Tag Archives: Body Count

Rock/Metal Musicians React To The Murder Of George Floyd

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As the U.S. continues to be rocked by the death of George Floyd, the unarmed black man who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, MN, a number of musicians have taken to social media to speak up about the tragedy and the ongoing riots related to it. You can find some posts from various artists below:

Ice-T (Body Count):

Amy Lee (Evanescence):

Mark Morton (Lamb Of God):

Randy Blythe (Lamb Of God):

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“We’re Hurting” 5.29.2020 Richmond, VA. LET ME MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR: as a peace loving man who has seen & very regrettably been involved in violence myself in the past, I CANNOT CONDONE VIOLENCE- it only hurts us in the long run. BUT… I can UNDERSTAND it. Last night, I went out to document a protest in Richmond, VA, walking for a couple of hours with the people, shooting photos & trying to capture this moment in history- this is what I do as a photographer, in times good & bad. It was peaceful for the most part while I was there, but very shortly after I left, it kicked off & the rioting/violence started. There were a few cop cars & a city bus put to the torch, windows smashed (including small businesses, a few of which were black-owned- how does this help? It DOESN’T), & lots of spray paint. Tear gas/flash bangs were deployed. There were reports of gunshots (from the crowd, not the cops), but thank God no one died last night. And although I have had my problems with police before, I cannot just hate all cops- I know some good ones who do their best to serve & protect. But I also have NEVER had to worry that a cop might kill me because of the color of my skin. The violence you are seeing is the result of years & years of bottled up pain & fear, the only voice left when peaceful means don’t seem to be working. I texted a musician friend in LA last night who is a black man- I asked him how he & his family were. “We're okay. We're hurting. We're angry. But we’re okay.” The two words that stood out the most to me: WE’RE HURTING. When people hurt bad enough, for long enough, they lash out. So instead of just being another voice screaming “Racism is bad!” I want to ask you ALL: please think about a time you were hurt & scared- how did you react? I know that I myself have reacted VERY BADLY before when I was hurt & scared. All I really wanted was for someone to HEAR ME, to LISTEN, to CARE, to try to UNDERSTAND ME, to RECOGNIZE MY PAIN. There are A LOT of people who are very hurt & scared right now, & they have had ENOUGH. Things have to CHANGE, or the violence will continue. I will be staying in tonight- if you are going out, please- be peaceful. My heart hurts… 😞

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Robb Flynn (Machine Head):

Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage):

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Gathering my thoughts, my anger, my frustration and my warrior sense about what’s been going on in this country. It’s bigger than recent events it runs DEEP in our history! My heart is heavy, my soul is burdened but my determination to help and try to understand the big picture of the division we all are pushed into daily is strong. Yet another life taken and paraded on social media and the repercussions unfold. Is anger enough? What more can be done aside from post about it, write songs about it, live in fierce opposition to the persistent divide created because of it. I humbly ask what can be done? It’s not just the murder of George Floyd it’s the countless others that have died in a similar manner and many thousands that have died and never received media coverage. Our so called creed in this country a country that clams “liberty and justice for ALL” is under fire. How do you not react in anger in disgust and frustration?! I am “just a musician” and not a “political figure” but we are taking about HUMAN LIFE being taken. How do we NOT speak out against this wrong! It’s not about politics and I’m sick to my stomach seeing any one argue that point in any way! STOP using Black folks being murdered as an agenda to push politics!!! No, not all police are awful and murderous. In fact I know officers that are good people with the desire to actually serve and protect! So if you are one of those Good Cops use your voice now to show solidarity with citizens who are the victims of abuses of power! Just like me a white male is showing my solidarity to a people who have deep history and deep roots in the building and creating of the foundations and culture of this country. We need more unity and coming together to speak out and fight against WRONG! There is NO defending what continues to happen NONE. When heavily armed white skinned people can parade around in front of officers unharmed and unchecked and unarmed black folks are executed for the camera it sends a MESSAGE! Put aside ANY stupid political speculation about what is happening and lead with your mind. This should serve to UNITE us for the common good of us all NOT DIVIDE!

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Lzzy Hale (Halestorm):

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The fact that it took this long, and people had to resort to protesting and rioting in order to get some semblance of justice… is disgusting. It is the year 2020. We have to change as a human race. We need new leadership that will encourage and inspire unity and equality instead of division and violence. We as individuals need to practice kindness and love, not selfishness and hate. We are all living on this globe together. Treat others as you’d want to be treated and help where you can instead of hurt. And if you get your panties in a twist over the notion of LOVING ONE ANOTHER…then YOU are part of the problem. Let’s draw a hard line NOW! Out with the old dinosaur mentalities, and let’s start brand new, with new eyes to view the world as John Lennon imagined it. “Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people living for today Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people living life in peace, you You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope some day you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people sharing all the world, you You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope some day you'll join us And the world will be as one”

