Larry Norman Message Board

Larry's "In Another Land" was my first Christian rock album as a teenager. With all the good rock'n roll that was on the radio then, I wondered if there'd ever be a Christian that could sing about Jesus with the same kind of beat. The Christian radio of that time had music that just put me to sleep ("just give me a song that moves my feet"). Somehow it felt like a time of suffering...until Larry came along  

Oh man, I wore that album out. I still have it. I just dug it out and sang through each song, doin my best Larry imitation. It's the only way they sound right, after all.

I saw Larry in concert at least three times. It's amazing really, that he even got to frigid Minnesota! I remember one concert (in a church, I think) where a friend of mine was running the sound board. Larry didn't bring a band, and was just doin guitar and piano. Several times he had to ask for the sound to be turned up in the auditorium. My buddy was petty conservative and distortion was anathema to him. But, Larry said, "This is rock'n roll, after all." My buddy wanted pure distortion-free sound, and Larry wanted rock'n roll with all it's rough edges. Poor Larry, that musta been tough on him. Ha!

Some years later I saw Larry again. I wasn't walking with the Lord then. I was messed up and medicating to the pain in my life, but I went to the concert with some old friends from college. Oh man, talk about being under the conviction of the Holy Spirit - it was like Jesus was singing directly to me, saying "Wake up and come back to me!" That was a miserable good time!

"I've searched all around the world to find a grain of truth /
I've opened the mouth of love and found a wisdom tooth."

"I've searched all around the world to find a place of peace /
I've sat in the shade of God and watched the joy increase."

Thanks Larry. I'm grateful for how God used you so many times to encourage me, and then even once to pull me back from the brink. I look forward to meeting you in that place of fullness of life!