they certainly can be, and alot of the time are used as a gimmick, and by gimmick i mean, the band is relying on them for attention rather then the music. the name 'anti-flag' for example is just screaming for attention, because everyone is into polotics at the moment, again, i couldnt make out their lyrics because of their whiney voices, but as far as the title goes, its dying for attention.
Whether that's why they get attention or not is irrelevant, when they are a political band the name will more likely than not reflect that. HOWEVER; it's not a gimmick. Why, you say? Well how can they avoid using a gimmick and still be political in your opinion? If we follow your standards they can't; "if they're political it's all a gimmick" you automatically say. This is just silly; they're concerned with politics, or more accurately different sides of society and want to sing about that; and that should be accepted. It's a choice of what kind of lyrics they want, and they choose that; others choose otherwhise and they're no different. In the end it's all about music. You don't like it; many do, and punk is a great and varied genre.
Since you can't hear the lyrics I'll post em for you.
-A New Kind of Army-
LOOK BACK... on history, nothing much has changed
THOUSANDS... of soldiers of all countries, all marching the same
Every nation's leader says that "our side is right
Every nations leader says the time has come to fight
But they use the common people to settle their scores
It's time that we refuse to fight in any of their wars!
We're lookin to start a new army, (that's) too smart to fight, too smart to die
We're lookin to start a new army, (that's) too smart to fight, too smart to
kill... for you!
Join now... the ranks of all nations who refuse to go to war
Refuse... to pull the trigger of a gun for leaders 'round the world
I'd rather fight to spread some tolerance & unity
Than buy into their nationalistic brainwashing
Killing mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, common human beings
Not savages but people, like you, like me!
We're looking for a few good men
We're looking for a few good womyn
Who are not afraid to fight against tyranny
But who refuse to fight....with tyranny
Refuse!!!!!
We're looking to start a new army, (that's) too smart to fight, too smart to die
We're looking to start a new army, (that's) too smart to fight, too smart to
kill... FOR YOU!
"Everyone are allowed to say that any kind of music sucks, without you going bananas and attacking them "Dewd, U be fvckin stoopid".
Sound familiar? Same thing you said to be in another post
You also say this: "It's a choice of what kind of lyrics they want, and they choose that; others choose otherwhise and they're no different. In the end it's all about music. You don't like it; many do..."
you basically said they same exact thing as i was saying in the other post but in simplier terms.
Talk about hypocrits
I like The Corporate Avenger..........
It's not about "like it or leave it"..............
We were born here. This is our land. Some of us are actually native to this land (myself included, well atleast half of me).........we shouldn't have to go anywhere. All countries have governments............most don't lie. China says, "we aren't a democracy......you people don't have a choice"..........they admit it freely. I'm fine with that. The U.S. says the exact opposite, "we are a democracy, the people make the decisions".......okay, then why is George Bush president? Don't get me wrong.........I like the guy and think he's done a good job but he did not win the popular election (the one THE PEOPLE vote in).......he won the votes of the electoral college........it is a matter of record that more U.S. citizens voted for Al Gore than voted for George Bush. The people made their choice........the government ignored it. That is hypocracy. I don't like hypocracy................and I'm not going to leave MY land because of somebody else's idiocy........I will however point their own idiocy and hypocracy out to them.
If I go to your house backfire and piss in your kitchen floor and said, "if you don't like it you can leave it"........would you just walk out of your house? Hell no you wouldn't..........it's your house........you would probably be up for a fight..................
so you're comparing someone pissong on the floor of my house, to the way the country is being run? ok, i guess i can buy that, but its a pretty crappy metaphor. someone walking into my house and leaving their bodily waste on the kitchen floor has absolutely nothing to do with the peeople whining about how they disagree with the way this country is run, and will continue to be run, despite their whiny music. id really like to hear what some of these bands would do if they got a chance to actually change america. they'd really screw things up i bet. they'd probably try to be peacefull in a world of anger and hate. they'd try to talk to the other countries, and accept the lies the countries told them (we have no bombs) they'd probably be very liniant, then all of a sudden, BAM! a country attacks america and they wouldnt kno what to do, they'd try to talk it over, talk to the leader of whatever country lauched the bomb, and believe his lies (oh it was a mistake, sorry, wont happen again) and then BAM!! another bomb from another country will be launched, and this will repeat over and over untill the country is dead. anyways, my point is, this country is run just fine, its run the way it HAS to be run. when you ar ea country as powerful, and as hated as america, you have to make sure the other nations know you're power, and know that if you attack us, or in the case of iraq, disobey a treaty you made with us during the last war, then you have to assume the consequences. and if long haired hippies with guitarrs dont like it, you'll have to excuse me if i take their opinion with a grain of salt.
I can understand what you are saying...............if ofcourse some band is whining about wanting peace and love and all that other unrealistic bullshit in our modern world............I was speaking of the bands like Corporate Avenger and the Sex Pistols who like to point out the hypocracy in governments..........
and it was a good analogy.......
MY land - YOUR house we own it......it is ours....
Pissing on floor - Taking freedom away from a democratic country ....................somebody else is coming into MY land/YOUR house and attempting to ruin it.............they do not have the right.......MY democratic country/YOUR house........what we the people say in a democratic country goes just as what you say in your own house goes.........ofcourse therein lies the hypocracy...........you can choose to let whoever you want into your house but we the people voted to put Al Gore into the office of president of the U.S.A........they counted our votes and decided to do whatever the hell they wanted to which happened to be the exact opposite of what "we the people" said.
dude america is totally democratic its all bout the people, the problems with america is not the goverment, its the people. All these damn extreme activists who get an idea in there head go and try and change laws. Its true america has lost some freedoms but its the peoples choice. The system may not be perfect but its been perfect enough to keep america the power country of the world, so dont say its the system that sucks its the people.