Musicians react to siege on the U.S. Capitol
Last week’s attack on the United States Capitol building will forever be remembered as one of the darkest days in American history. Like most people around the world, rockers and rollers nearly across the board were left shocked, dismayed and disappointed at the turn of events by supporters of President Donald Trump who were protesting his defeat in the 2020 election by Joe Biden.
“These are TERRORISTS,” Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley tweeted as the scene unfolded. “This is armed insurrection. The flames were fanned today & over time by the president & specific senators who CANNOT be allowed now to distance from or denounce what they have directly caused. Know their names. THIS is the result of their deception. Shame.”
“I am heartbroken and astounded that this narcissistic and dangerous president would put lives in danger and encourage violent sedition against our government,” said Stevie Wonder. “That man is no longer able to serve as President because he can’t accept defeat. Can we afford 2 more weeks? I say NO!”
“Please take the delusional reality television show host out of our office today before any more women get shot in the halls of Congress,” tweeted fromer Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach. “For god sakes did I just tweet that? The lame impeached duck loser failure has to go today it’s not safe.”
Dee Snider, leader of Twisted Sister and former nighttime DJ for WMMR, asked anyone who supported rioters to stop following him immediately on social media. He then wrote incredulously, “My 90-year-old dad - a Korean War veteran and a former cop is livid at the actions taken by these homegrown terrorists. He fought and nearly died for this?”
“We know that our political system is rotten to the core,” metal band Sacred Reich posted on their official Facebook. “No news there. But the dumb, racist [expletives] who invaded the Capitol did it to support the dumb, racist lying President. No other reason. They are not trying to save America, they are destroying it for a reality show TV host who will go down as the worst President in history.”
Unfortunately, not everyone saw things for what they were, further pushing baseless conspiracy theories and allegations about the election being stolen from Trump and Biden being a member of some sort of Satan worshipping cabal involving politicians and those in power worldwide. Yes – this is a real thing.
Jon Schaffer, guitarist and leader of metal outfit Iced Earth, was actually one of the vandals who made it into the Capitol building last Wednesday and is currently being sought by the FBI. At press time he had yet to be arrested. The rest of the band, which hails from Tampa, Fla., distanced themselves from Schaffer.
“First and foremost we absolutely DO NOT condone nor do we support riots or the acts of violence that the rioters were involved in on January 6th at the US Capitol building,” wrote the other members of the act in a collective statement released over the weekend. “We hope that all those involved that day are brought to justice to be investigated and answer for their actions.”
Then there’s outspoken conservative Ted Nugent, whose views have gotten more extreme in recent years. The former Damn Yankees guitarist and composer of the hits “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Wango Tango,” refuses to believe those who stormed the Capitol were even Trump supporters.
“I think everybody knows that every possible deception was applied to the recent election, and Donald Trump wanted Americans who believe that, witnessed that and know that to make a peaceful protest out of the First Amendment,” he said during a recent edition of his online streaming show ‘Campfire Round Up.’ “And I am convinced equally to those statements I just made that Antifa and Black Lives Matter terrorists infiltrated that peaceful protest, and they are the ones who initiated the violence.”
Nugent also compared Trump to Martin Luther King Jr. and added that he didn’t believe the President’s supporters “hurt anyone” or “damaged anything” during the rampage which claimed the lives of four individuals and left countless others injured.
VINYL OF THE WEEK
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary act. This week, it’s a comeback album of sorts for a rock band who became huge in the 80s led by a gigantic hit.
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT – ‘FIRE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN’
At the dawn of a new decade, Blue Öyster Cult suddenly found themselves on under pressure to deliver a good album following the relative failures of ‘Mirrors’ in 1979 and ‘Cultosaurus Erectus’ the following year. Thankfully, they rebounded in a big way come June of 1981 with the release of ‘Fire of Unknown Origin,’ due in no small part to bringing back writers who had helped them become so successful in the past, including musician Patti Smith and dark-fantasy writer/ novelist Michael Moorcock.
The New York outfit’s eighth album included the Top 40 hit “Burnin’ for You,” which landed in the top spot on Billboard’s Album Rock Tracks chart. Easily among BOC’s best work, it would be the final studio album with the band’s original line-up for seven years. ‘Fire of Unknown Origin’ was the end of an era for the band in some ways, as they would struggle to find solid footing with critics and radio over the next several years. Still, especially with the smash “Burnin’ for You,’ it introduced them to the burgeoning MTV audience.
Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the album, this edition of ‘Fire of Unknown Origin’ is pressed on 180gram vinyl and can be purchased online and in stores from all respectable retailers who carry music.