The Official Iced Earth Thread v. "Tastes Like Treason!"

[TAC]

[Adami]

Okay, what the hell does that hat say!?

[ErHaO]

What a damn fool, but I already knew that when I read his takes on certain subject years back.

Also, will this get punished (meaning no more/less IE)? Breaching the federal government seems serious. Because he is in the Capitol building there, right?

[ErHaO]

Okay, what the hell does that hat say!?

Googling Keepers (what I can read) and Trump led me to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_Keepers

[wolfking]

Okay, what the hell does that hat say!?

Googling Keepers (what I can read) and Trump led me to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_Keepers

That looks on the money mate.

[TAC]

Yikes!

[Adami]

Okay, what the hell does that hat say!?

Googling Keepers (what I can read) and Trump led me to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_Keepers

Thank you!

[Grappler]

This picture surfaced in the Podcast in Stone group earlier, which is where I saw it, before it was deleted and before some of the metal news sites picked it up.  I wasn't going to be the one to share it around online and am still trying to figure out how I feel. 

They're my favorite band and I'm not unaware of Jon's political leanings - I have the Sons of Liberty album and EP.  I don't really listen to them at all anymore.  At times, his beliefs bother me enough to not want to listen to the band, like last year when Jon went on his pandemic conspiracy rants.  Other times (like over the last 2 weeks), I binge on the band's albums and remember why i love them so much. 

This is so disappointing to me to see him partake in such a dumb thing.  The guy has been waiting for a reason to go 1776 on the government, and here it is on a silver platter.  He's such an idiot - he's a famous person who was now caught on camera.  I wouldn't be surprised at all if he gets arrested.  He claims to be so smart and educated, yet goes and does the dumbest thing ever, breaking and entering into the US capitol. 

 

[Madman Shepherd]

I actually saw that picture from a news article and thought, "Holy shit is that who I think it is?" I quickly googled some pictures of him to match up the earrings. I also seemed to remember him wearing an Oath Keepers hat too in a past interview. I messaged my old friend who I met Iced Earth with that I unfortunately rarely talk to anymore and who literally just texted me yesterday for the first time in at least half a year to ask if I heard about their Christmas album. We briefly chatted.

Then I saw this had already been posted at metalsucks.net

Fucking surreal.

Also I'm assuming he is lashing out at the police on the other side of that photographer. His brother in law, Matt Barlow, is a police officer. WTF?

[Zook]

... What the fuck, Jon? What the fuck?

[Mister Gold]

God, this is so unsurprising to see... and yet it's still so incredibly disappointing to see too. What the actual hell, Jon?

[gazinwales]

I hope he has a day job...

[Polarbear]

I hope he has a day job...

Yeah, this is a career suicide! What a damn shame.

I have to wonder if Hansi Kurch decides to axe Demons & Wizards over this..

[wolfking]

No chance of Barlow ever rejoining then I guess? Jk

I wonder if IE's record label would have anything to say about this, even boot the band.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Yeah, I guess it's a good thing Iced Earth hasn't done anything I enjoy in a while so I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

[wolfking]

Yeah, I guess it's a good thing Iced Earth hasn't done anything I enjoy in a while so I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

This is a shame really as the last one I found really good.

[Mister Gold]

No chance of Barlow ever rejoining then I guess? Jk

I wonder if IE's record label would have anything to say about this, even boot the band.

I'm actually wondering how this impacts the relations with the other band mates. Jake Dreyer especially, considering that Jon produced the upcoming Witherfall album.

[wolfking]

No chance of Barlow ever rejoining then I guess? Jk

I wonder if IE's record label would have anything to say about this, even boot the band.

I'm actually wondering how this impacts the relations with the other band mates. Jake Dreyer especially, considering that Jon produced the upcoming Witherfall album.

Potentially could be massive ramifications from all angles really.

[MirrorMask]

This puts Gettysburg in a new light... I mean, that trilogy is a masterpiece and as far as I can judge it's even historically accurate, and I thought that ending it from Lee's point of view upon defeat was a brilliant way to underline the horror of the civil war (way better than some cheesy triumphant theme about "war is over, we will be united again"), but dunno, maybe he ended it like that because he was a whiny sore loser.

