Great read! I grew up in a very small and isolated mountain town in Colorado, around this same time. I must have been 15 or 16 when, one day at the skatepark, some punky kids showed up and told us they were in a band that was playing in a nearby (but distant to us) town’s church, and gave us a cassette. We were all into punk, but mostly the Epitaph/Fat Wreck variety that the older siblings had turned us onto, and we actually dug this tape quite a bit. It was melodic and catchy, had some dumb song about a hamster that got caught in a ceiling fan…. Anyhoo, this band was called F4X, and I listened to the tape quite a bit, but only weeks later learned that this stood for “Fools For Christ” and they were a Christian Punk band. We all laughed and poked fun, but most of us still rocked this tape in our walkmans, haha. I was never a Christian, but at that time you could say I was a “Hardcore Atheist". ever heard of this band? I was curious not long ago and found a mention SOMEwhere.
I've actually never heard of them and I can't find a song anywhere. Now I'm curious! I found a Reddit post about them (https://www.reddit.com/r/ChristianMusic/comments/kg2ku8/where_is_f4x/), but unless I simply suck at Internetting, that's all I could really find. They'll just remain cool and mysterious in my mind...
This was quite relatable for me. I discovered Blaster the Rocketboy/man in high school but I got super into them in college. As a sheltered homeschooled Christian kid, their music felt safe enough that it didn’t push me outside my comfort zone, but dangerous enough that it also felt way more interesting than any Christian music I’d heard previously.
Yeah, I definitely get that. The band’s music made me feel edgy and rebellious but without going so far as to make me feel blasphemous. Back in the day I actually almost got a tattoo inspired by their song “Baby Unvamp.” I’m…pretty glad I didn’t. Sidenote: I’m really looking forward to reading your Substack.
Woah, I did not know that! Man, I just took a look and remembered there are a bunch of other bands on that label I used to love that I completely forgot existed until now (Tasty Snax, Jesse & the Rockers). Thank you for that!
I liked this a lot. But I was NOT connected to much related to the Church, and Church, I am much older than you, and I rejected the Church early on. Sort of followed my dad.
Thank you reading! I assumed very few of my subscribers can relate, so I was wondering how it would be received. I'm glad you liked it. And boy do I wish I'd stepped away from the church early on, like you.
I am 53, so I am super aware of length of time. But, I went from being a punk rock child who listened to the Repo Man soundtrack in the car EVERY MORNING from 10th to 12th grade before school, and listening to the Meatmen hanging out in my front yard...to ending up at one of the Concordia Colleges. And I could not have bucked harder against that. Then I did stuff like work in reproductive health care policy, and library reform for my whole life....which leads me to this idea that going to church might not be bad, but Churches as business/institutions/means of control are totally terrible. I mean, sitting in a room with a bunch of people in quiet consideration, thats cool. Singing with a bunch of strangers, thats cool too. But, there is a line. I am stoked to follow you on substack, I like your writing a lot.
Man, I bet you have some stories! And yeah, while I don't miss the Church the institution, I'm not gunna lie, I do miss the singing and community. I wish there was some other, less toxic place to just stand in a room with strangers and sing.
Right? I mean, FELLOWSHIP as a practice is cool as hell. Quiet meditation as a practice is cool as hell. My best friend from undergrad is a Quaker, and I was his best man, and a Quaker service blew my mind. Have you ever read anything by Thai Jones. His book A RADICAL LINE sort of let me see stuff a little differently. Still never going back to church, and would not let a loved one go, but I dig the singing, meditation, and acceptance of the best of church gatherings.
I totally agree! And first off, I just read up on Quaker services and I’m fascinated… Second, I haven’t read any of his stuff but A Radical Line definitely sounds like an interesting read. Thank you for the recommendation!
So Kirk, my friend, his dad was whatever the Quaker version of a Minister is. At the service, Kirk and I sat on one side and Karen (his wife to be) and the main of honor sat on the other. A fun fact, Kirk and I held hands the whole time but no one could see it. At the end of the service it was my responsibility to gather signatures, but not in a registry sort of thing. Kirks dad talked about by signing the book at the end of the services you were accepting responsibility for this marriage. You were agreeing to be a supportive part of their lives. It just blew me away. The idea of instant community, that was beyond the scope of my life. We signed it, and we took on the marriage as part of our lives. It was such an amazing moment.
