Hetfield is a talentless low IQ prick

[Shevek]

This is one weird-ass thread.

It does make me wonder how much of the political discourse on stage was more of thing when these guys were younger too, and they know the crowd was there as much for a joined cultural/political statement than how things have drifted in decades sense. Thinking mostly of Floyd and other boomer bands here, as I think that'd faded away for much of my generation in the metal world.

Funny, I have no problems using songs as a vehicle for making statements about my position on all kinds of topics, but not using the time on stage to proselytize about it. Let the lyrics speak for themselves. (I also don't necessarily want to own all the lyrics I wrote at 17 now either, but whatever.)

True. In a large way music has always been political. As far back as medeival minstrels using songs to make a point they couldn't make in normal life for fear of execution. Then look at the 60s folk protest movement, Bob Dylan etc, and the hippies were all overtly political, anti war etc. I'm sure there were plenty of folks saying "shut the fuck up and play your guitar!"
A lot of early rap was political too. I loved Public Enemy and they would drop in a lot of references that we had to look up in the library back then.

 

[VonBonfire]

You are a fucking genius

No, he's from minnesota.

 

[DanTravis62]

True. In a large way music has always been political. As far back as medeival minstrels using songs to make a point they couldn't make in normal life for fear of execution. Then look at the 60s folk protest movement, Bob Dylan etc, and the hippies were all overtly political, anti war etc. I'm sure there were plenty of folks saying "shut the fuck up and play your guitar!"
A lot of early rap was political too. I loved Public Enemy and they would drop in a lot of references that we had to look up in the library back then.

There's a huge difference between the lyrics of the actual song being a political statement, and proselytizing in-between songs - the people are paying to hear the songs. That's the difference.

If your record begins and ends every song with spoken word monologues about whatever childish bullshit the kids are pretending is edgy and political these days, okay. Fair.

If it doesn't? They really need to shut the fuck up.

 

[romanianreaper]

True. In a large way music has always been political. As far back as medeival minstrels using songs to make a point they couldn't make in normal life for fear of execution. Then look at the 60s folk protest movement, Bob Dylan etc, and the hippies were all overtly political, anti war etc. I'm sure there were plenty of folks saying "shut the fuck up and play your guitar!"
A lot of early rap was political too. I loved Public Enemy and they would drop in a lot of references that we had to look up in the library back then.

I love that songs are political and dug Public Enemy as well. I was in the military and was a fan of all types of bands, even ones directly talking about the military. Everyone should be able to be whatever they want to be. That is America.

 

[Shevek]

I like Jerry's philosophy on addressing the crowd.

"I thought, if I'm going to be onstage I'm not going to say anything to anybody or address the crowd, because it doesn't matter what you say, sometimes just the sound of your voice might inadvertently set somebody off. The situation with psychedelics is so highly charged that you never know what's leaking in.

I don't mind doing it in the music, because that's where I divest myself of ego. It's egoless, something I trust. If the band has something to protect, it's the integrity of the experience, which remains shapeless and formless. As long as it stays that way, everything's okay." - Jerry Garcia, 1991

 

[Shevek]

There's a huge difference between the lyrics of the actual song being a political statement, and proselytizing in-between songs - the people are paying to hear the songs. That's the difference.

If your record begins and ends every song with spoken word monologues about whatever childish bullshit the kids are pretending is edgy and political these days, okay. Fair.

If it doesn't? They really need to shut the fuck up.

Dammit, I wrote this long and thoughtful response, clicked to a different tab to grab a quote, and it was gone when I came back. We'll never get to experience that moment together...

 

[Floyd Eye]

I've seen him twice and he barely said a word, much less anything political. His political stuff is mostly off stage as far as I know.

He’s pretty famous for not being a guy that “ just plays his hits” or making music he thinks fans want to hear. I’m not too familiar with much of his new shit, but I pretty much tuned out after “ Rockin in the free world “

 

[VonBonfire]

but I pretty much tuned out after “ Rockin in the free world “

Good call. That song is a piece of crap.

