Chrissie Hynde and Neil Young: Rock of the Aged Protesters | National Review
The Pretenders Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Neil Young - 2005
(Click photo to enlarge)
A rather provocative article on the politics of Chrissie Hynde and Neil Young.
Claiming that Neil Young is a "rock-and-roll bully" and Chrissie Hynde is "an American pragmatist with a heart of gold", the article Neil Young and Chrissie Hynde: Rock of the Aged Protesters | National Review by Armond White hits all sorts of discordant notes.
The setup is Neil Young's "Open Letter to Donald Trump" saying: ‘You Are a Disgrace to My Country’ and Chrissie Hynde's tweet to President Trump on Julian Assange's extradition.
From Neil Young and Chrissie Hynde: Rock of the Aged Protesters | National Review by Armond White:
Both artists stepped outside their usual medium of the rock-and-roll record that brought them fame; their passion and creativity won our attention and instilled our fondness. Politics is not what we want from them, though, except in compelling tunes that describe the human condition and sustain our moral beliefs. Who doesn’t like “Heart of Gold” and “Brass in Pocket”? Who can resist the former’s sensitivity or the latter’s scintillation?National Review's White suggests that both Hynde and Young work their messaging on liberal or conservative audiences and that "Hynde trumps Young because her middle-American brashness instills a blue-collar noblesse oblige greater than Young’s Canadian guilelessness." It should be noted that author White seems to misinterpret Young's song "Rockin' in the Free World", which is a critique of America under George H.W. Bush. In addition, "Rockin' in the Free World" came out in 1989 on the album Freedom -- not after 9/11/01.
Pop music no longer represents the counterculture. Rolling Stone magazine hasn’t caught on, but it’s time that rock-and-roll politics change and shift.
Only the recent antagonism in current affairs of state could cause crowd-pleasers Young and Hynde to draw such startling political contrasts and reveal their divergent, individual styles. Pop artists are not role models so much as bellwethers of human potential, and though it’s usually best to ignore their off-stage actions, the two musicians’ difference in behavior can reveal our moral and political options.
Full article @ Neil Young and Chrissie Hynde: Rock of the Aged Protesters | National Review by Armond White.
Neil Young Inducting The Pretenders @
2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony
More on Chrissie Hynde and Neil Young Inducting The Pretenders into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Also, see:
- Politics of CSNY Freedom of Speech Tour
- Lynyrd, John, George & Neil
- Northern Man, Southern Man and The Un-Civil Wars of Donald Trump & Neil Young
- Neil Young Sings Truth to Power The World Listens
- Will Neil Young's "Living With War" be Rock's "Fahrenheit 9/11"?
Neil Young Speaks Truth to Power
Neil Rocks on CNN
Labels: neil young, politics, protest music
by thrasher@PermaLink: 3/02/2020 02:14:00 PM
9 comments
>> Pre-Order on Amazon.com << 
Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.thrasherswheat.org/gifs/free-speech.gif)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
"We're The Ones 
Thanks for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat!
This blog 
(... he didn't kill himself either...)
#AaronDidntKillHimself
Neil Young's Moon Songs
Civic Duty Is Not Terrorism
Orwell (and Grandpa) Was Right
What's So Funny About 
9 Comments:
Artists have the same rights as anyone else. Just because their platform may be larger than mine shouldn’t prevent them from speaking their minds. To agree or disagree with the way things are is a fundamental right for everyone; at least in the United States (for now) anyway. I don’t always agree with Neil on everything he says or does, but that is no reason for him not do or say these things. Fame brings with it a certain amount of attention, and not everyone handles that attention gracefully, but they are still free to handle it in the way they see fit.
John Lennon was ridiculed for spending a week in bed for peace, and although it may not have been as effective as he and Yoko had hoped; they certainly did get people talking. Just getting people to wake up for a few minutes and talk about peace was a success in itself. This may not be the best example, but it was the first thing that came to mind. There have been countless examples of musicians working together to get out the vote, or help someone who has been wrongfully accused of something. Raising funds for disaster relief or cancer, the list goes on.
Fame carries a very powerful position in this crazy world, and if someone with it can help make the world a better place then I have no
problem with it. As politics goes, we all have the same rights. Use it or not, it’s a personal choice everyone has. Famous or not.
Peace.
Armond White has a long and controversial history as a critic: https://hazlitt.net/feature/critical-failure
Armond Who?
@Ross: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armond_White
Almond Paste
People have told me 'I came to hear Neil's music, not his politics' for years & even though I don't agree with everything he says I've always replied that I came to hear both. I will also say I agree with a lot more of what Neil says than I disagree with but we live in such different circumstances it would be foolish to expect either of us to completely embrace the other's viewpoints on everything.
@ Dan - thanks, as always, for sharing your thoughts here with us. Appreciated.
Simply a writer looking for some attention...
@ unknown- but aren't we all? We include ourselves and you.
Some have meaningful words to say. Unknown others ...
Post a Comment
<< Home