The Mischaracterization of Eric Church’s “Rolling Stone” Cover Story
What we learned from the unfortunate and embarrassing blackballing of the Dixie Chicks from country music in 2003 is that country listeners will divest themselves from their music fandom way before they will ever consider doing so from their political convictions. Politics overrides music every time when it comes to polarizing subjects, and so an artist trying to use the bully pulpit of stardom to sway the political affiliations or opinions of their fan base is the absolute seat of a fool’s errand. Same goes for the attempts by the media to use artists or music as puppets to push political agendas or to create a wedge between artists and the views of their fan bases under misguided poptimist philosophies. It only results in division, the doubling down on previously-held stances, and the destruction of opportunity to find understanding or common ground, or to teach and inform about the importance of a given subject through the power of music.
This has evidenced itself very clearly once again in the growing backlash against Eric Church for his current cover story in Rolling Stone. In an article that had virtually nothing to do with music—and was merely a lifestyle piece on Eric’s home life and personality—Eric’s mild answers to inappropriate questions on political views were splashed across the cover in the most intellectually-insulting and unethical mischaracterizations possible for the sole purpose of sapping attention from the public, and at the expense of the dedication and civility of the Eric Church fan base and country music in general. The cover was nothing short of yellow journalism looking to stir vitriol that everyone involved should be embarrassed over, and everyone in music and journalism should publicly distance from.
Pulling information from the tail end of the interview with Eric Church and twisting it to meet their slanted and politically-biased perspective, Rolling Stone declared on the cover of the current issue, “Nashville Renegade Eric Church on Loving Bernie, Almost Dying, and Why He Opposes The NRA.” Other tweeted headlines from Rolling Stone promoting the article said, “Eric Church on meeting Obama in 2015: ‘I found him nothing but great.'” There was no other conclusion to deduce from these statements being forwarded by Rolling Stone than Eric Church was pronouncing himself a dedicated left-wing democrat, which would invariably cause him to cross swords with his assumed conservative country music fan base.
But of course this was not the case. In the article itself, Eric Church appears to go out of his way to remain undeclared and pretty categorically distrusting of the entire political system. Though he did answer certain questions taking certain political stances, including some that would traditionally be considered left-leaning, the characterization of the headlines was clear and categorical click-bait. In fact quantifying all of Church’s comments, he would probably come across as more conservative, if you had to categorize him one way or the other.
What did Eric Church really say?
On Hillary: ““Hillary just bored me. I just didn’t see much.” (He said he didn’t vote at all, and his wife voted for Trump)
On Trump: “I’m conflicted. I like that he’s thrown a monkey wrench into things. I think that chaos is good. I enjoyed the North Korea thing. Why haven’t we talked to that guy? Tariffs, I don’t know yet. I don’t want a trade war, but I’ll walk with him down that road a little farther. At the same time, I have a ton of problems with him. I don’t like the racial overtones. I hate the tweeting. It seems insecure, petty, not presidential.”
On Abortion: “I’m a pro-life guy at heart, but I don’t think we should change the law. Some things you shouldn’t govern.”
On the NFL Protests: “I was taught by my father to take my hat off [for the anthem], but if somebody wants to do something different, it’s not my place to tell them not to. That’s how the Constitution works.”
On Immigration: “I believe there’s a better way to handle it, but we’re a country of immigrants, and we always should be.”
On Politics In General: ““I believe most of [my fans] feel the way I do – regardless of their voter registration. Some of this stuff you look at and go, ‘What the fuck? Why is this hard?’ Why can we not get infrastructure done? Why don’t we do more clean energy? Why are [prescription] drugs so expensive? Because it’s a lobbyist-based system. It’s a money-based system. Either way, we’re fucked.”
On the 2nd Amendment: “I’m a Second Amendment guy. That’s in the Constitution, it’s people’s right, and I don’t believe it’s negotiable. But nobody should have that many guns and that much ammunition and we don’t know about it. Nobody should have 21 AKs and 10,000 rounds of ammunition and we don’t know who they are. Something’s gotta be done so that a person can’t have an armory and pin down a Las Vegas SWAT team for six minutes. That’s fucked up.”
His Bernie Sanders Comments, In Context: “I love Bernie. Bernie had a great message. It’s funny: If it had been Bernie versus Trump, I don’t know what I would’ve done. I would’ve at least thought about it more than I did.” (meaning he liked both candidates)
Notice that most or all of Eric Church’s stances start with taking a fairly conservative viewpoint, and then qualify it (“but”) with a caveat that would characterize him as a rationally-minded conservative moderate. But why are we asking a country music entertainer such questions to begin with? Where were the questions about the inspiration behind Eric Church’s upcoming album, perhaps the players on it, the approach, what fans can expect, how it was to work with Ray Wylie Hubbard? None of this was broached, but he was asked about abortion and climate change, as if Eric Church’s answers hold more weight because he’s a popular entertainer.
And of course, little to none of this coincides with how the cover portrayed an otherwise decently-written, though fairly inappropriate lifestyle article that would have been more suited for People Magazine as opposed to what’s supposed to be one of the world’s premier music periodicals. It was an incursion of a political agenda into the country music space, and when Rolling Stone didn’t get the answers they wanted from Church, they misconstrued and embellished for their cover.
Even Eric Church when he pasted an image of the cover on his Instagram account said, “Read the full interview (don’t be misled by the headline).”
Eric Church did say about the NRA in the context of the Route 91 Harvest Festival, which he’d headlined the night before the mass shooting, “There are some things we can’t stop, like the disgruntled kid who takes his dad’s shotgun and walks into a high school. But we could have stopped the guy in Vegas. I blame the lobbyists. And the biggest in the gun world is the NRA. I’m a Second Amendment guy, but I feel like they’ve been a bit of a roadblock. I don’t care who you are – you shouldn’t have that kind of power over elected officials. To me it’s cut-and-dried: The gun-show [loophole] would not exist if it weren’t for the NRA, so at this point in time, if I was an NRA member, I would think I had more of a problem than the solution. I would question myself real hard about what I wanted to be in the next three, four, five years.”
And of course this is the crux of where the majority of the criticism for Eric Church has come from. After the cover story was first posted on July 25th, conservative media outlets pounced, and often in similarly unfair and out-of-context coverage with misleading headlines. Soon vociferous defectors from Eric’s fan club known as the Church Choir were making a ruckus, as were many other country music fans who are calling for an Eric Church boycott.
We know the editorial board and many of the writers for Rolling Stone are obsessed with this notion that if huge country music superstars would just come out against the NRA, then that would be the end of the lobbyist organization since these entertainers are such strong cultural influencers. But in truth, country performers coming out against the NRA would only mean the end of their ability to be influential among NRA members, just like we’re now seeing with Eric Church.
Eric Church has a right to say whatever he wants. But whether you personally believe he’s right or wrong about the NRA, the only result of Eric Church’s words is that he’s just parsed his fan base in two, just like Sturgill Simpson did when he responded harshly about Trump during his CMA Awards protest. There will be no harm, no foul to the NRA, no effect on the nation’s gun laws, no positive results for the gun control movement whatsoever. No hearts or minds have been changed in this instance. The only result is Eric Church will have less fans henceforth as people of strong political convictions exit his fan base, fair or not, right or wrong, as Eric Church’s ability to sway hearts and minds through the power of music, especially on the issues of gun control, has been drastically diminished, if not rendered outright inert.
It’s completely understandable why someone like Eric Church would amend his feelings on the NRA after he was so directly affected by the biggest massacre in modern American history. The political affiliations of any artist should not weigh into what someone thinks about that artist, or their music. But the simple, hard reality in the polarized world of today is that it does. And this is unfortunate, because curating your musical experience based off the political affiliations of artists is an undue burden, and is counter to the spirit of music as something that people of all different ideologies and backgrounds can enjoy together.
This instance probably will not result in Eric Church being “Dixie Chick’d.” But it will result in him being a significantly more polarizing figure moving forward. Perhaps if his opinions on the NRA had been approached with more nuance, or the cover and headline hadn’t been so charicaturist of his opinions, maybe it could have been a moment of leadership as opposed to polarization. Eric Church says he doesn’t care if his opinions piss off some of his fans, and you have to take his word on that. But the ultimate result will be nothing short of doubled-down convictions from the NRA members of his fan base, and less tickets and records to sell for Eric Church.
– – – – – – – –
In the aftermath of the Route 91 Harvest Festival massacre, Eric Church took the stage for a scheduled appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. He almost canceled the appearance, worried he would be too distraught to perform. During that appearance, he gave a teary-eyed performance of a song he’d written right after the incident called “Why Not Me.” The song, Eric’s performance, and his words introducing it received widespread acclaim and attention. Eric Church was doing what music does best in times of trouble, which is spread healing and understanding through the power of music.
If “Why Not Me” appears on Eric’s next record, and is perhaps released as a single as one of the most poignant and powerful reminders of the Route 91 Harvest massacre, it will have a significant impact on the hearts and minds of many people. However the power of that song will be diminished simply because of the highlighted and misconstrued words conveyed by Rolling Stone and others. Many of the people who most need to hear the message won’t, because they’ve turned away from all things Eric Church.
Music has the unique ability to break down the barriers that guard the human heart like words never could. It holds the power to unite, and to share perspective so common ground can be found among people. But when sullied and diluted by political rancor—often interjected by the media simply looking for attention, or to stab a knife it the belly of adversaries to expend anger as opposed to being a vehicle for social or political change—it significantly reduces music’s power to create consensus and spread wisdom, rendering the medium less effective in being one of the last modes of expression in our society that can bring us together.
