Jump to content

Politics, Religion . . .


Recommended Posts

  • Members

I just posted a question about protest songs, and I'm sure if you've thought about this at all, it would occur to you that this probably wasn't going to work unless everyone in the group was on the same page politically. Setting aside the idea of protest songs for the moment, what is your feeling about playing in a band where it became clear that everyone but you is on the other side of the fence politically? I would guess that if you like the music and if you're working as often as you'd like, you'd all be motivated to steer clear of politics, but I can think of a couple bands in the not too distant past where the political overtones contributed to a parting of the ways. Thoughts?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Totally depends on the people. Some people are able to separate their political selves from the rest of the stuff. Some can't. I know someone far right that can't stop babbling away, and someone far left who also can't stop the gum flapping. Each is someone you can only take in small doses because they can't put politics away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

Bands are about the music, but the individual members certain are the chemistry. My usual take: keep anything controversial out of open discussion in the band room. We had a drummer for many years who was the sole conservative. We knew it, he knew we were all fairly liberal, so we left that stuff outside. Never caused an issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

A few months ago, we had to separate a couple of guys who got physical over a political argument.

A stray fist got blocked by my elbow, while we were separating the idiots. The guys hand was broken and I ( and my fellow co workers ) were just trying to stop the hostilities.

People should just respect each other's opinions or at least be civil about our differences.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

My bass player, who runs the band with me, is a fire breathing far right nutbag. Anyone who has stumbled over to the political forum by mistake probably knows I'm a big ol' leftie. We have actually come close to blows over arguing politics a couple of times but other than that we are pretty tight.

 

Over the last couple of years we've gotten pretty good at just not bringing up the topic. Not worth it. Playing good music is more important.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Keep in mind that the red/blue conflict is often a reflection of class warfare. I was in a band where in hindsight, I suspect I was ripped off because the leader felt justified due to our socio-economic differences. Interesting that the two examples mentioned above describe a lone conservative. Try being the lone progressive! We lasted one gig.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I'm not one to go around expressing my political views around friends and family, but if someone else brings it up, I usually can't help but respond. As long as no one brings it up, I don't feel the need to. In the case of my band the bass player was one of those guys who could never let a good "blame it on Obama" moment slip by. Once he finally learned that doing so just caused problems and that we were never going to convince each other that the other person was 'wrong', he finally has pretty much stopped and everything is generally fine in that regard.

 

But frankly, I'm uncomfortable discussing politics period in a band situation. Even when my liberal guitarist or mostly apolitical drummer bring stuff up, I'd rather talk about something else. Just isn't conducive to being productive.

 

Unless, maybe, like you suggested the band is all on the same page and you make politics one of things that the band is about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

That's true, but for whatever reason, I haven't felt that correlation with politics here. I've have certainly worked with people in the past who have resented that I'm better off than them financially, but it hasn't ever really translated into a blue/red thing. A lot of the conservative guys I have worked with have been doing pretty well financially too.

 

But yeah...economic differences can cause some issues. I've been doing pretty well in the last couple of years and it has been reflected in things like bigger new house, new cars, etc. So I find the guys all seem to expect me to just pay for stuff more out of my pocket for things rather than have the band reimburse me. I get the "you can afford it" line more often. I pick my battles on where to put my foot down. If it's a piece of gear I can maybe see some return on down the road? Sure, maybe I'll just own it myself. More disposable stuff? I'll insist the band pays for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • Members

i once read that religion, and politics is like having a penis. its great! its wonderful! it can be very useful and you can be proud of it if you want... but if you start waving it in my face theres going to be difficulties...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Most of us in praise band are center (pianist) or left of center (me, bass player, lead vocalist) but our other guitarist is definitely conservative. We used to have a fairly conservative drummer but he left the church. We focus on what we have in common (love of God and music).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Keep politics out of your damn bands!!! My band in Nashville actually were all on the same page politically and they were happy I was when they hired my because van rides can be long and they liked to talk politics. But rule of thumb is to keep Politics out of the band.

 

My FB is private and I do not have anyone associated professionally with me on there because I like to comment socio-politically and I don't want it mixing with my work. Good rule of thumb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Members

We usually keep away from stuff like that, but it was difficult around the election. One of us is very liberal, two of us are left of center, and one is a somewhat moderate conservative and a big Trump supporter. Not sure about the last guy and I'd like to keep it that way.

 

The moderate conservative quit his last band over a heated religious debate. I try to shut those things down quickly if they ever start to come up - they have no place in the practice room

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Members
Bands are about the music' date=' but the individual members certain are the chemistry. My usual take: keep anything controversial out of open discussion in the band room. We had a drummer for many years who was the sole conservative. We knew it, he knew we were all fairly liberal, so we left that stuff outside. Never caused an issue.[/quote']

Zactly. The exception is when a song presents a particular viewpoint. And, of course, if you are in a band formed specifically to present a particular religious viewpoint.

 

That being said, when people wear their politics on their shoulder, and theirs are different than yours, it's annoying. And when you are annoyed with other band members it's difficult to put your heart into it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
We usually keep away from stuff like that, but it was difficult around the election. One of us is very liberal, two of us are left of center, and one is a somewhat moderate conservative and a big Trump supporter. Not sure about the last guy and I'd like to keep it that way.

 

The moderate conservative quit his last band over a heated religious debate. I try to shut those things down quickly if they ever start to come up - they have no place in the practice room

I'm a member of a lot of different subcultures and am so conservative I consider Fox news to be liberal. One thing that I notice is that the "musician/artist" subculture is very heavily slanted toward left, so I tend to not bring up politics in a band setting. I have plenty of opportunity to vent on the internet and to a lot larger, and open minded, audience. Bands are for making music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...