Occupation: metal band
Last Seen: Las Vegas
Bee-otched For: not masking up
Hard to believe it, but once upon a time, I actually liked Kid Rock.
Same with 3 Doors Down. Growing up in northern Michigan, it was mandatory to listen to Ted Nugent virtually every hour.
But sadly, all three acts lost a shit ton of credibility points with me because of right-winged politics. Of course, Kid Rock endorsed both Drumpf and Mitt Romney. 3 Doors Down played at Drumpf's inaugural. And The Nuge wanted to kill Obama.
Now, we can add another band to that list: Five Finger Death Punch.
When 5FDP came onto the scene in 2008 with the powerful "The Bleeding", I knew that they were the saviors that the active rock radio format needed. Most of their singles would become top 10 hits on the rock charts, including a few #1s such as their previous single, the somewhat poppy "A Little Bit Off".
But now, 5FDP is WAAAAAY off, as shown by their latest video for "Living The Dream", the third single from their eighth studio album, "F8" (pronounced "fate"). The video mocks those who wear masks, labeling them "communists". The people in the video are ruled by an older, white-haired woman who wears a pin labeled "exempt". She never wears a mask. Many experts compare her to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
As the video progresses, the woman gets angry when she sees an ice cream truck with a tiny American flag sticking out from a bag of popcorn. She was being dragged by three men on all fours wearing leather who end up destroying the truck. People then start taking off their masks and start to rebel against the old lady's ideals. As the video winds down, a mob of people - including the members of 5FDP - start to run holding American flags towards the old woman. The mob - which includes policemen and military personnel - start to get shot at. As the song ends, it turns out to all be a dream as a fictional signer of the Constitution puts his signature on the document.
Many have attacked Pelosi for the fact that the California Congresswoman opened up a salon several months ago to get her hair done. In a surveillance video, it shows Pelosi not wearing a mask during the process. Many have labeled her a hypocrite for being privileged a time when all salons in California were shuttered because of the state's stay-at-home orders.
Ironically, the video was released a week after 14 terrorists were charged with threatening to kidnap and kill Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. To me, the mob running towards the old woman reminds me of those terrorists.
The band's rhythm guitarist and owner, Hungarian-born Zoltan Bathory, conceived the video. In a statement, he proclaimed, "America is a beautiful idea that draws immigrants like myself from all over the world to the promised land of equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This idea is now under siege and certain events are starting to remind me of the things many of us came here to escape... It’s not a “left against right” problem but an evolutionary problem. The growing pains of a civilization that without the necessary spiritual enlightenment, arrived a bit early to a level of technology where everyone is connected. The good news is that now everyone has a voice. The bad news is that now everyone has a voice. So we are living in the manipulators’ paradise, where liars and hypocrites run unscathed, the news are just opinions, politics are a blood sport, and facts are determined by consensus instead of the truth. We as artists, however, have a unique opportunity to portray and ridicule the absurd to prevent it from becoming reality."
Sadly, the video simply spreads the wrong message. For one thing, it makes ZERO mention of the coronavirus. It also labels those who wear masks as "communists". So, if I'm protecting myself - and others - from a disease that has killed over 210,000 Americans and well over a million people worldwide, I'm the bad guy, right?
Look, we shouldn't blame politicians for COVID-19. It's dangerous and it kills. I too, hope it goes away, but until then, WEAR A FUCKING MASK. Maybe when people wear masks now, it will stop the pandemic and SURPRISE! 5FDP will go back out on tour again!
In a way, looking at the band and others running toward Pelosi's effigy reminds me of the terrorists who wanted to kidnap and kill my governor, Gretchen Whitmer, sans them getting shot to death. It's a shame, since I saw them in concert twice here in Grand Rapids. The first time was at the now-defunct Orbit Room here in Grand Rapids. Hell, I even got to meet lead singer Ivan Moody! However, the next time was at the much-bigger Deltaplex. I paid more to see them, plus there was no meet-and-greet after the show. Ah, the price of fame.
Since then, 5FDP has strayed far from their down-to-earth roots, sadly. As a matter of fact, Moody has battled drug and mental problems over the years, including a stint in rehab. Since their 2008 breakout, only Moody and Bathory are the only long-time members of the band, though bassist Chris Kael joined the group in 2010.
I know. Rock music has been all about Freedom of Speech and Expression. I grew up with left-leaning rockers like Rage Against the Machine, Tool and Pearl Jam. Hell, I even remembered when Clinton was reelected in 1996, Rage held a concert protesting that event. But then again, Clinton's opponent was Bob Dole, who wanted to rid the world of Snoop Dogg.
These days, rock is a mixed bag. Yes, we still have lefties like Green Day, Disturbed (lead singer David Draiman supported Bernie Sanders in 2016), Serj Tankian and many 90s bands still rocking away. However, we have righties like Godsmack's Sully Erna (who recently proclaimed that Joe Biden would be the most-dangerous president if elected), Megadeth's Dave Mustaine, Morrissey, Johnny Rotten, Avenged Sevenfold (who had a puppet of Hillary Clinton in one of their videos) and probably the most-overrated band out there right now, Skillet. And oh yes, Trapt.
The active rock radio format was dominant in the 1990s, mainly in major cities. Today, the largest market that still has such a format is Dallas. Sadly, a lot of the rock produced today is somewhat bland and melodic. Even worse, some of it has a Republican vibe to it.
All I can say is that if 5FDP wants to piss on their left-leaning fans, they've already done their job. Once again, if you are crying that your freedoms are being taken away because of the pandemic, sorry, not sorry, but you don't have any freedoms six feet below the ground.
To quote the last words of "The Bleeding", "it's over now."
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