The next time I saw Larry was November, 1998, at Christian Cinema in Ambler, PA.  His friend Billy Lamont opened for him.  Billy, a poet from New York City, has toured all over Europe and the United States as a poet.  Larry included Billy in his show because he wanted to show Christians the need for being involved in the arts, both sacred and secular. Larry held the same views that the sixteenth and seventeenth century reformers did that you don't have to make "Christian" art to serve God while making art. In 1990, Larry addressed a crowd in Berlin on this topic, and mentioned the importance of reflecting who we are, as God’s Creation, in our art:
"What is the art of man? It is sufficient as a pale copy of God's visible Creation. No painter ever brushed, colored, and shaped at his canvas with any original vision. No sculptor molded the clay, chiseled the marble, or smelted the metal with any unimaginable result. We are God's unbound art, His Creation. Let us reflect this in our own art; His Love, His Mercy, His Forgiveness."
 The Ambler show was only four months after I had gone through a bitter divorce.  I struggled with faith issues, trying desperately to reconcile all I had just gone through.  My best friend Rob, also recently divorced, invited me to go see Larry in concert.  Perhaps a "blast from our past" would cheer us up.  That was an understatement.
 When Larry walked out on stage, I felt like I was back at West Chester spending the weekend with him again.  The venue was filled to capacity; over 1000 people, but somehow, through his entertaining and personable presence on stage, I felt like he was doing this show just for me.  That is how well he connects with a crowd.  He has that effect on everyone.  His freely poured forth his familiar wit and sarcasm from the stage.
 It was the start of the Y-2K scare, and he took full opportunity of that in his show.  Four times in a row he introduced songs by saying "Here’s a song I wrote about the end of the world…It’s a happy song."  He now refers to that particular show as the "meat-locker" show, because the heater in the theatre had broken and the temperature inside for the entire show was just shy of freezing.  "Let me know if you can hear me out there," he joked.  "It’s so cold, the sound might just freeze, stop, and fall to the ground before it reaches you."
 Perhaps most poignant and touching for me were the songs he did that dealt with divorce.  Though he doesn’t talk about it much, most of his fans know his own divorce had been very ugly.  He takes the attitude that if his personal trials can help him minister better to others, then it was worth it.  That night, Rob and I received some of God’s mercy as it manifested before us by way of a fellow sojourner.

"My Woman Left Me/ Felt Like She Left Me For Another Man/ You Know It Came As Some Surprise/ It Wasn’t In The Plan/ She Never Told Me Nothing Was Wrong/ She Didn’t Give Me A Clue/ But One Morning/ There Was A Knock On My Door/ And I Found Out We Were Through…
"And Don’t Worry About The Unfaithful Lover And False Friend/ For The Love That You Have Given Is What Matters In The End
Heavenly Father/ Thou Who All Doth See/ You Let The Rain Fall On The Good And The Bad/ So Let The Rain Fall Down On Me"
 – Let The Rain Fall Down

