Page 22 - Black Velvet Rock Music Magazine Issue 92

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ically I think makes for a better child. That’s they want to know how many people like ne song on the album that Kevin
just how I do things. I don’t necessarily their stuff, they need all these followers and Owould like fans to pay attention to
claim to be a great parent, but at some of course you have the community of peo- is ‘I’ve Got A Gun’. He says, “A song like
point we’re going to have to have a conver- ple that get paid for posting what they’re ‘I’ve Got A Gun’ is written from the perspec-
sation about what his responsibilities are, wearing or drinking. I think that’s pretty tive of a Second Rights Amendments ar-
what kind of trouble you can get into with ridiculous as well. Advertising is advertis- guer claiming that the First Amendment
cell phones and iPads, but just not yet.” ing. You’re paying an Instagram star exor- people are trying to take away their right to
Kevin has posted his son’s photo on bitant amounts of money to take pictures of bear arms and it’s the dumbest argument in
his Instagram page when doing activities shit, I think it’s ridiculous.” the world and that’s the one I think I’d like
together. “He’s like, “How many likes do I Maybe. But it’s a way to sell things. If people to pay attention to most. All I’m say-
have?” I’m like, “You don’t have any likes!” the person has a huge amount of followers ing is that we need to choose not to have
When I post stuff, he’s like, “Let me see! Let who they can influence, it is not surprising weapons, we expect the same respect,
me see!” He likes that and he’s into it, it’s that companies want to get their products which means don’t shove the fact that
cool, it’s his thing. Again, I want to keep him out that way. It’s probably cheaper than an you’ve got guns and you want all these
as far away from that right now as possible. advert in between two television pro- rights to carry them and be in the public
He’s about to turn 9 years old and I want to grammes, or in a newspaper, right? Kevin place with a gun. You don’t need to shove
make sure that he’s a 9 year old, not a 9 thinks that smart phones are making hu- it down our throat. We get it that you want
year old going on 20.” mans dumber, but we wonder if those girls it and that’s fine, and no-one’s trying to take
In ‘Vexatious’, Kevin sings ‘another rea- taking lots of photos could actually be it from you, but again, society tends to be-
son for the world to embrace you’ and ‘so smart for making money quickly and easily lieve everything they read, so therein lies
isolated’. We ponder today’s eagerness to with a few snaps. the problem, I suppose. I don’t like to
be embraced and loved online. “I run into “Is that intelligence or is that an app preach but I do like to preach. I don’t want
people every day that are just so lonely,” that’s offered to you?” asks Kevin. “Yeah, to preach but I do want to preach. Ulti-
says Kevin. “And I don’t think they realize one could argue that. But that’s not going mately, I’ve seen a lot in the 25 years I’ve
that it comes from this excessive need to to last forever. Ultimately, why smart been doing this and I think that some of my
be connected, how many likes you have phones are making us dumber is because opinions, right or wrong, are good opin-
and how much somebody loves your photo we rely on them way too much. Just be- ions. And sometimes what I write about lyri-
or whatever the comment is, based on what cause they get paid for it, that’s great, but cally is, if there’s something that someone
you’re wearing and shit like that. It’s that there’s probably a typo or something some- can learn from what I’ve experienced and
sense of entitlement that is really ruining where in there. I think if you sit down and take something from it and maybe change
people on a daily basis. It’s just ruining try and spell all the stuff you’re being asked their life for the better or for positive then I
their lives. No-one’s entitled to shit and life to spell out you probably can’t spell half of hope that that’s what it does, ‘cause I’ve got
owes you nothing and if you walk around it without looking at the keyboard or some- a pretty great life. Have I had a lot of obsta-
feeling like it owes you everything you’re thing like that. That’s kind of what I meant cles? Have I run into them along the way?
going to be sorely mistaken at some point by that. If I could make $1000 a post, would Of course. Has it made me the person I am
when you really wake up and realize what I do it? Probably not, ‘cause that’s not really today? Abso-fucking-lutely. Am I happy
your responsibilities are, not only to your- who I am, but I’m glad people can. It’s a way with that? 100%. Lesson learned. So here I
self but the people around you and to the to make a living, but I think there are other am, having a fucking blast, and I hope that
world you live in, and I think that that’s re- things you could be paying attention to. the things I can write about maybe help
ally what we’re seeing, so yeah, I do feel That’s just my opinion.” people feel the same way.”
that people do feel alone and that’s why

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