List of Left Wing Bands/Artists [Archive]

RATM-Eubie

6th March 2011, 07:08

Alright lets get a long list of lefty bands/artists going here. Whatever music i dont care. Started one just thought of some
here they are
list yours!

Leftist Bands/Artists
Rage Against The Machine (my favorite of all time)
System of a Down
Crass
The Molotov (Amazing band especially song In The Red look it up on youtube)
Arch Enemy
Immortal Technique
Green Day
Street Sweeper Social Club
The Casualties
One Day As A Lion
John Lennon
Anti-Flag
Flobots
Bob Dylan
Jedi Mind Tricks
Lowkey
NOFX
Bruce Springsteen
Lamb of God
Rise Against
David Rovics
MIA
The Nightwatchman
The Unseen
Public Enemy
Serj Tankian
The Molotov
Billy Bragg
Woody Gunthrie
Scars on Broadway
Marilyn Manson
MC5
Dead Kennedys
The Clash
Aus-Rotten
The Sex Pistols
The Coup
2Pac
Atari Teenage Riot
Linkin Park
U2
Ministry
Dope
The Rolling Stones
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Neil Young
Propaghandi
Refused
Raised Fist
Fugazi
Tool
Pearl Jam
A Perfect Circle
Thrice
Pennywise
Bad Religion
Death by Stereo
Inside Out
Mos Def
Brother Ali
Corporate Avenger
Kottonmouth Kings
Conor Oberst
Sepultra
Red Dagger
International Noise Conspiracy
Sonic Youth
Audioslave
Redskins
Zack De La Rocha
Hed PE
Against Me!
Ill Bill
Dropkick Murphys
Street Dogs
Steve Earle
Weathermen
Akrobatik
Blaggers I.T.A.
Company Flow
KRS-One
Lupe Fiasco
NWA
The Offspring

Thats all i can think of right now
Add on if you want.

mosfeld

6th March 2011, 23:34

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION - Naxalite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYbZbNsqgiE

Deep in the forest
High up in the mountains
To the future we will take an oath
Like springing tigers we encircle the cities
Our home is the undergrowth
Because I am just a naxalite warrior
Fighting for survival and equality
Police man beating up me, my brother and my father
My mother crying can't believe this reality

Again and again until the land is ours
Again and again until we have taken the power
Again and again until the land is ours
Again and again until we have taken the power

THIEVERY CORPORATION - The Shining Path
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tcqNAzZubs

THIEVERY CORPORATION - Retaliation Suite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8pBYOHteBg

mosfeld

6th March 2011, 23:40

FLATTBUSH -- Filipino-American Maoist punk band which constantly glorifies the People's War in the Philippines

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UT7V8-JxhHk/SMxYlHtKmkI/AAAAAAAAA3w/-SBDRLyj4tg/s400/Flattbush+IMG_5962.jpg
http://www.myspace.com/flattbush

DEAD PREZ -- Revolutionary Panther-style communist hip hop
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mW3xwM7PB7s/Sv3uXw6nA0I/AAAAAAAAALs/1x16p1HtN0g/s400/951716129_24c5f4a033_o.jpg

Dimitri Molotov

7th March 2011, 00:02

Against All Authority (Ska/Punk), Anti-Heroes (Punk), The Addicts (Punk), Agnostic Front (Punk), Billy Talent (Punk), Bob Marley (Reggae), Boikot (Punk), Born Of Osiris (Death Metal), Cheap Sex (Punk), Good Charlotte (Punk), Rancid (Punk), Streetlight Manifesto (Ska), Strike Anywhere (Punk), The Suicide Machines (Ska, Punk)

Those are the bands I know who aren't already on your marvelous list!

#FF0000

7th March 2011, 00:09

Pretty broad definition of "Left", I think.

But either way:

Refused
The International Noise Conspiracy

and the bands they ripped off:

Nation of Ulysses
The Make Up

Leonid Brozhnev

7th March 2011, 00:13

Fear Factory

0TJVHHQW6aE

Napalm Death

ilxDjmbJc1U

Tim Finnegan

7th March 2011, 00:30

Oi Polloi (anarcho-punk), New Model Army (punk), The Levellers (folk-punk), Roaring Jack (folk-punk), Alistair Hulett (folk), Luke Kelly (folk), Catch 22 (ska-punk), Soulfly (thrash metal), Sabbat (thrash metal), Skyclad (folk metal), Propagandhi (punk), The Men They Couldn't Hang (folk-punk).

MÃ¼nchhausen

7th March 2011, 00:48

Jarost Marksa (Black Metal), the Riotfolk Collective (Folk), Banda Bassotti (Ska), Agrotoxico (Hardcore Punk), Komintern 43 (Punk), Kreator (Thrash Metal), Doom (Crust Punk), Capitalist Casualties (Grindcore)

Leonid Brozhnev

7th March 2011, 12:01

I forgot, Cathedral.