This Eric Church, Rolling Stone, NRA business is another potent reminder of that.
July 28, 2018 @ 9:38 am
I don’t agree with everything Eric said, but I thought it was all rationally said, and the man’s entitled to his opinions. It actually made me like him more. I hope he doesn’t suffer too much backlash from people overreacting and taking things out of context. Good point about there not being enough focus on the music, which us fans are anxiously awaiting.
July 28, 2018 @ 3:37 pm
I don’t have a problem with Eric church sayinhow he feels i agree but most people are too worried about what someone thinks. Love and. Respect eric church.
July 29, 2018 @ 10:22 am
Let me make sure I have this right. Eric Church chose “SinCity” as his venue, he approved the security requirements for his fans (or maybe for himself), and he was paid for his performance; and yet it’s somehow the NRA’s fault? The NRA is more that 500 million good, decent folks actively striving to protect free people’s right to defend themselves from individual assault and potential government over-reach. The NRA is angry about misuse of firearms, but we can’t reduce everyone’s human right to freedom based on the behavior of the worst actors. In countries that don’t have an NRA, they have already lost their rights, and are subject to stabbings, bludgeonings, mass explosions, poising and every of method by which bad people do bad things.
July 29, 2018 @ 12:20 pm
What a ridiculous statement. As someone living in one other country, I am mighty glad, that we are not stuck 100 years in the past, like you guys, when the fastest gun in the west still counted!
July 29, 2018 @ 3:05 pm
Max, I must have been in a hurry when I typed my comment….too many typing errors. (ie, 5 mil not 500 mil). As to your reply….If you are happy in your country not having a right to bare arms, more power to you. I think it’s foolish to choose an option where criminals and/or government entities hold most of the power to control threats to your family’s life. Or maybe you are afraid, and you would prefer to place your family’s safety in the hands of someone else so you can hide in the corner until help arrives. Or maybe, your even going to tell me that you live in a country where there are no guns, even on the “black market”, and that there is no threat of violent crime, and that if violent crime occurred to your family, that you could fend it off with a nasty stare, or name calling. I would be interest in knowing the name of this country of which you speak. And one more thing, studying history and watching the world news quickly shows you that nothing can be outlawed that wrong-doer’s won’t find a way to get their hands on. That includes drugs, guns, nuclear weapons, poisons, etc. The only people that won’t have them will be the law abiding, the weak, and the timid. Which one are you?
July 30, 2018 @ 8:40 am
“right to bare arms” hahahaha
We have the right to this in Canada, too. I’m wearing a T-shirt as we speak!
We also have the right to own a firearm in Canada. We do not however have the right to carry them on us in a concealed manner, and we have a structured application and purchasing process. And no NRA to pay off our politicians for their own gain.
August 1, 2018 @ 9:25 am
No sleeves? no problem
July 30, 2018 @ 4:41 pm
So you are not very smart I see.
July 30, 2018 @ 7:59 pm
I’m sure the security at the venue was fine and don’t get why you are implying that Eric Church or the venue was liable. The shooter was outside of the venue.
August 1, 2018 @ 10:21 am
Your absolutely incorrect. The security was not fine. We live in a Post 911 world. Do you know how many pieces of luggage the madman must have used to carry his arsenal to his room. It is incredible that it did not raise a red flag.
Also, as far as the interview in its entirety, Eric Church must have been high, is not very intelligent, or was trying to hard to be neutral and make everyone like him.
It’s hard to say that your a 2nd amendment guy but then you are at the same time calling for the government to create a national registry and decide how many firearms a person can own.
Even better was when he claimed he was for small government but then said he might have voted for Bernie Sanders a Socialist who is about total government control.
August 7, 2018 @ 10:50 pm
Scott, the security at the venue was separate from the security at the hotel. The guy didn’t enter the venue. The venue security can not be blamed for a sniper outside of their area of control.
August 13, 2018 @ 6:30 pm
Idiotic comments…period.
January 4, 2023 @ 9:55 am
There are more than a couple of opinions here. Which ones are idiotic to you?
August 1, 2018 @ 8:06 am
We’ve went from Waylon Jennings while filming a tv special, calling Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane a communist for her criticism of the U.S., to Eric Church whining and crying about the big bad NRA lobby…let that one sink in…
August 20, 2018 @ 1:10 pm
Forget the gun comments, (I’m a republican) Eric Church is playing a game to get what HE needs right now. Duh people, he hasn’t done shit for a few years…if ever b4 that even.. As a brutally loyal country music and and Kurt Cobain fan, fuck you Eric Church, you don’t play or write or whatever anything at all, and for playing off Nirvana CD cover. You ain’t close bud, and no you can’t ride in the trunk. Simply, your music (Eric) is not good.
July 28, 2018 @ 9:38 am
Here we go.
Vegas has the over/under on the number of comments on this article at 235.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:04 am
I’ll go 185.
You’re not (or should I say Vegas) allowed to tip the scale at the end though.
July 31, 2018 @ 7:30 pm
Good call, Scott.
July 31, 2018 @ 11:04 pm
Thank you!
July 28, 2018 @ 9:41 am
I’m just glad to see Rolling Stone put someone in the cover who doesn’t have tattoos on his face.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:58 am
What are you talking about? Nothing signifies class and dignity quite like face tats.
July 28, 2018 @ 9:41 am
I knew you eventually get into this one. Good commentary.
What Church said wasn’t really that shocking. He has some centrist views but this is hardly left wing. He even said he is still with Trump even though he has concerns. If anyone denies the NRA has a lot of power they aren’t being honest. Church basically said he doesn’t think people should have big arsenals. If any 2A supporters are really going to burn their Eric Church music over that comment, they are either really hard-core gun crazy or not that big of a fan in the first place.
The problem of course is Rolling Stone made the headlines as click-bait and in today’s world of headlines and short tweets many don’t look behind the headline.
July 28, 2018 @ 5:03 pm
You and countless others fail to realize that the NRA is made up of millions of average Joes who believe in there right to own and use firearms. If you were a member you would know that they will call and ask for donations almost weekly sometimes. The so called “gun lobby” is a myth, the NRA has nowhere near the amount of money the media would like you to believe. My point is every law abiding gun owners hates being blamed for a tragedy they had nothing to do with and blaming the NRA is essentially blaming us. And hell you yourself said Rolling Stone twisted the story so if you can’t trust them with Church’s statements why trust the media on any other topic?
July 28, 2018 @ 6:24 pm
You think that because they call weekly to ask you for money that the NRA is somehow not flush with it? No organization, no matter how large, ever thinks they have enough money. Have you looked at the amount of money the NRA pumps in to politicians? Lobbying for gun rights (thus, the “gun lobby” . . . no myth here) is what they do.
And as an NRA member and 2nd Amendment apologist, yeah, I’ll blame you for the Las Vegas massacre. I’ve got no problem with that. Find a cause to celebrate that doesn’t lobby to keep an arsenal in the hands of every man, woman, and child. If you’ve given even a dime to the NRA, you’ve got a dime’s worth of blood on your hands.
July 28, 2018 @ 6:32 pm
Folks, we’re not going to solve the gun debate here. I appreciate that folks want to share their opinions, but let’s try to keep it on the topic at hand, and respectful to everyone’s opinion.
Thanks!
July 28, 2018 @ 7:07 pm
This is all I am going to say about his NRA comments…you never would see Waylon, Hank Jr., or Johnny making comments like that about the NRA. Also, Bernie is a far left self avowed socialist, I would categorize someone who was considering voting for him as a centrist, moderate conservative, or anything close to centrist ideology…I think because you like Church your trying to down play his politics. Look, his music is good for today’s standards ( he isn’t even in the same stratosphere as Waylon, Johnny, or Hank Jr. ), but his politics are more progressive and post modern than they are centrist and moderate conservative.
July 29, 2018 @ 6:31 pm
Lol, good luck. You opened a can of internet worms, don’t pretend you didn’t do it for exactly that reason.
July 28, 2018 @ 9:42 am
“On Abortion: “I’m a pro-life guy at heart, but I don’t think we should change the law. Some things you shouldn’t govern.”
Um….pretty sure that makes you pro-“choice”.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:09 am
Huh, so you’re telling me a fucking entertainer doesn’t know the nuance of the abortion debate? Why the fuck are we even asking Eric fucking Church what he thinks about fucking abortion? The question is the insult and the embarrassment. Not the answer.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:30 am
I’ve often thought about this. I am majoring in Politcal Science, I’m head of the debate team and student head of the Young Republicans organization at my school, but my dream is to be a folk/country singer. If I ever do hit it off and make it to the point where people interview me and care what i have to say, even though I’m “educated” and politically versed, I wouldn’t share my opinions. Let musicians make music and let politicians make politics. Everyone has their right to say what they want, but also stay in your lane. If you want to be a politician you’re more than free to do so, but you chose a different path
July 28, 2018 @ 10:36 am
“Huh, so you’re telling me a fucking entertainer doesn’t know the nuance of the abortion debate?”
I’m telling you that if one doesn’t want the government regulating people’s ability to have an abortion, then one is pro-“choice”.
“The question is the insult and the embarrassment. Not the answer.”
