Testifying to Love: Avalon (feat. Josh Boerman)

Christian Rock Summer comes to a close with something a little softer, melodic, and worshipful. On today's episode, Josh Boerman (The Worst of All Possible Worlds, Ill Conceived) returns to testify to love and also cause some name confusion by joining Josiah and Josh Christianson for a conversation about the Christian vocal quarter, Avalon, and the state of CCM in the 90s. It turns out, it was pretty homophobic.

• Follow Josh on Bluesky @bosh.worstpossible.world
• Listen to The Worst of All Possible Worlds: worstpossible.world
• Listen to Ill Conceived: https://www.illconceivedpodcast.com/
• Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141
• Check out Fruitless on YouTube
• Find more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsutton
• Follow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton

References

• Avalon Essentials, Spotify Playlist, https://open.spotify.com/playlist/55mkNaVTJ3mJJRevfFB1hi
• God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Christian Contemporary Music by Leah Payne
• "Michael Passons (Pt 1) Breaks Silence: His Truth About Avalon, Christian Music & 20‑Year Return," The Patrick Custer Show on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmWXtnECYP0
• "Michael Passons' Full Story (Pt 2): Forced Out of Avalon, Out of The Closet & Conversion Therapy," The Patrick Custer Show on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ9ctLW-2Yo
• "Michael Passons Says His Sexuality Was the Real Reason for Leaving Avalon," Joe Lynch in Billboard, https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/michael-passons-avalon-9447362/
• "Former Avalon singer on coming out, getting ousted and where he is today," Joey DiGuglielmo in Washington Blade, https://www.washingtonblade.com/2020/10/20/former-avalon-singer-on-coming-out-getting-ousted-and-where-he-is-today/
• "Former Avalon Member Melissa Greene to Jen Hatmaker: Christian Music Was Built on the ‘Back of So Many Queer People,’" Jessica Mouser in ChurchLeaders, https://churchleaders.com/news/2218790-avalon-melissa-greene-jen-hatmaker-christian-music-queer-people.html

Audio credits

• Jesus Freak - DC Talk
• Testify to Love - Avalon
• Avalon on the Oxygen Tour in 2001, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIRRO1bswqc
• Yesterday - bloom.
• Give It Up - Avalon
• Testify to Love, from Touched by an Angel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvzaIUpo2Rk
• Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Avalon
• Can't Live a Day - Avalon
• Can't Live a Day (DJ Tiesto Remix) - Avalon
• Part 2 of the Michael Passons interview on the Patrick Custer Show, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ9ctLW-2Yo
• Testify to Love - Michael Passons + Ty Herndon (feat. Melissa Greene)
• Bass - NoCopyrightMusic