I was saddened recently to hear of the suicide of
Brad Delp at age 55,
lead singer of the earlier rock band
Boston.
What many fans of Boston don't know is that all vocals on the first three
albums were sang by Brad Delp exclusively. That's quite amazing from a
musician's perspective.
Tom Scholz, the bands
leader, has often been referred to as a musical genius. In my younger
days, before I gave my life to the Lord, I idolized the band Boston.
I wore a black t-shirt with the logo you see to the right. Boston was
my favorite band, bar none. Boston's debut album, Boston
(1976), sold over 17,000,000 copies! My favorite song was Don't
Look Back on their 2nd album. I know I listened to their first two
albums a couple thousand times. Of course, the Lord convicted me about
this as I grew in the Lord, and I realized that Boston was of the
Devil.
Photos Left and Right: Brad Delp in 1970, and then in 2006.
Tragically,
Brad Delp commit suicide on March 9th by placing two charcoal grills in his
bathtub in New Hampshire. He died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
I suspected suicide the moment I heard Mr. Delp was dead, because he had
been a vegetarian for 37 years, and took care of his health. Sadly,
and tragically, I have no doubt that Brad Delp is suffering in Hell this
moment. It's not easy for me to say that, because a part of me died
with Brad Delp. When you idolize someone who's music inspires you your
entire teenage years, that person becomes a part of you. Yet, the
truth of God's Word must come first in our lives. Jesus said in
Matthew 16:26, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his
soul?"
On the album, Don't Look Back, in the song, Party, Brad Delp sings the following horrible lyrics...
I can’t believe it when some people say
That it’s a sin that way we live to die
You know, there’s never been a more natural thing
Yea there’s a brand new story, but it’s the same old lie
So come on
Get ready for the time of your life
’cause I’m gettin’ right in the groove
And if you’ve got somethin’ for me
I’ve got somethin’ for you
Baby
It’s a party and nobody cares
What we’re doin’ there
Baby, it’s a party as long as you’re there
It’s a party, party, party!
What
horrible lyrics! Even back when I was a teenager, I knew that this
song glorified fornication and attacked the preacher. Who else
preaches against sin? Brad Delp sings, "I can’t believe it when
some people say... That it’s a sin that way we live to die." The
entire song is an attack against Christianity, and tries to justify
fornication, i.e., sexual immorality. God deliver us from the barnyard
morality Rock-n-Roll music! ALL rock music is of the Devil, and
there's NO such thing as "Christian Rock,"
any more than there's Christian Homosexuality or Christian
Adultery.
The Bible, God's Word, warns us in 1st John 2:17 that this world WILL PASS AWAY... "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." Brad Delp was idolized by millions of people around the world, but where is he now? Do you believe that the Bible is God's Word? I certainly do! Romans 1:20 declares that we are all WITHOUT EXCUSE... "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." We are all warned in 2nd Thessalonians 1:8, "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." What frightening words! I thank God I am a born again Christian, and my sins have been taken away by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1st Peter 1:18,19). Nothing else matters if you die in your sins without Jesus Christ. Life is short, too short (Proverb 27:1). Before we know it, this life will be over, and others will follow after us. Of course, if you're a rock star your life-expectancy is MUCH lower. Take a look at rock's Death List.
I
did not write this article to be unkind, nor to slander Brad Delp, not in
the least. I wrote this article because Brad Delp addressed the issues
of sin and sexual immorality in his music, and he tried to justify it.
Few people think of Rock-n-Roll music as a religion, but it most
certainly is. Rock stars are ministers of Satan, who lead young people
into a lifestyle of immoral sex, substance abuse, and rebellion.
Boston is no exception. The song Smokin, written by Bradley
Delp and Tom Scholz, glorifies substance abuse. Rock music is a
religion of SELFISHNESS. Is it any wonder why 48,000,000 million
American mothers have willingly murdered their babies through abortion?
These murders are the direct result of fornication, which is the primary
message of Rock-n-Roll. The term "rock and roll", which
was black slang for sexual intercourse, appeared on record for the first
time in 1922 on Trixie Smith's "My Baby Rocks Me With One Steady Roll."
Evidently those who promote Christian Rock today DON'T realize (or
don't care) that they are identifying themselves with sexual immorality by
using the term.
There's something else I think that is very important to notice about Boston's music. Some of the band's song titles include Peace Of Mind, Don't Look Back, Used To Bad News, It's Easy (taking it day by day)... all songs which convey a noble, but secular, message. Here's a portion of the lyrics to the song Peace Of Mind...
I understand about indecision,
But I don't care if I get behind.
People living in competition;
All I want is to have my peace of mind.
Yeah. O-o-oh.
Now you're climbing to the top of the company ladder,
Hope it doesn't take to long.
Can't you see there'll come a day when it won't matter,
Come a day when you'll be gone.
