Machine Head Frontman Calls Country “The Blinding of America”
Robb Flynn, vocalist, guitarist, and frontman for the long-running heavy metal band Machine Head is the latest to join the chorus of dissent against the direction of country music. In a journal entry sent to subscribers and posted publicly on Facebook, Flynn decried CMT and modern country music videos as the “Blinding of America.” Flynn’s comments were part of a bigger commentary soliciting fans for feedback about the direction they wanted to see Machine Head’s music take.
So when I get to the gym, I jump on the elliptical machine to warm up and often the TV has been left on the CMT (Country Music Channel) and sometimes I’ll change it to the news and other times I’ll just stare at the CMT channel and watch in silence. Well, virtual silence because I stare in disbelief and seethe at the soundless images coming off the screen at me….And all those video images are cut with carefully manicured guys and gals in jeans and cowboy hats, playing songs written by a high paid group of other writers who produce simple pop songs that have slide guitar and acoustic and sound all shit-kickin’ and country-fied….I ask myself while watching these fucking mind-meltingly bad videos, what do I want?
Flynn specifically takes on the flag-waving and religious aspects of modern country that many see as pandering.
I stare at the blinding of America. I stare at an endless stream of country music videos all showing the same thing – programming, subverting, and manipulating the viewer with religion and the well-oiled military machine. Visually the current theme is “heroes coming home from war, and their damsel-in-distress-lonely-women waiting for them as they stare at Jesus and touch their cross necklaces, praying.” I watched this same video play out over and over and over again. The not so subtle message playing out: “War’s over guys, pray to Jesus!”
Flynn also talks specifically about Toby Keith’s song “Red Solo Cup,” but leaves it sort of ambiguous if he’s being sarcastic or not.
Every once in a while you’ll get a video like Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” which is just about partying and acting a fool, and I dig that, it’s not mindless propaganda other than well I guess… selling Solo cups and booze for his alcohol sponsor. But fuck it, I love that song!
Robb Flynn’s comments come within the wider context of a Season of Discontent where artists from inside and outside the country fold are speaking out about the direction of the genre more than ever before.
October 27, 2013 @ 2:00 pm
That’s kind of odd. It’s not what I see at all on CMT if I flip by it in the morning (the only show music videos in the morning).
Taylor Swift’s “Red” video (a mashed together series of video clips from her concerts) is probably the most shown right now. Luke Bryan is probably right after her with his vomit worthy “That’s My Kind of Night” video. Florida Georgia Line has heavy rotation as well (generic stuff – girls in shorty shorts and token pictures of them looking freshly showered moving a bail of hay). Hunter Hayes has a pretty high rotation with his brain dead tween love stuff. Blake Shelton still gets a lot of rotation with his horrible “Boy’s Round Here” video. Jake Owen is in a heavy rotation period with his ‘going to the lake’ video. Miranda Lambert has a couple of videos in high rotation. Wagon Wheel still gets shown a lot. Billy Currington has been getting a lot of plays for his “People are Crazy” and “Hey Girl” videos. Tim McGraw is getting a lot of play with his horrible “Country Girls” video.
Perhaps the worst of it is Cassedee Pope’s “Wasting all these tears” video. When video’s are showing, hers seems to go off every half hour followed by a commercial for her “Frame by Frame” half hour reality show that comes on Friday nights on CMT. Anyone curious about her should really watch a couple of her “Hey Monday” group videos. There’s also a couple of video interviews out there from before they Voice where she talks about her influences and music preferences (and never once mentions country music). It’s hard not to like her, she seems like a good person. But, transforming her into a “country” artist is really hard to take. People that win the Voice or American Idol have almost no control over their career. I’m sure some bean country decided they could make the most money off of her by making her record a country album and she had no decision in the process. CMT is really pimping her hard though.
The good news is that I’ve seen them show Alan Jackson’s new Bluegrass video several times now. Also, Casey Musgraves is still getting a lot of air time with her “Merry Go Round” and “Blowin’ Smoke” videos.
I honestly can’t figure out what Robb Flynn is talking about. Religious and Military themes seems to be rather absent lately really. I think it’s easy to dump on country music right now. A lot of people never liked it to begin with and it puts them at not risk for insulting members of their own fan base. Why not rip on cheesy Justin Beiber or Miley Cyrus videos?
October 27, 2013 @ 2:34 pm
Bieber and Cyrus fans are among their fan-base?
