If there’s one thing we’ve noticed in recent times, it’s that a lot of rock musicians have some pretty strong opinions when it comes to politics. However, Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor has now shamed the ‘Taylor Swifts of the world’ for not addressing politics like other musicians do.
While recent months have seen musicians such as Jack White, Dave Grohl, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, and even Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath all share their rather negative views on US President Donald Trump. However, it seems that Trent Reznor has been noticing that a lot of the more popular musicians at the moment have been staying comparatively silent, an action he believes is due to their fear of damaging their reputation.
Speaking to the New York Times Magazine, Reznor explained that he feels like a lot of popular musicians have a duty to speak out in regards to the topics that need to be addressed.
“I was doing press with somebody in the mid-90s, and they made an argument that stayed with me: that I have influence, and that it’s my job to call out whatever needs to be called out, because there are people who feel the same way but need someone to articulate it,” Reznor explained. “And I think about that today, because it seemed like it was a lot easier to just keep your mouth shut and let it go back then.”
“You don’t hear a lot from the Taylor Swifts of the world, and top-tier, needle-moving cultural youth, because they are concerned about their brand, their demographic and their success and career and whatnot.”
“My worrying about it isn’t helping anything. But what Donald Trump is doing is concerning and infuriating — and it’s not the conservative agenda, it’s not a question of religious preference, it’s not a question of should government be big or small,” he continued. “I don’t have any problem with those topics. But the disregard for decency and truth and civility is what’s really disheartening.”
“It feels like a country that celebrates stupidity is really taking it up a notch.”
Reznor’s comments come only weeks after he and musical partner Atticus Ross sat down with Warp (via Alternative Nation) to discuss the group’s upcoming album, Bad Witch, where the topic of conversation quickly turned to Donald Trump.
“I can start by saying that it is a fucking shame that as US citizens we have chosen a complete imbecile,” he began. “We may be the most demoralized country in the world. I know that many Americans dislike this situation.”
“I cannot wait for the moment when he is no longer president. Additionally, I want to say that for the first time in my life I feel a country with an existential crisis that is asking, now what? Is it just a shame or we start a war?”
“I think it’s dangerous, it’s just the terrible reflection of a country that devotes itself to consuming social networks and shitty products.”
Nine Inch Nails’ new album, Bad Witch, is out on June 22nd. The group have also been copping some criticism over their decision to only sell physical tickets to their upcoming US tour.
Check out Nine inch Nails’ ‘God Break Down The Door’:
