NEW MUSIC
SELECTIVE HEARING | Robert Berman
KEVIN MAX Revisiting This Planet
1972 . Change was in the air . A nation weary of war and debate about war rediscovered Jesus , the Prince of Peace , at least a role model , and sometimes as a redeemer . “ Jesus Christ Superstar ” was on Broadway , using the ministry of Jesus to explore the pitfalls of celebrity ; down the street , “ Godspell ” dramatized Jesus ’ parables from the book of Luke . Pop radio tunes filled ears and hearts with talk of Jesus in “ Jesus is Just Alright ”
( The Doobie Brothers ), “ Amazing Grace ,” ( Judy Collins ), and even “ The Lord ’ s Prayer ” ( Sister Janet Mead ). Calvary Chapel held mass baptisms in the California surf . Campus Crusade for Christ ’ s “ Explo ’ 72 ” conference filled Dallas ’ Cotton Bowl stadium with 80,000 young people to hear Billy Graham , Johnny Cash , Kris Kristofferson , and a long-haired Texas singer named Larry Norman .
Late that year , Verve Records , home of Frank Zappa and The Velvet Underground , released the second solo outing from Norman , a former member of folk-rock band “ People !” Recorded at George Martin ’ s AIR Studios in London and backed by a first-call team including King Crimson bassist John Wetton . The album “ Only Visiting This Planet ” rattled comfortable cages in all directions , decrying the music industry , the war in Vietnam , and even the