Alice Cooper on Rock & Politics

[bueno bob]

ALICE COOPER - "Treason Against Rock N' Roll" [Rock Hard - 04.08.23 09:19:32]

The following report is courtesy of www.canoe.ca:



In the eyes of Alice Cooper, all the rock stars campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry are guilty of one thing: treason. The shock-rock legend, a staunch Republican who attends NBA games in Phoenix with Arizona Senator John McCain, was disgusted when he learned of plans by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, JOHN MELLENCAMP, R.E.M. and other bands to hold a series of concerts aimed at unseating U.S. President George W. Bush.



"To me, that's treason. I call it treason against rock 'n' roll because rock is the antithesis of politics. Rock should never be in bed with politics," says the 56-year-old Cooper, who begans a 15-city Canadian tour on August 20 in Thunder Bay, Ont.



"When I was a kid and my parents started talking about politics, I'd run to my room and put on the Rolling Stones as loud as I could. So when I see all these rock stars up there talking politics, it makes me sick.



"If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are. Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around reading the Washington Journal."





AMEN! Actually, I'm just pissed because Bon Jovi showed up here in Portland with John Kerry...from Van Halen to Bon Jovi, Springsteen, Mellencamp, REM...what the fuck?!??!? When did rock and roll get political?

This is EXACTLY what's wrong with music today.

[WACF]

Well put....

[Wayne L.]

Rock & roll is all about having fun, being rebellious without hurting anybody, it can be political sometimes without being preachy. Alice Cooper said it best with his statement condeming these self important so called politically aware assholes which is why Springsteen, Mellencamp & Fogarty are looking more like IDIOTS than rock artists which will backfire on them.

[Bill Lumbergh]

This is exactly why I've always hated shit like U2 and Springsteen(both criminally overrated)...........rock stars need to shut the fuck up and play.

[tobinentinc]

Hey Alice Cooper couldn't be more right. That's exactly how I feel about these guys. It's hard to like the boss when he's so political.

[lms2]

Thats the problem with Rock Stars? Do you know how my teenager even knows who Alice Coooper is? Do any of you remember the commercial where he is jumping rope....

My name is Alice
and I live in a palace...

You don't want your kids to grow up weird do you?

Partying and having a great time is all good (knowing when to quit is pretty important as well; i.e. compare Eddie and Dave). So is knowing what is going on in the world around you and having an informed opinion regarding matters of a political, social, moral, financial, etc. nature.

Ever heard of Rock the Vote?

Let me guess...you are republican because your father was republican and you can't handle that maybe your son is gonna be a fooking democrat?

[Panamark]

I hate Rock mixed with Politics.

I hate Rock musicians who think they are politicians.

Stick to your day jobs fellas.

[bueno bob]

Originally posted by lms2
Thats the problem with Rock Stars? Do you know how my teenager even knows who Alice Coooper is? Do any of you remember the commercial where he is jumping rope....

My name is Alice
and I live in a palace...

You don't want your kids to grow up weird do you?

Partying and having a great time is all good (knowing when to quit is pretty important as well; i.e. compare Eddie and Dave). So is knowing what is going on in the world around you and having an informed opinion regarding matters of a political, social, moral, financial, etc. nature.

Ever heard of Rock the Vote?

Let me guess...you are republican because your father was republican and you can't handle that maybe your son is gonna be a fooking democrat?

I have no idea what you're getting at, but I don't know if your teenager knows who Alice Cooper is or not. Don't much care, either...my 11 year old daughter knows who he is, though :)

Don't remember any TV commercial from Alice where he's jumping rope, sorry. I don't know what that has to do with my kids growing up "weird", though.

I agree, partying and having a good time is important - likewise it's important to know when to quit. I agree wholeheartedly on that. Knowing what's going on with the world politically is good, too, and having an opinion is great - trying to use your celebrity standpoint to shove it down somebody else's throat just BECAUSE you're a celebrity is bullshit, though.

Yes, I've heard of Rock the Vote. I guess it's alright because it gets people aware of voting and interested in voting - I do NOT want some rock star to tell me WHO to vote for though, just because they're a "rock star" and they say I should. In those regards, they can keep their fucking mouths shut. I think people can be and should be intelligent enough to make up our own minds without some public figure trying to make it up for them (I remember Hollywood getting all up in arms about Bush's Iraq policy a while back and the greater part of America didn't give two fucks about what they thought - this should apply as well).

To conclude, you guessed wrong - I am NOT a republican, my father was most definately NOT a republican either, and I have no qualms about my son growing up to be a democrat, either. My political stance, beliefs and vote will remain private, and I think that's exactly how it should be left with these upcoming "Vote My Way Because I'm Famous" tours. I immediately suspect anybody trying to influence my way of thinking, regardless, especially in political forums...I'd much rather trust my decision making ability to my own mind, not some half witted professional musician who's usual biggest decision of the day is whether to go for the Yukon Jack or the Jack Daniels :)

[lms2]

Too bad you missed the commercial. It was kinda cute.

I don't feel influenced to vote one way or the other because of how rock and roll stars feel. I think it is good that they have an opinion, and do not feel the need to portray themselves as drunken, mindless idiots with no values to sell an album to other drunken mindless idiots. Just as my neighbor, my friends, and my foes, have the right to express their opionions, no matter how foolish and uneducated they may be... so do Americas "idols".