As I walked through fields of innocence
My dreams were distorted with no defense
Earth's creatures beside me, what a joy to be
Bright flowers, gay sunshine, sweet destiny

Then one day scarecrow greeted me
My mind began to see truths unfolding
So I built - a house up in a tree
To view reality and began observing
From there I saw an abattoir for minds
A system of lies man is enslaved in
Murdered thoughts, human machinery
In life's factory keep the wheels turning

Now that the sun sets upon this magic land
My eyes are wide open to the ill fate of man

They put me in a place to educate
Instead my mind was raped, not yet turned eight
Stories of crucifixion and moral codes to live life by
Force-fed lies, defiled, brainwashed and blind

Then a priest with fire in his eyes
Warned me of my demise if I stopped believing
He said young man you'll burn in hell you see
Christ is your sanctuary, so just be subservant
Stand up and fight, defend your country
Kiss feet of the elite and you shall inherit
Your wealth up in the sky but first you have to die
And live in poverty - keep the wheels turning

Now that the sun sets upon this fated land
My eyes are wide open to the ill deeds of man

Where is this place, I once wondered free?
A funeral of dreams became reality

Grey concrete, human cage - society
Joys butchered, blind envy, bleak destiny
Killing yourself to get by in this murdered world
Words, music on black plastic; the truth!

Black towers over you and me authority
Destroy your will to be if you let them own you
Reclaim your mind, view life through your own eyes
You soon may realise your own true meaning
Fuck their wars, religious lies and laws
Guilt trips you're not the cause, don't just accept them
A life of misery they want for you and me
Just drink and be merry - stop the wheels turning

Now that the sun sets upon this magic land
My eyes are wide open to the ill fate of man

Dimmu

7th March 2011, 12:09

No Dying Fetus? These dudes are very left..

Who does the earth belong to?
The human termites spreading lies.
The people have to make a decision,
but they're too busy dying to try and realize.

Who controls their future,
and money flows above their heads.
Just give them all a chance to make contact,
and the last ones shall rise up to seek revenge.

There was a time, when the weak would suffer.
The ones in power would crush all who dissent.
Just look around, because nothing's changed.
No longer kings, they wear a suit and tie.

Those who survive, have no conviction
Just follow trends, until they're born again.
So who will live, and who will die?
It's up to us to carry on the fight.

Rising up, from the ashes to the challenge.
Face to face, it's not too late to start resisting.
All around; we have a chance to change the world.
Believe in us, tomorrow's dreams are fire in our blood.

Bred to buy, not to think.
Tell more lies, make them weak.
Nothing's real, except the mindset you've created.
To the left, avoid the path that they've been paving.

Mainstream lies, unleashed through waves that mold behavior.
We've had enough, their greedy fucking system's going down.

Bred to buy, not to think.
Tell more lies, make them weak.

Without hesitation, I will kick the TV in.
Sick of all these fuckers with their Prozac grins.
Always selling shit, that no one wants or needs.
Choking up the planet with their get rich schemes.

A mediated world, what a sick reality.
Wake the fuck up, smell the shit, then you will see.
What's good for them isn't good for everyone
The future starts now, for a past yet to come.

Just ask them one question,
and they'll tell you fifteen lies.
They're Judas, Hitler, Stalin, and Brutus
all combined.

The world is false-constructed,
just to satisfy their needs.
If we keep obeying orders,
we're like lambs to the slaughter for their feast.

Handed down, the final call.
Rise to fight, destroy them all.
It's too late to accomodate.
The game is lost, because no one is thinking.

Born with a chance to facilitate,
The end of a time that's defined by hypocrisy.
Just like rats, they will multiply,
and run with the pack without ever seeing.

Out of the womb to be crucified,
we challenge the doctrine they've been preaching.

thesadmafioso

7th March 2011, 18:56

Well if Bob Dylan qualifies as leftist I can't see why Phil Ochs shouldn't be on this list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5pgrKSwFJE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5JOfkQRuBY

praxis1966

7th March 2011, 20:01

How this thread made it past the first post without mention of Utah Phillips, embodying the IWW tradition of being a 'singing union,' is beyond me...

Rd_lysZiVa8

gTOC4zej_S4

Also, Chumbawamba are worth a shout...

waRwJZFoJmw

Delenda Carthago

7th March 2011, 20:04

Iannis Xenakis

SZazYFchLRI

Fawkes

8th March 2011, 02:13

Everyone on Digital Hardcore Records

MagÃ³n

8th March 2011, 02:13

The Last Internationale

ChampionDishWasher

8th March 2011, 02:28

Chumbawamba
Wingnut Dishwashers Union
Mischief Brew
Defiance,Ohio
Against Me! (before they sold out)
This Bike is a Pipe Bomb
Reagan Youth
Dead Kennedys
Andrew Jackson Jihad
Bomb the Music Industry
Ryan Harvey
Evan Greer
Ghost Mice

28350

8th March 2011, 02:30

Choking victim (ska punk), later reformulated as Leftöver crack (mainly crust punk)

Apoi_Viitor

8th March 2011, 02:49

I think the list should only include artists who are Revolutionary Leftists instead of encompassing anyone who isn't a delusional ultraconservative. Using the criteria you used for your list, I could say Rise Against is a leftist band, even though they support Obama, Wage Slavery, and Sweatshop Labor.