 

[Shevek]

He’s pretty famous for not being a guy that “ just plays his hits” or making music he thinks fans want to hear. I’m not too familiar with much of his new shit, but I pretty much tuned out after “ Rockin in the free world “

Here's the setlist from 2008

Love and Only Love
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Powderfinger
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Spirit Road

Cinnamon Girl
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Oh Lonesome Me
(Don Gibson cover)

Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

The Needl and the Damage Done

Unknown Legend

Heart of Gold

Old Man

Get Back to the Country

Just Singing a Song

Sea Change

When Worlds Collide

Cowgirl in the Sand
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Rockin' in the Free World

Encore:
A Day in the Life
(The Beatles cover)

 

[Shevek]

Good call. That song is a piece of crap.

No man. This one is.

 

[Meanjoegreene]

I feel like somewhere in a mess of unfinished projects Waters has a rock opera about a world where Russia and Germany remained friends and took over the world around 1941

 

[VonBonfire]

Here's the setlist from 2008

Love and Only Love
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Powderfinger
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Spirit Road

Cinnamon Girl
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Oh Lonesome Me
(Don Gibson cover)

Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

The Needl and the Damage Done

Unknown Legend

Heart of Gold

Old Man

Get Back to the Country

Just Singing a Song

Sea Change

When Worlds Collide

Cowgirl in the Sand
(Neil Young & Crazy Horse cover)

Rockin' in the Free World

Encore:
A Day in the Life
(The Beatles cover)

I only want to hear Harvest Moon.

 

[Shevek]

I only want to hear Harvest Moon.

Yeah, great tune.

 

[DanTravis62]

Dammit, I wrote this long and thoughtful response, clicked to a different tab to grab a quote, and it was gone when I came back. We'll never get to experience that moment together...

Well jerry's quote definitely has the right idea.

It's not just psychedelics though, it's just people man. Especially when they are as "highly charged" as right now politically.

People have wildly disparate worldviews; even in the microcosm of a "scene" around a particular genre or artist. It's just a bad business practice to say something that is going to piss off the locals and get them running for their pitchforks.

My punk band doesn't do the "political banter" in between songs; but we definitely have songs that are political, or could be construed as a political statement. We've cut songs from our setlist after learning we were playing with Riot Grrl bands - not every hill is the right one to die on. Especially for a joke song about herpes or a stripper, and ESPECIALLY as an artist who wants to get invited to play back.

 

[thegame]

If I want to listen to some overtly political band that makes me want to immediately turn it off, then I’ll put on RATM and immediately turn it off thank you very much

 

[VonBonfire]

If I want to listen to some overtly political band that makes me want to immediately turn it off, then I’ll put on RATM and immediately turn it off thank you very much

Same. I'm more of a Sideneck fan these days.

 

[Shevek]

NY setlist the second time I saw him (w Crazy Horse) 2012

O Canada
(Calixa Lavallée song)

Love and Only Love

Powderfinger

Born in Ontario

Walk Like a Giant

The Needle and the Damage Done
(Neil Young cover)

Twisted Road

Singer Without a Song
(Neil Young cover)

Ramada Inn

Cinnamon Girl

Fuckin' Up

Cortez the Killer

Mr. Soul
(Buffalo Springfield cover)

Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)

Encore:
Helpless

 

[VonBonfire]

NY setlist the second time I saw him (w Crazy Horse) 2012

O Canada
(Calixa Lavallée song)
Play Video
Love and Only Love
Play Video
Powderfinger
Play Video
Born in Ontario
Play Video
Walk Like a Giant
Play Video
The Needle and the Damage Done
(Neil Young cover)
Play Video
Twisted Road
Play Video
Singer Without a Song
(Neil Young cover)
Play Video
Ramada Inn
Play Video
Cinnamon Girl
Play Video
Fuckin' Up
Play Video
Cortez the Killer
Play Video
Mr. Soul
(Buffalo Springfield cover)
Play Video
Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)
Play Video
Encore:
Helpless

I hate Cinammon Girl.

Mr. Soul is great. So is "I am a Child" but I guess he doesn't do Buffalo Springfield classics very much.

 

[Shevek]

Broken Arrow is a really cool tune. (Begins with Mr. Soul)

 

[VonBonfire]

Broken Arrow is a really cool tune. (Begins with Mr. Soul)

I liked Buffalo Springfield quite a bit, more than Neil Young for the most part.