I’d say the question is pointless, and the answer is stupid.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:46 pm
I don’t think that is a stupid answer at. Pro choice and pro life are not inherently mutually exclusive, even if they are treated as being two opposite ends of the same political continuum. It’s not unreasonable for a person to believe that abortion is morally objectionable, but that the government has no business restricting it. In fact that opinion illustrates an underlying philosophy of strong traditional moral values, but also a belief in the limited authority of the government to regulate the private lives of individuals. Now whether or not you agree with that opinion, 1) it seems to be in line with a lot of Church’s public statements and music, and 2) it’s not stupid.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:45 pm
Mike,
You are wrong, objectively wrong.
Pro-“choice” and pro-life are established opposing political positions. And we know Eric understands this because he referenced government involvement in his answer. Eric may not want his wife to have an abortion, but if he’s ok with the government allowing other folks to have abortions, then he is not pro-life, he’s pro-“choice”.
The pro-life position is to want full government involvement in the issue. Pro-life proponents want the government to make abortion illegal.
They are opposing positions. It was a stupid answer to a pointless question.
July 28, 2018 @ 3:02 pm
Folks, let’s please try to refrain from political tangents that run off topic like this one. Thank you.
July 28, 2018 @ 8:01 pm
1) -“The pro-life position is to want full government involvement in the issue. Pro-life proponents want the government to make abortion illegal.”
That is a really over simplified reduction of a complex issue and it fails to take into account any of the nuance or diversity that naturally gets cut out when you try to distill the thoughts and opinions of tens of millions of people of wildly different beliefs and backgrounds and express them in 22 words. I don’t think that it is unreasonable to assume that there are plenty of people who would identify themselves as pro-life who don’t necessarily want to make abortion illegal. There are plenty of people who might be considered “pro life”, but who don’t want a complete ban on abortions. They may want regulations on the manner in which abortions are performed, or think they may think that terminating a pregnancy is a big decision that a young person should not be able to make without a parents consent, or that the decision should be one where the father should at least have an opportunity to voice his opinion about the decision even if the final choice lies with the mother. My point is that pro life and pro choice aren’t two “established opposing political positions” they are two boxes that cable news anchors sort people into because it is a convenient way of framing a complex issue without getting stuck in the mud of a million different ideas. Not that that is inherently wrong, its necessary to draw those lines to talk about the issue from a birds eye view, which is the entire job of the news media. But these artificial divisions don’t actually help us understand the complexity of one individual and his political beliefs, which often don’t fit neatly into one box or the other, so instead of trying to stretch the box or fold the individual up into a shape we recognize, we need to realize that the boxes, while they are useful to a point, don’t always describe the world that many, if not most, of us inhabit. Which brings me to point number
2) Trigger- I’m sorry if I let this conversation go off the rails, the last thing i planned on doing today was to get into a political discussion on a country music blog. But my main point isn’t really about whether you should be pro-life or pro choice or even where Eric Church falls into the mix on that issue. Its about the ability to have quality discourse with people who have different ideas than you. You can’t have a meaningful discussion about someones beliefs and ideas, whether its their political leanings or their taste in music, if you refuse to accept there ideas on their own terms and engage with the beliefs that they really have, not the ideas that you assign to them. I know that this conversation strays toward the political but thats only because of the nature of the original point that Rolling Stone tried to make. I would say the same thing to someone who said that Eric Church isn’t a country artist because he doesn’t like steel guitar. You could slam on the brakes and say its not country music and he’s wrong for trying to call it that, or you could engage with his ideas and try to understand what about it he thinks is country. I am not trying to have a conversation about abortion, and I’m sorry if thats how this all came out. I am trying to have a conversation about how we have conversations.
July 30, 2018 @ 8:05 pm
He answered the question. Blame him.
August 1, 2018 @ 1:20 am
And, Church had the right not to answer any of those questions, he did it out of his own volition. So clearly he didn’t find any of the line of questioning as insulting or offensive. All he had to do is say ” I don’t want to get into politics, next question please. ” Plenty of artist choose to not field political questions, so if he didn’t want to take heat from fans or risk rolling stone mischaracterizing his statements for their own political purposes, he shouldn’t have answered those questions.
July 28, 2018 @ 12:12 pm
There are many people who wouldn’t want someone to choose abortion, but recognize there are sometimes cases where it is the necessary choice for an individual (rape or incest, for example), and to make the law get involved in the nuances of this is unnecessary.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:30 pm
That position makes you and Eric both pro-“choice”.
Why is this so hard to understand?
If you want people to have the right to choose something, then you are pro-choice.
I personally won’t put a watermelon anywhere near my mouth, but I support your right to choose to eat it.
July 28, 2018 @ 3:31 pm
Never expected to be so enthusiastically agreeing with Honkey!
I don’t know why this is so difficult for people to grasp, in general, but it sure seems to be.
July 29, 2018 @ 3:06 am
It’s “difficult” for people to understand because it’s far more nuanced than a binary thing.
July 28, 2018 @ 7:33 pm
Have to be on Team Honky here.
July 28, 2018 @ 9:48 am
This is a polarizing event for sure. He didn’t say it on stage, but used a media outlet to get his thoughts out there, similar to Sturgill busking at the CMA’s. Music and politics don’t mix, but he has clearly been affected by Route 91.
July 28, 2018 @ 9:57 am
I don’t think it’s possible to gauge what impact a musician’s words will have on every member of its captive audience. Might someone view the NRA in a different light because an artist they respect greatly, and who was personally affected by gun violence, criticized it? No way of knowing. That musician’s opinion, coupled with recent revelations about Butina, might do more to change some segment of the audience’s view of the NRA. Or it, too, might have no impact at all. Too many variables at play.
Still, I don’t think it’s anyone’s place to singularly define the purpose, possibilities, or potential of music. Although I don’t understand them at all, there is no shortage of people who enjoy listening to certain artists primarily because they share their political beliefs. For them, that’s the very purpose of music, and hearing their views echoed from the bully pulpit is the appeal. Again, I don’t get it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong. And I don’t need to name specific musicians who thing it’s their job to tell an audience how to vote or feel about their nation’s leaders. I’m unswayed, but I don’t resent them for thinking that’s the purpose of their music.
As for RS and other sources presenting Church’s words out of their proper context, that’s just selling magazines and getting clicks. It’s a garbage practice, but it’s every bit as common in other genres of music.
Anyway, this is a good piece of writing, Trigger. Especially the parts I disliked.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:02 am
Serious question: What’s worse?
A) That joke that is now RS, for the fraudulent headline and general baiting that they always do?
B) The outraged ex-fans who fell for it and are so fragile?
I’m torn.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:00 am
The worst thing Church did was sit down with Rolling Stone and not expect them to act according to their nature.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:06 am
I’d agree that was totally naive (unless it was calculated – then I don’t know what to say). But you’re not allowed forge your own trail here man! There is no letter “C” in my question 🙂
July 28, 2018 @ 11:38 am
both lame, but the latter for sure
July 28, 2018 @ 12:45 pm
Rolling stone and rolling stone country are completely liberal twisted fake news. A big joke. They’ve been doing this shit more and more the last year.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:08 pm
RS aren’t helping their case in proving otherwise here (if they even wanted to). And I’m no fan of this shit, as you can see in my question. But why all the outrage and fans buying it hook, line and sinker? Or even being so fragile in the first place? I’ve seen plenty of people here say they are conservative but they can still listen to artists with different views than themselves.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:06 am
Two things I thought after reading.
It will be hysterical watching the Nashville machine that he hates so much be the ones trying to save his hyde
For a guy who plays a hard nosed tough guy for a living, he sure managed to take both sides on every issue in as non-commits ways as he possibly could.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:29 am
Non-commiting*
July 29, 2018 @ 10:01 am
There’s a difference between dodging a question and acknowledging that some issues don’t have simple answers.
July 30, 2018 @ 10:26 pm
You have to remember, Doug, that acknowledging any sort of complexity or nuance in modern politics makes you either a snowflake or a quisling, depending on the internet moron you’re speaking to.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:12 am
Maybe Rolling Stone will one day interview a country artist?
July 30, 2018 @ 7:25 am
Maybe one day Rolling Stone will stop trying to bait artists into making the interview revolve around music instead of politics.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:15 am
Thank you, very well written. Those with an open mind will read these and go oh I didn’t think about that in that way. Unfortunately there aren’t enough open minded people anymore. Everything has to fit into their agenda, we need more moderates and shitload less of the left and right.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:17 am
Trigger, that was a very good article. Thank you for that, it kinda swayed me a little back to him as well. However, the problem is that his fan base not only feels alienated by him calling out NRA members as somehow responsible (the realities of the overall impact of NRA donations to politicians not-withstanding), but that they feel lied too. And I think that captures the majority of the sentiment. This isn’t a Sturgill moment where if you actually listened to his music you knew which side he came down on all along. This is different. Eric’s songs are rife with conservative sentiment. He says he voted for Obama (and would’ve done it twice). In his song Smoke a Little Smoke he has a verse that says “my definition of change just ain’t the same”. This is clearly aimed at a conservative audience as that song came out right around the time of Obama’s first campaign which had the slogan “change you can believe in”. I mean, c’mon. If you think that Rolling Stone article didn’t damn him for revealing his true leanings all along, then I’m not sure we’re reading off of the same sheet. You know better than anyone that music has an almost spiritual effect on people, and feeling that you’ve been lied to all along by your “pastor” is a terrible feeling. Maybe it doesn’t come down to “merica, and I want my guns” as we always get characterized, perhaps it’s more that being lied to by someone that holds that great of emotional sway over you hurts.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:22 am
“…didn’t damn him for revealing his true leanings all along…”
You mean that he’s a political centrist? A moderate? The horror! We need many more like him. I still can’t believe that people were so upset and even outraged by what he said. His “true leanings” are apparently that he’s a political moderate, middle of the road sort of guy, left of center in some ways, right of center in other ways — ohhh the horror!
