Mutemath Sues Label
Mutemath has filed suit against their label Warner Bros. for breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation. While in negotiations with the label, they were told their releases wouldn’t carry the Word Records branding, a Christian imprint of Warner. Their first Warner album included the Word logo, which the band felt hurt its image, inspiring them to sue.
102 Responses to “Mutemath Sues Label”
-
On 03/8/06 2:37 PM, andy said:
That’s wrong on so many levels. If a band doesn’t want to be associated w/ the Christian industry, then pull out completely. No more Christian bookstore disto or anything. The question is, why did they have a distro deal w/ Word in the first place?
-
On 03/8/06 2:37 PM, Jon Shell said:
go mutemath.
-
On 03/8/06 3:06 PM, Nick said:
They didn’t have a distro deal with Word. They had a distro deal with Warner Bros. and Warner put them on Word without their permission.
-
On 03/8/06 3:13 PM, andy said:
Ahh ok. Is their full lenght out? When I left the CBA market, they had an EP out that had Christian distro.
-
On 03/8/06 3:24 PM, Wesley Johnson said:
The basis of the suit revolves around the fact that when they were in negotiations with Warner Brothers they were told that the cd wouldn’t carry the Word brand but it did.
-
On 03/8/06 3:50 PM, The 1/3 said:
I can perfectly understand why a band full of Christians might not want anything to do with the Christian market. If they’re just doing it more like a business than a ministry, then they shouldn’t be in the Christian market anyway.
-
On 03/8/06 3:56 PM, Jaye Dubbs said:
sounds like another Creed to me…
if a band announces that they don’t want to be in a Christian market, get rid of your Christian distro deal (which isn’t their fault) HOWEVER, they still continue to play Christian festivals and stuff… I saw them at two seperate Chrstian Festivals last year. They are also getting plays on Christian radio as well.
I doubt the didn’t have a problem making money from the Christian market until they came out with their full length while on a label.
something just doesn’t seem right.
-
On 03/8/06 4:04 PM, Jon Shell said:
the lawsuit was filed last september. that was several months before the release of their full length.
is nobody reading the article?
-
On 03/8/06 4:25 PM, andy said:
And…why’d they do the Christian festivals again?
-
On 03/8/06 4:30 PM, Jaye dubbs said:
thats what im saying
and yes i understand the suit was filed in Septemeber, im saying as soon as they pretty much sold all they could of one album, they pretty much said, well hey lets focus on something different.
-
On 03/8/06 4:33 PM, Jon Shell said:
there’s a handful of non-christian bands that play cornerstone each year.
-
On 03/8/06 4:48 PM, Buddy said:
not to mention the fact that if you limit yourself to the christian market its very hard to make a living…
no band wants to be pigeon holed…
or any other kind of holed. -
On 03/8/06 4:57 PM, BiG K said:
oh, well that sucks. so much for their careers now. this should teach you that if you lable yourself something in the begaining it may stick with you forever. lol, that sucks. they should break up now.
-
On 03/8/06 5:00 PM, Wesley Johnson said:
mutemath never sought to be a Christian band. earthsuit did
-
On 03/8/06 6:18 PM, ryan said:
the point of living as a christian is to be like christ in all things.
it’s a sacrifice of one’s entire life.
i dont know anything about mutemath, but when john and peter were in front of the sanhedrin, and the officials told them to stop speaking about christ they said “we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (acts 4:29)
now, i dont pass judgment on mutemath or any band really.but concerning the whole ministry vs. business, or christian band vs. christians in a band is a little ridiculous concerning the fact that to be a christian, one must love and serve god with every thing in them.
cannon said some good stuff about it.
if a band is openly christian, their cd sales will most likely hurt because of it. if this sacrifice is too much for people to take, then they should take a personal evaluation of their own faith and of what god demands of them.it may seem alot, but in my case, it’s been worth it.
end of rant.
-
On 03/8/06 6:59 PM, Sean Cannon said:
a band is a band. your ministry is your life, not your overtly christian job.
not to mention the fact that if you limit yourself to the christian market its very hard to make a living…
no band wants to be pigeon holed…i could be mistaken, but i think i remember reading an interview with aaron of mewithoutyou where he said something like, “yeah, if we wanted to be in the christian market we could make twice as much or more playing only churches and christian venues.” in other words, you make more money when you tour in christian circles (and we all know that bands make their money on tour). i knew some bands who would charge about two and a half times their “secular” market value because they were active in the christian market.
-
On 03/8/06 7:16 PM, dake said:
ryan-
it was a business decsion. that’s all. i’m not supporting/disdaining it, as i really have no opinion on that.
while it probably makes you feel real proud of yourself to regurgitate the lessons your youth minister downloaded last week, let’s stop and think about what you just said.
Where do you work?
