Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music

Sam Sanders is the host of The Sam Sanders Show from KCRW. He was a founding host of The NPR Politics Podcast and It's Been A Minute from NPR. Sam grew up in the Black Pentecostal church in Texas, where he played saxophone in the church band. Eventually he would sneak riffs from D'Angelo's Voodoo album into improvised sections of church services. In 2025 The Sam Sanders Show won the Signal Award for Best Spirituality Show.
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Do you have a Christian rock story to tell? Want to respond to this episode? Want to contribute to our Christmas Special? Leave us a message at ‪(629) 204-4264‬.
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Or make a one-time donation: https://coff.ee/rtdr
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Rock That Doesn't Roll is coming back with Season 4 launching on March 4th. We'll be publishing every other week after that. 
Do you have a Christian rock story to tell? Want to respond to this episode? Leave us a message at ‪(629) 204-4264‬.
If Rock That Doesn’t Roll is important to you, support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/rtdr (join via the website, not the iOS app for a 30% discount)
Or make a one-time donation: https://coff.ee/rtdr
If you can't afford a donation, please tell five friends about the show.
You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing [email protected]
Sign up for our Substack if you like sporadic email updates.
Buy RTDR merch here.

This episode is a feed drop from Transmissions with Jason Woodbury from Aquarium Drunkard. Here's their original show notes:
This week, we have an exceedingly rare interview with Jason Martin, of California dream pop band Starflyer 59. Fermented in the nascent Riverside dream pop underground alongside his brother Ronnie Martin of Joy Electric in the early '90s, Martin's band SF59 released its debut album, Silver, 30 years ago in 1994 on the fledgling Tooth & Nail label. His latest, Lust for Gold, finds him winking knowingly at the title of his 1995 album Gold, a record routinely cited as one of the best shoegaze albums of all-time.
Incorporating elements of the band’s feedback-drenched early sound, the new album finds the years catching up with a guy who has been singing about being old since he was in his early 20s. From the band’s monochromatic album covers to Martin’s notoriously sparse interviews—check out the one we did at Aquarium Drunkard for an example—he’s always preferred to let the music do the talking. 
But this talk finds him settling in for a longform chat about his history, his songwriting practice, how familial connections bind his musical projects, and much, much more. Joined by guest co-host/interlocuteur Andrew Horton, this conversation is the most revealing interview to date with Jason Martin of Starflyer 59.
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Do you have a Christian rock story to tell? Want to respond to this episode? Leave us a message at ‪(629) 204-4264‬.
If Rock That Doesn’t Roll is important to you, support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/rtdr (join via the website, not the iOS app for a 30% discount)
Or make a one-time donation: https://coff.ee/rtdr
If you can't afford a donation, please tell five friends about the show.
You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing [email protected]
Sign up for our Substack where I recently reviewed each episode in Season 3.
Buy RTDR merch here.

Introducing The Sam Sanders Show from KCRW
This episode is a perfect fit for Rock That Doesn't Roll.
Big Freedia is best known as the Queen of Bounce, but her new album Pressing Onward showcases her gospel choir roots.

She tells Sam about growing up as a young gay church kid in New Orleans, what moved her to make a gospel album, and how twerking and praising God go hand in hand. Plus, she breaks down her iconic feature on Beyoncé’s 2016 hit single “Formation.”
Follow Sam Sanders on Instagram.
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Do you have a Christian rock story to tell? Want to respond to this episode? Leave us a message at ‪(629) 204-4264‬.
If Rock That Doesn’t Roll is important to you, support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/rtdr (join via the website, not the iOS app for a 30% discount)
Or make a one-time donation: https://coff.ee/rtdr
If you can't afford a donation, please tell five friends about the show.
You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing [email protected]
Sign up for our Substack where I recently reviewed each episode in Season 3.
Buy RTDR merch here.

It's our third annual Christmas special! Leah and Andrew are joined by returning guests Kelsey Kramer McGinnis and Daniel Gill. Everyone brought a Christmas song or two to celebrate and we even hear some picks from listeners. We've survived 2025. That's reason to celebrate.
Daniel's 23 hour Christmas Playlist.
Leave us a message at ‪(629) 204-4264‬.
To join our Patreon community who make this show possible, go to https://patreon.com/rtdr
You can always make a one-time donation: https://coff.ee/rtdr
You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing [email protected]
Sign up for our Substack to keep up with show developments.
Buy RTDR merch here.