Archive | Controversy
Over the past few years, Walt Disney has shown their distaste for metal by banning multiple groups from performing their House Of Blues venues in Florida. Machine Head have been the most notable metal band that Disney has banned. However, now it looks like Exodus are their latest victim.
Exodus recently announced will be playing in Tampa, FL on April 13 instead of at the Metal Alliance Tour’s stop at the House of Blues in Lake Buena Vista, FL. And according to the thrash legends, it’s all due to Disney. “Because Disney has decided that Exodus is TOO METAL for them, we will NOT be playing the Lake Buena Vista HOB show in Florida, but the fine thrash maniacs in Tampa have invited us to rage at the Orpheum (http://www.ticketfly.com/event/218319) instead. Who’s comin’ out for a Lesson in Violence?,” Exodus said in a post on Facebook.
It’s bad enough that the Walt Disney Corporation continues to ban metal groups at all. However, why they chose to single out Exodus (and not the other bands on the tour, including Anthrax, High On Fire, Municipal Waste and Holy Grail) baffles us. If you weren’t planning on attending the Metal Alliance Tour at the House of Blues in Lake Buena Vista, FL, you can get tickets to Exodus’ show at the Orpheum in Tampa online.
We wrestled with our consciences about writing about this, especially in the early stages of the story, but now that there’s been somewhat of a resolution, we’ll address it. Earlier this week, a woman from Idaho accused Gaza vocalist Jon Parkin of sexual assault. Tumblr user amindfullofyou posted a disturbing and detailed account about hanging out with Parkin, in which they wound up (platonically) falling asleep in her bed. She allegedly woke up several hours later to find him “thrusting inside” of her. She pushed him away, and said “you can’t just start shit with people who are asleep.” He apparently cowered over her asking what she was accusing him and she “deescelated the situation” by telling him to go back to sleep.
For his part, Parkin vehemently denied that anything happened. “Throwing this sort of accusation up on the internet is reckless and completely slanderous,” he commented on the band’s Facebook, saying he has friends that have been raped. “Rape infuriates me, and I never see red like I do when I hear about it. This is not a subject or an accusation I take lightly. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I could never and would never force myself on anybody.”
Today, the accuser took down her post, saying “both parties have mutually agreed on a resolution for this matter. I have agreed to delete all mentions and posts about this incident from my blog, and I will refrain from posting about this incident again.” It should be noted that while she deleted the post, she’s not saying that the alleged assault didn’t happen. “Neither of us are retracting our respective statements— instead we are deciding to not discuss it further and move on.” She also apologizes to the band and those involved with their career.
There’s no real good ending to this story. Both the accuser and Parkin are the only ones that really know what happened that night. If she “cried rape,” that doesn’t make her much less reprehensible than Parkin if he actually did sexually assault her. At least the events of the last couple days have brought situations like this to the spotlight, and if it stops either a date rape from occurring or a woman from wrongfully accusing someone of rape, then that’s the best thing that could come of this. With both Parkin and his accuser deciding to not speak further of this, neither will we.
[via Metal Injection and aux.tv]
Recently, For Today guitarist Mike Reynolds found himself at the source of controversy with tweets declaring that “homosexuality is a sin.” And it didn’t take long for the Christian metalcore group to release a statement subtly trying to put out the fire Reynolds caused.
Shortly after Reynolds first tweeted his thoughts regarding homosexuality, For Today posted the following on Facebook:
“For Today has always and will always be a band that is about loving people, we have no hatred towards any people regardless of what they believe or how they live. We may not agree on everything but Jesus loves you and died for you. And so would we.
