Headnoise
Encyclopedia
Headnoise is one of the main pioneers of "old-school" Christian
punk rock
, founded in 1994. They are prominent for being on the forefront of the Southern California
-based "JCHC" underground
movement, along with Officer Negative
. This was the second wave of the "Old-School Christian Punk
" movement, following in the footsteps of bands like The Crucified
, Nobody Special, and Scaterd Few
.
Headnoise has had several lineup changes over their long career, but the core of the band are husband and wife team Robert & Edie Goodwin (on Bass and Vocals, respectively), and Sid Duffour (on Guitar
). They are characterized as being extremely bold and uncompromising about their faith http://www.angelfire.com/zine/rxmag/headnoise.html, with guitar
-driven, powerfully fast, yet sophisticated hardcore punk
music and provocative Christian
lyrics
. Their songs deal with a range of themes including modern pragmaticism
, social injustice
, personal struggles, and practical spiritual
insights.
Originally based in Orange County, California
, they eventually moved to Illinois
in the year 2000 to join Jesus People USA
(aka "JPUSA"), an intentional Christian community and urban
ministry
serving inner-city Chicago
with national and international branches of ministry. There, they became one of the top bands on the JPUSA-run record label, Grrr Records
.
In the winter of 2005 they announced their retirement from touring and recording in order to focus on their families and other ministry callings. However, the band did reunite for the 2006 Cornerstone Festival
. In 2007, the band decided to end their hiatus to continue playing and recording, although not consistently. The band played at the 2008 Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell
(see www.cornerstonefestival.com).
Christian punk
Christian punk is a form of Christian music and a subgenre of punk rock with some degree of Christian lyrical content. Much disagreement persists about the boundaries of the subgenre, and the extent that their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies among bands...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, founded in 1994. They are prominent for being on the forefront of the Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
-based "JCHC" underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
movement, along with Officer Negative
Officer Negative
Officer Negative was a punk band from Ventura. Formed in 1995 and initially disbanded in 2000, the band released two albums and an EP on Screaming Giant Records...
. This was the second wave of the "Old-School Christian Punk
Christian punk
Christian punk is a form of Christian music and a subgenre of punk rock with some degree of Christian lyrical content. Much disagreement persists about the boundaries of the subgenre, and the extent that their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies among bands...
" movement, following in the footsteps of bands like The Crucified
The Crucified
The Crucified is an American Christian crossover thrash metal band from Fresno, California that formed in 1984. Its lineup is vocalist Mark Salomon, guitarist Greg Minier, bassist Jeff Bellew, and drummer Jim Chaffin. The Crucified released two studio albums and three demos...
, Nobody Special, and Scaterd Few
Scaterd Few
Scaterd Few was a Christian punk band originating from Burbank, California. CCM magazine described their music as "pure punk for dread people," stating that it was a cross between Janes Addiction and Charlie Mingus.-Sin Disease era:...
.
Headnoise has had several lineup changes over their long career, but the core of the band are husband and wife team Robert & Edie Goodwin (on Bass and Vocals, respectively), and Sid Duffour (on Guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
). They are characterized as being extremely bold and uncompromising about their faith http://www.angelfire.com/zine/rxmag/headnoise.html, with guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
-driven, powerfully fast, yet sophisticated hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
music and provocative Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
. Their songs deal with a range of themes including modern pragmaticism
Pragmaticism
Pragmaticism is a term used by Charles Sanders Peirce for his pragmatic philosophy starting in 1905, in order to distance himself and it from pragmatism, the original name, which had been used in a manner he did not approve of in the "literary journals"...
, social injustice
Social injustice
Social injustice is a concept relating to the claimed unfairness or injustice of a society in its divisions of rewards and burdens and other incidental inequalities...
, personal struggles, and practical spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
insights.
Originally based in Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, they eventually moved to Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in the year 2000 to join Jesus People USA
Jesus People USA
Jesus People USA is a Christian intentional community in Uptown, on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1972, coming out of Jesus People Milwaukee in the Jesus Movement, and is the largest of the few remaining communes from that movement...
(aka "JPUSA"), an intentional Christian community and urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
ministry
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
serving inner-city Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
with national and international branches of ministry. There, they became one of the top bands on the JPUSA-run record label, Grrr Records
Grrr Records
Founded in 1975 by Jean-Jacques Birgé, GRRR is a French independent record label of new music.The first LP was Défense de by Birgé-Gorgé-Shiroc which became a cult-album after having being quoted in the famous Nurse with Wound list...
.
In the winter of 2005 they announced their retirement from touring and recording in order to focus on their families and other ministry callings. However, the band did reunite for the 2006 Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
. In 2007, the band decided to end their hiatus to continue playing and recording, although not consistently. The band played at the 2008 Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell
Bushnell, Illinois
Bushnell is a city in McDonough County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,221 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bushnell is located at ....
(see www.cornerstonefestival.com).