*Editors Note* This commentary is excerpted from Episode 1 of the Bloody Good Music Podcast.
Words meaning something, and the absence of them can also speak volumes, which is clear by paying attention to Manowar. The loincloth wearing veterans are just the latest band to renege on their promise to retire, but that isn't the issue we need to talk about. Bands being dishonest to get you to buy tickets is not a new phenomenon. No, there is something far uglier going on in the camp of the true metal warriors, and it is one that has left me utterly disgusted, not just in the band, but in the metal scene as a whole.
Last year, guitarist Karl Logan was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography. While I won't make any definitive statement about his guilt or innocence, I think it's fair to say authorities usually don't charge you with that particular crime if they haven't found images or videos in your possession. This arrest put Manowar in an unattractive spotlight. There's a saying about adversity letting you see who people really are, and if that is indeed the case, we learned a lot about Manowar mastermind Joey DeMaio. The entirety of the band's statement said, quote, "Due to the fact that Karl and his attorneys are dealing with these issues, he will not perform with Manowar." Let that sink in for a moment, because, to the best of my knowledge that is the only statement that band has put out on the subject.
What Manowar said is that Logan will not be playing with them. Note what they aren't saying; that he is out of the band. Their statement leaves it an open question whether or not Logan is still an official member of Manowar. I don't know how the band is structured, so there is a very real possibility that Logan is a stakeholder in the company, and is still making money from every record and ticket sold by the band.
Manowar released the first of the three new EPs that will make up their new album this year, and in addition to it being a front-runner for the worst quote-unquote 'music' of the year, it answered no questions. The release came with no indication who was in fact playing on the songs. My own theory is that, given the awful quality, Joey DeMaio played the guitars, but the band has never publicly made it clear. Let me reiterate here; Manowar released music and asked fans to give them money for it, without saying whether or not an alleged pedophile was playing on the songs, or if he was profiting from them. I find this utterly unconscionable.
What's worse is the reaction this has garnered. David Shankle, the former Manowar guitarist no one knows or cares about, did an interview where he said, "Unfortunately, that's a sad thing... that Karl was arrested with some B.S. about child pornography. I hope... if there is any truth to any of it that he'll get the help he needs because he's a great guitar player." I'm sorry, but that statement is downright evil. Logan's proficiency with a guitar has absolutely nothing to do with this situation. Whether he's the most beloved musician on the planet or not, his actions stand alone from his talents, or lack thereof. What's worse is Shankle outright calling the charges B.S., despite knowing nothing about the evidence authorities have against him. In Shankle's mind, Logan is a good musician, so he can't be guilty of the charges. And in Shankle's mind, even if Logan is guilty, all he needs is help. Notice he never says Logan should be put in jail and held accountable if he indeed was in possession of images of sexually exploited children.
Sharing a hometown with Manowar, I have always been embarrassed by them. But I have also given them some slack, including Shankle, as I might be the only person with a critical outlet who has actually heard all three of his DSG band's records. Today, I feel dirty for being able to say that. Shankle, along with DeMaio's cowardice, are disgusting sacks of flesh containing no souls. They have put their friendships, and their wallets, ahead of protecting the innocent. They believe if they ignore the charges against Logan, fans will forget, and they can keep exploiting their fans for everything they're worth. I don't use that word lightly, either. Make no mistake, Manowar is exploiting their fans by leaving them in a position of possibly putting money in Logan's pockets, and potentially funding the next round of child abuse he encourages.
But the worst part of this whole ordeal isn't even Manowar themselves. There are always wretched people when you look hard enough. I can live with Manowar being contemptible people who don't deserve another second of my attention, but what I can't believe is the complete apathy shown by the rest of the metal universe. In the time since Logan was arrested, there has been no shunning of Manowar. There was no resuscitation of the controversy when the EP was released. There hasn't been a push by the metal media to get answers out of the band. They have seemingly succeeded in ignoring the problem until it went away. And we have let them.
Every now and again I note that I've never considered myself a metalhead, even though I listen to a fair amount of the music. This is why. If metal, as a community, can't push back against this kind of depravity, I want no part of it. As in politics, music now seems to have lowered the bar so much there isn't anything that will earn our scorn sufficiently to end a career. I am even ashamed to be a metal journalist if we are going to whitewash an incident as ugly as this, simply because something else will garner more clicks. We have a responsibility to speak out for what's right, to hold people accountable when they screw up. If we aren't going to do that, we should quit now.
