Testament’s Alex Skolnick shared on X why he believes politics should stay off the live stage.
“Hypothetically- you’re on tour with a performer who throws up political banners (images) and uses stage time for speeches out of regular routine. Do you engage with this person?” a user on the platform asked the guitarist.
“A concert is a concert, people have paid good money to attend, it’s not fair to bring politics in on that level,” Skolnick replied. “I’d tell the person it’s not appropriate, even if I’m in agreement politically. Mentioning a political issue, especially if it relates to a song, is ok. But no banners.”
He added, “2) Btw, should be obvious but that does not apply to social media, which is free of charge and if someone doesn’t like political opinions, they don’t have to follow.”
Skolnick has always been open about his political views on social media. In September, he shared his thoughts on politics and if his views hurt the band. Alex had a debate on X about his rap song ‘Trump Sucks.’ The title and the song caused some controversy. Many people said they wouldn’t listen to his music because of politics.
One person wrote, “I’m listening to your music because of your politics. I hope that’s a refreshing counterbalance.” The musician replied, “For every ‘I HATE YOUR POLITICS AND AM DONE WITH YOU & YOUR MUSIC!!’ there are many more like this. THANK YOU.”
When a user asked him about his album sales, Skolnick responded, “Album no longer count. Ticket sales do. And they’re better than ever.”
The guitarist has often spoken about politics and its impact on his band. “Quite a few fans of Testament have threatened to stop listening to the band as a direct result of my mainstream, left-of-center views,” Alex said in a 2021 article.
He continued, “Such threats seemed to peak in the wake of my most notorious moment: a self-produced, comedic rap video titled ‘Trump Sucks,’ released prior to the 2020 U.S. election. The track — one in which I proudly wear Zappa’s influence on my sleeve — was thankfully found to be hilarious by the other members of Testament.”
Another rocker who agrees with Skolnick is the Doors’ John Densmore. The drummer said he doesn’t like ‘shut up and drum’ comments and feels the need to speak out about politics. Skolnick supported Densmore by sharing his statement on his Instagram story and liking the post.
2) Btw, should be obvious but that does not apply to social media, which is free of charge and if someone doesn’t like political opinions, they don’t have to follow.
— Alex Skolnick (@AlexSkolnick) November 18, 2024
