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Brian Quincy Newcomb, Music Journalist and Key Tastemaker in Christian Alt-Rock Scene of ’80s and ’90s, Dies at 67


Brian Quincy Newcomb, who as a music journalist in the '80s and '90s was the best-known writer and influencer in the Christian rock realm, died at 67.

Brian Quincy Newcomb, a music journalist and pastor who was well-known in the Christian rock community for decades as a key tastemaker in the alternative scene, died in Centreville, Ohio on April 15 at age 67. In that progressive denomination, he committed to preaching a message of love and inclusion, with theologically liberal views that sometimes led to lively debates on social media with readers who had grown up reading his reviews in CCM but adhered to more conservative viewpoints. Harvest Rock Syndicate, which only existed from 1987-91 but had an outsized influence on the CCM genre, has some illustrious alumni besides Newcomb, who founded it with Melinda Newman, now the executive editor for the west Coast and Nashville at Billboard.

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