Reznov

8th March 2011, 03:10

Hell, just add all bands to it and then make some claim on how it is a metaphor for Socialism.

And, I think Rage Against the Machine sucks personally, the music is horrible I think. Check out Winds of Plague, lot better.

Apoi_Viitor

8th March 2011, 04:28

Check out Winds of Plague, lot better.

Winds of Plague makes even JFAC and Emmure look good.

Invader Zim

8th March 2011, 11:46

MWu-QOVekeU

CynicalIdealist

8th March 2011, 11:59

Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk

8th March 2011, 14:31

I can't believe the OP put Green Day in there. They're a bunch of pussy liberal whiners.

praxis1966

8th March 2011, 19:04

I think Rage Against the Machine is the greatest band ever.

Fixed.

Aurorus Ruber

8th March 2011, 19:15

I am kind of ambivalent on Rage against the Machine. All too often it sounds like they've written the same song over and over again (musically rather than lyrically speaking of course).

praxis1966

8th March 2011, 20:39

I am kind of ambivalent on Rage against the Machine. All too often it sounds like they've written the same song over and over again (musically rather than lyrically speaking of course).

With the first album I might've agreed with you, along with flashes of that on Evil Empire... But on Battle of LA and Renegades I wouldn't. Anyway, whether or not you like them musically, there's no doubt that a band with that kind of message and multi-platinum appeal is generally a good idea.

NoOneIsIllegal

9th March 2011, 05:25

Reversal of Man
Combatwoundedveteran
Yaphet Kotto
Majority Rule
The Dream is Dead
Moss Icon
Cease Upon the Capitol
Dolcim
Phoenix Bodies
1905
Four Hundred Years
The Red Scare
Orchid
Palatka
Shikari
Joshua Fit For Battle

I'm probably forgetting a few, but all leftist "screamo" (skramz) bands (minus The Dream is Dead)

wunderbar

9th March 2011, 07:32

In this thread: liberal bands (with a couple exceptions).

Tim Finnegan

10th March 2011, 02:00

In this thread: liberal bands (with a couple exceptions).
This is why the far-left doesn't have any friends.

wunderbar

10th March 2011, 06:02

This is why the far-left doesn't have any friends.

I'd rather be honest about it rather than pretend that artists like Marilyn Manson, Good Charlotte, and Bob "My favorite politician was Barry Goldwater" Dylan are left-wing.

Tim Finnegan

10th March 2011, 06:31

I'd rather be honest about it rather than pretend that artists like Marilyn Manson, Good Charlotte, and Bob "My favorite politician was Barry Goldwater" Dylan are left-wing.
Fair enough, and I agree that there are rather more of such artists on the list that we might want, but they are hardly the majority you suggest. Most listed so far are legitimately radical, and even most of the borderline cases, e.g. Bruce Springsteen are at least firmly on the populist/social democratic left. Engaging in No True Leftist-ing just makes us look like the crabby sectarians that the majority like to caricature us as.

RATM-Eubie

11th March 2011, 03:51

If i would say i think that all these bands are to the left they may not be to the "far left" but they are to the left. Range from social democrats all the way to the communists and anarchists. They are all to the left but they are not all far left calling for violent revolution.

Nothing Human Is Alien

11th March 2011, 04:20

Sun Rise Above (http://sunriseabove.net/enter) :thumbup1:

Chairman Wow

11th March 2011, 17:20

everyone forgets about the Manic Street Preachers in these threads

Tim Finnegan

11th March 2011, 18:53

everyone forgets about the Manic Street Preachers in these threads
Top of the page, mate. ;)

Chairman Wow

11th March 2011, 19:06

whoops!

i'll make up for it by naming another lefty band Gang of Four, very cool post-punk band :)

L.A.P.

13th March 2011, 06:17

Green Day? They're Liberals. Marilyn Manson? Love his music, but he comes off as a Libertarian. 2Pac and N.W.A. were Black Nationalists. A lot of these artists don't belong on here.

Delenda Carthago

13th March 2011, 06:39

Green Day? They're Liberals. Marilyn Manson? Love his music, but he comes off as a Libertarian? 2Pac and N.W.A. were Black Nationalists. A lot of these artists don't belong on here.
I will have to disagree on MM. If he is not a libertarian,and quite a progressive one, who is?

And since we are talkin in general about progressive musicians, I would definetly would like to add Slipknot, Tool and QOTSA.

Chairman Wow

13th March 2011, 21:07

There's a question mark over many of the artists, most have performed music that has been vaguely leftist or at least anti-establishment... but then there are many who have promoted messages that are incompatible with leftism.

Can Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks, with his rampant homophobia, really be considered a leftist artist?

