NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm trying to identify whether or not there is an actual trend between liking Rage against the machine and how left wing you are.

If you like it and are left wing is it because of their lyrics? If you like them but are a capitalist do you ever feel isolated by their lyrics?

Go on. Elaborate.

I'm trying to identify whether or not there is an actual trend between liking Rage against the machine and how left wing you are.

If you like it and are left wing is it because of their lyrics? If you like them but are a capitalist do you ever feel isolated by their lyrics?

Go on. Elaborate.

I like it but im a centrist (economically slightly right, socially slightly left) but I listen to their music as a guitarist who like their riffs rather than listening closely to their lyrics :D

I like them and am an anarchist, but I'd probably like them even if I wasn't.

I like them and am an anarchist, but I'd probably like them even if I wasn't.
Is ZLDR anarchist or socialist? I can't work it out

I'm a huge Rage fan, but I'm am right on the political scale. I like them not for their lyrics or what they stand for, but thier music in whole. Every thing sounds right and Tom Morello is a beast on the guitar.

Their music is palettable, but the overabundance of zealous socialist imagery (I'm thinking the che guevara face specifically) just puts me right off them.

Is ZLDR anarchist or socialist? I can't work it out
Anarchist. Look at the lyrics to "Take the Power Back." Hell, just the title's enough.

Anarchist. Look at the lyrics to "Take the Power Back." Hell, just the title's enough.
Looking at it theres not really anything about anarchy in there. He just talks about propaganda in the education system and the racism that exists in Europe and America. He talks about the weathermen- a communist revolutionary group.

Is ZLDR anarchist or socialist? I can't work it out

I think he's a socialist with some libertarian influences (i.e. edging slowly towards anarcho-communist). If only he's give up the the Che worshipping and make the transition complete.

RATM: We got rich on your gullibility.

RATM were probably the very first band I got into, about 5 years ago (whoa...it has been that long. Doesn't feel like it...) and the politics were definitely an attraction for me- whoa, a political -not to mention leftist- rock band? And that music sounds good...I could like this...

And yeah. That was one of the things that got me interested in music. Mind you, I was totally ignorant. I had no idea that there were thousands of bands that only cared about the music and the message, rather than the money. Rage were en eye-opener for me. From there, I went to the Dead Kennedys and other old-school punk, etc...

Then discovered Nirvana's first album, which was odd, because I used to hate them, because I figured they were corporate-rock :p

*Ahem* So yes, if RATM weren't political, I wouldn't have got into them. But I don't like them solely for their politics. There are plenty of shit political bands. Like Crass (from the small bit i've heard, anyway).

RATM: We got rich on your gullibility.

They contributed a lot of money to charities, and performed a lot of benefit shows. They did much more than most would.

There are plenty of shit political bands. Like Crass (from the small bit i've heard, anyway).

Crass have shit politics but the music is cool.

Crass have shit politics but the music is cool.

Maybe i've just heard the wrong stuff, then. I just downloaded a few songs and wasn't impressed.

They contributed a lot of money to charities, and performed a lot of benefit shows. They did much more than most would.

I'm not saying that they didn't do some good. Most artists do.

I'm saying that they did get rich. ;)

I'm not saying that they didn't do some good. Most artists do.

I'm saying that they did get rich. ;)

Ah well. If they didn't, then nobody would have heard of them and they wouldn't have had a chance to do any good. I'd rather pay for music with a message than something mass produced, anyway. *shrugs*

From what I've heard, they're quite good. I like them.

However, most RATM fans I've talked to are total morons... That doesn't detract from the quality of the band, though. Just a minor detal :p.

I'm not really a great fan, but I don't think I would be a fan at all if it wasn't for their politics. A lot of young people my age seem to be getting more political due to their influence though, or they may just be being brainwashed into becoming anarchic lefties with no idea of what they're really moshing about...which is the more likely scenario really :rolleyes:

I'm not saying that they didn't do some good. Most artists do.

I'm saying that they did get rich. ;)

They got rich off their own work, however. Truely working-class.
Also, about the whole "using a major record label" thing this is what Tom Morello said which I think is pretty good-

"A lot of labels contacted us, and lots of them just didn't seem to understand what we wanted to do. They kept talking about the message of the music as a gimmick. They were interested in us just because there was a buzz... They saw us as the latest local rock band to be hyped. But Epic agreed to everything we asked--and they've followed through... we never saw a conflict as long as we maintained creative control. When you live in a capitalistic society, the currency of the dissemination of information goes through capitalistic channels. Would Noam Chomsky object to his works being sold at Barnes & Noble? No, because that's where people buy their books. We're not interested in preaching to just the converted. It's great to play abandoned squats run by anarchists, but it's also great to be able to reach people with a revolutionary message, people from Granada Hills to Stuttgart."