are you kidding me? Seriously dude, artistic integrity.

I think the struggle is the core. Graves was trying to say the struggle is no longer there. Being a misfit and a punk is mainstream.

hell, wander around this city and watch TV. Tattoos, peircings, deviant sexuality, reality TV, etc. Everyone belongs now.

Reminds me of the gentrification of Williamsburg in Bohemian style. Now everyone is a hipster there.

I think if you talked to Graves you'd find it was never about politics, but about resistance. Resisting being the way society wants you to be. Well, society no longer wants you to be conservative.

At least in Urban areas.

I was there last night. MG's speech was definitely genuine and from the heart and I didn't get the sense that he just wanted to go against the grain by voicing his beliefs. I enjoyed listening to him, but he didn't talk much about what his beliefs were, much more about how he was astrocized from the music industry because of his beliefs. The dude was kicked off the WARP tour because of his website and is struggling to find a record label. Granted, punk is not the hot genre anymore, but I really don't think he would go against the grain and risk his musical career just to be a rebel.

One more thing. I wouldn't be surprised if MG had genuine conservative beliefs that weren't very strong in the beginning of his career. But once a person is treated unfairly because of these beliefs, I think a person tends to be even more outspoken and more active just to prove to people what an unfair and biased world we live in. I can speak for myself in this regard. I think if I were living in Texas I wouldn't be nearly as vocal or active. But because many times I am surrounded by people who don't share my views, and many times those people think I'm a [insert insult], I'm a bit more outspoken than I normally would be.

Absolutely right Scott S.

“Resisting being the way society wants you to be.”

That is why Bush leads Kerry in the polls in the age group under 30.

The left-wing establishment of teachers, professors, and the media are considered reactionary old farts by today’s youth.

To be a rebel, to be cool, to be hip, you have to be a conservative

As ABC just had a poll (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=186261) that had Kerry up 57-38 over Bush among voters 18 to 29, I would like to know why you think that Jake. To quote another Jake, is'nt it pretty to think so ?

So Coldplay, Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin (fyi: I know this will get me more time in Purgatory but see Team America) and so on should all shut up but this guy (along with the Rock, Bo Derek and so on) has the right to hit the campaign trail ? Ack, a plague on all celebrities in politics !

Von Bek:

You make a good point. My only couterpoint is that those who go against the majority opinion in the industry are perhaps slightly more interesting than those who simply follow the intellectual/political monoculture of it. That's all.

Punk isn't about rebellion, it should only be about thinking and taking resonsibility for your self (and fast guitar based music).In its true sense it has nothing to do with politics. Its about questioning what you are told whether its from George Bush or Jello Biafra. But its not even anywhere near that nor has it ever been. Punk has always been full of sheep who are happy to be told what to wear, think and listen to, just like the rest of the population.
I notice that although Slant Point acknowleged that Graves was lead singer of the Misfits after Glen Danzig he omitted to mention that it was therefore also after they were any good.
On one point Graves made. He says he is finding it difficult to find a record lable. Where's your punk ethics now. Start your own lable.