October 27, 2013 @ 2:42 pm
It sounds like this part (in particular “simple pop songs”) describes a good bit of what you’re seeing on CMT:
“And all those video images are cut with carefully manicured guys and gals in jeans and cowboy hats, playing songs written by a high paid group of other writers who produce simple pop songs that have slide guitar and acoustic and sound all shit-kickin”™ and country-fied”
I don’t really agree with the next part of his rant because at least one genre should sing about and support troops, God, country, etc., like Brad’s This Is Country Music talks about. Country music is songs about real life. Beats the heck out of 100 fake party, truck, tailgate, and sex in a cornfield pop/rap songs. For example I Drive Your Truck vs. That’s My Kind Of Night. There’s also Christian music and Robb didn’t bash that. His band should do some USO tours even if they are anti-war, and I’d guess most artists who do them are. Doesn’t mean they can’t support the troops doing their hard, risky jobs for low pay so others don’t have to.
October 27, 2013 @ 2:53 pm
But I think it is also fair to question if their heart is in the right place when talking about supporting troops, or if they’re just pandering to demographics. I read his statement being more about the latter. I agree it’s probably somewhat of a dated argument, but songs like “Beer With Jesus” and “I Drive Your Truck” are still big hits. Then of course there’s Michael Jackson Montgomery’s “I Support The Troops More Than You.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj_I8kHwEvw
October 27, 2013 @ 3:22 pm
Here’s an idea for a pandering test. If an artist sings about troops and hasn’t done any shows for them, that’s posing and pandering. If they sing about troops and have done or will do USO tours or at least one show for troops, that’s not. When Made In America was a single on country radio I saw some mainstream fans gripe about Toby Keith pandering with too many patriotic songs but I’d guess he’s done more USO tours than he’s cut songs about troops. Hell his many USO tours are the reason some younger and new artists see and do them. For example and I’m not a Thomas Rhett fan but…
http://blog.gactv.com/blog/2013/05/23/thomas-rhett-gains-greater-appreciation-for-military-from-toby-keith/
October 27, 2013 @ 3:32 pm
Rob Flynn isn’t just criticizing country music pandering here. He seems to be attacking the very idea of celebrating the troops. His conflating praying for the troops with “manipulating the viewer with religion and the well-oiled military machine” tells me all I need to know about his view of the culture that country music is supposed to represent.
October 27, 2013 @ 3:39 pm
He’s talking about the idea of the military industrial complex and how it uses media and entertainment to help shape sentiment to keep big defense corporations solvent. He’s the front man for a heavy metal band for crying out loud, of course he’s going to have some strong viewpoints built upon skepticism.
The overarching point he was making is that country music videos are depicting a view of America that is not necessarily accurate and that panders to an ideal that he finds subversive. I happen to agree, even if I disagree some on the way he said it.
October 27, 2013 @ 3:51 pm
Maybe around 2003 country music portrayed an idealized version of war, but in recent years it has actually done a good job of showing loss as a result of war. Some of the most popular songs about our troops over the last few years have been “I Drive Your Truck”, Tim McGraw’s “If You’re Reading This”, and Carrie Underwood’s “Just a Dream”, all of which portray death in war.
October 28, 2013 @ 8:25 am
As someone who has spent time with Rob Flynn (I’ve had dinner with him a few times) and discussed the war on terror; and especially our troops, you will find someone who has a deep admiration for what they do. What I think he’s saying is that it’s become a popular theme in country music that a lot of these folks are making money off of.
I personally have watched this man break into tears while thanking a serviceman who was at his show in a wheelchair.
So please take your preconceived notions about Rob Flynn somewhere else.
October 3, 2020 @ 12:07 pm
“His conflating praying for the troops with “manipulating the viewer with religion and the well-oiled military machine” tells me all I need to know about his view”
But it’s NOT HIM WHO PROFITS FROM CONFLATING THOSE, so why would he lie about this? You mistake cause and effect and symptom. Which is pretty basic stuff, come on… The Military-Industrial Complex is a thing, you know? It has strong propaganda arms. Why are you apparently unaware of how they work?
Personally, I come from a military family and know the fine qualities that many military personnel (almost inherently) have. However, I do disrespect the culture that the troops typically ignore democracy by saying they are not politically-judgemental about what they are ordered and expected to do (understandably, out of necessity, or they’d not follow orders).
The irony is that means some of the most respected people in society, aren’t politically-credible, due to that need for wilful-ignorance of corruption at the top of the chain of command. Whilst typically being aware of the problems with the Brass. These people who genuinely, without needing to lie about it unlike their Commanders In Chief, have the discipline and self-sacrificing nature for the (ostensible) greater good.
