Would you still support your favourite artist if they went full anti-vaxx/Covid denial loon?

[FridgeMagnet]

I think it would depend on how far they'd gone. We all know that musicians can say some daft shite sometimes - if someone had just posted a couple of times about masks then I might roll my eyes and hope they grew up a bit. Probably several of my faves have and I'm just not aware of it.

If they really had gone full loon though, bang into the conspiracy scene, I'd not continue to support them. Once you go down that road into all the NWO/Q/etc stuff you're not just being a twat, you're boosting really evil politics. Plus I don't want to go to a gig where the singer bangs on about sheeple between songs (or in the songs) anyway.

 

[Johnny Doe]

But I'm not going to catch anti-vaxx ideas from an artist. So that isn't a reason to avoid going to their gigs.

You potentially are going to be at more risk from COVID because of increased prevalence in deniers in the crowd though

 

[klang]

Anti vaxx/Covid denial/5G/QAnon bollocks often has very strong associations with far right politics

even when not tied in with r/w politics per se, the notion is right wing as it is selfish and it disregards people in a more vulnerable position.

 

[souljacker]

if, at that gig, he would spout covidspiracy bollocks, would you boo him or would you leave it unchallenged?

I'd probably boo him but I'd also just laugh.

 

[MickiQ]

Pretty sure no one has come even remotely close to suggesting that.

Then why are you concerned about people going to concerts by artists who are anti-vaxxers then? The "Well it might not be safe" argument sounds plausible but doesn't really hold up if you think about it. Whatever the views of the person on the stage they have no control over the views or vaccination status of the person stood next to you who you are most at risk of catching it off.
Even the Taylor Swifts of this world can't really influence the admission policies of the venue where they're holding the performance.

 

[skyscraper101]

I'd boo him just for doing Stone Roses songs tbh.

 

[editor]

Then why are you concerned about people going to concerts by artists who are anti-vaxxers then?

I'm just asking for people's opinions., and I've given mine.

 

[MickiQ]

I'm just asking for people's opinions., and I've given mine.

Fair enough, mine is that it doesn't bother me if they are or aren't anti-vaxxers. Not that I'm likely to be going to any concerts soon anyway

 

[elbows]

I can forgive people who didnt get it to start with. I might even forgive people who needed a 2nd wave to demonstrate what the fundamental pandemic realities were. But after that point i have no forgiveness, and people with terrible pandemic views and a poor grasp of reality are dead to me.

Most creative types that I like have not publicly expressed many views on the pandemic, so I havent thrown away any of my music collection yet.

More broadly if I find out an artist is racist or has abused people then thats usually the end of me listening to their music.

There are other examples that have tested my stance and left me appreciating some of their work without respecting them as a person. For example I love some of David Lynchs work, but I read an interview where it became clear he didnt believe in passive smoking, what a tit.

 

[Yossarian]

When this pandemic is over I'm not going to have a lot of time for people who chose to be part of the problem instead of part of the solution, including artists who spread a lot of anti-vaxx shit. Ian Brown is probably the extreme end of the scale here - no fucking way would I ever pay money to see that dickhead sing his anti-vaxx anthems.

At the other end of the scale, if some artist who was stuck at home for months smoking too much weed said a few dumb things about lockdowns etc. but didn't go full-on loon, I probably wouldn't hold it against them.

 

[editor]

When this pandemic is over I'm not going to have a lot of time for people who chose to be part of the problem instead of part of the solution, including artists who spread a lot of anti-vaxx shit. Ian Brown is probably the extreme end of the scale here - no fucking way would I ever pay money to see that dickhead sing his anti-vaxx anthems.

At the other end of the scale, if some artist who was stuck at home for months smoking too much weed said a few dumb things about lockdowns etc. but didn't go full-on loon, I probably wouldn't hold it against them.

It's worth remembering that musicians have been particularly badly affected throughout the pandemic, so I can understand them lashing out and having a social media hissy fit after a few beers after over a year of no work. Once or twice. At the beginning.

But the ones who have been continually using their profile and influence to peddle fuckwit theories that could actively hurt their fans can fuck. right. off.

 

[Johnny Doe]

But the ones who have been continually using their profile and influence to peddle fuckwit theories that could actively hurt their fans can fuck. right. off.

They are consciously or subconciously presenting polarised view for attention. And fans be damned when they fall ill

 

[Dystopiary]

It would put me off, yeah. It's not cos of some high-minded ideals or anything, just that I wouldn't be able to see/hear them in the same light. If it was a band I was really into and they went full anti-vax, covid denier, Q etc, I'd probably still listen to them sometimes, but I wouldn't be able to enjoy their stuff in quite the same way, and defo wouldn't buy any of their new stuff.

 

[two sheds]

delayed dp

 

[RainbowTown]

When Jedward took out Ian Brown......oh, the ignominy

Jedward call out Ian Brown in the most unlikely feud of 2020

The pop duo clapped back at The Stones Roses frontman over COVID-19 tweet

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

 

[josef1878 2.0]

Ian Brown looks like he has had Covid all his life so probably doesn't need a jab or two. I haven't seen any loon stuff from anyone I would bother watching, they wouldn't get a penny of my money if they did though.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

Have had disappointment from a few acts I like, no one major though (I tend not tofollow many of those)

 

[scifisam]

I think it would depend on how far they'd gone. We all know that musicians can say some daft shite sometimes - if someone had just posted a couple of times about masks then I might roll my eyes and hope they grew up a bit. Probably several of my faves have and I'm just not aware of it.

