Don Henley got booed at concert

burrow_owl

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I think its entirely dishonest for the 'entertainer' to give you anything but what you paid money to enjoy.
I'd bet that for every person there to hear the music of Don Henley, there are 2 that are there to bask in the aura of Don Henley-the-personality, which includes his (well-known) political stance. If that's the case, he'd be cheating people by not saying something self-indulgent about Walden Pond or Iraq or how P2P networks are cheating already-wealthy musicians out of money.
 
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SuzQ

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How many on here like Don Henley's music (you can include Eagles stuff), yet had NO IDEA where he stood politically?

I'll start - I did NOT have any clue, as I listen to the MUSIC, not follow someone's personal life.

What happened to stars being THANKFUL TO THEIR LOYAL FANS for where they are? If it wasn't for us, they would not be the rich musicians they are. Well, when half of your fans support their President, then a musician should respect that when they've paid hard-earned money to hear their MUSIC. I feel the same way about Bruce Springsteen - who is a "poster boy" for America & patriotism. Does he realize how many REPUBLICAN fans have bought his music, concert tickets, etc, etc over the years??? But, no, the purpose of his new concert will only be to OUST the President. Sorry, Bruce, you lost my money on a ticket. Go ahead and gather those that share your view & play only to them. Some of you say it's "free speech". I call it BLATANT discrimination - in AMERICA??!!

P.S. Again, quit using Toby Keith because his MUSIC is all about patriotism & supporting the troops. I even know that & am not even a country music fan.
 
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jameseb

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SuzQ,

I had no idea about his politics either. Though burrow_owl claims that it is "well known." The vast majority of music fans are not fanatical followers of musicians and aren't always up to speed on their politics. At least I'm not so infatuated with an artist myself. Regardless, I'm sure my local movie theater owner has his political views too, but as eldermike suggested, I wouldn't be very happy about him stopping the movie to preach his politics to me.
 
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burrow_owl

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I had no idea about his politics either. Though burrow_owl claims that it is "well known."
Consider me shocked. Shocked! I've never paid much attention to Don Henley, but I've known his political affiliation and level of devotion just from things like flipping through channels and landing on ET for 5 seconds, or seeing the headline of his editorial pieces, etc.

On second thought, everyone should have an idea, just as I should know at least a little about the Nuge's politics if I were a fan of his (and his penchant for shooting arrows at effigies of those for whom he cares not)
 
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SuzQ

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burrow_owl said:
Consider me shocked. Shocked! I've never paid much attention to Don Henley, but I've known his political affiliation and level of devotion just from things like flipping through channels and landing on ET for 5 seconds, or seeing the headline of his editorial pieces, etc.

On second thought, everyone should have an idea, just as I should know at least a little about the Nuge's politics if I were a fan of his (and his penchant for shooting arrows at effigies of those for whom he cares not)

That's why I wanted a quick poll, to make sure I wasn't the only one who never heard Don Henley even speak, let alone hear his politics. I don't think knowing someone is a "Democrat" counts. I also don't have the time or inclination to "study" the politics of EVERY musician I listen to. Egads. I would have no life, LOL!

Ben Affleck supports John Kerry, period. He doesn't use low, immature remarks about the President, to my knowledge. Yet, has ANYONE, anyone at all from the right showed anger or outrage with Ben Affleck in the media?? Nope. In fact, he was praised by many for his presence & rhetoric at the DNC. He spoke eloquently about the ISSUES. Same with our lovely Mr. Wayne Newton - he travels around with Bush & simply supports him as the candidate. How would the Vegas crowd feel if Newton slammed Kerry's Vietnam record in the middle of one of his concerts? See what I mean? The same people who cheered Linda Ronstadt would have boo'ed and walked out, no?

So, answer me this: why doesn't Don, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, REM just show support for Kerry? Why does the rhetoric & concert have to be "anti-Bush"??? Guess what? It can backfire, big time. The negativity may even garner BUSH more votes from those sitting on the fence who are angered & sympathetic!! Obviously their intent means they want people to vote for Kerry, so why not just say, "Vote for Kerry" concert??? (Still wouldn't buy a ticket, but would not have as hard of feelings about it, either).

BIG difference in supporting a party & candidate.....and just slamming the opponent & ripping them to shreds?? Class & dignity. Two words missing from a lot of people's vocabulary these days.
 
