Trials, Tribulations, and Happy Endings

CCM Magazine March 1981

Trials, Tribulations, and Happy Endings

CCM Magazine March 1981

by John W. Styll


If you read our "Coming Soon" box in February, you may remember we promised our readers a cover interview with Donna Summer. But as you are no doubt already aware, we have an opportunity to offer in its stead an extensive and exclusive interview with the man who is considered by many to be the single most important innovator in Contemporary Christian music.

During the last minutes before our March deadline, communication difficulties with Miss Summer's office made it impossible for us to schedule an interview in time for our issue. Yet while we were in the process of preparing this month's investigative report on Daniel Amos' missing Horrendous Disc, who should suddenly appear but Larry Norman!

Larry's long-haired visage has never before graced our cover. Why not? For one thing, he didn't really want to. For another, we never really pursued it. And, well, believe it or not, his appearance this month was sort of an accident - or, as some might say, an act of divine providence.

Karen had been working on the Horrendous Disc (article) for many months. First she wasn't certain whether or not it was a viable story at all; then, much of her time was spent trying to get the people involved to open up. Apparently, no matter which way she turned for information or for confirmation of the facts already gathered, the key figure was Larry Norman. For weeks, she left messages with his associates.

Then, two days after the February deadline (When the story was first scheduled to run), Larry called our office. I talked with him for over an hour, catching up on the past few years and trying to convince him to talk to us about Daniel Amos and the elusive Disc. Later that night he spent another hour or so talking with Karen, and finally he agreed to meet her at Disneyland (where a Christian music event was taking place) the Friday of the following week.

What was originally intended to be a breif meeting stretched into three hours, and at its conclusion Larry finally consented to an interview - if, he told Karen, the questions were good. The next evening, she drove up to Los Angeles and dropped off a long list of questions at Larry's Solid Rock offices. On Sunday evening, a three-hour telephone conversation helped to further focus the pending interview. Then, on Tuesday evening, Karen and Larry met again - this time in Hollywood. Their conversation lasted from seven p.m. until four o' clock the next morning.

(The editorial continues regarding other subjects that do not pertain to Daniel Amos, or The Horrendous Disc)

(Continuing, about Daniel Amos)

Meanwhile, after completing several rounds of interviews for the Daniel Amos story, we learned that the Benson company was about to sign Daniel Amos and planned to release a brand new album. They say they hope to have it on the market before Horrendous Disc. This new wrinkle further complicated an already too-complex story, which continues to unfold, may endure further delays on both projects.

(The editorial continues by mentioning a few other bands that are discussed in the issue)