Heavy Metal With a Message: ‘Megadeth’ Frontman Dave Mustaine Endorses Rick Santorum
- Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:15pm by
Mytheos Holt
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Barack Obama might have the Foo Fighters playing for him, but Rick Santorum just got a much heavier endorsement. Dave Mustaine, one-time Metallica guitarist and founder of the speed-metal band Megadeth, has made clear his intention to endorse Rick Santorum, though he and his band are prepared to support anyone nominated against Barack Obama:
I’m just hoping that whatever is in the White House next year is a Republican,” Mustaine told MusicRadar.com. “I can’t bear to watch what’s happened to our great country. Everybody’s got their head in the sand. Everybody in the industry is like, ‘Oh, Obama’s doing such a great job…’ I don’t think so. Not from what I see.”
Blasting Republican front-runner Mitt Romney for his five sons’ multimillion-dollar trust fund and Newt Gingrich for being “that angry little man,” he says he settled on Santorum.
“Earlier in the election, I was completely oblivious as to who Rick Santorum was, but when the dude went home to be with his daughter when she was sick, that was very commendable,” Mustaine told the music site.
The Atlantic notes the irony of this endorsement, coming from a musician famed for music with murderous themes in its lyrics:
Sure, it‘s funny that the presidential election’s top “culture of life” candidate is endorsed by the guy whose albums include Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! and Youthanasia. But it’s worse that youth candidate Obama is raising money with a band your parents probably listen to. (And that’s important to Obama, judging by his reelection campaign’s lame-o Spotify playlist.)
The band has also put out an amusing image featuring their mascot, Vic Rattlehead, mimicking a rather recognizable campaign poster:

Mustaine’s political viewpoint has moved right over the years, as he has shifted from singing class warfare-themed songs like “Foreclosure of a Dream,” and reporting from the 1992 Democratic National Convention for MTV News, to now becoming a born-again Christian and condemning Heavy Metal bands that use “Satanic” themes in their lyrics.
Nor is Mustaine the only heavy metal musician to have a complicated history with social conservatism. Ironically, one band frequently accused of the “Satanic lyrics” he denounces — Slayer — has recorded a song titled “Silent Scream,” which graphically portrays the terror experienced by an aborted foetus in its lyrics — a fact which led John J. Miller of National Review to call the song “the world’s only pro-life death-metal song.”
Also on the metal front, Jonathan Davis, frontman of the group Korn, said the U.S. is “the worst it’s ever been” because of President Obama.





















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Comments (149)
MyzPhoenyx
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:38pmGood for him for going against the grain and pressure from his peers. But… I found his argument against Romney for having sons with trust funds.. confusing. If their father earned enough money to set up trust funds for his children, awesome! Sure, not all of us can do that, but I don’t begrudge that opportunity to someone that can. It means that they shouldn’t be sucking off the government ( read, American Citizens’) teat.
Report Post »Polishing turds must be a high paying, high production job in politics, because that‘s what I feel like I’m being handed when I look at ANY politician anymore.
VicksVaporub
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 11:36pmSieg Heil Santorum 2012
Report Post »ElephantHunter
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 11:43pmAs a Longtime MegaDeth fan, and (oddly as it sounds) ULTRA Constitution guy, I am very proud of Dave Mustaine for finally coming around, The guy makes intense and great music. I used to listen for the instumentals, maybe next album he’ll really go after the lyrics with either a Christian message or at least non greenie, (contdown to extinction) non alcholic promoting (502). Really I could go on and on bout MD lyrics and how they iritate me to no end, BUT Hey Dave, I’m proud to call yiou a brother in Christ! Keep on Rock n it!
Report Post »TexXVonGfeld
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 7:35amThe problem is Dave’s right. That‘s all Mitt’s Daddy’s money. It’s easy to make a bundle when you start of with one.