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MichaelFJF

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I didn't have a clue about Henley's politics either. As a matter of fact I don't CARE about celebrities politics until they shove it down my throat. Toby Keith has made a career (lately anyway) out of patriotic songs. Henley? Whos cares? If I agree with a singer's politics, I might be a little more willing to go to a concert. If I disagree - a little less. If they stop a show and preach and I disagree - I might boo and leave. If they can't live with the reactions - boo hoo get a job. M
 
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SpaceProg

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Well, it's been said already, but if they're paid to give a concert and to make music, and NOT paid to get up there and wax political and attack the President, I think it's only fair to the consumer buying the tickets for them to eschew their political leanings at least long enough to do their concert. What they do and say off the stage is their own business.

They have to realise that not EVERYONE in the audience will automatically believe what they say just because they're in 'the biz'.

If they think they can spout off their political leanings and try to force feed Bush/Kerry bashing to the folks in the audience without people booing and walking out, then they need a reality check.

There's free speech in America, but also freedom of disagreeing with what the person is free-speaking about.
 
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Echoes Peak

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SuzQ said:
Ben Affleck supports John Kerry, period. He doesn't use low, immature remarks about the President, to my knowledge. Yet, has ANYONE, anyone at all from the right showed anger or outrage with Ben Affleck in the media?? Nope. In fact, he was praised by many for his presence & rhetoric at the DNC. He spoke eloquently about the ISSUES. Same with our lovely Mr. Wayne Newton - he travels around with Bush & simply supports him as the candidate. How would the Vegas crowd feel if Newton slammed Kerry's Vietnam record in the middle of one of his concerts? See what I mean? The same people who cheered Linda Ronstadt would have boo'ed and walked out, no?

So, answer me this: why doesn't Don, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, REM just show support for Kerry? Why does the rhetoric & concert have to be "anti-Bush"??? Guess what? It can backfire, big time. The negativity may even garner BUSH more votes from those sitting on the fence who are angered & sympathetic!! Obviously their intent means they want people to vote for Kerry, so why not just say, "Vote for Kerry" concert??? (Still wouldn't buy a ticket, but would not have as hard of feelings about it, either).

BIG difference in supporting a party & candidate.....and just slamming the opponent & ripping them to shreds?? Class & dignity. Two words missing from a lot of people's vocabulary these days.
^^^^What that woman said:D .
 
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vatuck

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jameseb said:
Oh, now that is a real pet peeve of mine... talking during a movie! That owner better hope I'd already eaten all my cheesy nachos before he got up there. ;)
...or a bunch of giggly teenagers sitting behind you who have already seen the movie 20 times.^_^
 
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vatuck

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burrow_owl said:
Consider me shocked. Shocked! I've never paid much attention to Don Henley, but I've known his political affiliation and level of devotion just from things like flipping through channels and landing on ET for 5 seconds, or seeing the headline of his editorial pieces, etc.

On second thought, everyone should have an idea, just as I should know at least a little about the Nuge's politics if I were a fan of his (and his penchant for shooting arrows at effigies of those for whom he cares not)
burrow_owl, I guess some folks don't watch ET or even the entertainment segments on the news. Me? I am nosy. I knew his politics 12 years ago when we lived in Texas, only because there was a local radio show that had him as a guest. Like I said, I am nosy. When that part of the news comes on, I am rubbing my hands with glee. Hee Hee!^_^
 
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vatuck

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Back to the subject. I HATE that the entertainment business has decided to entertain and preach too. My preference is to go to a concert to hear and enjoy the music. Sometimes, people want to get away from the real world for a couple of hours. That's why many people go to concerts and to the movies, etc. Many of the entertainers now are just bloated with self-importance, and they don't seem to care so much about all of their fans. Maybe the boos and walking out on them will bring them back to the real world, but I doubt it.
 
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burrow_owl

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Pop music is necessarily involuted with a cult-of-personality dynamic. Musically, there isn't so much to differentiate pop musicians, so textual signifiers become the difference engine of the form. Cult of personality is one of those textual signifiers (good example: there's little-to-no significant musical difference between Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears; they're differentiated at the level of cultural signifiers: JS is the virgin; BS is the sexy one).
 
