[LS]

It’s risky to assume any song lyrics mean so-and-so is “conservative,” or even “liberal.”

In 2012 I co-authored a rock and roll history with Mark Stein, lead singer/keyboardist of Vanilla Fudge. His connections allowed me to interview a bunch of rockers, such as Billy Joel, Alice Cooper, Robby Krieger, David Paich, Dave Mason, and others.

I’d say my conversations with them, some of which got pretty intimate, lead me to know for sure that Vinny Martel and Mark Stein of Fudge are definite conservatives and both were Trump voters. Alice Cooper (Vince) is a Bible believing Republican here in AZ. Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot was a guest on a panel we had in LA about how rock helped combat communism. I’d say he’s moderate-to-conservative.

[dfwgator]

I think Metal guys tend to be more conservative, but then the Grunge bands tend to be very liberal.

[Rastus]

Billy Joel considers himself a liberal, though he seems to live fairly conservatively. He was involved with Obama fundraisers and foolishly says that Allentown was about Reaganomics (recorded in early 1982, it’s not very likely that the effects of Reaganomics had manifested themselves). But, his stated policy is to leave politics off the stage, figuring half his audience would disagree and the rest were there to hear music, not a political screed. I can respect that. I can also respect that I saw him in concert in December of 1999, and this atheist Jew played a handful of Christmas songs without mockery or disrespect. He didn’t have to acknowledge the season at all, but he did and dis so in a kindly fashion.

[papineau]

It’s risky to assume any song lyrics mean so-and-so is “conservative,” or even “liberal.”

A lot of people are shocked to find out that Iggy Pop, and his guitar player from the Stooges, Ron Asheton, were both very conservative, and pro military.

The Ramones, who used to hang out with Iggy and Ron here in Ann Arbor, were equally conservative.

[Maverick68]

Rudy Sarzo was the pioneer of looking at the camera and licking the neck of your bass....true story.

[Agamemnon]

Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot was a guest on a panel we had in LA about how rock helped combat communism. I’d say he’s moderate-to-conservative.

My parents were Birchers back in the mid 1960's. They were convinced that rock 'n' roll was an instrument of the devil and the CPUSA, intended to corrupt the morals of youth and to promote the drug culture and anti-VietNam war fervor.

I agree there was significant anti-war sentiment in some music, some music meant to suggest drug tripping, and plenty of good ol' sex-by-inuendo (as thought THAT never happened until the '60's - yeah, right), but I am intrigued to learn more of Rick Sarzo's take on how Rock 'n' Roll was instrumental in destroying communism.

Surely it has more to do with things other than just Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album, or Billy Joel's tour through the USSR in 1987 accompanied by his then- (and still) gorgeous former wife, Christy Brinkley.

FReegards!