Dave Mustaine Rules. Metallica stinks.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 7:41amelephanthunter,
Report Post »Mustaine has written some of the most politically insightful and very pro-independent lyrics in music history. He very sharp saw him on celebrity jeopardy once he was so far ahead of the other guest that he didn’t even had to wager on final jeopardy and he would have still won. No one could touch him.
RUST IN PEACE,YOUTHANASIA,COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION,CRYPTIC WRITINGS all have thought provoking lyrics. But My Darkest Hour is my all time favorite.
zorro
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 9:54am“Symphony of Destruction” will be our theme if Obama gets another four years.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 2:18pmYou take a moral man
Report Post »And put him in control
Watch him become a God
Watch people‘s heads a’roll
VTDave
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:07pmMyzPhoenyx,
Report Post »The problem with trust funders and major wealth inheritors is that they either tend to become the next generation of wealthy “tax the rich”ers or they comletely squander what they have been gifted. This isn’t a big deal if it is only money but, as in many cases, it involves a family business. Not all do squander it as I work with two individuals, not related to each other, that are trustfunders and one has pretty much spent it into the ground and likes to party hardy while the other works hard in order to cover her living expenses without having to touch the money she has inherited. My boss was handed the reigns of the family company by his father who has since passed and he and his brother seem to be competing with each other to see who can destroy the company the quickest via uncontrolled spending. Regardless of outcome, though, it is not ours or anybody elses place to stop or tax the daylights out of the transfer of wealth from parents to their children or other heirs.
GoodStuff
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:36pmSilly Ronulans..nobody takes you clowns seriously anymore.
Report Post »DTOM_Jericho (Creator vindicator)
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:47pmSo what are you? A Rickhead? It’s sad that you actually feel smart acting like leftist. I take the delegate count seriously.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:49pmRonulans :) I love it!
Report Post »libtardian-refugee
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:52pmmore like dick head
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:40pmKelly Clarkson came out for Paul, so there.
Report Post »midwesthippie
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:46am^^^…the new nazi…good little christian(?).
Report Post »justangry
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:46am@Goodstuff, Veterans for Ron Paul will hold a rally and a march in Washington D.C. @noon on Presidents Day. Why don’t you head on over and tell them that nobody cares what they think.
Report Post »TheFederalist
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:32pmYou just brightened my day Dave Mustaine! Keep Rattling those stupid liberals out there.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:27pmTHEFEDERALIST, I agree. Good for him. We need more like him to step up.
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 10:52pmIt’s comforting seeing people in the limelight step out of the light and give honest thought out opinions!
Report Post »PoliticiansRCrooks
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:30pmThis is so stupid. Any father would go see there daughter when there sick. This is just foolish and they are trying so hard to convince us to Vote for this fraud Rick.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:38pmWho is they?
Report Post »mr.goodvibe
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 10:46pmIt must be da Jews!
Report Post »zorro
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 9:57amThey? Who? The media? No, it’s not the media. The establishment Republicans? No, they clearly have a “stiffy” for Romney. Who could it possibly be?
Report Post »lemmings4obama
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 10:31am“They” are the Heavy Metal establishment. They keep subtly looping “we pick rick, we pick rick” backwards in all their songs.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 11:13am@LEMMINGS
Thanks for that,
Funny as hell.
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:27pmSantorum loves unions and voted against the National Right To Work Bill.
I’ll stick with Romney…warts and all. At least he has a chance to beat Obama. My dog has a better chance of beating Obama than Santorum.
Report Post »PoliticiansRCrooks
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:31pmThey both are bad. They both will do the same thing. Romney lol. Republicans are going to lose again. Neither of these clowns can beat Obama.
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:34pmToo bad…we’re stuck with em. So pick the one who has a better shot at Obama…and that’s Romney.
Report Post »vichoff
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:07pmReason Romney will be destroyed by Obama.
1). Has no valid way to debate him on Obamacare…Obama will thank him for the idea. Debate will be semantics
2). Romney will play right into the class warfare…right or wrong
3). When the stories start being explored in detail about the Mormon church…Americans will be shocked. Already big article today about Jewish leaders upset over proxy baptisms of Jews who died in holocaust in the Daily.