 I will freely admit that in writing about Larry, I have a very "Pro-Larry" bias. I can’t help it; he has been such a strong influence in my life as far as views toward theology, the arts, and the condition of the church today.  In the interest of giving a broader perspective as to how influential Larry’s life has been, I asked a few of his contemporaries to comment.
 I mentioned Billy Lamont earlier, the poet who has toured across the country, appeared on MTV, and was a featured performer in the Lollapalooza music tour.  I asked him to comment on how Larry has influenced him.
"Larry's method of approach to evangelism, of bringing church directly to people, is very dear to my heart because after all we are the Church (it is not a building.) This method is powerful because a lot of people will never set foot in a church and we should be bringing Jesus (love, truth and compassion) to people right where they are. Music and words are powerful when filled with the Spirit that upholds life, The Holy Spirit. It allows for a special communication that sometimes can make it easier for a person to experience and feel Jesus, and open a communication with Jesus.
Larry is a performer/minister that speaks a language [different than that of] most preachers. He is a missionary for street people and the rock and roll subculture. Larry is a kindred spirit. I have ministered through poetry to the intellectuals and artists and also [to] the rock and roll subculture, like Larry. It has been a lonely path (although I was never alone) with New York being [such] a difficult place to take on. But I have received inspiration knowing that a West Coast brother, a blond ray from the sun, has traveled the same road with such grace, confidence and clarity.  He did it with early Christian rock and roll, I did it with Christian poetry; [we both] at times had plenty of opposition and condemnation coming from the church as well as the world.
Christianity and the arts is a powerful combination. Michelangelo knew that, and Larry Norman is a living example of how this can be balanced beautifully. Much of Christianity and the arts has been minimized today to bubble gum, shallow, cheese-wiz, artificial sweetener, Christian facade, easy to understand expressions. Praise the Lord for musicians like Larry, U2, and Bob Dylan, along with artists like Howard Finster with a unique, genuine vision. The arts are to be encouraged not to be feared.
Larry empowers people to discuss different perspectives on the Church. This can only make us stronger by being challenged and not just having "yes-men." Discussions don't need to be avoided. This is how understanding or compassion can be gained. Larry believes like I believe that the true church isn't any one denomination or church. It is more of an underground thing that ties into people's hearts, not their affiliations. I think we will all be kind of surprised when we see who is and who isn't in Heaven."
   I also asked Johnny J. Blair, an extremely talented musician and producer who currently lives in Williamsport, PA, to comment.  He has worked with such musicians as Mike Roe ( 77’s), Buddy and Julie Miller, and Davy Jones (Monkees). I knew he had performed with Larry in San Francisco at Haight Ashbury, so I asked him to give input regarding Larry’s influence on his life.
"[With respect to] methods of and approach to evangelism, everything is timing. Jesus performed the ultimate in "people skills," yet He never withheld the hard truth. Larry follows suit well. I opened a gig for him in 1980-something. It was a non-church venue on Haight Street in San Francisco. A real assortment of "mixed nuts" showed up--whaddya expect with a free concert on Haight Street? Larry had the place in the palm of his hand with just an acoustic guitar. He had them laughing, crying, praying and listening, just like Jesus.
I like how he addresses his contemporaries in rock music by extrapolating from their styles and reinventing it with a Christian purpose.  No doubt, he's a modern day Martin Luther. When the backlash started against "Christian Rock" in the 70s, Larry was right there with history and scripture to give us all a balanced perspective. Basically, we all just need to relax in our obedience and let God roll things out."
That is just a sampling.  Clearly he has influenced a great many people in a great number of ways.  His songs have been covered by everyone from Sammy Davis Jr. to DC Talk, to Frank Black (formerly of the Pixies.) To date, Larry has released over thirty albums.  This past Summer he released "Tourniquet," arguably one of his best studio albums in decades.  It covers a wide range of contemporary genres and includes some punk and techno influences.  He has long since given up on Christian distributors, since so many have robbed him of royalties in the past. Rumor has it that one of his former distributors in England purchased a nice mansion from all the money he made off of Larry, none of which Larry ever saw. Today he distributes his music almost exclusively on his website, www.LarryNorman.com.
  The latter part of Summer, 2001, Larry embarked on a tour of Britain, commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of his first British tour. On his way home to Salem, Oregon, he began to have heart problems again.  He rushed to the hospital, had another heart attack, and needed emergency bypass surgery.  He suffered partial paralysis in his left hand, due to an obstructed nerve. His insurance coverage ran out, further complicating matters, and as he was being discharged he experienced ventricular tachycardia (Sudden Death Syndrome), that put him within minutes of death. He recovered partially, but is still under close watch by family and friends within a few miles of the Salem hospital.
On November 27, 2001, Larry was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame, along with Elvis Presley.  Larry was too ill to attend, so his son Michael flew to Nashville and accepted the award on his father’s behalf.  The members of DC Talk presented Michael with the award, and spoke of how influential Larry had been on Christian culture and how much he had affected their lives. Throughout Larry’s forty-five year career as a composer and performer, he has always had one desire: Sharing the love of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has served as a beacon of light to any Christian musician or artist desiring to give back to God the art that is already His.  Perhaps the best summation of Larry’s worldview was spoken by Larry himself at the 1989 Flevo music festival in the Netherlands:
"Some people say Rock and Roll is of the Devil. I don’t believe that. It came from the church. It belongs to the church! There’s a good world that God has created here.  He’s given us everything. The Devil has tried to steal it. I don’t know why the Devil should have anything. Anything!  Not your soul, not your life, not your marriage, not your future…and not your music!!!!"
May God bless you richly Larry, and may He help you to get well soon. Selah.
 
 

 Bibliography

There are no citations, because most of the information was gathered either from personal interaction with Larry, in concert, or from the liner notes or live segments of the following albums:

1) Norman, Larry "Larry Norman, Live At Flevo With Q-Stone" Solid Rock Imports. (Studio City, CA, 91604) 1989.
2) Norman, Larry "White Blossoms From Black Roots" Solid Rock Records. (Studio City, CA, 91604) 1988.
3) Norman, Larry "Stranded In Babylon" Solid Rock Records. (Soquel, CA, 95073) 1991.
4) Norman, Larry "Only Visiting This Planet" Reissue, Solid Rock Records (Studio City, CA, 91604) 2000.
5) Norman, Larry "In Another Land" Solid Rock Records (Studio City, CA, 91604) 1976.

Some of the concerts mentioned were at the following locations and dates:

1) Larry Norman Concert, Eastern College. St. Davids, PA, November, 1989.
2) Larry Norman Concert, West Chester University. West Chester, PA, April, 1990.
3) Larry Norman Concert. Christian Cinema. Ambler, PA, November 14, 1998.
4) Larry Norman Concert, Neffsville Mennonite Church. Neffsville, PA, April, 2001
5) Randy Stonehill Concert, Cornerstone Music Festival. Bushnell, IL, July, 2001

And:

Solid Rock Newsletter, 3760 Market Street NE – PMB #306 Salem, OR 97301,
December, 2001
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