Great read! I grew up in a very small and isolated mountain town in Colorado, around this same time. I must have been 15 or 16 when, one day at the skatepark, some punky kids showed up and told us they were in a band that was playing in a nearby (but distant to us) town’s church, and gave us a cassette. We were all into punk, but mostly the Epitaph/Fat Wreck variety that the older siblings had turned us onto, and we actually dug this tape quite a bit. It was melodic and catchy, had some dumb song about a hamster that got caught in a ceiling fan…. Anyhoo, this band was called F4X, and I listened to the tape quite a bit, but only weeks later learned that this stood for “Fools For Christ” and they were a Christian Punk band. We all laughed and poked fun, but most of us still rocked this tape in our walkmans, haha. I was never a Christian, but at that time you could say I was a “Hardcore Atheist". ever heard of this band? I was curious not long ago and found a mention SOMEwhere.
I've actually never heard of them and I can't find a song anywhere. Now I'm curious! I found a Reddit post about them (https://www.reddit.com/r/ChristianMusic/comments/kg2ku8/where_is_f4x/), but unless I simply suck at Internetting, that's all I could really find. They'll just remain cool and mysterious in my mind...
http://f4x.band/
Oh wow, thanks!
This was quite relatable for me. I discovered Blaster the Rocketboy/man in high school but I got super into them in college. As a sheltered homeschooled Christian kid, their music felt safe enough that it didn’t push me outside my comfort zone, but dangerous enough that it also felt way more interesting than any Christian music I’d heard previously.
Yeah, I definitely get that. The band’s music made me feel edgy and rebellious but without going so far as to make me feel blasphemous. Back in the day I actually almost got a tattoo inspired by their song “Baby Unvamp.” I’m…pretty glad I didn’t. Sidenote: I’m really looking forward to reading your Substack.
Fascinating read. Loved it.
Thank you so much! Writing about this felt pretty weird and cringey, so if at least a few people enjoyed it, it was worth the discomfort, hah.
Gave me a glimpse into a whole world I was never part of.
Great read .. .what an adventure !
You probably listen to Stryper now.
I mean, I don’t hate Stryper…
The Screaming Giant discography just went back up on Bandcamp and I was listening to Zombie Nation again just yesterday! What a wild time!
Woah, I did not know that! Man, I just took a look and remembered there are a bunch of other bands on that label I used to love that I completely forgot existed until now (Tasty Snax, Jesse & the Rockers). Thank you for that!
I liked this a lot. But I was NOT connected to much related to the Church, and Church, I am much older than you, and I rejected the Church early on. Sort of followed my dad.
Thank you reading! I assumed very few of my subscribers can relate, so I was wondering how it would be received. I'm glad you liked it. And boy do I wish I'd stepped away from the church early on, like you.
I am 53, so I am super aware of length of time. But, I went from being a punk rock child who listened to the Repo Man soundtrack in the car EVERY MORNING from 10th to 12th grade before school, and listening to the Meatmen hanging out in my front yard...to ending up at one of the Concordia Colleges. And I could not have bucked harder against that. Then I did stuff like work in reproductive health care policy, and library reform for my whole life....which leads me to this idea that going to church might not be bad, but Churches as business/institutions/means of control are totally terrible. I mean, sitting in a room with a bunch of people in quiet consideration, thats cool. Singing with a bunch of strangers, thats cool too. But, there is a line. I am stoked to follow you on substack, I like your writing a lot.
Man, I bet you have some stories! And yeah, while I don't miss the Church the institution, I'm not gunna lie, I do miss the singing and community. I wish there was some other, less toxic place to just stand in a room with strangers and sing.
Right? I mean, FELLOWSHIP as a practice is cool as hell. Quiet meditation as a practice is cool as hell. My best friend from undergrad is a Quaker, and I was his best man, and a Quaker service blew my mind. Have you ever read anything by Thai Jones. His book A RADICAL LINE sort of let me see stuff a little differently. Still never going back to church, and would not let a loved one go, but I dig the singing, meditation, and acceptance of the best of church gatherings.
I totally agree! And first off, I just read up on Quaker services and I’m fascinated… Second, I haven’t read any of his stuff but A Radical Line definitely sounds like an interesting read. Thank you for the recommendation!
So Kirk, my friend, his dad was whatever the Quaker version of a Minister is. At the service, Kirk and I sat on one side and Karen (his wife to be) and the main of honor sat on the other. A fun fact, Kirk and I held hands the whole time but no one could see it. At the end of the service it was my responsibility to gather signatures, but not in a registry sort of thing. Kirks dad talked about by signing the book at the end of the services you were accepting responsibility for this marriage. You were agreeing to be a supportive part of their lives. It just blew me away. The idea of instant community, that was beyond the scope of my life. We signed it, and we took on the marriage as part of our lives. It was such an amazing moment.