Trust me folks Santorum is the only one with shot. Other than the Romney-Obama care argument I don’t think these are fair arguments….but they will destroy Romney and he is exactly who the Obama campaign is hoping for and prepared to beat.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 8:00amOnly because he’s was representing Pa. a pro-union state. But if that’s your argument Obama want to end right to work state unionize every sector of the country,and tried to block Boeing from building a new planbt in South Carolina because the union didn’t want them to build in a right to work state.
Report Post »GIVEN THE CHOICE WOULD N’T LOGIC DICTATE YOU VOTE THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS.
If someone said you have to lose either a pinky or arm no other options which would you chose?
TheObamanation
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:26pmLumbar … the smartest guy in the room … like obama … ha ha ha ha ha
Report Post »Lumbar Spine
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:47pmI never said that…but most of the people here are starting to make me feel that way. Thanks, guys…!
Report Post »DD313
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 11:36amTheobamanation: Lumb and Lumbar, I like it!
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:43pmFeeling yourself again LUMBAR SPINE? Wanker.
Report Post »Aron
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:05pmAwesome. Hopefully this is the beginning of something much larger.
Report Post »jhp230gr45
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:02pmThe Atlantic isn‘t giving credit to the fact that this was Mustaine’s nature some 25 years ago…and that his views at the time were anti-political during the early days of Megadeth…
Report Post »As time goes on though, especially after you get older you begin to realize what is really screwed up about today’s situation and therefore these days…yes….Dave does “get it”….
Unfortunately there are still too many drones and sheeple out there that don’t “get it”…and that’s exactly why the great deceiver will be reelected…Shame…
Steverino
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:40pmWhat’s that old saying? –
Report Post »“When you’re young, if you’re not liberal, then you don’t have a heart. When you’re older, if you‘re not conservative you don’t have a brain.”
Me likee. Except the young liberal part.
mr.goodvibe
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 10:49pmI watched an interview with dave Mustaine recently where he talked about how he tried everything else in life to feel whole and then though why not try faith. Hope it makes him whole, he is a very talented musician.
Report Post »Blazer123
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:00pmJust like Romney, Rick “I don’t support unions except when I vote” Santorum is not a conservative alternative to anybody.
Gee, wouldn’t it be neat if there were a candidate whose voting record matched what he claimed to believe in.
Ron Paul is the only person who wants to get away from business as usual.
Report Post »psychokittis
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:06pmI have to agree. Ron is the only one who seems to have a working understanding of the Constitution. That means more than anything else in American politics. That’s also the reason that ALL the pundits seem to be calling him a nut and distorting what he says and does.
Report Post »psychokittis
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:00pmJust out of curiosity, I wonder who Steve Vaus will endorse, if anyone. For those unawre, he is known for the song ‘We must take America back”.
Report Post »This video can be found at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0eoE9mi9iw
It’s a reminder of how far we have fallen and how muc work needs to be done to undo the damage that so-called progressives have donr in ths country over that past 100+ years
psychokittis
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:03pmMy appologies for the typos-I didn’t proofread.
Report Post »flatbroke
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:56pmIts funny what becoming a christian and quitting drugs will do for someone, the IQ sky rockets, and they become conservatives!
Report Post »Blazer123
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:09pmAre we talking about the same guy? Santorum is a big government progressive. Just like Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush…
Report Post »LIBSALWAYSLIE
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:15pmBLAZER, Santorum just like obama????? Thats ignorant, you clearly know nothing about the man.
Report Post »TheObamanation
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:20pm^^^^^ Ron Paul ? ^^^^^
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:32pmJohn Lennon became a Reagan-supporting conservative in the last years of his life. I kid you not. Look it up.
Lennon‘s last agent said he didn’t like Carter and supported Reagan. He would go to parties in NYC and mock his bohemian friends for their silly beliefs.
