David Draiman of Disturbed shared his views with Billy Corgan on whether music should be political.
Draiman was the latest guest on Corgan’s The Magnificent Others podcast, which was released earlier today (April 15). During their hour-and-a-half conversation, they discussed the political engagement of artists, with Corgan asking Draiman if music and politics should be intertwined.
“I think musicians should speak to their heart no matter what it may be,” Draiman stated.
“The tradition of protest music has been a long one. There’s no reason why art can’t be fused, or shouldn’t be fused — in fact, it absolutely, positively should be fused with intensely powerful messages.”
Corgan noted the political nature of music in the 1960s and compared it to today, suggesting that many artists might hesitate to make political statements for fear of alienating their audience and “paying the price” for taking a stance.
Draiman concurred, saying, “It’s not courage, it’s cowardice. You’re just talking into an echo chamber… What purpose does it serve other than everybody patting themselves on the back?”
The Disturbed frontman addressed a significant issue in the U.S. today: social unrest stemming from the increased presence of ICE agents in cities. He indicated that his views are somewhat moderate, expressing support for police and federal agencies while advocating for a faster citizenship process in the U.S.
Corgan recognized the absence of initiatives to create “pathways to citizenship” that could help alleviate ongoing tensions, and Draiman agreed.
“I wish that people were thinking more of that than trying to take every single issue that they can find and use it as some sort of partisan political tool to attack the other side and that’s what I see happening on a regular basis,” Draiman asserted.
“I think people sow division because they can profit from it and they continue to do so. They continue to empower themselves and enrich themselves.”
Check out the full episode below to hear more from their conversation.
David Draiman Discusses Whether Music Should Be Political with Billy Corgan
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Gallery Credit: Jordan Blum
