Bob Dylan’s guitar early on in A Complete Unknown, had the famous “This machine kills Fascists” sticker on. Was wondering who the powerful anti-Fascist musicians are now. Taylor Swift?
Comments
Log in with your Bluesky account to leave a comment
Certainly @billybragg.bsky.social to which I would add Steve Van Zandt from an older generation and @hannahwhitemusic.bsky.social from up and coming artists
Look at their feeds and follows and you’ll find plenty more✊
Wondering aloud is a good thing here! Start in the world of non music row country and work from there - Don't Rock The Inbox (Substack) hosted by @natalieweiner.bsky.social and @marissarmoss.bsky.social certainly has a great grasp on all things US which easily passes us by this side of the pond
The energy behind the original recording of “Like A Rolling Stone” is as politically meaningful and effectively subversive as the lyrics of “Blowin in the Wind” or “Masters of War.”
Rock n roll itself is a powerful influence, often having little to do with the lyrics. The Stones can be heroes absolutely everywhere not because of “Street Fighting Man” but because the music itself opposes everything dictatorial.
Haven’t seen the film but it was Guthrie, not Dylan, who painted it on his guitar after WWII metal machinists put it on their equipment. Dylan has spent a lifetime denying that he ever cared to be a folk hero or leader of any movement or generation - he wanted to play rock n roll. It’s complicated…
You might be surprised. She’s empowering young girls in a way none of those men ever even considered doing. It’s not as direct but could be impactful in years to come.
There are a lot who speak powerfully (Bob Vylan, Sleaford Mods, and I still count Billy Bragg as current) but none of these are powerful ... maybe Beyoncé is the most popular political musician?
There are plenty of political anti fascist groups, but the real question is who comes on top combining level of anti-fascism and reach/audience
But also depends a lot on what sort of stuff you even call anti fascism. Beyonce advances the cause of US black women, but is also capitalist & pro US mil
Comments
Before Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie.
Look at their feeds and follows and you’ll find plenty more✊
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9f-F1CAB24
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Woody_Guthrie_2.jpg
No idea who the kids are listening to these days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHNzQlufkQE
But also depends a lot on what sort of stuff you even call anti fascism. Beyonce advances the cause of US black women, but is also capitalist & pro US mil
I can also think of many big pop singers way more political and unspoken than Taylor Swift, including on feminism.
Aurora, Paris Paloma, Ethel cain, Florence and the machine etx
He went viral but does have the goods to be a lot more than just a blip. I feel like he's gonna have to struggle for oxygen here though.