The saints are easy to identify. I’m not talking about Christian Saints, although that may be dubious. More specifically, I’m talking about Saint Jimi, Saint Janice, Saint John of Liverpool, The Lizard King, Saint Kurt of Seattle, Saint Freddie Mercury, Santo Ricardo Esteban Valenzuela Reyes, Saint Ian Curtis of Stretford — you know most if not all of these when they’re identified.

And yes, they’re saints. Why? Because they are martyred for something you likely hold dear: music.

While persecution isn’t quite the same as it was for early Christians, I think that the pitfalls of fame can do a believer in just as much as a traditional stoning-to-death. After all, there are a lot of obstacles to upholding the creed of Rock and Roll. There is public scrutiny, bouts of depression, transportation disasters, and don’t even get me started on drugs.

However, to be a true believer in Rock’n'Roll doesn’t necessarily require fame. You can sing along and dance to the rhythm and I think that makes you a believer whether you do so consciously or not.

But in between simply believing and venerable sainthood are a vast many who pick up the weapons of the cause, plugging into amplifiers and shielding vinyl from the elements. They make sojourns across continents to bring everyone together so that everyone may get down. These are today’s messengers.

But oh, how many have become The Fallen. They lift their needles off their records, and they put their amps on standby, and they save and close the latest mix-down. They start missing rehearsals because of work, because of strained relationships, because of life itself. And then, the message carried by these messengers sits idle. And some never move again. Martyrs of Rock’n'Roll.

I believe it’s important for all of us to remind each other that music — or art in general, is a cause worth fighting for. In some rare instances, it is a cause worth dying for.

We know some faith-based greetings. As-Salāmu `Alaykum. Peace be with you. Shalom aleichem. Namaste.

It’s time we start using our own for those of us that believe in music.

I’m a fan of All you need is love, to which the proper response, of course, is love is all you need.

I’m open to suggestions, but I think this works because, simply, in order to carry the message of music, this is true. Love is all you need.

I want to start using a greeting because there’s a person I know who keeps forgetting about the love that comes from being one of Rock’n'Roll’s messengers.

He’s very close to becoming one of The Fallen. I’d much prefer if this didn’t happen.

You probably know him, too.

He’s busy working.