Report Post »PoliticiansRCrooks
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:33pmIt’s not ignorant. Santorum gonna leave the FED as is. The was for bailouts. There all the same you fools.
Report Post »DTOM_Jericho (Creator vindicator)
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:57pmActually Christians are simply a different kind of sheeple. They celebrate all forms of roman, pagan, holy days even though it is explicitly forbidden by God to use pagan practices to worship Him. Christians have two layers of matrix. Governmentally aware Christians only have one.
Messiah Yeshua says: “…be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates…”
Report Post »– Deuteronomy 12
supertruckerdave
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:55pmawesome
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:54pmLooks like the younger generation is joining Uncle Ted.
Report Post »kgranger
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:25pm<3 ted … We need more of these people to stand up!!!!
Report Post »ExpertShot
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:43pmActually, most of Megadeth’s lyrics & themes are political, not really murderous in nature, not to mention, they blow the Foo Fighters OUT OF THE WATER!!
Report Post »TheObamanation
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:47pmFoo fighters suck
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:54pmSymphone of Destruction could have been written for Obama…”you take a mortal man..and put him in control..watch him become a god…watch people’s head a roll”.
Report Post »TheObamanation
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:04pmA peaceful man stands tall … Tall …
Report Post »ExpertShot
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:34pmI’m definately going to have to pull my old Megadeth out….wait..they’re all cassettes…lol. Guess I‘ll have to buy the CD’s now.
Report Post »mr.goodvibe
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 11:05pm” Rise so high yet so far to fall, a plan dignity and balance for all, political breakthrough, euphorias high, more borrowed money, more borrowed time “
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:44pmBy the way…that double neck Dean- Dave Mustaine model V in the picture is sweet.
Report Post »Jenasus
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:41pmWASHINGTON D.C. Not only has the District of Columbia become the District of Crime, Corruption and Conspiracies but also stands for Death of Civilians in the New World Order.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 10:40pm♪ And the newest slavery, is to keep the people poor… ♪
–From the song “Washington is next!”
Report Post »LibertarianRight
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:35pm“The Atlantic notes the irony of this endorsement, coming from a musician famed for music with murderous themes in its lyrics.”
That’s not irony. Santorum is the biggest advocate for murdering Iranians because we don’t like them.
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:35pmDrugs will make you do crazy things. I wonder if Santorum was on drugs here where he trashed the Tea Party and defended earmarks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEeHDCsetLc
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:48pmAnd since Dave got off drugs and became a Christian clearly his views have changed. But he was always into the political scene as some may recall from early MTV programming regarding voting.
Report Post »Lumbar Spine
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:02pmAnd next year Dave may think he‘s Judy freakin’ Garland…
Report Post »AB5r
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 8:22pmlumbar sounds like a metallica fan, but Megadeth are better.
Report Post »READRIGHTHERE
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 9:06pmThanks for the post Disenlightened.
Report Post »LIBSALWAYSLIE
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:33pmLUMBAR, you are clearly a pimply faced troll living in mommas basement. Or are you mentally impaired, Liberals, like you, are pathetic and clueless
Report Post »Lumbar Spine
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:41pmNo…I’m just your typical educated, elitist liberal who can process information well.
You have a nice day…
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:52pmLOL…really LUMBAR SPINE? You‘re educated and smart and that’s why you support Obama’s policies? Eat this champ…
From Gallup:
U.S. small-business owners who aren’t hiring — 85% of those surveyed — are most likely to say the reasons they are not doing so include not needing additional employees; worries about weak business conditions, including revenues; cash flow; and the overall U.S. economy. Additionally, nearly half of small-business owners point to potential healthcare costs (48%) and government regulations (46%) as reasons. One in four are not hiring because they worry they may not be in business in 12 months.
Companies typically hold back on hiring when the economy is weak and when their operating environment is not providing sufficient revenues or cash flows. This appears to be the case right now, as the economy has been weak for more than four years. Less typical is for many owners to point to such things as potential healthcare costs and government regulations.
