God Gave Rock & Roll To You

Matt Beaton
  • 4.7 (10)
  • MUSIC COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

A podcast exploring the Christian Rock subculture of the late 20th Century: where it came from, what it was, and what it turned into. With hosts Matt Beaton, Doug Dickens, and Tony Hormillosa.

  1. 06/23/2025

    No Holds Bar-Mitzvah'd: Bob Dylan's Christian Rock Albums (#027)

    Send a text We're back! In this episode we discuss the Christian Rock period of Bob Dylan's discography: the trilogy of albums Slow Train Coming, Saved, and Shot of Love. Did you know that Dylan played harmonica on a Keith Green song? Also, learn how Dylan tried to convert his producer Jerry Wexler while recording Slow Train at Muscle Shoals. Is Bob Dylan still saved? Also, we touch on the Michael Tait controversy. Bands/ Artists discussed: Bob Dylan Grateful Dead Sinead O'Connor Keith Green Dire Straits Conor Oberst Elvis Presley Steve Taylor DC Talk Newsboys S.F.C. God Gave Rock & Roll To You is a podcast exploring the Christian rock subculture of the late 20th century, hosted by Matt Beaton with co-hosts Doug Dickens and Tony Hormillosa. We are friends who each grew up in a distinct version of this world, and we want to discuss what it was, where it came from, and what it turned into. We’ll be taking many side roads along the way, while listening to some of the best (and worst) music of the era.. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions or comments for the hosts at godgaverockmail@gmail.com. Show and host information can be found on our website: https://godgaverock.buzzsprout.com

    58 min

  2. 04/28/2025

    Steve Taylor Blew Up The Clinic Real Good: The "I Predict 1990" Album, Side A (#026)

    Send a text We finally get to Matt and Doug's all-time favorite Steve Taylor album, 1987's I Predict 1990. We cover the first three songs, beginning with "I Blew Up The Clinic Real Good", about an ice cream salesman who blows up an abortion clinic to make sure he still has a clientele to sell to. Next, "What Is The Measure Of Your Success" skewers the big business Wall Street culture of the 1980's, and remains even more relevant today. Finally, "Since I Gave Up Hope, I Feel A Lot Better" tackles higher education (maybe?) and explores how a nihilistic worldview leads to hopelessness, despair, and ultimately the exploitation of others for empty personal gain. Also, Doug describes his dream where he walks arm in arm with our current President and has a heartfelt conversation. Weird stuff. Bands/ Artists discussed: Steve Taylor The Doors Echo & the Bunnymen Michael Knott Lust Control The Smashing Pumpkins XTC God Gave Rock & Roll To You is a podcast exploring the Christian rock subculture of the late 20th century, hosted by Matt Beaton with co-hosts Doug Dickens and Tony Hormillosa. We are friends who each grew up in a distinct version of this world, and we want to discuss what it was, where it came from, and what it turned into. We’ll be taking many side roads along the way, while listening to some of the best (and worst) music of the era.. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions or comments for the hosts at godgaverockmail@gmail.com. Show and host information can be found on our website: https://godgaverock.buzzsprout.com

    1h 3m

  3. 04/14/2025

    Steve Taylor Throws Grandpa Off The Lifeboat: The "On The Fritz" Album, Side B (#025)

    Send a text We cover the second half of Steve Taylor's album On The Fritz, focusing on two songs: "I Manipulate", which tackles the warped theology of Bill Gothard, a minister who preached strict hierarchy in the family, and "Lifeboat", which critically discusses Values Clarification, a movement in the early 80's that emphasized personal values over values given from authority figures like parents or the Church. Plus, are Christians the new moral relativists? Is empathy a sin? Bands/ Artists discussed: Steve Taylor Documentary: Shiny Happy People, about the Duggar family and their involvement with Bill Gothard's Institute for Basic Life Principals. Video: Lifeboat - Steve Taylor, in which Steve dresses up as an old woman and gets murdered by her students. God Gave Rock & Roll To You is a podcast exploring the Christian rock subculture of the late 20th century, hosted by Matt Beaton with co-hosts Doug Dickens and Tony Hormillosa. We are friends who each grew up in a distinct version of this world, and we want to discuss what it was, where it came from, and what it turned into. We’ll be taking many side roads along the way, while listening to some of the best (and worst) music of the era.. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions or comments for the hosts at godgaverockmail@gmail.com. Show and host information can be found on our website: https://godgaverock.buzzsprout.com

    57 min

  4. 03/22/2025

    Steve Taylor's "To Forgive" is the Magnolia of Christian Rock: The "On the Fritz" Album, Side A (#024)

    Send a text We continue our comprehensive exploration into Steve Taylor's ouvre, this time tackling his second full-length album, 1986's On The Fritz. We cover the secularization of the sacred with "This Disco (Used To Be A Cute Cathedral)". We try to figure out what "On The Fritz" means. We discuss whether "It's A Personal Thing" makes sense anymore in our current political climate. Then we go deep on one of our all-time favorite Christian Rock songs, the stone-cold classic "To Forgive", which is a reminder of what is true and beautiful about the Gospel, and makes us think of the movie Magnolia.  Bands/ Artists discussed: Steve Taylor Voivod Terry Scott Taylor Gene Eugene Nick Cave Kanye West Aimee Mann God Gave Rock & Roll To You is a podcast exploring the Christian rock subculture of the late 20th century, hosted by Matt Beaton with co-hosts Doug Dickens and Tony Hormillosa. We are friends who each grew up in a distinct version of this world, and we want to discuss what it was, where it came from, and what it turned into. We’ll be taking many side roads along the way, while listening to some of the best (and worst) music of the era.. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions or comments for the hosts at godgaverockmail@gmail.com. Show and host information can be found on our website: https://godgaverock.buzzsprout.com

