Jesus Christ Superstar: Classic or Sacrilege?

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The closest thing to any religious instruction I received as a kid was listening to the 3 record set over and over, jumping on the tan courdoroy couch singing along with "MUST DIE! MUST DIE! THIS JESUS MUST DIE!". The original version with Ian fucking Gillian, maaaan. It indoctrinated me with the idea that God was funky and that Judas got a bum steer, Jesus was a bit self-centred, the Apostles were maudlin winos, and the Romans were the least rocking of the biblical factions.

― fritz, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

wot's that buzz tell me wot's happening

― fritz, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Well, I don't know about your take on the message of J.C.S., but I say classic. In my house, listening to it around Good Friday and Easter was almost a devotional practice. More importantly though, I think some of the music is pretty good. Though less flashy than many of the other songs, "Everything's Alright" is maybe one of the better songs on that recording. Some of Judas's songs are pretty hot as well, esp. "Too Much Heaven on Their Minds." I haven't heard this for a while, so this is just off the top of my head.

"Godspell" is not half bad either. I remember seeing this performed when I was a kid, and I especially liked the beginning when they were all throwing clothes around. (I don't remember what the point was, of course.)

― DeRayMi, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

oh yeah ... I say classic. And I want Andrew WK's next LP to be a remake.

― fritz, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

with Shane MacGowan as Mary Magdelene and Mark E Smith as Judas.

― fritz, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

! For that suggestion alone, I name Fritz to be the new controller of musicians' fates.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

sacrelige=classic ???

― Keiko, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Only good for the Laibach cover of Jesus Christ, Superstar.

― fletrejet, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

They seemed to play it every day at my Catholic grammar school. Odd, you'd think it was too messy and political. I don''t think we ever discussed it, the nuns would just play it while we did our busy work at the end of the day.

The leper part of the "Temple Song" is so creepy--"see my tongue I can hardly talk/see my skin I'm a mass of blood". And Ian Gillan really gives it his all at the end of the song. "Damned for All Time/Blood Money" is also pretty chilling.

Classic.

― Arthur, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

great for inspiring the KLF, no?

― phil, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Not as good as Godspell. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat was much, much better. All the predictable sad indie kid answers, but apply to musicals, please.

― speak of the devil, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Marilyn Manson as Jesus, Ozzy Obsourne as Judas, Pat Boone as Pilate?

― Lord Custos 2.0 beta, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

"I thought the actor who played Jesus made some interesting choices."

"What?!"

"Oh, uh... I really enjoyed the ice skating."

― Josh, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

ted neeley - legend. grew up with the film version of the soundtrack - one of my fave records everevereverever. how can you beat the yvonne elliman versions of 'everything's alright' and 'could we start again' ? - you can't. ex porn star singing 'simon zealotes' too.

golden moment of afghan whigs' last tour was them coming on with 'heaven on their minds' yes!

how can these sounds have been made by tories ?

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Movie is fun, the guitarier version of Heaven On Their Minds is too much fun. That and Peter from the movie went on to become a porn star which caused endless bout of giggles.

― Mr Noodles, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

i don't know how to love him is classy shit indeed - sing that to a man, he is yours for at least a supper and a night in the garden.

― Queen of the Mentalist Gs, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I hung out with a group of people at college that listened only to the Grateful Dead, Jane's Addiction, and Jesus Christ Superstar.

― Mark, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Both JCS & Godspell are classics. Definitely NOT sacreligious. They don't denigrate spirituality. Cliche-ishly, they make it "relevant" for the modern age. The movies of JCS & Godspell are okay, but the *reality* of film diminishes the impact of the music and the message. In the "suspended disbelief" of the musical theatre versions, the story, the music, and the spiritual themes come alive.

And respectfully, God is funky.

― Christopher, Thursday, 30 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I love that part in the film where everybody is happy and singing and then the crowd suddenly goes "Hey J.C. J.C would die for me" and the picture freezes on Christ's face, his expression spelling "ehhh, I'm in deep shit now." Crucifixion scene with the sun behind his dying face is sublime. Sort of classic then, when it's on tv I tend to skip the middle part, can't take all that singing in one go.

― Omar, Thursday, 30 May 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

9 months pass...

taking sides: ian gillian vs ted nelly
who was the better jesus?
wot's that buzz? tell me wot's happening

― chaki (chaki), Monday, 3 March 2003 12:19 (10 years ago) Permalink

None of them. There is no such thing as sacrilege, but JCS was just dull anyway...

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 3 March 2003 13:31 (10 years ago) Permalink

no way man "everything's alright" is a dope song and you know you want to be judas.

― chaki (chaki), Monday, 3 March 2003 20:46 (10 years ago) Permalink

sacrilege=influence?

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 3 March 2003 20:52 (10 years ago) Permalink

I love Ted "The Screaming Jesus" Neeley best, esp. on Gethsemane.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Monday, 3 March 2003 20:58 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Screaming Jesus sounds like a great WWF wrestling name.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 3 March 2003 21:17 (10 years ago) Permalink

i thought ian gillian was the screaming jesus and ted neely was the more restrained one?

― chaki (chaki), Monday, 3 March 2003 21:45 (10 years ago) Permalink

Love it, especially the opening Judas solo bit. My dad's a super leftist type minister (he went to seminary at Berkley in the mid 60s) so I grew up on all the rock operas mentioned in this thread. I declared myself an athiest by the time I was eight, but I still enjoyed the albums.

― Dave Fischer, Tuesday, 4 March 2003 05:25 (10 years ago) Permalink

Ted Neeley sounds like David Clayton Thomas to me. Ian Gillan gets my vote.

