So one of the most contentious topics that brands want to bring up with me is politics. This is a really tricky one as I think it kind of inherently will be. Politics are important to a lot of people, and while they can be a great way to grow your band they can also be a very dangerous game that make you look very foolish.
Ultimately there are three key points to realize. First is that you don't know as much about politics as you think you do, second is that if you are going to breach the topic of politics, make damn sure it's something you want to stand by, and third, realize that if people get offended, it could lead to some terminated relationships.
You Don't Know As Much About Politics As You Think
This is the big humbling one that people struggle with. You don't know as much about politics as you think you do. It's really that simple. I know you watch the news all day or constantly see stuff on your phone, but look, there are a ton of layers to this shit, and people are always going to find counter examples etc.
I say this not to talk down to anyone but to sort of encourage the idea that, look, when you broach the subject of politics it has a tendency to get a lot trickier than we anticipate, and you need to be ready for that to bite you in the ass potentially.
Make Sure You Want To Stand By Your Beliefs
I know we all want to come out and make some outrageous statement. It's part of being an artist, the desire to say something crazy and get a bunch of attention for it. That's part of the fun right? I agree - but realize that can really bite you in the ass.
It feels like every day now we see some celebrity or musician or whatever walking back some sort of bold claim they had made a few days prior. Again I'm not saying don't do this entirely, just be aware that it can really bite you in the ass if you don't do it right.
No Matter What - People Get Offended
I think one of the things that routinely strikes me when musicians make political statements, especially in a genre where the spectrum of politics is as broad as it is in stoner rock, is that a lot of times you find out your fans don't think the same as you - and now they are no longer your fans. Politics ruins a lot of relationships, you can decide if that's worth it to you or not, it's just something to think about.
If you want to keep things rolling smoothly and not irritate anyone in your community too badly, then it is probably worth avoiding politics, or at least keeping those ministrations to a dull roar. If you get too brash about it, you don't know what you could be bringing down upon yourself. If you do chose to do it, realize that there almost always are some sort of consequences.
This is a tricky subject. It's one that doesn't always make a ton of sense and which definitely has contributed to its share of broken hearts and fall aparts. Ultimately realize politics are complicated, and if you want to put beliefs out there you will be expected to stand by them. And obviously - this will lead to people getting offended. I don't know man. It sucks. Shits hard. Just trying to let you know.
