eavy Metal Musicians Speak Out Against America

[J.]

This is very interesting. Sad thing is, these foreigners know Bush is a dolt, why don't Americans?

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Norway's Imhotep 'zine recently asked more than 60 heavy metal and hard rock musicians to answer the following question regarding the current political situation in the world: What's your opinion on the rising tide of the anti-American sentiment around the world and to what would you attribute this?

Among the musicians that took part in this "survey" were the following:

Adam Bomb
Alan Nemtheanga (PRIMORDIAL)
Albert Bouchard (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT)
Aldo Lonobile (SECRET SPHERE)
Anders Iwers (TIAMAT)
Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA)
Andy Sneap (SABBAT)
Andy Tanas (ex-KROKUS, BLACK OAK ARKANSAS)
Andy Timmons (ex-DANGER DANGER)
Antti Kokko (KALMAH)
Aquiles Priester (ANGRA)
Bill Leverty (FIREHOUSE)
Billy Gould (ex-FAITH NO MORE, ex-BRUJERIA)
Billy Sheehan (STEVE VAI - ex-MR.BIG, TALAS, NIACIN)
Brian Vollmer (HELIX)
Byron (BAL-SAGOTH)
Craig Nielsen (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM)
Daniel Gildenlöw (PAIN OF SALVATION)
Doug Pinnick (KING'S X)
Ginger (THE WILDHEARTS)
Gus G. (DREAM EVIL, FIREWIND)
Guus (ORPHANAGE)
Harley Flanagan (CRO-MAGS)
Ian Parry (ELEGY, CONSORTIUM PROJECT)
James Murphy (ex-DEATH, TESTAMENT, OBITUARY)
Jizzy Pearl (RATT, LOVE/HATE, ex-L.A. GUNS)
Joey Alves (Y&T)
Joey Vera (FATES WARNING, ARMORED SAINT, ANTHRAX)
Johnny Monaco (ENUFF Z' NUFF)
Juan Garcia (AGENT STEEL)
Keith Knight (ASKA)
Kelly Keeling (KING KOBRA, MSG, BATON ROUGE)
Kelly Shaefer (NEUROTICA, ATHEIST)
Ken Hensley (URIAH HEEP)
Kristian Andren (WUTHERING HEIGHTS)
Kurdt Vanderhoof (METAL CHURCH)
Leif Jensen (DEW-SCENTED)
Lenny Wolf (KINGDOM COME)
Lips (ANVIL)
Marc Rizzo (SOULFLY, ILL NINO)
Mark Jansen (EPICA, AFTER FOREVER)
Max (HEARSE)
Michael Lardie (GREAT WHITE)
Mike Patton (FANTOMAS, TOMAHAWK, MR. BUNGLE, FAITH NO MORE)
Nebelhexe (NEBELHEXE)
Neil Turbin (ex-ANTHRAX)
Niclas Etelavuori (AMORPHIS)
Nikolo Kotzev (BRAZEN ABBOT)
Olaf Lenk (AT VANCE)
Oliver Hartmann (EMPTY TREMOR, GENIUS, AVANTASIA)
Oliver Phillips (EVERON)
Patrice Guers (RHAPSODY, PATRICK RONDAT)
Scott "Wino" Weinrich (PROBOT, THE OBSESSED, SPIRIT CARAVAN)
Spike Cassidy (D.R.I.)
Stefan Zell (WOLVERINE)
Steve Lukather
Steve Vai
Tchort (GREEN CARNATION, BLOOD RED THRONE)
Ted Poley (DANGER DANGER)
Tim Donahue (MADMEN & SINNERS)
Tony Harnell (TNT)
Tommy Shaw (STYX)
Valtias Mustatuuli (ARTHEMESIA)
Wulfstan (FOREFATHER)

Results - http://www.imhotepzine.com/anti_american/

 

[J.]

Whoops, I left the "H" off of Heavy. JayK, can you fix?

 

[Erik]

Whoops, I left the "H" off of Heavy. JayK, can you fix?

It's awright, mate, it already says 'eavy metal, what's the bloody problem?


Blah, I wish I could write fake cockney

 

[NAD]

Haha that's the first thing I noticed, J. has gone Bri'ish!

Isn't the reason obvious for the anti-American feeling? It's totally obvious to me. The majority of Americans have their heads up their asses.

Hahhhahahaaahahaha this will be fun to read in a bit.

 

[Erik]

I think it's pretty expected when a big, powerful country like the US goes around the world imposing its way of life on people, interfering in their sovereign states and killing thousands of their civilians. Having a totally inept, brain-dead puppet-moron as president probably doesn't help either.

Haha. Count on heathen metal bands to speak the fucking truth and not sugar-coat it either.

 

[NAD]

I don't like the idea of anti-American sentiment due to the actions of our government, but when you watch the news from afar it's hard not to generalize.

As for people disliking Americans in general, well I can see many reasons why (fast food, TV, big cars, whatever), but they can still go fuck themselves.

