California rockers American Jesus stay true to form and laugh off a recent call for a boycott of their band from a Southern Minister.
The trouble started when Rev. Clement S. Wagner�s 19-year-old daughter brought an American Jesus CD home with her during Winter break from college. The reverend who heads a small congregation in Chupaloo, Mississippi spotted the American Jesus �Spiritual Prozac� CD among his daughters belongings and immediately launched a campaign with his followers and other ministers to boycott �these agents of Satan�.
American Jesus frontman Ronnie Kustes laughs off Wagner�s call for a boycott, �Everyone knows Southern Baptists don�t dance,� says Kustes. �It�s not like these people would buy our CD anyway. So it�s a real joke at its foundation. When I got the letter from this crackpot in the mail, I framed it!�
�Fundamentalists are always judging books by their covers,� says Kustes. �How much do you want to bet he didn�t even bother to listen to the music?� When asked about his low opinion of Fundamentalist Christians Ronnie explains, �I think they give Christianity a bad name, if they would have been around in Christ day they surely would have been Pharisees and Scribes. Maybe there are some hidden passages in the New Testament that I missed that teaches intolerance? I happen to find the exact opposite message.�
Kustes who has been known to say to live audiences �Hello Sinners! We are American Jesus and we�re here to save your soul for Rock and Roll!� takes the misunderstanding of his band�s name in stride. �You didn�t find Jesus hanging out with the devout and faithful. No, he hung out with the misfits and prostitutes. If he were alive in American today, I can totally see him as a rock star! What a better way to spread his message than with music?� laughs Kustes. �Our name is a tongue in cheek reference to that possibility, we�re not out trying to give Jesus a bad name. And don�t worry we are not a Christian band trying to convert people through music either. We�re just a rock band trying to make the best music we can.�
�Some misguided people call rock �devil music,�� says Ronnie �If you ask me I think Satan probably listens to Rap�.
As for Rev. Wagner�s boycott, Ronnie simply says, � If he found the songs on �Spiritual Prozac� offensive just wait until he hears our new song �Star F***er�!�
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