This just in: "Best-selling newsboys recently inked a deal with American Athletics, a licensed Converse distributor, to launch its own line of Converse Chuck Taylor All Star shoes. The joint venture commemorates the first time the shoes have been branded with a Christian music artist's logo."
This is a good thing?
Maybe it's because I'm sick, but the news that Newsboys are going to have a line of sneakers is almost as icky as those stupid Scripture sneakers that have Bible verses on them.
OK, OK, I get it. Chuck Taylors with band logos are a "cultural icon" as the press release says. Newsboys are joining Black Sabbath, The Doors, Grateful Dead, The Who, and Ozzy Osbourne, all of which have their own licensed Chuck Taylors.
Whoopdeedo. Just more commercialization of Christian music.
Then again, I'm sick, so maybe my judgement is off on this one.
You tell me: should a band that has traditionally been one of the Christian music's most spiritually grounded, evangelistically focused bands be licensing their logo on shoes? Is the industry hurting that much for money? Or is some big honor that I don't really understand because I a) don't wear Converse sneakers and b) am under the influence of cough medicine?
The only place to get the new Newsboys Chuck Taylors is on the Newsboys website. (As I write this, the site must be having trouble.)
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as a Christian who is also a raging deadhead, I wanted a pair of the GD All Stars, but they were too ugly and my wife refuses to let me get them.
I figure, if a Newsboys T-Shirt is fine, why not sneakers? And, hey, if someone (not me) thinks you're on the same level as Jerry Garcia or Tommy Iommi (from Black Sabbath), then on some level, you must be doing something right.
Wow! What a great blog. I love contemporary christian music. Keep up all this great stuff. Pure Gold! I do hope they save the GMAs! We need to reward these awesome artist for their hard work! Also, Jennifer Knapp is back? YES SHE IS! Come on girl. Keep making a difference!
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