But maybe I'm the only one left with a conscience.
Words meaning something, and the absence of them can also speak volumes, which is clear by paying attention to Manowar. The loincloth wearing veterans are just the latest band to renege on their promise to retire, but that isn't the issue we need to talk about. Bands being dishonest to get you to buy tickets is not a new phenomenon. No, there is something far uglier going on in the camp of the true metal warriors, and it is one that has left me utterly disgusted, not just in the band, but in the metal scene as a whole.
Last year, guitarist Karl Logan was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography. While I won't make any definitive statement about his guilt or innocence, I think it's fair to say authorities usually don't charge you with that particular crime if they haven't found images or videos in your possession. This arrest put Manowar in an unattractive spotlight. There's a saying about adversity letting you see who people really are, and if that is indeed the case, we learned a lot about Manowar mastermind Joey DeMaio. The entirety of the band's statement said, quote, "Due to the fact that Karl and his attorneys are dealing with these issues, he will not perform with Manowar." Let that sink in for a moment, because, to the best of my knowledge that is the only statement that band has put out on the subject.
What Manowar said is that Logan will not be playing with them. Note what they aren't saying; that he is out of the band. Their statement leaves it an open question whether or not Logan is still an official member of Manowar. I don't know how the band is structured, so there is a very real possibility that Logan is a stakeholder in the company, and is still making money from every record and ticket sold by the band.
Manowar released the first of the three new EPs that will make up their new album this year, and in addition to it being a front-runner for the worst quote-unquote 'music' of the year, it answered no questions. The release came with no indication who was in fact playing on the songs. My own theory is that, given the awful quality, Joey DeMaio played the guitars, but the band has never publicly made it clear. Let me reiterate here; Manowar released music and asked fans to give them money for it, without saying whether or not an alleged pedophile was playing on the songs, or if he was profiting from them. I find this utterly unconscionable.
What's worse is the reaction this has garnered. David Shankle, the former Manowar guitarist no one knows or cares about, did an interview where he said, "Unfortunately, that's a sad thing... that Karl was arrested with some B.S. about child pornography. I hope... if there is any truth to any of it that he'll get the help he needs because he's a great guitar player." I'm sorry, but that statement is downright evil. Logan's proficiency with a guitar has absolutely nothing to do with this situation. Whether he's the most beloved musician on the planet or not, his actions stand alone from his talents, or lack thereof. What's worse is Shankle outright calling the charges B.S., despite knowing nothing about the evidence authorities have against him. In Shankle's mind, Logan is a good musician, so he can't be guilty of the charges. And in Shankle's mind, even if Logan is guilty, all he needs is help. Notice he never says Logan should be put in jail and held accountable if he indeed was in possession of images of sexually exploited children.
Sharing a hometown with Manowar, I have always been embarrassed by them. But I have also given them some slack, including Shankle, as I might be the only person with a critical outlet who has actually heard all three of his DSG band's records. Today, I feel dirty for being able to say that. Shankle, along with DeMaio's cowardice, are disgusting sacks of flesh containing no souls. They have put their friendships, and their wallets, ahead of protecting the innocent. They believe if they ignore the charges against Logan, fans will forget, and they can keep exploiting their fans for everything they're worth. I don't use that word lightly, either. Make no mistake, Manowar is exploiting their fans by leaving them in a position of possibly putting money in Logan's pockets, and potentially funding the next round of child abuse he encourages.
But the worst part of this whole ordeal isn't even Manowar themselves. There are always wretched people when you look hard enough. I can live with Manowar being contemptible people who don't deserve another second of my attention, but what I can't believe is the complete apathy shown by the rest of the metal universe. In the time since Logan was arrested, there has been no shunning of Manowar. There was no resuscitation of the controversy when the EP was released. There hasn't been a push by the metal media to get answers out of the band. They have seemingly succeeded in ignoring the problem until it went away. And we have let them.
Every now and again I note that I've never considered myself a metalhead, even though I listen to a fair amount of the music. This is why. If metal, as a community, can't push back against this kind of depravity, I want no part of it. As in politics, music now seems to have lowered the bar so much there isn't anything that will earn our scorn sufficiently to end a career. I am even ashamed to be a metal journalist if we are going to whitewash an incident as ugly as this, simply because something else will garner more clicks. We have a responsibility to speak out for what's right, to hold people accountable when they screw up. If we aren't going to do that, we should quit now.
But maybe I'm the only one left with a conscience.
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