If you really strive to emulate christ in all things, and want to talk of sacrifice, and you’re not living in relative poverty and working in a ministry with monastic dedication, saying mutemath made the wrong decision to do this is, by proxy, saying you made the wrong choice in your method of paying the bills. no matter what you say, you’re being judgemental.
-
On 03/8/06 7:58 PM, Sean Cannon said:
does saying that you aren’t passing judgement on someone and then trying to expound upon truths contained in the bible make you judgmental? i thought that bringing down condemnation and reserving god’s wrath for someone made you judgmental (you know, like it says in the bible).
-
On 03/8/06 8:07 PM, Jake said:
there may be a handful of non-christian bands at Cornerstone, but that doesn’t explain them playing Creation festival. Those things (East and West) are about as youth group as they get.
-
On 03/8/06 8:27 PM, ryan B said:
who started cornerstone? As in is it christian foudned?
who made it christian?
who said non-christian could come?
what makes a band abel to play at cornerstone?
How did Mutemath or anyother band get asociated with Cornerstone
thank you
a concerned music buyer
who likes both “christian” bands
and non “christian” bands -
On 03/8/06 9:11 PM, The 1/3 said:
Cornerstone was started by Jesus People USA (JPUSA). I thought everyone knew that.
-
On 03/8/06 9:57 PM, Sean Cannon said:
everyone did, until ryan b was born…jk. and i was always under the impression that the handful of “nonchristian” bands that played there were comprised of at least a member or two that were believers.
-
On 03/8/06 10:26 PM, Jaye Dubbs said:
I never said they non-Christian bands shouldn’t be able to play Cornerstone, that’s their deciscion.
Bands like He Is Legend were scheduled to play C-Stone last year and didnt because they didnt feel right exploiting people making thme think they were a Chrstian band.
HOWEVER
Mute Math has stated they want to be a Secular band. I don’t remeber the last time System of A Down was playing C-Stone???
-
On 03/8/06 10:28 PM, Jaye Dubbs said:
oh yeah…
and dont give me the whole “it’s hard to be in the christian market and make a living” crap.Don’t tell me bands like Relient Ky, Switchfoot, As I Lay Dying, underOath and so on and son aren’t banking right now.
The Christian market is as booming as it has ever been.
-
On 03/8/06 10:36 PM, Jay said:
Don’t tell me bands like Relient Ky, Switchfoot, As I Lay Dying, underOath and so on and son aren’t banking right now.
Uh, except all of those bands have general market distribution and are at least marginally involved with general market performance venues.
I’m not really getting the “it’s easier to make a living in the Christian market” theory. Unless you can demonstrate that the Christian kids are more likely to shell out money for a release, I’m going to stick with: “It’s just as hard or harder”.
It doesn’t make sense that limiting your target demo to just Christians and churches would make it EASIER to move copies of a release.
-
On 03/8/06 10:43 PM, joel said:
I think it’s important to note that Word records is trying to piggy back on the success of Mutemath. This is something they are obviously against. There are reasons why they decided to not release their music through a “Christian” record label. Whatever these reasons, they are theirs and are valid.
I think it’s great for them to stand up to idiotic decisions by giant faceless record labels. They have the talent and the buzz to overcome this crap. They are selling out everywhere and are being praised left and right by all kinds of media (christian & mainstream).
Anyway….. don’t get caught up in the whole Christian vs. Secular band crap. That’s not what they are about at all. Focus on what the real issue is: taking control of your career and standing up for your principles. How many bands have we heard of that get pushed around for years and finally just give up (Juliana Theory… cough cough…)
-
On 03/8/06 11:03 PM, somebody said:
wait, wait, wait. if he.is.ledgend isn’t a christian band how do explain the video for “the seduction??? most cliche christian video ever! freaking puppets!
-
On 03/8/06 11:17 PM, Sean Cannon said:
It doesn’t make sense that limiting your target demo to just Christians and churches would make it EASIER to move copies of a release.
no, but when you can charge two to three times as much per show in the christian market (and tour just as much as in the general market), you can make some bucks. bands in the christian market with christian booking agents do charge more, and churches and christian venues pay it.
-
On 03/8/06 11:37 PM, Thad said:
well, I would have never heard have mutemath if they weren’t in the Christian Market to begin with. That’s how I found them, I went to go buy something else and I saw them…so I gave them a listen.
As far as the whole suing thing, I’m not going to question them. Those are just a bunch of great guys. Besides, their shows only cost $7 to get into and their new full length is only $12. They’re making it really easy for fans to get their music.
Really though, i’m just glad I got a chance to find out about this band because they are amazing.
-
On 03/9/06 12:09 AM, Jay said:
Uh, “you’re”.
*flagellates self*
-
On 03/9/06 12:16 AM, Thad said:
Jay, you’re so scholarly! and probably a bit insecure…and that’s why you need to correct people. I feel for you though.