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MichaelFJF

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burrow_owl said:
Pop music is necessarily involuted with a cult-of-personality dynamic. Musically, there isn't so much to differentiate pop musicians, so textual signifiers become the difference engine of the form. Cult of personality is one of those textual signifiers (good example: there's little-to-no significant musical difference between Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears; they're differentiated at the level of cultural signifiers: JS is the virgin; BS is the sexy one).
The only Jessica Simpson I've heard of is married. M
 
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praying

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Okay Burrow how do you go from this:

Don Henely is a cow

to this:

burrow_owl said:
Pop music is necessarily involuted with a cult-of-personality dynamic. Musically, there isn't so much to differentiate pop musicians, so textual signifiers become the difference engine of the form. Cult of personality is one of those textual signifiers (good example: there's little-to-no significant musical difference between Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears; they're differentiated at the level of cultural signifiers: JS is the virgin; BS is the sexy one).

They seem to be wriiten by two differnt posters :p
 
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elanor

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jsn112 said:
I agree. If Henley's going to infuse political speech into his concert, at least let people know ahead of time instead of ambushing the audience. Now with the Springteen's upcoming concert, that's the way to do it correctly.
:scratch: Anyone who goes to a Don Henley concert and is surprised by his expression of his political opinion obviously hasn't listened to his music. Henley's music is filled with politics--and that's one of the reasons I like him so much. Look at some of the lyrics:

Well the government bugged the men's room
In the local disco lounge
To keep the boys from sellin'
All the weapons that they've found.

--from "All She Wants To Do Is Dance"

I used to work for Harvester
I used to use my hands
I used to make the tractors and the
combines that plowed and harvested this
great land
Now I see my handiwork on the block
everywhere I turn
And I see the clouds cross the weathered
faces and I watch the harvest burn

--from "A Month of Sundays"

O' beautiful, for spacious skies
But now those skies are threatening
They're beating plowshares into swords
For this tired old man that we elected king
Armchair warriors often fail
And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales
The lawyers clean up all details
Since daddy had to lie

--from "End of the Innocence"
I remember the video for this one. With this verse, we saw a Reagan poster and footage of Oliver North testifying before Congress.

Anyone surprised by Henley's politics just hasn't been listening.
 
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heathen chemistry

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an artist is first and foremost a voice. he/she expresses ideas. that is the nature of those who create content for the masses.

he is also a person with every right to his own voice and if free to share those ideas. whether or not anyone in the crowd agreed with him is moot - much of the reaction in this thread is in the vain that he shouldn't have spoken at all. since when is the expression of political ideas a bad thing?

artists have once more begun to express political thought in their music - a long tradition which until recently has been dying off. if anything, he should be praised for his actions of expressing ideas that aren't the regular pop music fluff that people have become familiar to.

it offends greatly that people can't see past their own politics to realize that this isn't about the man but about the self and how easily people are offended that a mere entertainer would dare hold an independent thought.
 
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elanor said:
:scratch: Anyone who goes to a Don Henley concert and is surprised by his expression of his political opinion obviously hasn't listened to his music. Henley's music is filled with politics--and that's one of the reasons I like him so much. Look at some of the lyrics:

Well the government bugged the men's room
In the local disco lounge
To keep the boys from sellin'
All the weapons that they've found.

--from "All She Wants To Do Is Dance"

I used to work for Harvester
I used to use my hands
I used to make the tractors and the
combines that plowed and harvested this
great land
Now I see my handiwork on the block
everywhere I turn
And I see the clouds cross the weathered
faces and I watch the harvest burn

--from "A Month of Sundays"

O' beautiful, for spacious skies
But now those skies are threatening
They're beating plowshares into swords
For this tired old man that we elected king
Armchair warriors often fail
And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales
The lawyers clean up all details
Since daddy had to lie

--from "End of the Innocence"
I remember the video for this one. With this verse, we saw a Reagan poster and footage of Oliver North testifying before Congress.

Anyone surprised by Henley's politics just hasn't been listening.



Um, no.... :) I respectfully disagree with you, elanor. I listen to his music, and am well aware of all those songs too. However, I do not read his song lyrics, see his music videos and like most people, I don't actually make out the words in every song. :) Having said that, I'm naturally inclined to think that most mainstream musicians are liberal in their beliefs.

But again I point out what I said earlier.... when you pay money to go out to eat, did you pay for your waiter to interrupt your dinner to discuss his political views with you? Does he tell you your fillet mignon is dedicated to John Kerry? ;)
 
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