# conservative rock bands? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680 "2003-01-10T04:09:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/21 "2003-01-10T15:28:24Z")
As has been said, you can find a lot of rock musicians who are libertarian or conservative on certain issues while not on others…just the way normal people are. Hell, I am very conservative on some issues, libertarian on others and liberal on others. You can’t pigeonhole people…except politicians who pigeonhole themselves, to some extent, and some stars who identify themselves as champions of liberal causes (like Streisand and Sheen). ---
**Author:** ![Sacrilegium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@Sacrilegium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sacrilegium)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/22 "2003-01-10T15:45:57Z")
**Type O Negative** ’s Peter Steele comes off as somewhat conservative in interviews. I haven’t kept up with the band that much, so I’m not sure how much it reflects in their lyrics. **Death** and **Stuck Mojo** have some conservative material. Then there’s white power bands like **Rahowa** , who I guess would fall into this category in some fashion (although I’m certainly not one to immediately equate racism with conservativism). ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/23 "2003-01-10T15:53:52Z")
How about that band who sang “Get a Haircut and Get a Real Job”? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/24 "2003-01-10T17:06:32Z")
You mean George Thorogood and the (Delaware) Destroyers? Good question…I don’t think they were particularly liberal. How about Sam and Dave, who played at GHWB’s Inaugaral celebrations? ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/25 "2003-01-10T17:12:14Z")
**John Popper** of Blues Traveller fame played at Gov. Jeb Bush’s inauguration here this week. Not too sure on his politics, but I’d imagine he wouldn’t be associated with the event if he weren’t supportive. I’d also be interested to know if anyone knows of any ‘conservative’ or right-leaning punk bands, if they exist (somewhat of a contradiction, I know). ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/26 "2003-01-10T17:47:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by XJETGIRLX \* > \*\*John Popper of Blues Traveller fame played at Gov. Jeb Bush’s inauguration here this week. Not too sure on his politics, but I’d imagine he wouldn’t be associated with the event if he weren’t supportive. > \*\* Popper is a libertarian by philosophy from what I understand. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/27 "2003-01-10T18:02:45Z")
Alice Cooper is a long time conservative Republican but I don’t know of any influence this has had on his music. ---
**Author:** ![Pantone\_Swatchbook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@Pantone\_Swatchbook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantone_Swatchbook)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/28 "2003-01-10T18:09:09Z")
A lot of punk/streetpunk and oi bands these days are very conservative in their politics. Possibly out of a natural rebellion to the whole Politically Correct liberal ideology that has dominated those scenes in the past decade. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/29 "2003-01-10T19:23:50Z")
I think Dave Mustaine is fairly conservative. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/30 "2003-01-10T20:38:35Z")
Johnny Ramone. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/31 "2003-01-10T21:19:15Z")
Neil Young wasn’t strictly a conservative, he just liked Reagan. Listen to the words of “Rockin’ In the Free World” to see what his political philosophy is. Keith ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/32 "2003-01-10T22:51:40Z")
Don’t know about Johnny, but Joey Ramone was very much into finance, especially in his later years. Even wrote a song about CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo. There was a mildly sucessful band from the late 80’s/early 90’s called the **Rainmakers** who had a number of songs that would be considered conservative. Ain’t gonna eat no **Government Cheese** was about the welfare state, and **Drinkin’ on the Job** was all about personal responsibility. They were not obsessed with politics by any means, but it’s clear that they had some conservative leanings. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/33 "2003-01-10T23:19:24Z")
Billy Joel clearly holds no truck with aspects of the environmental movement, given his well-known sympathies for the struggles of New England fishermen, but given his anti-development rant “No Man’s Land,” maybe he’s just a reactionary grouch. ---
**Author:** ![bobblehead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@bobblehead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobblehead)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/34 "2003-01-10T23:26:22Z")
Any band from Idaho! (If there are any) LOL ---