-
On 03/9/06 12:21 AM, alan said:
money is stupid.
-
On 03/9/06 1:39 AM, Josh said:
When I go to work, I make it a point to tack on the word Christian before my title.
Sidenote: I saw them in Jacksonville a few days ago and they were amazing.
-
On 03/9/06 1:50 AM, brad said:
Don’t tell me bands like Relient Ky, Switchfoot, As I Lay Dying, underOath and so on and son aren’t banking right now.
it should be noted that these bands rarely, if ever, play CCM shows (i.e. churches). festivals, yes, but shows… generally not.
-
On 03/9/06 1:55 AM, ryan said:
it’s love man.
god’s about love. -
On 03/9/06 2:33 AM, Nick said:
When it comes to a man’s art, you can’t draw a line on what is “Christian”.
That’s ridiculous.
If I were to try and take my photography and center all of it around Christian subject matter and only try and sell within Christian circles, who am I helping?
Does that mean that because I choose to sell my photos outside a Christian circle that I am not living out Christ in my art?
Absolutly not.
To accuse someone of not following the bible because they don’t want to be called a “christian band” is ridiculous.
Now if Mutemath said “we don’t want to be marketed as a Christian band” and started getting on stage wasted, cussing their heads off, and all sorts of nonsense, than the accusation would be ok, because they ditched the label so they could partake in “worldly” things.
But they aren’t, they ditched the label cause they want to put out awesome music and have a lot of people hear it.
-
On 03/9/06 6:12 AM, Jay said:
ay, you’re so scholarly! and probably a bit insecure…and that’s why you need to correct people. I feel for you though.
Er, I was correcting myself.
-
On 03/9/06 9:13 AM, rh said:
the stupidity of it all is that now so many people think of them as a Christian band…so much for ditching the label.
also, the issue is not wether or not they sell to just christians or just secular people….with some of these bands, it’s so much about being labeled a “christian” band.
i’m so tired of that. if i work at a retail store and people learn that i’m a christian and start calling me “christian salesman”…it might put me on the spot to be an example or whatever…but isn’t that what we’re called to do anyway?
i do hope their legal issues are resolved, but that whole “christian band” stigma…i’m tired of hearing about it.
-
On 03/9/06 9:21 AM, andy said:
I also question the Christian ethics behind suing a label for getting their music out to more people.
Mute Math will be nothing w/out the Christian market. It’s true.
And if they didn’t want to be associated w/ the Christian industry, they shouldn’t have played a Word Music showcase at CBA before their EP came out.
-
On 03/9/06 10:01 AM, seth2 said:
its a better deal for bands like Kutless to be in the christian market cause they couldnt make it elsewhere. For a band like mewithoutyou they would likely get more shows if they were playing in churches, but not allways.
Kind of interesting to think that U2 played some shows in churches in the early early days…..
Its rediculously stupid to sue a label of such size as warner bros. Even if they win they won’t be respected by any other major, major distro. They will be stuck trying to promote there own records.
-
On 03/9/06 10:14 AM, Seth Werkheiser said:
Don’t tell me bands like Relient Ky, Switchfoot, As I Lay Dying, underOath and so on and son aren’t banking right now.
Do these band have health care or a 401(k) like the people who run the labels?
-
On 03/9/06 10:15 AM, Who cares any more you stink'n goofball, shut up...Geeze go fly a kite!(lee) said:
This topic sucks. who cares! They suck any ways. Geeze can’t we trash Fall Out Boy or Demon Hunter? Oh yeah i pooped my pants.
-
On 03/9/06 10:34 AM, Jay said:
Do these band have health care or a 401(k) like the people who run the labels?
I imagine they have varying degrees of one thing or another. It would be smart on the labels’ part, considering that the bands are the ones ACTUALLY PRODUCING the product.
Sean said earlier that the churches and Christian venues pay the bands more, which is why it’s easier to “make it” in the Christian market. I assume that’s true, but some people make it out to be a bad thing. But why? The musicians, who mostly are just scraping by, get more money and the kids get a decent show.
Is it such a bad thing that churches and Christians treat someone better than someone normally would? I’d say it’s the opposite.
-
On 03/9/06 12:37 PM, Jaye Dubbs said:
The only bands that don’t have Mainstream distro are bands who are extremely into the Christian market already, you can still find Christian pop acts like Audio A, FFH and all kinds of Christian bands at Wal-Mart, Best Buy etc.
Being a Christian band right now isn’t hard at all. If you crossover and get big it makes you succesful in mainstream but skyrockets your publicity from Christian fans.
Christians think bands like UnderOath are the greatest thing walking on the face of the earth.
The bootm line is a Christian bands selling CD’s in both Christian and Secular markets are doubling their profit. A christian kid may buy an underoath CD becasue they’re Christian, on the other hand he may not buy the new Yellowcard CD becasue they aren’t.
