RockOm

RockOm Round-up is a quick glance at what's going on around the world in the areas of music and spirituality...

• Raider of the Lost Ark: ‘Scratch’ Perry is itching to release reggae’s spiritual side - "After more than 40 years exporting reggae and dub from Jamaica to the world, Lee “Scratch” Perry isn’t finished yet. At age 73, the legendary Jamaican producer certainly isn’t the same person he was in the 1970s, when he churned out hit tracks for the likes of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and himself." (bostonherald.com)
• Thou shalt not steel: Robert Randolph's brand of sacred music angers the church, but he plays on - "And guys like me who've dared to play outside the church, well, we're the devil to the elders. It's really mind blowing that they say you can't spread the gift that God gave you to people who aren't in this church." (philly.com)
• Muslims can see Black Eyed Peas, Malaysia says - "Malaysia has reversed an earlier ban on Muslims attending a concert by U.S. hip-hop band the Black Eyed Peas, saying it had no right to keep people from entertainment events." (in.reuters.com)
• “Idol” finalist Danny Gokey gets countrified with record deal - "Gokey also has plenty of fans, especially from Wisconsin and among devout Christians, who responded to the way he showed his own faith on the show. That could serve Gokey well in the country music realm, which has always had a heavy dose of spirituality stirred in with more secular concerns of job, love and money." (blogs.reuters.com)
• Crowds up to 320,000 expected for 12th annual Christian music festival - "Leading artists performing on five LifeLight Festival stages include Newsboys, Kutless, Sanctus Real, Superchick, Lincoln Brewster, Rush of Fools, John Reuben and Phil Joel." (argusleader.com)