WHERE DO ROCKSTARS GO WHEN THEY DIE? - By Gregory Hyde

Image courtesy of Doc Martens

“So did you hear who died?”

It is staggering how often this question has been asked of me lately, whether in person, via text, or on Facebook. It’s even become oddly humorous how friends and strangers alike seem to have this unction to be the first (I can only assume because of my career within the music industry) to inform me of the demise of yet another monolithic musical artist of our time.

We all understand these icons are getting older, but is there a global conspiracy against rockstars? Did these promiscuous fellas contract some unknown STD in the 80’s that is wiping out singers en mass in 2016? And how the heck is Keith Richards still alive and kicking through all this? Knock on Ron Wood…

Equally staggering are the statements by Christians that I’ve seen on various social media pages, eager to usher these greats of the stage and studio right on in through the pearly gates with their status updates. These can mostly be paraphrased to “The music in Heaven just took a step up in quality today”, or something of the sort. I’ve even seen editorial cartoons in major newspapers giving us the visual cue of recently deceased masters of their sonic craft being accepted with open arms amongst the saints.

Understandably, people are moved by the loss of someone who, though they may have never met in person, likely touched them in a profound way emotionally - possibly even spiritually. I never met Glenn Frey of The Eagles, but when I heard of his passing, my heart sank. He had such an enormous impact on my songwriting and sound, that I felt like a mentor had died. No more opportunities to learn from him, no more of that elation at seeing and hearing him perform. And what of his family? His kids? Friends? It was a sad day.

So I don’t subscribe to the “You didn’t even know them!” nonsense from the detractors of those in mourning. They are truly grieving, and conjuring the best outcome for someone who, in their minds at least, brought so much love and enjoyment to the masses through their art. It could be their only comfort – a way to cope with this heavy loss of someone that they related to, admired, and treasured.

So What’s The Problem With That?

The problem arises when we look at statements like those in light of the Gospel we proclaim as Christians, when held in comparison to the life of the dearly departed. Is accepting Jesus truly the only way to obtain salvation? Does one earn a Get Out of Hell Free card if one entertains enough people? Or does someone get to spend eternity in God’s presence because they’re one of the lucky few we’ve deemed worthy enough in our own eyes to hang out with forever?

If we are inviting coworkers and acquaintances to church, or suggesting on our same Facebook page that we believe Christianity is authentic, doesn’t a statement like this suggest that we REALLY believe following Christ isn’t all that important to our eternal salvation?

“But Gregory – aren’t you being pretty judgmental? You don’t know what was in Johnny Rockstar’s heart! Only God can know that.” Touché. Celebrities are notorious for their debauchery, but you’re absolutely right: living a squeaky clean life does not a regenerate soul make, and we don’t know what the last words or thoughts of these people were. I’m merely suggesting we don’t presume the other extreme. But while some artists are recluses with no hints to their personal lives, others leave little to question of their thoughts on faith and spirituality.

I’m a music fan and music maker, and this industry is one of my favorite topics. I’ve seen a plethora of documentaries and interviews on multiple acts, artists, recording studios, record labels and genres. As a result, I’m aware of quite a few details that the average radio or streaming service listener may not be. But rather than risk coming across as smarmy know-it-all, I try to hold my tongue when someone lauds their favorite peace-promoting, altruistic minstrel as a visionary of love, when I know full well that he was a drug-addicted wife beater who abandoned his kids and cheated every business associate he ever encountered. Why destroy someone’s hero?

However, when I saw one of the “Music in Heaven must rock today!” posts about Prince, I couldn’t help mentioning how he was a professed Jehova’s Witness. If you were to tell him you thought he was going to Heaven upon his death, he probably would have debated you. Fiercely. Scott Weiland’s ex-wife reported that he was a professing atheist at the time of his death, yet he was also the subject of many a “There’s an Improved Song Selection in the Sweet By and By Today” post.

Unfortunately, we can’t even get too excited on those rare occasions when a celeb makes a faith claim, as they’re usually watered down and general. In one of Merle Haggard’s final interviews, he claimed a reverence for God and declared himself and his family as “devoutly religious”. That’s pretty uplifting until we consider that the Waco Branch Davidians would say the same of themselves, and they were convinced their child molesting mental case of a leader was Jesus reincarnated. I’m not attacking the validity of Haggard’s statement – I sincerely hope he is a brother in Christ who is eternally in heaven, but my point is that I just don’t know.

But with the miraculous invention of the search engine, one doesn’t have to look too hard to get an idea of where other revered late troubadours stood on the issues of faith.

Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead:

"The only interesting thing about religion is how many people it's slaughtered. Communism and Nazism are religions as well, make no mistake about it."

"If there is a God he hasn’t been paying attention. He should retire and hand over to a younger man, because he’s making a real bollocks of everything."

David Bowie:

“I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for the visual in religious rituals, though, even though they are completely empty and bereft of substance. The incense is powerful and provocative, whether Buddhist or Catholic.”

“That's the shock: All clichés are true. The years really do speed by. Life really is as short as they tell you it is. And there really is a God - so do I buy that one? If all the other clichés are true... Hell, don't pose me that one.”

But while we’re quoting the most famous people on the planet to slip loose the mortal coil, let’s not forget THE most famous one, who is also the only one to have come back from the dead.

Jesus:
 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6, NIV)

Where Do We Go Now?

Thank God (who is not Lemmy, contrary to the claims of Steve Buscemi’s character in Air Heads) that, for the squeaky clean Suzy Sunday School teachers and cocaine-laced fire ant snorting Ozzy Osbournes alike, salvation is ready and waiting for all of us. Our actions don’t make us worthy of acceptance into His Kingdom. Our artistic contributions to society will not win or lose us a place at the table in God’s house. It is only the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and His resurrection that we need to claim as our way to eternal redemption.

So what’s the proper response when these tragic deaths happen? Mourn for the loss. Grieve with those who are grieving (Romans 12:15). Pray comfort for the families and loved ones they’ve left behind, as well as their fans who feel that sense of loss at their passing. Pray that God would have an open door into their hearts through this time, when people often ponder their mortality and the afterlife, for the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to them so that they would encounter Jesus Christ themselves.

But also let the weight of what happened hit you. Someone died that God loved immensely. This was someone God knew intimately before the world began. This was someone, like all of us, who our Creator deemed so beautiful and worthy of His love that Jesus was tortured and killed so they could know Him and be eternally, completely fulfilled by their relationship with Him. Yet, they likely refused that offer. That is worthy of sorrow.

To simply imagine a heavenly reception for those who may have been furthest from it, is to fool ourselves. Let that motivate you to share the Gospel boldly, as you never know when someone in your life may take their last breath without having heard it.

White-washing the eternal consequence that likely awaited someone we admired numbs us to the truth. I’m certain our enemy would like little more. We are in danger of convincing ourselves that there is no consequence to a life apart from Christ. And if we convince ourselves of that, then why share the Gospel at all? As long as we’re being entertained, it will all work out in the end. Right?