Listening to music made by artists who’ve turned out to be wrong’uns

Sitting here at work, attempting to alleviate the boredom somewhat by listening to some music on my phone and the random shuffle has popped up some Smiths. I have three or four Smiths albums, but I have a nagging doubt/guilt about enjoying it now, given that Mozza is becoming an increasingly far-right nut-job.

I get same doubts about Michael Jackson (three amazing albums, but unproven-but-probable kiddie-fiddler) and even Phil Spector produced stuff (amazingly innovative Wall of Sound production, but, well, a murderer).

Is this Gaurdian-reading-wet-liberal-hand-wringing too far on my part, or not?

Do you want to be in my gang?

Ooh, you are awful…

Funny in Joker (the film) they use “Rock N Roll Part II” by that paedo fella with the big quiff. And it sounded brilliant!
Personally, I can separate the artiste from the human wrong’un, so will listen to anything that I was already into. I mean morrissey’s politics? WGAF. Apparently Iggy was a right misogynist, I read a biography that’s sole intent seemed to be to put people off him! – but my life wouldn’t have been the same without his music.

Nope, just the fake sound of progress.

What happens to the sings rights in these cases? Do the bands/lable have a gross misconduct clause to fire them or do they keep getting royalty cheques?

I think my oppinion would be diffrrent if I felt like I was giving them money.

My personal rule is it’s OK to listen to MJ from before he probably got dodgy, so up to Bad.

Yes it’s handy that co-incides with when he went shit, but I don’t make the rules.

Oh yes, I do actually. Sorry.

Michael Jackson?
I prefer to take positives from everyone, otherwise people who don’t meet your moral framework become ‘other, non people’ that is a dangerous road.

I was obsessed with the Smiths in the 80’s. Won’t listen to them now. Can only guess that Morrissey was always a bit like he is now but wasn’t talking about it. I realise that it is common for people to become a bit more right wing as they age but he is taking the piss.

I don’t think anyone would listen to any of the Lost Prophets music.

MJ is difficult one, mainly because we are talking about the biggest selling solo artist of all-time. Its difficult to erase that, even if you really wanted too.

I have a similar conundrum with the acting of Kevin Spacey. I mean he is absolutely sublime in LA Confidential and American Beauty, early seasons of House of Cards are similarly good.

But you know turns out he’s a horrible creepy bastard?

So you know conflicted. If anything its harder with actors as there is more of them in a film than a 5 minute song , if that makes sense.

The Who with Pete Townshend are still touring (although in the USA protesters often picket the gigs), but I won’t listen to them anymore, makes me a bit queasy…………

I think my oppinion would be diffrrent if I felt like I was giving them money

This is what surprised me about Gary Glitter in the film. Does he get royalties for that? They should’ve used something else if so – Plenty of other tracks would’ve worked.

I don’t think anyone would listen to any of the Lost Prophets music.

This

I still listen to The Smiths as he is just a bit of a headcase with extreme views. Ian Watkins is on a completely different level (as is Gary Glitter).

I don’t think anyone would listen to any of the Lost Prophets music.

Indeed, it’s an issue for me. Been to see them live a few times and loved their music… but since, well, you know…. they’ve not been played.

Michael Jackson – society had a massive part in making him who he was – massive and ‘suffocating’ fandom from a very early ago – completely not allowed to have a normal life. See the Joker film…

Kevin Spacey – no such history.

In soul/funk music there are loads of dogy characters…

Roger Waters he’s a just plain wrong. Makes it hard to listen anything Pink Floyd

Hmm. That STW playlist maybe needs updated…

Ian Watkins is on a completely different level (as is Gary Glitter).

Although when people are that revolting, it’s hard to compare, I think Watkins is on another level to Gadd.

I don’t think anyone would listen to any of the Lost Prophets music.

I saw them on one of the NME tours years ago. Proud to say I tried to get near to the singer to shout abuse at how shit they were – that his Mike Patton impression was pathetic. Couldn’t get close enough for him to hear me though, as he was literally surrounded by young girls. Very sad looking back. Hopefully they were a bit above his preferred age range.

This is what surprised me about Gary Glitter in the film. Does he get royalties for that?

He did if the front pages of the tabloids yesterday are to be believed.

I don’t really have any moral issue with the Smiths. I’ve always thought they were shit, self-indulgent navel-gazing dreary toss. As my mother once described them, “music to cut your wrists too.” I shall cheerfully carry on not listening to them now that Morrissey has revealed himself to be the weapons-grade shitbag I always suspected he was.

Gary “up the” Glitter similarly, was never particularly a fan so meh.

Michael Jackson, I guess we’ll never know for sure but I’m inclined to think he was innocent. He was rich, famous and downright weird so that made him an easy target. I don’t think he liked the company of kids because he was a nonce but rather because he was only 14 mentally himself.

Lost Prophets can get in the sea.

What has Roger Waters done?

I like quite a lot of Kanye Wests music. He is one of the biggest bellends on the planet but not, as far as I am aware, actually a wrong’un. I do struggle with this.

Having this dilemma with Die Antwoord at the moment. I don’t see anything wrong with listening to music you like no matter how repulsive the people who made it turn out to be.

My problem is that every time it plays on my spotify they get a fraction of a penny.

