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Wednesday 7th January 2009

Randy Stonehill records 'Paradise Sky' CD, the soundtrack to Larry Norman documentary

JESUS MUSIC veteran Randy Stonehill has released a new CD, 'Paradise Sky', the official soundtrack for David Di Sabatino's film on Larry Norman, Fallen Angel. 10 of the 11 songs on Stonehill's CD were originally recorded on the albums 'Born Twice', 'Welcome To Paradise' and 'The Sky Is Falling' produced by Larry Norman between 1971 and 1980. The eleventh song "Even The Best Of Friends" was first recorded on Stonehill's 1983 album 'Equator'. David Di Sabatino and Randy Stonehill both contribute sleevenotes in the CD booklet.

A four-minute trailer for the documentary has been posted on YouTube and Facebook and announces that a website www.larrynorman.net will be online soon to help promote the film.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Reader Comments

Posted by Derek Robertson in Scotland @ 09:21 on Apr 17 2010

See the truth about David Di Sabatino and the deception in his Fallen Angel Larry Norman movie.

http://www.failedangle.com

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Posted by wolfgang elste in germany @ 17:10 on Feb 19 2009

When you look at his talent, Larry Norman should be as famous as Bob Dylan, Neil Young or Mick Jagger. When he started making music he didn't have the comfort of a christian music scene. There was a lot of misunderstanding with the world and with the church. It is somehow logical that the devil tries to attack someone that is so talented and could really bring a change to the (secular) musicscene of that time. That's possibly why there where so much problems and talking and gossip. I decided not to care about the stories and the gossip anymore but enjoy and get encouraged by the deep and amazing music of Larry Norman, Randy Matthews, Mark Heard, John Fischer, Randy Stonehill, Chuck Girard and other artist of the seventies. Somehow this music and the lyrics of a lot of this songs has so much to say even today and the best records by this artist are classics like the records of the Beatles or Bob Dylan from the sixties. Just yesterday I heard an amazing album from 1967 from an artist called John Ylvisaker (cool livin) that sounds like a mixture of Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan from the midsixties. There are a lot of real treasures within this old Jesus Music.

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Posted by meme in washington @ 01:53 on Feb 18 2009

The name of this documentary is quite puzzling... Fallen Angel in red, flaming letters. It's obvious what the author's bias is here. Before we even get to see the film, we can already tell that Larry Norman will be portrayed as a fallen angel--like satan who fell from grace. Are we saying that Larry is a demon, fallen from grace--therefore, in hell???

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Posted by Mike L in Venice, CA @ 00:21 on Jan 31 2009

Wolfgang,

I'd suggest giving the film a chance for many reasons, including those Scott mentioned. Larry's brother is very protective of Larry's image, but perhaps to a fault. The grace of God is much better displayed in how he uses each of us, warts and all. The filmmaker's previous work on Lonnie Frisbee was an honest, yet compassionate portrayal of another man with failings whom God has used to expand his kingdom. I'm optimistic that this film will strike much the same chord.

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Reply by meme in washington @ 07:28 on Feb 19 2009

Well, I kind of doubt that this will be a compassionate portrayal of Larry Norman. He has a cartoon character that looks like Larry Norman taking off his halo and putting on his devil horns. Just the title itselfs insinuates that he's a devil. I think David Di Sabatino is being vindictive because Larry Norman did not allow his music to be used in the Lonnie Frisbee documentary. I have zero respect for David Di Sabatino.

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Posted by Wolfgang Elste in Germany @ 13:36 on Jan 16 2009

Scott:
Thank you for your responce. Maybe because my english is not very good (I'm german) I didn't find exactly the right words and said a little bit too much. Randy Stonehill (together with Larry Norman and Terry Scott Taylor) is one of my all time favourite artists who makes very deep music. I read his comment about Larry Norman after his death and you are right if you say that they were real friends. I found one article about David di Sabatino where it seems (if I understand it right) that Charles Norman (Larry's brother) didn't likes this movie about Larry Norman. (Orange County News - David di Sabatino is drawn to charismatic christians - but nothing prepared him for Larry Norman. ) www.ocweekly.com/news/david-di-sabatino-larry-norman
wolfgang

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Posted by Wolfgang Elste in Germany @ 18:03 on Jan 8 2009

I'm a fan of Larry Norman. I've seen this trailer (Fallen angel) and I think this film is very, very strange. How can they make such a hateful movie about the father of christian rockmusic. Maybe Larry Norman made mistakes (and I think everybody who is that long in this business sooner or later makes mistakes) but there is always forgiveness and if you believe in Jesus you can go to the cross and start new. Maybe Larry has done this while other people are running around and telling hateful stories about him. Jesus said that only that one without sin is allowed to throw stones. And than there is also this strange story about someone who calls himself Larry's son from this australian family. In the bible if someone wants to talk about sin he should talk about his own sin. I cannot believe that an artist like Sammy Horner gets involved in such a strange story and even writes a song about 'Larry's son'. The media (and especially the internet) are full of people who talk bad about each other. Christians shouldn't be like that. Jesus don't likes gossip (but the pharisees liked it).

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Reply by meme in Washington @ 01:44 on Feb 18 2009

I have to agree with Wolfgang. How can someone who claims to be a Christian spread gossip and smear the name of a brother in Christ after he's passed on, and is no longer here to defend himself.

And Randy Stonehill... what is that all about? He claims to have forgiven Larry, but is sure quick to jump on the bandwagon and share his dirty laundry. As christians we should forgive as God forgave us. When God forgives, it's all under the blood and he remembers our sins no more. It's as if we never sinned. However, Randy claims to have forgiven Larry, but the minute Larry dies, he's ready to spread all the dirt and gossip. That is not true forgiveness, and I think he needs to do some soul searching. I'm sure that Larry had many faults--as do we all. But like Christ said, "He who is without sin, throw the first stone."

In my opinion, these guys are cowards. They never mentioned this stuff when Larry was alive, but as soon as he passed on, they couldn't wait to tell their side of the story. This does not set a christian example to the world. It just shows that Christians are gossiping backbiters. Shame on all who participated in this documentary to destroy a Christians brother's name. God is the only judge of Larry, and we should not take it upon our selves to sit in judgment of him.

As far as I can see, you picked three or four faults and made it seem that his whole life consisted of these sins. We have all sinned--many of us much more than what is portrayed in this film. Yet, when you look at the scope of Larry's life, his love of Jesus and his ministry far outweighed any of these faults. I thank God for men like Larry Norman; there are many souls in the Kingdom today because of his witness. May God's work continue in spite of gossiping backbiters.

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Reply by Scott H in Jackson, MI @ 16:37 on Jan 14 2009

Wolfgang:
I have not seen the trailer yet, I will this evening to discern, however I cannot believe "hateful" is a useful word concerning the film being made. Stonehill (and it could be extended, the others involved) loved Larry with flaws and all. I am certain that what they are compiling is just the raw stuff that made up his career and life. I, too, am quite a fan of Norman's but also was aware he was surrounded in controversy throughout his life. Is there really "gossip" going on? or is it factual story telling? And if so, why can it not be told of a christian brother with "flaws and all"? I have not seen any protest online from Larry's family.
Larry and Randy made their reconciliation in recent years. "Forgiveness" has been rendered.
I saw Randy last summer for the first time in over two decades and he had nothing but admiration for his departed friend and brother.
God bless you brother.

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The opinions expressed in the Reader Comments are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms.

Randy And Larry

Randy Stonehill records 'Paradise Sky' CD, the soundtrack to Larry Norman documentary

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