[ariich]

Jeez, that photo of Schaffer heads up the Guardian's main article about the carnage: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/06/trump-capitol-american-carnage-washington

I lost interest in Iced Earth but I do still like a few of their older albums (Dark Saga through to Glorious Burden). I don't think this will stop me liking those albums and occasionally listening to the mp3s (and one CD) I already own, but I will definitely avoid giving the band any of my money via streaming or future purposes.

[Luoto]

I saw that photo earlier today and thought the dude looked familiar. Jesus christ, Jon.

[Grappler]

No chance of Barlow ever rejoining then I guess? Jk

I wonder if IE's record label would have anything to say about this, even boot the band.

I'm actually wondering how this impacts the relations with the other band mates. Jake Dreyer especially, considering that Jon produced the upcoming Witherfall album.

Stu seems to be in support of what happened and/or Jon also being involved.  He's spent enough time with Jon over the last 9 years to absorb some of those political beliefs. 




I'm just hoping this doesn't delay the kickstarter books that I backed.  I'll be pissed if Jon gets arrested and then the books aren't mailed out.       I'm usually pretty good about separating the art from the artist, but this one is proving much harder to swallow.  I could see enough of a backlash that it affects the band's success or other band members incomes via the band.

[Luoto]

I stopped following their social media channels. It would've been easy enough with their rather mediocre recent musical output but this pushed me over the edge.

[WilliamMunny]

Yeah, wow.

Yesterday crossed the line for me in sooooo many ways. Probably ended a friendship or two, and now, I will add Iced Earth to that list.

[cramx3]

Yeah, wow.

Yesterday crossed the line for me in sooooo many ways. Probably ended a friendship or two, and now, I will add Iced Earth to that list.

Honestly, I try not to let the political stuff get in the way of my life too much, but I agree, yesterday crossed the line for me as well.  I'm not sure I'm losing friends because of it, but I'm definitely thinking differently about people who support this or who give excuses for it.

I'd probably just rip my ticket stub Jon signed, but Hansi also signed it so kind of gives me the good/evil vibe of that.

[WilliamMunny]

Yeah, wow.

Yesterday crossed the line for me in sooooo many ways. Probably ended a friendship or two, and now, I will add Iced Earth to that list.

Honestly, I try not to let the political stuff get in the way of my life too much, but I agree, yesterday crossed the line for me as well.  I'm not sure I'm losing friends because of it, but I'm definitely thinking differently about people who support this or who give excuses for it.

I'd probably just rip my ticket stub Jon signed, but Hansi also signed it so kind of gives me the good/evil vibe of that.

I'm with you man. I've towed the 'politics separate from music' line for years, but things have just spiraled beyond anything I could've ever imagined.

I went through a similar thing with Ted Nugent earlier this year. I am/was a HUGE fan of his seminal 70's work, but it got to the point where I just couldn't listen to those classics without getting pissed.

I want music to be an escape, and at this point, there's a couple of artists where that's just no longer possible for me.

To each his own, of course, but for me, I feel like this past year is forcing me to re-evaluate myself and my personal responsibility when it comes to things like where I choose to invest my time, energy and money. And as a musician and fan, it's almost impossible at this point to separate music from the bigger picture.

[romdrums]

Stu-pid Block

[cramx3]

One thing I consider too, is actions vs. words.  Jon saying stupid shit might annoy me and make me think negatively of him, but doesn't make me hate him or anything.  I know plenty of people who say stupid shit but are good people still.  But when you take action, it's a bit different.  The guy committed a crime against the USA.  He should be jailed at minimum IMO. 

I've never really got into Iced Earth and I don't plan on giving them any listens to try to at this point.  I've enjoyed Demons and Wizards, but their last album wasn't that great so I've got no issue just dropping my support for them too. I don't want to give someone who is anti democracy my money.

[WilliamMunny]

One thing I consider too, is actions vs. words.  Jon saying stupid shit might annoy me and make me think negatively of him, but doesn't make me hate him or anything.  I know plenty of people who say stupid shit but are good people still.  But when you take action, it's a bit different.  The guy committed a crime against the USA.  He should be jailed at minimum IMO. 

I've never really got into Iced Earth and I don't plan on giving them any listens to try to at this point.  I've enjoyed Demons and Wizards, but their last album wasn't that great so I've got no issue just dropping my support for them too. I don't want to give someone who is anti democracy my money.

Man, that is such a good point! Thank you for that...sums up my thoughts exactly!

