Josh Hamrick

Fallen Angel: The Outlaw Larry Norman is an ulra-contraversial documentary by filmmaker David Di Sabatino. Early screenings around the country have caused more than just a little online dust-up between Di Sabatino and the family and followers of Larry Norman. (For a peek into Normans side check out this site: Failed Angle )

After reading all the angry discourse, I had to see the movie for myself, and I didn’t think it was too much of a hatchet job. Some of the problems addressed on the Failed Angle site aren’t even mentioned in the movie. Overall, it was a fairly even-handed telling of the story of Larry Norman.

About now, many of you are asking, “Who is Larry Norman?” Those who thought they knew Larry Norman watched the film and asked the same question. It’s the same question I asked when I had my one and only encounter with Norman around 1997 or ’98. Larry Norman was an early Christian Rocker who died in 2008. In the late ’60s he had a mainstream hit with the band People!, but left shortly thereafter and began singing songs about Jesus. He was founder of Solid Rock records which was home to lots of groundbreaking Christian artists such as Randy Stonehill, and the band Daniel Amos, both of which are interviewed in this film. Neither of which have much good to say.

There is a lot said about unpaid royalties, promises broken, and marital affairs, but possibly the largest claim is that Larry fathered a child in Australia that he subsequently abandoned, and has never publicly admitted to having. The boy is a young man now, and apparently stayed in contact with Larry through letters and e-mail, and there are pictures of Larry with the boy and his mother, but publicly, Larry never acknowledged his existence.

I think the main thrust of the movie is how God continued to use Larry Norman, even though he was so obviously flawed.  This is a good lesson for us all, as it doesn’t take much looking around to find another fallen Christian. Good to know that God is in control and not dependant upon me. The movie is also a call to take our behaviour more seriously when you see the destruction and pain that Norman left in his path.

As far as the claims go, my guess is that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I’m sure not all the bad things said about him are true, but I’m also not naive. Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. My guess is that Larry wasn’t a very good friend, so to speak.

Watch it for yourself. It’s a well made documentary, and the story is rather captivating.  Not just for fans of Larry’s music either, as I’m not particularly fond of it myself. Anyway, if you can find it…I reccomend it.