Mick Jagger says fans don’t want political tirades at concerts
“Your job is to make them have the best time they possibly can.”
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“Your job is to make them have the best time they possibly can.”
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger says concertgoers are looking for an escape from everyday life, not political speeches, offering his perspective as Bruce Springsteen continues using his concerts to criticize President Donald Trump.
Speaking on The New York Times podcast, Jagger was asked about Springsteen's recent performances, during which the singer has repeatedly condemned the Trump administration. Host David Marchese noted that Springsteen "clearly sees his job as engaging in a meaningful back and forth" with audiences before asking Jagger what he believes his own role is when performing live.
“The bottom line of my thing really is that my job in the live music world is [for] those people that come is to have the best time they possibly can,” Jagger said.
“For two hours or whatever it is, to forget all their problems and the problems of the world and their mortgages and whatever, just to give them the best time they can have.”
Jagger said he views concerts as an opportunity for audiences to step away from daily concerns, comparing the experience to attending a sporting event.
“It’s similar to going to a sports event, really, because everything else is shouted out,” he continued. “You’re just watching who’s going to win. You’re not worrying about everything else. You don’t want to lecture them,” he added.
The comments come as Springsteen has made political rants a recurring feature of his "Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour." During multiple performances this year, Springsteen has described the Trump administration as "reckless" and "treasonous." He also released a song referencing "King Trump" and his "federal thugs" following the deaths of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
President Trump has responded publicly, calling Springsteen a "dried up prune" on Truth Social and encouraging supporters to boycott the musician's tour.
While Jagger said he generally avoids turning concerts into political rants, he said that he does sometimes incorporate political themes into his songwriting. “I’ve got into this habit of doing songs that are about personal relationships and then I throw a verse about politics in there,” he said. “Nobody wants to hear a whole song about politics,” Jagger added.
Jagger also said performers should adapt to the audiences in front of them rather than expect the same response everywhere they play. “Your job is to make them have the best time they possibly can,” he said.
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