July 30, 2018 @ 10:29 pm
C’mon, Kevin.
Everyone knows that moderate Republicans are basically Marxists.
Just like all moderate Democrats are fascist technocrats.
Do you even internet, bro?
July 31, 2018 @ 4:48 am
Ha, yes, that is basically the internet in sum.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:05 pm
A small corner of his fan base feels alienated. If you go to several of the pages dedicated to him (his official ones and fan run ones) MOST of the fanbase is actually backing him and defending him….whether they disagree or agree.
Also several people joined his pages simply to rip him to shreds…..my guess being they either were not fans at all, but joined just to run off at the mouth. OR they were not “die hard” fans.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:24 am
I really could care less about an artists political views. Put out good music and I’m gonna listen. This is another case of much to do about nothing. Artists should stick to talking about there music and leave the other BS to the pundits.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:59 am
Yes put out good music…but what if the artist decides to put out his music as a political stance. A lot of artist are doing that that now and have in the past. Hopefully, EC won’t.
July 28, 2018 @ 12:39 pm
The media is playing a part in this. Rolling Stone Country has specifically posted multiple articles goading country artists to speak out politically, while not enumerating the pitfalls of such behavior, or the efficacy of the practice in actually bringing about social change. If an artist wants to speak out in their music, in interviews, or on social media, that is their right, and we should all respect and honor that. But when it comes to the media using these stances as litmus tests, or the reason an artist receives more or less coverage from a given outlet, it is meddling in the creative space in a way that disrespects the art, no different than when an intrusive producer or record label interjects their opinions into a recording session.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:27 am
all he did was imply that he might not be the ignorant hateful person his fan base suggests
July 28, 2018 @ 10:49 am
Any evidence that a substantial amount of his fan base is ignorant and hateful? If not, those kind of comments are themselves ignorant and hateful, and I think people on either “side” with common sense might agree on that.
P.S I’m neither a member of his fan base or a right winger… in case you’re ready to assume I am.
July 29, 2018 @ 10:06 am
Actually, Tony’s comment in no way suggested his fan base was ignorant and hateful, it clearly said that Church was perceived as ignorant and hateful and that this article showed him in a “better” light. That comment in itself had a political agenda and didn’t really address trigger’s point that RS was using church to try to advance their agenda. …but then, the majority of the commenters on this site have made this about their own political agenda or an attack on church, rather than actually respond to Trigger’s issue that he raised.
I have had a subscription to RS For 30+ years. Regardless of their liberal leanings, it was a great music magazine up until about 10 years ago. Over the past decade, they seem to have bought into the theory that rock was dead and turned to rap and pop crap as their focus. Lately, it seems they have sought to add heavy country coverage, but I find they are either way late to the party (covering up and coming quality artists long after they took hold [and long after they were mentioned here]) or pop country crap and spining it like it was good music. Over the past 4 or five years, they seemed to have switched the emphasis to the web and the magazine has gotten thinner and the coverage even less interesting. In general, I think the magazine/website now sucks, I only read it out of habit. Most recently, it looks like the were bought by some other company and i am doubtful it will improve.
…so expect more weak coverage of good music and more covers of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.
July 29, 2018 @ 10:25 am
Ageee witth you on RS and he most of the commenters here. But saying his fan base suggests EC is a hateful and ignorant person in no way suggested that his fan base is ignorant and hateful?What?? I’m trying to see what I missed here. Maybe I’m out to lunch. Can you explain? Happy to admit if I’m wrong.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:33 am
I feel like Eric is like most people, more nuanced than media and political parties make it seem. He can see where both sides have pluses and minuses. The headlines though were pure crap and without any nuance.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:39 am
Fuck rolling stone.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:45 am
I read that whole article when you first mentioned it and the only thing I thought was upsetting about it was “we fucking hate steel guitar.”
With all that reasonable, middle of the road opining on political issues, I was actually shocked when there was all this talk and outrage. I SHOULDNT have been surprised, but I was. Because when I read it I was actually surprised by how NOT controversial it was.
Man our public discourse is fucked.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:41 am
fucking hate steel guitar? Now i don’t feel the least bit conflicted about thinking this guy’s music is really boring. Can’t trust anyone who hates steel guitar.
July 28, 2018 @ 7:25 pm
To be fair, Jay Joyce claimed they said that, not Eric Church. I doubt Eric Church hates steel guitar.
July 28, 2018 @ 10:55 am
I made the mistake of falling for the Rolling Stone headline for a couple hours until I got off and read the article. After reading the article I felt like an idiot because I fell for the clickbait. I am a definite NRA supporter. I’ve been to probably 5 NRA auctions, and have several NRA hats. But I’m not gonna burn Eric Church on a stake for being a 2nd Ammendment supporter but not an NRA supporter. I mean come on guys. Even before I read the article after seeing the clickbait title I knew I would still listen to his music because I enjoyed it. My main takeaway is that Rolling Stone is a complete joke. I mean seriously fuck them. I would’ve loved to learn about the inspiration behind the album, not some lifestyle piece with a clickbait title designed to promote their leftist views.
Regardless how you feel over this issue, let’s focus on the music. We just had a fantastic album released yesterday by Cody Jinks. That’s what we should be talking about right now.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:10 am
Careful, you’re making too much sense there… that’s dangerous. And you answered both A & B to my question above!
July 28, 2018 @ 11:18 am
Very well said. I said it elsewhere but it bears repeating here:
The fact that Eric Church recorded a song with Ray Wylie Hubbard means a lot more to me as a music fan than his opinions on the NRA and the gun laws. Also, really, Rolling Stone can’t even do music journalism right, why should anyone give a fuck about what they think about anything else?
July 30, 2018 @ 6:24 am
Anybody, even Eric Church, who says “I support the 2nd Amendment, but” really doesn’t support the 2nd Amendment.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:10 am
I was waiting for this. Excellent take. I wrote some similar sentiments yesterday. The most shocking thing to me about this is that Eric Church fans are surprised; Church’s entire career and persona has been based on speaking his mind, going against the grain…why should they be shocked or turn on him for standing up for his beliefs like he’s always done? To me, these were not true Eric Church fans in the first place.
http://countryexclusive.com/on-this-eric-church-and-gun-control-business/
July 28, 2018 @ 2:35 pm
He is not going against the grain. His views are the essence of political correctness – no bravery required. He is being presented as a hero for blaming the NRA instead of criminals, and for his love for Bernie and Obama. That is not heroism. It is the safe space that the media inhabit
July 29, 2018 @ 6:15 am
Exactly. He literally takes both sides of every issue.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:17 am
My issue is that he praises a socialist. A failed government. By saying he wouldn’t know what to do if Bernie ran is ignorant and sad. If that’s the case, share your wealth. Give away your music.
His stance on Bernie polarized him. America is not socialist.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:51 am
That was also my issue with his comments.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:09 pm
I’ve been an Eric supporter for 12 years……since the earliest days of his career.
My biggest disappointment? And I LOVE Eric….nothing has changed….is that he is still cautiously backing Trump. I was disappointed hear this…..but I don’t hate Eric……I’m not going to stop being a fan.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:49 pm
I guess this is good a comment as any to weigh in speaking to his NRA/gun ownership comment (disclaimer: I don’t belong to the largest gun registration org in the world) –
First and foremost: ALL lobbyist contribute for their causes including anti gun morons-where is that complaint Mr Church? And ANYONE who fails to recognize that is delusional.
Second: NO ONE has the right, nor the authority, legally or morally, to tell what another “needs” – nor does he, or any other idiot have the right to determine another’s desires or wants-
Third: Guns are only as dangerous as the user. And no, you don’t want a bureaucrat making that determination- this is allegedly “land of the free”- don’t forget that- especially at Income Tax time when you look up (if you dare) how many generations are enslaved to a private bank that uses the force of gov’t to collect it’s interest-
Fourth: Alcohol and cars kill more people. Nuanced or not, he, and those who believe themselves morally superior while acting immorally can kiss my Texas ass- that goes for rolling stone, politicians (of any stripe) or bloggers, or celebrity wanna be talking heads-
Now: His “music”. I’ve never listened to it and he has ensured I won’t and I’ll pass along my reasons to anyone- like I said in the original article here- my 6 y/o grandson listens to him, but my 4 y/o grand daughter like Willie- who’s gonna win?
I think this is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much publicity for him.
July 28, 2018 @ 4:34 pm
Doris, while not delving into the politics of it, Eric Church actually *does* give away his music. He mailed thousands of copies of Mr. Misunderstood to members of his fan club (and did so unannounced, it just arrived on their doorsteps), and it is my understanding that he plans to do something similar with his upcoming record.
July 29, 2018 @ 10:26 am
America is not socialist?
– See 12 billion dollar handout to farmers
– See Wall Street bailouts
– See Auto bailouts
– See government assistance programs to low income families.