This distinction between reality of what helps the world, and the hollow, ostentatious virtue-signalling of being ‘pro-freedom’ or ‘pro-democracy’ – as a part of that – is what Flynn is, IMHO, criticizing.
He is generally against blind, sheep-like following and all the harm that goes with it.
He has regularly attacked (the hypocrisy involved in) organized religion for the same reason.
Ultimately, it’s all about being intelligent and aware enough to bark up the RIGHT tree, if one is going to ever bark at all. It’s a pretty serious issue for humanity in the Information Age, as it ever was.
October 27, 2013 @ 3:34 pm
Also, who cares if “I Drive Your Truck” is pandering? Shouldn’t we judge songs on their own merit instead of on the potential motive of the singer?
October 27, 2013 @ 3:41 pm
I didn’t say “I Drive Your Truck” is pandering. I gave it as an example of how the military is still a relevant theme in today’s country music. It also happens to be my pick for Song of the Year at the CMA’s.
October 27, 2013 @ 7:13 pm
I’d say the military is still relevant to the genre, but lacking the depth and emotional detail that rich balladeering of previous musical generations harnessed in illustrating their complex life both on and off duty.
Nowadays, nods to the military in at least corporate “country” music are token gestures that often lack sincerity. It’s not to say they’re extinct altogether, however. “I Drive Your Truck”, for instance, struck me as absolutely sincere in coping with the loss of a brother who served (even though the pop production reduced its payoff, unfortunately).
More often than not, however, the military are strategically placed in the lyrics just so they fulfill the “country” laundry list lyrical template. Like what the Zac Brown Band did with “Chicken Fried”. Or else, they are symbolically paid homage to briefly through their accompanied music videos: whether something more sincere like that of “Tattoos On This Town”, or something completely disingenuous like Tyler Hubbard of Florida-Georgia Line showing off dog tags in each video, or Aaron Lewis’ “Country Boy”.
October 28, 2013 @ 12:42 am
It’s interesting how there are different generations of stereotypes when it comes to country music.
First, there’s the “I’m cryin’ in my beer, woe is me…my wife left me, my dog died.” Stephen Colbert said something almost exactly like this when Sheryl Crow came on the Colbert show to promote her “country” album. It was a joke that came off as fairly anachronistic.
There’s also the stereotype that it’s all about God, troops. and guns, which Rob Flynn was basically describing here.
The new image of ocuntry is will become / is becoming “trucks, short shorts, dirt road, bikinis, down by the lake” etc.
October 28, 2013 @ 12:59 am
By the way, that bit about “my dog died” as a jab at country music or example of a fictional country song is something I have actually heard many times from different sources. Despite this, I don”™t recall hearing a country song about the death of a dog, or any pet for that matter.
…
Wait, I did find this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiwKmEfaYBQ
October 29, 2013 @ 5:36 am
The Bluegrass Album is by far the best album of the year. Front to back, I can listen to the whole thing.
I also think that Joe Nichols’ new song (Sunny and 75) is very tolerable. I love the steel guitar in the chorus. For once, a country arrangement conveys emotion along with the vocals.
October 27, 2013 @ 2:13 pm
Heh, I knew there was a reason I liked this guy, although his criticisms probably would be more apt for mainstream country from maybe about a year or two ago. Still, he touched on the areas that really piss me off about the jingoism in modern country, so I can’t fault him for that.
Also, he likes ‘Red Solo Cup’ and so do I – but then again, I think I’ve always been a Toby Keith apologist.
October 27, 2013 @ 2:25 pm
Rob Flynn would be completely on-point…………..if it were “country” radio circa 2003-2004 A.D.
In “country” music video programming circa 2013 A.D., however, I see very little of that jingoism and pandering to Jesus. Granted flashes of the cross on a small town building will keep making cameos to reinforce faith’s central importance in southern/Midwest pride, as well as pictures of small town family members hugging veterans leaving or returning home…………….but for the most part this imagery is miniscule compared to the selling of sex.
The predominant imagery I see now is the sexual objectification of women and the ubiquity of jacked-up tailgates, bonfires, red solo cups and “country” folks diving into a creek or lake. And when faith is shoehorned into the video, it is usually in the form of one of the video’s women wearing it in the form of a necklace around their neck or sporting a tattoo connoting religious symbolism, who is otherwise pandering squarely to the frat-boy “country” script. Or, if the video nods to our veterans and military, it’s usually a model wearing camouflage, or even a camouflage bikini.
