RUSH - Cygnus-X1.Net

Rock groups hard ly satanisticEditor's note: The following columnwas submitted by a member of the rockgroup Rush in response to jim Hankins'July 19 coverage in Then ofa . r entitled 0 One Here Getsut Alive. ' The seminar was sponsoredby e onghorn Christian Fellowshipand centered on the theme that manypopular rock music songs are trying toturn American youth against Christianitytoward satanism or other religions.The group contended that either blatantly. or through subliminal means,musicians convey satanic messages intheir songs.I am writing in response to an articlewhich was written by your reporter JimHankins in your issue of July 19,"Group seeks to show rock 'n' roll Satanic." It was a while ago, but the articlewas sent to me through several intermediarysteps. Besides, it's nevertoo late to discuss a matter like this,and as I happen to be a member of oneof the groups mentioned, perhaps I caninterject a little rationality and truthinto such a hysterical exercise in propaganda.Satanism. Now here a is a word thatshould be kept away from some peoplethe way you should keep matches fromchildren and guns from jealous husbands'There is a certain trait evident in humannature which some people seem topossess in greater degrees. It derivesfrom a state of insecurity and low selfesteemand shows itself in the actionsof those who wish to make themselveslook good by making others look bad.You see it everywhere once you start tolook fOf it. People who can't gain respectfor their own merits feel obligedto try and tear down those who do . Wesee it in the failures who try to provetheir aloofness by criticizing the actionsof those who actually do something, orin cases like this one where the weakand pusillanimous prove their righteousnessby trying to punish the "lessrighteous."A big advantage to such an attitude isthat it keeps them so involved in otherpeoples' lives that they need not examinetheir own.So these are the grim-faced hypocriteswho are stirring around in thedark places of life hoping to find something- anything - dirtier than theirown reflection. And if they can't findanything - no problem - they'll justmake something up'And here they are ar.cusing rock mu-Ineil peartguest columnsicians of being sincere and dedicatedsatanists attempting to poison the soulsof America's youth with subliminalmessages of devil-worship. You knowthat's almost a very good joke' Almost.As one who knows many of these"daemonic figures" personally, especiallysome of those mentioned in thearticle, the idea of some of these soldout,burnt-out, cynical, struttingpeacocks being so deeply and religiouslycommitted to anything (save their"image" and chart numbers) is also abit of a joke. And a pretty lame one atthat'These nameless mercenaries don'teven demonstrate that kind of commitmentin their music; why on earthwould they be bothered to go to all thattrouble to put anything else into it? Allthey .need (and care) to do is to find akind of lowest common denominator ofcommercial "acceptibility." Yes, youChristian crypto-fascists, it is a joke!The only trouble is - you're not laughing.I'm not laughing anymore, either.I've started to receive too many questionsand letters from confused and impressionableyoung people wanting toknow if it's true that we worship the'devil. Who is it that is corrupting theminds of young Americans?.Let us not for one minute forget thatthis is the same sel/-righteous mentalitythat has put itself to work persecutingwitches, Christians, Jews, Quakers,Indians, Catholics, Negroes, Communists,hippies and capitalists downthrough the ages. There's always somebodyto kick you when you're down. Itseems like every group has taken itsturn at one end of the stick or the other.From the bitter oppressed to the righteousoppressor is a very short step.Speaking for myself, as lyricist anddrummer for "Rush," and one of thoseaccused of this heinous crime, I mustobject, Your Honors. Far from being acloset Satanist, I confess crudely, Idon't even believe in the old bastard' Iwonder if that's better or worse in youreyes, Grand InquisitorryI can certainly assure you that mylyrics contain no "daemonic" secretmessages or cleverly concealed mysti-2'-1Ical commercials. Nothing like that, I'mafraid. It is not only absurd and pathetic.but it is also totally incompatiblewith my philosophy, my work and mybeliefs.I get all kinds of letters from peoplelike this whose perceptions are narrowedand distorted by pre-set valuesand ideas, telling me the most fantasticthings that they have somehow "discovered"in my words' As is ever true -they find what they want to find. Fairenough. I know what I put in there. Itisn 't that, and it isn't this either. Period.I don't wish to offend anyone's genuinebeliefs, as it is a fundamental tenetin my philosophy that people should believewhat they choose to believe. Itmust be stated, though, that whenyou've "got" religion, like Siddhartha,you find it everywhere you look. Andwhen you've got evil. you'll find it everywhereyou look, too.Ah' It's the old "recorded backwards"trick again, is it Watson? Ha'I'm sure you could play "The Star SpangledBanner" backwards and find asecet message there too. Wouldn'tFrancis Scott Key be surprised at yourcleverness' How do you suppose heknew what it said in WI:!?Don't you think sompthing as vagueas this is rather like a Rorschach inkblot,or cloud shapes? Interpretation isbased on the perceiver's state of mind- not on any objective reality. An inkblotis a cloud is a song -- frontwards orbackwards. One finds what one wishesto find.Yes, there's something subliminal atwork here all right. The subliminal andpoisonous sickness that dwells in theminds of these fearful and pompous socalledChristians. And they even callthemselves a ".Fellowship." Think.about that for a minute. Then thinkabout what this paper and others haveaccomplished by giving innocent inkand paper over to this kind of drivel.Your readers don't know that I wouldnever even use the kind of grammarthat these people have attributed to me,let alone the insipid and valueless supposedmessage. Listen to this : "Oh Satan,you, you are the one who is shining.Walls of Satan, walls of sacrifice; Iknow it's you are the one I love." That'sdisgusting. I mean really . You justknow these people have to be sick. Uyou don't believe me, ask my Mom!Peart tS a drummer and lynctstfor the rock group Rush.