– See the single most important program of the 20th century ( The New Deal)
– See government assistance for infrastructure, after disasters, to state/local education, etc…
List goes on and on. America has long held principles of socialism in select cases. These policies have been integral to making the nation a stable, thriving society. Doesn’t mean we’re socialist (rather, a Plutocracy now ruled by the Big Money interests), but socialism has benefited many of the people who parrot Fox News talking points.
July 29, 2018 @ 12:40 pm
You have Socialism and Crony Capitalism confused. Get yourself educated on what Socialism really is, and what happens when it is implemented.
July 29, 2018 @ 1:29 pm
Yer missing the point. Namely, that our government is not 100% anything. Rather, we strategically incorporate programs and strategies from other political government systems as needed to benefit the citizenry, business, state/local government, the disenfranchised, etc. This is the absolute truth. Does that mean you will wake up tomorrow with a high tax rate, guaranteed salary for all, free healthcare/paid maternity leave, etc.? Doubtful. If Sanders was elected would he get his wishlist approved as law? Hardly.
And really, the reason why many folks thought Bernie Sanders was a palatable choice was due to the fact that Hillary is a consummate politician with no convictions and absolutely no relatability. Balance her against Trump, a serial liar and abominable treater of women, a man lacking in basic decency, and you get people thinking just maybe Bernie or a third party candidate was a better choice. The last election gave us the two most unpopular candidates of any presidential election in the past 100 years.
August 7, 2019 @ 6:13 am
“Get yourself educated on what Socialism really is, and what happens when it is implemented.”
Everyone having access to healthcare, fewer people living in poverty, public services actually working, people not shooting up schools and malls….yeah, socialism is awful – just ask the Danes, Swedes, French, Brits or Germans.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:20 am
I’m conservative and the biggest Church fan there is. Who the hell cares who he voted for? I laughed out loud at the lady above who said “smoke a little smoke” was a republican anthem denouncing change. It was a pot anthem which at the time was left leaning you nimwit. I don’t understand how people have the energy to be outraged over this. ENJOY THE MUSIC. Or don’t. I think Eric will be fine either way.
July 28, 2018 @ 11:51 am
I bought 1 EC CD several years ago, and it was horrible.
I couldn’t car less about his political views.
They appear to be as shallow as his music.
All of which is rather ironic given the fact that it is a RS article
RS is not exactly a fountain of truth or journalisc professionalism
It should be owned by a UVA fraternity as a result of the false reporting jihad RS waged against it.
July 28, 2018 @ 12:08 pm
Eric Church like all of us have a right to our opinion, just like we all do.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:52 pm
Tell him that when he makes asinine comments about what somebody else needs.
July 28, 2018 @ 12:43 pm
I prefer to hear him sing and refrain from political commentary. He “was” an outlaw.
July 28, 2018 @ 12:57 pm
It was Eric Church’s decision to give his political opinions and that is entirely his responsibility. His views were not micharacterized. Rolling Stone is trash but he made his own statements. Giving them an interview was a pathetic attempt to be accepted by the radical left. It will never happen. Now he has lost his fanbase.
He is a far-left Democrat – pro-abotion, anti-NRA, despises Trump, “loves” Bernie, supports socialism and worships Obama. Yes, he obviously has the right to say what he wants. And his former fans will turn away from and turn him into the new Dixie Chicks.
That is his choice – and theirs. Blaming gun owners for that terrible Vegas crime is disgusting even for a far left Democrat. For a pop-country celebrity it is incredibly stupid. But it is entirely his own responsibility. He chose to align himself with the far left. He will now join the Dixie Chicks in career self-detruction.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:19 pm
Did we even read the same article?
July 28, 2018 @ 1:30 pm
Did you even read the article? (Not the click-bait headlines, the actual article?) From your comment, I’m guessing you didn’t. Or if you did, you need to go back and read it again.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:37 pm
Never mind the condescending attitude. I read the whole thing. This is a typical leftist viewpoint: “I don’t like what you said, so you didn’t read the article”. Sorry, that won’t work.
I know that there are many people who are very upset that Church is being held accountable for his statements, but it was his decision. Leftists see him as a “brave truth-teller”. Nonsense. His views are exactly what the media wants to hear. Blaming gun owners instead of criminals is going too far for most of us, but the media wants to hear that. His statements are especially insulting because of the Vegas shootings
July 28, 2018 @ 2:52 pm
Not liking what you said and wondering if you read the article aren’t necessarily the same thing. Your original post led me to believe that as well, and I’m no leftist. And I don’t think Eric Church is either. His comments weren’t leftist. Was the Brady bill supported by leftists? Not everyone slightly left of extreme right is a leftist. Maybe let’s try to have more engaging conversation here…
July 28, 2018 @ 3:02 pm
He is unquestionably a leftist. The Brady bill was entirely supported by far-left Democrats. He “loves” Bernie, whose socialist views are close to communism. He supports abortion. He supported Obama.
Church made his views very clear – and his comments about gun owners being responsible for the shooting are appalling. He makes no mention of criminals. There is no way around that. Those comments also reflect the hard-left view.
His supporters who share those political views are upset because he is being held accountable. But he created that conflict. No one forced him to give an interview to Rolling Stone. He knew what he was doing – trying to create a phony ‘rebel’ image. Many celebrities do that. Having an “engaging conversation” means agreeing with political correctness. I prefer the truth
July 28, 2018 @ 3:13 pm
I think you know who I was referring to supporting the Brady Bill. I personally don’t consider Ronald Reagan a leftist. The problem is, those days of people not being on either extreme of the spectrum seem to be over. Either you agree with a certain agenda or you’re a leftist. Either you are a leftist or you are a racist. It’s on both sides… and part of the problem is labeling people as one extreme or the other… as you are doing.
But ok, go on with your truisms. Never mind the differences between being a centralist, a liberal, and a leftist.
July 29, 2018 @ 1:34 pm
He didn’t lose me.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:24 pm
Sometimes we need to all just take a step back from politics and remember that we are all American, and even more so, just humans trying to all make it in the same world. God bless!
July 28, 2018 @ 1:45 pm
I read the entire article, unfortunately; Rolling Stone is a washed up far-left rag from the 60s and 70s, and his choice to give them an interview was a clear attempt to appeal to radicals who will never like him.
Your comments reflect the condescension of the Left – there is an attempt now to defend Church’s comments by claiming he is a misunderstood hero. He is not. His political views directly connect with the Vegas shooting – they are offensive beyond belief. His pro-abortion views will obviously produce a response as will his devotion to Bernie, a socialist.
He and his leftist defenders should at the very least have the courage to stand by your convictions and not pretend he is a righteous, oppressed victim. He is a wealthy celebrity and that is his choice,
July 28, 2018 @ 2:31 pm
Never mind the condescending attitude. I read the whole thing. This is a typical leftist viewpoint: “I don’t like what you said, so you didn’t read the article”. Sorry, that won’t work.
I know that there are many people who are very upset that Church is being held accountable for his statements, but it was his decision. Leftists see him as a “brave truth-teller”. Nonsense. His views are exactly what the media wants to hear. Blaming gun owners instead of criminals is going too far for most of us, but the media wants to hear that. His statements are especially insulting because of the Vegas shootings.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:34 pm
Been an EC fan from the start…I respect people who are willing to say whats on their mind and do it their way knowing their maybe consequences. I read the RS article, not the tidbits from FOX and when I was finished I thought, hmm that could hurt him a little. I listen to Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow and have played a Dixie Chicks song once or twice in the last year, do I take their opinions to heart or agree with their statements? No. If their name appeared on a ballot, then maybe I would care. Most entertainers wouldn’t cross the line into political stances in an interview with RS cause they know the repercussions but he decided to and I respect that. There’s an amendment right above the 2nd.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:17 pm
“There’s an amendment right above the second.” Exactly. In focusing on the second, and this goes for both sides of it, we have lost sight of the first.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:34 pm
Can we please all join together, and Dixie Chick Eric Church, for being a self-important, fake, “Outlaw” wannabe who makes crappy music and hates steel guitar?
July 28, 2018 @ 5:11 pm
Do you promise it won’t be a “slippery slope” to boycotting everyone else you don’t like, which is pretty much everyone discussed on this site?
July 29, 2018 @ 1:37 pm
Can we please all join together and ask anyone that comments on this website to either comment on the topic or get lost. Triggers article has nothing to do with the politics itself. Try to FOCUS on the actual issue.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:40 pm
As an anarchist, I generally hate every musician’s political views. I need no master, I’ll vote for no master. Doesn’t change how I feel about the music though (not counting overtly political/patriotic songs-Lee Greenwood, looking squarely at you, Douche). Politics is for emotionally stunted douchebags who never grew up and learned to think for themselves. Has nothing to do with the music, except for when they intend it to.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:10 pm
I disagree- politics is very necessary since that is THE reason we’re where we are as a country- however, informed politics rarely happens. Opinions are based on Party-cult manipulation- BOTH sides support the same bullshit they just sell it with different rhetoric- Same destination, different rate of descent- I will agree about the master analogy though- it seems as though most people choose to not look at History (even recent) and see the truth- I seriously doubt if many can tell you what the Declaration of Independence was about, or that our gov’t is a representative republic or that DC has “enumerated powers” to limit its authority- not to limit your desires or wants because- but apparently “musicians and celebrities” thoughts? are factually correct and to be praised as ‘special’ because- musician/celebrity- so much substance- so deep, so well informed- and I’m a [l]ibertarian. I don’t subscribe to Party of ANY stripe- and those who do are in for a rude awakening someday- “when they came for me there was no one left”-
July 28, 2018 @ 2:36 pm
I can see where you’re coming from, I was a libertarian for about 6 months before I moved past it. About the only critique I’d have to your comment is politics being “necessary.” I’m willing to give it’s “important,” but I’ll never agree that it’s necessary. It’s not.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:12 pm
Whoa….we’ve got ourselves an internet badass here boys….