-
On 03/9/06 1:05 PM, andy said:
great post Jaye Dubb
-
On 03/9/06 2:02 PM, Nick said:
Mutemath is avoiding the process of going through the Christian circle and transfering into mainstream.
They want to go straight there.
-
On 03/9/06 3:07 PM, Sean Cannon said:
To accuse someone of not following the bible because they don’t want to be called a “christian band” is ridiculous.
i’m pretty sure that no one here did that. however, if you are christians in a band, and if you will tell people that when they ask, then you will be labeled a “christian band” at one point or another. so if they never want to be called that, then they’ll have to do a lot more than keep from being on word. they’ll have to deny the faith. and just for reference, people don’t call me “the christian paginator,” at work because they know i’m a believer. however, i’ve been known by some in the workplace (though not here yet) as the “good two-shoes christian pansy.” i’ve also gotten plenty of strange looks from people and been bated into a few discussions just so i can have my “intolerant values” bashed in my day.
it isn’t about them being unbiblical because they don’t want that negative label. it is about the pure logic involved in the situation. if you are a believer and willing to stand up for the cause of christ, then you will be persecuted for it (and one form is the stigma of “christian band”) to varying degrees.
and jay, i agree with you. the fact that band touring in the christian market can make money doing it isn’t a bad thing. it does give musicians with families and bills a chance to make some money. i was just shedding a little light on the whole, “if they want to make real money, they need to get away from the christian market” thing. that may be the case with album sales (though don’t forget, no band has ever jumped ship to a major label from tooth and nail and then sold more records), but we all know that album sales are rarely a viable way to make the money.
-
On 03/9/06 3:12 PM, dake said:
comparing mutemath to jesus is the dumbest thing EVER, buddy.
-
On 03/9/06 3:25 PM, Brandon J. said:
If I were the band I’d forget the lawsuit and just start over from scratch. Sign to a good general market label and start promoting your new music. Fans aren’t going to care about your former associated first ep after your single and video gain airplay. Besides, there really isn’t anything wrong with being associated with the Christian market, in your past. I mean I remember seeing U2 cds at a local Christian store when I was young. U2 certainly didn’t care. When people complain about the Christian market and try hard to disassociate themselves from it, what are we saying about Christian music fans? Are they faceless, souless, drones? These are real people that care just as much as you and I about music and life. We shouldn’t discredit Christian fans as “naive” nobody losers. Which I am sure nobody is doing but you get the point.
-
On 03/9/06 3:34 PM, Brandon J. said:
Also, I think as Christians, Mute Math will try their best to live their lives with integrity, honesty, and love. We’ll see it in their lives and through the music they compose. The same should be said for any Band that admits it has “Christian” members. They will all try to conduct themselves with the above values. If they don’t, then of course they have made a mistake, which we all do. But if they continually do it on a daily basis without regard for others, then that’s a different story. As a business man myself, I try to run my company (no, not music related, sorry) with integrity, treat others respectfully, with honesty and regard to fairness. So in essence, I am a Christian business man (a machine shop owner). I have no shame in that title. Holding that title however is the toughest thing you can do because others will be judging your every step along the way and how you conduct yourself.
-
On 03/9/06 4:15 PM, Buddy said:
I think ashley simpson is the dumbest thing ever, but its all subjective…
-
On 03/9/06 4:26 PM, Who cares any more you stink'n goofball, shut up...Geeze go fly a kite!(lee) said:
i SMELL FiSH
-
On 03/9/06 7:07 PM, Seth Werkheiser said:
I wonder how long before a member of Mutemath shows up here and leaves a comment?
-
On 03/9/06 7:35 PM, orrin said:
it is a free country and they can do whatever they want.
-
On 03/9/06 8:25 PM, brad said:
Whatever the outcome of this whole situation w/ Warner Bros./Word is, the band sure has garnered a LOT of publicity.
-
On 03/9/06 8:42 PM, Thad said:
I doubt they will Seth, I doubt they will…
-
On 03/9/06 10:19 PM, Sean Cannon said:
seth, that’s what i’m waiting on. i’m hoping to keep post going as long as possible to see if it’ll happen…
-
On 03/9/06 10:30 PM, Sean Cannon said:
“They don’t preach from (the) stage. They don’t preach in their interviews. Those things are required of you when you work in the Christian market.”
that’s from the article wes linked to. what do you all think of that. i’ve known a few christian bands that never did either of those things. is it a sad caricature of christian bands or just a stereotype that has real merit? let that fight begin…
-
On 03/9/06 10:56 PM, Brandon said:
That’s a stereotype. You don’t have to preach from the stage to be a Christian band or be involved in the Christian Market. Maybe if your focus is on Nashville and that machine, then yeah you’d have to do those things. I mean look at how many bands don’t preach and are still sold in Christian stores. Pretty much 98% of T&N bands don’t preach from the stage so there you go.
