[Harp-L] Re:Politics and Blues Harp

["Steve Power" <stevepower@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It is in the nature of art and artists that personal views on political, 
social, or religous issues are often injected into the work. This is true 
from Picasso to Woody Guthrie to Ted Nugent and beyond. Do you punish the 
artist by boycotting their art even if the offending message is not 
contained within the art itself and even if you were a fan of the artist 
until you became aware of their politics?  Shall we reject Mingus for 
releasing Politics and Blues and refuse to listen to great instrumental 
music because of titles such as "It Was a Lonely Day in Selma, Alabama" or 
"Don't Drop That Bomb on Me"?  And if the artist states a position with 
which you do agree, will you also boycott them on the same principle of 
protesting the inclusion of politics in the performance or only the ones 
with which you disagree?

I have always been of the impression that in America everyone has a right to 
believe whatever they believe. They also have a right to express that belief 
in public and others the right not to listen. The question is how far does 
one want to take that. For example, I've also been a fan of Linda Ronstadt 
for decades. I don't know what her current politics are but I suspect their 
somewhere left of center where she has always been. Personally, I pretty 
much don't care if she's a Communist or a Militia woman stocking up on 
Ak-47s. She's still a great singer singing great songs. And the cover of 
"Hasten Down the Wind" still stops me in my tracks and can make me stutter.

Having said all that, I've also been a fan of Steve Earle for ages. The last 
few years he's injected more politics into his work and his performances. 
The songs I may like or dislike depending on several factors beyond the 
message, though not necessarily excluding it. In performance however, I get 
bored if he goes on too long with between song babble, but then I get bored 
when an artist goes on too long between songs period.

For the record, politically I'm a pragmatist and something of a fallibilist. 
Don't give me ideology. Give me ideas and policies that actually work. Be 
prepared to acknowledge and change those that prove not to work. And don't 
try and baffle me with b.s.. Cite facts and be able to back it up with 
genuine proof, i.e. the truth. Unfortunately,  there is scant use of truth 
from either political party. There is much to be found in art, remembering 
that all art is subjective.