Boston's music was quite different from such song titles as Madonna's Material Girl. The message propagated by much of Boston's music was that there's much more to life than just making money. This fact is clearly evidenced in the lyrics above to Peace Of Mind. It is true that most people are living in competition with one another these days, working long overtime hours, missing their families, and pretending that they're living. In this respect, Boston's musical message related to many people. I find it interesting, and worthy of note, that the man who sang all these songs killed himself. It goes against everything he sang about. What I want you to see here is that without Jesus Christ as your Savior, nothing else really matters in life. The Word of God states in Isaiah 48:22, "There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked." Brad Delp was a gifted singer, and he sang some very practical words of secular wisdom; but he rejected Jesus Christ as his Savior. Brad may have been a great guy; but he died without a Great Savior.
Here's a portion of the words to Don't Look Back...
It's a bright horizon and I'm awaking now
Oh, I see myself in a brand new way
The sun is shining
The clouds are breaking
Cause I can't lose now
There's no game to play
I can tell there's no more
Time left to criticize
I've seen what I could not recognize
Everything in my life was leading me on
But I can be strong, oh, yes I can
Although a seemingly good message, Boston's music was rooted in secular humanism and self. Carefully notice in the above portion of the song that I, me, my, and I've are mentioned TEN TIMES! Although Brad Delp was known for his generosity, and I'm surely not saying that he was a selfish men, the religion of Rock-n-Roll is inherently about self over God's Word. Frank Sinatra left $100,000,000 when he died to abused children; yet he lived a SELFISH life of booze, immorality, and rebellion against God's Word--with worldly music being the common denominator. No amount of goodness can pay for our sins, which is exactly why Christ had to shed His blood. Brad Delp was a generous man who selfishly lived his life void of God, and now he is being tormented in Hellfire with Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, and other Christ-rejecters. I say this with great sadness. 2nd Peter 3:9 states, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." No one ever goes to Hell but those who CHOOSE to go there. John 5:40, "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." Notice that Jesus didn't say CANNOT, He said WILL NOT. The choice is yours.
Mr. Delp is now in eternity.
He is gone. I have no doubt that Mr. Delp was sincere in his beliefs,
but sincerely wrong in Light of the Bible. It's more than coincidental
that heathens who choose to remain alienated from God, still cannot escape
the issues of sin, guilt, and the judgment to come. It's ironic that
the same people who deny the existence of God, often listen to such music as
Highway To Hell (1979) by the rock band AC/DC, or Heaven
And Hell (1980) by Black Sabbath. Boston went on tour with
Black Sabbath in 1976. If you don't believe the Bible is
God's Word from the testimony of Christians, then listen to the wicked
heathens themselves who sing about it so much. From Van Halen's
Running With The Devil to Elton John's Tiny Dancer (in which he
states... "Jesus freaks out in the street. Handing tickets out for God.
Turning back she just laughs. The boulevard is not that bad").
Clearly, the Satanic rockers believe in God, but they rebel against Him.
2nd Corinthians 4:4 tells us that Satan is the god of this world, who BLINDS
the unsaved through greed, lust, and worldly philosophies.
Rock-n-Roll music is saturated with spiritual meaning, and it's all
AGAINST Christianity, the Bible, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Who's side
are you on, God's or Satan's? There's NO middle ground. Brad
Delp was on Satan's side, as are ALL
rock-n-rollers.
One last sad thought. Brad's family members gave a statement to the press on March 14, 2007... "He gave as long as he could, as best he could, and he was very tired. We take comfort in knowing that he is now, at last, at peace." I wish with all my heart I could believe that Brad Delp is AT PEACE, but according to the Word of God he is suffering in the torments of Hell, because he was not a born-again Christian. John 3:3 states, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." This world will soon pass away. All of the things which seem so important to most people today won't matter one bit 10,000 years from now! All that will matter then is whether you died in your sins (John 8:24), or in the Lord (Revelation 14:13). I have no doubt that Brad Delp was a good man, as far as sinners go; however, he was still a sinner, as I am. Although there is good and bad in all people, we are all still sinners, under the condemnation of God's Law (Romans 3:19-23), and deserving of Hellfire (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15). We all need God's salvation, which is obtained only thorough the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Do you know for sure if you died today that you would go to Heaven? You can know for sure, by trusting upon the precious blood of Jesus to take your sins away (Colossians 1:14; 1st John 1:7; 1st Peter 1:18,19-King James Bible).
I am very saddened by the death of Brad Delp. Although a nice man by worldly standards, he lived a life of rebellion against God. He was a vegetarian for 37 years, and known to break out the apple juice after his concerts instead of booze. If there was one guy in rock-n-roll who you'd thought was going to make it past rock's DEATH LIST, it was Brad Delp; BUT, he tragically commit suicide in March of 2007 at age 55 with two charcoal grills in his bathtub. Is this the best that the world has to offer? Yes, it is. The world offers us the neon lit streets of Sin City, but Satan knows they are all dead ends without Christ. The world today SEEMS to offer young people very much through it's secular music, carnal philosophies, and sinful pleasures; BUT, 1st John 2:15-17 warns us that this life will soon PASS AWAY, and all that will matter then is whether we obeyed the Gospel or not. Oh! How the Devil always pays with counterfeit money! I hope perhaps someone reading this article may find the Lord. There is a vast difference between the death of a believer, and that of an unbeliever. I pray that you will come to the saving knowledge, i.e., the Gospel, of the Lord Jesus Christ.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
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