**Author:** ![Minor\_Irritant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Minor\_Irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minor_Irritant)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/35 "2003-01-11T00:10:36Z")
If I remember correctly, didn’t Neil Peart cut some of his ties with the libertarian movement, citing a Rand quote denigrating Woodstock? In an interview with the British magazine _Seconds_, Peart described himself as a “left-wing libertarian”. Make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/36 "2003-01-11T00:21:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Minor Irritant \* > \*\*If I remember correctly, didn’t Neil Peart cut some of his ties with the libertarian movement, citing a Rand quote denigrating Woodstock? > > In an interview with the British magazine _Seconds_, Peart described himself as a “left-wing libertarian”. Make of that what you will. \*\* That would be like Bill Maher, I would guess. Basically a liberal who wants to legalize drugs. ---
**Author:** ![gonzalo\_de\_cordoba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/848f3c/32.png) [@gonzalo\_de\_cordoba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzalo_de_cordoba)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/37 "2003-01-11T00:41:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > \*\*Yep, I’m going to have to see some cites if you want me to believe that Bob Dylan or Neil Young are conservative. \*\* That would take forever. Remeber, I don’t claim that either is _a Conservative_, rather that each is a conservative person, with a conservative outlook. That lower case c makes a big difference. I’m sure that Bob is apolitical. As for cites, this really would take forever to make an argument, but Neil Young is well known for having some degree of pro-Reagan sentiment. “Free World” is not a polital philosophy, rather it expresses frustration with a disappointing world that hasn’t fulfilled his ideas of what America should be. There is nothing in that song that makes him Conservative or Liberal. Dylan disavowed his protest songs very early on. When he sings Masters of War nowadays, it ain’t aimed at the Pentagon, that’s for sure. During the “sixties” Dyalan released several albums – th biblical mysitical “John Wesley Harding”, the happy country love songs of “Nashville Skyline”. His seventies songs were all basically love and breakup songs, until his Christian era, which was underrated, at least the first (Slow Train) and last record. 1983 – Infidels. Who are the Infidels? liberals don’t write songs like “Sundown on the Union” and “Neighborhood Bully (referring to Arab terrorist states)” He’s preferred Budweiser to Bud for many, many years now. He seems pretty religious, in his own very weird Jewish/Christian amalgam that no one can fathom but him. Bob Dylan is not a Republican, but he has a conservative soul – see the way he dresses while going through a medley of old gospel and country songs at a show. Other than that, I simply refer you to a study of his biographies, listen to his records, otherwise, convincing someone that Dylan is no sixties lefty is impossible. The only two times he addressed the Vietnam war that I know of was when he played Grand Coulee Dam in NYC in 69 and an interview when he said something like “Why should I give a fuck if they bomb Hanoi? I don’t care.” You just can’t be as apocalyptic as he can be, quoting Isaiah and Revelations every other song, and not have a conservative mentality. ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/38 "2003-01-11T02:40:27Z")
Elvis and Nixon In '85 the Beach Boys (are they rock?) played Reagan’s 2nd inaugural – due to the James Watt controversy. But RWR claimed them as his “favorite band” & they (at the very least) played along. GWB declared a “ZZ Top Day” ( **really!** ) in Texas while gov and they played his inaugural. “delighted” and “honored” were thier words to describe it. Ricky Martin’s (is he rock?) music was played while GWB came on stage to accepted the GOP nomination and Martin played the inauguration too. I have never heard him make a political statement tho … but it seems if he objected we would have heard. ---
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/39 "2003-01-11T05:21:31Z")
Just to clarify: I had indeed forgotten about Mike Love from the Beach Boys, Johnny Ramone(NOT the late Joey) and of course Mr. Zappa. I guess what I’m trying to find is the polar opposite of Rage Against the Machine. Libertarianism is fine, but I’m really looking for a band that really “takes a stand” lyrically,that is, specifically outlines a worldview/philosophy that speaks of a right-wing agenda. Rush did indeed dabble with this sort of thing early on, but didn’t really pursue it past the eighties. BTW Whether anyone actually AGREES with said worldview is not the point I’m after. As I said, I’m looking for the counterpoint to RATM’s “Capitalism is Evil” philosophy. “There’s nothing wrong with Capitalism, there’s nothing wrong with free enterprise” –D. Elfman ---
**Author:** ![Cessandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cessandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cessandra)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680/40 "2003-01-11T05:36:19Z")
You should ask that question [here](http://www.gopunk.com). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-rock-bands/147680.md?page=3)