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Music and politics

A post yesterday about U2 prompted me to listen to them today. And one comment from yesterday got me to thinking. The author wrote dismissively that they should "keep their politics to themselves." (Those may or may not have been the exact words, but that gets to the point.) As I've been listening this afternoon, I've thought: I'm neither a born-again Christian nor a political leftie, but I do love this band. And then I thought further: If I listened only to bands or singer-songwriters whose politics were like mine, I surely wouldn't spin a whole lot of recordings. (For the record, I consider myself a radically pragmatic centrist with occasional libertarian leanings. Got any bands who'd fill that bill?) I care about the music, and not about what the people making that music happen to believe. Am I alone in this? Do others dismiss certain artists because of their politics -- or religion or the kind of car they drive or whatever else?
hodu

Showing 2 responses by rja

rja's avatar
rja
2,384 posts
 
They (the musicians) have the freedom to say what they want to say and we have the freedom to listen or not. I like it this way.

There are places where the musicians are told what they can and can't say and listeners are told what they can and can't listen to.

In the case of the Taliban music just isn't allowed at all. Music and audio shops are attacked and burned as are girls schools. A HUGE and definite NO THANKS!
rja's avatar
rja
2,384 posts
 
USSR used to have problems with some purely instrumental stuff. Oh those subversive violins and oboes, always causing problems and stirring things up! Or was it the violas? Sort them out in the Gulag!
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