July 28, 2018 @ 2:32 pm
And all this time, I thought we already had one; you.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:50 pm
This coming from the contrarian Mo Pitney fan?
July 28, 2018 @ 3:48 pm
Dawg,
I thought being a Mo Pitney fan makes me an internet puss. Make up your dadgum mind.
Nobody on this site has talked about kicking people’s asses more than you, over the past 18 months. You are the reigning King of keyboard badassery.
July 28, 2018 @ 5:00 pm
When have I mentioned kicking anyone’s ass?
Honestly, my problem with you is your need to contradict every little thing. You’re the real hipster and you always have been.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:38 pm
Holy batmobile! We’ve got a real life internet douchebag on the hook!!
*cuts the line…they taste like shit anyway*
July 28, 2018 @ 2:49 pm
Thoughtful.
July 28, 2018 @ 1:53 pm
I really respected his honesty in this interview. If you listen to any interview with Stapleton for example, it’s boring as shit. Most successful artists tend to give bland interviews, and you gain no insight into who they really are. Church held nothing back, and I for one appreciate his candor. Although I was expecting SOME questions about the new album.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:09 pm
All ‘journalism’ is using this approach as their standard practice. Are there journalism schools any more? Is anyone attending? Because true journalism is getting buried in clickbait. Inflammatory stories get liked/shared/promoted. Solid journalism gets ignored.
Streaming is fucking up the way we rate music, and the interweb is fucking up the way we rate our news.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:10 pm
Sorry, but all I took away from this was that he didn’t even bother to vote. That’s embarrassing and nullifies your right to complain about anything resulting from that election.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:40 pm
I disagree. He didn’t vote, he has every right to complain. You, I assume, voted, so you’ve no right to complain. You wanted a master, you got a master.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:48 pm
You sound like a pissed off teenager.
July 28, 2018 @ 5:05 pm
Nice…burn? I guess??
Was that an obtuse observation as flaccid as your personality or was that actually supposed to be a burn?
July 28, 2018 @ 5:16 pm
You’re a special kind of stupid.
July 28, 2018 @ 5:37 pm
Okay guys, let’s please try to keep this civil and on topic, or comments will get deleted.
Thanks!
July 30, 2018 @ 10:33 pm
And his response confirms it.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:27 pm
Since when is somebody that would consider supporting a confused Socialist, considered a Centrist? Weird times we are living in.
July 28, 2018 @ 4:05 pm
Maybe it’s because he says things that support both “left” and “right.” I’m not a Bernie supporter by a long shot…but I find it very strange that he can’t chose between Trump and Bernie? Really? If I had even been listening, that to me speaks volumes about where his head is at. You could look at his comments as middle road, centrist, – OR- wishy washy, confused, or even trying to appeal to both sides. If that last part was his intention, he underestimated how much Rolling Stone would reduce his comments for the cover, and how unforgiving and unaccepting some of his fan base is. As we can see in the comment section, some conservatives couldn’t give a shit and will keep listening to him. Others are denouncing him as a leftist and want to watch him burn. Me personally, I was never a fan, and think the whole thing (both RS and the overreaction from his “ex-fans”) is a shit show.
July 28, 2018 @ 4:46 pm
Bernie Sanders and Trump have way more in common than many politicians of the same party. The idea the set the two extremes is a machination of the media. They’re both populists. They’re both isolationists when it comes to foreign policy, and they’re both protectionists when it comes to trade by being against TPP, NAFTA, etc. They’re also both black sheep of the two party system, and both got jobbed by their respective parties in the early primaries. Trump overcame it, Bernie didn’t. Of course their temperament is completely different and so are many of their stances on social causes, but I think there are tons of people who considered Bernie and Trump in the same vein. They were the two candidates not of the establishment with many similar viewpoints.
July 28, 2018 @ 5:51 pm
Just because they were both grassroots, outsiders, populists etc. doesn’t mean the overwhelming majority of their policies (you know, the things that might actually effect people’s lives) aren’t drastically different. I know of ZERO Trump supporters and ZERO Bernie supporters who were torn between the 2. Do you? I still find it strange.
July 30, 2018 @ 10:39 pm
I know plenty of middle class, 19 year old white boys who switched from Bernie to Trump (or Johnson).
All three of them offered the same message:
“Your mediocrity isn’t your fault. It’s The Other’s, for not seeing how special you are, and treating you like you deserve. Vote for me, and I will fix it! Don’t ask how, or why, or anything that involves basic math! What’s important is that everyone will see how special you are, and we’ll fuck The Other to death!”
(Johnson didn’t include the fucking to death part).
They chose different groups to paint as The Other, in order to trick morons into supporting their failed socialist, anti-globalist policies, but the method and target audience was the same.
July 29, 2018 @ 7:53 am
WTHF? Do people really not understand how dangerous Socialism is? It has never worked where tried, EVER. And, it is responsible for some of the worst killing of people in history, both intentionally and as a result of failure. You have to be a special kind of stupid to even consider it.
July 30, 2018 @ 8:27 pm
Just like communism.
July 28, 2018 @ 2:43 pm
“The political affiliations of any Artist should not weigh into what anyone thinks about that Artist, or their music”
“Music has the unique ability to break down the barriers that guard the human heart like words never could”
—- Quotes I esp like from the above article. Trigger, as others on here have said, excellent writing, very enjoyable to read.
I’d rather not know what a recording Artist thinks politically. I don’t want it to affect how I view them or think of their music. I’ve tried to understand this but I just don’t get the idea of boycotting someone musically because they disagree with you politically. If they are an anti-war singer-songwriter who changes from that, where that was their whole platform, then I can see wanting nothing to do with their music anymore. In this highly-charged political time I think it definitely can be a large annoyance to hear someone say things politically you completely disagree with. Sometimes you have to try to still “like” them as much, still be as much a fan. So I’d rather they didn’t share it, but I try to see past it and focus on the music.
July 28, 2018 @ 5:01 pm
Ludwig van Beethoven was not afraid to speak his mind. The first independent composer, other before him were hired by the prince.
He composed his third symphony entitled Napoleon Bonaparte (a republican who ended the monarchy in France) while living in monarchy in Vienna. However he end up changing the title to Eroica when Napoleon called himself an Emperor. Nevertheless he was not afraid to speak against a prince and the whole system.
A true artist can be celebrated despite political differences. I have my own views and because I have my own views, I respect the views of others. Can politics and music be totally separated? I personally don’t think so. Politics is a mass production output which comes from social values and priorities as a society.
Is the NRA causing the death of american? Indirectly, it’s possible. Less guns “could” reduce the violence although if innocent would carry a gun, it would be harder to cause mass murder
What about fastfood?!? fast food and poor nutrition is a leading caused of death in North America. I would personally focus on that.
Is abortion a problem? How about poor support for mothers. I’m ashamed to learn that they are 6-week babies in a day care in the U.S. This is freaking insane.
That’s how I approach those questions. When someone asked me tough questions, I direct them to a more challenging question.
July 28, 2018 @ 6:03 pm
Hi Pierre, If a Recording Artist tells their views politically that I disagree with, I would never boycott them. But I would rather they didn’t share it. Music is a wonderful ‘escape’, I see it like that. I watch the political news when I want to hear that, also discuss politics often (actually my fav things to talk about, music and politics– sports sometimes, depending if my teams are in playoffs). I think they take a chance in sharing it, and it can be hard to not think of an Artist’s views when seeing or listening to them, and I’d rather not know. .
July 28, 2018 @ 6:18 pm
I totally agree with you. I do the same at work since I sharing my views are irrelevant to my work and could be easily misinterpreted (LOL).
July 28, 2018 @ 2:58 pm
How weird self-righteous Eric Church would give an interview with a magazine that destroyed the lives of many people based on a fake rape story. Eric Church has every right to be a condescending jerk. And we have every right to make sure his name is associated with whacked out lefties who look down on flyover country. Block his music from our local stations. Don’t download. I blocked him on my kids devices. The libs in Brooklyn can have him.
July 28, 2018 @ 6:36 pm
Way to be a helicopter mom…I hope all your kids find ways to sneak and listen to his music.
July 28, 2018 @ 9:36 pm
As much as I hate RS, if the helicopter mom approved music libraries can’t include anyone who has given them an interview, holy shit.
July 30, 2018 @ 8:02 am
I’m sure they will. I certainly would have if she were my mom. Censorship of art is not cool. Ever.
July 28, 2018 @ 3:38 pm
Church lost me at “he didn’t vote”.
July 29, 2018 @ 5:58 am
That was the only thing he said I agreed with- we’ve been “voting” for the lesser of 2 evils for too long. I didn’t vote. Nether candidate was worth the effort- but, don’t tell me I don’t have the right to complain- rights are inherent- entitlements are earned- currently ALL ‘recognized’ political candidates ALL support the same bullshit- they just use different rhetoric to sell it. If you don’t believe it that why are we still fighting unjust wars (foreign and domestic) enslaving citizens for generations and what *exactly* has any of them done to stop this stupid crap?! besides their “I’m gonna change Washington”- they’re not going to- ask JFK how it worked out for him.
