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1) I believe bands should realise their position in the public eye and act appropriately. Cutting open your arms is not appropriate. With more and more “angst-ridden”, middle-class and above all IMPRESSIONABLE teenagers listening to alternative music these days, the last thing they should be exposed to is self-mutilation. If a 13 year old sees one of his idols, someone they look up to, relate to and admire, cutting himself open, what’s to stop the child thinking it’s right and doing the same thing? (Common sense is not an answer these days) If Billie Joe Armstrong had come onstage with arms covered in blood 5 years ago maybe I’d be carrying the scars today. People like Casey Chaos and Seymour Glass can fuck off for all I care. And Richie Edwards should stay gone. I’m not criticising the music; I’m criticising the people. Maybe they’ve been through a lot of shit in their lives…maybe I don’t care. They should at least cover their arms onstage and stop exposing people to such a terrible and frankly disgusting way of living. Am I the only person who looked at that picture of Richie Edwards with “HATE” carved into his arms and thought 'You twat'? I’ve never seen a cheaper or more vulgar attempt of grasping for attention. 'I cut open my arms, please listen to my band.' If Richie’s still alive, I hope we never have to hear from him again.
2) The same argument as above but replace cutting with taking drugs. If a band simply talks about taking drugs it is, in effect an endorsement and they should not do it!
3) Bands have a responsibility to entertain. At its lowest level, a band is a job. Therefore, a band’s live show for example should be geared around the fans. A band should play what the public wants to hear not what they want to play themselves. And the live should be a decent length and played with passion.
I don’t think that’s too much to ask, do you?
