During the Vietnam War, many bands and artists wrote songs, played in festivals, and other such publicity in protest of the war. Many bands and artists of today are against the war as are Americans. Yet why don't they do the actions of those before them? I personally wish bands and artists did this! I feel that it would help influence the government to get out of Iraq. Many people are against the war that the United States is in now, but why is there not the backlash there was for the Vietnam war? I mean, I know some artists, Green Day and System of a Down for examplehave written songs about it, but we don't really hear about it. During Vietnam the music against the war was heard all over. Why is this?
The only conclusion I have come up with about why bands and artists don't write songs, play in festivals, and protest the war is because the soldiers signed up for it! They chose to be in the army, national guard, etc. During Vietnam there was the draft and all the soldiers had no choice because they were drafted.
Because Nine Inch Nails the Dixie Chicks and Sheryl Crow totally haven't sang anti-war songs lately. :?!)
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The last album of Godspeed you Black Emperor, Yanqui UXO, (Yankee unexploded ordinance) which on the back of the cover outlined the flow of cash from Record companies to arms production, could be called political. As well as some of the band members side project, a silver mount zion. Their last album, Horses in the sky, had a song titled god bless our dead marines. Xiu Xiu is another politically active band with songs ranging from war, to aids, etc. Definitive Jux, a independent Hip Hop label created by el-p, is another great source for politically minded artists, both in the experimental, social, and political sense. Lazerface warnings by el-p is perfectly paranoid for our current environment. So, political bands are out there, there just not out there openly. why is that?
Some of that is the heaviness that the messages have taken on. Godspeed presents its content in 30 minute post rock instrumentals that are gothic and and times depressing, but also at times beautiful. El-p Pioneers space rap. Xiu Xiu has a certain offensiveness to it. The corporate environment is very different from the 1970's. The radio and broadcasting has to stay clean. There's a certain aesthetics that is sought, comfort coming to dominate.
The machinery has expanded itself greatly, shown by the chart on the back of U.X.O. Music is war, war is music. . The fields of industry are interconnected. In a way this has been the case, responsible for WWI, and WWII, present in Vietnam, and still occurring after. Lose yourself in some conspiracy to try and understand, the writings of Pynchon like Gravities Rainbow or Philip K Dick, like radio free albemuth. The film Zeitgest is also a great online source that can be watched for free on the web. The film the Network is another great film that is easy to get ahold.
going on a little too long,
blam.
I don't know, I mean we're a completely different generation. A generation where we would rather blog about our protests (don't worry I do it to.) then go grab 10 people and lay down in front a bus or burn draft cards. I mean look what happen at the last wookstock. It seems today that none of us are really all that connected. But I totally get your argumet, and I agree! :)
Back in the Vietnam days, people were a lot more outspoken about the war. People use to go to huge gatherings to hear people speak about anti war. People use to march, bomb buildings, have speeches, and musical festivals. People are not as outspoken as what they use to be. Plus I also believe that music was a lot more meaningful back then, but this coming from a huge classic rock fan. Plus there are not as many bands today that are outspoken about it, dont get me wrong, there has been some, but I could probably name about 30 bands off the top of my head that had songs about the war back then. It was one of the biggest ways with out marching to speek their minds. It was how they got their point across.
I do believe that the reasonings behind the huge out break of anti war in the sixites though was because of the draft. I do agree with you on that!
Lil Wayne has done a song called "Georgia Bush"
During Jay-Z's Heart of the City Tour, he gets political at every city. I think with the advent of youtube and blogging sites, there are so many political opinions flying around there is not much room left for artists. You have to remember an artist must clear records with their label before they can officially release the song. By that time everyone in the blogosphere has already covered the subjects extensively.
"my first name must be, "He aint sh@t", cause everytime I come through, yall be like "He aint sh@t"!....I'll be dat" --Redman
"Anything that can go wrong, Will go wrong"----Murphy's Law
I've heard a lot of songs about the war lately. It just takes time to write and produce them, but they are out there.
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I know this is an old post, but if you're looking for war protest music you should listen to the album "Yell Fire" by Michael Franti and Spearhead. Most of Franti's music is very political, protest oriented, and his "Yell Fire" album is all about the Iraq war.
"Live above money; put your heart in front of you and follow it."
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If you want some political music, check out the albums "Shake the Sheets" by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and "Pixel Revolt," "Cellar Door," and "Emerald City" by John Vanderslice. Of course, there's also "Silent Alarm" by Bloc Party, but I didn't know if you wanted to stick with the American bands or not--Bloc Party is British.
There's good music out there if you know where to look. :-)
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