Sebastian Bach is the foul-mouthed king of pull quotes in addition to being one of rock’s most dynamic and forceful voices.
As an example, during a recent interview with UCR, the well-known vocalist offered a straightforward response to those who disapprove of his left-wing policies and vociferous backing of the Democratic Party: “Go fuck yourself.”
Longtime fans or anyone who has listened to his new album, Child Within the Man, which features the swaggering, riff-heavy single “Freedom,” on which he wails: “Freedom / You ain’t got no time left to waste / Now we’re kicking ass and taking names,” shouldn’t be surprised by Bach’s support for free speech.
It proved to be a message ahead of its time. “There’s a song on my new album called ‘Freedom,’ and that’s everybody’s word right now,” Bach told UCR. “I even saw comments on my social media that said things like, ‘Oh, I adore Kamala Harris’ new tough-guy, name-calling demeanor.'” I wonder, “What’s going on?” This is a song I wrote years ago! It seems like everyone is talking about taking names, kicking ass, and being free. I think to myself, “Well, I have a song for now.”
Bach also recently tweeted, “I have done my research & I am endorsing Taylor Swift,” along with the hashtags #Freedom, #KickingAss, and #TakingNames, after Swift openly endorsed Harris at the September presidential debate.
Does that mean he’s endorsing himself for president? Bach is sly.
“You know, I don’t give advice to people, but I will state that without democracy, there is nothing.” I said it, so there,” he chuckles. “You’re alienating your audience, people say. Saying something like that gets me like forty thousand fucking followers! There is only one side that is fucking alienating people in this whole “Don’t alienate people” thing! There is just one! In actuality, the other one brings people together. Don’t tell me, “Oh, he’s losing half his audience,” please. Fuck off—I don’t want that fifty percent! Go screw yourself, that 50% isn’t cool enough to listen to Sebastian Bach.”
‘Shut Up and Sing’ Is Not Something Sebastian Bach Believes in
This Friday, Bach will resume his road trip for the second part of his 2024 tour, which will, coincidentally, take him through the November presidential election. In the interim, fans shouldn’t expect him to tone down his political comments.
“People saying things like, ‘I don’t want musicians to voice what they believe in,’ simply bothers me. Just sing and shut up. I will say this to you in two words: Bach mentions Black Sabbath. “Whenever I hear a song like ‘War Pigs,’ I find it impossible to think of a song with a stronger political message than that fucking tune. “Generals congregated in large groups, akin to witches at dark gatherings.” That seems like an expression of, “Fuck these assholes,” to me.
“I feel that at times like these, there’s too much at stake to be silent,” he says. Silence equates to complicity. There’s a Sebastian Bach for every fucking Ted Nugent out there, and that’s okay with me. That’s fine with me. You go ahead and say what you want to say, and I’ll follow suit.”
