Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?: Larry Norman and the Perils of Christian Rock

Welcome to the story of Larry Norman, the unlikely father of Jesus Rock and Christian Rock, and a walking lightning rod for conservative Christians and nonbelievers alike. Some view him as a man who celebrated everything Christianity was meant to be, while others branded him an iconoclast for criticizing the actual church and organizations that purport to represent Christian faith.

Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? explores Larry’s story, covering everything from his baffling and circuitous rise to fame, his peculiar life, his impact on music, and the controversial lyrics that made him as wildly popular as he was vociferously demonized.

Thornbury never shies away from the prickly side of his subject, sharing Larry’s many rivalries, explosive outbursts, and contradictory moments. But by the same token, Thornbury truly helps bring to life just how amazingly popular, influential, and revelatory Larry’s stage performances were. Encapsulating the concert experience is very difficult, particularly one as unique as Larry Norman’s, and yet Thornbury makes you feel like a member of the crowd, enraptured by Norman’s voice, message, and lyrics.

Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? casts an important spotlight on the curiously tumultuous history of Christian rock.