July 28, 2018 @ 3:58 pm
All the purple-haired feminists who are baited by the title on this magazine cover will likely be very disappointed when they actually listen to some of Church’s music.
July 29, 2018 @ 8:43 pm
Lol. This is my favorite comment. Truth.
July 28, 2018 @ 4:16 pm
I read it and was floored that he’d spend almost $10 MILLION on making a lake on his property. It was like reading about a hick than won the PowerBall.
But, he didn’t give PC answers to some hard questions. And his comments on the children separated from their parents at the border made me more of a fan.
If any artist has a right to speak out about guns and violence, it’s Church.
It’ll blow over, and there’s always going to be click bait out there. He’ll survive. With a lake?!? Really?
July 28, 2018 @ 4:50 pm
He relished in the political BS questions. He approved of them & intentionally answered. He thinks he’s Billy Bad Ass, but far from it. His ego is so big not sure how he fits through any doorway.
July 28, 2018 @ 4:53 pm
Being a website that is dedicated to saving country music, I am surprised you did not mention the line about him and his producer thinking they both fucking hate steel guitar. I think that’s the bigger issue with the article not the fact that his views are probably in line with nearly half the population. When I listen to what a singer has to say is rather listen too him speak about subjects related to music not who I should or shouldn’t vote for.
July 28, 2018 @ 5:46 pm
This whole interview was just a litany of items that could be taken from it and expounded upon because it was posted with the express purpose of stirring the pot across country music and American culture. The morning it was posted, I did do a quick article on how Church had lashed out at Garth Brooks for lip syncing, and how he said country music should be made by humans, not machines. At that time, I did not see the steel guitar comments because the full cover story wasn’t posted until afterwards. If I had, I probably would have mentioned it there. In hindsight, I probably wouldn’t have posted that first article at all seeing how the cover story turned out. It’s certainly not appropriate to broach in this discussion.
All of these things that people are getting riled about are snippets of comments said by Church in passing, aside from the NRA stuff. No, I don’t like what Eric Church said about steel guitar. Am I now supposed to write a 3rd article based off this stupid interview and feed the beast even more? We’re all getting spun and hosed here. I frankly don’t think anything from this interview should be taken seriously.
July 28, 2018 @ 6:34 pm
I haven’t really liked his music aside from his first few hits. I thought they were a good mix of being modern but still country. Come to find out he doesn’t even like that style of music and I’m sure just made those 2 albums sound some what country to get his foot on the door.
July 28, 2018 @ 5:26 pm
As I’m not from America, I find it hard to understand why your politics bleeds into everything in your lives. Why do you feel the need to declare your political affiliation when discussing music? Why do you care who the performers vote for? Or how many guns they own? Why are you obsessed with abortion? Why are you perpetually outraged?
And seriously, hates steel guitar? Ship that miserable prick off to guantanamo bay for some re-education.
July 28, 2018 @ 6:41 pm
Listen you anti-American son of a…..oh…I just read your steel guitar comment. Want to grab a beer?
July 30, 2018 @ 7:33 am
When you’re runnin’ down my country, man, you’re walkin’ on the fightin’ side of me. 😉
July 28, 2018 @ 5:35 pm
Based on all the ruckus in the comments section of the two articles posted about Church’s interview I would say it’s mission accomplished for Rolling Stone.
July 28, 2018 @ 6:27 pm
What’s crazy is that the number of comments on a post about Eric Church is about to pass the number of comments on the one just previous, about the new album from Cody Fucking Jinks!
I’m not excusing myself either, I posted a lot here.
July 28, 2018 @ 6:14 pm
I’m a lifelong democrat, and while I found many of his answers to the questions appealing to my ideology, I don’t in any way feel like he’s emerged as a liberal voice. He just sounds like a conservative who doesn’t bend to the hard right and has his own voice. If that’s too much for some of his fans, they were bound to head for the exit sooner or later. It’s just a shame Rolling Stone is forcing the drama instead of it happening on Eric’s terms.
And godammit, I was really hoping the article would talk A LOT more about his new music.
July 29, 2018 @ 7:10 am
This! Exactly! Why are people acting like he took some sort of hard left stance!?
July 29, 2018 @ 12:22 pm
Because “if you’re not with us, you’re against us.”
July 28, 2018 @ 7:49 pm
I’m as leftie, pro choice, pro gun control as they come. I’m vehemently against the shut up and sing mentality a good portion of country fans have. If we can write paragraphs supporting our political views then it’s only right for artists to have that same luxury. Can’t separate a country singer from their political views, well that’s your problem.
I still think Eric is as fake as they come. If he spoke up about Garth’s lip syncing and the shooting right after these events happened I would have a lot more respect for him. All this is, is an attention grab. If he didn’t like the RS questions he could’ve declined to answer them.
July 28, 2018 @ 7:53 pm
Rolling stone, why and how are you still in business???? Go away. Useless as tits on a bore hog.
July 28, 2018 @ 9:28 pm
Regardless of how one should react to Eric Church’s comments, Rolling Stone’s horrendous handling of its now-retracted “A Rape on Campus” story shows how little if any journalistic integrity they have. Most any Rolling Stone article now is worth an instant skip, and Rolling Stone should be an instant skip for any serious artist or personality.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Rape_on_Campus
July 28, 2018 @ 10:34 pm
he seemed very self-aware in this interview.he stepped around difficult parts of questions without selling himself out. Doing a ‘Rolling Stone’ interview must be terrifying. RS is a blindingly Socialist rag. Always has been. But being on the cover of that magazine is also a career milestone every musician wants. When they interview (real) country artists, they should probably stick with people like Margo Price and Jason Isbell, though. two of my favorite country artists whom i do not agree with on politics nearly at all. Stone will get the words they want to hear out of those folks. This interview with Church sounds more like a trap than an interview.
July 29, 2018 @ 8:54 am
Damn! I always wondered what happened to the wiener baby from the Nirvana album! He grew sunglasses…
July 29, 2018 @ 10:35 am
Rolling Stone sure does know how to pull people’s strings and keep Eric Church. in the spotlight. if this was a run of the mill music only interview we wouldn’t be talking and debating it right now. This type of publicity is a gold mine for both the artist and the magazine.
July 29, 2018 @ 12:19 pm
As far as what he had to say about Obama. it sounds like pretty much the same thing Merle Haggard said about him and Michelle Obama when he met them when getting his Kennedy Center Honors award. He also said he wasn’t going to vote for him or Romney.
July 29, 2018 @ 4:01 pm
When you meet somebody and have nice things to say about them, that’s just being human, and being civil. You can think that Bernie Sanders is an interesting character in politics without being a commie pinko, or be in favor of some of Trump’s policies without being a white supremacist. The lack of civility is the reason politics is in the mess that it’s in. Why someone would want to labor to bring that same incivility to music is beyond me. When the very first thing Rolling Stone put on their cover about Eric Church was that he “loves Bernie,” they knew the reaction this would get from both sides. Church was just being honest, and nice. He didn’t vote for the guy, or sign off on his most controversial policy stances, and the question is probably not relevant of a music artist in the first place. The election was 1/2 years ago, and Bernie lost.
July 29, 2018 @ 1:53 pm
anybody that likes bernie sanders is not very bright. he’s a true red (communist)
July 30, 2018 @ 5:39 am
If Sanders is a commie, he’s not a very good one, seeing as he supports a lot of capitalistic policies and has never supported seizing the means of production.
July 29, 2018 @ 2:08 pm
These interviews should go like this:
Rag: Hey (random country singer), how do you feel about (random politician)?
Random country singer: I’m just going to keep my opinion to myself, my daddy always said don’t talk about two things: religion and politics.
You know, I’m not mad at Eric, he can speak his mind, I’m just sick of politics infecting every aspect of life anymore. There’s no escape.
July 30, 2018 @ 8:13 am
Dolly Parton manages to do this real well. If I were an artist, I would go her route. With that being said, I agree he can speak his mind. RS sensationalized it.
July 29, 2018 @ 5:38 pm
Why on earth are we even subjected to Eric Church’s opinion on any of this? He’s one of the most overrated blowhards in pop country.
Of course, the answer is that this is all done for publicity, but it doesn’t change the fact that it is cringeworthy. And a complete waste of what used to be decent print space in Rolling Stone. What’s next, an article featuring Sam Hunt’s opinion on the Economy and the Fed’s likely path on interest rates?
July 29, 2018 @ 7:25 pm
Why is he being depicted as being under water? I dont keep up with anybody’s personal life other than my own and those close to me so its quite possible ive missed something.
July 30, 2018 @ 5:41 am
It’s a reference to the cover of Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album.
July 30, 2018 @ 6:36 am
Ok but what does that have to do with Eric Church?
July 30, 2018 @ 7:10 am
The baby dick.
July 30, 2018 @ 7:34 am
Good grief. Figures…
Rolling Stone is about as relevant these days as MTV.
July 29, 2018 @ 9:12 pm
That was a really thought-provoking essay, Trigger. I rather think it says more about Rolling Stone than what it does about Eric Church (and I’m not a massive fan for EC either). The magazine used to be at the vanguard of social relevance, but now that popular music has fallen away in its influence as an art form, I believe RS has started grasping at all the political controversies they can lay their hands on (if not downright invent). I sympathise with Eric that he gets seconded to arguments he would rather steer clear of so that he can continue with his music.
