METAL-POLITICS

These 10 metal musicians may be the last honest politicians left

Did you ever notice how politicians are quick to blame rock ‘n’ roll for any perceived societal problem? As long as there’s been rock, there’s always been a status quo with bunched panties. Which is why we need more metal musicians in politics.

Today’s APTV clip takes a walk through history, championing the great strides metal musicians (and a punk or two) have made in politics. Some of them actually held an elected office. Others raised consciousness on issues. What do they have in common? Ultimately, they all proved to be more ideologically correct than the politicians they faced off against.

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Our political metal musicians video has some variety, from old-school icons to relative unknowns. Not all of them have American passports. And that’s the beauty of it. Metal is all about a great sense of freedom and the underdog triumphing over whatever bastards are in charge. The diverse nature of their backstories further exemplifies the sonic and social breadth of their chosen genre. Tell a group of metalheads they can’t do something? You’re going to get one hell of a mighty push-back. Get a helmet.

These are the metal musicians who got things done. That one dude who warned the world years ago he “wasn’t going to take it.” The goth-metal icon targeted by school shooters who dared to play an open air show even though law enforcement couldn’t guarantee his safety. A hardcore avatar that accelerated change in his hometown. One of metal’s finest outfits demanding an acknowledgement of an ugly moment in world history. There’s one guy who ran for office thinking he wouldn’t place and won in a landslide. And he still did the work. The takeaway here? Power and passion are things that run massively deep in metal circles. Oh, and guitar solos.