Common Children

Common Children
OriginArkansas, US
Genresalternative rock
Years active1995 – 2002
LabelsTattoo, Galaxy 21
SpinoffsHammock
Past members
  • Drew Powell (bass guitar)
  • Marc Byrd (vocals, guitar)
  • Hampton Taliaferro (percussion)
  • Andrew Thompson (guitar)

Common Children was a Christian alternative rock band formed in Arkansas in 1995 by Marc Byrd, Drew Powell, and Hampton Taliaferro. The band recorded two studio albums, Skywire (1996) and Delicate Fade (1997), on Tattoo Records. Their song "Eyes of God" reached #5 on Christian music charts in 1998. With new bandmate and producer Andrew Thompson, Common Children released their final album, The Inbetween Time, in 2001. The album featured a more atmospheric sound compared to their previous albums. Common Children disbanded in 2002, and Thompson and Byrd went on to form the ambient music group Hammock.

History

Formation

The group formed at a Christian college in Arkansas.[1] Drew Powell and Marc Byrd attended the school and met Hampton Taliaferro through Byrd's roommate.[2]

At Byrd's suggestion, Common Children chose their name because: "we are all common children in the sense that we all live together, in a broken world, in need of grace—beggars attempting to tell other beggars where to get bread."[2] They have also stated that the name reflects the "mutual respect" and comraderie they want to promote between them and their fans.[3]

Common Children's performance at the 1995 Cornerstone Festival caught the attention of members of The Choir and producer Gene Eugene.[4] Later that year they became the second act after The Choir to sign with the now-defunct Tattoo record label.[5] The following year, they opened for The Choir on their Free Flying Soul tour.[6][7]

Skywire (1996) and Delicate Fade (1997)

In 1996, they released their studio debut, Skywire, the style of which has been referred to as melodic hard rock and grunge.[5][8][9] On the song "Hate", Byrd screams: "I hate myself" in the chorus, leading to controversy among fans, some of whom chose to return their CDs.[2][3][1] According to Byrd, the song was inspired by the Biblical book of Romans and written about struggling with the flesh.[2][1] The song "Throw Me Over" addresses criticism that the band is not sufficiently Christian. The album was designated one of the Top 5 albums of 1996 by 7ball magazine.[1]

On December 28, 1996, the band recorded their only live album, Setlist, in Jacksonville, Florida. The album had a very limited pressing and consisted of the entire Skywire album (excluding "Broken Smile") and two tracks from Delicate Fade. The CD was sold only at concerts and contained no over-dubs.[10]

Compared to their debut, Delicate Fade (1997), had a lighter musical style which included strings.[8][2][11][12] But it still featured some rock songs, like "Pulse".[13][1] Produced by Steve Hindalong, the album's title references that "we are all in the process of dying".[14] In addition to Christian themes like sin and the body of Christ,[2][13] the album explores suffering, including ending relationships.[14][8] One fan favorite was "Eyes of God" which reached #5 on Christian music charts in 1998.[1][13] The song "Whisper" features the vocals of label mate Christine Glass who co-wrote the song with Byrd at their record label's suggestion.[13][15] Glass and Byrd began dating and later married in 2001.[15] To support the album, Common Children toured with Eric Champion, Everybodyduck, and Rich Young Ruler.[14]

The Inbetween Time (2001) and break-up

In a 1998 interview, Common Children mentioned the possibility of a third album that fall.[2] No album was released that year, and some fans thought that Common Children had disbanded.[16][17][18] Eventually, they released their third and final album, The Inbetween Time, in 2001 on Galaxy21 Music.[17] Andrew Thompson, who had joined the band on tour, co-produced the album with Byrd.[19][20]

Stylistically, The Inbetween Time is a departure from Common Children's earlier music in that it features a more atmospheric shoegaze sound, with delayed guitars and ethereal vocals.[8][4][11] Some reviewers wrote that it built on the style of Delicate Fade, particularly the song "Absence of Light" which they compared to "Stains of Time".[8][16] The song "Free" references the music of Steve Hindalong and The Choir, and Byrd has said he was influenced by Hindalong's "flying imagery".[1][8][4] The songs "Always on the Outside" and "So Mysterious" were dedicated to Byrd's wife, Christine Glass,[8] who also contributed vocals to the album.

Byrd later called The Inbetween Time Common Children's best album.[4] In interviews, Byrd has stated that Common Children broke up after The Inbetween Time and that he did not expect them to make another album together.[21][20][4][19] After The Inbetween Time, Thompson and Byrd continued to explore atmospheric sounds through their ambient music project, Hammock.[4][19][11] At least one reviewer has pointed to The Inbetween Time as a precursor to Hammock's sound.[20]

Discography

Albums

  • 1996 - Skywire (Tattoo)
  • 1996 - Setlist (Tattoo)
  • 1997 - Delicate Fade (Tattoo)
  • 2001 - The Inbetween Time (Galaxy 21 Music)

Music Videos

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of contemporary Christian music. Peabody, Mass. : Hendrickson Publishers. pp. 190–191. ISBN 978-1-56563-679-8 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Common Children 1998 Interview". JesusFreakHideout. 26 Aug 1998. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b Eternal Rock (2013-08-12). Common Children Interview from Tattoo Records. Retrieved 2025-01-05 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Anderson, Aaron (2005). "Marc Byrd". The Phantom Tollbooth. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b Bush, John. "Common Children Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  6. ^ Blinn, Beth (September–October 1997). "Common Children: Less Volume, More Intensity". 7ball. Nashville Tennessee, USA: Vox Publishing. p. 27.
  7. ^ "The Choir free flying soul tour 1996". Hear The Light. 1996. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Farmer, Michial (2017-01-15). "A Primer on Christian Alternative Rock: Marc Byrd and Christine Glass". The Christian Humanist. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  9. ^ DiBiase, John (2004-11-10). "Common Children, "Skywire" Album Review". JesusFreakHideout. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  10. ^ Rockstroth, Joe; Baldwin, Steven Stuart (30 Sep 1998). "Common Children review by The Phantom Tollbooth". The Phantom Tollbooth. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Harp, Loyd (2021-09-11). "Diving Deep into Shoegaze - Articles". Indie Vision Music. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  12. ^ DiBiase, John (2004-11-10). "Common Children, "Delicate Fade" Album Review". JesusFreakHideout. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  13. ^ a b c d Rimmer, Mike (1998-04-01). "Review: Delicate Fade - Common Children". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  14. ^ a b c Cummings, Tony (1998-10-01). "Common Children: The American rock trio". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  15. ^ a b Rimmer, Mike (2003-08-21). "Glassbyrd: Christine Glass and Marc Byrd make music". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  16. ^ a b DiBiase, John (2001-09-25). "Common Children, "The Inbetween Time" Review". JesusFreakHideout. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  17. ^ a b "Surprise Returns: A number of bands thought to be no more have returned they are Daniel Amos. Poor Old Lu and Common Children". Cross Rhythms. 2001-11-01. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  18. ^ "Christine Glass - Love And Poverty - January 2000 -". www.louisvillemusicnews.net. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  19. ^ a b c "Andrew Thompson and Marc Byrd of Hammock". SOMEWHERECOLD. 2005-08-30. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  20. ^ a b c Ruff, Steve (2010-10-25). "Hammock: Chasing After Shadows…". Down the Line Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  21. ^ Fisher, Marc. "Glassbyrd- Interview". 1340mag. Retrieved 2025-01-06 – via The Grace Hotel.