Blessings, For Today”
So though they aren’t directly addressing Reynolds’ tweets, this can definitely be seen as an attempt to downplay what has been said without abandoning their strong Christian beliefs. However, the tweets have already caused quite a strong reaction amongst fans and other bands (with members of Stick To Your Guns, The Ghost Inside, This Is Hell and more not at all amused by Reynolds). Regardless, it’s safe to say that his tweets will be the source of tension for a little while longer.
ite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/tumblr_m7ne51NO5S1qdsywgo1_500-300×199.jpg” alt=”" width=”300″ height=”199″ />Last year, Christian metalcore band For Today put out a really solid album, Immortal, their first for Razor & Tie. And unlike some Christian bands, the Sioux City band really backs up their beliefs. In fact, their guitarist Mike Reynolds backs them up so much that he made some ignorant remarks that might cost him some potential fans that aren’t hardcore Christians. When an anti-gay pastor was pulled from giving an invocation at the President’s inauguration program, instead of agreeing that it might have been the right call, Reynolds unleashed a flurry of tweets defending him:
“There IS a state church being formed, there is going to be an exclusive acceptance of preachers who advocate the LGBT. Don’t be deceived, homosexuality is a sin. This sin with all other sins is what Jesus died for. He conquered so that we would be free.
No such thing as a gay Christian, the same as there is no such thing as a Christian who loves his sin. Don’t be fooled by the formation of a state church as though the government is being converted, they only use the name of Jesus for their Progressive liberal agenda.
If you are a Christian then separate yourself from this civil religion that advocates sin. Be true to God.”
On the one hand, you’ve got to give Reynolds credit for standing up for his Christian beliefs. On the other, it’s a little insane that there are still people that think you’ll burn in hell eternally for your sexual beliefs. I’m sure there are plenty of religious people that happen to be gay. And there are definitely plenty of people that don’t believe in God that also don’t believe that anyone should be telling them who or who not they should be having sex with.
Rich Text Area Toolbar Bold (Ctrl + B) Italic (Ctrl + I) Strikethrough (Alt + Shift + D) Unordered list (Alt + Shift + U) Ordered list (Alt + Shift + O) Blockquote (Alt + Shift + Q) Align Left (Alt + Shift + L) Align Center (Alt + Shift + C) Align Right (Alt + Shift + R) Insert/edit link (Alt + Shift + A) Unlink (Alt + Shift + S) Insert More Tag (Alt + Shift + T) Proofread Writing Toggle fullscreen mode (Alt + Shift + G) Show/Hide Kitchen Sink (Alt + Shift + Z) Add NextGEN Gallery Insert a form Embed a video from YouTube Embed a video from Google Video Embed a video from DailyMotion Embed a video from Vimeo Embed a video from Veoh Embed a video from Viddler Embed a video from Metacafe Embed a video from Blip.tv Embed a video from Flickr Embed an from IFILM / Spike.com Embed a video from MySpace Embed a Flash Video (FLV) file Embed a Quicktime video file Embed a generic video file Format – Paragraph Paragraph ▼ Underline Align Full (Alt + Shift + J) Select text color ▼ Paste as Plain Text Paste from Word Remove formatting Insert custom character Outdent Indent Undo (Ctrl + Z) Redo (Ctrl + Y) Help (Alt + Shift + H) Last year, Christian metalcore band For Today put out a really solid album, Immortal , their first for Razor & Tie. And unlike some Christian bands, the Sioux City band really backs up their beliefs. In fact, their guitarist Mike Reynolds backs them up so much that he made some ignorant remarks that might cost him some potential fans that aren’t hardcore Christians. When an anti-gay pastor was pulled from giving an invocation at the President’s inauguration program, instead of agreeing that it might have been the right call, Reynolds unleashed a flurry of tweets defending him: “There IS a state church being formed, there is going to be an exclusive acceptance of preachers who advocate the LGBT. Don’t be deceived, homosexuality is a sin. This sin with all other sins is what Jesus died for. He conquered so that we would be free. No such thing as a gay Christian, the same as there is no such thing as a Christian who loves his sin. Don’t be fooled by the formation of a state church as though the government is being converted, they only use the name of Jesus for their Progressive liberal agenda. If you are a Christian then separate yourself from this civil religion that advocates sin. Be true to God.” On the one hand, you’ve got to give Reynolds credit for standing up for his Christian beliefs. On the other, it’s a little insane that there are still people that think you’ll burn in hell eternally for your sexual beliefs. I’m sure there are plenty of religious people that happen to be gay. And there are definitely plenty of people that don’t believe in God that also don’t believe that anyone should be telling them who or who not they should be having sex with. Path : p » a » img.alignright size-medium wp-image-44651
Last year, All That Remains frontman Phil Labonte got in a bit of hot water after he called Black Veil Brides frontman Andy Biersack a “faggot” on a Facebook post. He then defended himself via social media, saying he backs gay rights 100%, and that in “six months, no one will remember this.” While they might not have remembered it six months ago, thanks to an interview in the current issue of Revolver, it’s making the news again. From Revolver (via Metal Sucks):
How about when you called Andy Biersack a faggot? After that, you had a lot of people call you homophobic.