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Korn:

Green Day:

Black Veil Brides:

We Came As Romans:

Ben Bruce (Asking Alexandria):

Alex Skolnick (Testament):

Fever 333:

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On May 25 2020 an unarmed and non threatening black citizen named George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis Police. George Floyd was suffocated on video which has shown not only his compliance with the orders of the murdering officer(s), but his vocal indication to them that the knee in his neck was restricting his breathing and that he was being asphyxiated. These officers chose not to listen and George Floyd suffocated on that street in front of horrified bystanders and then in front of the world. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The murderers names are Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane. They must be held accountable for what they have done. Make no mistake, this was murder. Despite how you feel about authority, current structures or our music, this tragedy can be seen as nothing other than that- murder.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Statistics continue to irrefutably reveal the disproportionate utilization of excessive force against people of color in this country. This video of George Floyd is yet another piece of undeniable evidence that should not be viewed as anything other than a disgustingly unnecessary and wrongful murder of another black man by the hands of those sworn to protect them and a system that emboldens the perpetrators to break the laws they made. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ There is no way anyone watching this should be okay with this the same way you should have never been okay with the countless cases before it. The time is now. We must demand more from our government, our community, and ourselves. Justice must be reshaped in America. These officers must be held accountable for their despicable actions. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ No more excuses. ⁣⁣ We must refuse this. ⁣⁣ Silence is useless.⁣⁣ Long live the innocent.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ REST IN POWER⁣⁣ GEORGE FLOYD⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ #JUSTICEFORGEORGEFLOYD

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Power Trip:

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DON’T. MESS. WITH. THE. HORNET’S. NEST.

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Cedric Bixler-Zavala (The Mars Volta, At the Drive-In):

Circa Survive:

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We have 3 more days of raising funds through Limited Run’s generous 100% to artists deal. • We will be donating 100% of what we raise(d) from our documentary ‘Travel Hymn’ to @naacp & @mnfreedomfund . •‬ ‪Our hearts are repeatedly broken by our inability to properly apologize for, heal, & amend inequality, murderous abuse & injustices as a nation. • We stand in solidarity‬ with the protestors across the country and all communities of color in demanding accountability, long lasting progressive change from our governments & all of its acting forces. What you are seeing right now is an accumulation of violent oppression & unanswered calls to action.‬ • This system works for so few & fails for too many. It should be obvious to anyone paying attention right now that this is not sustainable. We now have to righteously step into our responsibility as human beings & help one another to our best ability. • This is not a political post‬. Like all things related to art, it is deeply personal. Hopefully that makes sense to you. All calls over the years to “stick to music, leave out the politics” have always been non applicable to us because we are not a band about politics we are a band about people. We always will be.‬ (Link in bio. Obviously just donate directly to these causes now if you don’t care about the film!)

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Brian Fair (Shadows Fall):

Alexis Mincolla (3TEETH):

Venom Prison:

Body Count Premiere New Video For “Point The Finger” Feat. Power Trip’s Riley Gale

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Body Count have premiered a new video for their song “Point The Finger.” This track features Power Trip’s Riley Gale and it appears on the band’s latest album “Carnivore.” The clip was filmed on cellphones during the ongoing quarantine.

Body Count’s Ice-T On Trapt’s Chris Taylor Brown: “I’m Not Planning On Fighting Him – I Don’t Want To Hurt The Guy”

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During his nonstop Twitter rampage, Trapt frontman Chris Taylor Brown ended up challenging Body Count frontman Ice-T to a bare knuckle fight. Now, during a fan Q&A hosted by Kerrang!, Ice-T was asked about the potential fight and he responded by saying he’s “not planning on fighting him.”

Ice-T said the following:

“Yeah, that’s a weird question. I don’t know that, dude! I never heard of the band Trapt before all this started. I think he was in an altercation, he’s speaking of Power Trip and he’s talking shit to Riley.

Now why that started I have no idea, but in the midst of this he went off on the entire Sumerian label – which we’re no longer on, we’re on Century Media. But in the midst of that rant he included Body Count in one of the groups that he sells more records than on Pandora.

And of course, like we say on the street, ‘Keep my name out of your mouth.’ You could say, ‘We sell more records than everyone on Sumerian’ but once he named Body Count, I decided to say something.

I just told him, ‘Keep talking, we’ll bump into each other one day,’ which he took as a threat. Maybe when I bump into him I’ll want an autograph, I don’t know, I just said, ‘I’ll see you.’ That was gonna be it, but he continued to rant and rave and that turned into him wanting to do charity fights.

My boy Danny Diablo jumped in, ‘Don’t speak on Ice-T,’ because believe it or not, people respect me out there (laughs). People were like, ‘Ice, he’s just trying to use you guys for publicity’ and I let it go.