L.A.P.

13th March 2011, 22:28

I will have to disagree on MM. If he is not a libertarian,and quite a progressive one, who is?

I don't quite understand what you're saying, why would you disagree with me on saying Marilyn Manson comes off as a Libertarian by stating you think he definitely is a Libertarian? Why are you stating that Marilyn Manson is a Libertarian as if it was a good thing? I would say at best, Marilyn Manson is a Progressive or Liberal but at the worst he seems like a Libertarian.

RATM-Eubie

13th March 2011, 22:37

Immortal Technique in his early years often used very homophobic language........
Marylin Manson seems to be very much to the left to me... He seems to be a socialist, to me.

L.A.P.

13th March 2011, 22:45

Immortal Technique in his early years often used very homophobic language........
Marylin Manson seems to be very much to the left to me... He seems to be a socialist, to me.

I looked it up actually, he's not even a Libertarian......he's a Conservative.:thumbdown:

praxis1966

13th March 2011, 23:06

I looked it up actually, he's not even a Libertarian......he's a Conservative.:thumbdown:

I'd actually like to see a link on that not because I don't believe you but because I'm just intellectually curious. I personally can't stand Marilyn Manson's music or his persona, but I did have a fair amount of respect for his intellect.

As an aside, the point may now be mute if in fact he is a conservative, but I think where you and AttackGR were getting screwed up was one of you was using libertarian in the classical sense, that is to say libertarian socialist/anarchist, and the other in the modern American/co-opted Right-Libertarian/An-Cap sense (ie the American Libertarian Party).

RATM-Eubie

14th March 2011, 00:38

L.A.P.

14th March 2011, 01:21

Really Manson a conservative?
I guess burning an American flag at a show is real conservative like of him. Hell the song The Beautiful People is about his struggle to live in a capitalist society, and about him growing up as a struggling middle class person. And your right i guess a good conservative would be an atheist as well. Have you ever heard the song burning flag by him?
Check out this article: http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=19519

im interested where you got your information from buddy.

First of all, no need to be a condescending asshole about it as if you got personally offended by that statement.

If I had to pick, I'd pick Bush, and not necessarily by default.

http://www.mansonquotes.com/interviews-hw-74

This is really not the first time there has been an artist with an anti-establishment persona and in reality has right-wing views (Johnny Ramone), so don't be so god damn gullible to the stunts they pull on stage and then get offended when you realize they weren't as cool as you though they were. Marilyn Manson could rock hammer and sickles but it still wouldn't change the fact that the guy is a right-wing Conservative/Libertarian douchebag.

praxis1966

14th March 2011, 04:03

http://www.mansonquotes.com/interviews-hw-74

Works for me. Now I can stop pretending to pay attention to him. Although, I gotta wonder if this isn't just one more bit of attention seeking behavior...

This is really not the first time there has been an artist with an anti-establishment persona and in reality has right-wing views (Johnny Ramone)

Fair point... And Marylin Manson's hardly the first Marylin Manson. His music's basically a Skinny Puppy jack without giving credit where credit's due, and his schtick is really just Alice Cooper with a bit of Iggy Pop and Sid Vicious thrown in for good measure. He's [Manson] never been very good at being original.

The most enlightening thing about the article I find is his tacit admission that he's basically an overgrown adolescent... I mean, c'mon homie. Even Kiss took off the makeup eventually.

pastradamus

14th March 2011, 04:15

Not sure if these guys have been mentioned yet but:

The Modena City Ramblers
Christy Moore
Victor Jara (really interesting guy, read up on him)
Billy Bragg

RATM-Eubie

14th March 2011, 19:05

praxis1966

14th March 2011, 19:21

Manson in 2006 (according to the article i posted) stated "Who's to say there weren't a couple of our fans who took my sarcasm seriously and voted for him?" When asked about his comments on how he sarcastically "supported Bush". Manson is a staunch critic of Bush.

That's a fair point as well, and one which I alluded to when I mentioned his "attention seeking behavior" at the top of this page. My point was it's sometimes hard to know where he's coming from because just about everything he says and does is from the angle of a publicity hound. For that reason, I find it hard to take anything about him seriously whether it's his "art" or the cultural criticisms it contains. Further, I find it the height of irresponsibility that he should make such comments about a guy like George W considering the cult of personality Manson's fashioned for himself. Don't take it personally, though. I'm equally unimpressed by all shock artists, Ozzy Osbourne and Howard Stern included.

Delenda Carthago

14th March 2011, 19:45

A. I actually have said many times that on the axis left-right, a progressive democratic thinking person is more left than your average socialfascist like what the Eastern Block used to be after 56. And considering the image that people (even by false) have about socialism(that of a terrible totalitarian regime)yeah, I think its more ok to be a progressive libertarian than a moron who supports China and DPRK like many idiots in here.