July 30, 2018 @ 6:46 am
I’m not sure why anyone pays attention to RS anymore. It’s a left-leaning political magazine as opposed to a music magazine (has been for years now).
July 30, 2018 @ 8:33 am
Being a left coast liberal, I generally try to not read much about country musicians I like. It is funny that the Rolling Stone story is getting his conservative fans mad. I could only read half of Trigger’s story above before I thought, “Damn, I don’t want to hate Eric Church and he’s kinda sounding like a moron” and had to stop.
July 30, 2018 @ 11:34 am
I don’t mind artists talking politics in general. They have a right to an opinion, same as anyone. What I don’t like are when:
A) Politics take center stage above the music quality in an obnoxious way (some of Toby Keith’s more derivative chest-thumping songs)
B) They do political stunts for publicity (Dixie Chicks)
C) They insult me personally and say they don’t want my money (Sturgill Simpson)
Eric Church did none of these. He was asked a bunch of inappropriate questions, and he responded with his opinions, same as I would have done. I don’t agree with all his opinions. I even think some of his opinions are stupid and contradictory. But he’s not making partisanship the focus of his music, so it’s all good with me. Fuck Rolling Stone for trying to drum up controversy misrepresent the interview.
July 30, 2018 @ 3:49 pm
Dixie Chicks rule.
George W was an asshole indeed.
July 30, 2018 @ 4:17 pm
Trigger, (If this can be asked here) I’ve seen you write the term “Dixie Chicked” to describe a few different situations, and the above article mentions an Eric Church boycott by certain fans. I was a fairly new Country Music fan when that happened to that group. I always wondered why they couldn’t make a comeback, even if it meant not being as (massively) popular as before, but still having enough fans to have a successful career. What is your opinion on this? To say what happened to that group “isn’t normal” is an understatement.
July 30, 2018 @ 4:50 pm
The Dixie Chicks did make a comeback. Their album after the incident “Taking The Long Way” went double platinum, and won five Grammy Awards. Of course part of this was due to the rest of the music industry rallying around them after the blackballing, and it was a rock record from what had been a decidedly neotraditional string band previously, but they got their due. It was the lack of radio play and touring capability that really did them under. They could have kept going and been just fine, but they took a step back, and in 2016 had a very successful tour. They even played the 50th Annual CMA Awards show.
That said, the way it all happened remains a black eye on country music. Regardless of the politics of the entertainer, what happened to the Dixie Chicks should never happen to any other entertainer, and that’s why I found the mischaracterizations by Rolling Stone that fueled the hatred flowing towards Eric Church so disturbing.
July 31, 2018 @ 3:50 pm
Thanks, Trigger for the response to that. I do have that album/CD (‘Fly’ also) and remember that Grammy awards well, with them winning big. It seemed they had everyone else in the music world behind them that night. I didn’t know they toured recently, very glad to hear (never came near my area). I did catch them at CMA awards like you mentioned. I guess I meant ‘comeback’ as in have their career back like before. The majority of their Country fans had turned against them, but the Country Music Industry seemed to as well. I thought that was even worse. The question is if they were to put out the best Country album today would Country Music stations play it, and would the Country Awards recognize it? Or would they still be treated as “shunned” to even some degree.
July 30, 2018 @ 5:53 pm
He bigger question here is when did country music supposedly become “conservative”. The genres origins can be traced to working class music genres such as folk as blues and often tempered their lack of enthusasism for some of the less appealing aspects of fully industrialized capitalism.
Conservatism is just a brand and the “conservative country music” is what I thought the whole website was fighting against?
July 30, 2018 @ 5:56 pm
” “conservative country music” is what I thought the whole website was fighting against”
Not trying to come across as combative, but I honestly have no idea what that even means. So no, that’s not what this whole website is fighting against.
July 30, 2018 @ 6:16 pm
Mass produced commercialized music that has been created by marketing guys to maximie profit. That kind of music. The supposed rub of the RS article is that country music is supposed to Br conservative, I would argue just the opposite for most of its history it has veered far more left than right. It wasn’t until the introduction of the Nashville machine that the idea of conservative and country music even blended together.
The point being what would be controversial of a country musician having non conservative views? I mean would anyone be shocked if RS had an article with Willie advocating for the legalization of weed.
Your missing the larger argument here Trigger. The question should be what does the brand Conservative have to do with country music?
July 30, 2018 @ 10:43 pm
We need to get all these socialists like Eric Church out of country music, and listen to REAL men!
Like Woody Guthrie!
July 31, 2018 @ 4:18 am
Exactly!
The irony that “Conservatism” and Socialist policies are ad odds with each other is also baffling as most people who define themselves as conservative wildly support some of the countries most socialist programs the military and police.
July 31, 2018 @ 9:48 am
“What does the brand conservatism have to do with country music?”
There are different types of conservatism, and I think you might be focused on economic conservatism. Country music listeners are associated with rural lifestyle, which is associated with strong family values, small towns, hunters, etc. All pretty culturally conservative things. As far as Willie and weed goes…well there’s always been a weird dichotomy in country music. Something like Saturday night and Sunday morning.
July 31, 2018 @ 1:38 pm
My main problem with him is he admits to repeatedly not voting and IMO no one – whether they lean left or right – has a right to bitch if they can’ t be bothered to vote.
July 31, 2018 @ 5:15 pm
That is my larger point they are associated with that image but that has nothing to do with country music which in form is prone too content about drinking, cheating, and murder not exactly strong family values. Also the image you portray is the opposite of reality to rural and small time life in America which has higher divorce rates, higher poverty rates, and higher crime rates.
The term conservativism is nothing more than a brand that induces people to select certain commercial products. The fact that country music has been cooped by that brand baffles me when you consider the content of country music.
July 31, 2018 @ 1:53 pm
This is the kind of nonsense that really irks me in the music world. Not that it only has to be about the music but that everything even mainstream music journalism these days basically amounts to some kind of diss track, I just hope that like the Dixie Chicks he is, “Not Ready To Make Nice” should the people revolt.
July 31, 2018 @ 3:28 pm
That was the best Album title! I take it you were also cheering loudly the night they won big for it at the Grammys 🙂
August 3, 2018 @ 12:24 pm
I meant to say, That was the best Song title (!) (It should have been the Album title)..
July 31, 2018 @ 4:28 pm
Wow. Mr. Church said what he said. Now – consequences. Good or bad. I love watching consequences insert themselves into a person’s life after they have done something for which they expected zero consequences. The unintended consequence is the best kind. It’s really a better pastime than sports, and its free. The non-apology apology is the current chosen way to attempt to mitigate unintended consequences, and most are just hilariously stupid. Again – free entertainment. By the way – there is no such thing as a gun show loophole, but its fun to hear the uniformed bring it up, as it discloses just what you are dealing with.
August 1, 2018 @ 11:14 am
country music proving again it has the most ignorant fans,unable to tolerate a different viewpoint from an “artist” then their own
August 4, 2018 @ 1:59 pm
Eric’s not dumb. Now that Rolling Stone is a monthly, there are only so many covers to dole out so you have to be a pretty big deal to warrant consideration for the cover. Eric landed it because he offered the magazine the scoop on Nevada massacre from his perspective and since there were guns involved of course the conversation steered into political territory concerning guns control and Constitutional Ammendments and gun lobby groups. This is just how it goes. His management gets him the cover and feature story with the fore-knowledge that RS is a left-leaning rag and the meat of the article will be his Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting experience. It goes without saying that the headlines will acknowledge that and they probably got advance copy and final approval. If the right can’t tolerate his even handed views or appreciate the tight rope he walked answering such politically volatile questions then the heck with them. I didn’t care for Eric’s music before this article and I don’t care about it now. His politics have nothing to do with my opinion about his music. Unfortnantly not everything distinguishes the art from the artists. Many think songs by singer songwriters are automatically autobiographical. And unfortunantly those people are usually the loudest and the most obnoxious but that’s just how it goes. Eric’s team weighed the positives and the negatives before green lighting the RS spread and decided to check yes and deal with the consequences, positive and negative. He’s a big boy. These are grown ass professionals. And besides he’s a man. Men get more free passes about these things than women like the Dixie Chicks. Compare the problematic men who’ve under scrutiny in the music industry and compare it to the women. It doesn’t compare. Women get cancelled for their shit more frequently than the men do. Eric will be fine. Let’s not pretend that anyone got screwed over by anyone here. The only people who will be upset are the close minded reactionists who don’t “read the whole article” and just jump to conclusions or worse, watch a 1 minute anti-Eric piece on Fox News and have their minds made up for them, which is more likely in all honesty. These people have outsourced their thinking to a Conservative click bait machine.
August 9, 2018 @ 4:48 am
judging by the crowd at Sturgis last night, The Dixie Chicked club won’t be adding another member
March 4, 2019 @ 6:57 pm
I’m glad I actually read the article. Upon reading the title I was ready to stop listening to Eric Church altogether. After reading the article though I realize that the title was nothing more than clickbait.
July 25, 2019 @ 3:57 pm
With all due respect to Eric Church and the uninformed, the NRA is made up of people who cherish FREEDOM. There is no perfect system, and it is a horrible thing that happened in Vegas, but there is a price to be paid for everything. History is full of horror stories of MILLIONS of people killed by their governments because they were defenseless. And it continues today. Slaves don’t own guns. Do you prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery? I don’t.