I flat-out agree with Flynn, even though I feel he has underwent the time warp to the previous decade! 😉
October 27, 2013 @ 2:32 pm
I have a hard time believing this guy is being totally honest here. His criticisms are straight out stereotypes of country music circa 2003. If he is watching CMT now he isn’t really seeing the military and religion stuff (which has always been a part of country music by the way, think Ernest Tubb WWII). Just allows him to appeal to the haters of country music of any era.
October 27, 2013 @ 5:44 pm
Hey, whatever happened to Darryl Worley?
October 27, 2013 @ 7:03 pm
Apparently most casual listeners have forgotten him! 😉
October 28, 2013 @ 9:54 am
I agree that corporate country music is too sexualized, like most other garbage on the television.
And they use our lifestyle symbolically (trucks and lakes) to make money along with shallow music and pretty-boy artists.
October 27, 2013 @ 2:30 pm
Often times Flynn comes off as a dip-shit, and he might be here as well though I have no idea cause I haven’t seen cmt in years. But imo Machine Head is among the elite in heavy music and have been for their duration, minus a couple hiccups… A few years back my wife and I would watch kenny chesney vids in slow-mo. Great times!
October 27, 2013 @ 2:39 pm
I agree with everyone else that his take on “Gods and Guns” is somewhat dated, just like Tom Petty’s recent comments were dated, but this was not necessarily the crux of his argument. Saying, “And all those video images are cut with carefully manicured guys and gals in jeans and cowboy hats, playing songs written by a high paid group of other writers who produce simple pop songs” is pretty spot on. And it’s not like the military and Jesus imagery has evaporated. It seems to me these are probably the things that get his goat the most, so when watching while on the treadmill with the sound off, his eyes tend to gravitate towards their direction.
As I say all the time, I believe everybody has a right to an opinion about music, and they all lend to a greater insight. A guy like the frontman of Machine Head is going to be looking at country from the outside looking in, and the fact that this was his take I think is very telling about how country music is being perceived outside the genre.
October 27, 2013 @ 3:20 pm
I agree that one quote does seem to fit the current era to a T. But I also think that there are some outsiders that are going to hate no matter what. Some radio station could allow you Trigger to program all of the their music and it would be the coolest thing ever and a certain segment would come back with the same tired criticisms. Coming from an area that wasn’t big into country music and with really no friends or family that were into it is very eye opening. When I would say I was into Merle and Waylon the things people would say were laughably ignorant and stereotypical. So I guess I just don’t think we should place to much value on the opinions of outsiders.
October 27, 2013 @ 3:22 pm
Deep religious faith and reverence for the military have always been at the heart of country music. “Jingoistic” songs have been popular going all the way back to the Vietnam War.
Frankly, I wish there were more songs about “heroes coming home from war, and their damsel-in-distress-lonely-women waiting for them as they stare at Jesus and touch their cross necklaces, praying.” Such songs would actually depict the real life struggles of country folks and would drastically elevate the quality of current country music.
I’m afraid that I will have to label this criticism as “fundamentally anti-country” rather than “pro-real-country”.
October 28, 2013 @ 10:37 pm
Aren’t you making the same mistake you’re complaining about? Why do country folk have to be Christian and why do they have to serve in the military? Why do military personnel need to be Christian?
It seems to me he’s calling it as he sees it. As an aside, I listen to some metal music and have found many (not all, of course) metal musicians to be extremely intelligent and often philosophical (I’ve never heard of Machine Head so I can’t comment about them). At least they use their brains and think. I don’t think Blake Shelton or Luke Brian or anyone else on country radio to have a philosophical cell in their body. They simply do what their told and that’s it. At least these metal people think every once in a while and don’t pander just to make a buck. They do what they do often simply for the art (like many underground country artists).
“Actually, he”™s calling out country for celebrating religion and the troops to begin with.”
Visually the current theme is “heroes coming home from war, and their damsel-in-distress-lonely-women waiting for them as they stare at Jesus and touch their cross necklaces, praying.””
He talks about ‘current’, not all of country from beginning to end. I agree the whole God thing was more prevalent in the past, but there’s still plenty today. Beer with Jesus is still on the radio. There’s the song “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy (such awe-inspiring lyrics, don’t you think?). There are plenty others that mention God, Jesus, or religion.
