Another bandwagon to jump on. Aye caramba. “I have been with Neil Young and Joni Mitchell since 1971, and I am with them now against Spotify”, one of my ‘friends’ states on Facebook. Just one of the many posts like this over the past couple days. I don’t understand what is going on with my so called “liberal” brothers and sisters. It’s always another thing to be mad about, to cancel others out about, to ‘believe this wholly or else’ about. Give me a break. Since when does liberalism mean taking away free-speech?
I don’t have to agree with what you say or think, nor you me. But when I don’t agree with what you say or think, I have a choice. I can stop listening to you or I can try to understand you. I can have a conversation with you. I can ask questions, or I can walk away. When I walk away, I don’t have to try to convince others to follow suit. They can make their own decisions. Now days, everyone is so quick to dismiss others and stand in their own righteous indignation, make demands, and start a new campaign based on some buzz words and emotion. It’s insane.
Let’s just focus on this new one for a minute. The Neil Young vs. Joe Rogan vs. Spotify. Neil Young disagrees with Joe Rogan. He believes vehemently that Joe Rogan is spreading mis-information and since Spotify is a platform for both the former and the latter, the musician demanded “it’s him or me” like a narcissistic cry-baby, and now people are dropping their Spotify accounts. Okay here’s the problem (well there are so many), anytime someone makes such a demand, I personally almost instinctively want to side with the other person. How dare anyone be so righteous? We’re all here together. Now, take this old hippie, free-speech pushin’, love your brother totin’ dude. What the actual fuck? Where’s the understanding? What happened to “live and let live”? When have force and ultimatums ever made someone change their mind on what they believe to be true? Why not stand up and say “I don’t like what this guy has to say and here’s why...”? Why not use this as an opportunity to have an intelligent discussion and to educate people? Why this ridiculous “all or nothing,” “my way or the highway,” “you’re either with me or against me”, “I’m right and you’re wrong” stance? It’s exhausting.
Okay, now this. If you want to cancel Spotify, maybe you should consider doing it because of the low payouts to the musicians, or like Neil Young stated before, poor sound quality. If he (and now Joni Mitchell) wants to speak out about the atrocities related to featured artists on Spotify, maybe he/they should speak out about the violent criminals, child rapists, wife-beaters, etc. that are on that platform instead of the guy that he doesn’t/ they don’t agree with. Doesn’t that seem more logical?
It’s common knowledge that Michael Jackson sexually abused so many children during his lifetime and career. Marylin Manson has been accused by several women of sexual assault, human trafficking, and other various forms abuse. Hell, a quick Google search gave me a list of musicians with criminal records. Now, I’m speaking of violence (assault, battery, armed robbery, rape, etc.), not white collar crimes or drugs (unless of course they were under the influence and caused physical harm to others); Tupak Shakur, G.G. Allin, Ian Brown, Sid Viscous, Peter Yarrow, Phil Spector, Chuck Berry, Faust, Big Lurch, Snow, Johnny Paycheck, Jim Gordon, Gary Glitter, Gary U. S. Bonds, James Brown, Bobby Brown, Johnathan King, Leadbelly, Rick James, David Allen Coe, Wilson Pickett, Arthur Lee, and The Prisonaries (a group literally comprised of inmates serving time for rape, murder and manslaughter) to name a few are on the list – all these musicians are available on Spotify.
Why isn’t anyone outraged about this? Why isn’t anyone demanding “It’s them or me!”, starting a campaign, or dropping the platform on this basis? Well, I suppose many people just love the music and appreciate it at face value, personal and political issues aside. Often people don't even realize these things. Then again, many people just want to follow the crowd based on histrionics. How can anyone stand up and say “this person has no right to say things I disagree with and I’m against any platform that allows them a voice” but not give a fuck about the actual heinous crimes of the others on the same platform prior to the current outcry? This is absurd.
Why isn’t Neil Young standing up and making demands regarding the music industry’s blind eye related to violent musicians? All these savage criminals available for everyone to hear, but he’s throwing a temper tantrum and giving ultimatums about a man who he disagrees with. Apparently when he sang “keep on rockin’ in the free world” he only meant for those whose beliefs align with his. Hey Neil Young, how about you use your status and clout to speak up about something important? Or better yet, why not use Spotify as a tool and ask your nemesis for a debate? You had a perfect opportunity and yet you behaved ‘like a hurricane’, powerful and destructive.
As always, this is just my opinion. "Believe it if you need it, or leave it if you dare..." (I'd rather listen to the Grateful Dead anyway).