Who Are Your Favorite POLITICAL Bands?

[egan.]

Lots of 80's and 90's hardcore and punk is great if you like that stuff. The problem with bands like Rage Against the Machine is that you have millionaires preaching communism with no sense of irony whatsoever. The other problem is that many bands simply aren't well read or well spoken enough (cough*LoG*cough) to write political lyrics above a fifth grade level.
It's tough b/c when you look at history and the weight of what guys like Shostakovich (as John mentioned) were doing, it's hard to give as much weight to dudes complaining about the president in a country where you can play such a song on mainstream national radio w/o controversy.

 

[Skadsson]

Lamb of God, Megadeth, SOAD, Misery Index, Dying Fetus... though i don't really care too much about the political statements in the music.
The thread reminded me of the last Lynyrd Skynyrd album, god those are the moste redneck stupid lyrics ever on that record.

 

[sprack]

I'd add Motorhead, though his is more sociological than political.

 

[ArnaudM]

Graveland ?

OK, I'm going out of this place...

 

[Pxz]

guys..... NAPALM DEATH

 

[Vaggelis_Revolted]

The problem with bands like Rage Against the Machine is that you have millionaires preaching communism with no sense of irony whatsoever.

The former does not exclude the latter, really. As long as they make money by playing music, and not by exploiting human labor, they do nothing wrong (based on their belief). Money may have helped them to solve many problems that most of us face on a daily basis. Still, they can have honest social concerns

It's tough b/c when you look at history and the weight of what guys like Shostakovich (as John mentioned) were doing, it's hard to give as much weight to dudes complaining about the president in a country where you can play such a song on mainstream national radio w/o controversy.

Mr. Shostakovich lived under different conditions, where censorship was a daily phenomenon. I suppose this happens mostly because labels/stations in modern music industry, care more about their banks, than their bands. There could release/play a song that would bring profit, even if its thematology was directly against them.

 

[BrettT]

guys..... NAPALM DEATH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIRUzqHTNh8

Fuuuu...I'm ashamed that I didn't think of them.

 

[egan.]

The former does not exclude the latter, really. As long as they make money by playing music, and not by exploiting human labor, they do nothing wrong (based on their belief). Money may have helped them to solve many problems that most of us face on a daily basis. Still, they can have honest social concerns

They can and I believe do have honest social concerns but that doesn't change the fact that making millions of dollars allied with a huge corporation (Sony) is in direct opposition to belief in a classless society and the end of private property (communism). It's not to say they aren't good and that getting their message out isn't valuable but to deny the hypocrisy is silly.

 

[DeclanWhite]

so... you guys care about the lyrics?



but seriously, i'm more of an instrumental guy

 

[ratsapprentice]

so... you guys care about the lyrics?



but seriously, i'm more of an instrumental guy

Exactly, it is music after all.

 

[AllanD]

I like music with meaning, so politically charged bands rox my sox.

 

[El_Gato]

Listening to Rise Against lately, digging the production.

Bad Religion, The Clash, Tracy Chapman, RATM, Propagandhi, Ignite, SOAD, Story of the Year, Bob Marley, Raised Fist, Refused, Sick of it All are more or less political and some of my favourites of all times.

I dig bands that talk more about the feelings/ideas/ideals in a smart or passionate way. Of course there are some great non-political writers but they don't usually get to me.

Props to political bands because they know talking about politics may somehow hurt the sales.

 

[aberration]

Graveland ?

OK, I'm going out of this place...

Heh...first thing I thought of, too.

Glad I'm not the only one who likes RATM but tires quickly of their Mickey Mouse political posturing.

Bad Religion should win this one, especially when you consider how thoughtful and literate the lyrics are.

 

[Perishh]

I love Enter Shikari's political awareness.

 

[ArnaudM]

After thinking about it a while, I would say Rhapsody of Fire and Cannibal Corpse.

Stop joking now : there's a french book talking about George Orwell's views on politics : it is called "La Haine du Politique" (Hate for politics, if I translate it right). It is paradoxical when you know Orwell's involvment in political issues, but I think it is the only sane point of view about it, I mean, it is the only reasonnable option in the times we live in. It's a question of age, experience, wisdom. Guetting involved in politcs means putting your hands in a huge quantity of shit, and nobody loves it. That's the point.

RATM or Napalm Death, from my point of view, are expressing very naïve and superficial messages, just like rabbid teenagers. They don't even see the social awareness they are laying the stress on is THE main gear that modern polical powers used to enslave the people in the age of masses.
I would say I'm more interested in the individualistic and poetic expression of bands like Emperor, Shining or even Opeth, which show a real vision of what reality has truly become (essentialy a political desert and a metaphysical disaster).
RATM, in my opinion, is as politicaly disconnected form reality as the bands I mentionned in my ironic introduction.

AM

 

[Harry Hughes]

I definitely notice that even many of the bands I don't listen to are 'political' type bands, many of them do tend to touch on social issues in the lyrical content.
I think it's kinda cool that some lyricists can write about social issues/politics in the same album as more abstract and/or personal lyrics.
Pearl Jam's "Ten" is a good example of that, abstract and/or personal lyrics on some songs (Black, Release as two examples) and social issues on other songs (Even Flow, Why Go, Jeremy and Garden).

As for Zach De La Rocha, I've always considered him to a be super sincere guy, despite his success.
He's well read, very articulate and passionate, I can definitely admire that.

 

[Emdprodukt]

Propagandhi!

+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 

[John_C]

Tool. Not necessarily directly political but there's some serious social commentary.

 

[Megin]

I dont like political music and political music feels very outdated after a decade or so. Like political jokes.

 

[Clockwork]

I love Enter Shikari's political awareness.

I'm digging their newer stuff lately, but I feel like they talk more about things like social or environmental issues and not so much politics. Which in my opinion is better because it is something everyone can talk/think about without alienating half the listeners like with political bands.