B. If you consider the amount of shit that MM got from conservatives especially during the Columbine thing...

Gzr3kHRq9Ts

Chairman Wow

14th March 2011, 19:51

Delenda Carthago

14th March 2011, 19:55

To be fair, I think it's fairly difficult to accurately place any artist on the political spectrum because, as you've pointed out, the 'rebellious' image can be a big cash cow. That particularly applies to hugely popular musicians like Manson. Therefore there can be question marks over everyone, RATM etc. included.
True, but this is more on what we get as a society from their music and personas. Not of who they actually are in their personal lives.

praxis1966

14th March 2011, 20:10

Therefore there can be question marks over everyone, RATM etc. included.

Except that Zach de la Rocha actually spent time teaching in Zapatista schools in between RATM's first and second album, Tom Morello regularly makes appearances at events in support of union organizing drives, and collectively the band has played at everything from fundraisers for Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal (which I believe got them banned from live performances in Philadelphia for a while) to the 2000 DNC protests in LA to a benefit for Gennady Zyuganov in 1996, the CPRF's nominee for president of the Russian Federation. I could go on and on, but I think the point that that band actually puts its money where its mouth is is made, especially considering that a lot of the stuff I just mentioned happened well away from the limelight of the mainstream press.

Chairman Wow

14th March 2011, 20:22

Except that Zach de la Rocha actually spent time teaching in Zapatista schools in between RATM's first and second album, Tom Morello regularly makes appearances at events in support of union organizing drives, and collectively the band has played at everything from fundraisers for Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal (which I believe got them banned from live performances in Philadelphia for a while) to the 2000 DNC protests in LA to a benefit for Gennady Zyuganov in 1996, the CPRF's nominee for president of the Russian Federation. I could go on and on, but I think the point that that band actually puts its money where its mouth is is made, especially considering that a lot of the stuff I just mentioned happened well away from the limelight of the mainstream press.

I have no problem with the band, or it's fans. But spouting anti-capitalist rhetoric whilst simultaneously earning money for a subsidiary of Sony will leave them open to scrutiny. Not from me though. Just an observation.

RATM-Eubie

14th March 2011, 20:46

Im just saying Marylin Manson's songs seem to be left wing and he has spoken out against conservative values especially the christian right.
Anyways on RATM yes they do put the money where their mouth is, hell in their CD booklets they list a lot of organizations they support and give their money to through CD sales and what not. Tom Morello said on that subject of being signed to Sony "When you live in a capitalistic society, the currency of the dissemination of information goes through capitalistic channels. Would Noam Chomsky object to his works being sold at Barnes & Noble? No, because that's where people buy their books. We're not interested in preaching to just the converted. It's great to play abandoned squats run by anarchists, but it's also great to be able to reach people with a revolutionary message, people from Granada Hills to Stuttgart."
Lenin said The capitalists will sell up the rope with which we will hang them" I remember that. I see at as this Sony gave them complete freedom with their records and their music they are pretty much hijacking the "machine" to deliver a revolutionary message, and they have done plenty of shit to back up their message.

praxis1966

14th March 2011, 20:47

But spouting anti-capitalist rhetoric whilst simultaneously earning money for a subsidiary of Sony will leave them open to scrutiny.

Yeah, I've heard that criticism over and over again and have always found it kind of stupid. They basically have three options: Earn money for Sony so that their message can reach the largest possible audience get called hypocrites, record for an indie label in order to maintain artistic integrity yet reach a fraction of the people, or start their own label, which would class them at the very least petite bourgeoisie and at worst capitalist elites by the very same people calling them hypocrites now. We don't live in a communist society, so those sorts of criticisms are completely invalid as far as I'm concerned.

Ⓐaron

15th March 2011, 04:45

Fall of the Bastards (black/death/thrash metal, Portland, Oregon)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor/A Silver Mt. Zion (post-rock, Montreal)
Iskra (blackened crust, Victoria, BC)
Misery Index (death metal/grindcore, Baltimore)
Panopticon (black metal, Kentucky)
Skagos (black/folk metal, Vancouver Island)
Sorgsvart (black/Viking metal, Norway)
Wolves in the Throne Room (black metal, Olympia, Washington)

I suspect all of these groups of containing at least a few anarchist members, although no one in GY!BE/ASMZ has officially confirmed this and I'm not certain about Misery Index. The RABM and Anarchist Black Metal groups on last.fm list literally dozens more black metal bands with leftist sentiments, most of which I still haven't even listened to yet.

Tomhet

17th March 2011, 13:07

PopoSmash!

18th March 2011, 02:27

Thievery Corporation (Amerimacka) and Radiohead (Electioneering)

Sixiang

19th March 2011, 02:47

System of a Down
I'm not sure if they really qualify. They're definitely not revolutionary leftist. Serj Tankian supported Obama and seems more like a reformist progressive. Maybe social dem, but not revolutionary socialist.

Immortal Technique
Some of his songs have some cool moments in them, but he's kind of homophobic/chauvinistic in some of his lyrics, as many have said before on this site. Also, he seems more reformist based on a few interviews I've seen him do. He may be socialist, but not revolutionary. I guess what's kind of good about him is that he is sort of a voice of leftism for the ghetto, although I think DP are better for that anyway.