If they really had gone full loon though, bang into the conspiracy scene, I'd not continue to support them. Once you go down that road into all the NWO/Q/etc stuff you're not just being a twat, you're boosting really evil politics. Plus I don't want to go to a gig where the singer bangs on about sheeple between songs (or in the songs) anyway.

This exactly. No way would I go to the gig of a full-on denier, or buy any new music of theirs. A couple of dodgy comments, meh - people say the occasional stupid thing, they're only human.

For the loons, I might well listen to some stuff they'd already made, and I already owned. I'm not sure - I liked Michael Jackson and his music is the sort of stuff I'd add to my kitchen dancing playlist, but I haven't, because it's just not fun to listen to any more.

 

[mx wcfc]

I saw my favourite band over the weekend, As with other bands at the "camping trip" involved, they were all very pro-vax, pro testing etc. Or basically in favour of protecting their friends and everyone else,

Talking to two (half) of the band, it was very much "why wouldn't you get the jab" "brilliant that at this little festie everyone was tested on arrival - and we all did our own home tests before leaving too"

I'm staggered by how anyone else could take the opposite view. I'm double jabbed, I did a home test before I left home. But I knew they would be like that. You sort of get to know bands in the DIY Punk/anarcho/etc scene and know they are going to be sound.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

I saw my favourite band over the weekend, As with other bands at the "camping trip" involved, they were all very pro-vax, pro testing etc. Or basically in favour of protecting their friends and everyone else,

Talking to two (half) of the band, it was very much "why wouldn't you get the jab" "brilliant that at this little festie everyone was tested on arrival - and we all did our own home tests before leaving too"

I'm staggered by how anyone else could take the opposite view. I'm double jabbed, I did a home test before I left home. But I knew they would be like that. You sort of get to know bands in the DIY Punk/anarcho/etc scene and know they are going to be sound.

my anectdotal evidence is that a fair few from the traveller/crusty scene are on the other side though I am sad to say

 

[Chairman Meow]

I used to be a big fan of Van, ohhhh, about thirty years ago, and went to see him maybe four or five times. I haven't listened to him in years though as he has got more than a bit shit, and the conspiraloonery has put me right off. He's a complete tosser in real life too (a friend of mine used to be his PA). Anyway, I do tend to go off bands whose views I find repugnant, I just can't help it.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

It's hard to say. I think the closest I've come to that decision was when Dave Grohl denied AIDS. He's a fucking idiot for that, but it hasn't stopped me enjoying Foo Fighters. None of the artists I listen to have expressed any antivax views yet, as far as I'm aware, so I'd have to cross that bridge when I come to it. I don't think it would stop me enjoying their music as I believe in separating the art from the artist, unless they've done something unspeakably evil (like that bloke out the Lostprophets for example, not that I was ever a fan of theirs personally).

Going to their gigs might be a different matter if it means there's more likely to be anti-vaxxers who could spread the virus, but a) just because that's what the artist believes doesn't necessarily mean the fans agree and b) I don't know that the bands have any control over who can and can't come in, as it's all bouncers these days anyway!

 

[Riklet]

I never liked the Stone Roses anyway.

 

[planetgeli]

Speaking of racist dicks. Weren't we?

Eric Clapton refuses to play venues that require proof of vaccination

Clapton says he won’t perform for a ‘discriminated audience’ after vaccination passports made mandatory for clubs and venues this autumn

www.theguardian.com

 

[existentialist]

Speaking of racist dicks. Weren't we?

Eric Clapton refuses to play venues that require proof of vaccination

Clapton says he won’t perform for a ‘discriminated audience’ after vaccination passports made mandatory for clubs and venues this autumn

www.theguardian.com

Disappointing. Like my dad before he died, it looks as if Clapton has turned into a grumpy old curmudgeon.

 

[pbsmooth]

No.

 

[Yossarian]

Matt Johnson from The The has apparently bought into a lot of COVID conspiracy crap, which is disappointing - he doesn't seem particularly vocal about it but he does occasionally retweet people like Anna Brees.

Saw The The a few years ago and they were great but I don't think I'd go again now - I wouldn't want to have a lot of good memories of the band ruined by a rant about Bill Gates or microchips or whatever.

 

[Bus Honeygun]

Only person I've had this with is Rosie of Pram and Modane, who's gone down an RCP/Spiked road and stood for the Brexit Party at the last election. The rest of Pram disassociated themselves with her politics and I can't see Laetitia Sadier backing her either, so that combined with the fact that she appears to have put her musical career behind her means I still listen to Pram and Modane.

 

[JuanTwoThree]

I have known gifted people, mostly actors and musicians, who lost interest at an early age in anything apart from developing their talent and know next to nothing about other matters. Add to that access to the good drugs and an entourage and fandom who hang on every utterance as the musings of a genius and you get some opinions that are just plain wrong. Do they get a pass?

No.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Disappointing. Like my dad before he died, it looks as if Clapton has turned into a grumpy old curmudgeon.

To be fair, I do think requiring Covid passports for nightclubs etc are discriminatory, as some people can't have it for medical reasons. But you're right that it's a bit hypocritical for a racist to complain about that.