-
On 03/10/06 12:46 AM, dake said:
When people complain about the Christian market and try hard to dissociate from it, what are we saying about Christian music fans? Are they faceless, souless drones?
take a listen to any one of these christian rock stations, and you’ll see the answer is a resounding yes.
http://www.wayfm.org/that’s the whole problem with the christian “scene.” people are way, way, way too forgiving about bad music when it’s associated with religion. i can see not wanting to be associated with a scene where lyrics like “it’s a big, big house, it’s my father’s house. it has a big yard where we can play football” isn’t laughed out of existence.
-
On 03/10/06 8:37 AM, Jay said:
Woof.
-
On 03/10/06 9:39 AM, Nick said:
The thing about the “not preaching from the stage, our in interviews” Christian bands is that it makes some Christians nervous.
Personally it’s not an issue with me. Although when I hear a band that I really enjoy it makes me excited when I find out the band is Christian. For example with MuteMath, I heard them cause they were on tour with MAE and it took me awhile searching for an interview that mentioned their faith to find out if they were.
Would I have stopped listening to them if they weren’t? No
But I know alot of people who don’t listen to secular music, and I work in a Youth Group, and I’m always psyched to have a band to tell people about that when they ask “are they Christian” I don’t have to say “well sort of, they don’t really talk about it.”
-
On 03/11/06 2:17 AM, Jenn said:
It’s really frustrating to turn on a radio looking for a christian radio station and only hearing Michael W. Smith, Switchfoot, Jennifer Knapp, Rebecca St. James, Amy Grant, etc…bbbbllllluuuuaaaahhh, why can’t we listen to mewithout you, blindside, the roosevelts, stavesacre, eastwest, emery, zao, demonhunter, norma jean, mutemath, furtherseemsforever, etc. all day long without an ipod. maybe this does exist earlier than 10 pm on a sunday night somewhere else. But I can probably guarentee you that there is going a “contemperary christian station” with it’s praise and worship repeats 3-4 times a day available everywhere in this country.
I guess I’m hoping that by not fighting the title of “christian band” that mutemath can help the “other” area in christian music grow…and it is…well, relient k toured warped tour and mewithout and blindside played and Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI, but it’s still getting ignored…POD has been around a long time and sooo many people still don’t know that they are christian because they aren’t “praise and worshippy”. SO what if people listen and like what they hear…learn that the band is christian and that there’s more good stuff where that came from…
It wasn’t formal for Warner to put Mutemath in that category while still in negotiations…but the whole lawsuit thing…doesn’t seem like the right way to go and the comment:
“They don’t preach from (the) stage. They don’t preach in their interviews. Those things are required of you when you work in the Christian market.”
Is a poor argument for the obligations that bind a christian band to being in the christian music category.
chevelle did a similar thing…”hey lets go on tour with the insiderz cause they’re going to pay for everything and build up this christian fan base, and go secular then not want anything much to do with the industry that we got our reputation started on.”
why not “hey, we’re christians, we’re in a band, and here’s our music.” I’m not down with the idea of being connected to christianity as a hinderance to making music. POD and MXPX…people like them and so…they’re still around. Jars of Clay (early), Switchfoot, and Relient K…they’re christian and people christian and non-christian like them…and they are known…touring, doing secular shows, keeping the faith.
so why are so many people afraid of association with “christian” even christians themselves are afraid of it?
-
On 03/11/06 12:27 PM, dake said:
so why are so many people afraid of association with “christian” even christians themselves are afraid of it?
my theory is it’s because, like i’ve said before, there’s so much awful music being accepted in the christian scene. why we talk about this, i’m sure everyone’s thinking about t&n bands and whatnot, but that quality of music seems to be in the minority for praise music. in my experience, i’ve found fans of christian music like it for its subject matter, not its musical content. ergo, lots of really crummy bands get accepted simply because they sing about jesus. i can understand an artist not wanting to be associated with crap like 3rd day, toby mac and whatever else there. that christian association seems like a big crutch holding up the careers of bands that would be playing coffeeshops on saturday afternoons if they weren’t in the praise scene. i can fully understand why any band would be a little wary about getting a reputation as a christian band because of that.
-
On 03/11/06 4:02 PM, Nick said:
It’s true, a lot of Christian bands flat out suck. But are making a living off the fact that they sing about Jesus.
-
On 03/11/06 11:14 PM, Thad said:
It’s true with the mainstream too though. You can’t deny that there are a lot of real crappy bands making millions of dollars that play sub-par music with sub-par musicians.
-
On 03/12/06 3:36 PM, Sean Cannon said:
thad just broke this mutha open!!!
-
On 03/13/06 1:52 PM, Brandon J. said:
I agree with Thad.