And to make everyone’s argument mute, what do you think would happen if a country song was written praising Allah? Can you imagine the sh**storm that would ensue? People want God in their country music, but if it’s not THAT God, good grief imagine the backlash. People want homogenized, simple laundry-list songs that take the intellect of a two year old to comprehend. Maybe he’s just calling that out. I know I do.
October 29, 2013 @ 12:26 am
You are conflating the laundry list song trend with songs about religion and the military. The overwhelming majority of laundry list songs nowadays are about subjects having nothing to do with religion or our troops.
“And to make everyone”™s argument mute, what do you think would happen if a country song was written praising Allah?”
Would you make this same argument to criticize Hank Williams and Johnny Cash for singing explicitly Christian Gospel songs?
October 29, 2013 @ 7:32 am
““And to make everyone”™s argument mute, what do you think would happen if a country song was written praising Allah?”
“Would you make this same argument to criticize Hank Williams and Johnny Cash for singing explicitly Christian Gospel songs? ”
The point being made is that religious themes in pop country music are only acceptable if it’s the correct religion (Christianity) being referenced. And bringing up Hank Williams and Johnny Cash to support your argument, both of whom had a deep love for traditional gospel music (and in Johhny Cash’s case, was prevented from putting out a gospel album while he was on Sun records), is a bit too much.
October 29, 2013 @ 4:45 pm
The point is that Christian music has always been closely tied with country music. This is not just a theme of “pop country” music.
October 27, 2013 @ 3:47 pm
I would definitely prefer songs about Jesus and good morals than songs about tailgates and headlights and backwoods and other laundry lists lyrics. Then again most songs about Jesus nowadays sound like laundry lists cliche rather than honesty.
October 27, 2013 @ 4:02 pm
Yeah, Jesus Take The Wheel may be Underwood’s best song and my favorite of hers. And it’s the opposite of and blows away all the newer moral/value-declining/losing bro country pop songs. There are more songs like Jesus Take The Wheel but it was huge and just the first to come to mind. Here’s a great classic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSYSO_AZhx0 I’m not preaching or on any high horse, I just want to hear some damn real, good and diverse country songs again on country radio. Life’s not a constant frat party.
October 27, 2013 @ 4:41 pm
who the hell cares what some has been metal head has to say about country music? is boils down to what the general public wants. and there is no “pop music ” for the most of the country, ( fly over states, to use the words of a Country star) I have to laugh when some one is selling there music, some one is always bitching about it.
October 27, 2013 @ 4:48 pm
I’m not seeing any distinction between modern country music and classic. Sure, Flynn was watching CMT and CMT only shows modern music, but he doesn’t specify. For all we know he could have started ripping Willie Nelson up right after these statements. Regardless, he seems like your typical pretentious rock “star” that loves to criticize the system so it doesn’t surprise me that he has a problem with religion and the military getting featured in songs.
October 28, 2013 @ 10:06 pm
‘Regardless, he seems like your typical pretentious rock “star” that loves to criticize the system so it doesn”™t surprise me that he has a problem with religion and the military getting featured in songs.’
Maybe he’s angry because country music today is the system. The same system that holds artists back and panders to the lowest possible level. If anything, he is staying true to his roots.
October 29, 2013 @ 5:46 am
But he’s not criticizing songs that are legitimately about Jesus or the military, so no, he wouldn’t openly criticize Willie Nelson or artists who sing real gospel songs. He’s accusing modern country of using “God” or “Jesus” or the classic “The Good Lord” as a name drop more so than having it be a focal point of the song. The same goes for the military (how many times does modern country drop lines about “red, white and blue” or “fought for our freedom”? It’s absurd. Y’all are missing his point.
The thing about Robb is that when he talks, he’s usually right. Just make sure you’re understanding what he’s saying.
October 27, 2013 @ 5:06 pm
Just gotta say, this sounds more like anti-country period, not anti-pop country. Typical metalhead shit, basically.
October 28, 2013 @ 12:10 am
Just to clarify, we ain’t related.
October 27, 2013 @ 8:04 pm
The unfortunate thing about this story, As you stated Trig, is this “is very telling about how country music is being perceived outside the genre”, The extremely unfortunate thing, and the reason that many of us comment on your website, is that this is very telling of the millions of people that buy, listen to, and support mainstream country.
There are people, from the heavily submersed in their own genre of music- such as Mr. Flynn, a heavy metal genius, that writes his own songs and is incredibly talented in his own craft, to the highly opinionated people that read your articles and are a driving force in funding our own favorite artists and bands.