I wish Murray Head would make a comeback. He should appear on Buffy as Giles' elusive bisexual singer/actor brother, that'd be great.

― Arthur (Arthur), Tuesday, 4 March 2003 06:50 (10 years ago) Permalink

arthur is otm about murray head

― chaki (chaki), Tuesday, 4 March 2003 10:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Jeepers Creepers, slacker guy.

Check this shit out!

I suppose Murray is more elusive that Anthony Stewart, but if they hired Murray to sing all of the Giles parts, I'd be happy. A family schism would no doubt ensue -- coffee versus chess.

― J (Jay), Tuesday, 4 March 2003 15:03 (10 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

I think it's the only straightforwardly good ALW musical. oh yes.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Tuesday, 27 May 2003 16:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Everything's Alright" is so totally classic it hurts.

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 27 May 2003 18:22 (9 years ago) Permalink

fucking awful sacrilege. totally worthless!

― masta ace, Wednesday, 28 May 2003 01:08 (9 years ago) Permalink

no way dude

― chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 28 May 2003 01:28 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Joseph" is also straightforwardly good.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 28 May 2003 02:43 (9 years ago) Permalink

it's funny that this thread came up right now. i just picked up this record for a dollar this weekend. i heard a bunch of it on the local college radio a few weeks ago and was pretty impressed. reminded me of my favorite Max Roach and Bobby Hutcherson records with vocals.

i realized after i read this thread though that i got only the selections from the performance and Jesus was sung by Jeff Fenholt which noone upthread mentions. should i look for a different version (longer and with a different singer)???

― JasonD (JasonD), Wednesday, 28 May 2003 06:04 (9 years ago) Permalink

yah dude. the original 1970 MCA concept album with Ian Gillian as Jesus. thats the ONE. all others are not worthy.

― chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 28 May 2003 06:10 (9 years ago) Permalink

There are some good pop songs here, so classic. I wanted to shoot myself, though, when I saw this performed by an all-star all-state high school troupe many years ago.

As far as ALW musicals go, I'll have to pick Starlite Express.

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 28 May 2003 06:20 (9 years ago) Permalink

6 years pass...

JCSS is playing here in a few weeks. Should I go see Ted Neeley get INRIed for the million billionth time?

― demonic splendor, demonic majesty (Abbott), Thursday, 1 April 2010 18:29 (3 years ago) Permalink

I am listening to "The Temple" and it kind of sounds like he's wailing, "A cellphone should be a house of prayer!"

― demonic splendor, demonic majesty (Abbott), Thursday, 1 April 2010 18:30 (3 years ago) Permalink

Love the reaction of the cast and crew in this video.

― Chris, Thursday, 1 April 2010 18:35 (3 years ago) Permalink

I never got why Judas went on about a "jaded Mandarin"...could anyone explain?

― demonic splendor, demonic majesty (Abbott), Thursday, 1 April 2010 18:45 (3 years ago) Permalink

???

― demonic splendor, demonic majesty (Abbott), Thursday, 1 April 2010 18:47 (3 years ago) Permalink

Morelike.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Thursday, 1 April 2010 18:49 (3 years ago) Permalink

According to wikipedia: "In modern English, mandarin is also used to refer to any (though usually a senior) civil servant, often in a satirical context, and particularly in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries."

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Thursday, 1 April 2010 18:50 (3 years ago) Permalink

I think Andrew Lloyd Webber's from the UK.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Thursday, 1 April 2010 18:50 (3 years ago) Permalink

What the hell is that in the middle of Ted Neeley's forehead?

― mottdeterre, Thursday, 1 April 2010 20:33 (3 years ago) Permalink

Microphone?

― Chris, Thursday, 1 April 2010 21:51 (3 years ago) Permalink

this is from the Soul of JCSS. chaki kinda went apeshit over it when he heard it.

http://www.robotsinheat.com/trax/HeavenOnTheirMinds.mp3

― jaxon, Thursday, 1 April 2010 22:25 (3 years ago) Permalink

classic, though it's real difficult to put on a good production of it. I loved Carl Anderson's movie rendition of Judas - went to see him on his last U.S. tour of JCS with *shudder* Sebastian Bach. He was amazing...met him, talked to him, got his autograph, and he died a year later :(.

― Phoenix in Flight (Cattle Grind), Thursday, 1 April 2010 23:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

Fuck. I didn't know Carl Anderson died. R.I.P. Most important part of JCSS, imo.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Thursday, 1 April 2010 23:38 (3 years ago) Permalink

yea, I think it was 2004. he was only like 58. and yea, there's never been another Judas close to his intensity and complexity...Murray Head's was good but of course we never got a visual with him.

Somewhere, I have the 30 year anniversary remastered original recording, and I've lost it twice :(

― Phoenix in Flight (Cattle Grind), Thursday, 1 April 2010 23:40 (3 years ago) Permalink

The Norman Jewison film is on ITV3 this very second. How dare they hide it away at 1:15am! First time I've seen it in ages and I'm loving it.

― Chris, Saturday, 3 April 2010 00:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

other than the occasionally mentally retarded disciples and the tuneless and redundant "Now We Are Decided", I really like the movie version as well.

― Phoenix in Flight (Cattle Grind), Saturday, 3 April 2010 03:54 (3 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

So did anyone watch Superstar on ITV?

― Chris, Thursday, 26 July 2012 12:49 (9 months ago) Permalink

"i dont know how to love him" on the stage soundtrack album is the shit

― Author ~ Coach ~ Goddess (s1ocki), Wednesday, 8 August 2012 23:28 (9 months ago) Permalink

i mean the original album

― Author ~ Coach ~ Goddess (s1ocki), Wednesday, 8 August 2012 23:31 (9 months ago) Permalink

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