Report Post »Yes sport….businesses aren‘t hiring or growing and they’re citing Obama’s government overreach and Obamacare as some of the reason why.
What’s it feel like LUMBAR SPINE? What’s it feel like to so enthusiastically support the policies of a man that keeps Americans unemployed and hurting? Is your failed ideology more important than seeing America prosper and people working ? Is your socialist fantasy and empty elitism more important to you than the reality of people out of work?
dmerwin
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:55pmLumbar, You enjoy your kool-aid while you are having a nice day….
Report Post »Lumbar Spine
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:58pmAVENGERK…and you actually believe what business people say in these surveys? LOL…what a tool.
Report Post »Lumbar Spine
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:01pmBTW, AVENGERK…my people are Americans first. We WANT the country to succeed. Conservatives, in my observation, are ideologues first and Americans second…married to rigid right wing ideology and the religion of capitalism. Think about it…
Report Post »Lumbar Spine
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:04pmDMERWIN…HA! That’s rich…obviously you guys never look in a mirror.
Report Post »LIBSALWAYSLIE
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:20pmHaHaHa, I’ve yet to meet a liberal with any ability to think, let alone process information. You are just another clueless liberal who thinks they know it all. In my lengthy lifetime I’ve learned that whenever a person presents themself as a know-it-all, they never really are. Liberals, like you, are clueless.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:45pmSo LUMBAR, you are not a fan of Capitalism?
Keep quiet and wait in line for your loaf of stale bread.
Moron
Report Post »Lumbar Spine
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:49pmLIBERALSALWAYSLIE…that’s so hurtful. But you’re a Christian…right?
Report Post »2theADDLED
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 9:40pm@ Lumbar Spine
Report Post »aren’t you the one seen frequenting the gay porn shop ?
Your mommy might find your mags.
AvengerK
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 11:01amLOL…LUMBER SPINE…I don‘t have to take those SMALL business men’s word for it. I can see the the high numbers of people who’ve given up looking for work with my own eyes. The work force has shrunk, less Americans are working. You mealy mouthed, leftist filth….you bleat you want the country to succeed in that typical “benign” lefty way, while you actually stifle the engines of success and keep Americans hurting and unemployed. You steaming pile of Statist offal.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on February 16, 2012 at 1:38pm@AVENGERK
You have a way with words my friend.
Report Post »AquaBuddha
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:32pmI’ve met Dave Mustaine several times on photo gigs. He is a very bright guy and great musician whether you like that style or not. I’m glad to hear any musicians coming out and speaking the truth. Like he said people do have their heads in the sand.
Report Post »geetarman
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:30pmWay to go Dave Mustaine! Great songwriter and guitarist who has the courage to speak his mind… hard to do for musicians, especially of his genre, who find themselves on the right of the political spectrum.
Report Post »hi
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:28pmPraise the Lord he became a Christian!
It is funny to me he thought Santorum going home to be with daughters was such a big deal. I had assumed that 100% of people would do that.
Report Post »whatthecrazy
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:27pmThank GOD we will take all the help we can get to get this evil man out of our house in D.C,so i say welcome to all that want to take our country back.I don’t think it matters how so long as it gets done.
Report Post »cripplecreek
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:26pmMustaine is a very smart guy. Just take a look at the lyrics of “United Abominations” and you’ll see that he gets it.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:24pmFunny. The last time I used Megadeth as a reference in a post, it was deleted. Now the Blaze uses them in a story.
Report Post »LIBSALWAYSLIE
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:30pmActually, a lot of rockers get it. Glad to have him on board. OMG=Obama Must Go!!!
Report Post »PoliticiansRCrooks
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:32pmSantorum is only on 43 states ballots. HE CANNOT WIN!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Lumbar Spine
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:20pmIn other words, drugs do fry your brain…so just say no.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on February 15, 2012 at 6:52pmYou’re a point proven.
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