Green Day
Liberal. No question.

Street Sweeper Social Club
Win.

John Lennon
More of a pacifist leftist.

Anti-Flag
Supported Obama.

Flobots
Also Democratic Party supporters.

Bob Dylan
Was a more apolitical hippie icon back in the day. Liked Barry Goldwater. Became more conservative after converting to Christianity.

The Nightwatchman
Win again. May be a little more "progressive" these days, but focuses on immediate things like unions and so forth.

Public Enemy
Support the NOI.

Billy Bragg
Not revolutionary. Supported Labor party for years. Supported Liberals for a little while, too. Got a few good songs though.

Woody Gunthrie
Win.

MC5
Diverse group. The drummer is pro-Tea Party these days. Wayne Kramer called the Black Panthers "heroes of mine." John Sinclair was their manager. Rob Tyner seemed to be on board with Wayne, but focused more on just being rebellious and youthful.

The Clash
Win again. Kind of like The Nightwatchman these days. Pro union and workers' struggles.

The Sex Pistols
Seem more nihilistic apolitical. I hear one of them was Situationist.

The Coup
Win. Boots openly said he is a communist on national television.

Tool
While good friends with RATM, it should be noted that Maynard donated money to several Democratic Party candidates. Their music is more about learning, growing, progressing, becoming better people and so forth.

Audioslave
Cool that they played in Cuba. Not sure about Cornell's beliefs.

Delenda Carthago

19th March 2011, 03:05

Flobots are Canadian.They also said in one of their lyrics "dont kill Chavez like we killed Aliende" or smth.They also have a song called Mayday.Not Dems at all.

Anti Flag dont excist for decades.

IT is leftist.

Tim Finnegan

19th March 2011, 03:24

Seem more nihilistic apolitical.
I wouldn't say they were apolitical so much as anti-political, but, yeah, they were only ever left-wing insofar as they were anti-establishment. They popularised early anarcho-punk aesthetics (and a lot of that was really the work of their artist James Reid, who actually was an anarchist), but their contribution to the actual process of combining radical politics with rock music is pretty minimal.

NoOneIsIllegal

19th March 2011, 06:16

A continuation from my first post... Just a few songs from most bands I had listed earlier, dealing with leftist politics. (posting all youtube videos would kill this thread)

One Eyed God Prophecy
"Wilf" - (my current sig)
"Field of Separate Realities"

Reversal of Man
"January Twenty Second"
"Silver Pieces of Eight"

Funeral Diner
"It is Good that We Never Met"
"We All Have Blood on Our Hands"

Combatwoundedveteran
"You Win, I'm Stupid"
"My Spine! My Spine! My Spine!"

Yaphet Kotto
"Circumstantial Evidence"
"Fact nor Fiction"
"Are you still working at that cafe?"

Please Inform the Captain this is a Hijack
"In the Service of Capital"
"Karma Collection Day"
"Transnational Vampire Killers"

Majority Rule
"The Sin in Grey"
"Not in my Name"

The Dream is Dead
"Hail the New Pawn"
"Nickelodeon Diplomacy"

Encyclopedia of American Traitors
every song, ever. Very labor orientated. Revolutionary.

Cease Upon the Capitol
every song, ever.

Dolcim
"Noah's Arc was an Orgy"

Phoenix Bodies
"I Guarantee You're a Pile of Shit"
"Resonance Of The Strom Thumond Death Rattle"
"You've Been Hamburgled"
"Surf's Up Surf City!"
"Get a Job"
"If Money is Power..."

1905
"Voice"
"Control"
"Throw"
"You're Wrong"

Four Hundred Years
"The New Imperialism"

Takaru
"Revenge of the Nerds"
"A Split Decision"
"Don't Drink the Water"
"Cowardly Feeding Silence"

Palatka
"Another Sort of Blacklist"
"Palatka Kills Young Republicans Without Batting an Eyelash"
"If you're not Satisfied With Our Current Arrangement..."

Joshua Fit For Battle
"Contents of an American History Class"
"Blood Money"
"Destroying From the Inside Out, Kind of Like Cancer..."

I had too much time on my hands...

RATM-Eubie

19th March 2011, 06:34

All of the artists are defiantly leftist, they are not all "revolutionary leftist" but they are defiantly leftist. Ranges from social dems all the way to anarchists...

Burn A Flag

19th March 2011, 07:20

Blue Scholars are the shit. They refrence Mao Lenin and Marx in the song "coffee and snow". Also they have a song about a riot in seattle. (50,000 deep) and an anti war song calling for removal of troops from abroad.

Sixiang

19th March 2011, 16:50

Flobots are Canadian.They also said in one of their lyrics "dont kill Chavez like we killed Aliende" or smth.They also have a song called Mayday.Not Dems at all.
They're from Denver, Colorado...

