Discovered recently that Electric Wizard were kinda dicks back in the day. “At the time, we were pretty bad people. I got arrested for arson of a car, outside a police station. Tim [Bagshaw] went to nick a crucifix off a church roof so we could use it onstage…”
R. L. Burnside killed a man “possibly at a craps game.”
Varg of Mayhem Burzum burned a couple churches and killed a bandmate.
I could list other examples, but would like to hear from other people and other music genres.
I started getting really worried when I had a German person tell me industrial was Nazi music and he didn’t go near it. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had grossly misinterpreted some intentions I assumed were social commentary and artistic condemnation of hateful ideology. It’s not like I spoke native German, so, how would I know? I still suspect he isn’t correct but I always get a little on edge as soon as I see a familiar name in these topics.
Having said that, Till also has a rumoured habit of casual unprotected sex and not paying child support or acknowledging his children too, so, you know. Doesn’t need to just be Nazis to be awful and ruin things for me.
Yeah, that person was simply an idiot. Industrial, especially EBM/Industrial tends to have military themes, something people tend to confuse with ring wing ideologies. Some bands like Hanzel und Gretyl lean even more into Nazi imagery, but they are also very clearly making fun of it. One of the founding bands of Industrial Rock (KMFDM) has been singing about left wing topics pretty much since their founding in the 80s.
And I’m not getting into any of the rumors about this pop-rock band that’s so famous ;)
edit: Here’s a comment on reddit giving a good overview, they say that newer H&G might actually be right, but I can’t say anything about that as I only know their old stuff.
He’s far from an idiot, but I am also of the opinion he has probably just heard some rumours and taken some satirical imagery at face value. I think that it’s easy to do if it’s not a genre that appeals to you musically enough to listen to voluntarily, like when people believe articles by The Onion unironically. And not everyone is good at subtext anyway, even if they are listening attentively.
I will admit to not trying out H&G because I don’t know enough about them to figure their intent out.
I don’t go to live music anymore enough to know there are no Nazis in the room who are there for the hate, let alone the majority, so I have no way to personally verify I’m not accidentally complicit in actual grossness that was never satire at all. And I would hate for that to happen.
Sorry, but spreading fake news and calling tons of bands, including left-wing ones, Nazis makes you an idiot. A big one, even.
Singular bad hot takes aren’t something I take too seriously when it’s fuelled by late night drinking. It’s too high a standard for me to live up to.
When they also say it sober or follow it up with more terrible takes is when I start backing away slowly.