Oct 292011
Don’t you just hate it when rockers feel the need to inject their political views instrumental versions of songs from West Side Story? Stick around ’til the end—and don’t miss the go-go girls practicing their dance steps during the hosts’ set up for this performance, before any music is playing!
What’s the most unexpected political comment you’ve heard from a rock ‘n roll musician?
Paul McCartney was resolutely apolitical both as a Beatle and in his solo years. However, seemingly out of the blue in 1972, he came up with “Give Ireland Back to the Irish”. Was he trying for street cred? Did John Lennon shame him? It’s certainly not one of his best songs, but it did get him the notoriety of being banned from British radio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaO4XeHhwo8
Eric Clapton encouraging people in the UK to support Enoch Powell, a politician with a somewhat complicated philosophy and belief system who became synonymous with racism over here, to stop, as God would have it, Britain becoming a “black colony”.
Neil Young supporting Ronald Reagan, but I’ve never been sure whether he was serious or just poking the crab.
I could never quite get my head around that one, rather like Paul Weller announcing in 1977 or 78 that he was going to vote Conservative in the next election.
How about U2 moving all of it assets out of Ireland to avoid taxes in 2006. Seems a bit hypocritical given Bono’s place in the world stage of politics.