Politics and Music

Thank God, or the Supreme Soviet (if that is what you believe in) that stare decisis isn't the be all, end all. Otherwise we might still have slavery.

When ideas become so repugnant, even ideas enshrined by the courts, (think late term abortion), it is good that times can change. 

Most musicians, especially rock era musicians, and even later day bluegrass and Americana music artists are decidedly liberal if they are political at all. This uncritical "group-think" is pervasive among them. I note that Bela Fleck of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones even voted for communist Bernie Sanders.

It’s like they all grew up smoking weed and jamming, so they were in that mindset and never outgrew it.

As a conservative, I simply try to enjoy their music for what it is worth and leave the politics aside. But it is refreshing to find someone not indoctrinated as most are or actually even push back against that indoctrination like Kid Rock or Ted Nugent.

I can still enjoy Jason Isbell’s "Georgia Blue" even though the back story is that he named it that way because Georgia went "blue" in the last election cycle. At least the songs on the album (some REM and and other standards) aren’t political even if the artists themselves are.

It’s like Frank Zappa said of these political types of music artists, "Shut up and play yer guitar".

Yes, I do "get" Frank Zappa just fine. Been listening probably before you were born.  

A musician's political opinion is nearly worthless.  The local plumber's or bricklayer guy's are probably better because they live in the REAL world, working 8 to 12 hour days, making ends meet.  

Considering most musicians have liberal arts degrees (except for maybe that guitarist in Queen who was an astrophysist), I doubt most even took Econ 101 and 102.  People like Bela Fleck supporting a communist like Bernie Sanders, who even the OMB said his plans made no fiscal sense, speaks volumes about the non-critical thinking that most of these people do. 

Whatever. Just play the music already and dispense with the political posturing.  If I want political opinions I'll seek them out by those who can at least intelligently discuss them, their pluses and minuses.

Anyone giving a musician's or actor's or actress's political opinion any more than anyone else's deserves the lame government they get.  

Looking at my current 401K thanks to Bidumb and company shows me that I won't be spending $8k on any damned speakers anytime soon, that's for sure.