Dodgy politics is one thing. Sexual assualt / kiddy fiddling another altogether.

trouble is where do you stop? Bill Wyman? Pete Townsend? John Peel?

Lost Prophets I never knew as a band. Micheal Jackson, John Peel and The Who were a part of my youth and an important part

Its not something I have an answer to

Put the Guardian away IHN – Morrissey (peace be upon him) is the opposite of a wrong un. He could spend the rest of his life making crabby arlarse comments about a society he no longer understands, and it wouldn’t have one millionth of the impact his songwriting and music have on generations of people. To this day.

Save your opprobrium for the obvious wrong’uns who’ve actually done terrible crimes, in and out of music.

I prefer listening to Marr singing Smiths songs now.

Morrissey’s solo stuff still gets played here a lot though, even stuff that with hindsight has very challenging lyrics. But then, we can read books written by people proposing what they think is some kind of utopia, but we see as positively dystopian, yes? Words from someone who’s world view you find diametrically opposed to your own can be interesting and rewarding, especially fiction.

I had a Lost Prophets song (a Cure cover) in my collection, a deleted it the day I found out about the details of the lead singers crimes. His works and name should be deleted from history, in my opinion.

I’m another who’s walking the line between separating the man and the usic – becuase to date, it’s ALL been men.

Lostprophets is the one I struggle with most – I loved their albums and vile as Watkins is, he was only the singer and the band is more than just the singer. Still haven;t listened to their music since we found out though

His works and name should be deleted from history.

got to feel for the rest of the band (who apparently didn’t have a clue). 15 years of work that will probably never be listened to again by most, let alone ever heard on the radio.

If you refuse to listen to music because the singer is a jerk then you end up with a very short list of people to listen to.

Another person I have trouble with is Ian Botham. a hero to the younger me. Now an apologist for hunting which I loathe. I think that makes him a bellend now but does not diminish from his exploits

Same with Morrisey – allways an utter bellend but dodgy politics does not invalidate him unless he steps over a line to racism or similar and more importantly uses his music to promote this sort of view

Jackson was both a victim and a perpetrator which makes puts him in a very difficult space to assess

John Peel

I still listen to all his albums.

Thing is, back in the 60s/70s (maybe 80s) underage groupies were all over the bands. I just read a Kinks biog and Dave Davies admits to all kinds of stuff – they didn’t know, or care the age of girls throwing themselves at them, and I very much doubt many of us would’ve, being put in that position (fnaar) back then. Dave Hill and GG admit to buying a house next to a girls’ school (I think this was on This is Your Life?), but Slade are still going to get royalties off that Christmas song. Led Zep and all that lot – you can bet your life they weren’t squeaky clean!
What about Elton John eh? Oh yeah, I forget, it’s just his music that’s shit and wrong.. 😆

Roger Waters he’s a just plain wrong. Makes it hard to listen anything Pink Floyd

What’s the deal with Roger Waters? He doesn’t strike me as a particularly nice guy and certainly not easy to get on with, but has he actually done anything bad? A very quick Google didn’t turn up any mud other than the usual on-going spat with Gilmour.

Makes me laugh…. So if morrissey ultimately had these views and kept them to himself you’d be none the wiser and love his music and ‘lyrics’

Yet because he has an opinion different to yours just like everyone else is entitled to on the planet you choose not to listen to them

Wow……

Not really comparable to massive paedos is it!?

What’s the deal with Roger Waters?

I read an interview with him about a year ago (Uncut mag, I think), he expressed pretty strong anti-Trump views, which the mag got letters about. Seemed ok to me. I almost had a listen to his music in response to the interview, but then realised he was an old hasbeen 😀

Luckily I never liked the Smiths.

Michael Jackson is a tricky one as it’s very hard to work out fact from fiction. I tend to give him the benefit of the doubt, although there is no shortage of smoke!

Pete Townshend is another difficult one for me. I certainly wouldn’t let my kids anywhere near him, but again a lot of fact/fiction confusion.

But what I do find very interesting is how certain people turn out to be polar opposites from how they are portrayed by the media. John Lydon immediately springs to mind. I’d love to have a beer with him. Ozzy Osbourne seems like a great bloke too.

Although when people are that revolting, it’s hard to compare, I think Watkins is on another level to Gadd.

Agreed, but it’s just degrees of evil. He still gets fan (groupie) mail from grown women too – this is something I really cannot comprehend.

Similarly what’s the deal with Die Antwoord – i know nothing about them apart from the odd insane video. I assumed they weren’t real people and it was all pretend…but now brucewee has got me curious?

Morrissey is simple though – hasn’t done anything as good as bona drag so you don’t have to listen to anything from the failed racist agitator for attention years!

If you are specifically talking about artists/composers/musicians throughout history then you’d probably find that many of them have questionable ethics especially when judged by today’s standards. Personally I’d rather separate the art from the artist although whether you can call Gary Glitter’s work art is a separate discussion.

I also never liked the smiths.

According to Wikipedia up to 5pc of Men are peados. [1] That’s why I never eat or drink anything because a percentage of the people who work in farming/shops/water treatment are peados.

So yeah, I really don’t GAF about the artist, their work is totally independent of them as people. Adolf Hitler designed the shape of the VW Beetle, I can still smile when I watch “Herbie goes Bananas” with my kids.

You can almost feel the evil staring out of it, can’t you?