I suppose I stand somewhat corrected, but there is this. Take whatever you want from this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ougXJD7Bk0A

They seem to be reformist. Maybe social dem.

IT is leftist.
I would agree with you on that. He still used homophobic and male chauvinist lyrics regardless. I guess he's changed recently and decided to stop doing it.

These are some interesting links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uyaFNNjWjs&playnext_from=TL&videos=LmeAtZKtt5M&feature=grec_index
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/32901
http://www.newpaltz.edu/oracle/article.cfm?id=3107

No_Leaders

21st March 2011, 07:30

Some of my favorite leftist bands are Propagandhi, The Broadways, Fifteen, Leftover Crack/ Choking Victim/ Star Fucking Hipsters, The Pinkerton Thugs, Crass, The Unseen, Refused, Strike Anywhere, MDC, Dead Kennedys, Subhumans. To name a few, Although there's plenty more.:)

Invader Zim

22nd March 2011, 00:48

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5vz0pHPonU

Das war einmal

22nd March 2011, 16:12

Marilyn Manson today is a bit of a douchebag or as Reznor called him a 'dopey clown'. His work until and including Golden Age of Grotesque is artistically very strong and is a statement against conservative America in general. He also stated multiple times to be an antifascist despite the fact that he uses nazi paraphernalia for shock value.

Today he is more busy selling out to artist like Lady Gaga, taking part in fashion shows and with his whimpering ego which is suffering from drug abuse and his failing career the last few years. Just look at his last video 'running to the edge of the world' and compare this with his older work.

Too bad I didn't see him when he was at the top of his game, I love his old stuff but I won't visit his concerts because they suck nowadays.

Here's an transcript of a failed interview attempt in 2009: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8077246.stm

Sixiang

23rd March 2011, 03:09

I guess if we're including social democrats/democratic socialists, I suppose I could through Pink Floyd in here. David Gilmour said in an interview:

My parents were on the left of centre; proper Manchester Guardian readers. Some of their friends went on the Aldermaston marches. Mine never did to my knowledge, but they were both committed to voting for the Labour Party. I still consider myself to be more a socialist than anything else, even if I can't quite stick with party politics.

Roger Waters was more overtly political. I can't really pinpoint any specific tendency, but I'm pretty sure he's just a pacifist social dem of some sort.

sources:
http://www.rogerwaters.org/tonyl.html
http://www.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk/index.php/npf-mag/426-david-gilmour-mojo-interview

They weren't a very political band, though. Just one that was great at playing their instruments.

Delenda Carthago

24th March 2011, 00:25

Nobody here knows about them, but what the hell...

Greece's biggest hiphop group, Active Member is definetly leftist.

This is 1999, solidarity gig for the Kurds after the surrender of Abdulah Ojalan to the Turks. Few months after the Belgrade bombings. One of the two band members,who is greek-american, goes on front and he...
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The gig was broadcasted to Serbia.

IndependentCitizen

5th April 2011, 23:39

David Rovic?

Fawkes

6th April 2011, 03:11

Throbbing Gristle

apawllo

10th April 2011, 01:39

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEl0GIadRUQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmJqzEVKwoU

Arilou Lalee'lay

17th April 2011, 09:11

I started a playlist of vaguely leftist songs that I like, I'll keep adding ones I like from this thread as I listen to them.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=1750AD2FED9BB6B5

The last song is just for you Zizekians out there.

Futility Personified

20th April 2011, 19:03

Inner Terestrials are a skanarchist (see wut i did thar) outfit that have been around for quite while. Movin' On, White Nightmare, Off With Their Heads, Squatter's Rights, are some good songs

Johnny Panic

21st April 2011, 15:45

I can't believe the OP put Green Day in there. They're a bunch of pussy liberal whiners.

I must give respect though, only band who will not put there disk in Wallmart

Johnny Panic

22nd April 2011, 06:44

A few more
Consolidated
Head crash
Anti-War-Hall
MIA
Clawhammer
and of course
Jello/Lard

Rusty Shackleford

22nd April 2011, 23:39

Commandantes:
Modern German band
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The Exploited:
awesome
3bZzM4s0Hgs

Oktoberklub:
East german band, FDJ
bhLnsNurNHk

Mikis Theodorakis:
(greek classical musician who preformed often in east germany)
nW0C4ii5fT4

KYPCK (Kursk):
Finnish band
4ywB2aC8W8A

Black Sabbath:
Heavy Metal Hippies and my favorite band, not necessarily left wing but yeah
uRhZISswW_k

Johnny Panic

17th May 2011, 15:50

Is anyone familiar with the band War Hall? Awesome protest electro, I bought an EP on e-music but can find no further info

Ermo Kruus

26th May 2011, 17:21

Japanese psych/noise group, Les Rallizes Dénudés, deserves a mention here. They were formed around the radical student circles of Kyoto University back in 1967. Their first bassist quit the band to join a hijacking orchestrated by the Japanese Red Army. Their political affiliations apparently made the record labels piss their pants, so they never released any studio albums.