But the theory that you’re going to talk shit to somebody and then get in a charity boxing match, what kind of clown shit is that? Like, really? Nah, nah, if I do bump into him, it’ll be in a parking lot some place and then we’ll see if he wants to repeat his words. I’m not planning on fighting him – I don’t want to hurt the guy, we’ll just see what happens.”

Danny Diablo Challenges Trapt’s Chris Taylor Brown To A Charity Boxing Match

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It’s no secret that Trapt’s Chris Taylor Brown has been on a nonstop Twitter meltdown and now things are getting even more interesting. All the drama has actually led Danny Diablo to challenge Brown to a charity boxing match.

Diablo and Power Trip frontman Riley Gale, who previously challenged Trapt to a concert battle to see which band can draw a bigger crowd, recently discussed Brown’s meltdown with Revolver. Gale said the following:

“I felt the need to step in and say you’re an idiot. I was bored cause of the quarantine, otherwise I would have never engaged. But I saw this guy saying all this hateful stuff. When I grew up, I was in an all-male high school and when someone was being bullied, there was always a group of people to step in and defend them and I was one of those people. I saw this dude putting people down for being poor [or] promoting socialism, calling people ugly, saying anti-Semitic stuff, and now he’s climbed the ladder, saying [Trapt are] more successful than Body Count.”

“He’s clearly trolling cause he’s irrelevant. A ton of people haven’t even heard about the band until this beef popped off. What’s funny is he talked about his one hit and people under 25 don’t know his band and some people I know over 30 don’t. He’s trying to use this as a way to get supporters, say his band is relevant and get new supporters out of sheer curiosity, which is probably working cause some people are streaming his band like, ‘Who the fuck is this guy?’

I have a feeling this guy is just broke cause he’s spent his days attacking everybody, strangers, celebrities for no rhyme or reason and looking for a reward for having blind loyalty to Trump.”

Diablo continued:

“I’m not really into politics, even though I’m from the hardcore scene, which I know those guys were fighting about. Power Trip is a great band. Riley is a sweet dude. Then I saw the same dude was fucking with Ice-T, blatantly disrespecting him. How do you talk to Ice-T like that? I’m very influenced by him, how we came up, his music, how we changed his life, so I chimed in and he talked some shit. In my world, no one speaks to me this way.”

“I’m stuck in this house, I’m thinking about smashing this guy’s face. Me and Ice-T were texting about it and how we don’t know this guy, laughing about it. He did have one hit, he did have fans at one point, but it was when record labels were still able to pump lots of money into the band, the radio stations, etc. But the sad thing is not a single fan has written me to defend this dude.”

He also added the following about the proposed boxing match:

“Fighting is second nature to me my entire life. I’ve boxed. Everyone knows my reputation in the streets. All you have to say my name and people know what I can do, in and out of the ring. But look, I would never want to hurt this guy for real. Look, I would train with Gavin, and Craig Setari from Sick of it All, and fight for charity, donate money towards the children’s tumor foundation. Diablo loves the kids. I want to help the kids. Most people talk, I’ve challenged people to fights and most people haven’t showed up. If he shows up and accepts, I’d shake his hand and be cool, mad respect.”

For his part, Brown has since responded to Revolver’s article:

He has since challenged Ice-T as well:

Body Count Announce Los Angeles, CA Show

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Body Count have announced that they will be performing at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on May 20. You can find the group’s updated schedule below and pick up their new album “Carnivore“ on Friday (March 6).

Tour Dates:

03/03 New York, NY – Sony Square NYC (“Carnivore” listening party)
03/15 New York, NY – The Studio at Webster Hall (with Cro-Mags)
05/20 Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre
05/23 Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma
06/19 Clisson, FRA – Hellfest
06/21 Dessel, BEL – Graspop
06/22 Esch Alzette, LUX – Rockhal
06/23 Tilburg, NET – 013
06/24 Berlin, GER – Tempodrom
06/26 Verona, ITA – Rock The Castle Festival
06/27 Vienna, AUT – Arena
06/28 Prague, CZE – Roxy
06/29 Oberhausen, GER – Turbinenhalle
07/01 Munich, GER – Tollwood Festival
07/02 Zurich, SWI – Komplex 457
07/03 Belfort, FRA – Eurockeenes de Belfort Festival
07/04 St. Claire, FRA – Beauregard Festival

Body Count Premiere “Bum-Rush” Video

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Body Count have premiered a new video for their new song “Bum-Rush.” This track is from the band’s new album “Carnivore,” which will be released on March 6. Frontman Ice-T commented: “Another fast moving Body Count track continuing my attempt to wake people up”

Body Count Tease New Song “Bum Rush”

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Body Count have posted a teaser for their new song “Bum Rush.” That track is from the band’s new album “Carnivore,” which will be released on March 6.