When was the last time you didn't feel embarrassed for a musician making a public political statement?

And all of political reggae to thread, esp. Peter Tosh.

The last time I heard/saw a musician making a public political statement.

coulda started another thread, but didn't.

when i hear people say that m. moore, the d. chicks, or e. vedder need to shut up -- and attack the fact that they are even speaking out (and not what they are speaking out against) -- it makes me very ill.

when i was a kid -- and blindly idolized people -- i took a lot of my politics from stuff that i heard in music or read in music bios. i supplemented that information with outside sources -- some of which contradicted what i heard from musicians -- but music was a nice point of departure.

But yes, overall, entertainers / artists should keep it to themselves. Though I will say that I'll take Ted Nugent over a limousine liberal any day.

But does this supposed "dogma" actually exist? I. Don't. See. It.

I'm as far from conservative as you can feasibly get (though probably just as far from liberal, too) but you have to admit there are biases. Look how the Dismemberment Plan guy was treated on this very board! Of course I disagree with him, but he was given this "oh, look at the dummy" treatment.

Huh? I never hear anyone talk about Ted Nugent. Unless he's on a talk show shooting his bow-and-arrow at Sadaam Hussein (that was back in GWI tho). As for SNL - gimme a break, they make fun of everyone. That show has no politics.

"Like I said on another thread, the Beastie Boys write the worst song of the year criticizing the war, and everyone is all "right on""

Uh - this did not happen. That song was roundly panned. Check the thread.

"what if Zwan wrote a song criticizing Jesse Jackson? Then what?"

You mean like, uhm, Lou Reed did?

"I'm as far from conservative as you can feasibly get (though probably just as far from liberal, too) but you have to admit there are biases."

Sure, everybody's got biases, I just don't see any evidence of the particular ones your claiming.

"Look how the Dismemberment Plan guy was treated on this very board! Of course I disagree with him, but he was given this "oh, look at the dummy" treatment. "

I seem to remember a lot of people applauding him for taking an "unconventional" stand, actually, but I'd have to go back and read it.

"Trash a bank if you got real balls"
- Jello Biafra (hardly an innocent himself, but the reference applies)

That said, it has no bearing on me whatesoever, because, like I said before, the biggest mouths are usually bands I don't listen to anyway (Sonic Youth excluded) - But I like Burzum and Ultra Red about the same, you know?

Anyway, I like how certain musicians take a stand in crusading for gay & lesbian rights. I applauded k.d. lang for not giving a crap about people's opinions because she outed herself as a lesbian, and I thought it was very cool that Bronski Beat did that video for the song "Smalltown Boy", among others. I am very much waiting for the day when gays & lesbians can legally marry, and anyone who will be open about wanting equal rights for gays & lesbians gets a gold star in my book.

I am also one of those people who highly adore L7 for standing up for reproductive choice. "Rock for Choice" is one of the few political organizations I wholly support. God bless those girls, esp. Jennifer Finch (and didn't Donita Sparks have something to do with the formation as well?).

I would mention AIDS, but it shouldn't be a political statement to say that you wish there was a cure for AIDS, just as it isn't a political statement to say that you wish there was a cure for cancer or any other terminal disease.

p.s.: Yes, I'm still a Republican. Heh.

Trust me, true blue conservatives HATE Bill O'Reilly because they think he's a loony lefty. *grin*

Whose opinions pass through this filter and become "law of the land?" Where is this "law of the land" you speak of? I'm curious to read it.

"It's not about the politics, it's about how some things are forgivable (Le Tigre's sexism) and some things not (Earth Crisis and their pro-life stance)."

Now see, that specific example suggests some kind of archetypal PC-punk listener. Is that who you're angry at?

I was embarrassed by Eddie Vedder because it seemed like such a moronic gesture with a facile message ("Yeah, Bush is evil and fascist!"), which I doubt would've really persuaded anybody but the Hippie Left, anyway. ("You know, I was all for the war, but then Eddie Vedder smashed a photo of President Bush, and that's really got me thinking...")

Unless said musician is named Ted Nugent, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks or Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, but that goes without saying anyway.. :-)

Agreed on the predictability complaints- seems to be changing these days, tho, what with the Dixie Chicks and Dismemberment Plans an' all.

Roger Adultery, I'm a-callin' you out! You're in Ted Nugent's hip pocket and you know it!

(Actually, you admitted it, because you say you respected his balls. Me, I don't even wanna think about them nasty things.)

I don't know what your politics are at all, but for those of us who really love animals PETA is not bullshit, and Jane Wiedlin roxx for speaking her mind just the same as your hairy hero.

I can't stand Pearl Jam but good on Vedder. And who says he's preaching to the converted? Half of the people at his Denver concert walked out after he destroyed the Bush mask on stage. I might not like the guy's music but I apoprove of his 'in your face' politics and wish more bands were doing this.

As for PETA - they have some really good ideas, but some of their agenda is a bit heavy handed and silly. Like asking Suede to change their name, which simply beggars belief. I kinda wish more bands would take on the anti-vivisection movement though - someone should hold a free concert outside Huntingdon Life Sciences to draw attention to what the fuck goes on in that hell hole. Alas, but why bother when an industry that is funded by the investment of multinational companies looking to seal of approval on their new bleach or toothpaste has the support of these lovely little humane socialists The Manic Street Preachers. Nice one.

Whilst I was baffled by Jarvis Cocker's appearance in the BT advert, I always thought that he was a truthful and intelligent rock star. I rarely found myself disagreeing with him.

I'd like to lay an arrow in his ass.

Likewise, you don't tolerant asshole Presidents who haven't even been democratically elected and who are causing serious death, destruction and environmental damage.

You cock.

Duh! (Aimed at self)