Joanne Brokaw of BeliefNet.com dedicated her column yesterday to our efforts here at CMDish.com — and she’s not happy.  “Christian music may have sunk to a new low with the launch of a new TMZ-ish website…” said Brokaw via her “Gospel Soundcheck” column, entitled, “Introducing the Christian version of TMZ.com, CMDish.com.“

Ms. Brokaw’s comparison of us to TMZ.com isn’t an unfair comparison, as it’s one that we ourselves have thrown around from time to time.  In fact, we used that very same correlation in an impromptu email that was distributed to a few contacts of ours in Nashville, home of the Christian music industry.

Someone forwarded the email to Ms. Brokaw and off to “press” she went, misinterpreting and misrepresenting our intentions are here at CMDish.com.

CMDish.com exists to entertain, inform, and help foster a deeper connection between our reading audience and artists in the Christian music community.

In her diatribe, Brokaw acknowledging that, “the Christian music industry has long been guilty of coat tailing on mainstream trends with a Christian version of, well, everything. But do we need a Christian TMZ?”

Ironically, the website that hosts Ms. Brokaw’s blog is owned by News Corporation (Source:  About BeliefNet), the parent company of FOX Broadcasting Company.  Yes, the same organization that brings you fine television programming such as Family Guy, Glee, and ironically, even TMZ TV.

Although we believe Ms. Brokaw is taking our email out of context, we believe the answer to her initial question on whether or not the Christian community needs a Christian TMZ is an astounding yes!

Mainstream artists have a virtually endless platform, connecting with people via movies, television, radio, magazines, billboards — the list goes on and on.  Christian artists on the other hand lack such exposure and as a result, fans of Christian music are missing out on that relationship with their favorite artists that could be.

Print publications like ChristianMusicPlanet and CCM Magazine are no more and at this point and  the only major platform left for Christian artists at this point is Christian radio.  Yet sadly, the number of local Christian music radio stations seems to be shrinking year after year.

CMTarget, the company that owns this website, is set to change all of that by introducing web 2.0 concepts to the Christian music industry that are going to help create a footprint on the Internet that’s just as large if not larger than our industry’s mainstream counterpart.  This website, CMDish.com, is just one piece of this puzzle.

For upcoming tour dates, click here.

(Photo Source:  INO Records & Addison Road's Facebook page)

We think he’s looking pretty good despite the circumstances that he’s been enduring.  However, his aging physique is really making us feel old here at CMDish.com!

By the way, SCC’s new album hits stores on November 3rd.  Let’s all rally together and pick up a copy of the album — all in an effort to give a little something back to the Chapman family.

Classic!  Check out the full size shot here.

Kelly Ripa also likes to blow up balloons with her nose (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBHyr3uLsus).  Maybe this is your ticket to getting onto Regis and Kelly, Addison Road!

By the way, speaking Addison Road (and MercyMe for that matter) – They recently spent an evening playing with MercyMe and DecembeRadio.  Courtesy of their blog, below you will find a snapshot of their tour bus (or wagon?)

“We parked next to their busses so we could at least steal their internet,” commented Addison Road via the blog entry.

We happen to believe that this Addison Road blog commentor got it right when they said, “…you can go places they can’t with your transportation. Like drive thru’s and off road for fun. You can get up hills better while on the road, and if you want you can take a side trip without disturbing the bus drivers plans for the day.

Whatever you do, don’t tell Al Gore that MercyMe has TWO buses.

BarlowGirl is currently on tour with Superchick and Vota, the band formerly known as Casting Pearls.

“Melissa and Tricia [of the band Superchick] bring their puppies out on the road too so there are 4 dogs out on the tour,” said  Lauren.  It’s like “a traveling pound,” Lauren continued.

“Also, I’m getting older and I’m still single so I figured it would be a good time to start collecting cats. Cause inevitably I will turn into the cat lady,” said Lauren.

For the record, Lauren, it’s ok!  I like kittens, too.  In fact, I had seven cats when I was growing up.  It’s even worse because I’m a guy — so it totally makes me the creep cat guy!

To view upcoming BarlowGirl tour dates, click here.

Want to help them hit 10,000?  Click here to visit their page on Twitter.

This year has been a year of firsts for Seventh Day Slumber as they released their worship-oriented project “Take Everything” in addition to receiving a DOVE Award for Spanish Recorded Album of the Year.  Plowing ahead, BEC Recordings’ Seventh Day Slumber continues to introduce their fans to authentic worship while maintaining their rock, alternative style on the road, at radio and in the studio.

Last weekend Seventh Day Slumber began the Newsboys’ “The Way We Roll” tour to an outpouring response.  The band played to responsive crowds of 2,000+ this weekend and will continue to tour through November in 30+ cities.  Performing fan favorites in addition to songs from their latest release, “Take Everything,” provides a tool of praise in a relevant way.  The debut radio single, “From the Inside Out,” charted in the Top 10 on CHR and is receiving traction on AC formats, which is a new format for this rock band.

Seeing a positive listener response to “Take Everything,” Seventh Day Slumber just finished in the studio recording a new EP titled “Take Everything: The Acoustic Sessions.”  The acoustic-driven EP will feature songs from this latest venture as well as a bonus track (track-listing below). Stay tuned for more information on this release.

For tour dates and updated information on Seventh Day Slumber, please visit myspace.com/7thdayslumber . You can also follow the band on Twitter @7thdayslumber.