If you haven’t seen it already, it won’t be long until a video of the band Sonseed performing their track “Jesus Is My Friend” hits your instant messaging client or friend’s Tumblr. There’s certainly an easy appeal… ’70s apparel, incredible sincerity, a ridiculous ska track about the merits of Jesus. But is is the clip for real? The video, and an explanation, after the jump.
The man behind the pop culture blog Dougspoitation has supposedly held on to this particular retro-Christian pop gem for decades. However, it seems like he started to oversell his find at some point–at least, according to “Endue,” who posts at Zombie Pirate Ninja Monkey.
Look at the logo for Sonseed that he links to on the dougsploitation site, and which was supposedly the one that they were putting on t-shirts between the late 70s and 1983, when they supposedly broke up. Despite the fact that this would undoubtedly have had to be scanned, zooming in gives some obvious compression artifacts, and absolutely perfect white away from the lettering.
The supposed poster for the show struck me as a bit suspicious, too, after looking at the detailing around the top and bottom of the lettering compared to the rest of the poster, which had obvious off-vertical artifacts on it. The lettering, however, had absolutely perfect horizontal lines, top and bottom. As in, every single pixel was perfect on the horizontal plane of the log, top and bottom. No other image with the lettering existed outside of the dougsploitation site. Looking around, I found the picture which the wording had been added to. The white lettering against a white background also looked like nothing a professional designer would do, while the style was about seven or eight years out. Um, so he dug up the real name of a late eighties religious affairs program where the host is already dead. The host is seen, but muted while the sound begins immediately after he supposedly introduces the band.
The program was a serious magazine discussion of religious affairs, which in the last year that Sonseed supposedly existed (1983) booked “Mother Teresa, Bishop Tutu and His Holiness, the Dalai Lama”. The idea that they were, on that day, running music (try and find any other references to them doing that) and booking a puppet-show called “Punch and Judaism” doesn’t hang together.
What seems most off to me about the video is how pristine the recording itself is. The quality is awfully good for a VHS tape, especially one that’s been watched at all over the past few days. Plus, the production values seem a little too obviously retro to be for real. Still, Dougspoitation insists the entire Sonseed saga is for real, and has even posted an “interview” with the act’s lead singer. Time will tell, especially since each new aspect of the story opens up new loose ends.
However, the bigger question is: Why mock possibly fake Christian ska when there’s plenty of real Christian ska from the mid to late ’90s? The outfits aren’t quite as amusing, but there’s still some laughs to be had. I’m as much for mocking the ridiculousness of Christian culture as anyone, but why try so hard?
The Insyderz – “He Has Made Me Glad” (the tempo on this song is really disconcerting to me, for some reason)
The O.C. Supertones – “The Supertones Strike Back”
Five Iron Frenzy – “Handbook For The Sellout” (admittedly, I really liked these guys)
“Jesus Is My Friend” by “Sonseed” [Dougsploitation]
Sonseed: I’m calling it as fake [Zombie Pirate Ninja Monkey]
Dougsploitation is a false prophet and Sonseed is a superstition.
Granted, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to Christian ska, but this song is too homoerotic to be real. Sure, Christians can be a bit square at times, but even a 1970′s man would be uneasy sining about Jesus “coming inside (him).”
That being said, it’s just another lame joke at a safe target. Kid Showbiz Adam says it’s hack.
Zombie Pirate Ninja Monkey
Shut up, internet. Just… shut up.
This is why I’m still not so sure about this internet fad. a) existence of such clips but more b) the amount of time people have obviously taken to dissect and inspect the legitimacy of it.
Anyway, FIF is one of my favorite bands, Dan, so you’re lucky you through in that you liked them. I remember one of their last tours – the Holy Rollers tour – with OC Supertones and Insyderz. Because really, what other bands would tour roller skating rinks with FIF. Oddly, Justin McRoberts was also on that tour. One of these things…anyway, point is, Supertones weren’t always that bad :D
@Dead Air ummm Dead Air: Have you heard a lot of Christian hymns? That’s not particularly unusual. There’s a whole lot of unacknowledged homo-eroticism in Christianiyt.
Ah, FIF. I may have to dust of “Quantity is Job One” tonight.
Has there ever been a more halcyon title than “The Lonelygirl15 of Christian Ska”?
Somewhere in Ethiopia, Hallie Selassie is spinning in his grave.
FIF was pretty awesome. I was severely disappointed that I wasn’t introduced to them until about a month after they broke up.
Sigh.
Hello there -
Dougsploitation here. Wow – I love that you have taken the time to dissect my blog posts about “Sonseed”. Don’t know what evidence you need to prove that it’s all for real. The tape was shown for the past 7 years at Dennis Hensley’s Video Gong Show in LA., so hundreds of people have seen it.
The “poster” for THE FIRST ESTATE is fake, I never claimed it was real.
I went through my TV Guide collection trying to find a real ad, but alas WNBC didn’t promote the show.
I contacted Sal through his theater company and he’s a cool guy. Brother John (Sleepy) emailed me today, as have some other background performers. It’s been a real hoot sharing this video with so many people. It sucks that some woman from Omaha stole it from my friend’s original Vimeo post and didn’t credit us (She even deleted my comment directing people to my blog). Whatever.
Not sure why the VHS tape held up so well, maybe because it was recorded in the 2 hour mode? It’s been stored in my hallway closet with the rest of my bizarre video tapes – the GOLDIE & LIZA special, anyone?
The “Sonseed” logo was apparently designed by a woman named Angela, who was married to Frank Franco, the guitarist. My friend Rev. Ricky bought the LP from http://www.yinylrehab.com, beating me to the punch – I had to settle for a homemade cd.
Well, anyway – thanks for the attention. I think I’ll link to your blog now. ;)
Doug
Hi believers / non believers -
Dougsploitation here. I’m real, the tape is real. Just thought people would enjoy seeing it.
It’s been featured in Dennis Hensley’s Video Gong Show for the past 7 or so years. Ask anybody in LA who’s been the the annual laugh marathon. This year I entered a tape called “Meat Ass” (which won , by the way) and has become judge Frank DeCaro’s obsession.
Well, thanks for the attention. I’m finding this all very amusing and I’ve emailed Sal from Sonseed about this post. He may reply as well. PS – two other band members have contacted me through the blog…you can read their comments here:
[www.blogger.com]
peace,
Doug
[dougsploitation.blogspot.com]
Hey, the insyderz had a lead singer with a really rough voice, but their albums that WEREN’T praise songs covered as ska were really good. i mean, as ska goes. as a recovered addict a decade later.
Zombie Pirate Ninja Monkey posts a retraction (of sorts):
[endie.net]
Now I can sleep at night. :)
case closed.
[dougsploitation.blogspot.com]