Dee Snider asked this question on his Twitter page.
Should an artists personality or world views change your perception of his or her art?
Art is usually created by very imperfect human beings. It’s their issues that motivate them. Case in point, Bill Cosby put out some of the funniest comedy records of all time. Are they no longer funny because of his criminal acts? Funny is funny.
The question I believe was in relation to Dee’s views on Trump.
A lot of large artists are keeping quiet on this front so they don’t alienate their fan base. Their corporation is too big so they don’t risk putting their view points out there in case the dollars get less. Artists like Jovi and Metallica come to mind. Even Dave Mustaine is quiet on this front.
Which is bizarre for me as I grew up on the anti-corrupt-Government lyrics written by Megadeth and Metallica. But as they say, the pains that bother you when you have nothing to lose don’t exist when you have something to lose.
Meanwhile artists like Dee Snider, Nikki Sixx and Robb Flynn are not keeping quiet. And there supporters who also support Trump are not happy with them for expressing their views.
And when people questioned Snider and told him to keep his mouth shut, Dee fired back with;
And you support that Russian/North Korean ass kissing commie draft dodger rich boy in the White House?
And discussion centered around Ted Nugent, Michael Jackson, the Trapt lead singer, Eddie Murphy, Gary Glitter and everyone else where a person did something wrong,
And this was Dee’s answer to his original question;
FOR THE RECORD…I don’t have the answer. It’s one that plagues me. I myself have turned on art I’ve loved because I discovered something I found distasteful about the artist. But why does that make the song/painting/book/movie less great?
I will turn on the art of an artist if they did something repulsive. Then again I was never a Cosby fan nor a Lost Prophets fan nor a Gary Glitter fan.
I would never turn on an artist because for their political views.
destroyerofharmony 
Normally, I don’t care but sometimes I do. I refuse to listen to Chris Brown because of his alleged hitting of women and I won’t let my kids listen to him either. The only artist I tell them no on, they can listen to anyone else. And there was even time I didn’t listen to GNR because Axl pieced me off for jumping off the stage at the Atlanta show in 88 after 3 songs and the concert was over. Outside of that, I can’t think of anyone else…BTW, I listen to GNR now as I got over that.
Yeah I’m not consistent in my application. Tommy Lee punched his first wife (pre Heather) in the face on a tour bus because she insulted his mum. And they left her on a highway.
I have the same stance as you about violence against women but still listen to Motley Crue.
Sebastian Bach scarred an innocent fan for life at a concert because he wanted revenge for a bottle being thrown on stage.
But good songs are still good songs. Right. Lol.
I think wit Tommy, I don’t think he’s a consistent abuser. Plus, I didn’t remember that instance. So now, no more Crue. 😂
I watched the movie again last night. I was in the mood for it and I laughed my ass off
Ha! Once was enough for me I think.
Good question. I’m usually able to separate the two. Especially if I really like the art. And I’m sort of fascinated by it. Watching a Clint Eastwood movie today, I can pick up a lot of his political views compared to what went over my head when I was a kid. And I follow John Schneider from Dukes of Hazzard on YouTube. He was my hero, now he is an old man making excuses for Trump and pretending the Confederate Flag is a symbol of freedom. I never interact though. I just watch in awe.
Good reference re: Clint and movies. I suppose that whole meToo and CancelCulture is trying to rewrite movie history. So when do those movies stop being good movies.
There is a line. I suppose people need to draw it for themselves. Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffiney’s is one I can’t cross. It is just too over the top. Burt Lancaster playing a Mexican in Valdez is Coming… I don’t like it but I can’t change it.
I wish I had the answer too. My collection is laden with bawbags. I can usually separate. Depends what they’ve done, how invested I already am in their music and how much their views are present in the art. But I wouldn’t say I was all that consistent.
Yes that’s right.
I was asked by my kids years ago, why I like Motley Crue, when their singer drove his car drunk and killed someone while driving. Because at school they are taught the road rules and they know that driving drunk is a crime and they couldn’t reconcile how I could be okay with what Vince did.
And then you have Nuge who has a stance and offends people but never harmed anyone physically, but the people who disagree with him, claim that he’s hurt them mentally.
I’m not consistent in my application either. Lol.