Not expressing your opinion just because you are a celebrity is, in my most humble opinion, more of an atrocity than showing what a fool you are by publicly sharing your views.

As for myself, and my children, we know our own minds, and act accordingly.

I apologize if you felt like I was calling you a republican. That was simply an example...

As for the "vote my way" tours. It is simply a matter of boycotting them, just as you do this Van Hagar sham of a reunion, but regardless, there will always be people who jump on the band wagon, and others remain on the outside and throw stones at it.

Roth on. ;)

[bueno bob]

Sweet :) all good, then.

[Matt White]

ROCK has been involved with politics since the 1960's. People saying that "musicians need to keep their mouths shut" and "entertainers & movie stars need to shut the fuck up" miss the point entirely.
The musicians who are trying to make a politicasl statement are following in the footsteps of BOB DYLAN and JOHNNY CASH. Both spoke out against the war in Vietnam in the 60's. Cash spoke out over the treatment of prisioners in the country's prisons.
Rock has a long history of political activism. The were concerts against nuclear power in the 70's, to help feed 3rd world countries, and to raise money for BOTH parties. The ALLMAN BROTHERS supported Jimmy Carter.
It's disingenuous to suggest that these rockers should "SHUT THE FUCK UP BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR TALKING ABOUT". It's STILL the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA nad they have the right of free speech, no matter how asinine or un-informed you think they are.
It doesn't help that guys like PAT BOONE are one of the HIGHEST profile musicians coming out in support of PRESIDENT BUSH.
And on top of that, the REPUBLICANS LOVE MUSICIANS AND ACTORS, so why bitch when the DEMOCRATS wheel 'em out. EVER HEARD OF ARNOLD? SONNY BONO? HOW ABOUT RONALD REAGAN? NO ENTERTAINERS IN POLITICS???

[DLR_EngineRoom]

Originally posted by bueno bob
ALICE COOPER - "Treason Against Rock N' Roll" [Rock Hard - 04.08.23 09:19:32]

The following report is courtesy of www.canoe.ca:



In the eyes of Alice Cooper, all the rock stars campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry are guilty of one thing: treason. The shock-rock legend, a staunch Republican who attends NBA games in Phoenix with Arizona Senator John McCain, was disgusted when he learned of plans by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, JOHN MELLENCAMP, R.E.M. and other bands to hold a series of concerts aimed at unseating U.S. President George W. Bush.



"To me, that's treason. I call it treason against rock 'n' roll because rock is the antithesis of politics. Rock should never be in bed with politics," says the 56-year-old Cooper, who begans a 15-city Canadian tour on August 20 in Thunder Bay, Ont.



"When I was a kid and my parents started talking about politics, I'd run to my room and put on the Rolling Stones as loud as I could. So when I see all these rock stars up there talking politics, it makes me sick.



"If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are. Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around reading the Washington Journal."





AMEN! Actually, I'm just pissed because Bon Jovi showed up here in Portland with John Kerry...from Van Halen to Bon Jovi, Springsteen, Mellencamp, REM...what the fuck?!??!? When did rock and roll get political?

This is EXACTLY what's wrong with music today.


Ex-freaking-zactly

F*** ANY band that goes political...stay neutral whoref***s

[lms2]

Hey Bueno Bob:

http://www.homestead.com/spinxter/commercials.html

here is that commercial I was referring to. It is the Marriot commercial.

[BITEYOASS]

"If you got a message, send it to Western Union"-David Lee Roth

[horty07]

If rock stars want to get political than they should talk about issues and present facts so people (fans) can make up their own mind and vote on the facts, and not just because Bruce or Bono told them so. The worst thing they can do is to push their political views on their fans. Not being from the states I thought rock the vote was about encouraging people to vote, and that all candidate get an equal amount of stage time to present their platform, and that the bands show no favoritism. I could be wrong.

[bueno bob]

I think it's just better if people make up their own minds...there are FARRRR too many sheep in this world that'll let their choices swing just because a celebrity tells them it should. My g/f went to Melissa Etheridge last night and she spent a good portion of concert time talking about the gay marriage legal activity going on here in Oregon.

Of course, a Melissa Etheridge concert is, naturally, a gay convention, so I'm sure the audience was slightly more than receptive. Myself, I'd be pissed if I spent $40 for a ticket to see the bitch and she spent 20 minutes talking politics rather than playing (I didn't go; Melissa, while she has a few interesting songs back and forth, isn't my cup of tea per se, so my old lady went with her sister...neither of them seemed to mind the discussion, which didn't surprise me any - both of them are Melissa fanatics).

I just think it'd be wiser if people made up their own minds and not let somebody famous make it up for them.

[Bill Lumbergh]

Originally posted by Matt White

People saying that "musicians need to keep their mouths shut" and "entertainers & movie stars need to shut the fuck up" miss the point entirely.


I repeat "HEY SELF IMPORTANT ROCK STAR>>>>GO FUCK HOT 20 YEAR OLD GROUPIES, DO A COUPLE LINES,AND OH YEAH SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!"

[Diver Down NJ]

Excellent post, Matt White. I guess I would say this - rockers getting behind a cause is cool. Rockers getting behind (or against) a particular politician or political party is lame.