Sheer Terror
Punk is broadly accommodating, but the line is drawn at fascism. And it is always entertaining when fascists learn that the hard way!
The antifascist movement in the United States was fueled primarily by the punk scene, and despite some of today’s neo-Fascists attempting to say that they represent punk culture, the Proud Boys in particular are being reminded of those antifascist roots by the scene in embarrassing ways.
Most recently in Facebook and Twitter posts, the hardcore band Sheer Terror, who will observe their 35th anniversary next year, learned that Proud Boys’ founder Gavin McInnes made reference to Sheer Terror as one of his favorite bands and voiced their displeasure. “Just to make things as clear as possible so there is no mistaking where we stand: ‘PROUD BOYS’ ARE NOT WELCOME HERE, OR ANYWHERE WE MIGHT BE,’” the posts read.
It’s been brought to our attention that Gavin McInnes was speaking favorably about us on his podcast.
Just to make things as clear as possible so there is no mistaking where we stand :
‘PROUD BOYS’ ARE NOT WELCOME HERE,OR ANYWHERE WE MIGHT BE.
— sheer terror (@sheerterrornyhc) September 25, 2018
Sheer Terror has never been a particularly political band, Bearer noting in a recent interview with RVA Mag, “I stand with and for the working men & women, the downtrodden, the voiceless, the underdog, the AMERICAN PEOPLE, no matter what color, creed, or religion,” but the band has never supported racism. Still, the rebuke did not sit well with the laptop commando wing of the Proud Boys, who promptly decided to pick a fight with Bearer and his band on Facebook. After a back-and-forth with some of them, Bearer decided to “recant”. “I take it all back. Proud Boys are VERY welcome to come see us play,” Bearer said. “Let’s see how that works out for you,OK? Is that fair? Come run your mouths. Please. I’ll even put you on the guest list. OK? Is that cool? I personally invite you to any show that we’re playing. Don’t disappoint me, now…”
The Proud Boys just might. Sheer Terror played a show in New York City on Sept. 25, and is slated to play a free show at Tompkins Square Park in New York City on Sept. 29. There was on incident reported at the first show, and no talk from the Proud Boys of going to Saturday’s event. Instead, the complaints continue solely online, including from one who suggested they smear the band’s name by purchasing their t-shirts and pretending that they are in fact inspired by Sheer Terror.
This episode comes just over two months after another veteran punk band Social Distortion saw it’s lead singer Mike Ness get into fisticuffs with a person later identified as a Proud Boy. According to Newsweek, Tim Hildebrand attended a Social Distortion show on July 17 in Sacramento, California, and after Ness expressed negative opinions about the president, reportedly before going into the song “Don’t Drag Me Down”, he started to heckle the band. “I stood pretty much with my silent protest with my middle finger up for the next two songs,” he said. “I pretty much said, ‘I paid for your music, not your politics.’” Given the nature of the song Ness was performing, such a sentiment might ring ironic, and it earned him two black eyes, a split lip and a concussion.
Both incidents recall the Dropkick Murphys beating down a person giving Nazi salutes from their stage four years ago, well before today’s political climate. “They must not be listening to the lyrics to some of these bands. I can’t speak for all of them,” Paul Bearer said in that interview. “The whole ‘Conservatism Is The New Punk’ thought is a fucking travesty, and a sad joke. I don’t want to hear about how you’ve ‘grown up, and have kids and a mortgage.’ You don’t eat shit just because the toilet’s closer than the fridge.”
Paul is the man. Always has been, always will be.