I would imagine that Mr. Flynn would speak out or have a strong opinion towards any metal band or label who he felt wasn’t being real, or “manipulating” the machine. If metal is about rebellion, sticking your middle finger or the devil horns up, and a new metal band starting preaching about listening to your parents, and put on a suit and tie, then that new metal band would likely be shunned by its counterparts and ESPECIALLY metal fans. or it would be labeled christian metal 🙂
Country fans are being made everyday, with the new mainstream sound. Droves of People don’t give a crap about what the words mean, if it follows a standard, traditional format of instruments, topics, and meaning! They only care about cutting loose on a weekend, does the beat make me shake my butt, and how cool is the guy singing.
There is no depth to the sh** they’re playing now. There is an indescribable amount of people who love it, and there is only a comparatively small amount of us that it bothers.
Rob is probably a fairly educated, deeply passionate, and incredibly talented human being. Hes probably a lot like us, with concerns to his vision that something just isnt right with country music.
His point seems to be more directed towards the specific possibly “fake religious, and patriotic” labels, artists, and message; which anyone walks a fine line in doing, especially when directing that opinion to and about the people reading their statement.
I’m extremely hard pressed to say that its a bit different than that. Other than his timeline being seemingly off, as many have stated; mainstream currently is not all about religion, and troops right now, besides whats wrong with that to people who support religion and troops. But how much can you support drinking, tanlines, daisy dukes, lifted trucks, red solo cups… well, i guess that means theres a lot of folks out there in which this list ranks extremely high on thier give-o-sh**-ometer.
As for me, i’m going to stick with, what i feel, is the good stuff (not a KC reference, although at least that song wasn’t half bad)… that actually means something more than whats on the surface. Like the way i felt on my way to p/u a first date, listening Wade Bowen sing about “Trouble” or the feeling i get when Jason Boland’s song “somewhere down in Texas” comes on and it makes me think of my mom and grandma who live in Texas. I can relate to that. Some people cant, or wont. Hell, i’m not even sure Rob Flynn would actually like WB or JB, but i’d bet even Mr. Flynn would respect them for their talents in their abilities to play music, write songs, and for the undeniable gift that good artists, musicians, and the forces behind them, actually make people feel something deep within their hearts. Metal, or red dirt, if it actually touches a nerve, takes you to a better place, inspires you, feeds your soul, then that’s always a good thing, especially when it comes from a good place. People obviously just need to hear it in different ways to get the same point across.
Wait, what was the question again??
October 27, 2013 @ 8:20 pm
While I think Mr. Flynn nailed it dead-on, before I’d pronounce him as speaking truth to power I’d like to know what his opinion is on the genre as a whole. When Don Henley was calling out country music a decade ago he at least made it known that he was a fan of Haggard and Jones. Who the hell knows with this guy?
October 27, 2013 @ 8:52 pm
Thats like saying, “who the hell gives an F about your opinion, unless your Don Henley or Haggard and Jones”? He’s a consumer of music, and hes calling out the sincerity of todays country. via religion, and troop support.
Do you have to actually have a credentials check in country music, before you can point out that something is wrong? or would you have felt he was more justified if he’d have said “i listen to Hank, and Waylon, now heres my opinion.. ?”
Just because Don H listens to MH and GJ, that means his negative opinions are acceptible?
If you think he’s dead-on, then maybe he’s just be dead-on.
October 27, 2013 @ 9:13 pm
would you have felt he was more justified if he”™d have said “i listen to Hank, and Waylon, now heres my opinion.. ?”
Yes I would. For all anyone knows Mr. Flynn thinks country music in general is just a bunch of hokey cornpone bullshit, that “Mama Tried” and “That’s My Kind of Night” are two peas in a pod. And why should we care what people with that opinion think?
October 27, 2013 @ 9:14 pm
“hes calling out the sincerity of todays country. via religion, and troop support”
Actually, he’s calling out country for celebrating religion and the troops to begin with.
October 27, 2013 @ 8:38 pm
1. a company donates 100,000 dollars to build a playground.
thats a good thing
2. a company donates 100,000 dollars to build a playground, and build a re-pore with the city so they can land other, paying contracts in the future.
still a good thing, but there’s a catch.
3. a company donates 100,000 dollars to build a playground, because they’re actually a front for a drug enterprise and need to bury the money somewhere else, evade any heat, maintain the appearance of being a good company.
playground still gets built, but the kids that could be playing on it, are on drugs because they live close to the company selling out the back door.