I don’t worry about what people think about me. I’ll call everyone in my band a faggot and some people who read that get really butt-hurt. I just don’t know why. What happened to, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me”? I don’t advocate hurting someone’s feelings because of their sexual orientation, but at the same time, if it really offends you when someone says “faggot” you need to man up. It’s just a word.
Do you think gay marriage is wrong?
Absolutely not. Passing laws against gay marriage is the most ridiculous thing in the world. The idea that gay people shouldn’t enjoy the same rights that straight people do, that’s offensive to me, because they’re just people, and it certainly isn’t my right to go ahead and tell people how they can live or cannot live.”
We’re of two minds here. Labonte is to be commended for sticking up for gay rights. There are many who are probably reading his thoughts on gay marriage that are happy to have him standing up for them. On the other hand, some of those people may have been called “faggots” growing up. It’s just a word, sure, and maybe they should “man up.” But perhaps just hearing that word brings them back to a place where they were tormented by others because of their sexual orientation. And what Labonte and his band members say to each other on a tour bus is one thing, but when he has a forum that he uses to mock someone that doesn’t look or act like him, that’s something that will continue to follow him throughout his career. “Faggot” is just a word the same way the N word is just a word – it’s got a lot of stigma attached to it, and to many, it means a lot more than just any other word.
For five years now, Disney has been intimidated enough by Machine Head to ban them from performing at the venues in their parks. In 2007, they were banned from performing in Anaheim and Orlando. And earlier this week, they were told that they couldn’t play Tuesday’s show (4) in Orlando. The reasons cited five years ago were “violent imagery,” “inflammatory lyrics,” and “undesirable fans.” What”s odder still is that Dethklok, All That Remains and Black Dahlia Murder were still allowed to perform the show. Not that we’re trying to get any other bands banned by Disney, but this song and video doesn’t really fit in so well alongside “When You Wish Upon a Star.” So what’s a band to do? According to this post on their website, it’s “make an amazing shirt.”
We’re not sure if any of these designs are actually being sold, since they’re not available at the band’s online merch store, but we bet that many a Machine Head fan, especially those in Orlando and Anaheim, would pick up a shirt to show their support. And while Disney could come after the band for using their font and/or likeness of Miickey Mouse, that’s pretty unlikely. The tour wraps up next Friday in New York, and we’ll be scanning the merch booth looking for these designs.
As you may have heard, some womens groups and County Commissioners weren’t very happy with the artwork that Guns N’ Roses are using for their current residency at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The art, modeled after the original Appetite album cover, slightly cleaned up the original image, but still featured a sprawled-out girl that some, including the aforementioned, found “inappropriate.” Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow was unhappy the band were awarded an honorary renaming of Paradise Road to “Paradise City Road,” saying she wouldn’t have presided over the ceremony if she knew that there was a weird monster/rapey robot/passed out girl involved.
At any rate, there isn’t anymore. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino have removed the woman from the artwork and issued an apology.”Hard Rock Hotel & Casino regrets that the Guns N’ Roses advertising for their current shows has offended any member of the community,” they stated. “The resort has decided to further modify the art and began the process of changing the materials (Friday).” The original ad had been used in newspaper advertisements and taxi placards, and was on hotel key cards. A TV report, which appears below, found that most people weren’t particularly offended by it, but it makes sense that the Hard Rock finally cave in amid mounting protests.
[via Blabbermouth]
See that to your right? That’s the ad for Guns N’ Roses current Las Vegas residency. It’s a tamed down version of the original Robert Williams cover of Appetite for Destruction, which was banned in 1987 after several distributors refused to stock it. It was then replaced by the iconic cross logo with the band members’ faces, and the rest is history.
