Poor Old Lu was a pioneering alternative Christian band based in the
American Northwest. The band experimented with a variety of sounds and genres, particularly
grunge,
funk and
psychedelic rock. The band consisted of Scott Hunter with the vocals,
Jesse Sprinkle as the drummer for the band,
Aaron Sprinkle as guitarist, and Nick Barber on bass. Scott was the
lyricist who wrote on
philosophical,
metaphorical, and spiritually-oriented topics. Common themes in the lyrics include introspective struggles with identity and
spirituality, struggles with a
superficial, secular, and modern society, and hope for life abundant. The
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music calls the band "One of the most accomplished and creative Christian bands of the '90s".
The name refers to a segment in
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in which Lucy ('Lu'), returns from Narnia and tells her brother, Peter. Peter doesn't believe her story, however, and responded patronizingly, "Poor old Lu, hiding and nobody noticed."
While Poor Old Lu developed an extremely loyal following, it did not achieve wide popularity in
Christian circles, due in part to its edgy sound and challenging lyrical content. The band addressed hypocritical
televangelists,
drug addiction, sexual guilt, domestic unrest and spiritual rebelliousness in its lyrics, topics generally considered taboo in
Christian......
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