Perhaps this analogy doesn’t line up exactly with what Rob Flynn is saying, however, hopefully you can see that what artists, labels and musicians in the mainstream are putting out there to buy, may not always have the best intentions behind it? The hook, line and sinker may just be religion/troops, mixed in a song, = pandering at its finest. wheres the honesty, substance, and the truth in that? especially if its so redundant & blatantly obvious that its just for the $. catchy hooks, beats, and rap + drinking a beer in a country song = millions of sales?
Why do more people fall for it, than fault it?
October 27, 2013 @ 9:23 pm
I feel that many here are missing the point of Rob Flynn’s comments. He did not criticize country music for being insincere in its religious and pro-troop sentiment. He instead argued that country music is “manipulating” its audience by promoting religion and support for the military.
Imagine that country music was a political party. People like Kacey Musgraves, Alan Jackson, and Zac Brown would represent the base of the party criticizing the establishment for being insincere in their commitment to party principles. On the other hand, Rob Flynn’s comments would represent an attack on the principles themselves, launched from the opposite party.
October 27, 2013 @ 9:29 pm
Interesting analogy, Eric. That’s sort of why I’d like to know if Flynn’s even a fan of the genre to begin with. To run with your analogy, the answer would certainly shed more light on whether he was part of the base, or someone from the other party.
October 27, 2013 @ 9:55 pm
indeed it would. I’ve been listening to Machine head since 2000. not a huge fan, but own a few albums. I’ve heard him in a few radio interviews over the years as well. He’s a family man, with a lot of experience on the road, not necessarily religious but nice person who treats others the way he wants to be treated.
I cant imagine that a musician of his caliber and a person with his intellect is down on musical messages that tap into a persons feelings, past, present and future. There’s little doubt that he’s anti religion. But i’m trying to look closer, between the lines, that he’s saying even religion and patriotism are a good thing, if they come from a good place without convoluted intentions and repercussions. Mainstream country doesn’t seem to come from a good place anymore; stereotyping and pandering to a low common denominator. and i’m under the impression that is his message. Not that country music sucks because it supports troops and religion. Just that country music sucks because it over uses those topics, and exploits them for money.
Even if he is anti country music, religion and troop support, that doesn’t necessarily mean that what he’s saying doesn’t hold some truth about the modern state of country music. Sometime you seek the help of an outside consultant because they don’t have specific ties to the daily operations and people within the company and are un bias.
but i digress, and perhaps i’m over reaching. we cant truly know, unless his opinion is further sought after.
October 27, 2013 @ 10:13 pm
“religion and patriotism are a good thing, if they come from a good place without convoluted intentions and repercussions”
When he equates support for our troops with advocacy for a “well-oiled military machine” and denigrates their spouses as “lonely-women waiting for them as they stare at Jesus and touch their cross necklaces, praying”, he isn’t just questioning the intentions of the country music industry. He is insulting the very lifestyle of the troops and their families.
Imagine that you were a military wife whose husband is currently serving in Afghanistan. You have no idea whether or not he will live to see you again, and you pray for him everyday. What would you think if someone called you a “damsel in distress lonely woman”?
October 27, 2013 @ 10:40 pm
I simply don’t believe hes talking about watching an actual troop come home from oversees to his wife. and is trying to degrade that.
I believe Hes describing the repetitiousness of reenactments of what hes seen on country music videos that will undoubtedly strike a nerve in people, as his comments on the topic have done to you; and how they do that to gain your attention and money.
I am uncertain as to why i see his comments as country musics un debatable ability to exploit certain topics: troops, religion and recently tailgates, daisy dukes and getting stuck in mud- for a buck (or several million). And how your equating it to his actual disliking troops?
October 27, 2013 @ 10:12 pm
thats a tough one pistolero… On one hand, you shouldn’t care what anyone thinks of you as long as you have the self confidence to sustain. On the other hand, there are people who dont care what anyone think of them, and go out in public with their back fat, and underwear hanging out and are usually labeled slobs.
But if an anti religious, non troop supporting heavy metal dipsh** like Rob Flynn is able to criticize you and hold up a mirror, maybe its time we look in it.
Of course, thats only assuming that the mirror he’s showing us that “country music an endless stream of country music videos all showing the same thing ”“ programming, subverting, and manipulating the viewer with religion and the well-oiled military machine.” = country celebrating troops and religion for the wrong, greedy reasons, not just celebrating troops and religion as Eric stated.