-
On 03/13/06 11:39 PM, Thad said:
I mean, seriously though. You guys can dog songs about Big Houses and Baseball games on Christian Radio all you want. I will simply smile, change it to a mainstream station and your ears will be flooded with a woman singing a song with a chorus consisting of her telling us how banana is spelled and then some chic talking about some “lady lumps” on her body and then Shaggy will tell us how many places “it wasn’t him” in his house. Just wanted to point that out.
-
On 03/14/06 12:28 AM, dat said:
thad…straight up!
Way to many secular “artist” are making millions of songs they didn’t even write.
Media companies give listeners an appetite for a certain sound and then cookie-cut bands to feed them. All for the love of you know what.
-
On 03/14/06 12:35 AM, dat said:
as far as the MuteMath lawsuit is concerned I was actually a little relieved when I read an article about it.
I had initially heard that MuteMath said that although they were christians they’re music had nothing to to with that. As soon as I got home I looked up the article because that made no sense to me (how could an artist who is a christian make art that has nothing to do with who they are?). But I didn’t find that to be the case.
I understand if MuteMath doesn’t want to be tagged a “Christian Band”
Why can’t music be labeled music?
No need for the name-tags if Christians were smart they would only listen to music that edifies them and/or glorifies God (as Mutemath’s music does) and if Non-Christians were smart, well they’d do the same…..and nobody would be listening to Shaggy say how many places he didn’t do it. -
On 03/15/06 2:12 AM, Nick said:
Shaggy hasn’t had a popular song for awhile.
I’m guessing he hasn’t “done it” for quite awhile.
-
On 03/15/06 10:37 AM, Paul Meaney said:
follow me down the road donw th eroad of your mind.. people of the world come and rock one time!
-
On 03/15/06 10:38 AM, Jay said:
Moops.
-
On 04/5/06 7:01 PM, Renee said:
The Lord says the if someone denies Him before men, He will deny them before the Father. Mutemath is denying Christ by having the audacity to go so far as to sue because they are being identified with Him. IF they were REALLY Christians, in their hearts and not just their mouths, they would care less about making “secular mainstream money” and they’d be serving the Lord wholeheartedly through their music.
Our pastor, Greg Laurie, has used the metaphor, along with many other pastors, that just as going to McDonalds doesn’t make you a hamburger, just SAYING you’re a Christian, and even attending a church, doesn’t nake you a Christian.
Christianity is NOT a religion, it’s a relationship with Jesus Christ- one in which you SHOW by how you live every single day of your life. It’s how you treat people, what you say (ie. cussing, crude jokes, gossip, etc.), what you chose to listen to on the radio, watch on TV, the prople you chose to be around, what you do to your body, and can even include what you eat, etc. It’s shown in ALL life decisions.
Since when does the Bible say that suing due to being affiliated with Jesus is a Christian-like thing to do? It doesn’t. In fact, the Bible says exactly the opposite! Mutemath NEEDS to re-examine their hearts to see if Jesus really IS the center…. or if money and fame is.
-
On 04/6/06 12:10 AM, Thad said:
Renee, you need to know the whole story before you make statements like that. Do you know these guys or have you ever seen these guys? You probably have no idea. If you listen to their music, you’ll realize they don’t hide their beliefs at all.
5″And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. -Matthew 6:6-7
This is the verse that comes to me when I think of this situation. I think of all the bands who are in the Christian music industry who have nothing of value or depth in their lyrics. They just hide under the label that the industry has given them or go into it because it makes them feel better about themselves. Mutemath, however, is still bold enough to share the gospel through their lyrics, they just don’t need the label.
-
On 04/6/06 2:57 AM, brad said:
i’m with ya, thad
-
On 04/6/06 1:36 PM, Alex said:
Renee, the issue at hand isn’t whether Mute Math is denying Christ. The article specifies that “it was never a question of faith.”
The issue, as I see it, is how Warner Brothers did not honor the agreement they created with Mute Math. The article confirms this by adding that the “suit is for breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation.”
They mentioned that they did not want to have their EP released on Word for a number of reasons. Specifically, if they were “labeled” as a Christian band the Christian music community would have certain expectations. Mute Math “don’t preach from (the) stage. They don’t preach in their interviews. Those things are required of you when you work in the Christian market.” So they would risk being seen, as many bands are, to secular for the Christian market and to Christian for the secular market. It is very difficult to shed the “Christian” label as a band. So where would this leave them? Exactly where they didn’t want to go, which is exactly what the specified in the contractual negotiations. Which is exacly what Warner Brothers did and is why they are now being sued by Mute Math
-
On 09/24/06 1:53 PM, Jai said:
I for one am glad they do not want to limit themselves to one market. If that was the case, I would have never discovered this ‘amazing band.’ I am not christian. I have absolutely nothing against this religion or any religion for that matter. Many of my friends are christians.
