Oh Boy

Being a fan of any band or artist, one should always draw a hard line between the artist and their art. Why it's great to love and indulge in both, it is hardly required. Eventually one of them will disapoint you. For example Axl Rose is often a pig-headed idiot, punching camera men, fighting with bandmates, delaying concerts for hours, and taking a fifteen year break between albums, but his work with GN'R is awsome. You can easily love the music and hate the person(s) who crafted it. It can also go the other way. For example, perhaps you love Regis Philbin, his shows, his charities, his charming personality. Does this mean you have to love or even like his album of Dean Martin covers? Certainly not. Ted Nudgent is a crazy right-wing nutjob, but Cat Scratch Fever kicks ass. KISS have sham replacements pretend to be original members, but KISS rocks. Johnny Cash loves Jesus, but he's the fucking man in black. The list goes on endlessly, Alan Sparhawk is a mormon, Alice Cooper thinks Sarah Palin is intelligent, Brother Ali is a Muslim, Dave Navarro supports Peta, Phil Spector murdered his girlfriend, and so on.

So why am I ranting about this? Well this week I was given a harsh reminder that people I generally respect/worship artistically, may have some idiotic beleifs. Let me replay my experience in amauteur play format.

Act 1: Curiosity
Checking upcoming cd releases at www.tophitsonline.com/newalbums.htm, I discovered that Waylon Jenning's son Shooter had a new album out May 1. Intreged, being a super casual Shooter Jennings fan I decided to look into the album and see if it was worth buying (plus I heard Stephen King had contributed to the concept album). The image on Shooter's myspace though made me uneasy.

Looks like some Big Brother/New World Order nonsense; could still be a good album though.

Act 2: Fact Checking (more commonly known as Wiki)
The greatest website ever created informed me that Shooter's new album was inspired by the work of David Icke and Alex Jones. Oh no, like Megadeath's recent Endgame, it looked like the crazies were seeping into my music world. For shame. But for those who do not know these two men's madness, here's a taste.


Crazy motherfuckers.

Act 3: The First Interview
Hearing Shooter was inspired by looney radio host Alex Jones, I decided to youtube search Shooter on Jone's show, and because youtube is so kind the video came up. Shooter was talking about his new album and Jones played the frist single, Wake Up, to his equally crazy audience. The song was alright I guess, feels like crappy Pink Floyd, but towards the end when the guitars kick in it gets considerably better.
(You can listen to the single yourself here http://www.myspace.com/shooterjennings)
From there Jones and Shooter dive into a retarded discussion of conspiracy theories, global goverment, and the hidden evils of our world we all need to wake up to. Sad but expected. Then Jones made a statment that floored me. Asking Shooter how his legendary father would view the world we live in today, Jones inserted,"We already know Willie Nelson is on are side against the New World Order." OH MY FUCKING GOD!! No, not Willie. Willie Nelson, an artist I fucking love, who has crafted such wonderful albums and songs, not to mentioned the man who founded Farmaid, Biodiesl, and spearheaded the fucking Outlaw Country Movement. Noo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Act 4: Interview 2
Forget Shooter Jennings and forget his new album, now I was on a mission to find out whether or not Willie was pro Alex Jones and his crazy world of lies and conspiracies. I found two episodes of Willie being interviewed on Jone's show, and I became a very sad panda. Listening to both shows, recorded a year apart, it was obvious that Willie is indeed friends with Jones, even doing a chairity event with him (funny Willie mentions that he hopes his friend Johnny Knoxville from will stop by). So sad to know one of my heroes, who supports Democracts, gays, family farms, and great music has fallen in with charletans and douche-bags.


Act 5: The world is upside down
Reeling from the impact of learning some of Willie's worldview, I was shaken, trying to make apolegetics for one of my favorite musicans. "Hey Willie is friends with everyone, of course a couple crazies are going to sneak in. It happens to the best of us." Reality wasn't far behind though, and the final nail in the coffin came when I saw a video in the recommended youtube playlist featuring Bill O'Reilly and Wille Nelson. I figured, hey why not, I just got done watching Willie talk to one dude I deeply dislike why not make it two. I was to be shocked again.

Wow. I guess I can criticize Bill for calling himself a patriot for being able to perdict super bowl picks (retarded), but on Willie........I have to say I agree with Bilbo on this one, much as I hate to admitt it.

Act 6: Finale
I'm going to see Willie Nelson on May 26 at Black Bear Casino. I still love his music, and always will. I agree with the legend on many social issues, and apparently disagree with him on others. Thats ok. As much as I'd like to think Willie was untouchable, a purely good sage who knows the truth, in fact he's just as falliable as me or anyone else. I'm on the road again, but my eyes are a little more open to my surrondings.