Michael Knott

Michael Knott was born in the mid-1960s in California.

His music has sometimes been controversial in Christian circles, particularly due to profanity in the song "Rocket and a Bomb" (from the self-titled release of his former band Aunt Bettys) and original artwork in that album of Jesus Christ as a bartender.

Knott's songwriting appealed to many people, particularly Christians who could admit their flaws, and who appreciated the honesty with which he tackled his own shortcomings.

Examples include "Double," "Shaded Pain" and the aforementioned "Rocket and a Bomb."

Knott explained some of his views in an interview with HM Magazine, saying, "Basically, I'm a human being and I believe in Christ, period. It doesn't make my life rosy, it doesn't make my life terrible, it doesn't do anything with that. I know Christ."

Knott, who emerged Southern California's Christian punk scene, also fancied himself as a "punk Elvis."

Michael Knott (December 22, 1962 – March 12, 2024) was an American singer-songwriter and frontman for various bands, many of whom performed within the Christian rock genre.

He released around 35 albums, including solo albums and albums with bands such as LSU and Cush.

He has been credited for pioneering the "alternative Christian rock scene."

Knott's 1987 album Shaded Pain notably contained lyrics which challenged church morality and abusive church leaders.

The album would be banned from Christian bookstores, one of the few places where Christian albums could be purchased at the time, and Knott would be banned from performing in various churches.

Blonde Vinyl notably released 10 albums in 1991.

This action proved successful for a short period, with Blonde Vinyl achieving popularity among Christian teens and 20-somethings.

Blonde Vinyls, which contained the caption "New Alternative," may have also introduced the official use of the "alternative" to describe a style of music.

However, the company went bust a few into its existence, with its distributor Spectra Distribution filing for bankruptcy after owing a lot of money to Knott.

However, Tooth and Nail would be described as having "altered the course of the Christian rock industry by launching and legitimizing the careers of MxPx, The O.C. Supertones and Underoath."

Knott, who knew Ebel from his time at Frontline Records, was primarily involved to help get the label started and ultimately bowed out of the collaboration.

Career highlights include LSU's Cornerstone appearance in 1993 when the band dressed in costumes, Aunt Bettys record-label bidding war and eventual signing with Elektra in 1995, and a Jed the Fish "Catch of the Day" spin on KROQ for the Strung Gurus' "Sun-Eyed Girl."

Members of Cush and Aunt Bettys joined Knott on stage for a Dennis Danell benefit concert at Verizon Wireless with a line-up that also included Pennywise, Offspring, X and Social Distortion.

He did release one album with the company, his 1995 album Strip Cycle, with the Darren Doane-directed "Tattoo" becoming the label's first-ever music video.

Ebel still leads the company.

Knott started up Siren Music and released a few significant records, before giving up on trying run record labels in 1995.

In 1995, the Aunt Bettys were signed by Lara Noel Hill (Better Than Ezra) and Seymour Stein (Madonna, Talking Heads, The Ramones) at Elektra and co-managed by Cahn-Man (Green Day), and the band was given total creative control.

Shortly after the signing, Ron Moss signed Knott to a publishing deal at Rondor Music (from Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss of A&M fame).

Changes at Elektra and the management company (Green Day left ), however, resulted in minimal promotion for the album.

Nevertheless, both singles, "Jesus" and "Addict," did receive heavy rotation in San Diego at Rock 105.3.

The Aunt Betty's contract guaranteed two albums, but sensing more problems to come, Knott convinced Elektra to buy them out of the contract.

Aunt Bettys then released their second album Ford Supersonic (originally through Marathon Records).

Longtime collaborator Brian Doidge was eventually replaced by Shawn Tubbs (Violet Burning) on bass.

The band quit by the decade's end, and Knott started Strung Gurus with Social Distortion founding-guitarist Dennis Danell.

Aunt Bettys' "Feel" and several Mike Knott songs from Strip Cycle are prominently featured in the 1998 indie film "Boogie Boy" (Imperial), exec-produced by Academy Award-winning "Pulp Fiction" co-writer Roger Avary.

The director asked the Aunt Bettys to be Joan Jett's band in the movie, and the band originally agreed, but it ultimately didn't happen when new bassist Shawn Tubbs had to pull out over scheduling conflicts.

Knott was a painter, frequently signing his works under the name 'Gerard'.

His artwork has been used for cover art on many of his own releases as well as releases by The Choir, Charity Empressa, and others.

When he began touring again in 2000, Knott began creating painting series that he sold at shows and eventually online.

Michael Knott was the founder of the now defunct independent record label, Blonde Vinyl Records, and co-founded Tooth and Nail Records with Brandon Ebel.

When Danell died in early 2000, Knott began self-releasing several albums (many of which featured previously unreleased tracks) to coincide with a number of solo acoustic tours.

In Sept. 2010, Aunt Betty's Ford (using their original name) reformed for a show at the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa, their first show together in 13 years.

A handful of other shows have followed.

Knott's 2010 album, PTSD by L.S. Underground is a concept album dealing with a soldier's posttraumatic stress disorder, a common risk for veterans of war.