Testament’s Alex Skolnick explained on X why he believes politics shouldn’t be introduced during live performances.
A user asked the guitarist, “Hypothetically- you’re on tour with a performer who throws up political banners (images) and uses stage time for speeches out of regular routine. Do you engage with this person?”
Skolnick responded, “A concert is a concert, people have paid good money to attend, it’s not fair to bring politics in on that level.” He continued, “I’d tell the person it’s not appropriate, even if I’m in agreement politically. Mentioning a political issue, especially if it relates to a song, is ok. But no banners.”
He added, “2) Btw, should be obvious but that does not apply to social media, which is free of charge and if someone doesn’t like political opinions, they don’t have to follow.”
Skolnick has openly shared his political views on social media. In September, he discussed whether his political opinions hurt the band, especially following the controversy over his rap song ‘Trump Sucks.’ The song title and content sparked debate, with many people claiming they would stop listening to his music because of the politics.
One person commented, “I’m listening to your music because of your politics. I hope that’s a refreshing counterbalance.” Skolnick replied, “For every ‘I HATE YOUR POLITICS AND AM DONE WITH YOU & YOUR MUSIC!!’ there are many more like this. THANK YOU.”
When a user asked about his album sales, Skolnick responded, “Album no longer count. Ticket sales do. And they’re better than ever.”
Skolnick has been candid about politics’ effect on the band. In a 2021 article, he mentioned, “Quite a few fans of Testament have threatened to stop listening to the band as a direct result of my mainstream, left-of-center views.” He added, “Such threats seemed to peak in the wake of my most notorious moment: a self-produced, comedic rap video titled ‘Trump Sucks,’ released prior to the 2020 U.S. election. The track — one in which I proudly wear Zappa’s influence on my sleeve — was thankfully found to be hilarious by the other members of Testament.”
Skolnick isn’t alone in his views. John Densmore of the Doors also agrees that musicians should speak out politically. Densmore, who dislikes the ‘shut up and drum’ comments, believes in the importance of addressing political issues. Skolnick supported Densmore by sharing his statement on Instagram and liking the post.
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