However, it turns out that Williams art is still a little too provocative. Even the altered version of the artwork is a little too much for a Clark County commissioner Mary Beth Scow, who told the Las Vegas Sun that she regrets that decision of the commission to temporarily rename Paradise Road to ”Paradise City Road.” The artwork from the original album cover features a passed out woman with an exposed breast, her underwear down by her knees. While the advertising for the Appetite for Democracy residency at the Joint tucked in her breast and pulled her underwear up, Scow told the Sun that the artwork was ”clearly inappropriate,” and said she hadn’t seen it before the ceremony commemorating the name change. “Maybe it’s the risk of doing business with a rock band, but I guess we’ll have some remorse over this decision,” she added. “It’s a lesson learned.” While the altered album cover is being featured in advertising including newspapers and taxicab placards, the band’s website features a more unedited version of the residency artwork.
Scow isn’t alone in her disdain. Lisa Lynn Chapman, a spokesperson for Safe Nest, a woman’s shelter, called the artwork “approval — almost a celebration — of rape and violence against women,” and wants the street name (which is honorary only) removed. “Our community has enough issues with domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and so many other violent issues that to have this being paraded around town on taxicabs and in advertising is very offensive,” she says.
Granted, the image is pretty provocative – it’s also 25 years old. And it wouldn’t have killed them to maybe just crop the woman out of the artwork. It’s not as shocking as seeing what Axl’s been looking like these days.
Looks like things aren’t getting much better for the folks involved in the Death To All Tour. Beth Schuldiner, sister of the late Chuck Schuldiner, hopped onto the forums at SMNnews to deliver this statement:
I have to step in here. I am Beth Schuldiner, Chuck’s sister. I was at the New York show and all of the guys were UNBELIEVABLE!!!! AND, so were the fans! NO ONE can take this away from them!
Ian and Anton of Sick Drummer approached us; my family and Eric with this idea to do a small tour and aside from getting the band members together, a percentage of the proceeds would benefit the Charity, Sweet Relief; a charity which helps musicians and who did in fact help Chuck. I was initially concerned, as “benefits” have been done in Chuck’s name before, while Chuck was alive and still struggling to survive and the monies were stolen. I was assured by many that this would not and could not happen. You be the judges”
Fact-Our mother, Jane, is contacted each and every day by fans who have to this day NOT received refunds for cancelled shows.
Fact: The charity, Sweet Relief has received NOTHING!!! Not ONE CENT! And, the charity’s name was used in ALL advertising of the DTA tour; the fans, many of them, wrote to me prior to the show stating that they were thrilled to be a part of the show and that some of their money was going to help this charity.
Fact-Ian and Anton (Sick Drummer) have still given NO FULL ACCOUNTING of the tour which was required of them on their own contract signed by them!
Fact-all anyone has are promissory notes signed by them with a promise to pay the charity????!!!
Fact-None of the band members were involved in collecting money or disbursing any money-they simply played and played their asses off they did! Chuck would have been both AMAZED and so very proud of ALL of them!
Fact-Eric Greif went on the tour, but was REFUSED open access to see the accounting and OVER & OVER again was reassured by Ian and Anton that all was well. ONLY Ian and Anto had access to the money and the accounting.
Again-all of you be the judge. Sold out shows-No money for the charity. Mmmm….
I don’t know who “Project genesis” on this forum is, but I can only assume he is either mislead OR a party to Ian and Anton somehow.
There must be laws against this and I have contacted the fraud department of the New York Attorney general’s office to see what recourse we have.
With Kind Regards,
Beth Schuldiner
Well, this isn’t looking good. Keep in mind that this is only one side of the story, so no real judgement can be made as of yet. It just sucks that this tour was meant to be such a momentous occasion and now has all this controversy surrounding it.
Over the past few years, Walt Disney has shown their distaste for metal by banning multiple groups from performing their House Of Blues venues in Florida. Machine Head have been the most notable metal band that Disney has banned. However, now it looks like Exodus are their latest victim.
Posted by Zach Shaw on Wed, Feb 6, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Controversy