Thirsty Crow

24th June 2011, 14:31

...Sabbat (thrash metal)...
Kind of an off topic, but I've recently grabbed the two gems of thrash metal by these folks, after some 2 or 3 years of almost total oblivion on my behalf.

And holy fucking shit, that gotta be the best of what I've listened to as far as metal, in all its genres is concerned.

Recommendation: the song "Church Bizarre" from A History of a Time to Come, a perfect lyrical execution of a mockery and criticism of evangelical preachers.

Breathtaking.

RNL

25th June 2011, 05:59

Sole

http://soleone.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sole_%28artist%29

Check out his new "rap as journalism" mixtape, Nuclear Winter Volume 2:

https://www.circleintosquare.com/item/nuclear-winter-vol-2-deathpanel

Wy82TY3SJUA

W1N5T0N

6th July 2011, 13:37

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUnzjYmofLI

Slipknot-Pulse of the Maggots

Octavian

6th July 2011, 18:04

Add Orchid to the list. They're a Screamo/Hardcore band that make reference to philosophy and a couple Marxists.

Delenda Carthago

7th July 2011, 10:38

Mikis Theodorakis:
(greek classical musician who preformed often in east germany)
nW0C4ii5fT4

Mikis used to be the biggest name communists had in our society. Everybody loved him.He was in EAM resistance to Nazi Occupation, exiled during the dictatorship. Most of his work is political. Today he is an old man who is half crazy half ultrapatriot but he still refers to Stalin with a great value.

This song is called "slaughterhouse" and its about the way of communicating between the cells the prisoners had during the torturing in the military dictatorship by the fascists of EAT-ESA(the Junta's special police) on communists and every democratic thinking people.

The lyrics go like...
"During the noon they are hitting in the office
I count the knocks, the blood I count
I m a young bull, they locked me in the slaughterhouse
today you, tommorow me

They torture Andreas in the rooftop during the night
I count the knocks, the pain I count
Behind the walls again we ll be together
Knock-Knock you, knock-knock me

It means, in this mute language
"I hold strong, I m keeping tight"
In our hearts begins the manifest
Knock-knock you, knock-knock me

Our slaughterhouse smelled thyme
and our cell red sky"

Ym3wWBleHjY
this is a good visualation of the song

tracher999

7th July 2011, 12:02

cypress hill
funeral dress
exploitet
the virus
monstersquad
the hoods
sabac red
osdorp posse
moscow death bregade
deadprezz
mannysupal waste

thats all for the moment:)

bietan jarrai

9th July 2011, 01:56

The Movement (Marxist powerpop) and McCarthy (Marxist indie-pop)

socialistjustin

12th July 2011, 18:31

I was doing random youtube searches one day and came across a band called Action Directe. Seems to be a Marxist industrial band. Pretty good stuff really.

Thirsty Crow

14th July 2011, 22:06

Recently, I've been listening to a shitload of "retro" thrash metal bands, but one has caught my eye for interesting lyrics, and a fairly good dose of thrashing goodness.
I'm talking about the Swedish Guillotine, a side project of Nocturnal Rites members.

Dig these tunes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbkt9Z7W65E

Right wing assassins controlling our lives
Make us live in misery and hell

Conservative illusions make it all "democracy"
To main and slay for everything that sells
Trading embargoes, corruption and greed
Protectionism is the modern way
Demoralize your citizen's, control society
Kill the fuckers who won't get in line, today!

Now it's time
It's to say good-bye to Mother Earth

Insane oppression
Makes for aggression
Insane oppression
The end has just begun

Look at the "freedom", controlling our news
Politics and empty barricades
Disinform your people and then write them off as fools
They'll swallow eveything you have to say
Choke on your money, you blood soaked bill
Trading arms with our "enemies"!
Make a buck on terror, while you're sleeping with the beast
You decide the headlines for the news, machine!

Now it's time
It's to say hello to tragedy

Insane oppression
Makes for aggression
Insani oppression
The end has just begun

I wasn't really sure if this band could be deemed left wing, but explicit reference to the right wing made me raise an eyebrow. But check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFmrpHdcr5U

Get up and all is chaos, I should have stayed in bed
Another bloody Monday's here, a full week o playing dead
Hey you, a name & number? Headcount is on the way
Report in to assembly line, you're stuck till your dying day

Consume, produce you loser, who cares if no one'd use it
No hope, dead machines alive
No one is necessary, you' all secondary now

In skeleton city, in skeleton city
Just another day, in skeleton city

Come here, I've got your money, and money it makes me king
Crawl on your knees and take the whip, to me you're not a thing
Hey son, you best obey me, this bullet is just for you
I keep it in my wad of cash
So do what I say, you fool!

The bold part: overproduction and alienated labour (reminds me of certain vampirical metaphors in Das Kapital)? :D

I'm wondering, do we have a modestly left wing thrash band on our hands here? Well, anyway, I dig the lyrics and the music does me real good.