In an interview, Mutemath said they want to speak to “human beings”, not of any particular faith. I agree that their music should reach a wider audience. Their music can inspire people of all faiths. -
On 10/10/06 4:07 PM, Yeah Dude said:
Paul (singer of Mute Math) goes to my Church.
-
On 10/11/06 2:23 PM, J.J. said:
“no band has ever jumped ship to a major label from tooth and nail and then sold more records”
Not true. P.O.D. was on T&N for time before going mainstream and hitting it big.
-
On 10/12/06 12:15 PM, Bill Power said:
J.J. – sorry bro, you’re incorrect. P.O.D. was never signed to Tooth & Nail. They were already on Atlantic when T&N released that EP. It was a favor they did for the band to help set up their record. But they were never on the label. That release was also a limited pressing and is out of print.
It is correct to say that no band that originally signed with T&N has ever left the label and sold more records. In fact most have sold less after leaving.
BP
-
On 10/19/06 11:53 PM, JASON said:
When I first bought MuteMath, I was very excited to hear Alternative rock Christian rock, that sounds good. Or so I thought to call it Alternative Christian rock. I can pull out a thousand and one scriptures to say they are wrong, I can probably make a thousand other scriptures seem like the are right. Mutemath is has made me very dissappointed, and watch out those who agree with this non labeling as Christians.
We try to fit in so much with the world, like the world needs us to be Christians who adapt to them. Coming down to their level so more people can except them.
The title of one of their songs is “peculiar people” what makes us different. I don’t know the whole story, I just know the fact that you have a band who say they are christians but don’t want to be labeled as that. Then why even be a Christian. I was glad renee said what she said. I had been searching all night for answers about this subject when I found out. and I feel disturbed. Who’s picking up their Cross? Wasn’t Everessence a Christian Rock band, or rummored to be one. What happened to them, I had turned to MTv and so the black make up, the Black, the animals. The Bible says, Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit> In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, (prv 23:4,4)
People I am afraid, saddened, and sick by it. You know whats funny is Because they were different, They could of brought more to Christ. Not to do the opposite. Just by make a stand, who knows how many people could be touched. I was touched because “different is important” But different doesn’t mean denial. I have never wrote a Blog, or a chat until now. And those who would lash at me like they did with Renee, I would say if your are a Christian is that Christian? Is it cool to be an undercover Christian? Is it cool to let people figure out your faith? what about the kid who loved Mutemath for being a Christian Rock band, but now realizes that they don’t want to be indentified as that? Did may say I don’t want to be indentified as a Christian as well. You don’t think a kid would do that? -
On 11/1/06 6:09 PM, Church Voices » Blog Archive » Always working with words, never playing with them said:
[...] Mute Math sued their record label over being marketed as a Christian band. [...]
-
On 03/23/07 1:30 PM, Josh said:
I say they had every right to sue. If they said no and they did it anyway, it’s not like a big company is gonna cower and say “I’m sowy little band, you can have whatever you want.”
On the whole Christian and secular band bull!@#$, I’m sick of hearing that.
To end the whole arguement, I’ll quote the bible:Matthew 9:9-13 9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”Mutemath has come for the sick… we Christians don’t need another band preaching to us… we’ve got enough of them already. Let them do what God’s called them to and minister to those outside of Church, without the “Christian band” label bringing them down.
-
On 03/23/07 2:09 PM, Jay DiNitto said:
we Christians don’t need another band preaching to us… we’ve got enough of them already.
I actually think the opposite is true nowadays.
But I see what you’re saying.
-
On 03/23/07 4:01 PM, Levi said:
Ha Bill, I can only think of Project 86…Sometimes major labels just don’t work out.
I’m sure MxPx did okay, but obviously not well enough, cause they’ve signed back to T&N.
-
On 03/31/07 1:28 PM, joe said:
Mute Math is way too good to be limited in the christian market. They did the right thing by suing. I would say things are working out quite well for them now.
-
On 03/31/07 3:49 PM, jeff.s said:
If you are ashamed to be associated with Christianity dont sue somebody else
-
On 03/31/07 4:14 PM, wes said:
i don’t think it’s that they want to be dissociative of Christianity. they were being labeled a “Christian Band” due to their being former members of Earthsuit, a Christian band. They never intended this project specifically for a Christian market.
remember when Christian book stores stocked The Juliana Theory and Stretch Armstrong (i’m sure there are others) because of their association with Tooth And Nail?. Tooth And Nail wasn’t specifically a Christian label, some of the bands had members that believed, but they weren’t all ministry bands.
MuteMath did both Christian music fans and themselves a favor by trying not to be labeled as such. that keeps everyone happy.
-
On 04/1/07 3:09 AM, Howard said:
convenience over construction… ignorance is bliss.