Talk is talk, but getting in your car and driving somewhere with the expressed intent of, well, God know what they were thinkinhg, but either way, it obviously got out of hand.

[Adami]

One thing I consider too, is actions vs. words.  Jon saying stupid shit might annoy me and make me think negatively of him, but doesn't make me hate him or anything.  I know plenty of people who say stupid shit but are good people still.  But when you take action, it's a bit different.  The guy committed a crime against the USA.  He should be jailed at minimum IMO. 

I've never really got into Iced Earth and I don't plan on giving them any listens to try to at this point.  I've enjoyed Demons and Wizards, but their last album wasn't that great so I've got no issue just dropping my support for them too. I don't want to give someone who is anti democracy my money.

I have a feeling that if Jon were to be jailed, he would consider it a source of immense pride.

[cramx3]

One thing I consider too, is actions vs. words.  Jon saying stupid shit might annoy me and make me think negatively of him, but doesn't make me hate him or anything.  I know plenty of people who say stupid shit but are good people still.  But when you take action, it's a bit different.  The guy committed a crime against the USA.  He should be jailed at minimum IMO. 

I've never really got into Iced Earth and I don't plan on giving them any listens to try to at this point.  I've enjoyed Demons and Wizards, but their last album wasn't that great so I've got no issue just dropping my support for them too. I don't want to give someone who is anti democracy my money.

I have a feeling that if Jon were to be jailed, he would consider it a source of immense pride.

I don't know about him enough to say I agree or not, but if that is the case, guy is seriously coocoo

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sedition-us-capitol-breach-almost-105557135.html

Could get up to 20 years in prison.  If that gives him pride, so be it, enjoy your stay in prison.  And I really really do hope the FBI comes down hard on these people. 

[Adami]

A lot of those people believe they were fighting to preserve democracy against tyranny. Being jailed by a tyrannical regime for the fight for freedom will probably give a dude like Jon a feeling of pride. At least for a while before he realizes how awful prison is. Though I doubt, if he goes to jail, it will be for more than a month or so. Likely just given a small fine and sent on his way.

[Mister Gold]

One thing I consider too, is actions vs. words.  Jon saying stupid shit might annoy me and make me think negatively of him, but doesn't make me hate him or anything.  I know plenty of people who say stupid shit but are good people still.  But when you take action, it's a bit different.  The guy committed a crime against the USA.  He should be jailed at minimum IMO. 

I've never really got into Iced Earth and I don't plan on giving them any listens to try to at this point.  I've enjoyed Demons and Wizards, but their last album wasn't that great so I've got no issue just dropping my support for them too. I don't want to give someone who is anti democracy my money.

Yeah, this is where I find myself at on the matter. Jon's said stupid things over the years that I've disagreed with for quite a long time. This time though he committed a federal crime in a mob's collective attempt to coerce Congress to throw out the results of a presidential election on the eve of the incoming president's inauguration. Jon may think he was doing this all for the sake of liberty, but if anything his actions and the others that participated in this with him are the exact opposite. Those actions will almost certainly come with heavy consequences, as they should.

As for Stu's response... Ugh. I hope we're all somehow misreading that post and he's actually not okay with what Jon did. But I suspect that would be unlikely at this rate.

[cramx3]

and while it may not be directly his fault, the mob mentality that he was involved with lead to 4 deaths yesterday.  Truly an embarrassment and the fact these people seem proud is disgusting.

[ErHaO]

I am honestly still completely baffled that a bunch of people were able to breach the Capitol Hill, which houses current and future world leaders. And that they were nicely escorted out and able to turn home as if it was nothing. And yes, I get that these people really believe they are/were doing something for the greater good. But really, so do many behind some of the biggest atrocities in human history, including terrorists. So when then, does "they believe they are doing good" stop being an excuse for me? Personally, after reflecting upon it, this is beyond that point, as I think these movements are dangerous. I genuinely believe that if enough people keep catering so much to people with extremist views and continue to excuse them with all kinds of mental gymnastics, you will eventually reach a point where shit does really hit the fan. History has shown that time and time again.

Jon's own words from last november:

"They will go down. They're messing with the wrong people, believe me," Schaffer was quoted as saying by Die Welt, referring to the American political establishment.

(Blabbermouth)
That very much sounds like a threat to me. Combined with him actually breaching the capitol? Yeah... I will spend my money on other bands.