Again, i don’t see anything wrong with celebrating troops, and religion. But i do see something wrong with the over usage of it for greed, and the eventual desensitization through repetition.
October 27, 2013 @ 10:21 pm
Here’s the other thing: I just don’t get it when he says that the themes of troops and religion are currently overused in country. If anything, those themes are more absent now than in any other time in country music history, given the dominance of frat boy “music” in commercial country. Just about the only song about the troops near the top of the country charts right now is “I Drive Your Truck”, which is widely considered to be one of the best written songs of the last two years.
October 28, 2013 @ 10:39 am
Just because a song is about death or about the military doesn’t make it sanct. And it doesn’t make it well written. Of course, it is a matter of opinion, but I don’t think ‘I Drive Your Truck’ was well written and I feel it panders to a group for the purpose of gaining fame/money. There are too many cliches in that song. Also, saying it’s the best in the past two years is comparing a rotten, black orange with a group of oranges that are green and moldy. If that all you have to compare to…
And just because someone doesn’t like the song doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate troops, aren’t affected by death, ect…
October 28, 2013 @ 10:42 am
“And just because someone doesn”™t like the song doesn”™t mean they don”™t appreciate troops”
I never said that. I was just pointing out that it’s the only song about the military that has reached the top of the charts over the last 2 years. The idea that military songs in any way dominate country music is ridiculously outdated.
October 28, 2013 @ 2:16 pm
Let me phrase it a little bit differently: if Rob Flynn is going to paint Merle Haggard and Luke Bryan with the same brush, then why should his opinion of country music’s recent direction be taken seriously?
October 27, 2013 @ 10:26 pm
I wonder if your reading between the lines, of the lines eric. seems like a stretch to take the approach that Rob is degrading real life troops and their wives, and not simply making a point by stating that all he sees in country music videos are how profoundly awkward it is that the overproduction of those images may be a money hungry gimmick by the industry.
It appears as though your under the impression that Mr. Flynn must be a horrible person. I’m not under that impression at all. But i don’t know him from Adam, either.so i cant say either way.
October 28, 2013 @ 12:55 am
*Country, not “ocuntry.”
Yikes.
By the way, that bit about “my dog died” as a jab at country music or an example of a fictional country song is something I have actually heard many times from different sources. Despite this, I don’t recall hearing a country song about the death of a dog, or any pet for that matter. Then again I’ve heard plenty of maudlin country songs about cancer, illness, tragedies, etc so I wouldn’t be shocked.
October 28, 2013 @ 11:04 am
Imagine when Trooper leaves this earthly abode, Hank III is going to release an entire album about him….
October 28, 2013 @ 1:27 pm
Fred Eaglesmith seems to have this “segment of the market” covered with songs like “He’s A Good Dog” & “I Shot Your Dog” both are fucking awesome if you like country music and/or dogs…could start listing a bunch more but I think these would be leaders of the pack /couldntresist
I know this is kind of irrelevant but they are quite a few country songs about dogs dying!
October 28, 2013 @ 8:53 am
Blake Shelton….”Ol Red”.
October 28, 2013 @ 1:12 pm
I think some of you are missing his point. He’s talking about videos and there use of military coming home . Carrie Underwood’s. See you again and Scotty Mccreery’s new song both come to mind. “I drive your truck” is a song actually about the subject so the video makes sense but other artists are including the image in songs that aren’t necessarily about the subject. How many of you can conclude he’s somehow degrading troops is beyond me. His point is that there are artists degrading troops by using them as set pieces to sell a song.
October 29, 2013 @ 11:46 pm
Thank you Brad… i’m pretty sure thats the short, sweet version of what i was trying to say, in about 5 different ways.
October 28, 2013 @ 7:14 pm
I’m sorry but what self-respecting metal head uses an elliptical machine.
October 28, 2013 @ 9:07 pm
Ha ha!
October 30, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
Old Shep – Johnny Cash
Feed Jake – Pirates of the Mississippi
Like My Dog – Billy Currington
Every Dog Has Its’ Day Toby Keith
Old Dogs and Children,
& Watermelon Wine Tom T. Hall
Gypsy, Joe and Me Dolly Parton
Move It On Over Hank Williams
I’ll Take the Dog Jean Sheppard/Ray Pillow
😀
July 29, 2022 @ 2:27 pm
Just another metalhead who thinks he is being original and fighting the system by being anti-religious. He is not.