    57 min

  5. 02/03/2025

    Steve Taylor Drinks Milk From A Christian Cow: The "Meltdown" Album, Side B (#023)

    Send a text We continue our ridiculous in-depth, track by track analysis of Steve Taylor's first full length album, 1984's Meltdown, covering the last five tracks. Standouts include the great song "Sin For A Season" and "Guilty By Association". Bands/ Artists discussed: Steve Taylor Starflyer 59 Dance House Children Pixies The Smiths Morrissey Mountain Goats The Weakerthans God Gave Rock & Roll To You is a podcast exploring the Christian rock subculture of the late 20th century, hosted by Matt Beaton with co-hosts Doug Dickens and Tony Hormillosa. We are friends who each grew up in a distinct version of this world, and we want to discuss what it was, where it came from, and what it turned into. We’ll be taking many side roads along the way, while listening to some of the best (and worst) music of the era.. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions or comments for the hosts at godgaverockmail@gmail.com. Show and host information can be found on our website: https://godgaverock.buzzsprout.com

    1h 7m

  6. 01/20/2025

    Steve Taylor Solves Racism: The "Meltdown" Album, Side A (#022)

    Send a text We continue our track by track analysis of Steve Taylor's work. We only get halfway through his classic first full-length album, 1984's Meltdown, because there is so much to talk about. Highlights on this side include Taylor's groundbreaking song "We Don't Need No Colour Code" which boldly takes on racism in the Church, and "Am I In Sync", which is one of our all-time favorite Steve Taylor songs. Bands/ Artists discussed: Steve Taylor Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew The Fat Boys Run DMC Public Enemy Barry McGuire Larry Norman Bob Dylan Conor Oberst Pleasant Grove Opening sketch is Bill Pullman from Saturday Night Live Season 22, Episode 3 God Gave Rock & Roll To You is a podcast exploring the Christian rock subculture of the late 20th century, hosted by Matt Beaton with co-hosts Doug Dickens and Tony Hormillosa. We are friends who each grew up in a distinct version of this world, and we want to discuss what it was, where it came from, and what it turned into. We’ll be taking many side roads along the way, while listening to some of the best (and worst) music of the era.. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions or comments for the hosts at godgaverockmail@gmail.com. Show and host information can be found on our website: https://godgaverock.buzzsprout.com

    1h 5m

  7. 01/06/2025

    Steve Taylor is the Eminem of 80's Christian Rap: The "I Want To Be A Clone" EP (#021)

    Send a text We're back for a new year! This is the first in a series of episodes diving into the music of Christian alternative rock artist Steve Taylor. His music was ubiquitous in our youth, and we are going to go deep into his songwriting, both musically and lyrically. Steve Taylor was a pioneer in Christian rock, using his formidable songwriting skills to skewer American culture and Church culture with quick wit and scathing humor, starting with his first EP, I Want To Be A Clone, which was released in 1983. We do a track by track analysis of this album in this episode, and of course this spawns some great conversations. Bands/ Artists discussed: Steve Taylor Chagall Guevara Larry Norman Russ Taff Petra Silver Jews Sugar Hill Gang Grandmaster Flash Blondie Eminem Pedro the Lion Dire Straits Sixpence None the Richer Book: God Gave Rock and Roll To You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music, by Dr. Leah Payne Podcast: Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music Thanks to @christiannightmares for the ad clip at the cold open. God Gave Rock & Roll To You is a podcast exploring the Christian rock subculture of the late 20th century, hosted by Matt Beaton with co-hosts Doug Dickens and Tony Hormillosa. We are friends who each grew up in a distinct version of this world, and we want to discuss what it was, where it came from, and what it turned into. We’ll be taking many side roads along the way, while listening to some of the best (and worst) music of the era.. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions or comments for the hosts at godgaverockmail@gmail.com. Show and host information can be found on our website: https://godgaverock.buzzsprout.com

    1h 19m

  8. 11/18/2024

    Mennonites Were Rolling In The Aisles: Interview with Comedian Jeremy Alder Part 2 (#020)

    Send a text We continue our conversation with comedian Jeremy Alder. He describes how his preaching stints at Mennonite services primed him for standup, and how his divorce led him to find a connection in the stand up comedy community. He discusses the art of "clean comedy" and how his negotiations with the faith of his childhood have provided a source for his work. Bands/ Artists discussed: MC Hammer Pleasant Grove Silver Jews Purple Mountains Drive By Truckers Jason Isbell Ghoti Hook References: Book: Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger - Ronald J. Sider Jeremy's Instagram: jeremy.alder God Gave Rock & Roll To You is a podcast exploring the Christian rock subculture of the late 20th century, hosted by Matt Beaton with co-hosts Doug Dickens and Tony Hormillosa. We are friends who each grew up in a distinct version of this world, and we want to discuss what it was, where it came from, and what it turned into. We’ll be taking many side roads along the way, while listening to some of the best (and worst) music of the era.. Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions or comments for the hosts at godgaverockmail@gmail.com. Show and host information can be found on our website: https://godgaverock.buzzsprout.com

    48 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

A podcast exploring the Christian Rock subculture of the late 20th Century: where it came from, what it was, and what it turned into. With hosts Matt Beaton, Doug Dickens, and Tony Hormillosa.

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Beaton
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 God Gave Rock & Roll To You
  • Show Website
    God Gave Rock & Roll To You