 

[ProgMetalFan]

I agree with Wulfstan. I've always thought that Bush was a mere puppet while Darth Cheney is the real power behind the scenes.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain Of Salvation)

It's of course in a way unfair towards the American people, but politically and historically they should have seen this coming for a long time – why should this time be any different than the rest of our history? The problem seems to be that they constantly vote for presidents that have no clue about knowledge, science and history - or international relations I might add.
Fighting fire with fire only worked once - in a Metallica song. And to be honest, I don't think it worked really well even then. Right now, USA follows a historical well-repeated pattern of paranoia and active defense in a crusade that's been done so many times before in the backwaters of the birth and prosperity of grand nations, and it has always led to devastation and collapse of the social and political structures, the minute you spend more money on defense than on social matters and sociopolitical development. I cannot understand how they do not see that? You only have to read a few books to see that pattern - and they are in the library for crying out load!
I don't expect every citizen to know this, but the government, the president that leads his people down a path of destruction that has never worked, it's just sad to see. Since the so-called war on terror started you can't go anywhere without risking to be blown to pieces or be caught in someone's crossfire. The initiative is of course very heroic and decided, and might have worked in a bad film starring Mel Gibson - but it doesn't work in real life, never have. How can this not be more known by at least someone influential enough people in the White House staff or even the press and public? Does it need to be on Letterman or Ricki Lake for this knowledge to be spread? When Bush junior walked into the White House I said that "this man is gonna lead the world to war and instability - it's in his eyes for anyone to see" - and I still don't think it was a coincidence that 9/11 happened during his reign. He is a threat not only to the American people, but to all peoples, to the environment and, utterly, to himself. He should be in another business.
Sorry. It is all about understanding how other nations and political systems function (the holocausts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki - the only times nuclear weapons were ever used on civilians by the way - took place due to a lacking knowledge of Japanese communication and pride), and that knowledge is not encouraged in the States right now. Americans - start an intellectual revolution! Live by the rule "if you're twice as big, you gotta be twice as kind" and you can start by kicking out that lunatic president of yours, he is hurting you in ways you don't even see, and will probably never even know! When I was to Egypt this summer I was standing right next to a few Americans buying post cards. They didn't buy stamps though, because they brought some from home. At times like that I don't know, I just don't know...

 

[NAD]

Right now, USA follows a historical well-repeated pattern of paranoia and active defense in a crusade that's been done so many times before in the backwaters of the birth and prosperity of grand nations, and it has always led to devastation and collapse of the social and political structures, the minute you spend more money on defense than on social matters and sociopolitical development.

YES. Look at the Soviet Union for fuck's sake!

Other than that I agree mostly with that dude, except the Fight Fire with Fire comment, that's one of my favorite Metallica songs!

 

[Krilons Resa]

Dan Gildenlow is a pretty smart dude.

 

[Ayeka]

Haha that's the first thing I noticed, J. has gone Bri'ish!

Same 'ere

Andy Sneap (Sabbat)
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The reason? The White Stripes I guess.

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[Caelum Adustum]

"I blame the Americans."

"For what? My tie?"

 

[ProgMetalFan]

Dan Gildenlow is a pretty smart dude.

Yes, he is... too bad his new album sucks.

 

[speed]

Excellent comments by the pain of salvation dude, however he is wrong on America spending more money on defense than social issues. In fact defense spending although at record levels, does not come close to the spending on social security and medicare.

In addition as to the fall of all empires that spend too much money on defense: the Romans spent great sums of money on defense from the beginning of the imperial empire ( constant warfare with the parthians, germans, celts in northern england, huns, vandals, goths etc)- and well the empire continued until the fall of Constantinople 1450 years later. Of course they had a system of paying their soldiers with the loot of their victims and with land- so.

 

[JayKeeley]

Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain Of Salvation)
When I was to Egypt this summer I was standing right next to a few Americans buying post cards. They didn't buy stamps though, because they brought some from home. At times like that I don't know, I just don't know...

Haha, that is just classic.

I think its unnecessary. I'm an American and I want peace & freedom for all my fellow mankind on Earth. Every American I know is concerned for the well being, safety, and freedom of all other countries

Like I said, those who can't do, play bass.*

Those who display anti-American or anti-British sentiments within the Western world should instead be thankful that there are such mighty sentinels of liberty who are dedicated to preserving freedom throughout the globe

You just know that anyone named 'Byron', especially a fookin' Geordie, got the shit kicked out of him every day at school.

Anti-American feeling? This could be true but it's still way better here.

Haha, obviously came to this conclusion from all those succesful world tours from the US to Japan and back. I don't like sushi, I'm stayin' in Alabama!!


It's good that lots of people were clear in making the distinction between American people and American government.

 

[Erik]

LOL.

So Bal-Sagoth is not only a shit band (their performance at Wacken, which I caught hasty glimpses of, was pretty pathetic -- WORST. VOCALIST. EVER,) they're idiots too. All the more incentive to never check out their studio stuff.

 

[NAD]

JayKeeley I hate you.*

I think its unnecessary. I'm an American and I want peace & freedom for all my fellow mankind on Earth. Every American I know is concerned for the well being, safety, and freedom of all other countries. We gave Japan and Germany their countries back, and helped them rebuild, in spite of what they did to the world. People have a short memory.

Holy balls I had no idea this guy was such a dunce. Germany and Japan? So by stifling the military and economy of both for DECADES, the US "gave it back?" Wow.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Yes, he is... too bad his new album sucks.

 

[Tide In Mind Out]

Byron (Bal-Sagoth)
Those who display anti-American or anti-British sentiments within the Western world should instead be thankful that there are such mighty sentinels of liberty who are dedicated to preserving freedom throughout the globe.



...haha he said "mighty"

 

[Papa Josh]

Billy Sheenan, gifted bass player he may be, needs to realize that it is HE who has a short memory and needs to remember that his claim to fame is playing for David Lee Roth and Mr. Big, not speaking on global affairs.

Shut the fuck up and go back to doing whatever the fuck it is you do after Mr. Big broke up.

And I'd like to know where Speed gets his information. What makes you think military spending is only a fraction of wht's spent on social programs? A HUGE portion of these programs aren't even funded properly, budgets are cut and the programs end. CHIPS comes to mind, No Child Left Behind comes to mind, I could go on and on...

Besides, when you get into these kinds of numbers/dollar figures, i.e. billions/trillions, the money begins to lose meaning/value in a monetary sense. It's more about favors and deals, greasing the palm, so to speak.