Jason and Renee: you only believe these things because another person told them to you, not because of scripture based doctrine.
-
On 04/1/07 12:20 PM, lid said:
what if a major label signed a band and the band was told the logo of a specific imprint of the label (nothing at all to do with religion – just an imprint) would NOT appear on their album or be associated with them at all.
then it did anyway, and the band could later show how the imprint association affected their sales. (say the imprint was known to appeal to a certain demographic)
all this bullshit about being associated with christianity is nonsense. the band had a legal right to certain business ideals and the negotiations included specific criteria.
that’s all. nothing more. you all have your heads up your asses.
-
On 04/1/07 10:29 PM, Howard said:
lid – it’s easier that way. you don’t have to look people in the eye. which is why the internet was invented. it’s much more comfortable tossing stones and waxing spiritual from quiet, controllable, and above all – safe – anonymity.
-
On 04/28/07 2:44 AM, Hannes said:
Mute Math plays at many shows a christian ghetto band would not get to. Mute Math has the opportunity to meet and talk to people a christian ghetto band would not be able to. So let’s release them and hope that they will influence many musicians and listeners with their proper lifestyle! Everybody has his own way and we all break the same!
-
On 05/27/07 2:26 AM, ur all dumb said:
mute math lost millions because of genre misrepresentation. look at it like this…mute math could arguably be a u.s. version of coldplay, and someone threw them into a dusty shoebox with a cross on the lid.
-
On 08/10/07 5:11 PM, fuzzywuzzy said:
The Christian music industry is a market. A lot of bands start in the “Christian” market in order to break through. Because it’s a built in audience. Without being very good (sadly most Christian bands, for lack of a better word, suck) can play at a mega church and have anywhere from 100-500 youth group kids pay to see their show.
Compare that to a club with as little as 20 people at the door.
I have several friends who worked in Christian music for a long time. They saw what went on behind the scenes- a lot of these guys aren’t even saved. A big shot producer in Nashville told my friend- “You know, if you say ‘Jesus’ just a few more times in your song, you and I could make a whole lot of money.”.
And since Christian music is usually crappy, the only people who will listen to it are Christians. How is that ministry? We are supposed to be salt and light.. What are these bands saying, that we should clump together in a big salt block and say “Come one world, take a lick?”.
Not that playing music for Jesus on a Christian label is bad. But it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It’s a market, and sadly it cranks out an obscene amount of bad music regularly.
While I don’t think MM should hide that the are Christians (are they?), it’s probably the smartest and most God honoring move that can make to stay as far away from the Christian music industry as they can and play in the clubs.
Thats where Jesus would be.
Besides… they kick ass. Who cares what label their on.
-
On 12/28/07 12:09 PM, Deb for Christ said:
Bottom line. If you believe in Christ your thinking should never be about how your music will benefit your bank account, but how can God use you to reach those that don’t know Him. God Bless.
-
On 10/25/08 6:00 PM, Nomad Jones said:
As a Christian…
I believe that all creativity(including music) is a gift from God to be used for his glory and praise. No exceptions…
Growing up with secular music, I tried the whole “being a Christian in a secular band” scene which left me spiritually unfulfilled. I’d rather sing about God’s love than breaking up wit my ex-girlfirend. I don’t care what the world labels me. You will know me by the fruit I bear. Jesus in not an author of confusion. There is no gray area for me. I am not CREED!
I don’t sing about Love…
I sing about the Love God has given me…
I don’t sing about Pain…
I sing about the Pain God has saved me from.
Get it? -
On 10/26/08 11:39 AM, TDWP Fan said:
Why is it that when a band declares that themselves the members of the group, or just that 1 or 2 of them are Christians, they get labeled on the christian market? If a band doesn’t label themselves as a christian band then no one else has any right to. I think it was really stupid for Mute Math to sue. They surely thought that them being labeled “Christian” hurt their image and sued.
….I understand. I would be a little ticked off if i was in the band and declared that i wanted not be in the Christan market, but was STILL labeled christian… Still suing is just admitting they are ashamed and only care about the cash and are upset they’re image was damaged, thus the amount of money they get is reduced. They don’t care about God. If they were Christians they would at least not sue. Im not being judgmental everything i said about them is clearly correct.
-
On 10/27/08 1:53 PM, Jordan said:
congrats on necroing a thread that is more than 2 years old!
-
On 10/27/08 1:57 PM, TDWP Fan said:
Yah dude i looked at the date and saw it was really old but i thought it was new
-
On 11/2/09 2:26 AM, Brother Ovadyah to The Rescue – Beware of the Leaven of the Bethanys :D.K. Foreman – Personal Blog said:
[...] has filed suit against their label Warner Bros. for breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation. While in negotiations with the label, they were told their releases wouldn’t carry the Word [...]
